In 1663, Samuel Pepys entered into his diary, “.... And here drank a sort of French wine called Ho Bryan, that hath and good and most particular taste that I never met with”. This was the first mention of a single-property wine in English literature or any other records. Since then, France’s most respected estates and their wines have captivates wine-lovers the world over.

Internationally recognised wine expert Clive Coates profiles over forty of France’s top domains from eight regions, including estates such as Latour, Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, Krug, and Trimbach. The first part of the book describes the illuminating stories behind a carefully chosen selection of France’s most reputable chateaux and most famous wine families, their winemakers, and their wines. This section also features beautiful photography of every estate.

The second part of the book takes the form of a personal collection of the author’s own tasting notes for each of the domains, with information about the key vintages also provided. The tasting notes are quoted from specific tasting events that the author has attended with details of dates and location so that the reader gets a unique insight into the wines in context. This book is the perfect companion for anyone who appreciates fine French wine.