2020 Ao Yun

The resculpting of Ao Yun over the past few years continues here, wiith medium to full intensity ruby colour coupld with nuanced fragrant spices of rosemary, bay leaf and sage that burst out of the glass. Spring flowers, turmeric, bright berry fruits and a slow and steady lift. Feels like an entirely different expression of classic Bordeaux varieties (Syrah aside) that highlights the impact of altitude, and just brings a ton of personality to the glass. Maxence Dulou winemaker. Shorter ageing also, in a bigger variety of containers - 30% new barrel, 30% neutral barrel, 40% stoneware jar for 12 months followed by 5 months in stainless steel vats. Only 59% of grape harvested entered in Ao Yun, with the rest going into the new village wines, and in this vintage 72% of the blend Ao Yun blend is from the two coolest villages of Adong (2600m) and Shuori (2500m).
97/100 Jane Anson

(Yunnan; 60% Cabernet Sauvignon; 19% Cabernet Franc; 10% Merlot; 6% Syrah; 5% Petit Verdot; small yields of just 18 hl/ha for the Cabernet Sauvignon, for instance; pH 3.35; 14% alcohol). A fascinating and deeply engaging wine. Graphite. Black pen ink. Plump wild blueberries. Loganberries. Brambles. A wild gamey meatiness too.. Lièvre à la royale. Violet. Lavender. Cedar. I find this very profound and rather beautiful aromatically in its slight austerity and restraint. There is almost something a little Cheval Blanc-like in its character. A glorious shape and texture in the mouth. Architectural. This is quite tight horizontally yet more elongated vertically – a lozenge on its side! Gracious and glacial at first but then bright and dynamic, charged with energy as if fired from below. Fresh. Exciting. Long and perhaps the best vintage yet of this unique wine.
97/100+ Colin Hay; The Drinks Business