The Wine Advocate | RP 96
Published: Jan 19, 2023

This is the best vintage of Ao Yun to date and also the highest-scoring Chinese wine I have ever reviewed. It, therefore, requires a more detailed account to understand why. The 2019 Ao Yun is a blend of 67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Cabernet Franc, 10% Syrah and 6% Petit Verdot (this latter emanating from the village of Sinong). Notably, Merlot did not make the grade in 2019, which was less to do with vintage but, according to winemaker Maxence Dulou, more a function of Merlot vines at an adolescent stage of development (at five to six years of age, Dulou feels Merlot doesn’t produce the most interesting fruit compared with younger or older vines). The relatively cooler and wetter winter prior to 2019 gave the vines decent reserves, but the drier and warmer than expected spring meant some irrigation was required around budburst and flowering. Overall, across Ao Yun’s different villages sites—Xidang, Sinong, Shuori and Adong—2019 witnessed a warm, healthy growing season and not too warm autumn with yields at their lowest to date (around 16 hectoliters per hectare rather than the average of 20-22 hectoliters per hectare). The long harvest commenced in Xidang on September 9th and finished in Adong on November 21st. Of the varieties above, the proportion of fruit was drawn from the villages in order of elevation as follows: 23% from Xidang, 21% from Sinong, 32% from Shuori and 24% from Adong. In the harvest as a whole, only 53% went into Ao Yun’s top wine, with tiny percentages being used for the Villlage Cru reds (6% each) and 2% for the 2019 Chardonnay. Thus 33% of the harvest was not used for Ao Yun at all.

But what of the wine? The 2019 Ao Yun has an intensely deep purple appearance. On the nose, there is already appealing, immensely powerful dark fruit showing abundant cassis, black cherry, bramble, blackberry and blueberry fruit with some subtle, leafy herbaceous character (sage, green bell pepper, mint) combining with very well-integrated new oak notes of vanilla, clove, toast and smoke (note that Ao Yun only sees around 35% new French barriques with the remainder being matured in stoneware vessels and old oak). On the palate, the wine is immensely full-bodied but far from heavy, with vibrant acidity and very coating, ripe, fine-grained and polished tannins. Dulou reports that this was the first vintage when the entire harvest was gravity-fed through their winemaking facility in Adong with much gentler crushing resulting in partially opened berries retaining seeds inside (even through to racking the wine off gross lees). He also now opts to ferment in narrow, higher-filled vessels, which results in easier cap management, a less-aerated cap with less thermal variation. All of which helps explain the refinement and integration of tannin in the 2019. There is a scintillating core of complex fruit, herbaceous character and subtle new oak notes that are harmoniously integrated. With its very long length, the 2019 Ao Yun is unsurprisingly very youthful and will show better from 2023 at the earliest, even if it can already be appreciated. It will also develop impressively in bottle over the next 15 years or so. In sum, 2019 is the completest statement to date of everything Ao Yun has aspired to be in terms of attaining the best blend achievable from this complex patchwork of vineyard sites stretched across different villages at markedly different elevations. Drink Date: 2023 - 2039

Decanter | D 96
Published: Feb 8, 2023

Vivid dark purple in the glass - such a striking, gorgeous dark plum colour with matching scents of damsons, plums, spiced blackcurrant, liquorice, chocolate, fragrant dried rose petals, pot pourri floral elements, hoisin, peppercorns and cola. A riot of aromas on the nose - this smells deep and rich yet fresh also with a salty minerality. Supple and full in the mouth, massy with firm tannins that give a beautifully integrated structure. Mouthwateringly juicy, but really well balanced so the acidity doesn't stick out. Blueberries, blackcurrants and black cherries on the palate, fresh and lively. Quite a powerful, concentrated mouthful but kept lively by the acidity and overall freshness. Bright, focussed, crystalline quality to the fruit with a wonderful juiciness and overall zing. Hints of spiced liquorice, smoke, tobacco, clove, cinnamon and a touch of minerality as well as a fresh mint (menthol and eucalyptus) finish. Clean and precise, feels well worked, detailed with good persistence. Lots going on here. Still quite compact and full of spice but extremely nuanced and characterful. Lots of enjoyment to be had here and great ageing potential too. 6% Petit Verdot completes the blend. Director and winemaker Maxence Dulou. Ageing a third oak barrels, new oak and Chinese stoneware with the final blend decided in Hong Kong at sea level to avoid the dry air at altitude. 2019 was one of the smallest crops with an overall yield of just 16hl/ha. The vintage saw a more rainy and cool winter than average with a late budburst but homogenous, dry and warm spring - one of the warmest and driest ever. A little bit more rain fell during the summer than average with a dry and cool end of season. Overall very heterogeneous over 28ha (727 different plots) needing the latest and longest harvest since the project began lasting 72 days from 9 September to 21 November.

Winemaker

The famous luxury group is embarking on a new adventure in China, more specifically near the legendary city of Shangri-La on the foothills of the Himalayas. Ao Yun, meaning "flying above the clouds", came into existence in 2013 and is produced from several vineyards located at altitudes ranging from 2,200 and 2,600 metres. Produced in very limited quantities, this is a rare wine which is paving the way for high-end Chinese wines.

The vineyard
Covering 28 hectares in total, the Ao Yun vineyard is divided into 314 units rented to 120 families in 4 villages in Upper Mekong, China. Due to the altitude, plot exposure and the great diversity of soil typology, each village offers asperities which contribute to the richness of this wine. In 2016, 900 sub-plots were identified and then grouped in around thirty distinct terroirs. With a constant preoccupation towards excellence during the development of this exceptional wine, the berries of the 2017 vintage benefitted from greater exposure to the sun, as well as the implementation of higher canopies to allow the water to evaporate better.

Winemaking and ageing
During the fermentation process, the tannins are extracted even more gently than usual due to the heterogeneity of the ripeness of the skin and the seeds of the tannins. This process is necessary as, otherwise, a negative impact on the texture of the wine would be felt. This year, only 57% of the year's wines were selected so as to ensure the finest and most complex final blend. Furthermore, during malolactic fermentation and ageing in barrels, natural micro-oxygenation is increased compared to previous vintages to soften the typical powerful texture of Ao Yun wines. The wine then ages for 14 months in 36% new barrels and 64% older barrels.

Blend
Cabernet Sauvignon (72%), Cabernet Franc (19%), Syrah (4%), Petit Verdot (3%) and, for the first time, Merlot (2%).

Tasting
Colour
Ao Yun has a deep, dark colour.

Nose
The aromatic bouquet conveys the fresh character of black fruits and game, harmonised with smoky and earthy notes.