En Primeur 2022

The 2022 Alter Ego is a total pleasure bomb. Ripe and sensual, with caressing tannins, the 2022 is exceptionally beautiful. Floral and spice top notes lend tons of aromatic presence. More than anything, though, I am so impressed with the wine’s exceptional balance. Especially the tannins. Nothing in particular stands out, as the wine’s balance is nothing short of magnificent. The 2022 is pure and total sensuality.

Score: 93 - 95 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2027-2042

A blend of 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 43% Merlot and 6% Petit Verdot, the 2022 Alter Ego de Palmer offers up aromas of cherries, wild berries and plums mingled with vine smoke and rose petals. Medium to full-bodied, deep and brooding, with a layered core of fruit, lively acids and rich, powdery tannins, it's a gourmand, voluptuous wine that will offer a broad drinking window.

Score: 91 - 93 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2022 Alter Ego is a deep limpid purple in color. It has a huge bouquet as if someone has shoved a bunch of violets in your face and said "Smell that". It just doesn't hold back. The palate is medium-bodied, with a sweet, ripe entry. Quite dense, structured and grippy, with a slightly briny finish.

Score: 90 - 92 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2027-2050

The 2022 Angélus is racy and super-expressive right out of the gate. These days a more restrained style has become the norm at Angélus, and yet there is plenty of mid-palate pliancy and overall richness. As good as this is, the most impressive 2022s I tasted at Angélus were straight out of barrel, which makes me think the Grand Vin could perhaps be at another level with a bit more selection. Even so, the 2022 is quite alluring.

Score: 93 - 95 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2052

This estate's shift in the direction of gentler extraction and more reductive, less overtly oaky élevage continues, and this extreme vintage only underlines that. Fermented at cool temperatures (20 to 23 degrees Celsius), and with an increasing proportion of the wine's Cabernet Franc component matured in large wooden foudres, the 2022 Angélus wafts from the glass with deep aromas of dark berries and cherries mingled with hints of iris, licorice and pencil lead. Full-bodied, deep and seamless, with a layered core of cool, vibrant fruit, powdery tannins and a long, saline finish, it's a brilliant young wine in the making. The 2022 is a blend of 53% Merlot, 46% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot.

Score: 96 - 98 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2022 Angélus was cropped at 40hL/ha. It is aged partly in foudres (around half the Cabernet Franc, to be exact) and the remainder in new barrels, the Grand Vin with 14.45% alcohol and 3.65 pH. This takes a few minutes to unfold in the glass. Blackberry, iris petals and crushed stone notes are focused and delineated. There's opulence locked into these aromatics, but that is contained. The palate is medium-bodied with a mineral opening. Graphite and fresh tobacco thread through the layered black fruit, perhaps spicier than recent vintages. A gentle grip on the finish has some wood tannins to resolve, which should be addressed during its élevage. This will need several years in bottle, probably a decade; then I envisage this Saint-Émilion soaring.

Score: 95 - 97 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2028-2050

The 2022 Armailhac is effusive and aromatic, with an extra kick of fruit intensity and richness from the warm, dry growing season, there’s no austerity at all in this young Armailhac. Hints of white pepper, blood orange and mint lend further brilliance. This is very nicely done. A sample presented at Mouton-Rothschild was five days old and oxidized.

Score: 89 - 91 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2028-2042

Deep aromas of raspberries, cherries, crushed mint and spices preface the 2022 d'Armailhac, a medium to full-bodied, layered and concentrated wine that's deep, lively and seamless, framed by powdery tannins and concluding with a penetrating finish.

Score: 92 - 94 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2022 Château d'Armailhac was picked from 8 to 27 September and matured in 50% new oak. This has a very pure and sensual bouquet with precocious black plum, cassis violet and espresso scents. The palate is medium-bodied with muscular tannins on the entry, though I find just a little more complexity compared to the Clerc Milon this year. There's a gentle and discrete crescendo toward its delineated and minerally finish. Excellent. This is more like the d'Armailhac that I was familiar with, say, ten years ago. It will surely be irresistible once it reaches its peak. You've been warned.

Score: 93 - 95 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2027-2055

The 2022 Ausone is dense, powerful and quite brooding in demeanor. Dark-toned fruit, spice, leather, licorice and dried herbs add to an impression of somber intensity. In so many vintages Ausone is immediately alluring, but the 2022 is a potent, backward wine that is going to require many years to be at its finest. The blend is equal parts Cabernet Franc and Merlot. Harvest took place between September 5 and 9 for the Merlot and September 21 and 27 for the Cabernet Franc. The 2022 is a decidedly hedonistic Ausone.

Score: 95 - 97 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2032-2062

A blend of equal parts Merlot and Cabernet Franc, the 2022 Ausone unwinds in the glass with aromas of plums, raspberries and cherries complemented by hints of crushed mint and spices, framed by a lavish patina of creamy new oak. Full-bodied, layered and rather muscular, it's deep and concentrated, its vibrant core of fruit framed by a serious chassis of rich, powdery tannins, concluding with a long, saline finish. Given its imposing levels of structuring extract, it will require patience.

Score: 94 - 96 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2022 Ausone was picked from 5 to 30 September and matured for 20 months in French oak. These aromatics take a little time to open in the glass. Once they do, they are precise with wilted iris flowers infusing the black fruit and background pencil box and incense hints. The palate is medium-bodied with silver bead acidity threaded through the blackberry and bilberry fruit. Fresh and focused, this Ausone possesses a structured finish with a pinch of black pepper on the finish. Elegant in style, this Ausone almost creeps up in you and seduces, intellectual and persistent in the mouth. Upon departing, I couldn't help wondering if I had witnessed this Saint-Émilion demonstrates its full potential, hence the plus sign against my score. 14.4% alcohol.

Score: 95 - 97 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2065

The 2022 Barde-Haut is gorgeous. Rich and explosive, the 2022 offers up copious notes of blueberry jam, crème de cassis, lavender, mint and licorice, with pretty jasmine overtones that add exotic beauty. The tannins here are often a bit burly, but in the 2022 much of that is softened. This is an impressive showing.

Score: 94 - 96 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2027-2042

Unwinding in the glass with aromas of plums, wild berries, dark chocolate and creamy new oak, the 2022 Barde-Haut is medium to full-bodied, rich and fleshy, with a taut, youthfully structured profile and youthfully firm tannins. Exhibiting attractive purity of fruit and tension, gentler extraction would have seen it score higher.

Score: 91 - 93 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2022 Barde-Haut has a lovely bouquet with pure black cherries, boysenberry, crushed violet and dates. This is rich yet has impressive clarity. The palate is full-bodied with fine-grain tannins, gentle grip, mineralité and a precise finish. It's quite a bold Barde-Haut whose depth and density suggest it will require several years to soften, but it will be worth the wait because the finesse will bloom with bottle age. This may ultimately rest at the top of my banded score.

Score: 93 - 95 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2060

A very tight and typical Batailley with medium to full body, linear and racy tannins, which are pure and focused. Spicy finish. Compacted.

Score: 95 - 96 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com

You can't ignore the construction of the tannins here, but there is a plenty of juice in between and this is a gorgeous Batailley. On brand Pauillac, as it so often is, delivering slate, liquorice, energy, cassis, blackberry, orange peel, cardamom, black pepper, graphite, grip. Classic balance also, you don't feel you are in an extreme vintage here. Two thirds of the production is in the first wine of Batailley in this vintage. 55% new oak. A label in honour of Queen Elizabeth II also...

Score: 96 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2030-2047

Cassis, darker currants, tobacco, and some earthy goodness all emerge from the 2022 Château Batailley, a medium to full-bodied Pauillac with wonderful purity, a good spine of acidity, and ripe, integrated tannins. Based on 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot, it's clearly an outstanding wine, if not more.

Score: 92 - 94 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com

The 2022 Beaumont is a bold Haut-Médoc Cru Bourgeois Supérior. A burst of dark cherry, plum, gravel and incense gives the 2022 its hearty personality. The 2022 is an unusual blend that features more Cabernet Sauvignon than the norm. Yields are down to 28 hectoliters per hectare instead of the more typical or so through a combination of frost, hail and dehydration, which adds to the wine’s punchy, explosive feel.

Score: 88 - 90 Antonio Galloni, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2025-2027

The 2022 Beaumont exhibits somewhat wild aromas of rich cherries and berries mingled with smoked meats and saddle leather. Medium to full-bodied, chewy and chunky, it reflects the limitations of young vines on well-drained soils in a vintage like this.

Score: 85 - 87 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2022 Beaumont has a classy bouquet with blackberry, wild hedgerow, iodine and subtle iris flower scents. The oak is neatly integrated, and it retains delineation. The palate is medium-bodied with succulent ripe tannins, fleshy and almost creamy in texture. With good depth and light spice, the 2022 is cohesive on the finish. This will be a thoroughly enjoyable Beaumont that should age well in bottle. Tasted thrice with consistent notes.

Score: 90 - 92 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2028-2048

The 2022 Beau-Séjour Bécot has a bit more Cabernet Franc than most years, which comes through immediately in the wine's aromatic profile. Dark, rich and expressive., the 2022 is seriously impressive. Crushed flowers, herbs, mint, blood orange and red-toned fruit all build into a sumptuous, majestic finish that just explodes on the back end. The 2022 is one of the very finest editions of Beau-Séjour Bécot I can remember tasting. It is a great, great wine.

Score: 98 - 100 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2032-2052

This has double the amount of Cabernet Franc in the blend as of this year after vineyard restructuring, and the chalkiness of the limestone helps underline the curling peony and violet floral character on the opening beats, balancing the intensity of the vintage. Plenty of blueberry and damson fruit, with bitter cocoa bean and coffee, saffran and smoked dried herbs. Highly successful. No irrigation, instead used cover crops, and reduced the height of the canopy by 15cm to limit the transevaporation. Cold maceration for 10-15 days, 55% new oak, 30% oak casks, and amphoras. Jean de Cournuaud technical director. 33hl/h yield after frost impact, harvest September 5 to 23. The new cellar will be ready for the end of August for the 2023 vintage.

Score: 96 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux

The 2022 Berliquet is super-concentrated, dark and ripe, but also without the forbidding tannins of the past. Succulent plum fruit, mocha, licorice and dried herbs are some of the many notes that grace this gorgeous Saint-Émilion. It will be interesting to see where the 2022 ends up post élevage. Today it is full-bodied and quite opulent. Tasted four times.

Score: 91 - 93 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2028-2042

The 2022 Berliquet is brilliant, bursting with aromas of plums, wild berries and lilac, followed by a medium to full-bodied, concentrated and vibrant palate that's deep and mineral. It's likely to be another of the vintage's more attractive en primeur proportions. This estate just goes from strength to strength—and that's before its new winery has been constructed! One of the most significant changes has been opting to retain higher canopies, which means that the fruiting zone of rows planted along the slope are now shaded, preserving freshness.

Score: 94 - 95 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2022 Berliquet was picked from 29 August to 14 September and matured in 44% new oak. The wood is a little more prominent on the nose than the Canon, with black cherries, bilberry and light oyster shell scents. The palate is medium-bodied with succulent tannins. This is a juicy Berliquet that probably belies the structure underneath. There's more red fruit toward the finish, with a touch of pepper on the aftertaste.

Score: 92 - 94 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2055

The 2022 Branaire-Ducru is a powerhouse, almost unnaturally so for this Saint-Julien, which is usually a more understated wine. A blast of dark plum fruit makes a pretty strong first impression. Licorice, cloves, spice, menthol and chocolate fill out the layers. Readers should expect a concentrated, virile Saint-Julien with compelling aromatic presence. In this warm, low-yielding vintage, Branaire is quite the brooding powerhouse. It will be interesting to see if more finesse develops in time. Impressive. Tasted two times.

Score: 94 - 96 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2052

A brilliant wine that's the finest young vintage I've tasted at this Saint-Julien estate, the 2022 Branaire-Ducru wafts from the glass with aromas of violets, blackberries, sweet cassis, licorice and pencil shavings, followed by a medium to full-bodied, layered and multidimensional palate that's succulent, sapid and perfumed, framed by supple tannins and concluding with a long, mouthwatering finish. It's a blend of 60.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31.5% Merlot, 5.5% Cabernet Franc and 2.5% Petit Verdot that checks in at a healthy pH of 3.65. Why is it so good this year? In addition to the quality of the vintage, the new gravity-flow winery means fruit can be handled more gently, and picked more precisely, sub-block by sub-block, as the team now have fully 63 vats at their disposal, almost double their capacity through 2020. Given the Maroteaux family's sensible approach to pricing, this is likely to number among the must-purchase wines of the 2022 vintage, and it comes warmly recommended.

Score: 95 - 97 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2022 Branaire Ducru was harvested from 12-24 September at 34.5hL/ha, the blend representative of their vineyard plantings. This feels refined and focused on the nose with plush red berry fruit, dried rose petals and orange rind scents. Classic Branaire. The palate is fresh on the entry with pliant tannins. It's very well structured to the degree that it conveys a sense of symmetry. Lightly spiced toward the finish with notes of graphite lingering on the aftertaste, this represents an excellent Branaire Ducru that will age over many years and will surely appeal to those seeking more classical Saint-Julien. Tasted three times and was more impressive each time. Branaire-Ducru continues its upward trajectory under proprietor François-Xavier Maroteaux. 14.3% alcohol.

Score: 95 - 97 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2065

The 2022 Brane-Cantenac is captivating. Aromatic, savory and layered, the 2022 is so alluring from the outset. The natural radiance of the year is very much on display, and yet there is nothing that is overdone about the 2022. Hints of blood orange, spice, rose petal and minerals open over time, offering stunning contrast to the sheer intensity of the fruit shaped by low yields and tiny berries. Brane-Cantenac is, in my view, one of the most under-the-radar wines on the Left Bank. The 2022 is a stunner.

Score: 95 - 97 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2052

A blend of 74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot and the balance Cabernet Franc, Carmenère and Petit Verdot, the 2022 Brane-Cantenac unwinds in the glass with aromas of dark berries, crème de cassis, black truffles, loamy soil, burning embers and violets. Medium to full-bodied, deep and velvety, with a fleshy core of fruit, terrific concentration and lively acids, it concludes with a long, perfumed finish. This is a terrific 2022 that may rival or even surpass the 2019 if it realizes all its potential in bottle.

Score: 95 - 97 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2022 Brane-Cantenac, as usual, is a wine that you must sit and contemplate before words gush forth. It was picked from 7 September to 10 October (their tiny plot of Carmenère) at 31.5hL/ha and contains 16% vin de presse from the Cabernet Sauvignon. It is well-defined and fresh, a very subtle Margaux, precise with blackberry, wild strawberry, cedar and tobacco scents. As previous vintages have proven, there's a kind of "hidden depth" that will become apparent post-bottling. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, very elegant and unashamedly classic in style. This is blessed with haunting poise, composed and detailed on the finish. This Margaux is not a show stopper, which in any case, is not really Henri Lurton/Brane Cantenac’s signature style. Instead, it is a wine that 15 to 20 years down the road, you are going to treasure.

Score: 96 - 98 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2065

I tasted the 2022 Calon Ségur two times during my recent trip to Bordeaux. On both occasions it was forbiddingly tannic, much moreso than most wines of the year. Dark-toned fruit, gravel, cured meat, leather, spice and tobacco lend intensity, but the incisive nature of the tannins never settles down. Perhaps élevage will help. We will see. My impression is that the property really struggles in excessively hot years.

Score: 91 - 93 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2052

The 2022 Calon-Ségur is another superb wine from this historic Saint-Estèphe third growth that began a comprehensive renaissance the better part of a decade ago. Unwinding in the glass with aromas of cassis and blackberries mingled with hints of fresh mint, burning embers, licorice and violets, it's medium to full-bodied, layered and concentrated, with terrific depth at the core, supple tannins and a long, saline finish. The blend consists of 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. Vincent Millet observed that "when you tasted the Merlot, you were under the impression that you were tasting Cabernet."

Score: 96 - 98 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2022 Calon-Ségur was cropped at 26hL/ha compared to 36hL/ha last year. Matured for 20 months in new oak, it has a well-defined bouquet with blackberry, raspberry, cedar and subtle tobacco scents. The 2022 is tight at first but opens with aeration (winemaker Vincent Millet remarked how the wine was much more expressive the week I tasted it in mid-April compared to the previous week). The palate is classically styled with impressive mid-palate depth. With strict tannins and multi-layered graphite-infused black fruit, this is reminiscent of some postwar Calon-Ségur's I have tasted. I wonder if slightly less vin de presse would have been better? Uncompromising, perhaps that might be its virtue, but it means that patience will be required.

Score: 94 - 96 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2027-2055

The 2022 Canon is elegant and sensual, with virtually no sensation of tannin. A wine with no beginning and end, Canon is totally seamless. All the Canon signatures are there, but woven together in an effortless, gracious expression of this site. It's the sort of wine that is about subtlety and nuance more than power. Dark red/purplish fruit, lavender, rose petal and spice caress the palate, but ultimately, Canon is above all else a wine of exquisite detail. Haute couture. Tasted three times.

Score: 96 - 99 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2032-2072

From an estate that is delivering its greatest run of vintages since the superb Post War series that preceded the frosts of 1956, the 2022 Canon is a magical wine that will be worth every effort to track down. Wafting from the glass with aromas of dark berries, wild plums and cherries mingled with hints of bay leaf, spices and violets, it's full-bodied, layered and multidimensional, with huge levels of concentration, vibrant acids and beautifully refined tannins. Concluding with a long, saline finish, this pure, perfumed and ineffably complete Canon is built for the ages, even if its structural polish is such that it will be approachable at a surprisingly early age.

Score: 99 - 100 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2022 Canon was picked from 30 August to 22 September and is matured in 50% new oak for a planned 18 months. It has a beautifully-defined bouquet with plumes of blackberry, raspberry and subtle violet flower scents. The palate is very fresh on the entry, announcing a relatively linear Canon. The limestone terroir seeps into every pore of this Saint-Émilion. This is one of the more intellectual and saline Canon wines in recent years. A triumph in such a hot growing season, elevated by its limestone soils.

Score: 96 - 98 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2032-2075

The 2022 Canon La Gaffelière is bright, punchy and full of character. Blood orange, rose petal and spice overtones brighten a core of red/purplish fruit in Saint-Émilion that impresses with its saline intensity, energy and focus. If tasting this blind, I would never say it is a wine from a warm, drought year. It will be interesting to see if the 2022 retains its youthful vibrancy through élevage. This is super promising.

Score: 94 - 96 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2032-2052

A blend of 50% Merlot, 35% Cabernet Franc and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2022 Canon la Gaffelière exhibits aromas of raspberries and plums, complemented by notions of iris, rose petals, incense and burning embers. Medium to full-bodied, ample and fleshy, it's supple, suave and sophisticated, with a lively core of fruit, powdery tannins and a long, saline finish.

Score: 94 - 96 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2022 Canon La Gaffelière was picked from 6 to 22 September at 47hL/ha, with more Merlot this year and matured in 40% new oak. This lovely bouquet shows red cherry, wild strawberry, blood orange and light cedary scents. Utterly charming, as this Saint-Émilion so often is. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins, slightly chalky in texture, and fresh with a vibrant limestone-driven finish. Excellence from a Saint-Émilion that just never lets you down.

Score: 93 - 95 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2055

Currants, blackberries and hints of bark and forest floor. Medium-bodied with creamy tannins and a flavorful finish. Pretty balance to this.

Score: 93 - 94 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com

Intense in both colour and structure, a wine that knows how to make an impact, and it is carrying itself with confidence. Impressive, full of nuanced cassis and bilberry fruit, with liquorice and smoked earth, hints of richly spiced vanilla patisserie cream showing the ripeness of the vintage. This is good, a little abrupt on the finish with a bitter almond kick. Tight tannins at this point. 40% new oak for ageing.

Score: 93 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2030-2046

The 2022 Cantenac Brown is a powerhouse. Dense and massively constituted, the 2022 stains the palate with inky black fruit, leather, dark chocolate, cloves and licorice. In this tasting, Cantenac Brown comes across as rather monolithic, with the radiance and very low yields of the year very much on display.

Score: 90 - 93 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2028-2047

A few years ago, this estate purchased 22 additional hectares in the heart of the plateau of Margaux, including old vine Cabernet Sauvignon that is now making an appreciable contribution to the blend, and that helps to explain why the 2022 Cantenac Brown is so good. Unwinding in the glass with notes of dark berries, plums, charcoal, pencil shavings and violets, it's medium to full-bodied, rich and elegantly muscular, with a layered core, refined tannins and a penetrating finish. The finest wine that José Sanfins has produced to date, the 2022 only improved during the several weeks I spent in Bordeaux. It's a blend of 69% Cabernet Sauvignon and 31% Merlot.

Score: 94 - 96 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2022 Cantenac Brown has an elegant nose, showing pure black cherry, wild strawberry, blackcurrant pastilles and cedar aromas. I appreciate the mineralité here. The palate is medium-bodied with supple but firm tannins, nicely structured. There's a crescendo of fruit toward the mineral-driven finish. Cohesive and full of character, this is another superb Margaux from an estate in the ascendant under winemaker José Sanfins.

Score: 94 - 96 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2070

A firm and tight red with blackberry and currant character. Medium body. Bright and savory.

Score: 92 - 93 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com

Attractive inky ruby colour, sculpted slightly heady iris flowers on the aromatics, opens to damson fruits, cocoa bean, liquorice root, slate, clear concentration and a flash of heat. Harvest began on September 6, earliest ever seen here, through to September 27. 26hl/h yields. 60% new oak.

Score: 91 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux

One of the more opulent, sexy wines in the vintage, the 2022 Château Capbern just about jumps out of the glass with its sweet red, blue, and black fruits as well as notions of chocolate, graphite, and leafy herbs. Full-bodied, concentrated, and textured on the palate, with ripe tannins, this stunning Saint-Estèphe is up there with the finest vintages I've tasted from this château.

Score: 94 - 96 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com

Technical Director Guillaume Pouthier follows his majestic 2020 with another riveting wine. The 2022 Les Carmes Haut-Brion is, quite simply, unforgettable. A wine of tremendous energy, the 2022 saturates the palate with inky red/blue fruits, lavender, sage and mint, showing remarkable density that builds into an eternal finish enshrouded by seamless tannins. The 2022 is a co-ferment of 40% Cabernet Franc, 34% Cabernet Sauvignon and 26% Merlot done with 70% stems that saw six full weeks on the skins. Élevage is 70% new oak, 20% 18HL cask and 10% amphora. It is an incredibly modern wine that marries Bordeaux classicism with hints of Northern Rhône and Piedmont inflections. All the elements are so well-balanced that nothing sticks out. Instead, it is the wine's profound beauty that leaves a lasting impression.

Score: 98 - 100 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2062

The remarkable 2022 Les Carmes Haut-Brion is a strong candidate for the title of wine of the vintage. It's also one of the most singular, characterful wines being produced in the region today. Unfurling in the glass with complex aromas of blackberries and cherries mingled with notions of exotic spices, orange zest, pencil lead, rose petals and vine smoke, it's medium to full-bodied, deep and concentrated, with a velvety attack that segues into a layered, seamless and multidimensional mid-palate framed by rich, powdery tannins. Pure, perfumed and penetrating, this blend of 40% Cabernet Franc, 34% Cabernet Sauvignon and 26% Merlot is a brilliant success that caps a decade of relentless work by Guillaume Pouthier and his team that have seen Les Carmes Haut-Brion emerge as one of Bordeaux's leading estates. It checks in at a mere 13.5% alcohol, with a very healthy pH of 3.64. YC

Score: 99 - 100 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2022 Les Carmes Haut-Brion was picked 5-20 September with 70% whole bunches (three vats contained 100% whole cluster that was cofermented), matured in 70% new oak, 20% in 18hL casks and 10% in amphora. It underwent a long, six-week infusion in the vat at a maximum 26° Celsius, just over a week longer than usual. It is extremely precise on the nose with blackberry, briary, crushed stone and hints of curry leaf. The palate is just beautiful. Sculpted tannins, fine-boned, lending this Les Carmes unerring symmetry and focus. This is loaded with mineral-laden dark berry fruit and feels seamless toward the finish. I am not inclined toward hyperbole, nevertheless, this is the best Les Carmes that Guillaume Pouthier has overseen.

Score: 96 - 98 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2070

The 2022 Carruades de Lafite is a real showstopper. I don’t remember tasting a Carruades quite like the 2022, a wine that combines the richness of the year with tons of supporting structure. Super-ripe red-fleshed fruit, blood orange, mint, cinnamon and rose petal all race across the palate, supported by bright citrus-driven acids that keep the flavors vibrant. I can’t wait to see how this turns out.

Score: 92 - 94 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2028-2042

Aromas of sweet cherries and berries mingled with hints of cedar box, loamy soil, warm spices, violets and orange zest introduce the 2022 Carruades de Lafite, a medium to full-bodied, bright and velvety blend of 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot.

Score: 91 - 93 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2022 Carruades de Lafite, which represents 37% of the production, has a clean and quite crisp bouquet, pure with black cherries and touches of blue fruit, wilted violet petal emerging with time. The palate is medium-bodied with pliant tannins, fine depth, lightly spiced with touches of pencil lead infusing the black fruit. Quite persistent on the aftertaste.

Score: 90 - 92 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2027-2045

The 2022 La Chapelle de La Mission Haut Brion is a powerful, dense wine, almost shockingly so. Gravel, spice, leather, menthol and dried flowers give the 2022 tons of aromatic presence to play off a core of dark, red-toned fruit. I don’t recall tasting a Chapelle with this much tannin in recent times, going back to the 2010. Readers will find a wine that delivers immense pleasure, though and tons of character.

Score: 91 - 93 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2027-2042

A blend of 55.9% Merlot, 35.4% Cabernet Sauvignon and 8.7% Cabernet Franc, the 2022 La Chapelle de la Mission Haut-Brion offers aromas of dark berries, licorice, graphite, bell pepper and pencil shavings. It’s medium to full-bodied, fleshy and nicely balanced with a tense, fresh and penetrating finish.

Score: 90 - 92 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2022 La Chapelle de la Mission Haut-Brion, aged in 40% new oak, has a fragrant bouquet with red cherries and crushed strawberry, well-defined and elegant. The palate is medium-bodied with tarry black fruit, slightly powdery in texture with a pert, saline finish. Very composed with a touch of dark chocolate on the aftertaste. It should give 12 to 15 years of drinking pleasure.

Score: 90 - 92 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2026-2038

Firm and linear with medium to full body and chalky, slightly tight tannins. Hints of walnuts and dark berries at the end.

Score: 93 - 94 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com

Beautifully poised and well delivered black fruits here, and this is excellent quality, unusual spices of sweet cinnamon, vanilla bean, turmeric, gourmet edging, with depth and tannic grip. Great stuff, flashes of heat, but a ton of personality, and serious architecture that promises to age well. 40% new oak barrels for ageing. Now contains part of the vines from newly-purchased Château Brillette, with good quality Cabernet Sauvignon from gravel terroir, in place as of this 2022 blend vitage.

Score: 93 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2027-2040

The 2022 Cheval Blanc is shaping up to be one of the wines of the vintage. Deep, seamless and striking in its beauty, the 2022 possesses pedigree to burn. Readers will find a sumptuous wine, but there’s plenty of tannin lurking beneath all of that intensity. In fact, the 2022 is the most tannic Cheval since 2010. The aromatics are surprisingly vibrant for a wine from a warm, dry year. The wine's energy is palpable. The 100% new oak is not all perceptible, which is another sign of top-notch balance. Time in the glass brings out a whole range of exotic Franc notes, followed by blood orange, red fruit, mind and dried herb touches. The 2022 includes 17% press wine (compared to the 11% or so that is typical), but as I have noted in my comments elsewhere in this report, the press lots were of high quality in 2022 because the winemaking was gentle. Once again, Cheval Blanc represents a pinnacle of excellence. Readers should note there is no Petit Cheval in 2022.

Score: 98 - 100 Antonio Galloni, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2032-2062

One of the stars of the vintage is the striking 2022 Cheval Blanc, a blend of 53% Merlot, 46% Cabernet Franc and 1% Cabernet Sauvignon that bursts from the glass with aromas of mulberries, cherries and wild berries mingled with mint, orange zest, pencil lead, vine smoke and exotic spices. Medium to full-bodied, velvety and layered, it's rich and gourmand, with beautifully refined tannins, lively acids and a long, saline, pungently perfumed finish. Harvest began on 29 August, with all the Merlot picked before the month was out, and the result is a wine that is as vibrant as it is lavish.

Score: 97 - 99 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2022 Cheval Blanc is a lucid, deep purple color. With profound intensity on the nose, this Cheval offers blackcurrant, blue fruit, iris petals, crushed stone and incense aromas. It is blessed with breathtaking delineation. The palate is medium-bodied with seamless tannins. There is palpable verticality in this Cheval, almost "correct" and "strict", yet endowed with stunning depth and complexity. The Cabernets are clearly in the driving seat here and lend it Left Bank allure. Consequently, while it is not the most flamboyant Cheval Blanc I have tasted at this stage, it constitutes a wine for those serious about their Bordeaux. It will give the same satisfaction as when you finish reading a literary masterpiece.

Score: 98 - 100 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2032-2080

Structured and meaty with medium body and chalky tannins. Polished finish with hints of crushed stones.

Score: 90 - 91 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com

Fig and damson fruits, with bitter almond and chocolate block concentration; has character and punch, and plenty of slate Left Bank character. 15 September to 6 October for harvest. Vialard family.

Score: 91 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2026-2038

The 2022 La Clarté de Haut Brion is wonderfully open-knit and inviting. Lemon confit, passionfruit, mint and a hint of tangerine oil all grace this sensual, engaging second white wine from Haut Brion and La Mission Haut-Brion.

Score: 90 - 92 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2025-2030

A blend of 53.7% Sauvignon Blanc and 46.3% Sémillon, the 2022 La Clarté de Haut-Brion has a delicate yet lively bouquet intermingling aromas of lemon, lime tree, perfectly ripe pear and spring flowers. Medium to full-bodied, juicy and energetic, it's a fresh, perfectly balanced wine with a delicate, fruity and slightly tannic finish.

Score: 91 - 93 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2022 La Clarté de Haut-Brion has a fresh bouquet with gooseberry, wild peach and light honeysuckle scents. The palate is well-balanced, with good depth and fine acidity. This is waxy in texture with a twist of sour lemon on the finish. Fine.

Score: 88 - 90 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2025-2036

The 2022 Clerc Milon is plump, juicy and vibrant, with terrific energy and tons of class. Sumptuous black cherry, gravel, licorice, menthol and spice are beautifully dialed up in this decidedly flamboyant edition of Clerc Milon. A sample tasted in a group setting outside the château was far fresher than the wine I tasted at the estate, evidence that much of en primeur tasting is ridiculous. A sample presented at Mouton-Rothschild was five days old and oxidized. I rated it (86-88).

Score: 91 - 93 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2028-2042

The 2022 Clerc Milon is beautiful, offering up aromas of cherries, raspberries and plums mingled with hints of pencil shavings and rose petals. Medium to full-bodied, layered and concentrated, it's taut and lively, with a vibrant core of fruit framed by fine, chalky tannins. Its clay-limestone terroir lends it a distinctive signature that sets it apart from the rest of the portfolio.

Score: 93 - 95 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2022 Clerc Milon, matured in 55% new oak with 14.6% alcohol, has a very tightly-wound nose at the moment. There's good fruit concentration, but it is missing a bit of personality, unlike its stablemate d'Armailhac. The palate is medium-bodied with firm tannins and good grip. It's pretty dense and grainy in texture. With graphite on the aftertaste, this Pauillac conveys fine tension but will require several years of aging in bottle. I feel this is hiding its virtues at the moment.

Score: 91 - 93 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2055

Rich gold in colour, with intense crème caramel, apple tart, citron confit and apricot puree flavours, this has a silky texture and luscious appeal, low acidity, unusual for Climens, although a beautiful mint freshness gives a welcome cooling blash on the finish. 114g/l residual sugar, 4.1ph. 7.5hl/h yield. Harvest from October 6 to 23, spanning 9 days in total. New owner Jean-Hubert Moitry as of this vintage, with managing director Jerome Moitry. The winemaking team remains the same, overseen at least for now by Bérénice Lurton, and this En Primeur sample has been tasted the first time as a finished blend, not tasted direct from individual barrels as in the past.

Score: 93 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2023-2040

The 2022 Clinet is terrific. Vibrant, aromatic and beautifully sculpted, Clinet is also a terrific example of the energy quality-minded winemakers were able to achieve in 2022. Crushed rose petals, spice, blood orange, mint and white pepper give Clinet a compelling upper register of presence in the bouquet. Wonderfully delineated, Clinet builds effortlessly into the mid-palate and finish, where a closing burst of red/purplish fruit framed by clean mineral notes leaves a lasting impression. This is stellar. Tasted two times.

Score: 94 - 96 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2052

A blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon that represents the earliest harvest in this estate's history (beginning on September 6), the 2022 Clinet is a success, offering up aromas of cherries and dark berries mingled with hints of spices and a discreet patina of new oak. Medium to full-bodied, ample and layered, it's impressively vibrant, with a rich core of fruit framed by powdery tannins from judicious extraction. This has more in common with the more refined 2018 and 2019 vintages at this address than with the powerhouse 2020, and that is no mean feat in an even more extreme vintage. Bravo to Ronan Laborde and his team.

Score: 94 - 96 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2022 Clinet is a blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon picked from 6-21 September at around 34hL/ha. There were apparently many bunches, but the berries were small. Aged in 80% new oak and 20% 2nd fill barrels, the 2022 offers black fruit on the nose with traces of Japanese nori probably emanating from the Cabernet. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins, well-judged acidity and a fine backbone that gently grips the mouth. This is a linear Pomerol with impressive delineation on the almost pastille-like finish. I appreciate this Clinet's persistence and discrete spiciness on the aftertaste. Excellent. But it is a vintage that requires time in bottle.

Score: 94 - 96 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2065

Structured and fluffy with a blanket of fine tannins. Full-bodied yet agile and floating. Juicy at the end. Excellent finish. Lots of lead pencil and crushed stone at the end. 45.5% merlot, 44.5% cabernet sauvignon and 10% cabernet franc.

Score: 95 - 96 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com

Cocoa bean, smoked coffee bean, intense tannins, powerful with depth and concentration, dense tannins, cassis and baked plum fruits, a ton of dark pepper spice, and baked earth, expands outwards through the palate, plenty of St Julien character. 34 hl/ha, 53% new barrels, 3.7ph. As of this vintage, the vines that were in le Petit Marquis have been included back into Clos du Marquis.

Score: 92 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux

I loved the 2022 Clos Du Marquis, which is a brilliant effort, if not the finest vintage of this cuvée I've tasted. Cassis, graphite, and floral notes all define the bouquet, and it's full-bodied, with ultra-fine tannins and flawless balance. It shows the ripe, concentrated, powerful style of the vintage yet is incredibly pure and seamless, with everything in the right places. It's going to round into form with just a few years of bottle age but have decades of prime drinking.

Score: 95 - 97 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com

The 2022 Clos Fourtet is fabulous. Rich, sensual and layered, the 2022 bristles with the energy found in the best wines of the year. Clean veins of minerality frame a core of red/purplish fruit, lavender, sage, mint, rose petal and mocha. Simply put, the 2022 is a magical Clos Fourtet. This is the first vintage that incorporates fruit from what used to be Grands Murailles.

Score: 96 - 98 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2032-2052

Now incorporating the vineyards of the former Grand Murailles, the 2022 Clos Fourtet is lovely, wafting from the glass with aromas of dark berries, plums, rose petals, orange zest and exotic spices. Medium to full-bodied, velvety and seamless, it's deep and complete, with a layered core of vibrant fruit and a long, saline finish. This is another terrific wine from this 19-hectare vineyard situated on the limestone plateau of Saint-Émilion, just outside the village. It's a blend of 90% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc and 3% Cabernet Sauvignon.

Score: 94 - 96 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2022 Clos Fourtet was picked from 9 to 27 September at 36hL/ha and vinified to a maximum of 24-26° Celsius. It has a gorgeous bouquet you could lose yourself in, with crushed strawberry, orange blossom and bunches of violet. The 40% new oak is extremely well integrated. The palate is refined with filigree tannins, one of the most mineral-driven Clos Fourtets I recall at this stage, with a sophisticated and harmonious finish. The prudent approach to the new oak pays rich dividends here. Mathieu Cuvelier and his team have overseen a sublime Saint-Émilion.

Score: 95 - 97 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2070

The 2022 La Conseillante is simply fabulous and also clearly one of the wines of the year. Rich, racy and enveloping to the core, the 2022 is super-impressive in this tasting. In fact, the 2022 is one of the best recent vintages I can remember tasting. All the elements are so well balanced for a young wine. Readers will find a Pomerol of stature and total class. That’s all there is to it. The blend is 87% Merlot and 13% Cabernet Franc. Yields were 33 hectoliters per hectare, about normal these days. For readers who appreciate technical data, the balance of 14% alcohol and 3.66pH is an example of what makes the best wines of 2022 so compelling. This is a superb showing from Technical Director Marielle Cazaux and her team.

Score: 96 - 98 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2032-2052

The 2022 La Conseillante is a remarkable wine that has the potential to emerge as one of the wines of the vintage. A blend of 87% Merlot and 13% Cabernet Franc, it unfurls in the glass with deep aromas of black raspberries and mulberries mingled with notions of rose petals, violets, orange zest and mint. Medium to full-bodied, deep and layered, it's velvety and enveloping, with a textural attack that segues into a multidimensional mid-palate that's framed by sweet, powdery tannins, concluding with a long, saline finish. Checking in at a very healthy pH of 3.65 and 14% alcohol, it is a beautifully supple, suave wine that retains all this estate's signature elegance but in a slightly deeper-pitched and broader-shouldered format than the profound 2020. Congratulations to winemaker Marielle Cazaux, consulting enologist Thomas Duclos, the Nicolas family led by Jean-Valmy, and all the team at La Conseillante who have firmly established this estate at the very top of Pomerol's qualitative hierarchy in recent vintages.

Score: 97 - 100 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2022 La Conseillante was picked at 33hL/ha between 5 and 20 September and raised in 70% new oak plus 30% in amphorae. There is 13.9% alcohol. This is quite discrete on the nose, just like L'Évangile, only really opening after several minutes. Blackberry, blueberry, hints of iris flower, perhaps more floral than L'Évangile and Cheval Blanc. The palate is medium-bodied with velvety tannins plus a fine bead of acidity. Fresh and focused, this is maybe less concentrated on the mid-palate than expected but that maintains an unerring sense of equilibrium. Tensile and very smooth with an underlying sense of strict like its aforementioned neighbors. A rough decant prizes this Pomerol open and reveals its inner core of mineralité. Anyone spending less than 15 minutes tasting this Pomerol is likely to have totally missed it. Saline both on the finish and aftertaste, Marielle Cazaux has crafted one of the most intellectual La Conseillante wines in recent years.

Score: 97 - 99 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2065

The 2022 Cos d’Estournel is stunning. Rich and statuesque in bearing, the 2022 captures all the best this vintage had to offer. A wine of precision and power, the 2022 balances the intensity of the year but without veering into the realm of the exotic, as was the case in vintages such as 2005 and 2009. It marries ripeness and classical rigor in a style that is quite appealing. I imagine the 2022 will need a good 15-20 years to be at its finest. Harvest took place between September 7 and 23, exceptionally early.

Score: 95 - 97 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2028-2052

The 2022 Cos d'Estournel unwinds in the glass with aromas of sweet berries, plum liqueur and rich spices, followed by a full-bodied, broad-shouldered and muscular palate that's rich and structured, with a ripe core of fruit and chewy tannins. Harvest dates were relatively early this year, and maturation is occurring in only 50% new oak; yet the 2022's chunky, glass-staining style makes it Ducru Beaucaillou's only rival for the title of most extracted second growth of the Médoc.

Score: 93 - 95 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2022 Cos d'Estournel was picked from 7 to 23 September at 33hL/ha and is aged in 50% new oak (one cannot imagine that being countenanced 15-20 years ago). It has an overtly floral nose with wilted violets infusing the precocious yet controlled black fruit. There's fine delineation, impressive focus and energy. The palate is smooth and silky on the entry with pliant, sculpted tannins. The acidity is well judged (3.79pH) with white pepper and a graphite element toward the persistent finish. Quintessential Cos d'Estournel, this wine will mature for many years, although the jury's out on whether it will surpass triumphs like the 2016 or 2019/20.

Score: 95 - 97 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2032-2065

The 2022 Cos d’Estournel Blanc is gorgeous. Rich and layered, the 2022 deftly balances the natural intensity of the year with notable texture. Lemon confit, marzipan, white flowers, mint, tangerine oil and white pepper are some of the many notes that emerge over time. More than anything else, it is the wine’s balance that is of note.

Score: 92 - 94 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2025-2030

Grippy acidity keeps up momentum and contrasts beautifully with the ripe fleshy stone fruit through the mid palate. Waves of white pear, citrus, peach, nectarine pit, great quality here, Great stuff, more closed right now that Pagodes as you would expect, but this is steely, flinty and moreish.

Score: 95 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2023-2033

Even more impressive, the 2022 Château Cos D'Estournel Blanc is 74% Sauvignon Blanc and 26% Sémillon brought up all in used oak. A focused, pure, seamless white, it has obvious minerality in its lemon and lime fruits as well as mint and leafy herb nuances. Hitting 13.4% alcohol with a pH of 3.2, it's going to benefit from a year or three of bottle age and drink beautifully over the following decade at least.

Score: 94 - 96 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com

Tempting dried fruit here with spice and floral character. Full and creamy with attractive acidity and a textural finish.

Score: 93 - 94 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com

The 2022 Croix Canon is a rich, dense second wine in its first impression, but there is no feeling of excess weight. Succulent red cherry, plum, rose petal, mint and blood orange are nicely pushed forward. The 2022 has more Cabernet Franc than ever, as about 20% of the vineyard is being redeveloped. Croix Canon is a very pretty, sensual wine with a bright future.

Score: 90 - 92 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2027-2042

A terrific effort that will likely number among the values of the vintage, the 2022 Croix Canon offers up aromas of dark berries, petals and warm spices, followed by a medium to full-bodied, ample and fleshy palate framed by supple tannins and concluding with a saline finish. It will offer a broad drinking window.

Score: 91 - 93 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2022 Croix de Labrie is loaded with potential. Dark, sumptuous and also wonderfully vibrant, the 2022 offers tons of intensity and nuance. Ripe dark fruit, mocha, spice, lavender and licorice are beautifully delineated. Clean, saline notes extend the finish effortlessly. The 2022 is fabulous. Tasted three times

Score: 92 - 95 Antonio Galloni, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2027-2042

Powerfully vibrant in colour and character, clear Cabernet Franc imprint with its fragrant raspberry leaf and violet aromatics. Ripe berry fruits delivered with finesse, given added succulence and juice by mandarin peel, orange marmalade, lemongrass and slate. This is quality with a limestone fingerprint. First year Grand Cru Classé. 3.44ph, 35hl/h yield, 80% barrels (70% new oak), 20% large sized casks, certified organic and biodynamic.

Score: 94 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2028-2044

I wouldn't be surprised to see the 2022 Chateau Croix De Labrie be the finest vintage to date from this team. Checking in as a blend of 84% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 6% Cabernet Franc, this stunning wine offers a vivid purple hue as well as a classy perfume of cassis and black raspberries interwoven with spring flowers, violets, camphor, and crushed stone. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it has incredible purity and precision while still bringing serious richness and depth. It's going to flirt with perfection in 7-8 years and keep for 2-3 decades. Bravo.

Score: 96 - 98 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com

The 2022 La Croix Ducru-Beaucaillou is super-expressive. The aromatics and tannin show strong Cabernet Sauvignon-inflections, but the blend actually favors Merlot in this vintage, as yields in the Cabernet were on the low side. This serious, potent Saint-Julien is going to need a bit of time to fully come together, but it is certainly impressive.

Score: 92 - 94 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2025-2042

The 2022 La Croix de Beaucaillou opens in the glass with aromas of dark berries, cigar wrapper and fresh mint, framed by creamy new oak. Medium to full-bodied, rich and fleshy, with a deep core of fruit framed by chunky tannins, it's a blend of 66% Merlot, 32% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Petit Verdot.

Score: 90 - 92 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2022 La Croix Ducru-Beaucaillou contains a lot more Merlot this year as they were compensating for the lack of Cabernet Sauvignon, this Deuxième Vin raised in 80% new oak. It has a delineated bouquet with a mixture of red and black fruit. The briary and smoky aromas feel more understated compared to its peers. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins and seamlessly integrated oak that lends a silky texture. Very harmonious with an insistent grip (the IPT is 93), it lacquers the mouth long after it has departed. That Pauillac tincture is displayed and defines its precise finish. Excellent, but be warned that the oak will require several years to assimilate fully. Not so far behind the Grand Vin because of the growing season.

Score: 93 - 95 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2058

The 2022 La Dame de Montrose is deep, pliant and rich. All of the intensity of this warm, very dry vintage comes through in the wine’s sheer size and ripe, dark profile. Black cherry, plum, chocolate, licorice, spice and espresso are all amplified in this decidedly intense, concentrated La Dame. Qualitatively, there is little question this could have easily been a Grand Vin in a preceding generation. The 2022 is a stunning La Dame.

Score: 92 - 94 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2028-2042

A second wine that would embarrass numerous classified growths, the 2022 La Dame de Montrose unfurls in the glass with aromas of blackberries, violets, rose petals, charcoal and loamy soil, followed by a medium to full-bodied, layered and fleshy palate of striking concentration, energy and dimension. Seamless and complete, it's a blend of 71% Merlot, 23% Cabernet Sauvignon and the balance Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc.

Score: 92 - 94 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2022 La Dame de Montrose represents 43% of production this year and comes from Terrace 3 glacial deposits (the Grand Vin is on Terrace 4 that has more clay). It has a clean and pure bouquet with wild strawberry, boysenberry and light marmalade notes percolating through with time. The palate is medium-bodied with quite a succulent entry, fine depth, slightly powdery texture. There is much more grip on the finish compared to the 2021 last year. Excellent.

Score: 91 - 93 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2026-2040

The 2022 de Pez is a potent, brooding wine. Black cherry, gravel, incense, tobacco, menthol and scorched earth all run through this virile, imposing Saint-Estèphe. All the elements are impeccably balanced. The burly Pez tannins are present, of course, but there is also more than enough fruit. The 2022 could very well be the best Pez yet under the ownership of Roederer. Yields are down a whopping 50% because of hail. The blend is 59% Merlot, 38% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot, which is more Merlot than the normal. There is no second wine this year. Tasted four times.

Score: 91 - 93 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2026-2037

From an estate that has now been fully restructured and which serves as something of a research and development laboratory for its sibling, Pichon Lalande, the 2022 de Pez exhibits aromas of sweet blackberries and cherries mingled with spices and violets. Medium to full-bodied, rich and lively, with powdery tannins that assert themselves on the youthfully chewy finish, some 40% of the production was lost to hail. For the first time, it will be sold en primeur via the place de Bordeaux.

Score: 90 - 92 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2022 Château de Pez (limited to 18,000 bottles due to hail damage in June) has a very pure nose with something of a Burgundian allure: a mélange of blue and black fruit, wilted violet and graphite borrowed from down in Pauillac. The palate is medium-bodied with finely-chiseled tannins. Exquisite balance and poise, very harmonious with an intense yet paradoxically tender finish. Bon vin. Tasted twice with consistent notes.

Score: 92 - 94 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2028-2055

The 2022 Doisy-Daëne is all class. Rich, layered and super-expressive. Dried flowers, coconut, chamomile, apricot and dried ginger all grace this deep, beautifully layered Barsac.

Score: 93 - 95 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2027-2047

Pale gold in colour, with dried apricot, frangipane, honeysuckle and baked mirabelle plum, offset by a welcome bitter edge of rosemary that gives contrast. Rich in texture, this is luscious and intense. Dubourdieu family are the owners at this legendary Barsac estate, and the fact that even here the balance is challenging is a clear sign to me that there is an issue with freshness in the sweet wines this year. Ageing starts with 10 months in oak barrels, this is followed by 9 months in stainless steel tank before bottling. Tasted twice at different temperatures, and the key takeaway is that they need to be served cold to maximise the perception of acidity. I was a huge fan of this wine last year, and I would urge you to look out for the 2021 vintage to really capture the spirit of this excellent property.

Score: 92 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2023-2036

Intense sunflower colour, with fig and dried apricot on the nose. The Castéja family have teased impressive freshness out of the richness of this wine, giving edges of lime zest to the silky, concentrated fruits and textures which are found in all the sweet wines in 2022. Harvest October 2 to 28, 4 selections, 8hl/h. There was no production in 2021 on this wine after the frost. Tasted twice.

Score: 93 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2023-2036

The 2022 Domaine de Chevalier Blanc is stunning. It exudes textural depth, intensity and pedigree from the very first taste. I imagine it will still be stellar in another few years’ time. For now, it is a wine to think about cellaring. Time brings out dried lemon peel, sage, mint, chamomile, salt and crushed rock scents that lend both vibrancy and complexity. In most vintages, the Blanc is either incredibly steely or ample in feel. In 2022, it is both. Tasted four times.

Score: 95 - 97 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2027-2047

The 2022 Domaine de Chevalier Blanc offers up aromas of pear, nectarine, crushed mint jasmine and lemon, followed by a medium to full-bodied, layered and concentrated palate with a mineral-driven profile. It's lively and bright, with a delicate, penetrating finish animated by racy acids. This blend of 70% Sauvignon Blanc and 30% Sémillon, matured entirely in large wooden foudres and 500-liter barrels instead of the traditional barriques, is one of the finest white wines of the vintage, and one of the few that transcends its limitations. YC

Score: 93 - 96 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2022 Domaine de Chevalier Blanc was picked from 22 August to 1 September. It has an instantly satisfying bouquet as it "launches" scents of passion fruit, lemon rind and patisserie scents, very well-defined and focused. The palate is intense on the entry and impressive in weight and density. Perhaps there's not quite the tension of the previous vintage, but it is long and thickly textured on the finish. Excellent.

Score: 92 - 94 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2028-2048

The 2022 Domaine de Chevalier is a powerhouse. I don’t remember tasting anything like it. Black cherry, plum, graphite, licorice and spic add to an impression of virile intensity. Readers should expect to play the long game, as the tannins are pretty imposing at this stage. That has been the case each of the four times I have tasted the 2022 so far.

Score: 93 - 96 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2052

A blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot and 2% Cabernet Franc, the 2022 Domaine de Chevalier delivers aromas of minty dark berries, cherries and ripe plums mingled with hints of licorice, coniferous forest and spices. Medium to full-bodied, it’s concentrated and layered, textured and elegant, framed by powdery tannins and concluding with a long, penetrating, long finish. Olivier Bernard and his team have crafted an outstanding wine that will bear a special label commemorating his 40th vinification at this Péssac-Léognan reference point. YC

Score: 94 - 96 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2022 Domaine de Chevalier was picked from 5-30 September and represents the 40th vintage under the irrepressible Olivier Bernard, who celebrates with a one-off label. It soars from the glass with take-no-prisoner aromatics: perfumed mineral-rich red berry fruit, incense and black truffle. Pessac-like earthiness with an opposing airiness defines many a great wine from this estate. The palate is medium-bodied with grippy tannins. Slightly powdery in texture and saline in the mouth, this gets the saliva flowing. However, the arching structure on the finish suggests it will require considerable bottle age. Cellar this for a couple of decades, and you'll be repaid handsomely. 14% alcohol.

Score: 95 - 97 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2034-2075

The 2022 Ducru-Beaucaillou is elegant and nuanced. Bright red/purplish fruit, rose petal, blood orange, mint and spice give the 2022 unusual brilliance. In most recent vintages, Ducru has been on the opulent side. The 2022, on the other hand, is strict and linear in construction, a wine that is more about persistence than size. Bright saline underpinnings extend the mid-palate into the striking, beaming finish. Harvest took place over four weeks, the longest ever, as opposed to the two weeks or so that is the norm. Yields were 30hL per hectare, down from the 35-37 typical in recent years.

Score: 95 - 97 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2032-2052

One of the Médoc's most powerful wines this year is the 2022 Ducru-Beaucaillou, a blend of 82% Cabernet Sauvignon and 18% Merlot that opens in the glass with aromas of dark cherries and berries mingled with pencils shavings, vanilla pod and spices. Full-bodied, broad-shouldered and muscular, with a core of ripe but lively fruit underpinned by a chassis of powdery, liberally extracted tannin that asserts itself on the finish, it's a punchy, modern Saint-Julien reminiscent of a hypothetical blend of the 2018 and 2020.

Score: 94 - 96 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2022 Ducru-Beaucaillou contains less Cabernet than last year and is closer to the normal blend of the Grand Vin, picked between 7 September and 4 October - the longest harvest in their history. The IPT is 95. Matured in 100% new oak, the bouquet bides its time in the glass, almost reluctantly unfurling with scents of blackberry, briary, cigar humidor and sous-bois. At this nascent stage, it is more backward than its peers. The palate is undoubtedly one of the most dense and muscular that I have encountered over many years tasting at the estate, full-bodied with vice-like tannins. Continuing the theme of the estate's other cuvées, there is a lovely Pauillac-like presence throughout, with graphite/pencil lead infusing the black fruit. The finish exerts a considerable grip and feels saline, almost briny on the aftertaste. This Leviathan Ducru-Beaucaillou threatens to overwhelm the senses, uncompromising in many ways, and it will patently take many years for the tannins to soften. I feel that it is only once in bottle that one will be able to gauge its trajectory.

Score: 95 - 97 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2040-2075

The 2022 Duhart-Milon is racy and explosive right out of the gate. Ripe dark cherry, plum, cloves, licorice, menthol and mocha fill out the layers in a deep, wonderfully expressive Duhart. Firm tannins extend the finish nicely. I imagine the 2022 will require at least a few years in bottle to be at its best, but it is pretty showy today. The blend is 78% Cabernet Sauvignon and 22% Merlot.

Score: 92 - 94 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2027-2042

The 2022 Duhart-Milon unwinds in the glass with aromas of dark berries, cedar box, loamy soil, herbs and spices, followed by a medium to full-bodied, supple and velvety palate with a broad attack that segues into a lively, nicely concentrated core of fruit, concluding with a youthfully firm finish.

Score: 91 - 93 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2022 Duhart-Milon underwent a short 15- to 18-day maceration and is raised in 50% new oak and the rest one-year-old barrels. It has a very graphite/mint-scented nose that is Pauillac through and through. The palate is fresh and vibrant with fine tannins. This is beautifully sculpted with a vibrant pencil lead-tinged finish reminiscent of Grand Puy Lacoste. The 2022 is a fabulous Duhart-Milon that should give 30 to 40 years of drinking pleasure. It's a Pauillac a bit like the late Steven Spurrier insofar that it's a Pauillac always conservatively dressed in a pin-striped suit, but that's the essence of Duhart.

Score: 93 - 95 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2060

The 2022 Durfort-Vivens is a wild, exotic wine that very much shows the natural opulence of the year. Super-ripe dark red/purplish fruit, pomegranate and sweet spice are front and center. There’s a bit more Merlot in this year’s blend, and that seems to come through in the wine’s overall fruit intensity. The final blend is project to be 70% new oak and 30% amphora, but the sample I tasted was only taken from oak components, as the wine had only been racked into amphora shortly prior to this tasting.

Score: 92 - 94 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2052

A blend of 84% Cabernet Sauvignon and 16% Merlot, the 2022 Durfort Vivens is a lovely wine that wafts from the glass with aromas of minty dark berries, sweet plums, licorice and burning embers. Medium to full-bodied, velvety and layered, it's rich and concentrated, with a deep and lively core of fruit framed by sweet, powdery tannins.

Score: 93 - 96 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

Proprietor Gonzague Lurton decided not to show me the Durfort-Vivens from barrel, though he welcomed others. That is his prerogative, and it is one that I respect.

Score: - Neal Martin, Vinous.com

The 2022 Echo de Lynch Bages is a powerhouse. Super-ripe dark cherry, plum, spice, leather, dark chocolate, licorice and incense saturate the palate with notable richness. This is one of the most opulent, flamboyant Echos I can remember tasting. It will be interesting to see if some of the brooding intensity softens over time.

Score: 91 - 93 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2025-2037

Revealing aromas of cassis, licorice, pipe tobacco and loamy soil, the 2022 Echo de Lynch-Bages is medium to full-bodied, rich and fleshy, with a deep core of fruit and plenty of chewy tannin. It shares much of the style of the grand vin this year, and it's one second wine that will reward a bit of patience.

Score: 89 - 91 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2022 Echo de Lynch Bages, aged for 14 months in one-year-old oak, has a slightly timid nose at first. Very pure blueberry and cassis fruit emerge with time in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy black fruit, fine acidity, quite compact on the mid-palate with a touch of pencil lead toward the finish. This is a fine, quite sturdy Deuxieme Vin that will need 4-5 years.

Score: 90 - 92 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2028-2045

The 2022 L'Eglise-Clinet is fabulous. Rich, deep and layered, with tremendous purity, the 2022 is already exceptionally well balanced. Dark fruit, gravel, licorice, dried herbs and lavender emerge, but only with great reluctance. Even so, there is something incredibly complete about the 2022 that is a bit hard to describe with words, but it is most definitely there! L'Eglise-Clinet is shaping up to be one of the wines of the vintage on the Right Bank.

Score: 96 - 98 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2052

Turns the intensity and exoticism of the vintage on its head, unpacking it carefully, and layering up depth and character. Grilled cedar, fleshy damson and casis fruits, this is all about carefully-considered and delivered juice and flavour. Intense, with balance and carefully-extracted juice, and the precision that you want at L'Eglise Clinet, even in such an ovewheming vintage. 85% new oak, harvest September 3 to 9. Noemie Durantou and Olivier Gautrat.

Score: 98 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2030-2050

Straight-up gorgeous, I'd put the 2022 Château L'Eglise-Clinet up with the top tier Pomerol in the vintage, and I wouldn't be surprised to see it surpass the 2020 as well. Ripe black cherries, violets, spring flowers, graphite, and tobacco all emerge on the nose, and it's medium to full-bodied, with a layered, elegant mouthfeel, beautiful tannins, and a great finish. Compared to the 2005 by owner Noëmie Durantou (who has done an incredible job taking over the estate after the loss of her father), this rich, concentrated, incredibly impressive Pomerol is going to need 7-8 years of bottle age but will evolve for 30 years in cold cellars.

Score: 96 - 98 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com

The 2022 L'Évangile is seriously impressive right out of the gate, dark, rich and enveloping. Dark-fleshed fruit, mocha, spice, leather and a kiss of new oak race across the palate. Texturally, the 2022 is gorgeous. One of the recent changes here (since the 2021 vintage) has been a reduction of wine that undergoes malolactic in barrel, from 100% down to 60-70%. More than anything, the 2022 impresses with its gorgeous inner sweetness and exceptional balance. In short, the 2022 is a classic Évangile.

Score: 95 - 97 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2032-2062

Given the young average age of this estate's vineyards, its well-draining soils and the extreme vintage, I was a little apprehensive; but the technical team evidently took the conditions in their stride, harvesting the east-facing side of the vines (which sees the hottest afternoon sun) four days earlier. The resulting 2022 L'Evangile is beautiful, offering up aromas of raspberries, vine smoke, black truffles, violets and gravely soil. Medium to full-bodied, supple and velvety, it's seamless and polished, with a bright core of fruit and powdery tannins that temper 2022's inherent sweetness of fruit to sophisticated effect. At this early stage, it appears that the estate's progress with regards to élevage continues too, as Evangile's creamy oak signature is much released, allowing the fruit—and this superb terroir—to take center stage. It's a blend of 82% Merlot, 17.5% Cabernet Franc and 0.5% Cabernet Sauvignon.

Score: 95 - 97 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2022 L'Evangile was picked at 30hL/ha. It is aged in 50% new oak sourced from four coopers plus two recently introduced foudres. There are similarities with neighboring Cheval Blanc on the nose as if it's holding something back in a good way. Beautifully defined, dark berry fruit, crushed stone and bay leaf aromas are succinct and not showy. The palate is medium-bodied with a smooth, velvety entry. There's plenty of rondeur, nicely judged acidity, pliant tannins (more than Cheval Blanc?) and pure with a dab of white pepper and clove. Classic in style. A touch of desiccated orange rind appears on the aftertaste that was apparently there during the fermentation. Very harmonious on the finish. This is a lovely, discrete Pomerol from an estate moving in the right direction - fast. 14.3% alcohol.

Score: 95 - 97 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2070

The 2022 Ferrière is deep, inky and quite potent, but at the same time there is some aggressiveness, especially in the tannins. Some of that starts to dissipate with aeration, but the 2022 remains a bit forbidding in feel. I am cautiously optimistic, mostly based on how strong recent vintages have been, but the 2022 is not an easy wine to taste at this stage. This sample is 70% amphora and 30% new oak prepared for the en primeur tastings, but the finished wine is expected to be composed of lots aged in new oak (40%), once-used oak (40%) and amphora/concrete (20%).

Score: 90 - 92 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2042

Given the young average age of this estate's vineyards, its well-draining soils and the extreme vintage, I was a little apprehensive; but the technical team evidently took the conditions in their stride, harvesting the east-facing side of the vines (which sees the A blend of 67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot and the balance Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, the 2022 Ferrière offers up aromas of dark berries, plums and sweet soil tones, followed by a medium to full-bodied, rich and layered palate that's suave, elegantly muscular and lively. From biodynamically farmed clay-rich gravels, this 18-hectare estate (formerly leased to Château Lascombes) possesses an unusually high proportion of old vines, with fully one-third of their vineyards over 70 years of age.

Score: 92 - 94 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2022 Ferrière was cropped at 24hL/ha between 12 and 23 September with 13.7% alcohol. Aged in 35% new oak, 35% one-year-old, 20% concrete and 10% amphorae, this has an expressive bouquet with black cherries, cassis and crushed violet scents that explode from the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with great depth, smoothness and gentle grip. This is fairly plush, keeping with the style of the vintage, and has a persistent finish. This represents one of the best wines from Ferrière that I have tasted in a bloomin' long time.

Score: 92 - 94 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2026-2048

Sadly, I did not have good luck with the 2022 Feytit-Clinet. Both samples I tasted were oxidized and disjointed.

Score: - Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com

Excellent appellation signature, great balance, real depth of flavour, and while there are a ton of tannins here, they are smooth and integrated, concentrated but this is a serious wine, with serious ageing potential, and it's absolutely one to look out, damson and black cherry fruit abound, with cocoa bean and incense notes, a buy. 70% new oak.

Score: 95 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux

I continue to absolutely love the wines from Jeremy Chasseuil’s tiny estate located in the heart of Pomerol. His 2022 Château Feytit-Clinet checks in as 88% Merlot and 12% Cabernet Franc, pulled from 60% of the production, and it sports a dense purple hue to go with a decadent, powerful, full-bodied style in its darker currants, tobacco, chocolate, and graphite-driven aromas and flavors. The tannins are substantial yet ripe and integrated, and it has a great mid-palate and outstanding length.

Score: 96 - 98 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com

A blend of 55% Sauvignon Blanc and 45% Sémillon, the 2022 de Fieuzal Blanc exhibits aromas of spring flowers, lemon oil, al dente pear and peach with flinty hints. Juicy, round and deep, fleshy and fresh with a medium to full-bodied palate, it has a slightly phenolic finish. The aging process should reduce the slight austerity and bring more flesh and substance. YC

Score: 93 - 95 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

A crunchy and energetic wine from here this year with black berry, black cherry and crushed stone character. Medium-bodied with lively acidity and a fine tannin background.

Score: 94 - 95 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com

The 2022 Château De Fieuzal is brilliant, and this estate deserves more attention in the market today. Ripe red and black fruits, spring flowers, leafy tobacco, and loamy earth all emerge on the nose, and it's medium to full-bodied, with a supple, layered, elegant mouthfeel and a great finish. I love its overall balance, and this could be a real superstar in the vintage.

Score: 92 - 94 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com

The 2022 Figeac is a magnificent, super-classic Figeac, as odd as that might sound in this freakish vintage. A wine of sublime delicacy and nuance, the 2022 possesses tremendous aromatic presence, finely sculpted fruit and phenomenal persistence. I especially admire the wine's freshness, energy and clean, mineral finish. The 2022 is a towering Figeac, a wine that brilliantly showcases the unique qualities of this site. Figeac is a rare Right Bank estate with gravel and blue clay soils that are not often found here, planted approximately with equal parts Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon.

Score: 96 - 99 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2032-2052

A blend of 35% Merlot, 34% Cabernet Franc and 31% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2022 Figeac is a brilliant wine with which to celebrate this property's elevation to Premier Grand Cru Classé "A" status. Wafting from the glass with aromas of raspberries and cassis mingled with notions of iris, forest floor, cigar wrapper and pencil lead, it's medium to full-bodied, pure and perfumed, with a deep and multidimensional core of fruit, bright acids and beautifully refined tannins. Serious yet civilized, it's the quintessential Figeac, testament to the late Thierry Manoncourt's vision to plant such a large proportion of Cabernet, and on drought-resistant rootstocks. Such is the inherent complexity of Figeac's terroirs that harvest took place sub-block by sub-block between September 1st and 25th. Congratulations are in order for the Manoncourt family, director Frédéric Faye, consulting winemaker Thomas Duclos and all their team.

Score: 98 - 100 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2022 Figeac was picked between 1-26 September with the pH of 3.7 and 14% alcohol. This wine combines both Left Bank and Right Bank traits due to its blend (as usual), but this year leans more to the Right Bank despite a slightly lower contribution of Cabernet Sauvignon. It is very well defined, fresh and shows lively black fruit, incense and nuanced Chinese tea aromas. The palate is beautifully balanced with a lightly spiced entry, fine depth and with plenty of concentration counterbalanced by finesse toward the graphite-infused finish. Its saline aftertaste beckons you back for another sip. An appropriate way to start your tenure as a Grand Cru Classé "A".

Score: 97 - 99 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2032-2070

The 2022 Fombrauge is superb. Rich, heady and super-expressive, the 2022 offers up succulent black cherry, plum, violet mocha and licorice. As always, Fombrauge is on the richer side, but this is one of the best vintages I can remember tasting. Gorgeous.

Score: 93 - 95 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2028-2042

Luscious damson, grilled vanilla bean, blueberry and blackberry puree character to the wine, it's creamy and ripe but has balance and length. Enjoyable. Bernard Magrez estate.

Score: 93 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2030-2042

Beautiful stuff, the 2022 Château Fombrauge is locked and loaded with red and black fruits as well as notes of melted chocolate, leafy tobacco, flowers, and spice. A hedonistic bomb offering full-bodied richness and a round, mouth-filling texture, with sweet tannins and remarkable freshness, it's a no-brainer Saint-Emilion that will evolve for two decades.

Score: 94 - 96 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com

The 2022 De Fonbel is gorgeous. Rich, plummy and super-expressive, Fonbel is an absolute delight in 2022. Succulent red cherry, plum, spice, rose petal and mocha are nicely pushed forward. The 2022 is a supple, charming Saint-Émilion that will drink well with minimal cellaring. In this tasting it is an absolute delight. The blend of 85% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Carménère works so well here.

Score: 90 - 92 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2027-2042

Exhibiting aromas of plums, raspberries and cherries along with an attractive top note of violets, the 2022 Fonbel is medium to full-bodied, fleshy and taut, with youthfully chewy tannins and a long, penetrating finish.

Score: 89 - 91 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2022 Château de Fonbel was picked from 15 to 28 September and matured in 30% barrel, the rest in stainless steel. It has a lifted nose with a subtle oyster shell tincture, vibrant with a sorbet-like freshness. The palate is medium-bodied with a lightly spiced entry, modest depth, vanilla and cinnamon infusing the black fruit with a nicely detailed finish. Give this just a couple of years in bottle.

Score: 89 - 91 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2027-2042

A tensioned red with blackberry, orange peel and dark chocolate character with fine and firm tannins. Precise and focused. Full-bodied yet polished and bright. Much better than in the past. From organically grown grapes.

Score: 94 - 95 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com

Earthy raspberry notes, a little less concentrated than some in the appellation this year, although this is still very much a muscualr wine for the property, with edges of smoked rosemary herbs. Careful extraction, marked a little bit by heat so the fruit feels a touch baked, but there is juice and freshness here, and it is enjoyable and supple. Guillard family new owners for the last few years, with Alain Moueix still heading things up at this lovely biodynamic property. 34% new barrels.

Score: 92 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2030-2042

The second vintage made in the new cellar, the 2022 Château Fonroque checks in as 95% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc. It's a richer, medium to full-bodied, nicely concentrated Saint-Emilion offering plenty of plum and darker cherry fruit, a deep, layered mid-palate, ripe tannins, and complex notes of chocolate, violets, acacia flowers, and spice. Tasted twice with consistent notes.

Score: 91 - 93 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com

The 2022 Franc Mayne (100% Merlot) is superb. Dense and ripe, the 2022 impresses with its energy and overall tension. I especially admire the energy here. Dark fruit gravel cedar and tobacco, with blood orange and rose petal accents. This could turn out to be special.

Score: 93 - 95 Antonio Galloni, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2028-2042

Superb as the 2020 was, the 2022 Franc-Mayne appears to represent still another step up in quality for this seven-hectare clay-limestone terroir. Offering up aromas of dark berries, plums, raw cocoa, violets and bay leaf, it's medium to full-bodied, deep and fleshy, with a pure and vibrant core of fruit, supple tannins and a long, mouthwatering finish. The label marks this estate's first year of organic certification.

Score: 93 - 95 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2022 Franc Mayne has an attractive nose with dark cherries, iodine and light floral scents. The oak is nicely incorporated. The palate is rounded on the entry with a slightly viscous texture. Lots of concentration is packed into this Saint-Émilion, but it retains balance and delivers a sumptuous sweet finish. Lovely.

Score: 91 - 93 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2045

A very juicy and nicely chewy young red with black berry, chocolate and cedar aromas and flavors. Medium-bodied with integrated tannins and a fresh and persistent finish.

Score: 95 - 96 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com

A serious Pomerol even in the lightest of vintages, so it really can relax into its natural character in 2022. Strict tannins, but that is often the case for this wine, relaxing into liqourice, cocoa bean, espresso, rosemary, underbrush, slightly drying on the finish, but this has a ton of impact, it has all the elements for ageing, an impressive wine.

Score: 94 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux

The 2022 Giscours is a regal, sophisticated wine. Succulent red cherry, blood orange, spice, menthol and rose petal lend notable vibrancy and freshness throughout. Most surprisingly, the 2022 remains light on its feet, especially for a wine made from such low yields in a warm, dry year. Over the last few years Giscours has been one of the most improved properties in the Médoc. The 2022 is another step in that direction. Sublime.

Score: 95 - 97 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2052

With the 2022 Giscours, this estate takes another step up, delivering a deep and characterful wine redolent of cherries, dark berries, violets, peony and forest floor. Medium to full-bodied, broad shouldered and layered, it's deep and elegantly muscular, with impressive concentration, abundant but refined tannins and a structural authority reminiscent of the great Giscours vintages of the 1970s. Why is it so good? There are many reasons, but one is the high proportion of old vines—almost 60% of the blend deriving from vines that are over 50 years old—in a vintage that favored vines with deep, well-established root systems. Another is the increasing precision of harvesting at this address: Giscours's old vines are frequently co-planted with younger replacements that have filled any gaps in the ranks over the years; so, blocks are now picked in two or three passages instead of all at once, with the younger vines picked first.

Score: 94 - 96 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2022 Giscours was picked between 1 and 29 September, one of the earliest ever, with no SO2 added until blending and using bio-protection (yeasts) to protect the must. It has a delightful and sensual bouquet with lifted, violet and peony-scented blueberry and black cherry fruit. This is very well-defined and perhaps the purest I have encountered from barrel. The palate is medium-bodied with a disarming silky texture, harmonious and focused. It's mineral-driven with a poised and pixelated finish. Certainly, this represents one of the best wines from this Margaux estate in recent years, echoing their golden period of the 60s and early 70s. Tasted twice with consistent notes.

Score: 95 - 97 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2070

The 2022 Gloria is terrific. Bold and punchy, Gloria offers all of its typical charms but with an extra kick of fruit richness. Sumptuous red/purplish fruit, blood orange, spice, mint and rose petals are nicely dialed up in this super-expressive, delicious Saint-Julien. Tasted two times.

Score: 91 - 93 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2027-2047

A blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc and 9% Petit Verdot, the 2022 Gloria bursts with aromas of cherries, sweet berries, petals and spices, framed by a deft touch of creamy new oak. Medium to full-bodied, rich and fleshy, with a succulent, enveloping core of fruit and supple tannins, it's a gourmand but nicely balanced Saint-Julien that will offer a broad drinking window.

Score: 91 - 93 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2022 Gloria was picked from 12-26 September and matured in 40% new oak, slightly less than the Saint-Pierre. It has a perfumed, floral nose with crushed violet infusing the black cherry and blueberry fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with sumptuous tannins that belie the structure underneath. With pure fruit and well-judged acidity, this 2022 is sensual with a persistent and lightly spiced finish. Superb.

Score: 94 - 96 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2029-2060

The 2022 Grand Puy Ducasse is bold, punchy and explosive. Dark-toned fruit, chocolate, licorice and espresso are some of the notes that build as the 2022 shows off its notable depth and structure. This imposing Pauillac needs time to come around, but it is full of potential.

Score: 92 - 94 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2028-2042

The 2The 2022 Grand-Puy-Ducasse exhibits notes of sweet plums and cherries mingled with licorice and spices. Medium to full-boded, taut and chalky, with a sweet, concentrated core of fruit and a penetrating finish, it's a youthfully structured effort that concludes with a somewhat drying finish.

Score: 89 - 92 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2022 Grand Puy Ducasse has an airy nose, well-defined with potpourri, even lavender infusing the black fruit. Pencil box hints emerge with time in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with grippy tannins. Tightly-coiled black fruit is laced with cracked black pepper and tobacco. The finish is tannic, but one can appreciate the focus and length on the aftertaste. Very fine.

Score: 92 - 94 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2060

The 2022 Grand-Puy-Lacoste is a very pretty wine. Forward and quite showy, the 2022 comes across as a wine that will drink well with minimal cellaring. Succulent dark cherry, plum, leather, incense and dried herbs are nicely delineated. There’s good complexity and depth, but it is the radiance of the year that is front and center. Hints of blood orange, pomegranate, spice and a pretty rose petal/violet note linger.

Score: 92 - 94 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2052

A blend of 79% Cabernet Sauvignon and 21% Merlot, the 2022 Grand-Puy-Lacoste is a brilliant classic in the making, wafting from the glass with aromas of dark berries, violets and pencil shavings, followed by a medium to full-bodied, layered and concentrated palate that exhibits beautiful structural refinement and purity of fruit. Classy and integrated, it is somewhat reminiscent of a modern-day and less forbiddingly structured version of this estate's brilliant 1982.

Score: 95 - 97 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2022 Grand Puy Lacoste was picked from 7 to 23 September and contains more Merlot due to the high quality of the fruit, matured in 75% new oak. There is 14.2% alcohol. Therefore, this lends this GPL a little more precocity and sensuality compared to other vintages, not cut from the same "classical" cloth as, say, the 2019 or 2020. Underlying this velvety veneer are enticing traits of freshly-rolled tobacco and undergrowth. The palate is medium-bodied with finely-sculpted tannins. Silky smooth in texture, so much so that it belies that backbone underneath. There is a peacock's tail of mineral-rich, quite peppery black fruit on the finish, completing a Pauillac endowed with huge potential.

Score: 96 - 98 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2065

The 2022 Les Grifons de Pichon Baron is super-impressive. Silky, medium in body and gracious, the 2022 is incredibly charming. Inky blue/purplish fruit, lavender, spice, menthol and licorice are beautifully delineated. This classy Pauillac is showing very well today. The Grifons is a serious second wine that will benefit from a few years of cellaring.

Score: 92 - 94 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2026-2037

The 2022 Les Griffons de Pichon Baron represents 22% of the production and is matured in 40% new oak. It has a very focused bouquet, a mixture of red and black fruit, crushed violet and a light marine influence. The palate is medium-bodied with sculpted tannins, very tensile, intense yet weightless toward the long graphite-infused finish. This is just superb.

Score: 93 - 95 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2026-2052

The 2022 Gruaud-Larose is 83% Cabernet, the most Cabernet ever for the Grand Vin here. A huge, opulent wine, Gruaud-Larose offers up an exotic mélange of blackberry fruit, cloves, espresso, licorice, bittersweet chocolate and incense. This full-throttle Saint-Julien is not exactly subtle, but its balance is impeccable. Readers should expect an unctuous, dense wine with tons of concentration, a good deal of new oak and all the pedigree to hold it all together.

Score: 93 - 95 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2028-2052

Spicy, intense and concentrated, and yet delivers juicy drinkability from beginning to end, not an easy balance to achieve in 2022. The vintage trace comes through in notes of tobacco, dried herbs, cloves and sandalwood, with tannic build up through the palate, but it is balanced by fresh mint leaf, cassis, bilberry, cocoa bean, and salinity. Firm tannic architecture, excellent quality. 33% of production in the 1st wine, 95% new oak. mint,

Score: 96 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2030-2050

The 2022 Guillot-Clauzel is a potent, heady wine that expresses all of the solar intensity of the year in its size. A reduction in new oak pushes the fruit forward. Blue/purplish fruit, licorice, lavender, grilled herbs and spices all open in the glass, framed by the slightly larger-grained tannins that are one of the signatures of this site. This powerful, dense Pomerol has a good bit of potential.

Score: 92 - 94 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2052

The 2022 Haut-Bages Libéral is shaping up to be a jewel. Bright and aromatic, with notable structure, the 2022 is beautifully put together. Red/purplish fruit, rose petal, mint and blood orange all race across the palate. A wine of dynamic energy and drive, Haut-Bages Libéral is super-impressive in this tasting. I can’t wait to taste this from bottle. The blend is 87% Cabernet Sauvignon and 13% Merlot.

Score: 93 - 96 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2052

This is a refreshing Pauillac with concentration and character, plenty of appellation signature, slate, liquorice, mint, crushed rocks, has that intense, knitted down vintage signature but softens to show classic balance - sometjing that is unusual in this vintage that is anything but classic. Small concrete eggs for ageing and vinification along with barrels, 45hl/h yield (the highest in all of Pauillac reportedly; impressive for a biodynamic estate). 3.54ph. Impressive, one to look out for. Owner Claire Villars-Lurton has pulled up 1,500 Melrot vines to plant 400 trees over the past few years as part of her extensive agroforestry project. 40% new oak, 40% barrels of one wine, 20% in concrete eggs and amphora.

Score: 93 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2027-2040

The 2022 Château Haut-Bages Libéral checks in as 87% Cabernet Sauvignon and 13% Merlot that will spend 16 months in 40% new French oak. It's a ripe, medium to full-bodied, balanced Pauillac with a terrific sense of elegance as well as minerality. Classic Pauillac notes of ripe black fruits, leafy tobacco, lead pencil, and spring flowers emerge from the glass, and it has ripe tannins, good acidity, and solid overall balance.

Score: 93 - 95 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com

The 2022 Haut-Bailly is dark and quite brooding in bearing. The natural intensity of small grapes comes through in the wine’s dark fruit and firm, imposing tannins. Black cherry, gravel, cloves, cured meats, licorice, incense and charcoal embers add to an impression of virile thrust. I imagine the 2022 will take some time to come together, as the tannins are pretty forbidding at this stage.

Score: 93 - 96 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2052

The 2022 Haut-Bailly offers up aromas of dark berries complemented by accents of iris, lilac, rose petals, graphite and licorice. Medium to full-bodied, dense and concentrated, dense, it's layered and textural, with a deep core of fruit, powdery tannins and a penetrating, saline finish. Vinified along traditional lines, it is a structured wine that will take some time to hit its stride, but at this early stage it appears suppler and more seamless than its 2020 and 2019 predecessors. A blend of 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot and 2% Cabernet Franc from grapes picked from September 7 to 27, it's maturing half in new barriques and half in one- or two-year-old barrels. (YC)

Score: 94 - 96 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2022 Haut-Bailly was picked between 7 and 27 September and underwent a four-week cuvaison, taking longer to consume the sugar and was matured in 50% new oak. It has a bouquet that compels you just to sit and contemplate. It gradually unfolds with blackberry, raspberry, potpourri and iris flower scents, well-defined, not showy but suave. The palate is medium-bodied with filigree tannins. Minerals, black pepper and clove off a gentle grip with an impressive crescendo. It will need a decade in bottle. This Haut-Bailly has a haunting beauty, the kind of wine that will bring people to tears!

Score: 96 - 98 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2033-2065

The 2022 Haut-Batailley is a potent, brooding wine. Black cherry, gravel, cured meat, spice and leather infuse the 2022 with tons of mineral and savory intensity, backed by a formidable spine of tannin that gives the wine shape and vertical thrust. I imagine the 2022 will need the better part of a decade to come into its own. Tasted two times.

Score: 93 - 95 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2052

A blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Merlot, the 2022 Haut-Batailley offers up aromas of sweet berries and plums mingled with licorice and pencil shavings. Medium to full-bodied, firm and structured, it's a serious, rather muscular and extracted wine that begins to nod toward its stablemate Lynch Bages in style.

Score: 91 - 93 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2022 Haut-Batailley is matured in 65% new oak for a planned 16 months. It has a very intense and almost untamed bouquet that explodes from the glass, and only after five or ten minutes does it begin to show some restraint. The palate is medium-bodied with grippy, fresh and multi-layered tannins, not dissimilar to the Mouton-Rothschild that I tasted a couple of hours earlier. With a satin-textured finish, this will need a decade in the cellar and some taming during élevage. Like a young tiger at the moment. It has 14.2% alcohol.

Score: 93 - 95 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2033-2070

The 2022 Haut-Brion comes across as a bit restrained, given the natural opulence of the year and the other wines in the Clarence Dillon portfolio. Deep and wonderfully layered, the 2022 possesses remarkable depth but also a bit less of the explosive energy that is such a Haut-Brion signature. I suspect that will come in time, as the 2022 starts to show quite a bit better with a little aeration. Violet, gravel, incense, leather, tobacco and scorched earth linger. Superb.

Score: 97 - 99 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2025-2062

The 2022 Haut-Brion shows considerable promise, revealing aromas of dark berries and plums mingled with notions of pencil lead, licorice, tobacco leaf, spices and incense. Full-bodied, broad and seamless, it's rich and muscular, with a deep, layered core of fruit framed by an ample endowment of tannin. This blend of 53.6% Merlot, 35.4% Cabernet Sauvignon and 11% Cabernet Franc, the result is a lip-smacking exemplification of controlled power. Analytically, the 2022 possesses a similar level of tannins to the 2010, and a similar pH to the 2009, yet it is more suave and polished than the 2010 at the same stage, and seemingly more dynamic than the 2009. (YC)

Score: 95 - 97 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2022 Haut-Brion, matured in 70% new oak, represents the 99th vintage under three generations of the Delmas family (see my recently published book for a remarkable photo of the first). It has slightly darker fruit than the La Mission at the moment. Incense and potpourri infuse the black plum and bilberry. There's a touch of brine in the background. It manifests more and more complexity as it opens in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied and is blessed with unerring symmetry. It has a bewitching granular texture, complex and more focused than recent vintages, and comes across as almost pixelated on the finish. Quintessential Haut-Brion. Magnificent, but not necessarily the best wine that Delmas oversaw in this vintage.

Score: 96 - 98 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2065

The 2022 d'Issan is shaping up to be terrific. Dark and pliant, the 2022 captures all the intensity of the year in its super-concentrated Issan that has a ton of fruit intensity, but also the tannic spine to support it. Blue/purplish fruit, lavender, dried herbs and spice infuse the 2022 with tons of depth and pedigree.

Score: 93 - 95 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2032-2062

The 2022 D'Issan is a lovely wine that will delight Médoc purists, wafting from the glass with aromas of sweet berries, burning embers, violets and loamy soil. Medium to full-bodied, fleshy and layered, with velvety tannins and a deep core of vibrant fruit, it's a blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and the balance Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot. The estate is now equipped with a battery of 20-hectoliter tanks, permitting sub-plot by sub-plot harvesting this year.

Score: 93 - 95 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2022 Château d'Issan was picked between 15 and 28 September and represents the first vintage vinified in the new vat room equipped with smaller 20-hectolitre vats. It has a fragrant bouquet with blackberry and blueberry fruit, crushed violet and a hint of dark chocolate. The palate is medium-bodied with firm tannins. This is one of the more saline wines on the Left Bank, cohesive with a touch of Japanese nori on the moderate-length finish. This will need a decade in bottle.

Score: 93 - 95 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2032-2052

The 2022 Kirwan is plump, juicy and super-expressive, all of which will make it a fine choice for drinking with minimal cellaring. Succulent black cherry fruit, plum, spice and licorice are nicely pushed forward, framed by soft contours that add to its considerable charm.

Score: 90 - 92 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2027-2042

A blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot and the balance Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, the 2022 Kirwan exhibits aromas of dark berries, cassis, sweet spices, pencil shavings and creamy new oak, followed by a medium to full-bodied, rich and fleshy palate that's unusually lively for the vintage, checking in at a pH of 3.55, a number that it would be impressive to attain on gravel soils in this vintage without acidification.

Score: 90 - 92 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2022 Kirwan bestows plenty of luscious fruit on the nose with blackberry, bilberry, cedar and crushed iris flower, unfolding nicely in the glass. There is a satisfying depth to these aromas. The palate is medium-bodied, lively and packed full of fruit, with saturated tannins and decent acidity. This is one of the more approachable Margaux wines this vintage, yet it has commendable freshness and structure. This Kirwan will give plenty of pleasure over 20-30 years. A second and third bottles were a little creamier on the finish.

Score: 92 - 94 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2065

The 2022 La Chenade is a bold, juicy Lalande de Pomerol. Succulent dark cherry, plum, lavender, licorice and menthol are nicely pushed forward. Soft and open-knit, with terrific fruit purity, the 2022 is exceptionally beautiful and delicious, even in the early going.

Score: 90 - 92 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2025-2037

The 2022 La Chenade reveals sweet aromas of cherries, berries, licorice and rose petals, followed by a medium to full-bodied, supple and seamless palate. This suave, charming, fruit-driven Lalande-de-Pomerol is more vibrant than its Saint-Emilion counterpart this year.

Score: 89 - 91 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2022 La Chenade was picked between 1 and 9 September and raised in 30% new oak. This has a perfumed and floral bouquet, with iris and peony infusing the black and red fruit and a light marine influence in the background. The palate is medium-bodied with pliant tannins, good depth, white pepper and clove filtering through the earthy fruit on the finish. So much character and personality in this Lalande-de-Pomerol.

Score: 90 - 92 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2028-2045

The 2022 La Clotte is rich, sensual and super-expressive. An exotic mélange of succulent red fruit, cedar, tobacco, dried herbs and blood orange opens in the glass. More than anything else, the 2022 impresses with its balance and integrity. Already quite seamless in presentation, the 2022 is a gorgeous wine in the making. The blend is 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc, picked between September 8 and 27. Aging is expected to be 18 months.

Score: 92 - 95 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2027-2042

From a holding on the limestone plateau just outside the village, the 2022 La Clotte is one of the high points of the Vauthier portfolio this year, offering up attractive aromas of cherries, minty blackberries and raw cocoa, followed by a medium to full-bodied, supple and charming palate with a deep core of fruit, lively acids and refined tannins.

Score: 92 - 94 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2022 La Clotte was picked 8 to 27 September and aged for 18 months in French oak. It has quite a floral bouquet with a light marine/briny tincture in the background. The palate is medium-bodied with smooth tannins, fine acidity, some oak to be assimilated but it has a gorgeous creamy texture. Certainly a step up from the 2021, this is a fine La Clotte that should drink well for 15 to 20 years.

Score: 92 - 94 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2026-2046

The 2022 La Gaffelière is a drop-dead gorgeous beauty. Refined, sculpted and wonderfully precise, La Gaffelière simply has it all. Hints of lavender, mint, blood orange, spice and black cherry fruit all race across the glass. Clean mineral notes and fine tannins support the finish. The delineation here is simply breathtaking. La Gaffelière is 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Franc. Élevage is expected to be 19 months in 50% new oak and 50% neutral barrels. The 2022 is another exceptional wine from the Malet Roquefort family.

Score: 98 - 100 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2032-2062

A blend of 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Franc, the 2022 La Gaffelière derives exclusively from the prime hillside vineyards below Ausone that made this estate so compelling in the early and mid-twentieth century, and the 2022 is the finest wine produced at this address in many a year, surpassing the 2019 and 2020 in quality. Wafting from the glass with incipiently complex aromas of wild berries, violets, lilac, licorice, vine smoke and raw cocoa, it's medium to full-bodied, supple and seamless, with a deep, multidimensional and beautifully vibrant core of fruit and polished tannins, concluding with a long, mouthwatering finish.

Score: 95 - 96 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2022 La Gaffelière continues this Saint-Émilion's strong run of form in recent years. The nose is extremely pure and shimmers with nascent excitement, beautifully defined with blackberry, raspberry and touches of cassis. If aromatics could "glide" then this would be a prime example. The palate is exquisite in terms of balance, just a little granular in texture. The 60% new oak is seamlessly integrated. There are hints of bay and tea leaf toward the silky-smooth finish, completing a potentially marvelous wine.

Score: 95 - 97 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2065

The 2022 La Mondotte is complex, vibrant and beautifully layered. Inky dark fruit, graphite, lavender, dried herbs and bittersweet chocolate abound in a Mondotte that impresses with its energy and vibrancy. A very early start to harvest and a pulled back approach in the cellar yielded a Mondotte that is wonderfully dynamic in its presence.

Score: 95 - 97 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2052

The 2022 La Mondotte is deep and concentrated, unwinding in the glass with brooding aromas of wild berries, licorice, violets and black truffle. Full-bodied, ample and layered, it's deep and youthfully introverted, its concentrated core of fruit girdled by lively acids and sweet, beautifully powdery tannins.

Score: 93 - 95 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2022 La Mondotte was picked 3 to 22 September at 45hL/ha and matured in 40% new oak. It doesn't quite have the charm of the Canon-la-Gaffelière at the moment, though a pleasant oyster shell note percolates through. The palate is medium-bodied with pliant tannins, fresh and quite elegant. Tart red fruit toward the linear finish, a dash of spice on the aftertaste. Delicious.

Score: 93 - 95 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2029-2050

The 2022 Labégorce shows terrific energy and focus. Dark cherry, espresso, menthol, licorice and incense are beautifully delineated in a vibrant, pulsating Margaux loaded with complexity. All this needs is élevage to soften.

Score: 91 - 93 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2027-2042

The 2022 Labégorce, which sees the introduction of Cabernet Franc, was picked 12 September to 5 October and aged in 40% new oak. This needs a little time to find its voice on the nose, touches of black pepper infusing the red and blueberry fruit. There is a hint of terracotta. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannins, tensile, expressive with a lightly spiced, gentle grip. Just a bit of dryness appears on the finish but that will round out during élevage. This will be an utterly charming Margaux.

Score: 92 - 94 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2027-2045

The 2022 Lafaurie-Peyraguey is bright and nicely focused. Citrus peel, grapefruit, white pepper and sage are some notes that grace this steely, crisp white.

Score: 89 - 91 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2027-2037

A wine that made me call the winemaker to better understand its composition and which, for better or worse, gives an insight into the conditions facing Sauternes in the vintage. This is 260g/l residual sugar, almost double what you can expect in a typical year, from a 10hl/h yield. Extremely luxurious and luscious, powerful concentration to the marmalade, smoked caramel, apricot puree, white truffle and ginger. It’s impressive, but the contrasting acidity and lift that you find in exceptional Sauternes vintages is conspicuously absent. Harvest October 24 to 27.

Score: 91 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2023-2036

The 2022 Lafite Rothschild is shaping up to be one of the wines of the vintage. All of the Lafite signatures are present, but what impresses most about the 2022 it its poise, its stature. Readers will find a regal, statuesque Lafite built for serious aging. There’s tons of fruit and tannin, all masterfully put together. A modern-day classic.

Score: 96 - 98 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2032-2062

A blend of 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot and 1% Petit Verdot, the 2022 Lafite Rothschild unwinds in the glass with aromas of dark berries, cassis, sweet soils tones, cigar box and lilac. Medium to full-bodied, it's the most tensile of the first growths this year, with a layered, concentrated but youthfully introverted mid-palate, lively acids and a long, saline finish. It checks in at a rather high pH of 3.85, which belies its incisive profile, from a harvest that extended from August 31 to September 24.

Score: 95 - 97 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2022 Lafite-Rothschild was picked from 31 August to 24 September and apart from the 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, there is 17.5% pressed wine in the blend. The IPT is slightly lower than 2020. There is 13.6% alcohol this year, higher than 2018 and 2019. It has an intense bouquet with blackberry, crushed stone, touches of pencil box and undergrowth, very Lafite-Rothschild in style. The palate is medium-bodied with pliant tannins, perfectly judged acidity, linear and focused. Compared to vintages a couple of decades ago, there is mid-palate weight, yet it retains classicism and transparency, while delivering quite a gentle but insistent grip on the finish. Perpetually the most deceptive of First Growth, one should not doubt its long-term potential.

Score: 96 - 98 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2032-2075

The 2022 Lafon-Rochet is fabulous. Once again, Lafon-Rochet is the most elegant wine in Saint-Estèphe. There's a bit more richness and mid-palate intensity than in the past, likely a combination of the year and the approach of the new team headed by Technical Director Christophe Congé, who was formerly at Lafite-Rothschild. The 2022 signals a new era for the château that is likely to see a greater focus on selection and a slightly richer style. Even so, the signatures of Lafon-Rochet are evident. It's an exciting time.

Score: 95 - 97 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2052

The inaugural vintage for winemaker Christophe Congé, the 2022 Lafon-Rochet is an ambitiously styled blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot and 4% Cabernet Franc. Offering up aromas of crème de cassis, burning embers and loamy soil, it's medium to full-bodied, broad and velvety, with supple, generously extracted tannins and a rather lavish, demonstrative profile. It's a wine crafted to grab one's attention, but if élevage is kind to it, it may make my score seem conservative.

Score: 90 - 92 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2022 Lafon-Rochet was picked from 12 September and over 10 consecutive days at a fairly leisurely pace since the conditions were so clement. After just one day, the juice was already dark red, so the team were prudent with extraction. Quite classic in style, this offers blackberry, light wild strawberry and iris flower scents. Backward at first, it then opens gradually with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with fine grain tannins. I admire the balance and precision of this Lafon-Rochet, real finesse here and quite a "cool" and refined finish that fans out with a sense of confidence and composure. Bon vin.

Score: 92 - 94 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2027 - 2050

The 2022 Lagrange is a bold, racy wine. Dried herbs, tobacco, cedar, mint and incense give the 2022 striking aromatic nuance and vibrancy to match its mid-weight personality. The Cabernet is especially evident in this savory and punchy Saint-Julien that is showing very well today.

Score: 92 - 94 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2027-2042

The 2022 Lagrange is brilliant, ranking alongside the 2020, 2019 and 2016 as one of this over-performing estate's finest recent vintages. Revealing aromas of dark cherries, cassis, violets and pencil shavings, it's medium to full-bodied, velvety and layered, with a deep core of fruit, beautifully refined but youthfully assertive tannins and a long, mouthwatering finish. It's a blend of 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot and 2% Petit Verdot with a very healthy pH of 3.63.

Score: 94 - 96 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2022 Lagrange was picked between 8 and 30 September, it ages in 60% new oak for a planned 21 months. It has an almost clinical bouquet, with very well defined blackberry and blueberry fruit, graphite and crushed stone. Quite a gap in quality between this and the Fiefs de Lagrange this year. The palate is extremely pure with cashmere tannins, black cherry fruit infused by blood orange, lightly spiced, hints of white pepper toward a very concentrated, fine-boned finish. This will require several years in bottle, but it will be worth waiting for. A serious and very able Lagrange that should not be under-estimated.

Score: 95 - 97 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2029-2055

The 2022 La Lagune is a very pretty, understated wine with lovely aromatics and mid-weight structure. In this tasting, La Lagune is a bit disjointed, showing only modest depth and complexity relative to the norm. All that said, the 2022 is a very fine effort for a year with hail issues. Yields were just 25 hectoliters per hectare. Tasted two times.

Score: 88 - 91 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2027-2047

Reminding me, like the 2019, of a modern-day version of the lovely 1990, the 2022 La Lagune bursts with aromas of dark berries, cassis, licorice and violets. Medium to full-bodied, supple and fleshy, it's a broad, sensual wine with velvety tannins and a suave, charming profile. With 13.8% alcohol, it remains classically proportioned, with a rather high pH of over 3.8 likely contributing to its open, giving style this year.

Score: 93 - 95 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2022 La Lagune really takes a while to settle in the glass. It eventually sheds its veneer of oak to reveal attractive blackberry, sous-bois and pencil box aromas, and an exotic element loitering just off-stage. The palate is medium-bodied with ripe tannins that lacquer the mouth. Quite dense and muscular, yet it retains definition and plenty of freshness on the finish. It will require bottle age, but it should evolve into a fine La Lagune.

Score: 92 - 94 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2060

The 2022 Langoa Barton is vibrant and focused, as the best wines are in this vintage. Crushed raspberry, blood orange, mint, spice and rose petal are all beautifully delineated. There’s a purity to the 2022 that is impossible to miss. I admire its precision and lovely minerality. Langoa could turn out to be one of the Sleepers of 2022, especially among the more affordable wines of the Left Bank.

Score: 91 - 93 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2028-2042

The first vintage produced in the estate's new winery, which more than doubled the number of vats, permitting sub-plot by sub-plot vinification, the brilliant 2022 Langoa Barton offers up aromas of dark berries, cassis, violets and cigar wrapper, followed by a medium to full-bodied, deep and fleshy palate endowed with terrific depth and tension. Polished and penetrating, it should match or even surpass the 2019 and 2016 vintages, and it is sure to be one of the more intelligent purchases of the en primeur campaign.

Score: 93 - 95 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2022 Langoa-Barton was cropped at 30hL/ha from September 8-23 then matured in 60% new oak. The nose needs a few minutes to cohere, raspberry and dark cherry fruit, bunches of violet, almost Margaux-like in personality. The palate is where the action is at the moment with finely-chiseled tannins, a saline undertow, almost briny with a fresh and quite compelling, classically-styled finish. Fine length, this is a Langoa that just like the ABBA song, will go on and on and on.

Score: 92 - 94 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2028-2060

The 2022 Larcis Ducasse is a huge, inky wine. A firm backbone of structure lies behind all of that opulence, yielding a wine that is both extravagantly rich and super-classic. That’s a pretty appealing combination in my book. Dark red-toned fruit, spice, leather, tobacco, incense and mocha emerge, but only with great reluctance. The 2022 is packed to the core. I don’t imagine it will be ready to drink anytime soon, but is unquestionably one of the wines of the vintage. The blend is 84% Merlot and 16% Cabernet Franc, a bit more Franc than usual, aging in equal parts 225- and 500-liter barrels. Tasted four times.

Score: 96 - 98 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2032-2062

A fleshy, opulent wine, the 2022 Larcis Ducasse bursts with aromas of rich, creamy berry fruit mingled with aromas of licorice, bay leaf and spices. Full-bodied, broad and enveloping, it's a textural, layered wine with a ripe core of fruit, supple tannins and an expansive finish. More dramatic and unabashed than the 2020, this will appeal to readers who place a premium on flamboyant extravagance; but samples tasted later during my visit to Bordeaux exhibited greater freshness and precision.

Score: 94 - 95 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2022 Larcis Ducasse was picked 13 to 23 September at 34hL/ha. This has quite a rich bouquet with opulent black cherries, boysenberry and blue fruit, vanilla extract and truffle scents. Two samples tasted, the one at the château showing more precision. The palate is medium-bodied with sweet tannins, its flesh belying the structure underneath. Liquorice lingers after the wine has departed. The mineralité floods the finish and articulates its limestone soils with aplomb. This is a seriously fine Larcis Ducasse that exudes panache.

Score: 95 - 97 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2065

The 2022 Laroque is bright, focused and full of energy. In this vintage, Laroque is especially refined. Dark plum, graphite, licorice, spice, lavender and mocha are nicely laced together in this gracious, finely cut Saint-Émilion. Bright saline accents lend notable brightness throughout.

Score: 92 - 94 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2028-2047

Another impressive performance from this estate, the 2022 Laroque offers up aromas of sweet berries, violets, iris and exotic spices, followed by a medium to full-bodied, layered palate with a rich core of fruit that's framed by lively acids, concluding with a taut, chalky finish. Once again, it's the result of a strict selection that sees only 45% of the production released as the grand vin.

Score: 93 - 95 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2022 Laroque was picked at 41hL/ha between 14 and 30 September, representing 45% of the total production. It has a clean and precise bouquet with brambly red fruit, hints of liquorice and iodine. Quite voluptuous in style, though thankfully, it retains delineation. The palate is medium-bodied with succulent ripe red fruit. Fine structure, very supple in the mouth. The lightly spiced finish comes across just a little sweeter than I would have liked, prompting me to be a bit more cautious with my score than I otherwise might have been.

Score: 92 - 94 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2029-2045

The 2022 Larrivet Haut-Brion Blanc is a wild, exotic wine. Passionfruit, pineapple, white flowers and tangerine oil lend a distinctly tropical profile. The Blanc is exuberant and effusive, a bit out of control, but in a good way.

Score: 92 - 94 Antonio Galloni, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2025-2030

Aromas of spices, lemon oil, lime tree, verbena, exotic, menthol and iodine introduce the 2022 Larrivet Haut-Brion Blanc, a medium to full-bodied, seamless and sapid wine with a succulent core of fruit and a penetrating, fresh and saline finish. This blend of 86% Sauvignon Blanc and 14% Sémillon, maturing in 70% new oak and 30% wood tank or foudres, is a strong effort. YC

Score: 91 - 93 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2022 Larrivet Haut-Brion Blanc has a tempting nose even at this stage, with plenty of lifted tropical fruit, mango and pineapple, not complex but you soon fall for its charms. The palate is well balanced. This is one of those white Bordeaux that is not intellectual, though you are not going to complain when it fills your glass, and you'll probably be asking for another.

Score: 90 - 92 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2026-2037

The 2022 Larrivet Haut-Brion is bold, punchy and also quite exotic, because of the presence of Cabernet Franc. Succulent red cherry fruit, dried herbs, menthol, licorice and rose petal lend notable complexity with plenty of Franc perfume built into the layered, wonderfully expressive finish.

Score: 92 - 94 Antonio Galloni, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2027-2042

The 2022 Larrivet Haut-Brion offers up aromas of blackcurrant, blueberry, raspberry, violet, orange zest, iris and ripe plums, followed by a medium to full-bodied palate that's supple, seamless and elegant, its succulent core of fruit framed by velvety tannins, concluding with a floral finish. A blend of 61% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot and 21% Cabernet Franc—the most significant portion of this grape variety ever used at this estate run by Bruno Lemoine—this is one of the most interesting wines that this estate has produced in recent years. It matured in 15% amphorae, 50% new barrels and the balance in tanks. YC

Score: 92 - 94 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2022 Larrivet Haut-Brion was tasted on two occasions. The first sample was a bit suspect, intimating a little over-ripeness. A second showing was much better. Dark berry fruit and tertiary scents unwind on the nose and draw you in, nothing ambitious but neatly delineated. The palate sashays along with a firm but fine lattice of tannins and commendable balance. It evokes the sense of Pessac-Léognan on its finish that nicks the best from Left and Right Banks. Call me smitten.

Score: 91 - 93 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2029-2045

The 2022 Lascombes is a bold, sumptuous wine. Inky dark fruit, cloves, chocolate and copious French oak fill out the layers. Soft contours wrap it all together. As always, Lascombes is done in a flamboyant style. It will be interesting to see the direction new Estate Manager Axel Heinz takes when he assumes his post this summer.Tasted two times.

Score: 90 - 92 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2027-2042

Aromas of oak, spices, overripe berries, graphite and pencil shavings stand out in this modern-styled, rather demonstrative 2022 Lascombes. Medium to full-bodied, chunky and over-extracted, the wine has a dense, rich, mouthfeel but a rather firm finish with prominent new-oak flavors. (YC)

Score: 86 - 89 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2022 Lascombes, which now comes with a retro label that I approve of, feels a bit overdone on the nose, a bit too much VA in one sample bottle. The palate is very sweet and oaky, underneath a harsh greenness that pokes out on the finish. I was perplexed by this wine to the extent that I will wait longer and review it when in bottle.

Score: - Neal Martin, Vinous.com

The 2022 Latour-Martillac Blanc has plenty of energy, but not much in the way of mid-palate or finish. Ultimately it comes across as overly taut and austere at this stage. Let's see what happens once this is in bottle. Tasted two times.

Score: 85 - 87 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2025-2027

A blend of 52% Sauvignon Blanc and 48% Sémillon, the 2022 Latour Martillac Blanc reveals aromas of pear, peach, iodine, lime tree and verbena. Medium to full-bodied, tense and mineral-driven with a salty, fresh finish, this is a classic and incisive Latour Martillac Blanc. YC

Score: 90 - 92 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2022 Latour-Martillac Blanc has a lovely bouquet, much more complex than some of its peers, with honeysuckle, beeswax, and touches of mirabelle. The palate is well balanced with a twist of sour lemon, moderate weight, lightly spiced toward the finish. This will do just nicely.

Score: 90 - 92 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2026-2048

The 2022 Léoville Barton is a total model of classicism, even in this warm, dry year. All of the Léoville Barton signatures are present, even if the wine is still coming together. Blue/purplish fruit, lavender, spice, gravel and dried herbs open nicely in the glass, but it is the wine’s energy and overall tension that I find most surprising. This is classic as classic gets. Not interested in making the richest or showiest wines, nor interested in jacking up prices as high as they can be. Readers will find a straightforward (in the best sense of the term) Saint-Julien that captures the best of what Bordeaux can be. Just enough of everything, but not too much of any one thing.

Score: 93 - 95 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2032-2052

One of the stars of the Médoc and a wine likely to equal or surpass its 2019 and 2016 counterparts, the 2022 Léoville Barton unwinds in the glass with deep aromas of cassis, pencil shavings, spices and tobacco leaf, followed by a medium to full-bodied, deep and layered palate that's vibrant, pure and seamless, with beautifully classy tannins and a long, penetrating finish. The 2022 is a blend of 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11.5% Merlot and 5.5% Cabernet Franc; and it's the first vintage produced in the estate's new winery, which more than doubled the number of vats, permitting sub-plot by sub-plot harvesting and vinification, along with a number of other technical improvements which translate into enhanced purity and precision.

Score: 96 - 97 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2022 Léoville Barton was picked between 8 and 23 September at 30hL/ha and matured in 60% new oak. This represents the first vintage that has been vinified using gravity and cuvons (basically vats on wheels!) in their newly-built winery. The nose makes an instant impact with intense black cherry, bilberry and violet aromas. A nuanced estuarine/oyster shell scent emerges with time in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with finely-chiseled tannins, fabulous precision, a killer line of acidity and more mineralité on the finish, that it knows what to do with. This is a precision-tooled Léoville Barton with the sharpness of a samurai sword. The 2022 marks the start of a new and glorious chapter for the Saint-Julien estate, which passes in the slipstream of the 22019 and 2022. It constitutes the finest Léoville Barton that I have tasted out of barrel. Tasted three times.

Score: 96 - 98 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2070

The 2022 Léoville Las Cases is stunning. Fine-grained and nuanced, the 2022 Las Cases is breathtaking. Red/purplish fruit, rose petals, lavender, spice and mocha open gradually but what impresses most about the 2022 is its sublime finesse. Silky, plush and exceptionally beautiful, the 2022 Las Cases is shaping up to be one of the wines of the year.

Score: 98 - 100 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2052

One of the wines of the vintage this year is the 2022 Léoville Las Cases, a monument in the making that combines unerring classicism with unusual sensuality and charm by the standards of this estate's sometimes youthfully forbidding wines. Exhibiting deep aromas of dark berries, violets, pencil lead, rose petals and tobacco leaf, it's full-bodied, deep and multidimensional, with terrific concentration, beautiful purity of fruit, abundant but refined tannins and a long, vibrant finish. On the several occasions that I tasted it, the 2022 was surprisingly open for a young Las Cases, but it wouldn't surprise me if it were to shut down after a few years in bottle. It's a blend of 83.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10.5% Cabernet Franc and 6% Merlot.

Score: 98 - 100 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2022 Léoville Las-Cases was picked 8-30 September with more infusion than extraction, matured in 84% new oak. Precocious, almost decadent blackberry and blueberry fruit on the nose, there is something lavish and audacious about this Saint-Julien. There is an underlying estuarine element, a whiff off the banks of the Gironde. The palate is medium-bodied with polished tannins, very detailed, extremely pure, what you might call a "vertical" Las-Cases with fabulous precision on the finish. This surpasses the 2018-2020 trio and to use that clichéd expression, is a "tour de force".

Score: 98 - 100 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2032-2080

The 2022 Léoville-Poyferré is unctuous, deep and super-expressive, but not at all over-done. There's tremendous energy driving through a core of red/purplish fruit. Deceptively medium in body, the 2022 is a potent, statuesque Léoville-Poyferré that will offer many years of exceptional drinking.

Score: 94 - 96 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2052

The 2022 Léoville Poyferré has turned out very nicely, offering up aromas of crème de cassis, cherries, violets and creamy new oak, followed by a medium to full-bodied, rich and fleshy palate that's ripe but lively, with supple tannins and a long, vanillin-inflected finish. This year, the team began picking their Merlot comparatively early and didn't perform a saignée (tank bleed), given the natural concentration of the vintage, though it remains the most flamboyant and demonstrative of the three Léoville estates, seeing some 80% new oak with malolactic fermentation in barrique for the new barrels. It will be a blend of 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot and the balance Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot.

Score: 94 - 96 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2022 Léoville Poyferré was picked 8 to 28 September at 33.4hL/ha and matured in 80% new oak. It has a high IPT of 93 and 14.4% alcohol (half a degree less than the 2018). It is quintessentially LP on the nose, with those extravagant and sensual black and blueberry fruit, intermingling with crushed violet and iris. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins, very harmonious and focused, perhaps more linear than expected with a velvety-smooth finish. This is a very classy, sophisticated Saint-Julien that may well rest at the top of my banded score once in bottle.

Score: 95 - 97 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2070

The 2022 Les Cruzelles is a wine of notable breadth and texture. Older vines and clay-rich soils yield a Lalande de Pomerol that offers notable resonance. Dark-toned fruit, leather, tobacco, incense, licorice and lavender infuse the 2022 with considerable nuance to match its virile, rather somber feel.

Score: 92 - 94 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2025-2037

More serious and structured than La Chenade, the 2022 Les Cruzelles unwinds in the glass with aromas of cherries and blackberries mingled with hints of licorice and mint. Medium to full-bodied, lively and layered, it's built around powdery structuring tannins that gently assert themselves on the finish.

Score: 90 - 92 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2022 Les Cruzelles was picked between 1 and 12 September and matured in 50% new oak. This has plenty of fruité on the nose: small red cherries, redcurrant and wild strawberry fruit, a touch of cedar in the background. The palate is medium-bodied with wonderful definition and mineralité, dark fruit, hints of black tea and spices, really harmonious and sappy on the finish. Possibly the best Les Cruzelles that I have tasted at this stage and sure to be an unbeatable value-for-money.

Score: 92 - 94 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2028-2050

Wow. Blackcurrants, blueberries, blackberries and flowers. Full-bodied with beautifully integrated tannins that melt into the wine. Persistent and precise. A fantastic wine for the cellar. 66% cabernet sauvignon, 28% merlot, 3% cabernet franc and 3% petit verdot.

Score: 98 - 99 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com

Full on inky purple in colour, this is sculpted and full of character. Intense, not just a reflection of the vintage but in the increasing concentration found in Lynch Bages over the past decade. Delivers so much character, wtih charcoal, soot, campfire, liquorice, slate, bilberry, cassis. Hugely impressive and complex, will age for decades. As it opens and those fierce tannins loosen their grip a little, the floral character of the Cabernet Sauvignon becomes more clear. It's austere right now, with shoulders and muscles, but I am fully on board. One to wait for. 75% new oak. Harvest September 12 to 24.

Score: 97 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2032-2050

The Grand Vin 2022 Château Lynch Bages checks in as 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. It actually reminds me slightly of the 2019, and while it's a classic Lynch Bages powerhouse, it has beautiful balance and purity. Cassis, graphite, lead pencil, and chalky minerality all define the aromatics, and it's full-bodied, with terrific tannins and a layered, incredibly impressive profile that continues to open and evolve with time in the glass. Tasted twice with consistent notes.

Score: 96 - 98 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com

Extremely well done with a full body and nicely integrated tannins that give this tension and power. The structure is wonderful. Minty. Chocolate-covered coffee beans. Serious but fun.

Score: 94 - 95 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com

Inky, powerful colour, edges of heady incense on the nose but this feels more rooted in Paullac for me than many vintages of Lynch Moussas, delivering intense cassis and dark fruit character, edges of crushed rose petals, clove and tar. Plenty of fresh mint leaf coming through as well, with a real sense of poise. It feels like part of the Château Batailley family this year, more than usual, a buy. 57% new oak.

Score: 94 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2030-2047

Smoky dark fruits and leafy tobacco are just some of the notes in the 2022 Château Lynch-Moussas, a medium to full-bodied, nicely balanced, beautifully layered Pauillac. The tannins here are ripe and polished, and it has plenty of mid-palate depth as well as outstanding length. It's a seriously good wine, if not the finest I've tasted from this château. It's clearly in the same ballpark as the 2018, 2019, and 2020.

Score: 92 - 94 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com

The 2022 Malartic Lagravière exudes class. Bright, layered and wonderfully vibrant, the 2022 is so alive. Rose petals, lavender, crushed rocks, mint and red/purplish fruit race across the palate. All the elements are so well balanced. Malartic Lagravière has all the potential to be one of the great wines of the year. This is a fabulous showing. Tasted two times.

Score: 94 - 96 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2047

A blend of 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 43% Merlot, 2.5% Petit Verdot and 1.5% Cabernet Franc, the 2022 Malartic Lagravière reveals aromas of cassis, blueberry, spices, graphite and menthol. Medium to full-bodied, round and concentrated with structuring tannins, it’s a dense, powerful, demonstrative Malartic Lagravière. (YC)

Score: 91 - 93 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2022 Malartic Lagravière was picked 5 to 29 September at 27hL/ha and matured in 60% new oak. Blackberry, iodine and incense aromas unfurl in the glass, nicely focused and delineated, quite airy in style. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannins. Cohesive and powdery in texture, with black fruit, crushed stone and light ash-like notes toward the finish. This is an excellent, quite "swarthy" Malartic that will age with style, though it will only repay the patient.

Score: 93 - 95 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2065

The 2022 Malescot Saint Exupéry is dense, powerful and voluptuous. Black cherry, mocha, espresso, licorice and chocolate are all amplified. In 2022, Malescot is quite the extrovert. These days Malescot is not as classic as it used to be, but this is a good showing, even if the alcohol comes through a touch.

Score: 92 - 94 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2027-2047

The 2022 Malescot Saint Exupéry was picked from 19 September until 5 October, stopping over two weekends as it rained. Every parcel contributed fruit to the Grand Vin and there is 14.5% alcohol. Raised in 70% new oak with most of the malo done in barrel, it has a fragrant bouquet with red cherries, raspberry coulis, blueberry and violet scents. The palate has a well-defined entry with sour cherry, raspberry, blackcurrant and touches of marmalade. Not powerful, but harmonious with a silky texture, this is a precision-tooled Margaux that will give 20 to 30 years of drinking pleasure.

Score: 93 - 95 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2027-2052

A juicy and solid young St Emilion with crushed stone, hints of large grains of sea salt and a black berry character throughout. Full and chewy, but polished. New Grand Cru. Made from biodynamically grown grapes.

Score: 94 - 95 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com

Intense bright berry fruits, cedar smoking on the aromatics, this is enjoyable, edges of sandalwood and incense, heat on the finish but also succulence and impact. A high energy wine from Yann and Karl Todeschini, Stephane Toutoundji consultant.

Score: 92 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux

The 2022 Château Margaux is a total stunner. Ripe, opulent and explosive, the 2022 possesses tremendous depth and textural intensity from start to finish. There’s a purity to the fruit that is just striking. The 2022 is a dark, unusually opulent Margaux, with a dense core of fruit, but a good deal of vibrancy to balance things out. Black cherry, lavender, spice and a kiss of new French oak build in the glass, but it is the wine’s delineation and intensity that are most captivating. Vibrant saline notes linger on the seamless, supremely elegant finish. Unforgettable.

Score: 97 - 99 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2062

A blend of 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Merlot and 2% Cabernet Franc, 2022 Château Margaux is one of the most powerful wines ever produced at this estate, wafting from the glass with aromas of crème de cassis, dark berries, violets, burning embers, smoked tea and exotic spices. Full-bodied, deep and layered, it's rich, velvety and seamless, with a bright core of fruit and a long, heady finish. With the highest analytical measure of tannins since 2010, and an alcohol level a touch above 14%, this is certainly a larger-scaled Château Margaux, yet at this early stage, everything appears to be kept in check.

Score: 96 - 97 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2022 Château Margaux represents 40% of the crop this year, slightly higher than recent years, picked between 8 and 27 September. As usual, the Grand Vin demands more time to unfold on the nose compared to the Pavillon. It unveils enticing scents of macerated black cherries, blueberry, violet and hints of orange blossom all delivered with impressive delineation. The palate is medium-bodied with sculpted tannins. A fine-boned and tensile Château Margaux that is quite a remarkable feat given the growing season. Silky smooth and almost creamy at first, toward the finish it reveals a slightly powdery texture, almost swaggering in style. Not a subtle or nuanced Château Margaux, rather, Philippe Bascaules has conjured a First Growth that is dressed to kill. 14.6% alcohol.

Score: 96 - 98 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2027-2060

The 2022 Le Marquis de Calon Ségur is a serious and potent second wine. Super-ripe red cherry, spice, leather, tobacco and cedar all race across the palate. All the natural richness of the year comes through in this decidedly potent, intense Saint-Estèphe. Today, the elevated alcohol is a bit distracting.

Score: 89 - 91 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2026-2037

One of several over-performing second wines in this vintage is the 2022 Le Marquis de Calon-Ségur, a medium to full-bodied, fleshy and seamless Saint-Estèphe redolent of minty berries, licorice and rose petals. Lively and penetrating, it punches above its weight.

Score: 91 - 93 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2022 Le Marquis de Calon-Ségur, which contains 15% alcohol, represents 43% of this year's volume. There's copious red fruit on the nose, and redcurrant, wild strawberry and orange pith notes filter through with time. Shows impressive delineation considering the level of alcohol. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannins and a firm structure. A fine graphite element threads from start to finish with a detailed, very Saint-Estèphe ending.

Score: 89 - 91 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2026-2040

The 2022 Mauvesin Barton is a joy to taste today. Plump, juicy and forward, the 2022 is marvelously seductive right out of the gate. Expressive floral and spice notes lend complexity to the sweet red cherry/plum fruit. Soft, caressing contours add a gorgeous sense of immediacy.

Score: 90 - 92 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2025-2030

Seriously deep colour, and plenty of perfume, heather, blackberry and crushed roses, this is really an impressive Mauvesin this is one that I think will surprise many people. More accessible than many because it keep freshness and juice running through it, but has the depth and concentration of the vintage. One to look out for. Eric Boissenot consultant, 33% new oak for ageing.

Score: 92 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2027-2038

The 2022 Château Mauvesin Barton is terrific, with a ripe, medium-bodied, elegant profile as well as impressive cassis and currant-like fruit, some tobacco and graphite aromatics, fine tannins, and a great finish. It’s a brilliant Moulis in the making.

Score: 90 - 92 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com

Impressive concentration here with compact tannin structure. Medium- to full-bodied. Firm and steady with a long, velvety finish. Minerally and crunchy.

Score: 94 - 95 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com

A vineryard that should perform strongly in this kind of vintage, because located right next to the river for air conditioning, with a mix of gravel with clear clay sections to retain freshness, and it's definitely one to look out for. Layers of redcurrant, raspberry and blackcurrant fruits, juicy mouthwatering finish, peony, pencil lead, orange peel, 3.75ph. Certainly this is a great example of Meyney. Hubert de Boüard consultant. A buy.

Score: 95 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2026-2042

The 2022 La Mission Haut-Brion is shaping up to be a jewel of a wine. Dark, powerful and imposing, with compelling inner sweetness, La Mission is positively striking. The purity of the flavors is striking, but the wine's statuesque personality might be even more impressive. Time in the glass brings out all sorts of savory and mineral notes that add complexity. The balance here is just mind-blowing. What a wine!

Score: 97 - 99 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2032-2062

A rich and muscular wine that reflects the warmth of the vintage, the 2022 La Mission Haut-Brion reveals aromas of dark berries, cherries and crème de cassis mingled with licorice, spices, incense and spring flowers. Full-bodied, broad and concentrated, it's surprisingly lively despite an elevated pH of 4.0, exhibiting a seamless, broad-shouldered profile with an ample core of fruit framed by rich, powdery tannin. It's a blend of 51.7% Cabernet Sauvignon, 43.2% Merlot and 5.1% Cabernet Franc.

Score: 94 - 96 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2022 La Mission Haut-Brion is matured in 70% new oak. It has a very refined bouquet with mineral-driven dark berry fruit, hints of Earl Grey and freshly-rolled tobacco, focused with exquisite delineation. The palate is medium-bodied with pliant tannins that still provide the backbone to what is the most elegant La Missions that I have tasted at this stage. It is harmonious and silky toward its extremely persistent finish. At the moment, it has got its nose just in front of its First Growth sibling...at least at the moment. For sure, it's going to be one of the standouts of the 2022 vintage.

Score: 97 - 99 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2029-2065

So much oyster shell here with a chalk, stone character, as well as dried lemons and sliced white peaches and pears. It’s medium to full body with lovely fruit and a flavorful finish. Bitter lemon as well. 72% semillon and 28% sauvignon blanc.

Score: 96 - 97 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com

This is an extremely impressive white that has high levels of Sémillon in the blend this year, helped by old vines that resisted the heat well. Gorgeous construction and balance, with precision-cut citrus, bitter almond, slate, dill, white pepper spice, a juicy grip through the palate and noble bitterness bringing things to a close. Less 1st wine than last year - 20% less first wine with the same yield; 41% new oak barrels for ageing. Harvest August 17 to 23.

Score: 96 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux

The 2022 Château La Mission Haut-Brion Blanc is mostly Sémillon (72%), and compared to its big brother, the Haut-Brion Blanc, it's more closed and inward, with classic Sémillon power and richness. Ripe melon, white flowers, honeyed minerality, and chalky notes all define the aromatics, and it's medium to full-bodied, with a great mid-palate and outstanding length. It's a downright mineral bomb on the finish and is a brilliant white in the making.

Score: 95 - 97 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com

The 2022 Monbousquet is gorgeous. Rich, deep and explosive, the 2022 offers up an exotic mélange of sumptuous red/purplish fruit, lavender, mint and rose petal. Curvy and sumptuous, with striking fruit purity, Monbousquet is super-impressive in this tasting.

Score: 92 - 94 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2025-2036

This is exuberant, with the creamy texture to the blackberry and black cherry fruits that is found so often in the vintag. Ink, graphite, chocolate, heading towards overly sweet which drops the momentum towards the finish. 3.83ph, 30hl/h yields. 50% new oak. Testing cover crops to look at lowering soil temperature, but mainly this year they turned the soil during the growing season to avoid it hardening in the heat.

Score: 89 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2027-2040

From tiny yields due to the frost, the 2022 Château Monbousquet is based on 70% Merlot and 15% Each of Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. This ripe, medium to full-bodied, voluptuously styled beauty offers classic richness in its cassis and black cherry fruits as well as notes of chocolate, espresso, and leafy herbs. Beautifully balanced and concentrated, with velvety tannins, it's shockingly good.

Score: 92 - 95 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com

The 2022 Montlandrie is a powerful, driving wine. Beams of tannin and acid run through a core of bright red-toned fruit, lending notable energy and tension throughout. A wine of size and volume, Montlandrie offers tremendous intensity as well as vibrancy. Gorgeous.

Score: 92 - 94 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2025-2037

Notes of sweet cherries, berries, licorice and smoke preface the 2022 Montlandrie, a medium to full-bodied, suave and vibrant wine with a deep core of fruit, lively acids, powdery tannins and a saline finish. This vibrant, intensely flavored Côtes de Castillon is once again one of Bordeaux's best values in this vintage.

Score: 90 - 92 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2022 Montlandrie was picked 8-23 September and matured in 50% new oak. The Cabernet components in the blend defined the nose that leans toward the Left Bank - graphite and tobacco filtering through the dark berry fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with a smooth texture, white pepper and clove, quite structured for this Castillon Côte de Bordeaux with a similar sapid finish as the Les Cruzelles.

Score: 90 - 92 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2029-2043

The 2022 Montrose is a brooding, powerful wine, as it so often is. Huge tannins wrap around a core of dark black fruit, chocolate, leather, spice, menthol and licorice. The new oak (60%) is not yet fully integrated, but then again, the 2022 is a baby. A bit of time in the glass helps the elements come together nicely. Readers will have to be exceptionally patient, as the 2022 is not likely to start drinking well until it is at least 15-20 years old.

Score: 96 - 98 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2032-2062

The 2022 Montrose is such a compelling wine that assigning it a bracketed score seems a mere formality. A brilliant terroir, impeccable viticulture, perfectly timed harvest dates and judicious extraction have aligned to deliver a monument in the making, reminiscent of a far purer, more precise, modern-day version of the 1990 vintage at this address. Unwinding in the glass with aromas of dark berries, cassis, violets, iris, pencil lead and cigar wrapper, it's full-bodied, deep and authoritative, its velvety attack segueing into a layered, elegantly muscular core that's framed by supple, powdery tannins, concluding with a long, resonant finish. A blend of 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot, this only confirms Montrose's status as a de facto first growth and unquestionably one of the contemporary Médoc's very greatest estates.

Score: 99 - 100 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2022 Montrose was picked 2 to 22 September comprising all four grape varieties and all the Cabernet Franc, with 13% pressed wine, matured in 60% new oak. There is 14.5% alcohol this year, which is less than 2018. It has an extremely pure nose with black cherries and blueberry. Quite floral in style with hints of blood orange percolating through with time. The palate is very precise with exceptional mineralité and tension. Very focused, superb concentration, with what is becoming Montrose's trademark sense of symmetry and sustained aftertaste, this could be the finest Saint-Estèphe in 2022.

Score: 97 - 99 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2027-2052

The 2022 Moulin Saint-Georges is quite rich and dense in this vintage, as is to be expected. Super-ripe red cherry fruit, blood orange, menthol, spice and leather fill out the layers in a Saint-Émilion that boasts tons of fruit density and the tannins to match. All the elements are very nicely balanced. Readers should expect a Moulin Saint-Georges that is more power than finesse. I imagine the 2022 will age beautifully on its fruit. It could very well turn out to be a sleeper in this vintage. The blend is 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc picked between September 19 and 26. Aging is projected to be 18 months in French oak.

Score: 90 - 93 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2028-2047

Unwinding in the glass with aromas of dark berries, cherries, violets and creamy new oak, the 2022 Moulin St Georges is medium to full-bodied, ample and fleshy, with powdery tannins and a taut, chalky profile. It should flesh out further with additional élevage.

Score: 90 - 92 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2022 Moulin Saint-Georges was picked 19 to 26 September and is aged for 18 months in French oak. Black cherries and bilberry fruit, oyster shell and light cedar scents on the nose, it just needs to knit together during its élevage. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, lightly spiced on the entry, then quite linear with a dash of black pepper on its quite graphite-tinged, linear finish. Needs a bit more éclat.

Score: 90 - 92 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2028-2045

The 2022 Mouton Rothschild is a powerhouse. Inky, deep and explosive, the 2022 is a real head-turner. The combination of intense dark fruit, strong gravelly/mineral notes and imposing structure clearly bring to mind another great Mouton, and that is the 1986. In a word: magnificent. The blend is 92% Cabernet Sauvignon and 8% Merlot

Score: 96 - 98 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2032-2062

A brilliant wine that likely sits somewhere between the 2019 and 2020 in quality, the 2022 Mouton Rothschild is a blend of 92% Cabernet Sauvignon and 8% Merlot. Unwinding in the glass with complex aromas of minty cassis, cigar wrapper, violets and subtle hints of loamy soil, it's full-bodied, deep and concentrated, with a layered core of fruit and a fleshy, elegantly muscular profile. Broad-shouldered and seamless, it concludes with a long, resonant finish. This year the grand vin represents some 49% of the estate's production.

Score: 96 - 99 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2022 Mouton Rothschild was picked 1 to 26 September with one of the highest Cabernet Sauvignon contents in years, matured in 100% new oak as usual. Very deep, almost opaque in color. It is stubborn on the nose, at first, backward, then opens after 10 minutes with black plum, cassis and violet aromas. It is more voluptuous than the 2022 Lafite-Rothschild which is what you expect. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy and quite strict tannins (the IPT is 76), that frame layers of black fruit laced with tobacco and graphite. Powerful, almost burly, it is perhaps how the 1986 tasted in its youth. A Mouton-Rothschild determined to make a statement and it certainly does that. Feels a bit like tasting Thor's hammer at the moment, but it will just require considerable cellaring. 14.05% alcohol.

Score: 96 - 98 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2032-2075

The 2022 Nénin is terrific. Pliant, rich and creamy in the glass, the 2022 is a formidable example of the year. Soft, plush contours wrap around a core of red/purplish berry fruit. Touches of blood orange, mint, cinnamon and rose petal lend nuance to this sensual, alluring Pomerol from the Delon family. The 2022 is beautifully done.

Score: 92 - 94 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2028-2042

A blend of 64% Merlot and 36% Cabernet Franc, the 2022 Nenin delivers aromas of cherries, violets, sweet berries and rose petals, followed by a medium to full-bodied, deep and fleshy palate that's rich, succulent and seamless, its ample core of fruit largely concealing its sweet, powdery tannins.

Score: 93 - 95 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2022 Nénin was picked September 1-23, a relatively long harvest. The nose is quite opulent with black cherries, boysenberry and a touch of fi. Generous and bold. The palate is medium-bodied with dark chocolate and espresso-laced black fruit, granular tannins, and well-judged acidity. The 39% new oak needs a few months to be assimilated. Composed and quite persistent this should drink well after 3-5 years.

Score: 91 - 93 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2027-2045

The 2022 Ormes de Pez is bold, pungent and savory, in classic Saint-Estèphe style. Gravel, cured meats, spice and leather give the 2022 a good bit of aromatic and flavor complexity. Medium in body, with good depth, the 2022 has a ton to offer. This is a terrific showing. Tasted two times.

Score: 91 - 93 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2026-2037

Exhibiting aromas of rich cassis, pencil shavings and petals, the 2022 Ormes de Pez is medium to full-bodied, broad and fleshy, with a deep core of fruit and plenty of powdery structuring tannin. It's a blend of 51% Merlot, 39% Cabernet Sauvignon and the balance Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot.

Score: 90 - 92 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2022 Ormes de Pez is matured in 45% new oak for a planned 16 months. It has a perfumed and floral bouquet, quite sensual for a Saint-Estèphe, developing blue fruit with time in the glass. The oak is neatly enmeshed. The palate is medium-bodied with quite a high-toned and racy opening. Good acidity, the Merlot (51%) occupies the driving seat and ensures its silky-textured finish, a mote of chalk dust on the aftertaste. Just needs its élevage to knit it all together.

Score: 92 - 94 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2027-2044

The 2022 Pagodes d’Estournel is a very sexy wine. Rich, ample and engaging, the 2022 makes a very strong opening impression. Black cherry, plum, licorice, spice and chocolate are front and center. This flashy, radiant Saint-Estèphe is sure to be a crowd pleaser. Firm, chocolatey tannins sustain the finish.

Score: 92 - 94 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2026-2037

Aromas of rich berries, plums, spices and pencil shavings introduce the 2022 Les Pagodes de Cos, a medium to full-bodied, rich and muscular wine that's fleshy and extracted while remaining somewhat fresh and vibrant.

Score: 89 - 91 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2022 Les Pagodes de Cos represents one-third of this year's volume and is matured in 20% new oak. It has a sensual bouquet with ripe blackberry and raspberry fruit. It's delineated and focused but is clearly a Deuxième Vin requiring some bottle age. The palate is well-defined with fine-boned tannins, fresh, vibrant and cohesive with a tensile, slightly peppery finish that lingers long in the mouth. This seems to grow in the glass.

Score: 91 - 93 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2027-2045

The 2022 Palmer is a wine of sublime beauty and refinement. Silky, caressing and super-expressive, the 2022 is also one of the most surprising wines of the year in that it does not show the drought or heat of the growing season at all either in its flavor profile or feel. Succulent black cherry, plum, leather, licorice, spice and dried herbs lend notable complexity throughout. The 2022 starts off rather slow, and then really explodes on the back end. It is a magnificent wine in every way.

Score: 96 - 98 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2052

As is the case at neighbor Château Margaux, the 2022 Palmer is one of the most powerful wines this estate has ever produced. A blend of 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot and 4% Petit Verdot, it offers up aromas of blackberries, burning embers, violets, iris and sweet soil tones, followed by a full-bodied, broad and expansive palate, its velvety attack segueing into a rich and layered core. Supple, seamless and concentrated, it checks in at 14.4% alcohol and a rather high pH of 3.79.

Score: 95 - 97 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2022 Palmer was cropped at just 22hL/ha due to the berries being 25-30% smaller than usual. It bursts forth on the nose with precocious black cherries, blueberry, violet and touches of marmalade and tobacco in the background. Complex and expressive. The palate is structured, with the tannic backbone, that winemaker Thomas Duroux talked about, lending this Palmer a sense of verticality. Hints of black pepper emerge with time, multi-layered, a powerful Margaux and yet the IPT is actually lower than elsewhere (76). Quite linear on the tobacco-infused finish, which is just quintessential Palmer. Do reserve a bin in your cellar for this and let it gather dust for at least a decade. 14.4% alcohol.

Score: 96 - 98 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2035-2080

The 2022 Pape Clement is shaping up to be a gem. Deep, pliant and layered in the glass, the 2022 possesses notable energy and vibrancy to play off its core of rich, sumptuous fruit. Soft, plush contours wrap it all together. Time in the glass brings out notable energy, especially as the mid-palate opens into the gorgeous, palate-staining finish. The 2022 is unusual in that it is 60% Merlot, rather than the more typical blend of equal parts Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Tasted three times.

Score: 93 - 96 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2052

Revealing aromas of blueberries, cassis, spring flowers and toasty new oak, the 2022 Pape Clément is full-bodied, broad and textural, with a rich, layered core of super-ripe fruit framed by liberally extracted tannins that assert themselves on the firm, lavishly oaky finish. This is a flamboyant, unabashedly modern-styled Pape Clément that will need several years in the cellar to blossom. It's a blend of 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Sauvignon.

Score: 92 - 94 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2022 Pape Clément was picked 7-27 September at 35hL/ha, aged in 60% new oak. It has quite an open and expressive bouquet at this stage, with blackcurrant and bilberry scents. A more sensual Pape Clément perhaps, the oak is neatly integrated. Black olives emerge with time, hints of sea spray - this is certainly a wine you have to stay with. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins. Layers of black fruit laced with graphite and cedar, rending this 2022 quite Pauillac-like in style. Nicely controlled on the finish, this is a Pape Clément with breeding. Tasted four times.

Score: 94 - 96 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2065

The 2022 Pape Clement Blanc is a very pretty, exotic white. Drops of Muscadelle in the blend add a very pretty hint of jasmine and lime to play off the richer, riper flavors on the palate. The 2022 offers lovely density and creaminess, with plenty of orchard fruit, marzipan and chamomile flavors, yet also remains light on its feet and wonderfully fresh. Tasted three times.

Score: 93 - 95 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2025-2032

A blend of 63% Sauvignon Blanc, 35% Sémillon and 2% Muscadelle, the 2022 Pape Clément Blanc exhibits aromas of spices, spring flowers, lemon, peach and hints of jasmine and grapefruit. The palate is medium to full-bodied, fleshy and satiny, with an oaky frame. The finish is long, persistent and elegantly spicy. YC

Score: 90 - 93 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2022 Pape Clément Blanc was cropped at 35hL/ha between 28 August and 2 September and matured in under 20% new oak. It is very fragrant on the nose, with lemon verbena, white peach and honeysuckle scents. Really fine definition and sense of focus. The palate is well balanced, a little steelier and more linear than recent vintages with plenty of tension on the saline finish. This should age well in bottle.

Score: 92 - 94 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2026-2045

The 2022 Pavie is a unique wine that celebrates a number of milestones for the château. It marks the 20th anniversary of Pavie under the helm of Gerard and Chantal Perse, who have taken this once sleepy property to brilliant highs. Two thousand twenty-two is also the first vintage for Pavie since the incorporation of the Pavie Decesse and Bellevue Mondotte properties. From my perspective, it is always sad to see the loss of historical estates, even if they are relatively small because it is a loss of culture. In terms of the wine, it is superb. Black fruit, mocha, chocolate, licorice and spice add to an impression of virile intensity. Many recent vintages of Pavie have hinted towards a more vibrant style, but the 2022 is very strongly marked by the heat and drought of the year, the yields that are lower than typical and the harvest that started late in relative terms. In my view, the 2022 is a bit pushed, at least today. Huge tannins and a strong torrefaction oak imprint need time to soften, and that may or may not happen with élevage.

Score: 94 - 96 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2052

This is a well made wine with interest, and an impressive reflection of the terroir, carefuly made, can feel the construction and gentle extractions, showing a distinctive identity of loganberry, blackberry and oyster shell salinity. The most impressive of the Pavie range if you are looking to open a bottle within the next five to eight years. Harvest 22 September to 24. It remains 100% dedicated plots, none of the new additions (Pavie Decesse and Bellevue-Mondotte) are included here. Vines 50 years average age, 50% new oak.

Score: 93 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2028-2042

Released in a special bottle to celebrate the 25th harvest of Gerard Perse, the 2022 Château Pavie checks in as 52% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc, and 18% Cabernet Sauvignon, which is in line with recent vintages, although one important factor is that both Pavie Decesse and Bellevue Mondot will no longer be produced and will are now incorporated into the Château Pavie. Given the quality of those two releases, I don't see that affecting the quality of the Grand Vin. The 2022 sports a deep, saturated purple hue as well as a gorgeous bouquet of ripe cassis, blackcurrants, espresso roast, violets, and chalky minerality. Hitting the palate with full-bodied richness, it has a layered, opulent mouthfeel, velvety tannins, integrated oak, and a great finish. This is another heavenly Pavie that's going to shine with just 5-7 years of bottle age and evolve for 30-40 years or more.

Score: 96 - 98 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com

The 2022 Pavie Macquin is a gorgeous wine, not quite as exotic as it can be, which will no doubt please those who find this wine on the richer side within the context of Saint-Émilion. Dark red fruit, chalk, mint, white pepper and spice all race across the palate. Given the small size of the berries and the heat, the winemaking team led by Nicolas Thienpont opted for gentler vinification with fewer punchdowns than the past. The result is a decidedly linear, vibrant Pavie Macquin that bristles with the chalky, saline energy that is a signature of this part of Saint-Émilion, but that has not always been present in a wine that in the past has been more about textural opulence. The blend is 80% Merlot, 19% Cabernet Franc and 1% Cabernet Sauvignon. Tasted four times.

Score: 95 - 97 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2052

Creamy depths of colour and flavour, powerful damson and black cherry fruits, this is utterly compelling and beautifully concentrated. No question that the tannins are crowding in through the front of the palate, eager to make an impression, but they quickly soften and widen, and in between is air, spice, flowers, just nuanced and beautiful. The power of limestone in hot vintages on display. 3.4ph, great stuff from this 14.5ha estate, Nicolas Thienpont director.

Score: 98 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2030-2050

Another wine that's going to flirt with perfection is the 2022 Château Pavie Macquin, and this might be the finest vintage I've ever tasted from this address. A blend of 80% Merlot, 19% Cabernet Franc, and a splash of Cabernet Sauvignon, it reveals an inky purple hue as well as a stunning bouquet of pure cassis, liquid black raspberries, truffle, scorched earth, and graphite. Full-bodied, concentrated, and massive on the palate, it may be the largest-scaled Pavie Macquin ever produced. But don't let that scare you off – it stays flawlessly balanced, has pure, fine-grained tannins, and a great finish. I'll be a buyer.

Score: 96 - 98 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com

The 2022 Pavillon Rouge is a rich, sumptuous wine. A burst of red/purplish fruit, rose petal, lavender and blood orange makes a strong opening, followed by unexpectedly bright, saline notes that bring it all together on the mid-palate and finish. The Pavillon Rouge is an eye-opening wine that embodies the style of the year so eloquently. I especially admire the vibrancy here. The purity of the flavors and quality of the tannins really elevate the 2022.

Score: 92 - 94 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2028-2042

The 2022 Pavillon Rouge is deep and perfumed, wafting from the glass with notions of cherries, raspberry preserve, lilac, violets and spices, followed by a medium to full-bodied, velvety and concentrated palate that's deep, rich and vibrant, with a tannic grain that resembles the grand vin this year. It represents just under a third of the estate's production.

Score: 92 - 94 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2022 Pavillon Rouge, which represents 32% of the production this year, has a highly perfumed nose with wilted violets chaperoning the copious black fruit. Wonderful definition. The palate is medium-bodied with fine boned tannins. Silky smooth and sensual, with a mineral-driven finish, this sashays along in style. One of the few 2022's whose barrel sample is so seductive I could have eloped with it there and then. 14.8% alcohol.

Score: 91 - 93 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2026-2048

The 2022 Pédesclaux is terrific. It shows a level of finesse that has not always been present here. There's plenty of richness and power, but also better balance than in some years. Spice, leather, menthol, rose petal, licorice and a discreet touch of oak are beautifully woven together. This is a fine vintage for Pédesclaux.

Score: 92 - 94 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2028-2047

Now certified organic, the 2022 Pedésclaux exhibits aromas of dark berries, plums and pencil shavings, followed by a medium to full-bodied, suave and refined palate that's a touch lean on the finish. As it fleshes out with élevage, it should come into better balance.

Score: 89 - 91 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2022 Pédesclaux was picked 12 to 27 September and aged in 65% new oak. This has far more fruité than the Deuxième Vin, plush black cherries and boysenberry fruit, more floral in style with neatly integrated oak. The palate is medium-bodied with slightly chalky tannins, good tension, gentle grip with a graphite infused, powdery-textured finish. A hint of brine on the aftertaste. Very fine, though I would like to see it develop a little more sustain.

Score: 91 - 93 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2027-2047

The 2022 Le Petit Ducru pulses with notable energy. Graphite, lavender, mocha and licorice play off a core of blue/purplish fruit in this mid-weight, vibrant Saint-Julien. All the elements are so well-balanced. This is beautifully done.

Score: 91 - 93 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2025-2034

The 2022 Le Petit Ducru has turned out especially well this year, offering up aromas of cherries and raspberries mingled with tobacco leaf and pencil shavings, followed by a medium to full-bodied, velvety and fleshy palate that's unusually supple and polished.

Score: 90 - 92 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2022 Le Petit Ducru de Ducru Beaucaillou, which includes declassified lots of the First and Second wine, has a svelte bouquet with plush red cherries, raspberry coulis, tobacco and light floral scents. The 43% new oak is neatly enmeshed. The palate is fresh and structured on the entry. This is quite Pauillac-like in style, thanks to the graphite element. It's taut and linear before fanning out toward the finish. This is an impressive Le Petit Ducru.

Score: 89 - 91 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2026-2040

The 2022 Le Petit Mouton de Mouton Rothschild is laced with sumptuous red-toned fruit, pomegranate, mint, blood orange and rose petal. Silky tannins wrap it all together in style. Le Petit Mouton captures the exotic side of the year nicely and yet retains terrific energy throughout.

Score: 91 - 93 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2028-2042

Representing some 29% of the estate's production this year, the 2022 Le Petit Mouton shares much of the character of the grand vin, offering up a rich bouquet of cassis, dark berries, espresso roast and cigar wrapper, followed by a medium to full-bodied, velvety and layered palate that's fleshy and concentrated, with powdery tannins and an expansive finish.

Score: 92 - 94 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2022 Le Petit Mouton has an intense bouquet with violet infused cassis and blackberry fruit, just a faint touch of Medjool dates in the background. It opens extremely confidently in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with firm tannins. Structured, granular in texture and multi-layered, it's quite difficult to recognize this as a mere Deuxieme Vin. Long on the aftertaste, this is an outstanding Le Petit Mouton.

Score: 92 - 94 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2028-2054

The 2022 La Petite Eglise is quite dense and inward at this stage. The Cabernet Franc is especially dominant today, both in the wine's aromatic profile and overall feel. It's a serious second wine that demands at least a few years in the cellar. Time in the glass brings out notable fruit richness as the Merlot gains volume to match the aromatic presence and structure of the Franc.

Score: 92 - 94 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2028-2042

This is an impressive Petite Eglise, has a sweet subtle spicing, lovely black pepper and great juice. Slate, black chocolate, espresso, mandarin peel, so many layers, delicious. 34hl/h yields. Harvest August 31 (earliest ever) to September 9, 60% new oak. Noemie Durantou winemaker.

Score: 93 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2026-2040

The second wine of the château (although it comes from the same parcels each year) is solid and should easily be an outstanding wine. Based on 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc, the 2022 La Petite Eglise has ripe red and black fruits, some graphite, tobacco, and rocky minerality, medium body, supple tannins, and a great finish.

Score: 90 - 92 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com

The 2022 Phélan Ségur is shaping up to be a gem. A burst of dark red/purplish fruit makes a strong opening statement. Sweet floral, spice and pomegranate caress the palate. The 2022 is immediately sensual and engaging. There is a bit of graininess in the tannin that is the only question mark here. This will be a fascinating wine to follow. Tasted three times.

Score: 91 - 94 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2028-2047

Unwinding in the glass with aromas of cherries, crème de cassis, sweet berries and spices, framed by creamy new oak, the 2022 Phélan Ségur is medium to full-bodied, rich and concentrated, with plenty of sweet fruit and chewy structuring tannin. It's a persuasive Saint-Estèphe in a more modern, extracted style.

Score: 91 - 93 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2022 Phélan Ségur was picked between 14 and 26 September, 9 out of 13 days with one plot immediately after another, using selected indigenous yeasts for around half the production. It was cropped at 28hL/ha with 14.2% alcohol at the moment, the pH is 3.8. This year contains higher Merlot (56%) due to its higher yield than Cabernet (frost and berry size). On June 20 at 8.15pm, three blocks were hit by hail that was horizontal accompanied by 25mm of rain within 10 minutes. This cost them 30% production overall. "We did less extraction at the end of the alcoholic fermentation and stopped the pumping over two days earlier at 1.010 [which without getting too technical is the Gravity of one liter of must relative to one liter of distilled water] and did more like an infusion." Aged in 55% new oak, it has an enticingly pure bouquet with blackberry and bilberry fruit, blackcurrant, iris flower and light iodine scents. Very intense and focused. The palate is medium-bodied with svelte tannins, a liberal sprinkling of freshly cracked black pepper laced over the black fruit. A quintessentially Saint-Estèphe with a structured and very persistent finish. Allowing the wine to open in the glass, it reveals impressive depth (more so than the 2019 and 2020) and precision. This will require several years in bottle, but it will certainly be worth the wait.

Score: 95 - 97 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2065

The 2022 Pichon Baron is marvelous. It continues a series of vintages that have been absolutely compelling. Bright red-toned fruit, spice, rose petal and blood orange lend considerable brightness throughout. More than anything else, the 2022 impresses with its precision and magnificent balance.

Score: 96 - 98 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2032-2052

An unusually gourmand, sensual wine from this estate, the 2022 Pichon-Longueville Baron bursts with aromas of crème de cassis, sweet dark berries, licorice, lilac and pencil shavings. On the palate, it's medium to full-bodied, layered and velvety, with excellent concentration and a rather rich, supple profile. A blend of 81% Cabernet Sauvignon and 19% Merlot, it's the result of sub-block by sub-block picking and cooler than usual fermentation temperatures.

Score: 95 - 97 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2022 Pichon Baron was picked 8 September to 3 October and matured in 70% new oak. It has wonderful precision on the nose, with intense blackberry and bilberry fruit, crushed stone and graphite. The oak is seamlessly integrated. The palate is tensile right from the start. Taut and linear, fresh, quite saline with a nuanced touch of black pepper toward the finish. Real pedigree and sophistication here, this is a magnificent Pichon-Baron that achieves a new level of precision thanks to the more piecemeal Sauternes-inspired harvest in tandem with their new winery.

Score: 96 - 98 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2070

The 2022 Réserve de la Comtesse is fabulous. Vibrant and impeccable in its balance, the 2022 is so impressive, mostly because of its balance. In some recent years the Réserve has been quite potent, but the 2022 leans more into the realm of sophistication, and polish. Hints of dark-fleshed fruit, licorice, lavender and spice linger. Don't miss it. Tasted four times.

Score: 91 - 93 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2028-2040

Fully ripe fruits, smoky and creamy character with charred raspberry and cassis, violet-edged, pencil lead, bitter chocolate, cocoa dust. An impressive wine, tannins close in a little tightly on the finish, with dried rosemary and black pepper spicy translating the heat of the vintage. 31hl/h yield, 3.65ph.

Score: 93 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2027-2040

The second wine of Comtesse de Lalande, the 2022 Pichon Comtesse Réserve is based on 54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot, 10% Petit Verdot, and the rest Cabernet Franc. Ripe black and blue fruits as well as some chocolaty, tobacco nuances define the aromatics, and it's a rich, full-bodied, velvety textured second wine that's going to drink brilliantly right out of the gate. This is well worth seeking out. Tasted twice.

Score: 92 - 94 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com

The 2022 Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande is magnificent. In recent years, Estate Director Nicolas Glumineau has pushed Pichon Comtesse to the limit. Maybe even a bit too far. But the 2022 is in the end a super-classic wine that emphasizes mid-weight structure, aromatic presence and persistence more than size. Sweet floral, savory and mineral accents run through a core of ripe, racy red-toned fruit. All the elements are so well balanced. Tasted four times.

Score: 96 - 99 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2032-2062

The 2022 Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande is one wine where a comparison with this estate's magical 1982 doesn't appear to be far-fetched. Wafting from the glass with deep aromas of cassis, plums, violets, rose petals, tobacco leaf and pencil shavings, it's full-bodied, supple and fleshy, with a layered, seamless core of fruit that largely conceals its chassis of powdery structuring tannin. Concluding with a long, expansive and beautifully perfumed finish, it's a blend of 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc that has the potential to equal or even surpass the 2019 and 2016 vintages at this address. It checks in at a very classical 13.6% alcohol and a rather high pH of 3.80.

Score: 97 - 99 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2022 Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande was picked 6 to 27 September at 30hL/ha, the drought chipping away so that one-third was eventually lost. This has 13.65% alcohol and pH of 3.80. There is 17.5% pressed wine, the highest ever. This has a subtle bouquet, not understated but it unfurls in the glass (unlike others that explode.) Blackberry and cedar, light touches of mint, a hint of dark chocolate. The palate is medium-bodied with a velvety texture with lovely balanced, gentle but insistent grip, slightly granular as it fans out with black fruit, cedar and light graphite notes. This is a very suave Pichon-Lalande that will age with style.

Score: 96 - 98 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2029-2065

The 2022 Pontet-Canet is a surprising wine. Usually much more opulent, especially in warm, dry years, the 2022 comes across as restrained and understated. It is a wine of linear intensity rather than size, marked by notable freshness and a feeling of tension and precision I don’t recall seeing in the past. Clean mineral notes extend the finish effortlessly. I very much admire the precision and vibrancy here. Unforgettable.

Score: 95 - 97 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2028-2042

Vivid plum colour, violet reflections, chewy tannins from the first moments. Loaded with cassis, blueberry and fresh fig fruits, laced through with rosemary, sage, dried herbs, edges of chamomile and fresh mushroom. Tight in its tannic structure, with smoked earth, cinammo, cardamom and lavender. Mathieu Bessonnet technical director, and the 47th vintage of owner Alfred Tesseron, 50% new oak, 35% amphora, 15% one year old barrels, 55 year average age of the vines. Harvest September 8 to 28, with clay used as sunscreen on the grapes to avoid sunburn, and a selection before harvest to drop any shrivelled berries.

Score: 94 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2030-2047

The 2022 Château Pontet-Canet is brilliant and should easily be up with the crème de la crème from the Médoc. Based on 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, and 4% each of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, it was vinified mostly in concrete (there's a small part in wood), and the aging is in 50% new French oak, 35% in amphora, and the rest in once-used barrels. It has an incredibly pure bouquet of cassis, graphite, lead pencil, and scorched earth. This carries to a full-bodied Pauillac with a deep, layered mid-palate, building tannins, and a great finish. It has the purity, richness, and structure that makes this vintage so compelling and is going to be drinkable with just 4-6 years of bottle age but have an incredibly long life.

Score: 97 - 99 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com

The 2022 Potensac is super-expressive right out of the gate. Black cherry, plum, lavender, spice, and gravel are all beautifully delineated. Pliant and beautifully layered, the 2022 marries density and vibrancy to great effect. There’s quite a bit of tannin, but also enough fruit to balance things out. The 2022 is a serious Potensac, that is for sure. Once again, Jean-Hubert Delon and his team made a Médoc that overdelivers big time.

Score: 91 - 93 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2027-2042

Aromas of dark berries, cigar wrapper and licorice introduce the 2022 Potensac, a medium to full-bodied, rich and fleshy Médoc with a deep core of fruit and powdery structuring tannins. It's built along similar lines to the 2020.

Score: 89 - 91 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2022 Potensac has an intense bouquet with layered red and black fruit, cedar and light mint aromas. This is a Potensac with purpose. The palate is a little creamier than previous vintages on the entry, but then the tannic framework makes its presence felt. Firm grip, quite fresh and sappy with a fine thread of acidity maintaining poise. This is a superb Potensac. Tasted twice with consistent notes, though the wood came through more at the château compared to another at Boissenot's tasting.

Score: 91 - 93 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2026-2042

The 2022 Poujeaux is very beautiful. Silky, aromatic and elegant, the 2022 is flat-out delicious. Crushed red/purplish berries, mint, blood orange, graphite and spice are all beautifully woven together. Clean mineral notes extend the finish effortlessly. The 2022 is all class. It's as simple as that.

Score: 90 - 92 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2025-2037

The 2022 Poujeaux offers up aromas of cassis, plums, pencil shavings and sweet soil tones, followed by a medium to full-bodied, deep and concentrated palate that opens with a velvety attack, segueing into a firmer, more austere mid-palate and finish that depress my score. If this rounds out with élevage, my review will prove conservative.

Score: 88 - 90 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2022 Poujeaux has a perfumed and delineated bouquet: copious black cherries and blueberry fruit, hints of pressed iris and violets. This blossoms in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied, very well balanced, impressive focus with fine-grain black fruit. This builds in the mouth. The 2022 Poujeaux certainly repays patience in terms of waiting for the sample to cohere in the glass. Ultimately, everything seems succinctly controlled and, who knows, it may well surpass a delicious magnum of 1953 tasted the previous evening. Tasted three times with consistent notes.

Score: 92 - 94 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2065

The 2022 Prieuré-Lichine is classy and polished, with lovely aromatic brightness to match its silky, mid-weight personality. Crushed flowers, mint, blood orange and spice are nicely delineated. There's good up-front richness, but then a bit less intensity through the mid-palate and finish. Tasted two times.

Score: 91 - 93 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2027-2047

Offering up generous amounts of sweet berries, orange rind and licorice, the 2022 Prieuré-Lichine is medium to full-bodied, rich and layered, with a lively core of fruit that's framed by powdery tannins that assert themselves on the youthfully firm finish. This heavily morcellated estate (amounting to some 125 different parcels) continues to benefit from a more rigorous selection and better attention to detail regarding harvest dates.

Score: 91 - 93 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2022 Prieuré-Lichine has a lively nose with blackberry, raspberry and violet scents that unfurl in the glass. Slightly high-toned and showy. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy black fruit, powdery in texture, graphite-infused black fruit with a classically-styled finish. Perhaps it needs just a little more length on the aftertaste, but this should still provide a couple of decade's drinking pleasure.

Score: 90 - 92 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2029-2045

Black berry and lead pencil on the nose with fresh flowers. Some rose stems, too. Full-bodied with racy and fine tannins that run the length of the wine. Complex and intense in flavor, it remains full of energy and verve. 58.5% merlot and 41.5% cabernet franc.

Score: 96 - 97 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com

The 2022 Quintus represents the first vintage with the full 42 hectares in production after the acquisition of Château Grand Pontet. It contains the highest percentage of Cabernet Franc at 41.5% of the blend. Matured in 39% new oak, it has an opulent but delineated and fresh bouquet, very focused and pure, black cherries, hints of cassis and light iris flower aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-boned tannins, layered dark berry fruit laced with black tea and black pepper. Nicely structured on the finish. The Cabernet component lends a subtle savory touch. It will need several years in bottle, but this is a classy Saint-Émilion that should age well over two or three decades.

Score: 92 - 94 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2032-2052

Pretty sample of RG this year with lots of blackberry and blackcurrant character. Full and juicy with solid tannins.

Score: 94 - 95 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com

The 2022 Rauzan Gassies has a light bouquet with brambly black fruit, touches of freshly-tilled earth and pressed flowers. Pretty, with no signs of the greenness that occasionally afflicts this Margaux. The palate is medium-bodied, with blackberry, black pepper and graphite notes. Well-balanced, nicely focused, this is unquestionably the best Rauzan Gassies that I have tasted at primeur. I cross my fingers that the quality implied here can be transferred into bottle.

Score: 90 - 92 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2029 - 2046

The 2022 Rauzan-Ségla is a rich, opulent wine that very much reflects the nature of this radiant, dry year. Super-ripe dark plum, cassis, chocolate, gravel, cloves and new leather build as the 2022 shows off its unabashedly opulent personality. Even with all of its intensity, the 2022 retains tons of persistence and energy. It's a fabulous wine in this tricky vintage. Tasted three times.

Score: 95 - 97 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2032-2062

The 2022 Rauzan-Ségla is a beautifully sensual, charming wine, bursting with aromas of cherries, dark berries and plums mingled with hints of violets, sweet loamy soil and pencil shavings. Medium to full-bodied, deep and layered, it's fleshy and enveloping, with an ample core of vibrant fruit, supple tannins and a long, succulent finish. The 2022 is a blend of 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Merlot and 2% Petit Verdot; and in 2022, the east-facing sides of the vines, which see the afternoon sun, were picked separately, along with anything that showed signs of stress.

Score: 96 - 97 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2022 Rauzan-Ségla was picked 2 to 28 September at 30hL/ha and matured for 18 months in 50% new oak. Nicolas Audebert told me that it contains 17% vin de presse which is slightly higher than normal, a combination of 150 separate vinifications. This has a very opulent bouquet with layers of black cherries, créme de cassis and violets. Perhaps just a little too decadent? The palate is medium-bodied with fine balance, grainy tannins, very pure and focused with quite a minerally finish. Long in the mouth. It's just missing that knockout blow at the moment, yet it's still a supremely well-crafted Margaux.

Score: 95 - 97 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2065

The 2022 Saint-Pierre (Saint-Julien) is superb. Dark, sumptuous and beautifully layered, Saint-Pierre is a wine of mystery. Inky dark fruit, lavender, licorice, plum, chocolate and gravel all build as the 2022 shows off its layered, somber personality. As always, Saint-Pierre packs a tremendous punch. It's all there in the 2022.

Score: 93 - 95 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2027-2047

Beautifully intense, grippy tannins, slate and pummice stone, crushed rocks, inky, cassis, bilberry, great quality and very much estate signature, this is seriously impressive, with fig, baked plum, bitter chocolate, fresh pomegrante and mandarin peel acidities.

Score: 94 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2030-2048

A real "wow" wine in the making, the 2022 Château Saint-Pierre (Saint-Julien) checks in as 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Petit Verdot. This darker, powerful wine offers up loads of pure cassis and black cherry-like fruits as well as ample chocolate, graphite, and lead pencil nuances. Full-bodied, concentrated, and structured, it nevertheless stays pure, impeccably balanced, and shows a real sense of elegance. The alcohol here is 13.9% and the élevage is in 48% new French oak. Tasted twice with consistent notes.

Score: 95 - 97 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com

The 2022 Saintayme is bright, floral and vibrant in this vintage, almost surprisingly so. Crushed red berry fruit, rose petal, chalk, mint and white pepper all run through this taut, nervy Saint-Émilion. All the elements are so well balanced. I especially admire the wine's persistence and inner perfume. Terrific.

Score: 91 - 93 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2026-2037

Notes of sweet cherries, berries, licorice and smoke preface the 2022 Montlandrie, a medium to full-bodied, suave and vibrant wine with a deep core of fruit, lively acids, powdery tannins and a saline finish. This vibrant, intensely flavored Côtes de Castillon is once again one of Bordeaux's best values in this vintage.

Score: 88 - 90 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2022 Saintayme was picked from 17 September to 3 October and matured in 30% new oak. It gushes with quite intense red cherries, kirsch and orange pith scents, lovely definition, simple in a positive sense. The palate is medium-bodied with darker fruit than the nose suggest, quite saline with a black pepper-tinged finish. Enjoy this over the next decade.

Score: 89 - 91 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2027-2040