2019 Ao Yun

The 2019 Ao Yun is seriously impressive. Bright, fresh and vibrant in the glass, the 2019 is a wine of energy more than size. Crushed red berry fruit, blood orange, mint, cinnamon, cedar and sweet pipe tobacco are all finely cut in this mid-weight, Cabernet Sauvignon-based red. In 2019 the blend is 67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Cabernet Franc, 10% Syrah and 6% Petit Verdot from the villages of Shuori, Xidang, Adong and Sinong, aged in 35% new oak, 35% once-filled barrels and 30% stone jarres. It’s a fine effort from the team led by Technical Director Maxence Dulou, a Bordeaux native who spent time in Chile, South Africa and several prestigious Bordeaux châteaux (including Cheval Blanc, Le Tour de Pin and Quinault L’Enclos) before moving with his young family to China in 2013 to head this ambitious project for LVMH.