Ao Yun 2022 Gift Box

Originating from China in the Yunnan region, specifically within the Shangri-La AOC appellation in the foothills of the Himalayas, Ao Yun 2022 Gift Box represents a luxury, groundbreaking, and high-altitude expression of fine winemaking. Created by the luxury group LVMH (Moët Hennessy), Ao Yun—meaning 'flying above the clouds'—is produced from remote estate vineyards situated between 2,200 and 2,600 metres above sea level near the sacred Meili Snow Mountain along the banks of the Mekong River. The vines are farmed organically across four distinct Tibetan villages (Adong, Shuori, Xidang, and Sinong), where unique clay-gravel and alluvial soils predominate. Under estate director and winemaker Maxence Dulou, the winemaking philosophy incorporates hand harvesting, micro-parcel fermentation in traditional wooden vats and clay jars (amphorae), and maturation for 18 to 20 months in French oak barrels (30% to 40% new). Presented in a luxury gift box, this release captures both Himalayan terroir intensity and pristine French winemaking craftsmanship.

Wine Description

The wine presents an opaque, deep dark ruby red colour with intense violet reflections along the rim. An expressive, highly complex bouquet opens with noble aromas of wild blackberry, dark cherry, cassis, and black plum compote, interwoven with sophisticated notes of mountain herbs, wild mint, crushed stone minerality, pipe tobacco, graphite, fresh coffee bean, and toasted cedar spice. On the palate, it is full bodied, silken, and mouth-filling, delivering concentrated flavours of dark berries, cocoa powder, and savory mineral earth, all supported by a bright, energetic spine of high-altitude natural acidity. Framed by rich, fine-grained, velvety tannins and a dense mid-palate structure, it concludes with an extraordinarily long, persistent finish marked by lingering black fruits, subtle spice, and a clean gravelly mineral grip. Composed of a masterfully blended cabernet-dominant blend (predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon blended with Cabernet Franc, Syrah, Petit Verdot, and Merlot), this 2022 release offers an optimal drinking window of 2026–2048+. Stylistically, it combines high-elevation tension, refined mountain complexity, and iconic collectors' appeal.