Die Nase ist Ausdruck der Himalaya-Frische mit Reinheit, Finesse und Komplexität. Schwarzes Fruchtsorbet gemischt mit geröstetem Brot, kaltem Kamin, Teeblättern, Thymian, Kaffee. Süß und frisch. Die Textur im Mund ist ebenfalls fein mit dichter, aber frischer und seidiger Textur mit einem Gleichgewicht zwischen Cremigkeit und Spannung. Der Abgang mit Länge und Salzigkeit ist die Handschrift von Ao Yun. Ao Yun pachtet 314 Blöcke mit 727 identifizierten winzigen Unterparzellen mit einer Gesamtfläche von 28 ha von 120 einheimischen Familien in 4 Dörfern des oberen Mekong-Tals. Der Weinbau integriert ein regeneratives Ökosystem, das auf Chinas traditionelle Landwirtschaft zurückgeht, und respektiert den positiven Kreislauf der Natur. Hier ernähren sich Tier und Pflanze gegenseitig in einem geschlossenen Ökosystem, dank Ao Yun vollständig nachhaltig. Die Landwirtschaft ist biologisch, zu 100 % von Hand, ohne den Einsatz von Maschinen. Ao Yun passt die Weinbergsverwaltung und Weinherstellung kontinuierlich an diese einzigartigen Terroirs an. 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Cabernet Franc, 10% Merlot, 6% Syrah, 5% Petit Verdot. 

Colin Hay 
A fascinating and deeply engaging wine. Graphite. Black pen ink. Plump wild blueberries. Loganberries. Brambles. A wild gamey meatiness too. Lièvre à la royale. Violet. Lavender. Cedar. I find this very profound and rather beautiful aromatically in its slight austerity and restraint. There is almost something a little Cheval Blanc-like in its character. A glorious shape and texture in the mouth. Architectural. This is quite tight horizontally yet more elongated vertically – a lozenge on its side! Gracious and glacial at first but then bright and dynamic, charged with energy as if fired from below. Fresh. Exciting. Long and perhaps the best vintage yet of this unique wine. 

Decanter 
Smells wild and strong on the nose, some elements of blackcurrants, damsons and plums, but darkly cool not overly ripe. The meaty, wild Syrah elements come through (even at just 6% of the blend) with a touch of florality from the Cabernet Franc (19%). Really vivid bright purple in the glass too, almost fuschia pink on the rim. Thick and unctuous, this has weight and body with a fleshy, plump texture, almost chewy but bouncy too so you get strength and clear structure but with lift and brightness from the pure fruit and high acidity. I love the styling, feels controlled and purposeful. Suave but still muscular, confident. It's a big wine with plenty to say. Very long and keeps the intensity all the way through. I like the cool mint eucalyptus note on the finish reminding you it's full of Cabernet. I'd still struggle to say where it's from but it's very good. 6% Syrah and 5% Petit Verdot complete the blend. 

Wine Advocate 
The 2020 Ao Yun is a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Cabernet Franc, 10% Merlot, 6% Syrah and 6% Petit Verdot, with the fruit being sourced from Ao Yun’s four villages in order of rising altitude and percentage terms as follows: 10% from Xidang, 18% from Sinong, 38% from Shuori and 34% from Adong. The wine has a very deep purple appearance and sports a beautifully complex nose of lifted, perfumed dark fruit—cassis, bramble, black cherry, black plum, blueberry, mulberry—with herbaceous notes of mint, green bell pepper and sage, these primary elements marrying beautifully with some subtle, new oak notes of clove, toast, smoke and vanilla. Like the Village Cru red wines, this was matured for 12 months in 30% new, small-format French oak with 30% in older wood and the remainder in Yunnanese stoneware jars. On the palate, this is very full-bodied with super-ripe coating and fine-grained tannins with vibrant acidity—this comes naturally at 3.35 pH—and well-integrated 13.5% alcohol, providing the platform for the concentrated dark fruit and sweet and savory pyrazine and new oak notes. While this wine does not have the immediate "generosity" or sumptuousness of the 2019 vintage, it is undeniably elegant, polished and powerful in its own vintage expression. With its very long length, the 2020 Ao Yun has a complex, layered finish that is abundantly youthful. While it is approachable now, it will show better going forward and will comfortably age for at least 15 years. 

Jane Anson 
The resculpting of Ao Yun over the past few years continues here, wiith medium to full intensity ruby colour coupld with nuanced fragrant spices of rosemary, bay leaf and sage that burst out of the glass. Spring flowers, turmeric, bright berry fruits and a slow and steady lift. Feels like an entirely different expression of classic Bordeaux varieties (Syrah aside) that highlights the impact of altitude, and just brings a ton of personality to the glass. Maxence Dulou winemaker. Shorter ageing also, in a bigger variety of containers - 30% new barrel, 30% neutral barrel, 40% stoneware jar for 12 months followed by 5 months in stainless steel vats. Only 59% of grape harvested entered in Ao Yun, with the rest going into the new village wines, and in this vintage 72% of the blend Ao Yun blend is from the two coolest villages of Adong (2600m) and Shuori (2500m). 

James Suckling 
Super classy, fragrant nose that immediately brings demureness with its currants, graphite, paprika, cigar box, tobacco leaves and a touch of cocoa powder. This is a juicier expression of Ao Yun on the palate, with lots of brightness and probably a little less weight and opulence than 2019, but certainly more agility, firmness, tension and freshness. Refined, layered, long and silky, but the tannins are fresh and present. Extremely long and nervy. The best Ao Yun to date that zeroes in on balance. 60% cabernet sauvignon, 19% cabernet franc, 10% merlot, 6% syrah and 5% petit verdot. 30% new barrels, 30% old barrels and 40% stoneware jars from Sichuan. Drink from 2025, and the wine should age beautifully for the next two decades, if not longer.