Ao Yun Shangri-La 2019 / 14.5% / 0.75 L

Winery Ao Yun (also known as “Flying Above the Clouds”) is located in Yunnan Province in southwestern China—in the Shangri-La area, at the foot of the sacred Meili Snow Mountain.The project was launched by the LVMH Group, which, after a four-year search for the ideal terroir, chose this exceptional site.
The vineyards stretch across four villages: Adong, Xidang, Sinong, and Shuori, at elevations ranging from approx..2,200 to 2,600 meters above sea level.The result is a climate characterized by a wide range of temperatures between day and night, intense solar radiation, and a delicate mountain microclimate—all of which contribute to highly concentrated grapes and a complex wine profile.
Work at the vineyard is carried out with great respect for nature and tradition: the harvest is mostly done by hand, and the vineyard plots are highly fragmented—314 main parcels divided into approx..700 sub-parcels.Ever since the launch of its first commercial vintage in 2013, this project has been regarded as visionary—a blend of Burgundian attention to terroir and the Bordeaux style of wine.
An interesting fact is that the name “Ao Yun” literally means “floating above the clouds,” which refers to the vineyard’s location high in the mountains and in valleys that are often shrouded in mist.
All of this means that Ao Yun wines are not intended for the mass market—the amount of grapes grown and the volume of production are very limited, and the very concept of the winery is based on selectivity and precision down to the smallest detail.

For the 2019 vintage of Ao Yun, the internal selection and aging process has reached a very high level.The harvest was extremely small—the yield was about 16 hectoliters per hectare, which means a very limited amount of fruit and a high concentration. The grapes came from a very extended harvest period—from September 9 to November 21—which also underscores the uniqueness of this vintage.
The wine blend consists primarily of Cabernet Sauvignon (67%), supplemented by Cabernet Franc (17%), Syrah (10%), and Petit Verdot (6%)—no Merlot was used in this vintage.It was aged in a combination of containers—partly in oak barrels (m.in.35% in new barrels) and some in Chinese stoneware jars to preserve freshness.

Appearance: a deep ruby color with a violet rim; the glass reflects the intense color typical of mountain wines and well-concentrated wines.

Aroma: dark fruits—black currant, blackberry, blueberry—harmonize with notes of mountain herbs, violet, cedar, graphite, licorice, and a subtle tobacco-smoke aroma.

Taste: full-bodied, yet retaining a sense of lightness thanks to its pronounced acidity and well-polished tannins; a hint of mint or eucalyptus emerges on the finish, alongside peppery and spicy notes and a mineral base; the structure is vertical and well-balanced, suggesting the potential for long-term aging.

Food Pairings: It pairs perfectly with roast duck seasoned with aromatic five-spice powder, with roast or grilled lamb with a herb crust, with a juicy grilled ribeye steak, as well as with aged Comté cheese or other cheeses with a nutty-umami character.