AO YUN 2014

Intense, deep dark color.  Multi-layer identity. We feel the spice with cinnamon/liquorice, the freshness with mint/cedar wood, the earth with leather/humus, the mineral with graphite/lead pencil and red fruit with cherry/black current.  Dry, medium to full body the palate offers a long and polished tannic structure. Confirming the nose with a myriad of refreshing, fruity and mineral notes as peony, seaweed, wild black raspberry and graphite. Superb balance between minerality/acidity and sweetness/alcohol.

Pair with braised beef short ribs, black pepper beef ribeye

Blend: 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc.

The cabernet sauvignon character is shinning through in this second edition of what has quickly become China's best wine. It's full-bodied, structured and chewy with polished tannins and beautiful length and intensity. A super-structured red that needs two or three years to soften completely. 

The 2014 Ao Yun is a blend of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Cabernet Franc. With its deep ruby appearance, the 2014 Ao Yun shows dark, brooding cassis and leafy bramble fruit overlaid by marked toasted new oak and a touch of development, now at around five years of evolution in a vintage that looks as though it will evolve more readily than the more robust 2015 and 2016 wines. That said, on the palate, the 2014 is still relatively youthful with a ripe core of dark fruit, distinct new-oak notes of clove, smoke, vanilla and toast, ripe chewy tannins and some uplifting acidity. This seems more savory in style overall than either the 2015 or 2016 vintages and a step up in quality from the inaugural 2013 Ao Yun. Still needs time, if approachable now.