En Primeur 2022
The wines with tasting notes
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[Add to waiting list] | Alter Ego de Palmer (2nd wine of Palmer) | Margaux | £402 | 6x75cl | Sold Out | 90-92 | 96-97 | 91-93 | 92 | 93-95 | 93-95 |
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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 The minerality and intensity to this wine is very impressive with blackberry and blue berry aromas and flavors. Salt and pepper. It’s full and linear with a brightness and freshness. Compacted center palate. Score: 96 - 97 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 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 Dense fruits, violet reflections, with a hit of iris, peony and roses. This is a serious wine, with intense phenolics and full extraction that just walks the line, edges of ripe cassis, fig, saffran spice, cocoa bean, grilled campfire notes, dark bitter chocolate and fennel. High drama, maintains estate signature, keeping its own imprint and personality. Harvest September 7 right through to October 5. Blend done by December, yield 23hl/h. 3.73ph. Thomas Duroux director. Score: 92 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2027-2042 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 I always love the second wine from this estate, and their 2022 Altar Ego De Palmer should be terrific. Based on 61% Merlot, 31% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the rest Petit Verdot, aged in 25% new oak, it's a deeply hued Margaux with lots of ripe red and blue fruits, some classic chalky minerality, and floral notes. It shows the vintage's powerful, concentrated style and is full-bodied, with terrific balance. Score: 93 - 95 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Angelus | St Emilion | £2,148 | 6x75cl | 95-97 | 98-99 | 96-98 | 97 | 93-95 | 97-99 | |
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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 So many beautiful primary fruit aromas. Al dente. Peaches. Very floral. Aromatic. Full-bodied and extremely fine tannins with length and beauty that show incredible depth. Superb brightness and reality. Exciting. Cabernet franc freshness and dynamics come through now, even though the blend is 60% merlot and 40% cabernet franc. Score: 98 - 99 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 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 Precision and freshness here, with fennel, aniseed, marzipan, cassis, incense, cigar, black cherry, mint leaf and ink, with a slow build of subtle aromatics, and a cooling uplift on the finish. An exceptional wine that will reward long ageing, but captures the luscious, exuberant quality of the vintage without ever stepping over the line. 100% new oak for the barrels, with 20% of the production (Cabernet Franc only) to be aged in larger oak casks. Organic farming (with their own farm growing produce for their restaurants and for vineyard treatments). This vintage also shows one of the benefits of leaving the classification, which has become official as of 2022 - the de Boüard family is able to expand the footprint for the main wine of Angélus this year with 3ha of Château Bellevue (which has now been officially split and passed entirely back into the hands of the co-owners the de Lavaud family), which brings some cool soil Merlot into the blend. Harvest September 6 to 28. Score: 97 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2029-2046 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 Looking at the Grand Vin, the 2022 Château Angélus is based on 53% Merlot, 46% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Petit Verdot that will spend 22 months in new French oak, with a portion of the Cabernet Franc aged in foudre. This estate doesn't put a foot wrong, and this is clearly a profound Angélus with a deep purple, almost blue hue, extraordinary notes of cassis, blueberry liqueur, acacia flowers, and scorched earth, full-bodied richness, building tannins, and a dense, concentrated mid-palate, all of which is grounded by a vibrant sense of freshness and purity. While older vintages were more closed and backward on release, this has a certain accessibility given its balance and purity, and I suspect it will offer incredible pleasure right out of the gate. It will evolve for 40+ years as well. Score: 97 - 99 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Armailhac | Pauillac | £242 | 6x75cl | 93-95 | 96-97 | 92-94 | 94 | 89-91 | 94-96 | |
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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 This is like a baby Mouton this year with blackcurrant, flower, and orange aromas. Medium- to full-bodied with a tight and racy palate that shows persistence and verve. One to watch. Score: 96 - 97 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 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 difference from a typical vintage colour is more marked in Armailhac than Clerc Milon, where we are more used to deep colours. This in contrast is an extremely intense Armailhac, really stepping into its Pauillac boots, a ton of deep plum, cassis and damson. Great expansion through the palate, beautiful depth of flavour, this is extremely impressive, with an edge of eucalyptus and graphite on the finish, and more grip than usual. Yields down to 26hl/h (there are more new plantings here so young vines). Second vintage with the new winery, and new technical director Lucille Lauilhé. Harvest September 8 to 27, 50% new oak, 3.83ph. Score: 94 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2030-2046 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 Another wine that showed beautifully on multiple occasions, the 2022 Château D'Armailhac checks in as 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, 16% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Petit Verdot. This deep purple-hued beauty offers up a full-bodied, ripe, sexy profile that carries lots of blueberry, cherry, and cassis fruit, notes of spice, leafy herbs, and chocolate, velvety tannins, good acidity, and a great finish. It should have a broad, lengthy drink window. Score: 94 - 96 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com |
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[Add to waiting list] | Ausone | St Emilion | £3,400 | 6x75cl | Sold Out | 95-97 | 97-98 | 94-96 | 98-100 | 95-97 | 96-98 |
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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 This is really open with bright and flamboyant aromas of cassis and cherries. Blueberries. Some peaches as well. I don't remember a young Ausone like that. Full-bodied with flamboyant fruit and energy. Very fine tannins. They are there but you don't feel them. Supple but very fruity. And intensely fruity at the end. Score: 97 - 98 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 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 Intense and concentrated, with fennel, aniseed and liqourice root. Where Chapelle d'Ausone celebrates a wave of opulence in the vintage, this focuses more clearly on black tea, slate, intense black chocolate. Precise and well cut, this is creamy and exuberant without sacrificing elegance and balance. Amazing depths of flavour and grip. A true En Primeur sample where you know you are a long long way from this being ready to drink. The first year, incidentally, of not Premier Grand Cru Classé A, although the ranking has not been featured on the label since 2012. No irrigation at Ausone. 100% new oak. Harvest September 5 to 27. 7.25ha. Conversion to organic farming since 2020, Philippe Baillarguet cellar master, Pauline Vauthier owner and winemaker. Potential 100. Score: 98 - 100 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2032-2050 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 Grand Vin from this hallowed terroir is an even split of Cabernet Franc and Merlot that was fermented in wooden vats and will spend 20 months in new barrels. Its saturated purple hue is followed by an up-front, sexy, full-bodied Ausone offering a wealth of fruit as well as notes of black cherries, blueberries, chocolate, scorched earth, and an incredible sense of spring flowers. Concentrated and incredibly pure, with silky tannins on the palate, it has the texture and fruit to almost shine even now but should still evolve for 30 years or more. Score: 96 - 98 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Barde Haut | St Emilion | £165 | 6x75cl | 93-95 | 94-95 | 91-93 | 95 | 94-96 | 96-98 | |
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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 A velvety red with lovely creamy tannins, juicy fruit with black berries, spice, ink and boysenberry. Medium to full body with a solid structured and depth. Velvety texture. Hints of sea salt. Score: 94 - 95 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 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 Inky colour, clear floral aromatics, this is charming and enticiting, with polish and finesse. Love the confident grip of the tannins, that hold the fruit but know just when to let go and let the creamy blueberry and damson fruits expand through the plate. 55% new oak, a reduction from levels in the past, and the subtle smoked cedar character is well judged. 3.45ph, Score: 95 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2030-2045 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 I was blown away by the quality of the 2022 Château Barde-Haut, and this 80/20 split of Merlot and Cabernet Franc does everything right in the vintage. Revealing a deep purple hue as well as stunning aromatics of cassis, spring flowers, black cherries, and truffle, it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness and delivers fine-grained tannins and flawless balance. Pure, bright, and lively, yet also deep, concentrated, and textured, it's a brilliant bottle of wine in the making. Score: 96 - 98 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com |
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[Add to waiting list] | Batailley | Pauillac | £186 | 6x75cl | Sold Out | 94-96 | 95-96 | 91-93 | 96 | - | 92-94 |
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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 An especially strong effort for this estate, the 2022 Batailley exhibits aromas of dark berries, cassis, licorice and sweet soil tones, followed by a medium to full-bodied, rich and layered palate. It's a blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot and the balance Petit Verdot. Score: 91 - 93 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.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 The 2022 Batailley was picked from 8 to 27 September (at the same time as Lynch-Moussas) and is raised in 55% new oak. It comes with a newly-designed label. It has a well-defined bouquet with blackberry and cassis, violet and tobacco. The palate is clean and precise on the entry. With lovely focus and detail, this is a sophisticated Batailley with a surfeit of mineralité and excellent clarity and typicity on the finish. Unequivocally, one of the finest iterations of Batailley that the Castèja family has overseen. This Batailley is like driving a classic old car, and I mean that in the best possible sense. Score: 94 - 96 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2032-2060 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 |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Beaumont | Haut Medoc | £60 | 6x75cl | 90-92 | 90-91 | 85-87 | 92 | 88-90 | 90-92 | |
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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 Slightly chewy with fresh blackcurrant and berry character. Medium body. Fresh. Score: 90 - 91 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 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 Layers of sinewy tannins and eucalyptus spice. Opens to show baked earth, tobacco leaf and liqourice, cassis fruits laced with espresso, edges of campfire, a good quality wine that has concentration without overpowering. Anthony Yaigre director. A value pick. 28hl/h yield. Harvest September 19 to October 5. Score: 92 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2026-2040 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 Tasted on two separate occasions, the 2022 Château Beaumont is a beautiful Haut-Médoc based on 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot mostly from sandy soils. Given the challenging conditions of the vintage, it would be easy to assume this would be a subpar release (the vintage was particularly challenging for sandy soils), but you'd be mistaken. This offers impressive purity in its red, blue, and black fruits as well as notes of chocolate and scorched earth. With medium body, present yet ripe tannins, and outstanding length, it's going to drink well immediately on release and evolve for 10-12 years or more. Score: 90 - 92 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Beausejour Becot | St Emilion | £380 | 6x75cl | Low Stock | - | - | 96-98 | 96 | 98-100 | 95-97 |
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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 With the 2022 Beau-Séjour Bécot, this estate has taken another step up the ranks in Saint-Émilion, producing a wine of breathtaking perfume and harmony that will be worth a special effort to seek out. Wafting from the glass with aromas of wild berries, violets, lilac, raw cocoa and forest floor, it's medium to full-bodied, seamless and complete, with an ample and enveloping core of weightless fruit, beautifully powdery tannins and a long, saline, resonant finish. Recently planted massale selection Cabernet Franc is now producing meaningful yields at this address, so this cépage now represents 22% of the blend, complemented by 2% Cabernet Sauvignon and the balance Merlot. The team harvested only in the mornings, picking Merlot from 5-18 September and Cabernet from 13-23 September, sub-block by sub-block. Score: 96 - 98 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com 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 Tasted on multiple occasions, the 2022 Château Beau-Séjour Bécot aways impressed, and I think it's clearly one of the finest vintages for this château. Including more Cabernet Franc than usual and a blend of 76% Merlot, 22% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Cabernet Sauvignon, its ruby/purple hue is followed by a pure, ultra-fine, seamless Saint-Emilion with a wonderful core of black raspberry fruits supported by beautifully complex notes of chalky minerality, flowery incense, tobacco, and graphite. Medium to full bodied, with beautiful tannins and a great finish, this is never the most massive or concentrated wine in a vintage, yet it shines for its incredible sense of elegance, finesse, and complexity. The élevage here will span 18 months in 55% new French oak, and this hit 14.5% natural alcohol with a pH of 3.55. It will drink well for 30+ years. Score: 95 - 97 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Berliquet | St Emilion | £274 | 6x75cl | 92-94 | 93-94 | 94-95 | 94 | 91-93 | 94-96 | |
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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 Lots of dark and crushed stones with blackberries and black olives. Dark earth. Full-bodied and more concentrated with very intense fruit and chewy tannins. Velvety and slightly rough, but all there. Score: 93 - 94 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 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 Dark damson colour, beautiful sense of upliflt and freshness, with mint leaf, sage, wild rosemary, cassis fruits. Slate texture to the wine here, feels carved out and crafted, with edges of austerity that constrict the cassis and raspberry fruit. 44% new oak, 8 amphoras (around 10% of overall), the rest in one year old barrel, 45hl/h yield. Great stuff. Score: 94 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2026-2042 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 Candied cherries, tapenade, violets, and floral notes all emerge from the 2022 Château Berliquet, a medium to full-bodied, seamless Saint-Emilion that brings plenty of ripeness while staying nicely balanced, light on its feet, and elegant. Based on 65% Merlot and 35% Cabernet Franc, from yields of 31.2 hectoliter per hectare, it will spend 16 months in 44% new French oak, with a portion of the blend aged in amphora. This isn't the most powerful or opulent wine in the vintage, but it's as seamless and graceful as they come. Score: 94 - 96 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Beychevelle | St Julien | £430 | 6x75cl | Low Stock | - | - | - | - | - | - |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Branaire Ducru | St Julien | £237 | 6x75cl | Low Stock | 95-97 | 96-97 | 95-97 | 96 | 94-96 | 95-97 |
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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 The fine and intense tannins are very impressive because they fold beautifully into the wine, with blackcurrants, black cherries, hints of chocolate and hazelnuts. It's full-bodied with tight and focused fruit and a long and classy finish. Fantastic definition to this. Fresh. 60.5% cabernet sauvignon, 31.5% merlot, 5.5% cabernet franc, and 2.5% petit verdot. Score: 96 - 97 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 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 This is an estate that can be so understated as to almost miss its complexity, but this vintage, with its excess and exuberance, does a wonderful job of drawing it out. The concentration is impressive, but there you'll also find a softness and balance that is juicy and enticing. Great job Branaire Ducru. Francois Xavier Maroteaux owner. I honestly think the best example of this château that I have ever tasted En Primeur (and god I hate it when critics say that). Score: 96 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2030-2044 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 An absolute gem of a Saint-Julien, the 2022 Château Branaire-Ducru clocks in as 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, and the balance Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Pure cassis, black raspberries, spicy wood, and dried flower notes all define the aromatics, and it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, a silky, elegant, beautifully balanced mouthfeel, and terrific tannins. In addition, it has a sense of freshness and purity that keeps you coming back to the glass. It's clearly the finest wine I've tasted from this château, which going forward merits serious attention. Score: 95 - 97 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Brane Cantenac | Margaux | £360 | 6x75cl | Low Stock | 96-98 | 96-97 | 95-97 | 98 | 95-97 | 96-98 |
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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 long and very linear red for Margaux with intense freshness and energy. The cabernet sauvignon shows real clarity with blackcurrants and flowers. Crushed stone. Firm and racy with lots of lemon rind and intensity. 74% cabernet sauvignon, 23% merlot, 1% cabernet franc, 1% petit verdot and 1% carmenere. Score: 96 - 97 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 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 Easily one of the best wines of the appellation. Red rose petal fragrance, damp earth, rosemary, baking spice, sandalwood, incense, graphite and slate. Exceptional balance, deep chocolate and mint character, with lush damson and cassis fruits. Crushed violet flowers and salted cracker salinity, extremely impressive. Owner Henri Lurton has experience of making wine overseas, in Baja California, which may have given insights into viticultural techniques n the heat, but the real key here is the old vine Cabernet Sauvignon planted in the 1950s and 1960s by his late father Lucien Lurton. 100% new oak, from 8 coopers, and the meticulous approach to oak ageing care of technical director Christophe Capdeville is also important. 42% of production in the 1st wine. All the young vines, even when co-planted in the same rows were picked separately also this year. Score: 98 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2030-2050 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 was absolutely blown away by the 2022 Château Brane-Cantenac, which looks to be a reference point vintage for this château. Based on 74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc, Carmenère, and Petit Verdot, it sports a deep purple hue to go with incredible aromatics of crème de cassis, lead pencil, sandalwood, and spring flowers. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it shines for its purity of fruit, has ultra-fine tannins, a great mid-palate, and one heck of a finish. It hit 14.3% alcohol with a pH of 3.6, and like many estates today, they utilized quite a bit of press wine (15%) in the final blend. This is clearly up with the finest wines from the appellation and is well worth seeking out. Score: 96 - 98 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Calon Segur | St Estephe | £610 | 6x75cl | 94-96 | 95-96 | 96-98 | 94 | 91-93 | 97-99 | |
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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 A very juicy red with redcurrant and creme de cassis as well as hints of nutmeg and cloves. It's full and polished with very pretty tannins that show length and focus. Traditional and typical for Calon with the tannin structure. A little closed today. But serious structure. Score: 95 - 96 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 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 This is powerful, underlining how much last year's more softly sculpted wine was a departure from recent vintages of Calon, and back in my mind to the complicated 2018 vintage, where it was overly marked by the heat of the vintage. This is full on concentrated fruit, with strong tannins that build through the palate. Plenty of complexity with black truffles, cassis, olive paste, sandalwood and fresh mint on the finish, along with cloves and cinnammon spice. 3.8ph, 100% new oak, 26hl/h yields. 53% Grand Vin, higher than usual. Vincent Millet technical director. Harvest September 6 to 27. Score: 94 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2030-2046 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 A wine that's going to flirt with perfection, the 2022 Château Calon Ségur is a blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, harvested between September 12 and 26, from yields of 40 hectoliters per hectare. Its deep purple hue is followed by a heavenly bouquet of cassis, smoke tobacco, flowery incense, and toasted spices. This ripe, sexy, full-bodied beauty has ultra-fine tannins, a layered, multi-dimensional mouthfeel, and a great finish. Its tannins, as well as its overall balance and purity, are just about off the charts, and this remarkable effort shows how successful the northern part of the Médoc was in 2022. Bravo! Score: 97 - 99 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Canon | St Emilion | £800 | 6x75cl | Low Stock | 96-98 | 98-99 | 99-100 | 98 | 96-99 | 97-99 |
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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 Endless on the palate with plenty of umami character. So Canon in its nature with plenty of fruit and fine tannins, yet almost weightless. The structure is all there. Electric. Long, long, long. 75% merlot and 25% cabernet franc. Score: 98 - 99 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 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 inky intensity of the colour might make you worry that the limestone signature will be swamped, but it is very much guiding proceedings on the palate here. Expect waves of red roses, rhubarb, pink grapefruit, salinity, but also real intensity, there is a depth and complexity that quite stunning as the wine expands through the palate, with creamy blue and black fruits, and a mouthwatering oyster shell finish. 45hl/h, 3.5ph, 50% new oak, with four larger-sized oak casks. A standout in the vintage, more proof of the exceptional level that Canon is playing at right now. 50% new oak. Score: 98 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2032-2050 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 Tasted on three separate occasions (and I thought it had the potential to be a perfect wine on one of those), the 2022 Château Canon is an incredible wine in the making, and it might be the finest in the series starting in 2015. A blend of 75% Merlot and 25% Cabernet Franc harvested between August 30 and September 22, it comes from yields of 45 hectoliters per hectare and hit 14.5% alcohol. The élevage will run 16-18 months in just 30% new French oak. As classy as they come, it has a beautiful perfume of red and blue fruits as well as notes of white flowers, truffly earth, woodsmoke, and forest floor. With incredible density, a multi-layered texture, ultra-fine tannins, and integrated acidity, this incredible Canon will evolve for 30-40 years. I finished my rough note on this with "Pure class." Score: 97 - 99 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Canon La Gaffeliere | St Emilion | £390 | 6x75cl | 93-95 | 97-98 | 94-96 | 94 | 94-96 | 95-97 | |
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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 Redcurrants with dark chocolate and hints of fresh herbs like basil and thyme on the nose. Full-bodied with a beautiful center palate and a lovely fine tannin texture. Extremely long. Classy. 35% cabernet franc, 15% cabernet sauvignon and 50% merlot, From organically grown grapes. Score: 97 - 98 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 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 Intense blackberry, raspberry, loganberry fruit chracter, love that this is ripe but not overly sweet, has confident sinewy and muscular tannins, well balanced by a ton of fresh fruit with juice and character. Great stuff, with waves of fragrant floral aromatics, and plenty of nuanced personality. Ludovic Neipperg technical director and owner. 47hl/h yield, certified organic since 2014. 40% new oak. Score: 94 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2030-2042 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 The 2022 Château Canon-La-Gaffelière is brilliant stuff and should be snatched up by readers. Black cherries, iron, tapenade, and exotic floral notes all define the aromatics, and it's full-bodied, with a layered, opulent mouthfeel, gorgeous tannins, and no shortage of mid-palate depth or length on the finish. A blend of 50% Merlot, 35% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Cabernet Sauvignon that will see 40% new oak, it's a flawlessly balanced, incredibly impressive Saint-Emilion that will have no problems competing with the 2019 and 2020. Score: 95 - 97 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Cantemerle | Haut Medoc | £133 | 6x75cl | 89-91 | 93-94 | 92-94 | 93 | - | - | |
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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 The finest wine this estate has produced in some time is the 2022 Cantemerle, a blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot and 5% Cabernet Franc that bursts from the glass with aromas of sweet blackberries, violets, rose petals and spices. Medium to full-bodied, ample and fleshy, with an enveloping core of sweet, perfumed fruit framed by supple tannin, it concludes with a long, mouthwatering finish. The pH is a very healthy 3.6 this year, and yields were low at 29 hectoliters per hectare. Score: 92 - 94 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.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 Cantemerle has a feisty bouquet with perfumed blueberry and blackberry fruit, showy with an almost sorbet-like character. The palate is medium-bodied with blackberry and strawberry fruit, licorice and white pepper. It teeters on becoming a little cloying toward the finish and will need a very prudent barrel maturation. Hopefully, it will muster a bit more finesse. Score: 89 - 91 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2028-2040 |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Cantenac Brown | Margaux | £243 | 6x75cl | 94-96 | 93-94 | 94-96 | 95 | 90-93 | 93-95 | |
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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 solid Margaux with creamy and fine tannins that spread across the palate. Medium-bodied, layered and already delicious. Hints of dried citrus at the end. Score: 93 - 94 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 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 A real golden patch for the Cantenac Brown team, with ever increasing confidence in extraction and expression, plenty of floral edges with inky plum and a vibrant violet rim. Things are pretty intense, with aromatics that are highly charged, with fresh acidities, intense violet and plum, good quality, rich and ripped texture. This is a good quality wine with heavy tannin imprint on the finish, and decades ahead of it. Fingerprints of the vintage, delivered with deft precision. 60% new oak barrels, 40% one vintage barrels for ageing. Score: 95 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2030-2046 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 The dense purple-hued 2022 Château Cantenac Brown is based on 69% Cabernet Sauvignon and 31% Merlot. A beautiful Margaux, it offers lots of smoky red and black fruits intermixed with violets, graphite, and lead pencil-like nuances. With medium to full-bodied richness, a vibrant spine of acidity, and nicely integrated tannins, it plays in the more focused, elegant, pretty end of the spectrum. It's going to reward a solid 5-7 years of bottle age. Score: 93 - 95 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Capbern | St Estephe | £115 | 6x75cl | 90-92 | 92-93 | 90-92 | 91 | - | 94-96 | |
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A firm and tight red with blackberry and currant character. Medium body. Bright and savory. Score: 92 - 93 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com Notes of dark berries and cherries mingled with licorice and loamy soil introduce the 2022 Capbern, a medium to full-bodied, rich and fleshy wine framed by ripe, powdery tannins and concluding with a long, somewhat heady finish. It's a blend of 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot and the balance Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, picked between the 6th and 27th of September. Score: 90 - 92 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.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 The 2022 Capbern was cropped at 26hL/ha between 6 and 27 September, a 20-day cuvaison and matured in 60% new oak for a planned 18 months. The Cabernet Sauvignon berries were tiny this year, which underlies why the Merlot comprises a higher percentage of the blend. It has an airy, floral bouquet with blackberries, wild strawberries and a touch of raspberry confit. There's an almost Pinot-like purity. The palate is medium-bodied with a grippy, peppery entry, full-bodied and muscular at the moment. I'm seeking a bit more grace here - perhaps this Saint-Estèphe is slightly over-revving on the finish? Score: 90 - 92 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2027 - 2047 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 |
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[Add to waiting list] | Carmes Haut Brion | Pessac-Leognan | £820 | 6x75cl | Sold Out | 96-98 | 97-98 | 99-100 | 96 | 98-100 | 98-100 |
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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 This is so umami with sea urchin character that gives you sea salt and dried seaweed aromas and flavors. The integrity and richness is so impressive with an exotic character, yet it is so classic and fine in structure. 13.5% alcohol. 70% whole cluster fermentation. 40% cabernet franc, 35% cabernet sauvignon and 25% merlot. A new model for Bordeaux? Score: 97 - 98 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 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 This is a truly delicious Pessac Léognan that shows just how much Carmes Haut-Brion sets itself apart, showing grip and stretching out through the palate. Don't expect the same character as you are going to find elsewhere in this vintage. Fragrant aromatics, roses, violets, crushed rocks, fennel, aniseed, with texture and tannic heft. Fresh dark fruits, edges of bitter Bendick mints, smoked caramel, slate. 70% whole bunch, no irrigation, cover crops intead on the clay limestone soils (when picked the grapes were at 14.4%, came down to 13.5% after vinification with use of stems and specific yeast). 40hl/h yields, 70% new oak, 3.6ph. Score: 96 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2030-2050 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 I think one of the legendary wines in the vintage will be the 2022 Château Les Carmes Haut-Brion, which comes from a tiny vineyard not far from Haut-Brion and is based on 40% Cabernet Franc, 34% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the rest Merlot, vinified with 70% whole clusters, and aged 70% in new barrels, 20% in foudre, and 10% in amphora. Despite mostly being not destemmed, you wouldn't know it by tasting it. It has a classic bouquet of ripe blackberries, cassis, leafy herbs, graphite, and violets, while in contrast, the C Des Carmes Haut-Brion, which is vinified with just 30% stems, is clearly marked more by its stems. Full-bodied, concentrated, beautifully balanced, and with a rare mix of purity, freshness, and power, it's going to rival the 2018 as one of the finest vintages ever produced from this address. It's worth noting this estate has a unique terroir in Pessac that includes some limestone in the soils, and this worked particularly well in 2022. Don't miss this wine. Score: 98 - 100 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com |
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[Add to waiting list] | Carruades de Lafite (2nd wine of Ch Lafite) | Pauillac | £1,130 | 6x75cl | Sold Out | 90-92 | 96-97 | 91-93 | 93 | 92-94 | 93-95 |
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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 Extremely perfumed with sweet tobacco and blackcurrants as well as cedar and dark chocolate. Aromatic. Medium-bodied with an intense center palate of blackcurrant, orange peel and peaches. Nervy. 53% cabernet sauvignon, 40% merlot, 4% cabernet franc and 3% petit verdot. Score: 96 - 97 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 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 vintage is marked by intense spice, with cassis, chocolate, mandarin, greengage, dense tannic architecture, with welome mint leaf and raspberry pip freshness on the finish. Need to sit with this, allow the floral aromatics to uncurl, bitter edge on the finish. A serious, almost sombre Carruades at this point, will reward ageing. 16% press wine, 38% Carruades of overall production. 3.75ph, Score: 93 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2027-2040 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 second wine of Lafite checks in as 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Petit Verdot. This smoking good second wine has more than a little Lafite character and offers ample red and black fruits, notes of tobacco, graphite, and leafy herbs, medium to full-bodied richness, silky, polished tannins, and a great finish. As with the Grand Vin, it's concentrated, powerful, and flawlessly balanced. Score: 93 - 95 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Chapelle de la Mission (2nd wine of Mission Haut Brion) | Pessac-Leognan | £396 | 6x75cl | 90-92 | 94-95 | 90-92 | 92 | 91-93 | 91-93 | |
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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 Really fresh and linear with graphite, tar, berry and stone aromas and flavors. Medium and fine on the palate showing no heat or over-maturity. Attractive tannins at the end. 55.9% merlot, 35.4% cabernet sauvignon and 8.7% cabernet franc. Score: 94 - 95 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 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 Powerful damson colour, with cloves, incense, dried roses, liquorice root, rosemary and waves of raspberry and damson fruit. Firm tannic architecture, silky in texture. One of the lower alcohols in years at these estates, mainly due to some blockages during the growing season, even with small amounts of irrigation of vines between 3 and 7 years old. No leaf removal during growing season, careful soil work, fascinating to see the evolution of this estate as it deals with the changing climate, under the spotlight of being one of the highest profile names in Bordeaux. Score: 92 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2028-2040 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 The 2022 La Chapelle De La Mission Haut-Brion is based on 56% Merlot, 36% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the rest Cabernet Franc. A red and black-fruited, forward, beautifully textured second wine, it’s medium to full-bodied and offers ripe red and black fruits, notes of leafy herbs, flowers, and scorched earth, supple tannins, and outstanding length. Score: 91 - 93 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Chasse Spleen | Moulis | £147 | 6x75cl | 92-94 | 93-94 | 90-92 | 93 | - | - | |
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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 The 2022 Chasse-Spleen was showing especially well, bursting with aromas of cassis and plums mingled with licorice and pencil shavings. Medium to full-bodied, rich and fleshy, with levels of texture and mid-palate amplitude unusual at this address in recent years, this supple, charming Moulis should offer a broad drinking window. Score: 90 - 92 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.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 Chasse-Spleen was picked from 9 September to 2 October. It is delineated on the nose, with black fruit entwined with loam and tobacco. It's a bit backward at the moment but is nicely focused. The palate is medium-bodied with a fresh and saline entry. Lively and energetic, there is impressive weight and structure on the finish. As it coheres, this could turn into a seriously fine Moulis. One for the cellar. Score: 92 - 94 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2032 - 2070 |
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[Add to waiting list] | Cheval Blanc | St Emilion | £2,880 | 6x75cl | Sold Out | 98-100 | 99-100 | 97-99 | 98-100 | 98-100 | 96-98 |
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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 This is a wine that soars to new heights with its brightness and weightlessness. The balance of serene fruit that’s perfectly ripe. Full-bodied yet tight and polished where it seems delicate and compressed, with berry, chocolate and walnut character. The finish is endless and poised. Wine of the vintage? 53% merlot, 46% cabernet franc and 1% cabernet sauvignon. Score: 99 - 100 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 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 Kicks off with an explosive nose of freshly crushed red roses, liqourice root and smoked sandalwood. The exuberance of the vintage means that this is a Cheval that feels more approachable at this stage than many years, but no less complex. Blueberry, raspberry and cassis fruits, along with ink, soot, baked earth, incense and saffran, closing to mouthwatering lime and mandarin zest that add juice and length on the finish. Just a great wine from director Pierre Olivier Clouet and the team. 100% new oak barrels for ageing. Harvest began on August 29 (earliest ever, with 80% of Merlot bought in by the end of August), then Cabernet Franc in by September 20. 3.86ph. No Petit Cheval this year, but just 78% of production in the 1st wine. And this is the first year where Cheval Blanc is just a simple, lowly AOC St Emilion, after its withdrawal from the classification. A potential 100 points. Score: 98 - 100 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2032-2050 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 I was able to taste the 2022 Château Cheval Blanc in its individual components as well as a final blend, which is incredibly insightful when trying to understand a young barrel sample. The final blend is 53% Merlot, 46% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Cabernet Sauvignon (which is similar to the 2010), and as always, it's resting in new barrels. A deep, concentrated, structured Cheval Blanc, it has beautiful cassis, violets, flowers, and chocolate-driven aromatics. These carry to a full-bodied, concentrated, structured 2022 that stays tight, focused, and firm on the palate, with very little in the way of baby fat, yet the tannins are fine and polished. With a stacked mid-palate and a great finish, this masculine, structured, dense, powerful 2022 is going to need a decade or more of bottle age, but it should be brilliant. Score: 96 - 98 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Cissac | Haut Medoc | £100 | 12x75cl | 88-90 | 90-91 | 89-91 | 91 | - | - | |
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Structured and meaty with medium body and chalky tannins. Polished finish with hints of crushed stones. Score: 90 - 91 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com This Haut-Médoc stalwart continues its subtle stylistic evolution towards more charm and finesse with the 2022 Cissac, a strong effort evocative of graphite, tobacco, smoke, cassis and violets mingled with well-integrated hints of oak. Medium to full-bodied, concentrated and layered, it's classy and vibrant, concluding with a slightly austere finish. This long-lived red is a blend of 49% Cabernet Sauvignon, 43% Merlot and 5.5% Petit Verdot and the rest Malbec. YC Score: 89 - 91 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.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 Cissac has a "correct" bouquet with blackberry, briary and light tobacco scents emerging with time. The palate is medium-bodied with strict tannins, fresh and grippy, with a slightly minty finish. A kind of "carefree" Cissac…and I like that. But it doesn't quite get the pulse racing. Score: 88 - 90 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2025-2038 |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Clarte de Haut Brion | Dry Whites | £504 | 6x75cl | 88-90 | 96-97 | 91-93 | 90 | 90-92 | 93-95 | |
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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 Aromas of oyster shell and crushed stone with lemon curd and dried lemon. Full and layered with a chewy, phenolic texture and a long and flavorful finish. Wonderful. 53.7% sauvignon blanc and 46.3% semillon. Score: 96 - 97 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 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 Apricot pit, pineapple, lemongrass, dried apricots, this has the richness of the vintage but is well balanced with sage and white pepper notes, adding a touch of juice. Jean-Philippe Delmas' grandfather began managing the chateau in 1923, so 2022 marks 100 years of the Delmas family at Haut-Brion (just a few years longer than the Dillons). 38% new oak. Score: 90 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2023-2027 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 La Clarté De Haut-Brion Blanc checks in as 53.7% Sauvignon and 46.3% Sémillon. It's a killer second wine that readers will love, offering bright lemon and lime fruits, some floral, chalky mineral nuances, medium to full body, and a focused, vibrant style on the palate that brings plenty of richness while staying refreshing and lively. Score: 93 - 95 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Clerc Milon | Pauillac | £396 | 6x75cl | 91-93 | 95-96 | 93-95 | 95 | 91-93 | 94-96 | |
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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 Focused and bright with plenty of fruit but oranges and minerals in the mid-palate. Really fresh with a fresh bitterness. Score: 95 - 96 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 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 depths are evident in the velvety texture and colour, and it stretches out through the palate with slow confidence. Plenty of grip and supple tannins that cradle the cassis and bilberry fruit, studded with olive, cocoa bean, white pepper, slate, clear spice, intense phenolics and this is excellent quality. Caroline Artaud technical director. Old vine Carmanère no doubt helps add the spice and eucalyptus edge. 63% of production in this wine, 55% new oak, 3.83ph. 37hl/h yield. Score: 95 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2030-2048 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 As to the Grand Vin 2022 Château Clerc Milon, it reminds me of the 2018 with its full-bodied, ripe, yet elegant style. Cassis, graphite, espresso roast, and lead pencil notes define the aromatics, and it has a beautiful spine of acidity, ripe tannins, and a great finish. It shows the ripe, exuberant yet structured style of the vintage beautifully. The blend is 59% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Carmenère, harvested between the 9th and 26th of September, with an alcohol content of 14.5%, a pH of 3.83, and an IPT of 74. The élevage here is 55% new French oak. Tasted multiple times with consistent notes. Score: 94 - 96 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Climens | Sauternes/Barsac | £652 | 12x37.5cl | 93-96 | - | - | 93 | - | - | |
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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 Climens was tasted from a prepared sample, although the final blending has not been done - though it still represents around 95% of what will be the final wine. There were just two tries this vintage between 6 and 23 October, and there is 141g/L residual sugar. It has a fragrant bouquet with wild honey, peach skin and lemon curd, well-defined, though not as intense as previous vintages tasted at this stage. The palate is medium-bodied with a waxy/viscous opening and a fine bead of acidity, not tremendously deep but with fine delineation. With nougat, quince and almond notes, the 2022 is quite sweet and almost Riesling-like toward the finish that actually feels as if it has less than the aforementioned residual sugar level. This is a precise Climens. Score: 93 - 96 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2028-2058 |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Clinet | Pomerol | £490 | 6x75cl | Low Stock | 94-96 | 94-95 | 94-96 | 96 | 94-96 | 96-98 |
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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 very fine and polished red with silky tannins, medium body and a savory finish. Hints of hazelnut to the currant and berry fruit. Score: 94 - 95 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 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 Sleek, concentrated, red roses, violets, creamy smoked caramel, bilberry, cassis, blackberry pastilles, biscuit, mint leaf, great estate signature, maintains its sleek intense concentated and supremely classy character. Strong tannic build up, muscular and full of intent, with a fennel and oyster shell signoff. Ronan Laborde owner. Score: 96 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux 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 The 2022 Château Clinet showed beautifully, with an almost Médoc-like style in its darker cassis, graphite, cedar pencil, and tobacco aromas and flavors. Full-bodied on the palate, it has ripe, velvety tannins, a round, layered mouthfeel, and remarkable purity. Pomerol was one of the erratic appellations in 2022, but this beauty does everything right and brings a beautiful mix of richness and elegance. It should round into form with just short-term bottle age and evolve for two decades. The blend is the usual 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon. Score: 96 - 98 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Clos du Marquis | St Julien | £363 | 6x75cl | 92-94 | 95-96 | 93-95 | 92 | - | 95-97 | |
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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 "We've never seen such refined Cabernet Sauvignon at this property," says Jean-Hubert Delon of the 2022 Clos du Marquis, and the resulting wine is certainly unusually suave and expressive, bursting with aromas of cassis, plums, orange zest, violets and pencil shavings. Medium to full-bodied, ample and fleshy, with excellent concentration, supple tannins and a long, mouthwatering finish, it will likely offer a rather broad drinking window. Score: 93 - 95 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.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 The 2022 Clos du Marquis was picked from 8-30 September and is matured in 53% new oak with 14.25% alcohol. It is very perfumed and high-toned on the nose. The 2022 is floral and powerful, with black cherries and blueberry fruit, perhaps not quite the delineation, almost pastille-like. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannins, fresh with pleasing mineralité. This remains linear and tensile toward the finish, with graphite lingering on the aftertaste. Excellent. Score: 92 - 94 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2028 - 2048 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 |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Clos Fourtet | St Emilion | £564 | 6x75cl | 95-97 | 97-98 | 94-96 | 98 | 96-98 | 96-98 | |
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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 This is broad and opulent with a full body and fine-grained, velvety tannins. Deep dark fruit, crushed violets and spices. Structured, layered and really long. Wow. So long and refined with great clarity. Score: 97 - 98 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 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 Mathieu Cuvelier marks 20 years of the Cuvelier family at Clos Fourtet with this vintage, and it's a wonderful attestation to the potential of limestone plateau location for coping with a changing climate in Bordeaux. Visually arresting in its deep plum and violet colour, with a luscious texture, and plenty of subtle red roses and peony floral aromatics. Creamy black and blue fruits, and sublimely well measured tannic extraction, with crunchy salinity on the finish, oyster shell and salt-flecked chocolate notes. Super smooth finish. First year with the addition of Les Grandes Murailles vineyard. Stéphane Derenoncourt and Jean-Claude Berrouet consultants (working together since 2009). Not too interventionist, no cold soaks here, natural yeasts, with whole bunch ferments for the young vines. Harvest September 9 to 27. 3.54ph. 40% new oak, 58% second-fill barrels, 2% amphoras. Score: 98 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2030-2050 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 Harvested around the 9th of September and based on 90% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 3% Cabernet Franc (it also includes grapes from the discontinued Grandes Murailles bottling), the 2022 Château Clos Fourtet reveals a vivid purple hue as well as aromatics of black cherries, blackberries, white flowers, and crushed stone. A quintessential Saint-Emilion from the upper plateau, it has an incredible sense of minerality as well as full-bodied richness, ripe tannins, a vibrant sense of freshness, and a great finish. The 2020 was brought up in 40% new barrels, with the balance in once-used oak and a tiny portion in clay amphora. Tasted twice. Score: 96 - 98 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Conseillante | Pomerol | £1,326 | 6x75cl | Low Stock | 97-99 | 98-99 | 97-100 | 97 | 96-98 | 98-100 |
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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 This is sensational with extra fine tannins that run the length of the wine. It’s medium-bodied with excellent length and so Conseillante in nature. Silky, silky, silky. Creamy texture. Flowers such as violets at the end. Love this. 87% merlot and 13% cabernet franc. Score: 98 - 99 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 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 Deep inky colour, crushed rose petal and peony, such a beautiful wine, with waves of blueberry and cassis fruit, along with liqourice root, lemongrass, slate and saffran, and one of the clear standout successes of Pomerol. 95% 1st wine this year, with just 5% for Duo de La Conseillante. Slow progress through the palate, this has vintage character but leans into it. 70% new oak, 3.65ph. Harvest 5 to 20. Score: 97 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux 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 A wine that has perfection written all over it is the 2022 Chateau La Conseillante, which is 87% Merlot and 13% Cabernet Franc that’s still resting in 70% new French oak, with a tiny amount in amphora as well. Revealing a vivid purple hue, it offers a perfumed yet incredibly classy, almost discreet bouquet of crème de cassis, spring flowers, red plums, incense, and spice. This terroir never seems to yield the biggest, richest wine in a vintage, yet it's almost unrivaled in its ability to deliver complexity and elegance. Full-bodied on the palate, with ultra-fine tannins, flawless balance, and again, a purity of fruit that's just about off the charts, it's going to offer pleasure with just 4-6 years of bottle age (these usually enter their prime drinking window a decade after a vintage) and have 30-40 years of prime drinking. The 2022 hit 13.9% alcohol with a pH of 3.65. Score: 98 - 100 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Cos d'Estournel | St Estephe | £1,116 | 6x75cl | 95-97 | 98-99 | 93-95 | 97 | 95-97 | 98-100 | |
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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 Unique structure to this wine and very Cos with all the spices and dark fruits. Tobacco and cedar. It's starts off full-bodied and flavorful, but continues to unfold in an energetic and weightless way. Savory and primary. Al dente grapes here. Exciting and thought-provoking. Score: 98 - 99 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 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 Inky colour with violet edging, this is full of intense damson, incense, baked plum and black chocolate. A huge quantity of tannins but the texture is velvety, giving a creamy edge to the fruits, with contrast and freshness provided by orange zest and slate. Some of the old Merlot vines on gravel were picked early to tame them but generally the vineyard took the vintage in its stride, and almost 75% of production is in the 1st wine. Harvest September 7 to 23, 33hl/h yield, 90IPT, 50% new oak. Potential upscore in bottle. Score: 97 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2032-2048 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 One of the finest wines to ever pass my lips, the 2022 Château Cos D'Estournel is a monument in the making. Based on 61% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot, and 1% each of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, this saturated ruby/purple-hued Saint-Estèphe offers a full-bodied, massive, opulent style as well as perfumed red, blue, and black fruits, ample spice, chocolate, graphite, and lead pencil-like aromatics, a stacked mid-palate, flawless balance, and a monster of a finish. An improved version of the 2009 (if that's possible), this is a legendary wine in the making. Hats off to Michel Reybier and technical director Dominique Arangoïts. Score: 98 - 100 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Cos d'Estournel Blanc | Dry Whites | £740 | 6x75cl | 91-93 | 96-97 | - | 95 | 92-94 | 94-96 | |
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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 Pretty and rich white peach, pear and apple aromas and flavors. Full-bodied with plenty of fruit and bright acidity. Chalky and stony. Happy to watch. Score: 96 - 97 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 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 The 2022 Cos d'Estournel Blanc, a blend of 74% Sauvignon Blanc and 26% Semillon, matured entirely in one to three-year-old barrels. This has a more harmonious bouquet than the Pagodes Blanc, with fine depth and freshness. The palate is well-balanced with fine acidity. The 2022 is bright with lime and orange zest notes, gently building toward a lightly spiced and pleasing finish. This joyful Cos d'Estournel Blanc should provide at least a decade's drinking pleasure. Score: 91 - 93 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2025-2042 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 |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Coutet | Sauternes/Barsac | £174 | 12x37.5cl | - | 93-94 | - | 92 | - | - | |
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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 Luscious and sweet, sticky dates and crème caramel flavours, balanced by orange zest and lime. There is interest and contrast here, but even at this exceptional Barsac estate, owned by the Baly family, it is hard not to crave a little more lift. Score: 92 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Croix Canon | St Emilion | £155 | 6x75cl | 91-93 | 95-96 | 91-93 | - | 90-92 | - | |
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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 Very fine and polished with sweet tobacco and chocolate with green olives. Currants. Medium-bodied with fine and polished tannins with a lovely length. Friendly nature to this. Turns slightly salty. 75% merlot and 25% cabernet franc. Score: 95 - 96 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 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 Canon, matured in 30% new oak and contains more Cabernet Franc than previous vintages, has quite a backward nose initially and demands coaxing from the glass. It repays patience with blackberry, briary and subtle undergrowth notes, with a black olive hint. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannins, fresh and saline. This is very well balanced with more structure on the finish than recent vintages. Recommended, but don't be afraid to chuck it in your cellar. Score: 91 - 93 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2050 |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Croix de Labrie | St Emilion | £510 | 6x75cl | 91-93 | 93-94 | - | 94 | 92-95 | 96-98 | |
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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 An incredible young wine that shows fantastic chalk and stone character on both the nose and palate. It’s full but super racy and intense, with a freshness and dryness that is very unique. Oyster shell and iodine character at the end. Salt and white pepper in the finish. From biodynamically grown grapes. From organically grown grapes. Score: 93 - 94 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 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 The 2022 Croix de Labrie has quite an expressive bouquet with macerated red cherries, raspberry coulis, iodine and incense aromas. It takes time to cohere but eventually achieves fine focus. The palate is medium-bodied with pliant tannins, fleshy focused and lightly spiced. There's a refined, persistent, peppery finish. This should age well in bottle. Score: 91 - 93 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2028-2048 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 |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Croix Ducru Beaucaillou (2nd label of Ducru) | St Julien | £216 | 6x75cl | 93-95 | 94-95 | 90-92 | 93 | 92-94 | 93-95 | |
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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 A chewy and polished red with blackberry and blueberry character. Full to medium body. Fine and tensioned. Excellent finish. Salty. Blackcurrants at the end. 66% merlot, 32% cabernet sauvignon, and 2% petit verdot. Score: 94 - 95 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 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 Sculpted, with muscular tannins, keeps things strictly controlled on the opening beats, then opens to show creamy damson and blackberry fruits, grilled vanilla bean, peony, iris, bitter chocolate, lifted aromatics of peony and crushed rose petals, and clear salinity on the finish. This is intense and impressive, aged in 80% new oak. Harvest September 7 to October 4, almost an entire month of harvesting, unusual for the vintage. Tasted twice Score: 93 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2028-2042 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 second wine of this great château, the 2022 La Croix Ducru-Beaucaillou is based on two-thirds Merlot with the balance mostly Cabernet Sauvignon, raised in 80% new French oak. Hitting 14% natural alcohol, its vivid purple hue is followed by stunning aromatics of cassis, blueberries, tobacco, graphite, and chalky minerality. Full-bodied on the palate, it brings plenty of concentration and structure yet is balanced and has a great mid-palate and outstanding length. If there was a ranking for the top second wines in Bordeaux, this would be in the top handful of releases. Score: 93 - 95 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Dame de Montrose (2nd wine of Montrose) | St Estephe | £189 | 6x75cl | 91-93 | 94-95 | 92-94 | 92 | 92-94 | 93-95 | |
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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 Wonderful freshness and brightness to this with currants and red berries, as well as chocolate and hints of coffee. Full and layered with round tannins and a fresh and vivid finish. Lemon rind underneath it all. It has lots of length for being mostly merlot. 71% merlot, 23% cabernet sauvignon, 5% petit verdot, and 1% cabernet franc. From organically grown grapes. Score: 94 - 95 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 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 Higher proportion of Merlot than usual in the blend, this is deep ruby red in colour and opens to sandalwood, cedar, black pepper and rosemary notes, alongside ripe blackberry and creme de cassis fruits. A lucky vineyard located next to the river at one of the widest points of the Estuary, this is impactful and confident, with the fingerprints of the vintage. 31hl/h yield. 30% new oak. Score: 92 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2027-2038 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 second wine of Château Montrose, the 2022 La Dame De Montrose, tastes like a Grand Vin. More Merlot-dominated (71% Merlot, 23% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the rest Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc), the terrific purity in its cassis and blue fruits give way to complex floral, forest floor, and violet aromas and flavors. Medium-bodied, balanced, and elegant, I'd be happy to drink a bottle any time over the coming 15 years. Score: 93 - 95 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com |
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[Add to shopping basket] | De Pez | St Estephe | £150 | 6x75cl | 92-94 | 92-93 | 90-92 | 94 | 91-93 | 93-95 | |
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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 Firm and linear red with a vivid and juicy dark-fruited core and fine, polished tannins. Medium-bodied. Mellow finish with some creaminess to it. Hints of crushed stones and walnut at the end. Score: 92 - 93 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 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 Austerity is your friend in an En Primeur sample as long as there is juice and fruit, and here you have both things in abundance. Brilliant wine, absolutely one to look out for, has steely minerality that offsets the plump fruit character and intense tannic structure, this is concentrated but understated, everthing in proportion. First time on the Place this year, as before it was sold via an exclusivity. First vintage with new cellar also. Tasted twice, this is a buy. 26hl/h yield, half of usual, 50% new oak for ageing. Score: 94 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2026-2042 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 From a château that consistently makes it into my personal cellar, the 2022 Château De Pez is terrific, with a floral, perfumed, complex style delivering ample cassis and riper black fruits, notes of chocolate, graphite, and licorice, full-bodied richness, ripe yet building tannins, and a great finish. Tasted on multiple occasions, it's a powerful wine from this team that stays beautifully balanced and elegant. Score: 93 - 95 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Doisy Daene | Sauternes/Barsac | £190 | 12x37.5cl | 95-97 | 94-95 | - | 92 | 93-95 | - | |
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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 Dried mangoes and persimmons with dried flowers and exotic spices. Full with vivid acidity and an attractive spicy edge. Long with beautiful fruit. Score: 94 - 95 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 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 The 2022 Doisy-Daëne has an intense bouquet that blossoms in the glass: dried honey, quince and honeysuckle, with light saffron scents emerging with time. The palate is brimming with tension, razor-sharp acidity, quince and tangerine, leading to a slightly peachy, vivacious finish. What a wonderful "DD" from Jean-Jacques Dubourdieu. Score: 95 - 97 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2027-2057 |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Doisy Vedrines | Sauternes/Barsac | £156 | 12x37.5cl | - | - | - | 93 | - | - | |
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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 |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Domaine de Chevalier Blanc | Dry Whites | £488 | 6x75cl | 92-94 | 98-99 | 93-96 | 94 | 95-97 | 95-97 | |
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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 A deep and layered white with rich and intense structure. It’s full yet agile with so much energy and intensity. Cooked apple, lime zest and nougat with oyster and sea bed undertones. Fascinating already. Score: 98 - 99 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 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 Touch of reduction on the first nose, intense, gunsmoke-filled aromatics, clearly aimed at extremely long ageing. Great quality, stands out for its serious structure, with clove, aniseed and fennel woven through citrus and white pear, has weight and manages to stay on the savoury side of ripe. Needs time and food. Tasted twice. 40th harvest of Olivier Bernard (meaning a special label), 33% new oak. Score: 94 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2023-2032 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 Blanc brings more dimensions and layers, as well as richness. Based on 70% Sauvignon Blanc and 30% Sémillon, aging in 40% new oak, it has a beautiful perfume of honeyed citrus, subtle tropical flowers, and chalky, minerality nuances. This carries to a medium to full-bodied white with plenty of density and depth, nicely integrated acidity, and a gorgeous finish. I wouldn't be surprised to see this end up in the top handful of whites in the vintage. Score: 95 - 97 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Domaine de Chevalier Rouge | Pessac-Leognan | £340 | 6x75cl | 95-97 | 98-99 | 94-96 | 96 | 93-96 | 96-98 | |
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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 Wow. This is incredibly structured and powerful with ultra-fine tannins that are tight and layered. It’s full and powerful with carved muscles of tannins. This will need so much time. Score: 98 - 99 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 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 Showing how it's done in 2022, Domaine de Chevalier comes in strong with a deep ruby red colour, a vibrant rim, smoked oak on the nose, edges of tar, red roses, liquorice root, and a confident delivery of full-on tannic architecture that frames the cassis and bilberry fruit. Delivers vintage signature in a carefully controlled way, with enough slate, pummice stone, mint and eucalyptus to balance things out and slow down delivery. The fruits are fully ripe, heading towards baked plum and fig, but met step by step with a corresponding cooling flavour. 40th harvest of Olivier Bernard (meaning a special label). Score: 96 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2030-2048 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 As to the Grand Vin 2022 Domaine De Chevalier, this awesome Graves is based on 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot and the rest Cabernet Franc. Vinified in a mix of concrete and wood tanks, with a portion seeing malolactic fermentation in barrel, it offers a deep purple/ruby hue as well as a brilliant bouquet of crème de cassis, graphite, smoke tobacco, and damp earth. Reminding me of a supercharged version of the 2016, it's full-bodied and has a layered, silky mouthfeel, beautiful tannins, and a great finish. Released with a new, one-off label, the 2022 celebrates Olivier Bernard's 40th year at the château, and it's certainly a wine worth seeking out. Score: 96 - 98 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Ducru Beaucaillou | St Julien | £1,122 | 6x75cl | 95-97 | 97-98 | 94-96 | 98 | 95-97 | 97-99 | |
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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 Some much creme de cassis and blackcurrant aromas and flavors here. Full-bodied with powerful tannins, yet fine and layered. Chewy. You can really feel the thick grape skins here. Excellent length. Tannins spread across the palate. Minerally and crushed stone. Score: 97 - 98 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 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 Deep damson colour, poised and intense, a serious wine with crushed mint, graphite and bitter black chocolate on the opening beats, setting the tone for a slow reveal of confident St Julien character. Powerful tannins convey purity and precision, set against creamy cassis and bilberry fruits, with softer smoked earth and baked spice, and a slate finish. The construction is careful and measured, extremely impressive, this is has decades ahead. 3.8ph, 95IPT. 100% new oak. 30hl/h yield. Score: 98 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2032-2050 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 Moving to the Grand Vin, it's a slightly more Merlot-influenced blend of 82% Cabernet Sauvignon and 18% Merlot, raised in new barrels. It brings the same level of concentration and structure as the La Croix but has another level of class, elegance, and purity, with sensational aromatics of crème de cassis, graphite, crushed stone, sandalwood, and graphite. The purity here is truly remarkable, and it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, perfectly integrated oak, silky tannins, and a great finish. This beauty hit 14% natural alcohol with a pH of 3.8 and an IPT of 95. Given its balance as well as its texture, it's going to offer pleasure with just short-term cellaring yet also evolve for decades. Score: 97 - 99 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Duhart Milon | Pauillac | £378 | 6x75cl | 93-95 | 95-96 | 91-93 | 94 | 92-94 | 94-96 | |
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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 Very Pauillac in its blackcurrant, dark chocolate and walnut husk character. Full-bodied yet compacted. Wet earth, mushroom, earth, black tobacco. Fine and intense tannins. Fresh and complex. 78% cabernet sauvignon and 22% merlot. Score: 95 - 96 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 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 Intense, stately, with ripe and spicy dark brambled fruit flavours, blackberry and cassis, balanced by grippy tannins, crushed rocks, slate and cigar, which add texture and moderation. The serious face of Duhart does well in the vintage, keeping an upright tannic backbone. New cellar at Duhart since 2020. Harvest August 31 to September 28, 3.8ph. Olivier Bonnau technical director. Duhart Milon vineyard is looking at lowering density of planting to guard against future hot vintages of this type. Score: 94 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2030-2047 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 Grand Vin 2022 Château Duhart-Milon is 78% Cabernet Sauvignon and 22% Merlot. It brings more richness as well as classic Pauillac character in its lead pencil, graphite, tobacco, and red and black fruit-driven aromatics. With gorgeous richness, a medium to full bodied mouthfeel, and a great finish, this utterly classic, seamless, balanced Pauillac should be snatched up by readers. It's going to give the 2009 a run for its money. Score: 94 - 96 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Durfort Vivens | Margaux | £330 | 6x75cl | - | 96-97 | 93-96 | 95 | 92-94 | 94-96 | |
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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 The quality of the tannins are pure velvet yet so, so fine in texture. Medium to full body with a weightless presence and beautiful heart. Rose stem and other flowers. 84% cabernet sauvignon and 16% merlot. From biodynamically grown grapes. From biodynamically grown grapes with Demeter certification. Score: 96 - 97 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 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 Great balance, this has the spice and exoticism of the vintage, with pomegranate, cardamom and turmeric spice, along with creamy cappuccino and damson fruits. Feels effortless and balanced, step by step building in juice, enjoyment and pleasure. It's ripe and concentrated, with the structure for long ageing. 30hl/h. Owned by Gonzague Lurton, owner also of Acaibo in Sonoma, which has had its own challenges in terms of extreme temperatures. 70% new oak, 30% amphora for ageing. Harvest from September 1 to October 12, got to be one of the longest in terms of red grapes picking in the vintage. Score: 95 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2030-2044 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 Château Durfort-Vivens showed brilliantly and is a seriously good wine in the making. Vinified at Brane-Cantenac and aging in 60% new oak, with 40% in amphora, it has a pure, focused, medium to full-bodied style as well as both red and black fruits, some violet and floral nuances, nicely integrated oak, and a great finish. This is one of those wines that builds with time in the glass, and it should clearly be outstanding, if not truly exceptional. Score: 94 - 96 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Echo de Lynch Bages (2nd wine of Lynch Bages) | Pauillac | £195 | 6x75cl | 90-92 | 93-94 | 89-91 | 92 | 91-93 | 92-94 | |
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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 Crushed stone and lead pencil with blackcurrants. Full-bodied. Chewy and flavorful. Structured. Baby Lynch. 64% cabernet sauvignon, 31% merlot and 5% cabernet franc. Score: 93 - 94 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 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 A serious Echo that gives a good entry into the main wine. There are a ton of tannins here, and it has the inky, slate, crushed rock character of Pauillac. Carefully-extracted cassis and bilberry fruit, this is measured, one to look out for, needs a few years to relax. 3.69ph, 10% new oak. Score: 92 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2028-2044 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 second wine of Lynch Bages is the 2022 Echo De Lynch-Bages, a ripe, medium to full-bodied, structured beauty with a kiss of classic Lynch Bages richness and depth. Cassis, black raspberries, graphite, dried flowers, and hints of chocolate all define the aromatics, and it has ripe, fine tannins, good mid-palate depth, and outstanding length. Score: 92 - 94 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com |
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[Add to waiting list] | Eglise Clinet | Pomerol | £1,554 | 6x75cl | Sold Out | 98-100 | - | 96-98 | 98 | 96-98 | 96-98 |
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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 Offering up deep aromas of mulberries and cassis mingled with incense, licorice, rose petals, spices and hints of new oak, the 2022 L'Eglise Clinet is full-bodied, deep and layered, with an elegantly muscular core of ripe but vibrant fruit that's framed by sweet, powdery tannins. Concentrated and multidimensional, it concludes with a long, resonant finish. A blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc, harvested between September 3 and 9, this compelling Pomerol checks in at a largely concealed 14.6% alcohol. Score: 96 - 98 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com 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 The 2022 L'Eglise-Clinet was picked from 3 to 9 September for the Merlot and the Cabernet Franc on 5 and 9 September, matured in 85% new oak. It has an exquisitely-defined bouquet with succinct floral, pressed iris and clay notes percolating through the black fruit. With breathtaking focus, these scents seem to cast a spell over you. The palate is medium-bodied with slightly chalky tannins that frame the mineral-laden, peppery black fruit. There's not a hair out of place, exuding the essence of this Pomerol estate with an exceptionally long, intense and paradoxically tender finish. It's a wine that may leave you spellbound...just like this barrel sample. Score: 98 - 100 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2032-2075 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 |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Evangile | Pomerol | £1,338 | 6x75cl | 95-97 | 96-97 | 95-97 | 95 | 95-97 | 95-97 | |
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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 Fresh, wonderfully refined and gorgeously polished and long, with very fine tannins. Medium to full body. Crunchy fruit and chocolate, hazelnut and spice. Exciting to see how this tensioned beauty will evolve. Wonderful clarity. Score: 96 - 97 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 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 Density combined with elegance, this has the intensity and spice of the vintage, with an emphasis on tight black fruits, a clear reflection of the phenolic concentration of the year, slow and steady tannic construction that brings in graphite. Unusually for L'Evangile this feels almost Left Bank in character, with its 28hl/h yield (compared to 33hl/h in 2020 but with almost 20% more berries this yeer, but they were such small sizes). 3.8ph 2nd year of organic certification. Score: 95 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux 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 Grand Vin checks in as 82% Merlot, 17.5% Cabernet Franc, and a splash of Cabernet Sauvignon brought up in 50% new oak, 15% in amphora, 10% in foudre, and the rest in used barrels. It has another level of purity and class, with ripe red and black cherries, leafy herbs, truffle, and spice-driven aromatics. These carry to a medium to full-bodied Pomerol offering beautiful tannins, a silky, elegant mouthfeel, and a great finish. Hitting 14.2% alcohol, with a pH of 3.84 and an IPT of 75, this classy, balanced Pomerol shines for its purity and finesse, and it should blossom with just short-term cellaring. Score: 95 - 97 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Ferriere | Margaux | £201 | 6x75cl | 92-94 | 95-96 | 92-94 | 93 | 90-92 | 89-91 | |
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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 A wine that shows wonderful fruit with a ripeness and freshness at the same time. Medium to full body. Velvety and open. Blackcurrant, orange peel, and lovely fruit. Energy. From biodynamically grown grapes with Demeter certification. Score: 95 - 96 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 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 Tobacco leaf, raspberry puree, there is an appealing earthy freshness that really works alongside the concentration of the year. Ripe black fruits, balanced by mint leaf, avoids the baked fruit notes that are pretty widespread in the vintage, maintains lift and juice. Harvest September 12 to 30, 24hl/h yield. 35% new oak, 35% barrels of one wine, 20% in concrete eggs, 10% amphora for ageing. Score: 93 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2028-2044 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 Another delicious, up-front, textured Margaux in the vintage, the 2022 Château Ferrière boasts a deep purple hue as well as red, blue, and black fruits, some leather, smoked meat, and leafy herb nuances, medium to full body, and just a charming, round, mouth-filling style that's going to drink well right out of the gate. Score: 89 - 91 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Feytit Clinet | Pomerol | £303 | 6x75cl | 92-94 | 94-95 | - | 95 | - | 96-98 | |
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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 A firm and juicy red with lots of berries, chocolate, salt and lightly toasted wood. Some smoke. Soft tannins. Flavorful finish. Score: 94 - 95 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.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 The 2022 Feytit-Clinet, Pomerol's 'dark horse', is very perfumed on the nose with crushed violets and black plummy scents. Again, there's impressive delineation and, considering the season, delicacy. The palate is medium-bodied with pliant tannins and good depth. Cedar and graphite notes appear toward the finish. Fine length, this is Feytit back in form after the 2021. Score: 92 - 94 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2027-2040 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 |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Fieuzal Blanc | Dry Whites | £269 | 6x75cl | - | - | 93-95 | - | - | 92-94 | |
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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 I loved the 2022 Château De Fieuzal Blanc, and as with the red, this wine doesn't get enough attention in the market today. Offering up a vivid gold hue as well as bright melon, honeysuckle, white flowers, and fresh pineapple nuances, it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, nicely integrated acidity, and a great finish. The blend is 55% Sauvignon Blanc and 45% Sémillon. Score: 92 - 94 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Fieuzal Rouge | Pessac-Leognan | £169 | 6x75cl | - | 94-95 | 94-96 | - | - | 92-94 | |
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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 cumulative rainfall at Château Fieuzal was only 385 millimeters in 2022, compared to 753 millimeters in 2021 and 743 millimeters in 2020. But this did not prevent Stephen Carrier and his team from making a fresh and energetic 2022 de Fieuzal, bursting with aromas of violet, iris, menthol and crunchy wild berries mingled with hints of coniferous forest floor. Medium to full-bodied, it's pristinely balanced and beautifully layered, exhibiting a vibrant palate that's deep, tensile and elegant, concluding with a mouthwateringly mineral finish. This estate is achieving things no one would have thought possible a decade ago. YC Score: 94 - 96 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.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 |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Figeac | St Emilion | £1,518 | 6x75cl | Low Stock | 97-99 | 97-98 | 98-100 | 98 | 96-99 | 96-98 |
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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 This is the earliest ever harvest for Figeac and the fruit is something else. Flowers such as violets. Blackberries. Currants. Cherry blossom. Full-bodied with lovely freshness and depth. Crunchy and juicy. Perfect al dente fruit. 35% merlot , 34% cabernet franc and 31% cabernet sauvignon. Score: 97 - 98 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 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 Vibrant damson in colour, edges of gunsmoke and red rose petals on the aromatics, as you so often find in Figeac, with dense cassis, black cherry, incense, graphite, slate, mint leaf, cocoa bean, cappucino and liquorice on the palate. This is creamy but airy, and full of joy. Close to the 2016 vintage in its construction and effortless confidence, no question of the ageing ability of this wine, and a fine vintage to mark the first year as Premier Grand Cru Classé A. Breaking down how they got here, you find inevitably careful winemaking with no pumping over, cool 26C for fermentation, making use of techniques learnt in the hot, dry summer of 2018, from cover crops to minimum green harvesting. Blend finished including 8% press in March, 3.7ph, harvest began September 1, earliest on record, until 26, second vintage in new winery. Frederic Faye director. Score: 98 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2032-2050 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 A beautiful wine that, shockingly, reminds me of the 2016, the 2022 Château Figeac checks in as 35% Merlot, 34% Cabernet Franc, and 31% Cabernet Sauvignon that was harvested from the 1st of September to the 25th. Director Frédéric Faye commented that verasion took longer than usual, and they had to do a slight green harvest to get uniform ripeness. The results are stunning. The wine has a vivid purple hue as well as remarkable freshness and purity in its black and blue fruits, which are followed by notes of wild herbs, chocolate, graphite, spring flowers, and a touch of classic Cabernet Sauvignon graphite. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it has a silky, elegant mouthfeel, beautiful tannins, and a great finish. This classic, ultra-precise Figeac is going to warrant a solid decade of bottle age and be very long-lived given its purity and balance. Score: 96 - 98 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Fombrauge | St Emilion | £132 | 6x75cl | 91-93 | - | 88-90 | 93 | 93-95 | 94-96 | |
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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 The 2022 Fombrauge displays a deep and complex yet oaky bouquet with aromas of cassis, spices, graphite and fresh tobacco. Firm and dense, concentrated and fleshy, the palate is medium to full-bodied, chunky and heavily extracted. This demonstrative, modern-styled wine is a blend of 71% Merlot and 29% Cabernet Franc. YC Score: 88 - 90 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com 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 The 2022 Fombrauge, which contains a healthy contribution of Cabernet Franc, has a delightful bouquet with pure blackberry and cassis scents. It's pretty floral with wilted iris flower aromas emerging with time. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins and good concentration. It retains satisfying acidity on the finish, with a splash of soy on the aftertaste. Worth seeking out. Score: 91 - 93 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2028-2045 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 |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Fonbel | St Emilion | £88 | 6x75cl | 89-91 | 92-93 | 89-91 | 90 | 90-92 | 90-92 | |
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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 A juicy and flavorful red with lots of red fruits, currants, cloves and some nutmeg. It's full and layered with lots of fruit. 85% merlot, 10% cabernet sauvignon and 5% carmenere. Score: 92 - 93 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 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 Black cherry, blueberry and cassis fruits on the opening beats, this is an intense Fonbel that leans into the vintage character but always stays on the right side of balance. A good quality wine with clear ageing ability, a little less immediately charming that in less highly charged vintages. Clay-sand soils with areas of gravel. Cellar master Philippe Baillarguet. 30% new oak. Harvest September 15 to 21, with the unusual addition of Carmanère in the blend. Score: 90 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2025-2038 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 The 2022 Château De Fonbel is based on 85% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 5% Carmenère. Ripe black cherries, redcurrants, tobacco, chocolate, and some chalky earth all define the aromatics, and it's another rich, medium to full-bodied, beautifully textured, elegant, layered 2022 with tons of character. Score: 90 - 92 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Fonroque | St Emilion | £193 | 6x75cl | 89-91 | 94-95 | 92-94 | 92 | - | 91-93 | |
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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 The 2022 Fonroque wafts from the glass with sweet aromas of blackberries, cherries, licorice and petals, followed by a medium to full-bodied, ample and fleshy palate with vibrant acids, supple tannins and an intensely mineral finish. Farmed biodynamically for two decades under the direction of Alain Mouiex, this 17-hectare estate on the western extreme of Saint-Émilion's limestone plateau has gone from strength to strength in recent vintages. Score: 92 - 94 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.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 2022 Fonroque offers baked cherries and cassis on the nose, a little too ripe. Very intense and missing a little delineation. The palate is medium-bodied with a sweet and candied blueberry and black fruit opening. There's decent length, but it doesn't fully engage as much as others. I've admired what Alain Moueix has achieved at this property, but I wonder if there is just a soupçon of over-ripeness here? Score: 89 - 91 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2026-2036 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 |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Franc Mayne | St Emilion | £147 | 6x75cl | 91-93 | 93-94 | 93-95 | 92 | 93-95 | 92-94 | |
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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 A fresh and bright pure merlot with velvety tannins. Always in place. Some salt and chalk, too. Medium to full body. Made from organically grown grapes. Score: 93 - 94 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 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 This is good quality, with depth to the smoked earth, sweet red and black fruits, fresh acidities of gooseberry and redcurrant, and smoky creme caramel notes together ith a bitter black chocolate signoff. The tannins close in showing the physiciality of the vintage. New team at Franc Mayne for the past couple of years. First year in organic certification. Thomas Duclos consultant since 2018. 50% new oak barrels and 50% of wooden casks and amphoras. Score: 92 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2027-2040 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 Beautiful aromatics of red, blue, and black fruits, as well as tobacco and leafy herbs, emerge from the 2022 Château Franc Mayne, a youthful, unevolved, yet pure, concentrated 100% Merlot barrel sample. The tannins here are ripe and nicely integrated, and it has plenty of mid-palate depth as well as outstanding length, all pointing to this being a brilliant wine in the vintage. Tasted twice. Score: 92 - 94 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Gazin | Pomerol | £397 | 6x75cl | - | 95-96 | 92-94 | 94 | - | 92-94 | |
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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 Unwinding in the glass with aromas of dark berries, licorice, cherries and spices, the 2022 Gazin is medium to full-bodied, ample and fleshy, with excellent depth at the core, sweet tannins and a long, expansive finish. Despite the drought, the vineyards performed better in 2022 than in 2020 at this address, and the result is one of the better vintages for Gazin in recent years. Score: 92 - 94 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.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 Lots of spiced black cherries, currants, chocolate, and spicy notes emerge from the 2022 Château Gazin, a richer, medium to full-bodied Pomerol with plenty of mid-palate depth, building tannins, and outstanding length. The tannins will need to be watched here, but this is clearly an outstanding wine in the making. Score: 92 - 94 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Giscours | Margaux | £300 | 6x75cl | 95-97 | 97-98 | 94-96 | 95 | 95-97 | 94-96 | |
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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 This is a big move forward for Giscours. Full-bodied yet agile and fresh with tannins that are precise and integrated, with great beauty and length. Well-structured and vivid. Extremely fine yet defined tannins, and then it opens like a butterfly. Score: 97 - 98 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 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 Well judged and executed, with the vintage character coming through with the rich plum, cassis and fresh fig fruits, alongside black pepper and clove spices, but overall the feel is savoury, with austere tannins that are clearly revving up and have plenty of character. Impressive lift also, with juice running right through the palate, giving breath to the concentrated muscular tannic frame. Austerity also at this point, relatively rare and welcome in 2022, and emphasising a floral and smoky curl on the finish. 50% new oak. Entire harvest in the Grand Vin for the first time ever at Giscours (although I assume there must have been some of the production that was not bottled under the label). Axel Marchal consultant, Alexander Van Beek director. Score: 95 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2029-2044 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 Clearly one of the finest vintages from this château, the 2022 Château Giscours reveals a dense purple hue to go with beautiful Cabernet-driven aromatics of smoky blue fruits, iron, lead pencil, and spring flowers, as well as an almost marine-like character developing with time in the glass. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it has silky, perfectly integrated tannins, a great mid-palate, and outstanding length. It's a serious, age-worthy, incredibly impressive wine in the making. Score: 94 - 96 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Gloria | St Julien | £189 | 6x75cl | 94-96 | 94-95 | 91-93 | 92 | 91-93 | 94-96 | |
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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 linear and very fine wine with blackberry, blueberry and currant character. Hints of cedar and stone. Medium to full body. Linear and fine finish. Very well done. Score: 94 - 95 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 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 Intense with a bright plum colour, spicy, dark fruits, coffee bean and cocoa, this is almost heading towards overdone but it pulls back, leans into the vintatge and is very much on point with estate signature. It has texture and depth, a little overly concentrated through the mid palate but shows the restraint that comes with the pummic stone texture of St Julien tannins. One to watch over ageing. In biodynamic conversion. Score: 92 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2028-2042 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 A gem in the vintage is going to be the 2022 Château Gloria, which comes from 50 hectares of vines and is 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Petit Verdot. Harvested between September 14 and 26, with yields of 34 hectoliters per hectare, it offers an inky purple hue to go with medium to full-bodied aromas and flavors of crème de cassis, ripe black cherries, spicy oak, and graphite. Hitting 13.8% alcohol and aging in 60% new French oak, it's a pure, layered, elegant yet concentrated Saint-Julien that readers will love. Tasted twice. Score: 94 - 96 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Grand Puy Ducasse | Pauillac | £189 | 6x75cl | 92-94 | 96-97 | 89-92 | 93 | 92-94 | 93-95 | |
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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 Beautiful texture here. Tannins are dense and compact but finely polished and silky. Seamless and even with length and succulence. Medium- to full-bodied. Power with elegance. Endless for this. Finally the best ever. Score: 96 - 97 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 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 Inky colour, this is impressively structured right from the start, has a ton of dark chocolate, cassis, mint leaf, slate, has structure and character with a fresh cushion of acidity under the fruit. One of the more impressive vintages of this wine, worth looking out for, and should be good value. Hubert de Boüard consultant. Score: 93 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2027-2040 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 I loved the 2022 Château Grand-Puy Ducasse, another Pauillac that shines for its purity and length. Offering lots of red and black fruits, graphite, tobacco, and spicy oak, it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, nicely integrated, ripe, fine-grained tannins, plenty of mid-palate depth, and a great finish. It shows the richer style of the vintage yet has a solid spine of freshness that keeps it light on its feet. Score: 93 - 95 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Grand Puy Lacoste | Pauillac | £358 | 6x75cl | Low Stock | 96-98 | 95-96 | 95-97 | 96 | 92-94 | - |
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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 very structured and rich red with black berry and chocolate. Full-bodied with a solid core of fine tannins and a fresh and muscular finish. Dusty texture. Yet it remains bright and vivid. 3.55 pH. 79% cabernet sauvignon, 21% merlot. Score: 95 - 96 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 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 Inky depths to the colour. Violet edging, bitter black chocolate and graphite, can feel the grain of the tannins, and the beautiful balance and juice to damson, cassis and plum puree fruits. Captures just the right amount of drama without sacrificing Pauillac character, this is a wine that is clearly going to age extremely well, with depth of flavour and rich tannic frame that shows how 2022 can succeed in the right hands. 75% new oak, 3.57ph. Harvest earliest ever, beginning on September 7 (2003 was September 15), 60% of production in the 1st wine, Eric Boissenot consultant. 38hl/h yield, a little over the Pauillac average. Score: 96 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2032-2048 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 |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Griffons de Pichon Baron (2nd wine of Pichon Baron) | Pauillac | £192 | 6x75cl | 93-95 | - | 90-92 | - | 92-94 | 94-96 | |
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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 is the more serious of the estate's two second wines, with Cabernet Sauvignon rather than Merlot dominating the blend. Revealing aromas of dark berries, cherries, spices and pencil shavings, it's medium to full-bodied, fleshy and enveloping, with powdery tannins and a more structured profile than Les Tourelles. Score: 90 - 92 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com 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 A solid step up over the Les Tourelles, the 2022 Les Griffons De Pichon Baron is also Merlot-dominated and checks in as 50% Merlot, 46% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 4% Petit Verdot that will spend 18 months in 40% new French oak. Gorgeously pure cassis, smoked earth, graphite, tobacco, and crushed stone define the aromatics, and it's full-bodied, with a layer, concentrated mid-palate, fine tannins, and a great finish. The purity and precision here are truly something. Score: 94 - 96 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Gruaud Larose | St Julien | £420 | 6x75cl | 95-97 | - | 94-96 | 96 | 93-95 | - | |
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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 The progress at this estate continues with the terrific 2022 Gruaud Larose, a blend of 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot and 3% Cabernet Franc that unfurls in the glass with deep aromas of minty blackberries, violets and pencil shavings. Medium to full-bodied, deep and layered, it's elegantly muscular, with a broad attack that segues into a concentrated mid-palate framed by supple, powdery tannins. Richer and more brooding than its 2020 and 2019 counterparts, it confirms Gruaud's return to the Saint-Julien élite. Around one-third of the production made it into the grand vin this year, the château's first with organic certification. Score: 94 - 96 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com 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 Gruaud Larose was picked from 7 to 24 September and includes a little more pressed wine this year: 13.5% exclusively from Cabernet Sauvignon due to the quality. This latest vintage matured for a planned 18 months in 95% new oak. Significantly, this is the first year under organic certification (notice two storks on the label signifying this. Maybe they are carrying a little Gruaud baby?) At 13.64% alcohol, this is less than many other properties for those seeking slower intoxication. It has an impressive bouquet with pure blackberry and raspberry fruit, black truffle and sous-bois scents. I am impressed by its delineation and focus; frankly, these are the nicest aromatics I've encountered for a while at this address. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-grain tannins. I cannot remember a Gruaud at this nascent stage that exhibits this level of energy and tension deriving from the Cabernet Sauvignon extracted at the beginning of vinification. There's much more precision here. Mineral-driven toward the finish, this easily surpasses vintages made at the estate over the last decade and more. Perhaps like the legendary Gruauds of old (1982, 1961, 1928, even 1870)? Gruaud reborn. Score: 95 - 97 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2028-2070 |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Guillot Clauzel | Pomerol | £432 | 6x75cl | Low Stock | - | - | 93-95 | - | 92-94 | - |
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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 best wine that Guillaume Thinepont has produced to date at this small estate is the 2022 Guillot Clauzel, an attractive blend of 83% Merlot and 17% Cabernet Franc that exhibits aromas of blackberries, violets, iris and sweet soil tones. Medium to full-bodied, fleshy and polished, with supple tannins and a suave, seamless, perfumed profile, Thienpont's decision to reduce the amount of new oak used to only 30% makes for even greater purity and expressiveness. Score: 93 - 95 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Haut Bages Liberal | Pauillac | £201 | 6x75cl | 94-96 | 96-97 | - | 93 | 93-96 | 93-95 | |
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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 Lots of redcurrants and blackcurrants with some cassis as well as iron, tile, stone and hints of dried herbs. Full-bodied with lots of pretty structure and very juicy tannins. Lively and energetic. Exciting to taste. pH 3.54 and with 13.9% alcohol. From biodynamically grown grapes. From biodynamically grown grapes with Demeter certification. Score: 96 - 97 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 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 Haut-Bages-Libéral was picked from 6 to 26 September and is being raised in 40% new oak, plus 20% in concrete tanks and amphorae. Yields were 45hL/ha, higher than many other estates, which Clare Villars-Lurton cites as a result of their long-term application of biodynamic viticulture and use of cover crops. It has an entrancing bouquet with blackberry, briary, crushed stone and light estuarine scents, understated initially but rapidly gaining intensity. The palate is medium-bodied, fresh and saline with sculpted tannins, stunning balance and a mineral finish. This is an outstanding, vivacious 2022 from proprietor Claire Villars-Lurton. Score: 94 - 96 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2032-2070 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 |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Haut Bailly | Pessac-Leognan | £720 | 6x75cl | 96-98 | 97-98 | 94-96 | 97 | 93-96 | 98-100 | |
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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 Incredible complexity of aromas here with ripe currants and blackberries, but also dried flowers like violets and roses. Then there’s forest flower character such as bark, mushroom and sandalwood. Black truffles. Full-bodied with tight and chewy tannins that are polished and pure, with a solid and tight finish. It builds on your palate and frames the wine beautifully. 56% cabernet sauvignon, 37% merlot, 5% petit verdot and 2% cabernet franc. Score: 97 - 98 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 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 Stunning aromatics, with crushed roses and fragrant spice, edges of incense and gunsmoke. On the palate the fruits are intense cassis and bilberry, dusted with cocoa and liquorice root , and shot through with gentle acidities of pomegrante, mandarin peel, saffran and slate. Concentrated dark rosemary on the finish, this is so well judged, effortlessly impressive, a little atypical of Haut-Bailly in that there is less austerity to the tannic architecture than in the more understated vintages but it captures the finessed heart of the property, and will age for decades. 3.92ph, Axel Marchal consultant. 50% of the vines here are over 50 years or 60 years old, helping them withstand the heat. 30hl/h yields, 2nd vintage in the new cellar. Score: 97 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2030-2048 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 Château Haut-Bailly is going to be one of the legendary vintages at this château, and it should be a no-brainer purchase for readers. Based on 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot, and the rest Cabernet Franc, it has an incredible perfume of cassis, ripe black cherries, crushed stone, smoke tobacco, and wood smoke. Earning more than a few expletives in my notes, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a deep, layered, multi-dimensional mouthfeel, and ultra-fine, silky tannins. Hold onto your hats, ladies and gentlemen, this is an incredible wine in the making! Score: 98 - 100 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Haut Batailley | Pauillac | £265 | 6x75cl | 93-95 | 94-95 | 91-93 | 93 | 93-95 | 94-96 | |
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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 Classy and very focused with blackberry and blackcurrant character. The tannins nicely melt into the wine with finesse and weightlessness. Elegant. 70% cabernet sauvignon and 30% merlot. Score: 94 - 95 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 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 Sculpted plum and raspbery puree fruits, fresh lift through the palte, this is a lovely wine that has intense liquorice and bilberry fruit, a little austere in its tannic structure on the finish, more so than in recent vintages at this sculpted fruit-forward Pauillac, but there is great spice here, and has the phenolic richness and density of the year. 3.73ph, 65% new oak. Score: 93 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2028-2044 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 Château Haut-Batailley is much more structured and darker than the Verso, offering classic Pauillac cassis, currant, tobacco leaf, melted chocolate, and espresso nuances, with an almost iron-like hint that emerges with time in the glass. Full-bodied, concentrated, and powerful, it's nevertheless balanced and textured. It's a brilliant wine, if not the finest vintage I've tasted from this château. Score: 94 - 96 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Haut Brion | Pessac-Leognan | £3,090 | 6x75cl | 96-98 | 98-99 | 95-97 | 96 | 97-99 | 96-98 | |
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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 Currants and cedar with sandalwood and peaches. Fascinating aromas. Violets. Full-bodied with a crunchy and electric palate of primary fruit, with hints of tangerines and citrus. Great finish with structure and polish. 53.6% merlot, 35.4% cabernet sauvignon and 11% cabernet franc. Interesting to have such high merlot in the blend. Score: 98 - 99 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 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 Stately, inky colour, this is impressively vivid and energetic despite the intensity of the construction. Fresh fig character, black chocoate, cinnammon, turmeric, creamy bilberry and blackberry fruits, with clove and sandalwood spice, and a slow build of texture and contrast from the slate tannins as they draw out the flavours. Harvest August 29-19 September. 3.9ph. Less Cabernet Sauvignon than usual due to tiny yields, Score: 96 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux 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 Slightly better than its sibling La Mission Haut-Brion, the 2022 Château Haut-Brion has a full-bodied, concentrated, structured style that's going to demand bottle age. Cassis, graphite, scorched earth, and tobacco are just some of its nuances aromatically, and it shows the ripe, powerful style of the vintage. There are lots of tannins here, especially on the finish, and it's going to need 7-8 years in the cellar. Score: 96 - 98 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Issan | Margaux | £306 | 6x75cl | 93-95 | 96-97 | 93-95 | 95 | 93-95 | 95-97 | |
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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 This is one hell of an Issan with blackberry, blackcurrant, and hazelnut aromas and flavors. Cherries. Cedar. Full and intense with tannins that are long and bright. Goes tight at the end, indicating greatness. 65% cabernet sauvignon, 30% merlot, 2% cabernet franc, 2% malbec and 1% petit verdot. Score: 96 - 97 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 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 Fragrant dried cumin and turmeric spices on the opening, along with floral waves of rose petals, this maintains the finesse of Issan, delivering estate signature alongside fleshy blackberry and baked damson fruits, with waves of liquorice, graphite and crushed rocks. The oldest vines are kept for the 1st wine, and almost 80% of the new plots of Pontac Lynch are included here in Issan, giving a darker spiced character than you find in other hot vintages at this estate such as 2009. They almost pulled up the Malbec when they bought Pontac Lynch but it has once again proved its worth. 30hl/h yield (compared to 38hl/h last year). 3.67ph. 72IPT. Eric Boissenot consultant. 50% new oak. Score: 95 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2030-2046 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 Château D'Issan ratchets up the quality, offering more purity, precision, and length. Revealing notes of darker currants and blue fruits, graphite, and chalky minerality, this medium to full-bodied red has beautiful freshness, and is focused, straight, and elegant. Just a beautiful barrel sample, it’s very impressive. Score: 95 - 97 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Kirwan | Margaux | £224 | 6x75cl | 92-94 | 94-95 | 90-92 | 93 | 90-92 | 93-95 | |
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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 Deep, succulent fruit here with wide, velvety tannin structure. Polished and refined. Medium to full body. Structured and complex with a lingering finish. Score: 94 - 95 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 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 Creamy raspberry and blackberry fruits from the first moments, this delivers a deliciously velvet texture, exuberant without being heavy, cappuccino, smoked earth and cigar box. Accomplished, balanced, full of pleasure. Score: 93 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2027-2042 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 dense purple-hued 2022 Château Kirwan just about jumps out of the glass with its intense bouquet of cassis and blue fruits as well as spicy oak and violets. It's certainly not shy, yet it stays pure, precise, and nicely focused, with medium to full-bodied richness, ripe, building tannins, and a great finish. This beauty is just loaded with character and is well worth seeking out. Score: 93 - 95 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com |
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[Add to shopping basket] | La Chenade | Lalande de Pomerol | £93 | 6x75cl | 90-92 | 92-93 | 89-91 | 91 | 90-92 | 91-93 | |
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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 A focused and polished red with berry, chocolate and walnut character. Medium body. Focused center palate and a fresh finish. Coffee-bean and ripe-seed character. Vivid. Score: 92 - 93 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 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 A real sign of the vintage to see how the Durantou wines performed in Lalande in the heat of 2022 and here we have fully ripe blackcurrant and black cherry fruits, sweet and highly spiced, careful extraction as you would expect, annd this is good quality, but for me the mark of the vintage are the clove notes on the finish. 30% new oak. Sandy-gravel soils, 28hl/h yield. Harvest dates September 1 to 9. Score: 91 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2024-2030 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 Château La Chenade is a step up over the Saintayme at this point and should be terrific. Black cherries, mulberries, chocolate, and spicy, floral notes all emerge from the glass, and it's medium-bodied, with beautiful tannins and outstanding length. Score: 91 - 93 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com |
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[Add to shopping basket] | La Clotte | St Emilion | £360 | 6x75cl | 92-94 | 92-93 | 92-94 | 95 | 92-95 | 94-97 | |
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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 Intense fruit with cherries and redcurrants that are exuberant. Full and layered with lots of fruit. 85% merlot and 15% cabernet franc. Score: 92 - 93 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 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 This is a wine that is worth watching every year right now, growing in confidence, precision, flesh, and terroir character. Brilliantly fleshy plum and raspberry fruits, chocolate, salinity, with a charred coffee bean edge. Harvest September 8 to 27. Conversion to organic farming began in 2020. 100% new oak, and new equipment in the winery, with smaller-sized vats. Great stuff from the Vauthier family. Score: 95 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2038-2044 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 Coming from vines southwest of the village and 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc, the 2022 Château La Clotte is one of my favorites in the lineup from the Vauthier family in 2022. Ripe black cherries, red plums, espresso, baking spices, and a beautiful sense of minerality all define the aromatics, and it's medium to full-bodied, with nicely integrated oak, ripe tannins, and a great finish. Score: 94 - 97 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com |
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[Add to waiting list] | La Gaffeliere | St Emilion | £342 | 6x75cl | Sold Out | 95-97 | 96-97 | 95-96 | 96 | 98-100 | 94-96 |
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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 This is serious. Bold and structured with beautiful fruit, which is crunchy and vibrant. Full body. Lots of complexity and depth with a wide and velvety tannin structure. Excellent length. Lots of blue fruits. Touch of whole cluster. Score: 96 - 97 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 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 Such a delicious wine in 2022, with mouthwateringly sappy tannins, juicy and approachable while being muscular and stacked, and here the concentrated blackcurrant and loganberry fruit is studded through with oyster shell salinity. La Gaffelière is not the most high profile of the estates to have resigned from the St Emilion classification, but it's a real loss, because it is finding these type of wines that makes the ranking so worthwhile. Look out also for a 100% Cabernet Franc cuvee (not tasted, so I'll be looking out too) from this vintage to be released in a few years. Stéphane Derenoncourt consultant. Score: 96 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2028-2044 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 Château La Gaffelière showed beautifully, with a medium to full-bodied, forward, sexy style carrying ample ripe black cherries, spring flowers, camphor, and graphite aromatics. These carry to a medium to full-bodied Saint-Emilion with nicely integrated tannins, remarkable purity, and a great, great finish. This is clearly a gorgeous Saint-Emilion in the making and is well worth seeking out. The blend is 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Franc, and this is certainly in the same ballpark, if not better than, the 2018, 2019, and 2020. Score: 94 - 96 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com |
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[Add to shopping basket] | La Mondotte | St Emilion | £864 | 6x75cl | 93-95 | 97-98 | 93-95 | 94 | 95-97 | 94-96 | |
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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 Blackberries and blueberries with chalkboard and dark earth aromas. Flowers, too. Lead pencil. Full-bodied and very deep in the palate, which is reserved and texturally sophisticated. Chalky, too. Silky and very polished. 80% merlot and 20% cabernet franc. From organically grown grapes. Score: 97 - 98 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 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 Fresh flowers of lilies, peonies and roses on the opening aromatics, heading towards cherry pit and rapberry puree fruits, this works within the vintage but gives quite a different expression of it, with nuance and charm. Ludovic de Niepperg winemaker, who previously worked at Harlan in Napa before returning to the family estates. 40% new oak, 45hl/h yield, harvest Septmber 3 to 23. Certified organic since 2014, no till farming since 2022. An estate sat between Troplong Mondot and Tertre Roteboeuf, on silt-sand and clay soils above limestone mother rock, with vines aged between 30 and 60 years old. Score: 94 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2027-2042 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 Coming from pure limestone soils just above Château Pavie, the 2022 La Mondotte is inky hued and medium to full-bodied, with a concentrated yet surprisingly supple, elegant profile. Yields were healthy in the Comtes von Neipperg lineup of wines, and I think that contributes to the more open, supple, elegant style here. Nevertheless, it's beautifully textured, has good concentration, ripe tannins, and tons of limestone character on the finish. This beautiful, layered, elegant Saint-Emilion will be drinkable right out of the gate yet still evolve gracefully. Score: 94 - 96 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Labegorce | Margaux | £150 | 6x75cl | 92-94 | - | - | 93 | 91-93 | 92-94 | |
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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 Very different in shape and feel than sibling Tour de Mons, still lots of spice, more cardamon, cloves and grilled sandalwood. There is density and concentration, and clear tannic heft, one block stacking up along the next, closing in on the palate, showing astringency and a huge future ahead of it. Clear eucalyptus, black pepper, drawing the flavours out through the palate. Harvest September 12 to October 5. 3.6ph. Marjolaine de Coninck CEO and technical director. The blend given is planted, not as per final wine, allowing slight evolution over ageing, so these are ones to check back in on when in bottle. Mid silver. 40% new oak. Score: 93 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2028-2044 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 I continue to love the wines from Labégorce. Their 2022 checks in as 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Classic notes of darker currants, blackberries, smoked tobacco, and fresh earth all flow to a medium to full-bodied, pure, layered Margaux offering quality tannins as well as terrific purity of fruit. Pulled from 85% of the total production and aging in 40% new French oak, it's going to offer pleasure right out of the gate yet still have two decades of longevity. Score: 92 - 94 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Lafaurie Peyraguey | Sauternes/Barsac | £360 | 12x37.5cl | 95-97 | 99-100 | - | 91 | 89-91 | - | |
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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 Another mind-blowing Sauternes with dense and concentrated fruit, and incredible depth and power. Spices galore. Very sweet. 260 grams residual sugar. Twice the normal year. French TBA? 95% semillon and 5% sauvignon blanc. Score: 99 - 100 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 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 Lafaurie-Peyraguey has a very fragrant, floral bouquet with pure botrytised fruit, wonderful delineation and sense of mineralité. The palate is smooth and sensual, dried honey and quince, lightly spiced with a gentle crescendo on its polished and long finish. This is a very strong follow-up to the 2021. Score: 95 - 97 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2028-2052 |
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[Add to waiting list] | Lafite Rothschild | Pauillac | £3,570 | 6x75cl | Sold Out | 96-98 | 99-100 | 95-97 | 97 | 96-98 | 97-99 |
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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 classical Lafite that reminds me of something like the 1986, with its blackcurrant and tobacco character with cedar and hazelnut, but it's so today with its purity and precision. It's really about being Lafite here. Terroir gives great elegance with strength. Score: 99 - 100 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 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 Saturated inky colour, with intense ruby reflections. This is a classically constructed Lafite, with clear power to the tannins and intense spice, a little more upfront and concentrated than you find in many En Primeur vintages at this property but it exemplifies balance and confidence. Fully in control, delivering estate signature with finesse and understatement, with pulses of graphite, slate, bitter almond and cocoa bean. Takes its time to uncurl in the glass, leaving you plenty of time to admire its architecture. Give it a good decade at least. 17.5% of press wine, 3.85ph, 41% Lafite of overall production. Harvest August 31 to September 24, earliest since 1893. 100% new oak, Eric Kohler techincal director. Potential upscore in bottle. Score: 97 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2032-2052 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 Château Lafite-Rothschild is based on 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot, and 1% Petit Verdot that was harvested between the 31st of August and the 24th of September. It's a richer, more opulent wine compared to the more classic 2020 (although the pH is higher in the 2020) and has a deep, full-bodied, concentrated profile as well as classic Lafite aromatics of spicy red and black fruits, freshly sharpened pencils, graphite, and tobacco. Deep, rich, and concentrated, it nevertheless stays pure and flawlessly balanced, with ample, ripe tannins and a great finish. It's going to have some up-front appeal by Lafite standards but should still require a decade of bottle age. Director Eric Koher compares this to the 2005, but this modern-day clone of the 1959 is one of the most powerful, concentrated Lafites I've tasted. Score: 97 - 99 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Lafon Rochet | St Estephe | £210 | 6x75cl | 92-94 | 94-95 | 90-92 | 94 | 95-97 | 93-95 | |
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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 This shows a terrific tannin backbone with blackcurrants and berries. Medium body. Solid fruit. Vivid. 65% cabernet sauvignon, 31% merlot and 4% cabernet franc. Score: 94 - 95 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 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 Baked plum, damson, black pepper, edges of cut herbs and dried rose petals, campfire smoke and soot. This is intense but has an aromatic quality that hugs through the palate, and the tannins are plentiful but well controlled. 50% new oak plus some large oak casks, and 400l barrels; almost 60% 1st wine, down from 70% last year (in a better vintage this year, really an indication of the focus on quality under the new team). Harvest September 12 to 27. Eric Boissenot consultant together wtih director Christophe Congé, ex Lafite, in his first full vintage. As of 2024 this will be the first Cru Classé in St Estèphe to be certified organic. Score: 94 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2030-2046 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 One of the bigger, more structured wines in Saint-Estèphe, the 2022 Château Lafon-Rochet checks in as 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc. Ripe blackcurrants, smoky blue fruits, scorched earth, and chocolate all define the aromatics, and this concentrated, medium to full-bodied, powerful wine has ample mid-palate depth, ripe yet significant tannins, and a great finish. It's not for the instant gratification crowd and is going to need 7-8 years, if not a decade, of cellaring. It's a beautiful wine though, worthy of purchasing and cellaring. Score: 93 - 95 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Lagrange (St Julien) | St Julien | £237 | 6x75cl | 95-97 | 94-95 | 94-96 | 96 | 92-94 | 91-94 | |
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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 Solid Lagrange with blueberry and blackberry character. Medium body and a tannin structure that unfolds at the finish. Very well done. Score: 94 - 95 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 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 A Lagrange with real depth and restaint, feels so pefectly Left Bank, really impresive, a wine that shows the true possibilities of the vintage. There is a build up of tannins through the palate, but also a juiciness and a gorgeous cassis, bilberry and fresh cherry pit seduction, with huge confidence and clear ageing potential. Score: 96 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2030-2046 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 Château Lagrange is more mid-weight than I expected, yet it's nicely balanced and certainly elegant. Based on 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, and 2% Petit Verdot pulled from just 40% of the total production, it has a pretty nose of cassis and black raspberry fruits as well as some floral and spicy nuances. Its oak is nicely integrated, it's medium to full-bodied, and it has fine tannins. The barrel review will seem low if this puts on weight over the course of its élevage.91 Score: 91 - 94 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Lagune | Haut Medoc | £216 | 6x75cl | 92-94 | 95-96 | 93-95 | 94 | 88-91 | 92-94 | |
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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 This is long and fresh with a linear feeling to the rich fruit, showing plums, redcurrants and spices, with chocolate and walnuts. Medium to full body. Fine tannins. This is the first year being certified biodynamic by Biodyvin and furthermore, La Lagune is always excellent in hot years. Score: 95 - 96 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 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 Impressive La Lagune, with depth and reach, manages to deliver intense tannic architecture, with Left Bank power and concentrated cassis and bilberry fruits, with fresher pomegranate, citrus zest, mandarin oil, tobacco, cigar box all adding complexity. Supple tannins also, and plenty of them, with bitter almond notes adding focus on the finish. Ageing potential here, and an impressive vintage for the property. Harvest September 9 to 26. Owner Caroline Frey. Score: 94 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2029-2044 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 One of the best Haut-Médoc out there, the 2022 Château La Lagune reveals a dense purple hue as well as a classic Médoc bouquet of blackcurrants, leafy herbs, fresh earth, and chocolate. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it has a layered, concentrated mid-palate, ripe tannins, and a great finish. A stunning wine, it will have 30 years of longevity if properly stored. Score: 92 - 94 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com |
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[Add to waiting list] | Langoa Barton | St Julien | £214 | 6x75cl | Sold Out | 92-94 | 96-97 | 93-95 | 94 | 91-93 | 93-95 |
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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 Deep fruit, dark spices and graphite with wide yet polished, linear tannins. Full-bodied and intense with depth and structure. Long and chalky at the end. Big wine. Score: 96 - 97 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 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 Another successful vintage for Langoa, with dense cherry pit, graphite, smoked earth and bilberry fruits. Glass-staining ruby colour, a little atypical for the estate with its gourmet edge that gives supple tannins and a rich mid-palate, with concentrated fruit and spices all balanced by great tannic architecture. This is an impressive St Julien from the Barton family, with a ton of ageing potential. 60% new oak. Score: 94 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2030-2038 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 Grand Vin 2022 Château Langoa Barton checks in as 56.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 41% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc that was raised in 60% new barrels. Medium-bodied and vibrant, with a fresher, elegant, yet still textured profile, it has pure black and blue fruits, some lead pencil, tobacco, and earthy nuances, fine tannins, and a great finish. This 2022 is all about finesse and elegance. Tasted twice with consistent notes. Score: 93 - 95 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Larcis Ducasse | St Emilion | £433 | 6x75cl | 95-97 | 98-99 | 94-95 | 96 | 96-98 | 98-100 | |
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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 This is really precise with a lazer-guided fine tannin structure throughout the wine, and juicy and electric texture. It’s so refined and polished. Endless. Wonderful young wine with a terrific future. Score: 98 - 99 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 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 You feel the fingerprint of the limestone here, from a team that is never afraid of austerity in a young wine is young. It opens to show creamy black and red fruits, with steely acidity that keeps the ripeness in check. 34hl/h yield, 50% new oak and for the rest 500l casks for ageing. Score: 96 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2030-2042 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 Tasted on multiple occasions and one of the legendary wines in the making from this vintage, the 2022 Château Larcis Ducasse clocks in as 86% Merlot and 14% Cabernet Franc that's still resting in 55% new French oak. A hypothetical blend of the 2005 and 2018, it's a deep, powerful, opulent Saint-Emilion offering an incredible array of black cherries, blackberries, smoked tobacco, chocolate, and graphite-driven aromas and flavors. With a rich, full-bodied, expansive mouthfeel, it has ultra-fine tannins, beautiful symmetry in its tannins, acidity, and fruit, no hard edges, and a killer finish. I was lucky enough to taste this on four separate occasions and I thought it had the potential to be a perfect wine every time. Score: 98 - 100 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Laroque | St Emilion | £147 | 6x75cl | 92-94 | 93-94 | 93-95 | 97 | 92-94 | 95-97 | |
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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 A very classic Bordeaux with medium to full body, firm tannins and crunchy character, with a linear nature. Currants and blackberries. Sandalwood, too. Fresh. Score: 93 - 94 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 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 You just know that this estate is well placed to succeed in the vintage, and this really does walk the line of ripeness and salinity, such gorgeous definition and vivid energetic fruit. Stretches out through the palate also, has a relaxed confidence to it that is quite unusual in such a full--on vintage. Really impressive, Beaumartin family, David Suire director. Score: 97 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2030-2048 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 Clearly one of the new superstars in the appellation, Château Laroque is located on the cooler, eastern edge of Saint-Emilion and consists of pure, classic upper plateau limestone soils. The estate covers a whopping 54 hectares, which gives director Davie Suire ample flexibility when putting together the Grand Vin. Looking at the 2022 Laroque, it's a blend of 98% Merlot and 2% Cabernet Franc from healthy yields of 41 hectoliters per hectare, representing just 45% of the total production, and it will spend 16-18 months in 50% new French oak. This deep purple-hued beauty offers a classic Saint-Emilion bouquet of crème de cassis, graphite, tobacco, and a liquid rock-like sense of minerality. It’s medium to full-bodied, has incredible purity, and ultra-fine tannins. It’s unquestionably another beautiful vintage for this chateau that readers will love. Score: 95 - 97 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Larrivet Haut Brion Blanc | Dry Whites | £204 | 6x75cl | 90-92 | 95-96 | 91-93 | 90 | 92-94 | 92-94 | |
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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 This is solid with dried pineapple, grapefruit and apple character. It’s full-bodied with fantastic structure and depth. Phenolics are all there. Serious. 86% sauvignon and the rest semillon. Score: 95 - 96 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 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 Luscious ripe apricot and white pear fruits, velvety texture, with plenty of concentration and depth. A gourmet white that has appeal but needs more lift on the finish, as is so often the case in this vintage. 70% new oak, 30% wooden casks, harvest August 26 to 29. Bruno Lemoine managing director. Score: 90 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2023-2028 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 Château Larrivet Haut-Brion Blanc is going to be outstanding, if not more. Offering a vivid gold hue as well as ample citrus, orange blossom, mint, and some honeyed, mineral notes, it's medium-bodied, has good acidity, and terrific overall balance. Despite coming from a hot, stressful year, this is lively, pure, and beautifully done. Tasted twice. Score: 92 - 94 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Larrivet Haut Brion Rouge | Pessac-Leognan | £162 | 6x75cl | 91-93 | 94 | 92-94 | 94 | 92-94 | 93-95 | |
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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 Broad and structured, but supple and sleek, with fine-grained tannins. Medium- to full-bodied. Hints of coffee beans and cedar. Solid finish. Bright. Score: 94 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 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 Deep plum colour, velvety in texture, this is gorgeously measured while still being sleek and polished. Gives you clear promise of future enjoyment, with its chocolate-dipped cherry notes that are full and welcoming but not overly sweet, balanced by blueberry and bilberry fruits that give a mix of ripe and just-ripe-enough fruit with sufficient juice to carry them home. It's marked by the vintage, with clear tannins that give some drying notes on the finish, but isn't overpowered by phenolics, and is a deft handling of the year. 50% new oak, 35% one year barrels, 15% terracotta amphorae for part of the Merlot, along with a small amount of whole bunch fermentation. Bruno Lemoine managing director. Score: 94 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2028-2040 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 I loved the 2022 Château Larrivet Haut-Brion, and I wouldn't be surprised to see this check in near the 2020, although it's in a riper, more sexy style. Cassis, plums, chocolate, and earthy notes all emerge from this full-bodied Graves that has an expansive, layered mouthfeel, ripe, velvety tannins, and solid mid-palate density. It's going to benefit from just a few years of bottle age. The blend is 61% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Cabernet Franc, and the balance Merlot, resting in 50% new oak, with a small amount in amphora. Score: 93 - 95 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Lascombes | Margaux | £373 | 6x75cl | - | 93-94 | 86-89 | 93 | 90-92 | 93-95 | |
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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 A more refined and focused Lascombes with blackcurrant, graphite, stone and blueberry character. Medium body. Polished finish. Needs a little more at the finish to be in the big leagues. Score: 93 - 94 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 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 All eyes on Lascombes as of the 2023 vintage with the arrival of Axel Heinz, making this 2022 a particularly interesting vintage for future comparisons. You'll find a ton of black cherries, cassis, fragrant baked spices, bitter chocolate and fennel, with serious tannic grip and fresh acidities. Marked by the vintage, as you would expect from a vineyard that has plots in different soil types across Margaux, but it walks the line and there is plenty of lush fruit and personality to enjoy here. 60% new oak. The biggest change this year is the increase in Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend, which was made possible by bringing the percentage of 1st wine down to 40%, 3.75, 36hl/h yield. New owners the Lawrence family with CEO Carlton McCoy involved in the blend, but not the growing season. The wine cellar was redone for 2021. Score: 93 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2028-2044 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 Château Lascombes is a ripe, powerful wine that holds onto a terrific sense of purity and freshness. Black fruits, smoky oak, lead pencil, and tobacco all define the aromatics, and it's medium to full-bodied, with a layered, elegant mouthfeel, ripe, building tannins, and a great finish. A killer bottle of wine, it’s going to benefit from short-term cellaring. Tasted twice. Score: 93 - 95 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Latour Martillac Blanc | Dry Whites | £198 | 6x75cl | 90-92 | 93-94 | 90-92 | 92 | 85-87 | 92-94 | |
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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 Fresh and bright with lemon pith, white flowers and chalky minerality. Medium- to full-bodied with vivid acidity. Really attractive and crisp. Score: 93 - 94 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 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 Golden colour, this has intense spiced nectarine and white pear aromatics, gentle apricot pit, smoked almond, citrus, apricot and fresher mint leaf on the finish. Enjoyable, soft finish. Harvest August 18 to 31, 25% new oak, 43hl/h yield. Score: 92 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux 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 Bright citrus, tart pineapple, and honeyed mint are just some of the nuances in the 2022 Château Latour-Martillac Blanc, a medium-bodied, vibrant, crisp white that certainly makes the most of the vintage. It shows plenty of ripeness and concentration, yet I love its acidity and balance. Score: 92 - 94 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Leoville Barton | St Julien | £440 | 6x75cl | Low Stock | 96-98 | 95-96 | 96-97 | 96 | 93-95 | 94-96 |
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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 Very polished and poised with blackberry and blueberry character. Medium body with tight and focused tannin tension. Lively finish. Harmonious for the vintage. Score: 95 - 96 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 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 Balanced, elegant, built to last, with campfire smoke, turmeric, cloves, blackberry, cassis, cherry pit, graphite and mint leaf. As with the Langoa, this has more exuberance and spice than usual, but the tannins kick in pretty quickly, providing intensity, and balance. The concentration of the vintage almost seems to take it from St Julien into Pauillac, and this has the frame and density to age for decades. Highly impressive from Lilian, Melanie and Damien Barton. 60% new. Score: 96 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2030-2044 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 Château Léoville Barton is another pretty, elegant wine from this talented team. A blend of 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11.5 % Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc, its ruby/purple hue is followed by a beautiful perfume of ripe red and black fruits, smoked tobacco, graphite, and violets. Playing in the medium to full-bodied end of the spectrum, it has fine tannins, a supple, elegant mouthfeel, and a great finish. It's surprisingly approachable yet I wouldn't be surprised to see this firm up over the course of its élevage. Score: 94 - 96 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Leoville Las Cases | St Julien | £1,580 | 6x75cl | Low Stock | 98-100 | 99-100 | 98-100 | 97 | 98-100 | 98-100 |
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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 This shows no gravity. The tannins are totally melted in the wine and give it fantastic structure, but the texture is so fresh and vivid. Crushed stone. Cloves. Chinese spices. Great finish. Opening and flying away. Orange peel. Very special. Thought-provoking. Endless. 83.5% cabernet sauvignon, 10.5% cabernet franc and 6% merlot. Score: 99 - 100 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 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 Heading to Léoville Las Cases in a super ripe year is always a good idea, as the musuclar tannins are balanced by a riper mouthfeel. As quietly confident as you would expect, this is packed with depth and intensity, taking the 2022 vintage and reshaping it in the character of this St Julien powerhouse. Graphite, crushed rocks, liquorice root, cassis, bluberry, slate, saffran, smoked earth, all held in by tannins with grip and length. 3.8ph, and high alcohols for this estate, giving a seductive mouthfeel that is unusual in young Las Cases. 84% new oak, 37hl/h yield. Harvest September 8 to 30. Score: 97 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2032-2050 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 Looking at the Grand Vin 2022 Château Léoville Las Cases, it has an almost Pauillac-like style in its ripe, powerful aromatics of graphite, lead pencil shavings, cassis, and liquid rock-like minerality. Full-bodied, massively concentrated, and powerful on the palate, it nevertheless stays flawlessly balanced, has just about off-the-charts purity, ripe yet building tannins, and a great finish. This will clearly rank with the truly greats from this address and reminds me slightly of a mix of the 2016 and 2018. It is not, however, going to be for those looking for instant gratification. Score: 98 - 100 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Leoville Poyferre | St Julien | £507 | 6x75cl | 95-97 | 96-97 | 94-96 | 96 | 94-96 | 97-100 | |
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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 A very solid LP with black berry, blackcurrant, crushed stone and lavender character. Full and really well structured with a linear length to it. Focused and so polished. Thoughtful. 58% cabernet sauvignon, 34% merlot, 4% cabernet franc and 4% petit verdot. Score: 96 - 97 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 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 Dense and succulent fruit and tannins, beautifully powerful, with fresh acidities, beautifully spicy with notes of black cherries, fresh figs, eucalyptus, rosemary, rose petals and cassis. Muscular tannins shot through with salted caramel sweetness, lifted by saffran and slate. Accomplished, impressive. Harvest September 8 to 28. 80% new oak from 16 different coopers. Score: 96 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux 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 I was blown away by the 2022 Château Léoville Poyferré, which is a classic blend of 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot, and 4% each of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Harvest spanned from the 8th to the 28th of September, the vinification is in tronconique tanks (parcel by parcel), and the élevage will span 18-20 months in 80% new barrels. This inky hued beauty offers that rare mix of power and elegance and offers ample cassis and assorted blue fruits, full-bodied richness, an opulent, concentrated, yet flawlessly balanced mouthfeel, velvety tannins, and plenty of classic Saint-Julien violets, espresso roast, and crushed stone-like minerality. Despite its incredible concentration and depth, it stays beautifully balanced. In a region that seems to only talk about finesse and elegance, it's a relief to still have producers such as this producing powerful, intense, singular wines. Hats off to the Cuvelier family and their team. Score: 97 - 100 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Les Cruzelles | Lalande de Pomerol | £119 | 6x75cl | 92-94 | 93-94 | 90-92 | 93 | 92-94 | 92-94 | |
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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 A solid red with blackberry, chocolate, walnut and hazelnut. Medium to full body. Smily face here, thanks to the ripe seeds. Score: 93 - 94 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 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 More clay in the soils here and there is a lovely balance, fleshy in texture and high impact, but with a ton of interest, dark deep chocolate, gunsmoke, aniseed, fennel, black cherry, lovely fresh acidities. Harvest September 1 to 12, 28hl/h, 50% new oak, Noemie Durantou winemaker. Score: 93 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux 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 Another gorgeous Lalande de Pomerol, the 2022 Château Les Cruzelles is deep ruby/purple and boasts a great nose of ripe darker cherries, cassis, graphite, and flowers. A blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc, it's medium-bodied, stays lively and elegant, and has silky tannins as well as a great finish. It's going to be a hidden gem in the vintage that readers will love to have in the cellar. Score: 92 - 94 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Lynch Bages | Pauillac | £630 | 6x75cl | 95-97 | 98-99 | 93-96 | 97 | - | 96-98 | |
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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 One of the vintage's most powerful, muscular wines is the 2022 Lynch-Bages, a full-bodied, broad-shouldered Pauillac that unfurls in the glass with aromas of cassis, cherries, mint, pencil shavings and petroleum jelly, framed by nicely integrated new oak. Liberally extracted, its deep core of fruit is underpinned by an imposing chassis of rich, powdery tannin and lively acids. Always rather forbidding from barrel, Lynch Bages always seems to come together in bottle, and the 2022 has the makings of another success for this address. Score: 93 - 96 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.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 2022 Lynch-Bages was picked 12 September, around 15 days earlier than usual until 24 September at around 35hL/ha. Aged for 18 months in 75% new oak, it has a backward nose that demands a lot of encouragement. This is not as immediate as the 2016 or 2019 at the same stage. Powerful blackberry and boysenberry fruit, cedar and light tobacco notes, this feels like an edifice of aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with grippy tannins, beautifully balanced, very harmonious yet there is an enormous backbone here that (again) is reminiscent of Mouton. Extremely long on the finish, this will need its barrel maturation to fully knit together and it is going to be a Pauillac for the long haul. Score: 95 - 97 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2032-2075 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 |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Lynch Moussas | Pauillac | £173 | 6x75cl | 91-93 | 94-95 | 87-89 | 94 | - | 92-94 | |
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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 Exhibiting aromas of rich cassis, berries, licorice and loamy soil, the 2022 Lynch-Moussas is medium to full-bodied, firm and somewhat austere. Score: 87 - 89 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.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 The 2022 Lynch-Moussas was picked September 1-27, mostly in the mornings with light pumping over, aged in 57% new oak with 14.2% alcohol. It is quintessentially Pauillac on the nose, with pencil shavings infusing the black fruit. Very composed and linear at the moment. The palate is medium-bodied with a silky entry. The acidity is nicely judged here, lending this Pauillac freshness and tension, quite precise with delicacy on the finish that is a welcome surprise after the warmth of the growing season. Excellent. Score: 91 - 93 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2028 - 2048 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 |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Malartic Lagraviere | Pessac-Leognan | £204 | 6x75cl | 93-95 | 95-96 | 91-93 | 96 | 94-96 | 93-95 | |
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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 This is very, very fine with wonderfully polished tannins that are silky in texture. It’s medium- to full-bodied with lovely length, lasting a minute or two. Hints of crushed stone and fine sea salt. Finesse with structure. Could move up a notch with the elevage. 53% cabernet sauvignon, 43% merlot, 2.5% petit verdot, and 1.5% cabernet franc. Score: 95 - 96 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 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 Deep plum colour, plush damson and black cherry, with a well textured grain to the tannins that stops things being overly sweet. This is a brilliant Malartic-Lagravière, just absoutely hits the spot between excess and restaint, so much detail and concentration to the fruit, and it manages to pull up just short of too much, delivering a cooler blueberry and mint leaf exit that draws things out through the palate and opens things up for a smoky woodfire soot edge. Total class. Score: 96 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2030-2048 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 Château Malartic-Lagravière does incredibly well in the vintage and offers a beautiful sense of freshness and elegance while still staying concentrated and textured. A blend of 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 43% Merlot, and the balance Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, it has an up-front, expressive style in its red and blue fruits as well as spring flower, tobacco, and graphite-like aromatics. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it has ripe, polished tannins, fabulous overall balance, and a great finish. The purity and precision here are top-notch. Score: 93 - 95 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Malescot Saint Exupery | Margaux | £270 | 6x75cl | 93-95 | - | 93-95 | - | 92-94 | 94-96 | |
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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 Offering up aromas of rich blackberries, cassis, sweet spices, pencil shavings and creamy new oak, the 2022 Malescot St. Exupery is medium to full-bodied, rich and fleshy, with a broad attack that segues into a layered core of expressive fruit that's framed by sweet, powdery tannins. A blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot, this is one of the appellation's most flamboyant wines, but it retains good balance and boasts a healthy pH of 3.65. Score: 93 - 95 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com 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 The 2022 Château Malescot Saint Exupéry is gorgeous and certainly a Margaux worth seeking out. Dense purple-hued, with a rich, powerful bouquet of ripe black fruits, melted chocolate, smoked tobacco, and spice, it picks up a beautiful floral character with air, is full-bodied, and has a layered, opulent mouthfeel as well as a great finish. It shows the vintage's building yet velvety tannins and is going to warrant just 4-5 years or more of bottle age, but it's a brilliant wine in the making. Score: 94 - 96 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Mangot | St Emilion | £123 | 6x75cl | 89-91 | 94-95 | 93-95 | 92 | - | - | |
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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 A wine that gets my nod as this dynamic estate's finest to date is the 2022 Mangot, a medium to full-bodied, ample and layered wine evocative of cherries, dark berries, licorice and rose petals. Deep, concentrated and fleshy, with a vibrant core of fruit and a long, mouthwatering finish, this seamless, complete Saint-Émilion is sure to be one of the best purchases of the en primeur campaign. Score: 93 - 95 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.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 Mangot has a plush nose of black cherries, blueberry and violet aromas, quite showy but it retains decent delineation. The palate is medium-bodied with grippy, powdery tannins, mocha-tinged black fruit toward the finish. It should drink well after 3-4 years in bottle. Score: 89 - 91 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2028-2040 |
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[Add to waiting list] | Margaux | Margaux | £3,100 | 6x75cl | Sold Out | 96-98 | 95-96 | 96-97 | 98-100 | 97-99 | 97-99 |
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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 Very dark purple color with a ruby edge. So much crushed blackberry and blackcurrant with violets. Exuberant. Full-bodied and very tannic with incredible muscle. This is a thought-provoking wine. The biggest Margaux I have tasted in my career. Seems a little overdone for Margaux. 92% cabernet sauvignon, 6% merlot and 2% petit verdot. Score: 95 - 96 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 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 Stunning in its density and construction, with a gorgeous balance that starts with red rose aromatics and slides into creamy and intense raspberry, damson, loganberry and cassis fruits. The intense structure of the vintage is on display, here with velvety tannins giving shape and contrast by a push and pull of slate, graphite, cloves, turmeric, cardamom and white pepper. Bitter dark chocolate ending, a character of the year but here delivered with a blast of cooling mint leaf. Philippe Bascaules director, harvest September 8 to 27, 25hl/h yield. 100% new oak, to be monitored carefully over ageing because this is the first time they have seen this level of alcohol in the Cabernet Sauvignon. 40% of the crop is into this 1st wine, one of the highest in years. Harvest September 8 to 27. They are slowly changing the row orientation in the vineyard at Margaux, begun last year but a 50 year project, and introducing more Cabernet Franc through field grafting (wanting to get up to maybe 15% of plantings, currently 5%). Score: 98 - 100 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2032-2052 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 Grand Vin 2022 Château Margaux checks in as 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Merlot, and 2% Cabernet Franc that's pulled from just 40% of the total production. It's a classic Château Margaux with its overriding sense of elegance and purity, yet it's certainly in the style of the vintage with its depth, richness, and concentration. Cassis, blueberries, acacia flowers, and spice all define the aromatics, and it's full-bodied, with a seamless, layered mouthfeel, building tannins, and a gorgeous finish. The alcohol hit 14.5, and I suspect the pH is relatively high (which is common in the vintage), yet this remains pure, balanced, and is absolutely show-stopping stuff. Score: 97 - 99 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Marquis de Calon (2nd wine of Calon Segur) | St Estephe | £144 | 6x75cl | 89-91 | 93-94 | 91-93 | 90 | 89-91 | 91-93 | |
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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 A racy and refined red with currants and crushed stone character as well as ovaltine. Medium-bodied. Polished and focused. Score: 93 - 94 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 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 Violet reflections, dense fully ripe berries, tannins just the right side of constricting, with black berry, spiced plums, fresh almonds and smoked earth. 26hl/h yields. No pumping over here, and since 2021 they have been making greater use of fractions of press wine during blending. Hail impact brought yields down. 30% new oak Score: 90 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2026-2038 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 second wine of Calon Ségur, the 2022 Le Marquis De Calon is more Merlot-dominated and checks in as 58% Merlot, 38% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 2% each of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. It has an up-front, lush, medium to full-bodied style as well as textbook notes of darker, currant-like fruits, leafy herbs, and lead pencil savings. It's an outstanding second wine that will shine right out of the gate. Score: 91 - 93 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Mauvesin Barton | Moulis | £75 | 6x75cl | 91-93 | 92-93 | - | 92 | 90-92 | 90-92 | |
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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 A polished and pretty wine with blackberries and cherries. Hints of hazelnut. Medium body. Fine tannins. Long finish. Score: 92 - 93 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 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 Mauvesin Barton was picked 13 September to 15 October and aged in one-third new oak. It is initially quite backward on the nose and demands encouragement, revealing blackberry, chimney soot and tobacco scents with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins, the cedar-infused black fruit tinged with white pepper and pencil shaving. Composed, nothing over-ambitious, yet long and tender on the finish. It is one of the best vintages that I have tasted from this estate that is owned by the Barton-Sartorius family. Tasted twice with consistent notes. Score: 91 - 93 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2027-2042 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 |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Meyney | St Estephe | £141 | 6x75cl | 91-93 | 94-95 | 91-93 | 95 | - | - | |
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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 Opening in the glass with aromas of sweet dark berries, licorice and petals, the 2022 Meyney is medium to full-bodied, deep and concentrated, with a fleshy core of fruit girdled by sweet but firm tannins. Pure and taut, it is a strong effort that will require a bit of patience. Score: 91 - 93 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.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 Meyney was picked from 14 September to 5 October at 37hL/ha. This has a really lovely nose with layers of red fruit interlaced with loamy, pencil lead aromas, focused and very well-defined. The palate is medium-bodied with a structured opening. A "solid" Saint-Estèphe, quite taut and linear. One sample lacked a bit of vigor on the finish, so called for another, which displays far more precision and energy. This is what my assessment is based upon. Score: 91 - 93 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2065 |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Mission Haut Brion | Pessac-Leognan | £1,590 | 6x75cl | 97-99 | 98-99 | 94-96 | 97 | 97-99 | 95-97 | |
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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 This has real al dente fruit character on the palate with lemon rind and blackcurrants with blueberries. Lead pencil and stone, too. Full-bodied with chewy and juicy tannins that are primary and growing quickly on the palate as you taste it. Reminds me of the 1978, but brighter and more precise. 51.7% cabernet sauvignon, 43.2% merlot and 5.1% cabernet franc. Score: 98 - 99 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 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 One of the most intense Missions that I can remember in terms of colour, but the density in the phenolics is beautifully balanced on the palate by red roses and peony aromatics, edges of violet, incense, cigar box, black pepper spice, with clear grip and fierce concentration. Delivers an exceptional feeling of walking the line between excess and restraint, hard to resist. Yields a little higher on Cabernet Sauvignon than in Haut-Brion, so higher percentage here. Score: 97 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2030-2050 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 While I don't see the 2022 Château La Mission Haut-Brion matching the legendary wines from this address at this early stage, it's nevertheless a gorgeous wine in the making. Based on 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 43% Merlot, and the balance Cabernet Franc, it has a pure, elegant, lengthy style as well as classic cassis and darker cherry fruits, some smoky, tobacco, scorched earth nuances, medium to full body, perfectly ripe tannins, and a great finish. I love its tannins, and it's a forward, seamless, balanced beauty that will shine with just short-term cellaring. Score: 95 - 97 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Mission Haut Brion Blanc | Dry Whites | £2,880 | 6x75cl | 94-96 | 96-97 | 94-96 | 96 | - | 95-97 | |
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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 Perhaps it's because of the drought-affected vintage, or it could be due to the fantastic terroir of La Mission Haut-Brion, but in any case, the 2022 La Mission Haut-Brion Blanc is especially aromatically expressive, bursting with lively aromas of pear, linen, smoke, gunflint, lemon and spring flowers. Medium to full-bodied, crystalline and pure, it's tensile and seamless, with impressively vibrant acids and a saline finish. YC Score: 94 - 96 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.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 La Mission Haut-Brion Blanc contains much more Sémillon (72%) this year due to its quality according to Jean-Philippe Delmas. It has a perfumed bouquet with white peach, honeysuckle, red apple and light candle wax. Superb delineation. The palate is taut and linear, chalky in texture with good tension. It shows quite impressive weight, perhaps more than the Haut-Brion Blanc with a dab of ginger enlivening the finish. Superb. Score: 94 - 96 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030 - 2060 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 |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Monbousquet | St Emilion | £239 | 6x75cl | 88-90 | 93-94 | - | 89 | 92-94 | 92-95 | |
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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 A rich wine with lots of tannins that are very fine and velvety, with deep fruit. Full and flavorful. Slightly salty and irony. Remains fresh and minerally. Some white pepper. Lead pencil. Score: 93 - 94 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 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 The 2022 Monbousquet was picked 15 to 27 September at 30hL/ha (due to smaller berries) with 14.28% alcohol. Ripe and opulent on the nose, quite pure in style, this goes out to seduce, though it does not present the same complexity as some of its peers. The palate is medium-bodied with a sweet and candied opening, liquorice-infused black fruit that grips the mouth with blueberry on the finish. Quite firm with a lot of backbone. It needs to soften during élevage. Score: 88 - 90 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2026-2040 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 |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Montlandrie | Cotes de Castillon | £102 | 6x75cl | 90-92 | 93-94 | 90-92 | 93 | 92-94 | 91-93 | |
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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 Sea salt and grilled sea weed. Dark fruit, but so umami. Medium to full body with fine and chewy tannins. Crunchy. Score: 93 - 94 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 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 limestone soils in Castillon are naturally cooler than many parts of Bordeaux across in all vintages, and yet even here the harvest began on September 8 through to 23, highlighting the unusual conditions of the vintage. The resulting wine still reflects the site, with its salinity and grip, and waves of soft rose aromatics. Gentle, supple tannins and fruits, enjoyable and finessed, carefully calibrated given the heat of the summer. 37hl/h yields. 50% new oak, Noemie Durantou winemaker. Score: 93 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2025-2035 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 Based on 75% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2022 Château Montlandrie has lots of ripe red and black fruits supported by notions of loamy soil, savory spices, and leafy herbs. It's concentrated, medium to full-bodied, has building yet beautiful tannins, and a great finish. Score: 91 - 93 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Montrose | St Estephe | £975 | 6x75cl | Low Stock | 97-99 | 97-98 | 99-100 | 97 | 96-98 | 98-100 |
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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 A very powerful and structured Montrose with steely tannins that run the length of the wine. It's compacted and muscular with an extremely long finish. Graphite and spices in the aftertaste. This should be terrific after the elevage. From organically grown grapes. 66% cabernet sauvignon, 25% merlot, 8% cabernet franc and 1% petit verdot. Score: 97 - 98 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 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 intensity and the depth of expression is clear from the start, with ripe damson and fig fruits, incense and espresso given balance and tension by pomegrante, slate, lemongrass and mandarin rind. Unrolls to show the depth and class of Montrose, has density without shouting, keeping the estate signature and character. The first full vintage for Pierre Grafeuille as estate director, working alongside long time technical director Vincent Decup. 12% press wine, pretty much exactly the same as ever, this really is a vineyard that delivers consistency. Score: 97 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2030-2048 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 Château Montrose is a classic blend of two-thirds Cabernet Sauvignon, with the balance 25% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Petit Verdot, all of which was brought up in 60% new oak from a variety of coopers. Another absolutely brilliant wine in the vintage, it offers a saturated purple hue as well as an essence of Montrose-like bouquet of currants, blueberries, damp earth, violets, graphite, and tobacco leaf. Full-bodied, incredibly concentrated, and powerful, it nevertheless has a riveting sense of purity, precision, and finesse that's hard to believe. Given its balance and purity of fruit, as well as the quality of the tannins, it's going to offer incredible pleasure with just 4-6 years of bottle age (a decade would be best) yet be just about immortal if well stored. Score: 98 - 100 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Moulin Saint Georges | St Emilion | £145 | 6x75cl | 90-92 | 94-95 | 90-92 | 96 | 90-93 | 93-95 | |
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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 Fresh and framed with a juiciness but also a coolness and brightness. Medium to full body. Very balanced. Well done. Lower pH at 3.52. 80% merlot and 20% cabernet franc. Score: 94 - 95 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 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 A luxurious feel, with velvety tannins, enjoyable ripe black fruits, gourmet touches of smoked vanilla root and liqourice, all well drawn out through the palate, and providing plenty of estate signature. A well balanced luscious wne with a saline limestone twist. 3.55ph, 100% new oak. 28hl/h yield, smaller than across the rest of the Ausone range because of 50 year old vines planted almost entirely by Alain Vauthier when he arrived 1970. Harvest September 19 to 26. Score: 96 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2030-2046 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 Rocking Merlot notes of ripe black cherries, currants, smoked tobacco, and melted chocolate all emerge from the 2022 Château Moulin Saint Georges, a ripe, full-bodied, opulent, seamless 2020 based on 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc. It has the density and structure of the vintage and will have 15-20 years of overall longevity. Score: 93 - 95 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Mouton Rothschild | Pauillac | £3,108 | 6x75cl | 96-98 | 98-99 | 96-99 | 98 | 96-98 | 98-100 | |
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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 The Mouton-specific creme de cassis is all there. Al dente, too. The grapes must have been picked at near perfection. Depth and complexity. Black berries, earth, violets and other flowers. Full-bodied yet very hemmed-in with tight tannins, which are precise and polished. You can taste the grape skins and dust of the soil. The length is rather endless. 92% cabernet sauvignon. Score: 98 - 99 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 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 Inky damson colour, with vibrant violet reflections, velvet texture, aromatics less exuberant than the Petit Mouton, but the concentration and depth on the palate is absolutely there, with cocoa powder, grilled coffee bean, olive paste, cassis, bitter black chocolate on the finish as the tannins close in, ready for decades ahead. This walks the line, and is a thoroughly enjoyable experience. Clearly needs a long time before approaching, give it the full 10 years and then some. Harvest began September 1, earliest since 1893. 32hl/h yield. 3.89ph, 76IPT, 100% new oak. Harvest overall September 1 to 26. Jean-Emanuel Danjoy director. 49% of production in the Grand Vin, 27% Petit Mouton. 100% new barrels for ageing. Score: 98 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2032-2050 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 Moving to the flagship, the 2022 Château Mouton Rothschild is a massive, full-bodied, incredibly powerful 2022 that takes no prisoners with its ripe black and blue fruits, chocolate, graphite, and smoked tobacco-driven aromas and flavors. Deep, unctuous, and concentrated, with velvety tannins, this legendary Mouton is based on 92% Cabernet Sauvignon and 8% Merlot that's still resting in new barrel. It will unquestionably play with the top wines in the vintage. Harvest here began the 1st of September and finished on the 26th, and the final wine hit 14% natural alcohol, with a pH of 3.89 and an IPT of 76. Score: 98 - 100 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Nenin | Pomerol | £327 | 6x75cl | 91-93 | 94-95 | 93-95 | 89 | 92-94 | 92-94 | |
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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 juicy and crunchy red with blackberry, chocolate, hazelnut. Mocha. Full to medium body with a creamy texture. Lots going on here. 64% merlot and 36% cabernet franc. Score: 94 - 95 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 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 Cloves, smoked coffee bean and liqourice, adding gourmet layers to the damson and black cherry fruit. Picking September 1 to 23. Score: 89 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux 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 Ripe black cherries, red plums, spice, dried herbs, and chocolate all emerge from the 2022 Château Nenin, an incredibly ripe, sexy, full-bodied Pomerol revealing a broad, opulent mid-palate and velvety tannins. Based on 64% Merlot and 36% Cabernet Franc, this is another concentrated, inky-hued, powerful 2022 that's going to demand bottle age. Score: 92 - 94 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Ormes de Pez | St Estephe | £130 | 6x75cl | 92-94 | 93-94 | 90-92 | 93 | 91-93 | 93-95 | |
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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 A juicy and fruity red with blackberry, black cherry and chocolate character. Full and round with freshness and intensity. Very spicy. Black olives, too. 51% merlot, 39% cabernet sauvignon, 8% cabernet franc and 2% petit verdot. Score: 93 - 94 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 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 In line with the rest of the St Estèphe appellation in terms of its plum colour and vivid violet rim, this is already promising to be easy to drink, with supple velvet tannins, cocoa bean, caramel, sweet blackberry fruits, fig tart, patisserie cream, spice red peppers, it retains the appealingly unfussy welcome of Ormes de Pez even with the ripe signatures of the vintage. Blend finished February. Quantity down 40% after hail in June. 45% new oak. Score: 93 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2025-2036 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 Another brilliant Saint-Estèphe, the 2022 Château Ormes De Pez offers up lots of ripe blue and black fruits as well textbook earth, crushed stone, and graphite. Showing more nuance and floral notes with time in the glass, this medium to full-bodied effort has plenty of mid-palate depth, velvety yet building tannins, and nicely integrated background oak. This serious wine is worth seeking out. Tasted twice. Score: 93 - 95 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Pagodes de Cos (2nd wine of Cos d'Estournel) | St Estephe | £230 | 6x75cl | 91-93 | 94-95 | 89-91 | 93 | 92-94 | 94-96 | |
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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 This is impressive, big and very structured at the beginning, but then it opens and spreads out with ultra-fine tannins that caress the palate. Really opens at the end and finds its weightless state. Serious. 50% cabernet sauvignon and 49% merlot, 1% cabernet franc. Score: 94 - 95 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 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 A hit of olive, bitter chocolate and salted caramel opens things up here, along with brambled fruits and plentiful tannins. 3.72ph, 20% new oak. Harvest September 7 to 23. 33% of the crop used in Pagodes this year, instead of the usual 50%, with all the rest in the 1st wine. 33hl/h yield. Blend finalised early December. Score: 93 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2026-2040 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 Pagodes De Cos is head-turning good, and it’s going to challenge the 2009 as the greatest vintage for this cuvée to date. Based on 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 49% Merlot, and 1% Cabernet Franc, this huge, opulent, full-bodied beauty has terrific purity in its cassis and blueberry fruits as well as notes of graphite, scorched earth, and tobacco. With sweet tannins, a layered, seamless mouthfeel, and a gorgeous finish, this is an incredible second wine that readers will love. Score: 94 - 96 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Palmer | Margaux | £1,788 | 6x75cl | 96-98 | 98-99 | 95-97 | 96 | 96-98 | 97-99 | |
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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 So much class in the nose with a sophisticated kaleidoscope of dark fruit such as blackcurrants, and spices such as salt and pepper, as well as cloves and nutmeg. Full-bodied. Compacted and dense yet weightless. It opens beautifully. The tannins go on and on with wonderful presence. Salty undertones. Score: 98 - 99 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 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 Dark brooding fruits, this is intense and concentrated, ripe flavours with an exotic edge, cassis, roasted plum, damson and star fruit with a curl of woodsmoke and tobacco leaf, set against fresher edges of blueberry and iris. This is serious, structured, with everything turned up pretty high, giving the imprint of the vintage in its black pepper, rosemary, turmeric, mandarin peel and clove. 3.79ph, harvest September 7 right through to October 5. Blend done by December, yield 23hl/h. Ageing sees the first year in barrel, then second year in larger sized oak casks to minimise oak impact, something that will be particularly important in a year with these unusually high alcohols. Score: 96 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2030-2048 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 Château Palmer is utterly brilliant, so much so that I questioned in my notes if this would challenge the 2018. A blend of 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot, from tiny yields of 22 hectoliters per hectare, its mammoth-sized personality offers layers of blue and black fruits, notes of melted chocolate, crushed stone, and spring flowers, building, velvety tannins, and a great, great finish. While many estates commented that they extracted less in the vintage, Palmer went in a different direction and extracted more during the vinifications to provide a solid backbone to match the concentration and power of the vintage. It appears to have worked brilliantly, and hats off to Thomas Duroux for having the confidence to go his own path. He has produced a truly Grand Vin in 2022. The alcohol here is a normal 14.4%, and the pH is a healthy 3.79. Score: 97 - 99 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Pape Clement | Pessac-Leognan | £375 | 6x75cl | 94-96 | 97-98 | 92-94 | 93 | 93-96 | 96-98 | |
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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 This is a very structured 2022 with powerful tannins that run the length of the wine. Yet it’s perfumed and fresh with flowers and subtle undertones of stone. Pure. It’s full but not heavy with backbone and structure. Lots of crushed stone and currants. One of the most transparent you Pape’s I have tasted. 60% merlot and 40% cabernet sauvignon. Score: 97 - 98 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 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 If you had to pick one wine that would not be afraid of the excess of the vintage, it would be Pape Clement, and certainly here they have leaned into it without being overpowered. Plenty of citrus, lemon curd, white peach and sage. Structured also, with great balance within the estate signature, helped by an attractive bitter edge on the finish. 35hl/h yield, harvest August 28 to September 2. Tasted twice. Score: 93 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2023-2028 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 A full-bodied, concentrated, awesome Pessac, the 2022 Château Pape Clément offers up loads of spiced red and black fruits, some leafy tobacco, gravelly earth, and graphite aromatics, building, ripe, polished tannins, and a stacked mid-palate. Beautifully done, with remarkable purity and a great finish, it's going to rank with the crème de la crème of the vintage and is well worth seeking out. Score: 96 - 98 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Pape Clement Blanc | Dry Whites | £588 | 6x75cl | 92-94 | 98-99 | 90-93 | 93 | 93-95 | 94-96 | |
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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 The purity of fruit is really impressive here with crushed apples, pears and lemons. Some mineral and stone, too. Honeysuckle. Very clear and bright. The palate is full and very direct and focused, with a long, salty dried lemon finish and minerality. Fine phenolics at the end. 63% sauvignon blanc, 35% semillon and 2% muscadelle. Score: 98 - 99 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 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 If you had to pick one wine that would not be afraid of the excess of the vintage, it would be Pape Clement, and certainly here they have leaned into it without being overpowered. Plenty of citrus, lemon curd, white peach and sage. Structured also, with great balance within the estate signature, helped by an attractive bitter edge on the finish. 35hl/h yield, harvest August 28 to September 2. Tasted twice. Score: 93 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux 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 Château Pape Clément Blanc is another beauty from this team, and if it puts on some weight over the course of its élevage, it will merit an even higher score. Honeyed lychee, minty herbs, melon, and stone fruits define the bulk of the aromatics, and it's medium to full-bodied, with good concentration, nicely integrated acidity, and a great finish. I was able to taste this on multiple occasions with consistent notes. Score: 94 - 96 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Pavie | St Emilion | £1,788 | 6x75cl | 93-95 | 95-96 | - | 93 | 94-96 | 96-98 | |
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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 Intense aromas of cherries and spices. Full and layered without being heavy. It starts large and rich, but the tension and tannins tighten down. It's structured and powerful. Velvety, edgy tannins. Very salty at the end. Like an unpolished diamond. It now includes Pavie Decesse and Bellevue. Slightly overdone but wait and see. 52% merlot, 30% cabernet franc and 18% cabernet sauvignon. Score: 95 - 96 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 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 The 2022 Pavie was picked from 19 September to 1 October at 31hL/ha and matured in 75% new oak. The estate now comprises 42 hectares as it has absorbed Pavie-Decesse and Bellevue-Mondotte, ergo, these names are no more. This demonstrates a little over-ripeness on the nose: macerated black cherries, kirsch, cassis and a touch of fresh prune. Does that translate across onto the palate? Actually, no. It is undoubtedly decadent and rich, but it retains balance and delivers a very velvety texture, with mouth-filling tannins. Powerful and yet undeniably harmonious, it feels plush and luxuriant on the finish, with a touch of dark chocolate lingering on the aftertaste. I am intrigued to revisit this after bottling and, because of the aromatics and not the palate, I err on the side of caution, though repouring, it feels slightly fresher. 14.47% alcohol. NB It comes in a specially-designed engraved bottle without a label. Score: 93 - 95 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2065 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 |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Pavie Macquin | St Emilion | £404 | 6x75cl | 92-94 | - | 94-96 | 98 | 95-97 | 96-98 | |
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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 This site can deliver such powerful, tannic wines that I was left especially impressed by the supple, harmonious style of the 2022 Pavie Macquin. Unwinding in the glass with notions of sweet wild berries, rose petals, spices, violets, bay leaf and new oak, it's full-bodied, deep and vibrant, with a layered core of fruit, bright acids and a long, penetrating finish, where powdery structuring tannins make themselves felt but without any asperity. Of course, this remains a deep and powerful wine, but Nicolas Thienpont and his team continue their shift toward more judicious extraction, with excellent results. Score: 94 - 96 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com 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 The 2022 Pavie-Macquin was picked 14 to 27 September at 31hL/ha. Black cherries, crème de cassis, crushed violets on the nose. This is the most opulent amongst Nicolas Thienpont's portfolio, though I find just a touch more terroir expression on the Larcis-Ducasse. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, satin-like in texture. A little more tertiary in its second half, with white pepper liberally-sprinkled toward the finish. Quite understated in style, I suspect it will spread its wings during its élevage. Score: 92 - 94 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2055 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 |
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[Add to waiting list] | Pavillon Rouge du Chateau Margaux (2nd wine of Ch Margaux) | Margaux | £900 | 6x75cl | Sold Out | 91-93 | 94-95 | 92-94 | 94 | 92-94 | 94-96 |
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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 Rich and dense with lots of fruit and juiciness. Redcurrants, black berries, strawberries and orange peel on the nose. Full and layered with fine, velvety tannins and a juicy finish. Big presence. Score: 94 - 95 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 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 Glass-staining inky purple, fleshy damson and cassis fruits with spice and concentration. Captures the spirit of the vintage with plush damson fruits, edges of sweet spices and gunsmoke, but keeps the understated pleasure that Margaux specialises in, with soft peony aromatics. High Petit Verdot in this blend because using the 2% that normally goes into the first wine but is kept out in 2022. No pumping over, with director Philippe Bascaules making the choice to let extraction happen gently, with minimal intervention. 32% of the crop in Pavillon, 25hl/h yield. 60% new oak (although this sample is 100%), and clear need to be cautious with oak during ageing. Score: 94 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2028-2042 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 You could easily mistake the 2022 Pavillon Rouge De Margaux for the Grand Vin here, and truth be told, I wouldn’t be surprised to see this actually evolve better than some of the Grand Vins from just over 10-15 years ago. A blend of 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Petit Verdot (the second wine got all the Petit Verdot in 2022), it offers a deep, medium to full-bodied, seamless profile as well as solid framboise, darker raspberry, currants, sandalwood, and spice aromatics, silky tannins, and outstanding length. The purity and precision paired with this level of texture and richness far exceeds the vast majority of second wines out there. Score: 94 - 96 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Pedesclaux | Pauillac | £201 | 6x75cl | 91-93 | 94-95 | 89-91 | 94 | 92-94 | 92-94 | |
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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 The pure cabernet character comes through clearly here with blackcurrants and blueberries, and flowers such as lavender and sandalwood. Medium- to full-bodied. Racy and polished tannins and a long, flavorful finish. 68% cabernet sauvignon, 22% merlot, 7% cabernet franc and 3% petit verdot. From organically grown grapes. Score: 94 - 95 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 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 Rich plum colour, vibrant edging, sleek and balanced, this is full of pleasure and precision. Generous in that you can feel the exoticism of the vintage in its ripe berry fruits but it has balance and the slate and liquorice character of Pauillac. 3.86ph, 37hl/h yield. 56% 1st wine in this vintage, first year organic certified (and the first classified estate to write this on the front label). Vincent Bache-Gabrielsen director. 65% new oak. Score: 94 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2027-2040 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 Château Pédesclaux is a beautiful wine, with an almost bloody, iron-like character in its cassis and blue fruits as well as notes of leafy herbs. It's medium to full-bodied, has a layered, silky texture, and terrific purity. Score: 92 - 94 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Petit Ducru (2nd wine Ducru Beaucaillou) | St Julien | £135 | 6x75cl | 89-91 | 92-93 | 90-92 | 91 | 91-93 | 90-92 | |
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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 fine tannins come through clearly here with black berries and hints of lavender. Medium-bodied with really fine tannins. Medium finish. A blend 75% merlot, 20% cabernet sauvignon and rest petit verdot. Score: 92 - 93 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 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 Creamy generosity to the blackberry and cassis fruits, showing intensity and depth, knitted down right now, and with clear ageing potential and heavy black pepper spice. Tasted twice, this is an En Primeur wine to its boots, feels young and full of promise. 25ha on western side of St Julien (formerly Lalande Borie until 2018, plus sourcing from across the appellation), 3.77ph, IPT86, 43% new oak for ageing. Score: 91 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2026-2040 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 Coming from the western side of Saint-Julien and functioning basically as a third wine of Château Ducru-Beaucaillou, the 2022 Petit Ducru De Ducru-Beaucaillou is 75% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the rest Petit Verdot raised in a mix of new and used barrels. A beautiful wine, it has plenty of Saint-Julien elegance and purity as well as cassis-driven fruits, notes of violet, spicy oak, and scorched earth, medium to full body, and just a silky, elegant mouthfeel. It's going to drink nicely right out of the gate. Score: 90 - 92 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com |
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[Add to waiting list] | Petit Mouton (2nd wine of Mouton Rothschild) | Pauillac | £1,098 | 6x75cl | Sold Out | 92-94 | 95-96 | 92-94 | 95 | 91-93 | 94-96 |
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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 The Petit Mouton is more and more structured and intense. It's made for the cellar. Full to medium body. Lively and intense. Solid. 71% cabernet sauvignon, 19% merlot, 7% cabernet franc, and 3% petit verdot. Score: 95 - 96 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 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 You often get powerful colour and texture with Petit Mouton, because it is never afraid to lean into its exuberant character, but this really does take things up a notch. Think chocolate brownies, olive paste, baked plum, damson, cassis, huge structure and phenolics, well integrated, with a plush mouthfeel and velvety tannins. Not easy to say when to drink this, because it is so appealing right now, even as an En Primeur sample, but the amount of tannins are going to safely take it through the years. One of the first wines that made me see the potential greatness of the vintage. Harvest September 1 to 26. 32hl/h yield. 60% new oak. 32hl/h yield. 80IPT. This is a buy. Score: 95 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2027-2040 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 Tasting more like a Grand Vin than a second wine, the 2022 Le Petit Mouton De Mouton Rothschild boasts a deep purple hue to go with full-bodied aromas and flavors of cassis, ripe blackberries, melted chocolate, espresso, and graphite. Rich, opulent, and still balanced, drink this sexy 2022 any time over the coming 15-20 years. The blend of the 2022 is 71% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Petit Verdot that's still resting in 60% new barrels. Score: 94 - 96 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com |
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[Add to waiting list] | Petite Eglise (2nd label of Eglise Clinet) | Pomerol | £243 | 6x75cl | Sold Out | 92-94 | - | 92 | 93 | 92-94 | 90-92 |
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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 There will only be some 4,700 bottles of the 2022 La Petite Eglise, a cuvée that combines some younger-vine fruit with two dedicated parcels, one located next to Pomerol's church, the other by the château of La Fleur-Pétrus. Offering up aromas of cherries, sweet berries, incense, dark chocolate and petals, it's medium to full-bodied, supple and fleshy, with a suave, seamless, elegant profile, retaining a bright core of fruit and refined tannins in this warm vintage. Score: 92 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com 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 2022 La Petite Eglise was picked from 31 August to 9 September and was aged in 60% new oak. It has a pure bouquet with dark berry fruit, pressed iris flower and light loamy scents. The palate is medium-bodied with seductive black berries and strawberries laced with white pepper. It's harmonious and sensual on the finish. Superb. Score: 92 - 94 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2027-2040 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 |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Phelan Segur | St Estephe | £225 | 6x75cl | 95-97 | 96-97 | 91-93 | 92 | 91-94 | 94-96 | |
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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 Loads of fruit here. Energetic, with layers of tannins. Full-bodied. It builds at the end and opens like a butterfly. Hints of minerals and iron. Best ever? 56% merlot, 40% cabernet sauvignon, 2% cabernet franc and 2% petit verdot. Score: 96 - 97 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 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 Some heat on the opening moments, softening to show a velvety texture and vivid blue and red fruits, creamy patisserie notes with fennel and black chocolate on the finish. Great quality. Hail on June 20 meant losing around 30% of the crop, leaving a yield of 28hl/h, and as a result this blend is unusually high in Merlot. Lower alcohols here than 2018, 2019 and 2010 after some blockages. Not sold En Primeur. Score: 92 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2025-2035 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 I was lucky enough to be able to taste the 2022 Château Phélan Ségur on multiple occasions, and it always impressed, offering a deep purple hue as well as a ripe, powerful bouquet of darker currant and cassis-like fruits interwoven with leafy herbs, tobacco, and chocolate. A ripe, full-bodied, opulent wine, it has beautiful tannins, a layered, concentrated mouthfeel, and a great finish. It’s going to be as good, if not better, than the 2018 and 2019, and I continue to love what director Véronique Dausse accomplishes at this address. Score: 94 - 96 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Pichon Baron | Pauillac | £810 | 6x75cl | 96-98 | 96-97 | 95-97 | 94 | 96-98 | 96-98 | |
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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 A very structured and racy PB with blackcurrant, stone and black cherry aromas and flavors. Medium to full body with racy and fine tannins that are precise and focused. Elegance with structure. 81% cabernet sauvignon and 19% merlot. Score: 96 - 97 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 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 You are firmly wading through intense, sculpted Pauillac tannins here, gripping from the first moments with their structure and intent. Blocks of intense chocolate, slate, liquorice and black chocolate, this feels vertical and concentrated, could let more light in at this stage but that should come over ageing. Petit Verdot vinified in amphora, and they did a cold soak for every plot this year for the first time. 70% new barrels and 30% from barrels of one vintage. Score: 94 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2030-2047 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 I loved the Grand Vin 2022 Château Pichon-Longueville Baron, which is based on 81% Cabernet Sauvignon and 19% Merlot that will spend 18 months in 70% new oak. It's not the most showy or exuberant 2022, yet it shines for its incredible class and purity, as well as balance. It has a Cabernet Sauvignon-dominated profile (no surprise) with its focused, precise, inward style that still brings gorgeous depth and richness. Cassis, graphite, espresso roast, crushed stone and spring flowers are just some of its nuances, and where many 2022s are broad and mouth-filling, this stays tight, compact, and focused, with a wonderful mix of elegance, concentration, and richness. The 2022 is pulled from 48% of the total production, and it's going to warrant 7-8 years of bottle age and have 50+ years of overall longevity. Score: 96 - 98 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Pichon Comtesse Reserve (2nd Wine Pichon Lalande) | Pauillac | £216 | 6x75cl | 91-93 | - | 91-93 | 93 | 91-93 | 92-94 | |
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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 Like a number of second wines from the best classified growths, the 2022 Resèrve de la Comtesse shares much of the personality of the grand vin this year, delivering aromas of blackberries, violets and exotic spices, followed by a medium to full-bodied, supple and fleshy palate with a rich core of fruit framed by powdery tannins. Score: 91 - 93 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com 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 2022 Réserve de la Comtesse represents half the total production from the vineyard due to a stricter selection of the Merlot. It has a perfumed, floral bouquet with blueberry, violet and light cassis scents. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins. Very sensual with touches of graphite and espresso toward the harmonious finish. You could almost drink this now! Score: 91 - 93 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2025-2040 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 |
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[Add to waiting list] | Pichon Lalande | Pauillac | £1,032 | 6x75cl | Sold Out | 96-98 | 98-99 | 97-99 | 98 | 96-99 | 97-100 |
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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 I love the aromatics here with botanicals as well as currants, blackberries and oranges. Full-bodied with incredible tannins that build on the palate with finesse and focus. Featherlight but always there. Stealth in structure. Very vertical. Savory. Superb. 78% cabernet sauvignon, 17% merlot and 5% cabernet franc. Score: 98 - 99 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 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 Exceptionally well controlled, delivering grip and tension alongside the creamy ripe blackberry, cassis and raspberry puree fruits, studded with cloves, cocoa bean, violet, iris, wet earth, heather, mandarin, orange zest, slate. Another exceptional vintage from a property that is delivering at the top of its game, this impresses without seeming to try too hard. Precision winemaking also, with very low pumpovers, reduced by half from a decade ago, and no added sulphites until putting the wine into barrel. 3.65ph, 31h/h yield, with around 50% of production split between this and Reserve. Score: 98 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2032-2048 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 One of the gems from Pauillac is unquestionably the 2022 Château Pichon-Longueville Comtesse De Lalande, which is 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, and 5% Cabernet Franc. A hypothetical blend of the 2019 and 2020, it's a full-bodied, concentrated, opulent Comtesse offering beautiful blue fruits, some chocolate, leafy herbs, and undeniable minerality, ripe, velvety tannins, and a great finish. Despite the higher Cabernet Sauvignon component, this stays silky, expansive, and incredibly sexy. It's going to be drinkable with just 4-5 years of bottle age but should have a lengthy drink window. Hats off to director Nicolas Glumineau for another legendary wine from this château. Score: 97 - 100 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Pontet Canet | Pauillac | £538 | 6x75cl | 94-96 | 99-100 | - | 94 | 95-97 | 97-99 | |
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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 What a finish on this Pontet-Canet. So much energy and brightness. It's full-bodied yet so tight and focused with superb fruit and transparency. It is racy and fine with super fine texture. It's like crushed cabernet sauvignon with cassis, tobacco and cigar box. Licorice and spices. Freshness of the seed. 57% cabernet sauvignon, 35% merlot, 4% cabernet franc, and 4% petit verdot. Score: 99 - 100 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 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 Pontet Canet has a pure nose with perfumed blackberry and cassis fruit. It takes time to cohere, evolving light pencil lead notes after 8-10 minutes. The palate has a lovely chalky texture on the entry, and a silver bead of acidity. Perhaps, more complexity than the aromatics suggest at the moment. Fine balance, moderate grip, the mineralité coming toward the final third, it fans out with gusto. There is quite a long residual peppery note on the aftertaste that you can feel after 30 seconds. I have not pulled any punches in recent vintages, when stylistically, I felt that it has veered too far away from Pauillac, for my personal taste. But closely examining this 2022, today, it seems safely within the appellation. Score: 94 - 96 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2028-2050 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 |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Potensac | Medoc | £123 | 6x75cl | 91-93 | 94-95 | 89-91 | 93 | 91-93 | 90-92 | |
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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 Polished and refined with a deep core of ripe berries with walnut undertones. Medium- to full-bodied with firm, velvety tannins and a lingering finish. Deep and complex. Score: 94 - 95 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 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 Balance and depth to the fruit. This must be the most concentrated Potensac that I have tasted En Primeur, but you can pick out individual characters of sweet blackberry puree, slate, liquorice root, firm tannins, almost drying on the finish but there is juice and the cold ash aspect that is such a lovely sign of Cabernet Sauvignon on gravel. One to look out for. You needed the expertise of consutlant Eric Boissenot with press wine I imagine in this kind of vintage, and it works well here. No 2nd wine now here as of this vintage, back to keeping things simple. No Chapelle de Potensac this year. Tasted twice. Score: 93 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2026-2040 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 Château Potensac is based on 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the rest Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and a splash of Petit Verdot. It has lots of ripe blue fruits, graphite, and gravelly earth to go with full-bodied richness and depth on the palate. It's a big, rich, tannic Potensac that's going to be long lived. I suspect 3-5 years of bottle age will be warranted here. Score: 90 - 92 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Poujeaux | Moulis | £123 | 6x75cl | 92-94 | 94-95 | 88-90 | 94 | 90-92 | 91-93 | |
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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 A medium-bodied red with crunchy fruit and tight tannin structure. Juicy acidity coming through. Chewy and solid at the end. Closed and pretty tannins. Score: 94 - 95 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 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 High expectations for this estate in 2022, and it delivers by keeping a foot on the brake in the face of the high intensity potential of the vintage. This is impressive, so much Left Bank character, full of slate and liqourice, easy to recommend with ageing potential. Transmits a real joy among the tannins, and the ripe blackberry and cassis fruits have purpose and personality. Harvest September 15 to 30. First time to bring the temperature down to 24C during fermentation, still with natural yeast. Estate manager Christophe Labenne. 33% new oak, 3.85ph. 33% new oak. Score: 94 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux 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 Château Poujeaux is mostly Cabernet Sauvignon but includes 42% Merlot and 3% Petit Verdot. A big, rich, almost massive Listrac, it sports a dense purple color, impressive notes of black fruits, chocolate, and crushed stone, medium to full-bodied richness, and a great finish. It might be the most impressive Poujeaux I've ever tasted. Tasted twice. Score: 91 - 93 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Prieure Lichine | Margaux | £182 | 6x75cl | 90-92 | 95-96 | 91-93 | 93 | 91-93 | 91-93 | |
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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 Such beautiful tannins here that are refined and beautiful and bring you deep into the medium to full body. Currants and berries. Refined. Score: 95 - 96 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 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 Inky plum depths to the colours here are vivid and inviting, and on the palate you get plenty of character and spice. Things are high volume and intense, with ripe blackberry and loganberry fruit, autumnal but still with plenty of juice and texture. Good quality. 32hl/h yield. Score: 93 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2027-2042 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 The 2022 Château Prieuré-Lichine offers a pure, vibrant bouquet of red and blue fruits as well as plenty of cedarwood, tobacco, and a hint of iron. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, with nicely integrated tannins as well as outstanding overall balance, this well-made, impeccably balanced Margaux will drink nicely with just short-term cellaring. It's easily in the same ballpark quality-wise as the 2018, 2019, and 2020, all of which are beautiful wines. Tasted twice. Score: 91 - 93 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Quintus | St Emilion | £576 | 6x75cl | 92-94 | 96-97 | 92-94 | - | - | - | |
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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, one of the best wines produced at this estate, reveals aromas of dark berries, licorice, ripe plum, spices, and hints of graphite. It’s fleshy and concentrated, precise and crystalline, with a tensile, chalky profile, velvety tannins and a vibrant, penetratingly saline finish. The integration of fruit from Grand Pontet recently acquired by the Dillon group means that the blend now contains fully 41.5% Cabernet Franc, bringing more mid-palate structure and amplifying Quintus's limestone-influenced character. Score: 92 - 94 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.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 |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Rauzan Gassies | Margaux | £260 | 6x75cl | 90-92 | 94-95 | - | 93 | - | 92-94 | |
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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 A highly successful Rauzan Gassies that provides a understated, nuanced interpretation of the vintage, with waves of red rose and peony floral aromatics and toasted spice from the first nose. Has depth and concentration of black cherry and cassis fruits, and balances the flash of heat with plenty of white pepper and cinnammon notes, fresh lemongrass acidities and a lift through the palate. Impressive from the Quié family, and should be good value. Score: 93 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2028-2044 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 A Cabernet Sauvignon-dominated blend that includes roughly 20% Merlot, the 2022 Château Rauzan-Gassies might end up being the finest vintage I've tasted from this château. Loaded with red, blue, and black fruits, it's medium to full-bodied, has supple, elegant tannins, classic aromatics of lead pencil and dried flowers, and outstanding length. Score: 92 - 94 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Rauzan Segla | Margaux | £505 | 6x75cl | 95-97 | 97-98 | 96-97 | 97 | 95-97 | 97-99 | |
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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 freshness and clarity of the fruit is really something with black currants and cherries. Brilliant. Full-bodied, layered and round with polished tannins. I like the intensity and focus with such precision and gorgeousness. Is this the 2016 plus more? Score: 97 - 98 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 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 Supple texture, thoroughly impressive in its depth and grip, blackcurrant, blackberry, crayon, liquorice, mint, slate, fennel, ink, has confidence and character and just so much class. Brings precision to the exuberance of the vintage, barely puts a step wrong, so concentated and yet delivering slate and lift. Excellent. Tasted twice. 50% new barrels, Nicolas Auderbert director, 50% of production in the first wine. Score: 97 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2030-2050 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 This château has been firing on all cylinders of late, no doubt due to the talents of technical director Nicolas Audebert, and a wine that's going to flirt with perfection is their 2022 Château Rauzan-Ségla. Powerful notes of black cherries, currants, smoked tobacco, chocolate, and leafy herbs all define the aromatics, and it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a deep, layered, concentrated texture, ripe yet building tannins, and a great finish. This is a legit great wine that's going to rival the 2010, 2015, 2016, 2018, and 2020. Score: 97 - 99 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Saint Pierre | St Julien | £275 | 6x75cl | 94-96 | - | 93-94 | 94 | 93-95 | 95-97 | |
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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 A particular success for this estate, the 2022 Saint-Pierre offers up aromas of cassis, licorice and violets, followed by a medium to full-bodied, rich and fleshy palate that's lively and sapid, with powdery structuring tannins and a penetrating finish. Its tannic weight tempers the wine's sweetness of fruit to deliver a classy, nicely balanced result. Score: 93 - 94 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com 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 The 2022 Saint-Pierre was picked 12-26 September at around 35hL/ha and matured in 48% new oak. It has an intense bouquet with black cherries, iodine and touches of blood orange. Delineated and focused. The palate is where the action is with gorgeous svelte tannins, perfectly judged acidity, harmonious, plush but not overbearing. Velvety toward the finish, yet there is real tenderness here. It actually is reminiscent of Las-Cases at the moment. Score: 94 - 96 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2029-2065 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 |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Saintayme | St Emilion | £75 | 6x75cl | 89-91 | 93-94 | 88-90 | 93 | 91-93 | 90-92 | |
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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 So much sea salt and crunchy fruit with berry and grape character. Some orange, too. Medium-bodied, bright and vivid. Lively finish. Score: 93 - 94 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 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 Intense muscular contraction to the tannins on the opening beats, the fruit gets creamy as it opens, with vivid raspberry reflections and plenty of mouthwating salinity. This is a pretty serious Saintayme, great quality and great value. Olivier Gautrat alongside Noémie Durantou. Harvest September 17 to October 3 (extremely late for the vintage, because cool clays in a cooler part of St Etienne de Lisse, something you also see in the generous 50hl/h yields), 30% new oak. Score: 93 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2028-2040 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 All Merlot from a mix of terroirs, the 2022 Saintayme has impressive darker cherry and blackberry-like fruit as well as medium to full body, a terrific chalky mineral character, ripe yet firmer tannins, and outstanding length. Score: 90 - 92 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Siran | Margaux | £144 | 6x75cl | 92-94 | 95-96 | 90-92 | 94 | 93-95 | 91-93 | |
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The 2022 Siran is one of the best wines I have tasted from the property. Silky, aromatic and light on its feet, Siran is exceptionally polished. Crushed red berry fruit, mint, chalk and white pepper all grace this exquisite Margaux. Superb. Score: 93 - 95 Antonio Galloni, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2027-2047 Attractive berry fruit here with spices and orange peel undertones. Medium- to full-bodied, toned and steady with compact tannin structure. Deep. Long finish with stony minerality. Most structured yet fine Siran I have tasted for a long time. Score: 95 - 96 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com The 2022 Siran is a real success, bursting with aromas of sweet berries, cassis, licorice and pencil shavings, followed by a medium to full-bodied, supple and fleshy palate. This charming, succulent Margaux is sure to be one of the commune's better value propositions. Score: 90 - 92 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com A brilliant quality Siran, full of depth and grip, slate-textured tannins to provide contrast to the ripe black fruits, and help draw out of the naunce in the rich flavours. Has juice and pleasure, and is an enjoyable and quietly confident wine in a year where excess was the easier route. Ageing in 35% new French oak barrels. One to look out for, from the Miaihle family. Score: 94 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2028-2046 The 2022 Siran was picked 13 to 30 September at 36hL/ha, matured in 35% new oak for a planned 12 months. It takes a little time cohering in the glass, a mixture of red and black fruit intermingling with cedar and pressed flowers. It is comparatively understated for the vintage, but that's a facet that I like and it delivers real freshness. The palate is medium-bodied and very harmonious, with finely-knit tannins, and a pleasant spiciness that unfolds with aeration (black pepper and clove). There's a build in the mouth allied with sapidity that urges you back for another sip. Siran has been on an upswing under Edouard Miailhe in recent vintages. The swing continues. Score: 92 - 94 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2029-2060 Dense purple-hued with lots of darker, almost blue fruits as well as spicy oak and chocolate, the 2022 Château Siran is medium to full-bodied, nicely balanced, has plenty of mid-palate density, and fine tannins. This classic, elegant Margaux will need 4-6 years of cellaring and keep for 15-20 years. It's another undeniable success in the Margaux appellation. Score: 91 - 93 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc | Dry Whites | £719 | 6x75cl | 94-96 | 93-95 | - | 96 | 94-96 | 95-97 | |
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The 2022 Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc is airy, weightless and gracious. Citrus confit, mint, white pepper and tangerine oil and a kiss of French oak are all beautifully lifted. There’s lovely richness and texture but without the opulence of most warm, dry years. The 2022 will be a gorgeous wine at the dinner table. Score: 94 - 96 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2025-2037 It appears likely that the 2022 Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc will overtake its 2019 counterpart as one of the most successful white wines this estate has produced to date, something that's especially impressive in the context of the vintage. Exhibiting aromas of linden, menthol, crisp orchard fruit and smoke, it’s medium to full-bodied, fleshy and crystalline, with racy acids and an unctuos mid-palate. Chalky structuring dry extract makes its presence felt on the long, mineral finish. This is a blend of 90% Sauvignon Blanc, 5% Sémillon and 5% Sauvignon Gris. YC Score: 93 - 95 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com This has structure and depth, serious tension, with slate, vibrant citrus, graphite, white pear, apricot, aniseed, liquorice, star anise, creamy but with a slice of steel that cuts through it. Brilliant quality, this is a standout white. Harvest August 18 to September 2. 50% new oak. Technical director Fabien Teitgen. Score: 96 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2023-2032 The 2022 Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc is matured in 50% new oak for a planned 12 months, removed from barrel after 9 months with three months in vat after blending. It has a very perfumed nose with yellow plums, jasmine, walnut and touches of fennel. The palate is medium-bodied with fine depth and acidity. Waxy in texture, with hazelnut and white pepper toward the saline, almost creamy finish. Score: 94 - 96 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2027-2050 The flagship 2022 Château Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc is a normal blend of 90% Sauvignon Blanc and 5% each of Sauvignon Gris and Sémillon. Aged in 55% new French oak, it shines in the vintage and brings plenty of classic richness and depth while at the same time staying pure, clean, and balanced. Honeyed lemon, orange blossom, white flowers, and crushed stone all define the aromatics, and it has a beautiful mouthfeel that certainly brings the richness and depth of the vintage. This is another gem of a white from this incredible château. Score: 95 - 97 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Smith Haut Lafitte Rouge | Pessac-Leognan | £683 | 6x75cl | 95-97 | 97-98 | 94-95 | 97 | 95-97 | 96-98 | |
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The 2022 Smith Haut Lafitte is a regal, elegant wine. Succulent inky fruit, licorice, spice, lavender and mocha open in a gracious, sublime Grand Vin. Here, too, the wine’s persistence and energy are notable. The Cabernet is especially evident this year, in both the wine’s flavor profile and overall structural feel. In many vintages, the Grand Vin is more immediate and alluring. The 2022 is quite reticent. Score: 95 - 97 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2042 The polish, texture, complexity and patina are very impressive and fascinating. So spicy and interesting with so much going on. Medium body with wonderfully integrated tannins that are cut and nicely chiselled already. Lemon and violet. 64% cabernet sauvignon, 32% merlot, 3% cabernet franc and 1% petit verdot. Score: 97 - 98 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com The 2022 Smith Haut Lafitte opens in the glass with attractive aromas of cassis, spices, tobacco, graphite and licorice, followed by a medium to full-bodied palate that is deep and layered, with good depth and powdery structuring tannins that assert themselves on the finish. This blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot will require some patience, given its somewhat extracted style. YC Score: 94 - 95 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Inky colour, with vivid vibrant edging, curling and fragrant floral aromatics, plenty of energy from the first kick of peony and mandarin peel. The rich density of the blue and black fruits are set against slate and grippy tannins, giving textural contrast which makes it engaging, together with a saline scrape on the finish. Blueberry, cassis, ink, liquorice root, graphite, pink grapefruit, intensely expressed with a vertical rise through the palate, very much true to estate signature. 29hl/h, 3.65ph, 10% whole bunches fermentation, using a mix of full bunches and stalks that they select after destemming. 33% 1st wine, 4% press used in the blend, harvest September 5 to 30. Fabien Teitgen technical director. Score: 97 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2030-2048 The 2022 Smith Haut Lafitte was cropped at 29hL/ha between 5 and 30 September, undergoing half the extraction, aged in 60% new oak for a planned 18 months. It is fragrant and very pure on the nose: beautiful blackberry, raspberry and liquorice. The palate is medium-bodied with pliant tannins, very elegant and focused, fine-boned with an exceptionally pure and caressing tobacco-tinged finish. This is going to grow to be a wonderful, delicious Smith Haut Lafitte. 14.5% alcohol. Score: 95 - 97 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2065 Moving to the Grand Vin, the 2022 Château Smith Haut Lafitte checks in as 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Petit Verdot. This ripe, powerful, concentrated wine reminds me of the 2010 with its structure, concentrated mid-palate, and just sheer density and regal, full-bodied style on the palate. Despite its size, it stays balanced, has a beautiful perfume of sweet black fruits, graphite, scorched earth, and spring flowers, building tannins, and a great, great finish. Score: 96 - 98 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Sociando Mallet | Haut Medoc | £168 | 6x75cl | 91-93 | - | 92-94 | 94 | 88-90 | - | |
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The 2022 Sociando-Mallet is a bit hard to read today. I very much admire the dynamic energy, which Sociando has in spades, but at the same time the tannins show some edginess that will need to resolve. Élevage will be critical, but it may not be enough to compensate for a vintage with hail damage and yields of just 21.5 hectoliters per hectare. Score: 88 - 90 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2025-2034 Aromas of dark berries and plums mingled with hints of mint, violets and licorice introduce the 2022 Sociando-Mallet, a medium to full-bodied, supple and lively wine that's deep, fleshy and seamless, with powdery tannins that assert themselves with promising youthful grip on the finish. It's a blend of 63% Merlot, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Cabernet Franc. Readers who remember how this estate acquitted itself in years such as 2003 and 1990 will not be surprised by its quality in 2022. Score: 92 - 94 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Slap bang in the Haut-Médoc for this one, classic Left Bank with glass-staining purple in colour, slate and cassis, graphite and crushed stones, this is manages to be both muscular and restrained, exuberant and understated. Has the concentration of the vintage but controls it well - one to look out for, and proof that gravel could work in the heat of the vintage if the location is right, and the vineyard was treated carefully. Score: 94 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2026-2040 The 2022 Sociando-Mallet was picked 7-23 September at just 22hL/ha. This is very concentrated and quite opulent on the nose, bit of a bravura bouquet, layers of black cherry, Christmas cake and light undergrowth scents. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins. Quite fresh, grippy in the mouth, my only quibble is that it feels a tad abrupt on the finish. Barrel maturation should address that. Score: 91 - 93 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2060 |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Suduiraut | Sauternes/Barsac | £291 | 12x37.5cl | 93-95 | 98-99 | - | 92 | 92-94 | 97-99 | |
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The 2022 Suduiraut is laced with hints of tangerine peel, spice, vanillin, chamomile and dried flowers. It offers a lovely mix of botrytis-inflected flavors and textures while also showing quite a bit of freshness. The 2022 is done in the lighter style the château favors these days. My impression is that it is still coming together, as the wine shows a very slight lack of cohesion that is not typical. Score: 92 - 94 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2027-2047 Wow. This is incredibly concentrated with such depth and power. Dried oranges. Full-bodied with some phenolic tension that frames the wine perfectly. Dried apricots and peaches. Incredible richness and freshness. Spicy and flavorful. Tastes more like a BA from Germany! 100% semillon. Score: 98 - 99 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com Amber in colour, with tropical fruits of passion fruit and mango on the opening beats, clear depth of flavour and contrast provided by orange peel and aniseed bitterness, low acidity. Luscious, silky, powerful, enjoyable. Pierre Montégut technical director, 7hl/h yields, 70% new barrels 30% from barrels of one vintage. Score: 92 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2023-2040 The 2022 Suduiraut comes from a quick and late harvest in October (three tries between 17 and 27 October with some passerillé grapes in September). Bunches were affected by botrytis but did not concentrate, at least not until a period of wind and warmth. Wild honey, quince and touches of marmalade on the nose, this opens nicely in the glass. The palate is pure and viscous in texture, with marmalade, again, and dried honey. Very open and approachable on the finish. Not profound, but quite delicious. Christian Seely said he drank this for breakfast the previous day - why not? Score: 93 - 95 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2025-2055 One of the finest Sauternes I've been lucky enough to taste in some time, the 2022 Château Suduiraut is 100% Sémillon that hit 13.9% natural alcohol, with 190 grams per liter of residual sugar. Still resting in 70% new barrels, this monster of a Sauternes offers a huge nose of honeyed citrus, orange marmalade, spice, brioche, and almond paste. Full-bodied, rich, and massively concentrated, nevertheless, it somehow stays flawlessly balanced, fresh, and light on its feet. Score: 97 - 99 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Talbot | St Julien | £289 | 6x75cl | 92-94 | 94-95 | 93-95 | 94 | 92-94 | 93-95 | |
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The 2022 Talbot is another impressive effort from the château. Savory and nuanced, the 2022 its wonderfully energetic in the glass. Dried herbs, incense, tobacco, menthol and licorice all build in a potent, virile Saint-Julien that checks all the right boxes. Score: 92 - 94 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2028-2052 The tannins really are integrated and fill out across the palate. The texture is so beautiful and refined. Medium- to full-bodied and crunchy, with lovely texture and refinement. Score: 94 - 95 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com The 2022 Talbot is especially impressive, and if it fulfills all its promise, it is likely to emerge as this large Saint-Julien property's most exciting wine since the 1980s. Unwinding in the glass with aromas of cherries, blackberries and cassis mingled with hints of violets and pencil lead, it's medium to full-bodied, velvety and concentrated, with a layered core of fruit, rich structuring tannins and a long, lively finish. It's a blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot that's being matured in 60% new oak. Score: 93 - 95 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Ruby colour with violet reflections, vivid and intense, well sculpted, this is delicious, with texture and heart. There are clear depths to the nuanced blackberry and cassis fruits, great quality, with St Julien balance. One to follow over ageing, this is an impressive Talbot. 60% new oak for ageing. Score: 94 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2030-2048 The 2022 Talbot was picked September 9-28 at 40hL/ha, slightly higher than other estates, matured in 60% new oak. Jean-Michel Laporte told me that he did a slightly longer maceration than in 2019 and 2020 during its 3.5 weeks cuvaison. It has a fragrant bouquet, well-defined with black cherries, cassis, iris and touches of brown spice. The palate is well balanced with fine weight and depth, the 13% vin de presse landing backbone. Detailed and focused, it has the same mineral spine as Gruaud Larose nearby. Quite long and lively with a tingle of white and black pepper on the finish. This is a delicious Talbot, but it is the one Saint-Julien that needs a little more depth in the middle. Nevertheless, it should age for many, many years and appeal to those seeking classicism in this vintage. Score: 92 - 94 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2027-2060 Readers will love the 2022 Château Talbot, one of the finest vintages from this château that I can recall. Possessing a gorgeous nose of pure cassis, blackberries, tobacco, and iron, it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, a pure, layered, elegant mouthfeel, and perfectly integrated tannins. A blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, and 5% Petit Verdot that’s resting in 60% new French oak, this utterly classic, pure, lengthy Saint-Julien will benefit from just a few years of bottle age and have a broad drink window. Bravo. Score: 93 - 95 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Tertre (Margaux) | Margaux | £183 | 6x75cl | 90-92 | 95-96 | 92-94 | 92 | 90-92 | 92-94 | |
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The 2022 du Tertre is packed with inky black fruit, gravel, incense, tobacco, licorice and chocolate. Opulent and intense to the core, the 2022 packs a serious punch. That comes through in tannins that are also pretty imposing. Score: 90 - 92 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2028-2042 This is really clear and bright. Medium- to full-bodied with a solid tannin structure. Tight layers of phenolics to this. Racy and long finish. Firm and focused. 57% cabernet sauvignon, 23% cabernet franc, 15% merlot and 5% petit verdot. Score: 95 - 96 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com The 2022 du Tertre unwinds in the glass with aromas of dark berries, plums, licorice, vine smoke and petals, followed by a medium to full-bodied, deep and layered palate of uncommon depth and concentration that nevertheless retains all the estate's signature elegance. Polished and supple, it's a blend of 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Cabernet Franc, 15% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot, which more or less represents this estate's varietal breakdown after its extensive replanting program is complete. This looks likely to emerge as the finest du Tertre in several decades, and it is sure to be one of the better values of the en primeur campaign. Score: 92 - 94 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Intense and bedded down, plenty of intent in these tannins, high intensity with liquorice, cocoa bean, slate, blackcurrant and bilberry fruit. Closed in right now, needs to soften over ageing. New owners for the past few years, the Helfrich family, and there are plenty of investments happening at du Tertre right now. 60% new oak. Score: 92 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2028-2046 The 2022 Chateau du Tertre has an attractive bouquet with blackcurrant, bilberry and pastille-like purity. It opens nicely in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with firm tannins on the entry, sous-bois and cedar aromas. It's linear toward the finish with moderate length. Maybe just a little conservative now, but I admire that correctness. It's Bordeaux, after all! Score: 90 - 92 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2029-2055 A big, raw, exuberant, incredibly promising barrel sample, the 2022 Château Du Tertre reveals a vivid purple hue as well as full-bodied aromas and flavors of crème de cassis, spring flowers, and graphite. A blend of 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Merlot and Petit Verdot, this terrific Margaux has fine tannins, beautiful balance, and a great finish. The cellar will be your friend here. Score: 92 - 94 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Tour Blanche | Sauternes/Barsac | £227 | 12x37.5cl | - | 91-92 | - | 90 | - | - | |
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A layered Sauternes with phenolic seriousness and lovely sweetness. Light spiciness at the finish. Score: 91 - 92 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com Baked pineapple notes on the opening, this is luscious and sweet, struggles to maintain momentum/ 4.7hl/h, a tiny yield that fully explains why this is so intense and concentrated. 135g/l residual sugar, harvest October 24 to 29. Score: 90 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2023-2040 |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Tour Carnet | Haut Medoc | £136 | 6x75cl | 89-91 | 92-93 | 88-90 | 92 | 91-93 | 87-89 | |
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The 2022 La Tour Carnet is packed with dark cherry, plum, chocolate, leather, licorice and espresso. Potent and heady, with tons of tannin, the 2022 is shaping up to be one of the under the radar wines of the year. Tasted two times. Score: 91 - 93 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2027-2042 A juicy red with redcurrants and flowers. Dark stones, too. Medium body with creamy tannins and a juicy finish. Polished and balanced. Score: 92 - 93 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com A blend of 59% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon and 1% Cabernet Franc, the 2022 La Tour Carnet offers up rich aromas of cassis, blueberry, warm spices and pencil shavings, framed by toasty new oak. Fresh and slightly menthol-tingled, the palate is medium to full-bodied, with a fleshy core of fruit and firm structuring tannins that assert themselves on the finish. Score: 88 - 90 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Inky, intense, slate and crushed stone character, clear Left Bank quality, with liquorice, black chocolate, sleek texture. Enjoyable but a little struggling to break free of the vintage. Score: 92 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2027-2040 The 2022 La Tour Carnet was picked from 12 September to 4 October. Of course, it has absorbed Château Caronne Ste. Gemme after last year's acquisition by Bernard Magrez, making it the largest estate on the Left Bank. It is laden with ripe black cherries, raspberry coulis and fig scents, hints of iodine in the background. The palate is medium-bodied with a sappy entry. I like the marine influence in this wine. It is well balanced with a slightly powdery texture and fresh finish. Give it 4-5 years in bottle. Score: 89 - 91 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2028-2040 The 2022 Château La Tour Carnet is enjoyable, with a lighter, medium-bodied, yet balanced style carrying both red and black fruits, some leafy, foresty, herbal nuances, soft tannins, and a lengthy finish. It's nicely balanced and will clearly be an enjoyable, well-made Haut-Médoc. Score: 87 - 89 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Tour Saint Christophe | St Emilion | £175 | 6x75cl | 91-93 | 95-96 | 91-93 | 93 | 92-94 | 94-96 | |
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The 2022 Tour Saint Christophe comes across as quite laid back in this vintage. Beams of saline energy run through a core of dark-toned fruit, with spice, leather and licorice hints that add complexity throughout. The 2022 is very good, but not as exuberant as it has been in some years. Tasted three times. Score: 92 - 94 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2028-2047 Iodine, crushed stone, salt, oyster shell, ink pot. Fascinating. The palate is medium- to full-bodied with a firm framing of fruit, with fine tannins and electric acidity. Exceptional. pH of 3.48 with just under 15% alcohol. Still thinking about this. Score: 95 - 96 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com Exhibiting notions of dark berries, blackberries and licorice, the 2022 Tour Saint Christophe is medium to full-bodied and has an enveloping texture with a fleshy core of fruit and powdery tannins leading to a long, rather concentrated finish. This blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc from vines planted on clay-limestone soil is a real success. YC Score: 91 - 93 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Inky damson, beautiful texture and glass staining colour. Smoky reduction on the nose (they do a late malolactic because it begins naturally, so this is not unusual). It clears to reveal intense dark berry fruit, oyster-shell salinity, has tension, depth and character, a little tight at this point, but this is going to age extremely well. 39hl/h , first vintage Grand Cru Classé on the labe, 25% new oak. Emmanuelle Fulchi d'Aligny techincal director, moving over from Château Angélus, and this is the first full vintage under her direction (just did the blend of 2021). Score: 93 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2028-2040 The 2022 Tour Saint Christophe has a nicely detailed, quite fresh and airy bouquet with ample red berry fruit. The palate is medium-bodied and cohesive with sappy red fruit, fine acidity and a harmonious, velvety finish. This is a lovely, delicious Saint-Émilion. Score: 91 - 93 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2028-2045 Another great wine from this château, the 2022 Château Tour Saint Christophe checks in as 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc brought up in 25% new French oak. It has a great nose of red plums, cassis, chalky minerality, and spice, and this full-bodied Saint-Emilion is impeccably balanced, with a pure, graceful mouthfeel, fine tannins, and outstanding length. The purity of fruit here is truly terrific. Score: 94 - 96 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Tronquoy | St Estephe | £118 | 6x75cl | 93-95 | 92-93 | 89-91 | 93 | - | 94-96 | |
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A fresh and solid TL with currants and cherries. Hints of chocolate and spice. Medium to full body. Juicy tannins and a flavorful finish. Lovely richness and depth. A blend of 59% cabernet sauvignon, 33% merlot and 6% petit verdot. Score: 92 - 93 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com The 2022 Tronquoy (formerly Tronquoy-Lalande) is an especially rich and powerful wine, offering up aromas of dark berries and cherries framed by creamy new oak, followed by a medium to full-bodied, rich and fleshy palate structured around lively acids and powdery tannins that assert themselves on the vanillin-inflected finish. A blend of 59% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot and 6% Petit Verdot (which is an atypically high percentage of Cabernet from this estate, especially in a vintage where Merlot delivered better yields), it would appear to be intended to make an impression en primeur, as Tronquoy is now being sold on the place. That's a pity, as this estate's considerable intrinsic qualities would surely have made enough of an impression on their own. Score: 89 - 91 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Black cherry and damson fruit, intense, concentrated sweet red liquorice and creamy cappuccino, balanced by bitter chocolate and dried herbs on the finish. This is clearly built to last, and excellent quality, in the character of the vintage. Tasted twice. 30% new oak. Harvest September 7 to 23. 37hl/h yield. First vintage without the 'Lalande' part of the name. Score: 93 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux The 2022 Tronquoy-Lalande comes in a new bottle design with a wax capsule. On the nose, it blossoms without any encouragement with copious black cherries, cassis and blueberry scents. The oak is beautifully enmeshed. It conveys a sense of warmth, but retains sufficient delineation. The palate is medium-bodied with saturated tannins that frame that multi-layered black fruit. One of the spiciest Tronquoy-Lalandes for some time, with a peacock's tail on the finish. This is an outstanding Saint-Estèphe determined not to lie in the shadow of its sibling Montrose. Score: 93 - 95 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2028-2060 Lots of plums, blue and black fruits, earth, chocolate, and hints of earth all emerge from the 2022 Château Tronquoy-Lalande, a full-bodied, pure, powerful Saint-Estèphe with impressive tannins and a great finish. It shows more floral and red-fruited nuances with time in the glass, and this is clearly a beautiful wine in the making. It shows the ripeness of the vintage while staying pure, balanced, and seamless. Score: 94 - 96 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Troplong Mondot | St Emilion | £612 | 6x75cl | 96-98 | 97-98 | 98-100 | 98 | 96-98 | 97-99 | |
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The 2022 Troplong Mondot is one of the most elegant wines I have ever tasted here. Seamless and layered, the 2022 caresses the palate with layers of dark-fleshed fruit, spice, leather and mocha. The purity of the fruit is just remarkable. The typical Troplong stature is present, but the tannins are nearly imperceptible. Clean saline notes extend the long, precise finish. In 2022, the estate was quite selective and only bottled about 70% of the production as Grand Vin, as opposed to the more typical 90% or so. Score: 96 - 98 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2032-2062 Very attractive aromas of plums and chocolate with hints of raspberry bush and hazelnut. So fresh and even savory with medium to full body. Such a wide tannin structure building up on the palate. Shows depth and length with lots of minerality. Floral. Beautiful already. 85% merlot, 13% cabernet sauvignon and 2% cabernet franc. Score: 97 - 98 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com A wine that transcended both my lofty expectations and anything produced at this address in the last 50 years, the 2022 Troplong Mondot realizes all the potential of this striking terroir. Unwinding in the glass with aromas of dark berries, cherries, exotic spices, bay leaf and orange zest, it's full-bodied, deep and multidimensional, with incredible concentration without weight, supple tannins and a seamless, complete profile, concluding with a long, saline finish. All the work of the last few years in the vineyards and winery makes itself felt, as Troplong Mondot's vineyards took the hot, dry conditions in their stride, and the quality of the fruit that they produced has been preserved by a gentle vinification and a discreet élevage, featuring only 55% new oak and some 20% of the volume in large foudres. Score: 98 - 100 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Violet edged with an inky core. Expertly delivers the sense of energy that is so key to the best wines in 2022. As powerful as you would expect from these clay-limestone soils, the vintage character shows in dried rosemary and white pepper spice, lacing the fresher blueberry and loganberry fruits. These are big tanins that take a long time to uncurl during tasting and will take a long time in bottle to come around. Contained power, with chocolate block, liqourice, dried roses, delicate but underpinned by menancingly powerful tannins, and a saline twist. Expert construction from director Aymeric de Gironde, carefully containing both the natural power of the soils of Troplong and the natural concentration of the vintage. 50hl/h yield. Harvest began on August 29 through to September 26. Thomas Duclos consultant. Around 3% whole bunch used during fermentation, aged in 55% new oak, 24% one year old, 21% large 2,000l oak casks. Score: 98 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2030-2046 The 2022 Troplong-Mondot was picked from 29 August when it was 31° Celsius, which according to estate director Aymeric de Gironde, felt cool compared to the rest of summer. The alcohol is 14.9% with the pH of 3.48. It sees no SO2 until it is transferred into barrel. The nose is very attractive and certainly very expressive of its limestone terroir: blackberry, briary, crushed iris petal and light marine scents. The palate is medium-bodied with crunchy black fruit, quite chalky in texture, that acidic spine governing its overall mouthfeel. Sapid on the finish, this Troplong Mondot builds in the mouth and coats it on the finish. De Gironde and I discussed my previous scores. I always said that he would get better and better during his tenure and this is clearly the case in 2022, the best Troplong Mondot...so far. Score: 96 - 98 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2032-2068 Clearly the finest wine to date under the new team and direction here, the 2022 Château Troplong Mondot reveals a vivid purple hue as well as sensational notes of black raspberries, cassis, acacia flowers, and graphite, with a beautiful underpinning of chalky minerality. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it has flawless balance, ultra-fine tannins, no hard edges, and a great, great finish. The purity, precision, and just sheer class are something to behold. Score: 97 - 99 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com |
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[Add to waiting list] | Trotte Vieille | St Emilion | £372 | 6x75cl | Sold Out | 94-96 | 98-99 | 94-96 | 95 | 94-96 | 95-97 |
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The 2022 Trotte Vieille is a hugely intriguing wine. The aromatics alone are wonderfully alluring. Sweet red-toned fruit, mint, blood orange, spice, licorice and rose petal infuse the 2022 with compelling inner perfume. Layered and complex, with tons of character, Trotte Vieille is shaping up to be terrific. In 2022, Trotte Vieille is not as bombastic as it has been in some recent years, and that is a positive. Score: 94 - 96 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2028-2052 The most structured and impressive Trottevieille I have ever tasted. It is full-bodied yet compacted with a fine velvet texture. Intense finish with super tension and focus. Could move up a notch. Score: 98 - 99 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com The quality of the 2022 Trotte Vieille took me by surprise, but clearly more diligent viticulture, combined with a new winery equipped with fully 26 vats for the estate's 11 hectares of vineyards, is beginning to pay off, as this is the most complete, integrated young wine I have ever tasted at this address. Unwinding in the glass with aromas of dark berries, rose petals, violets and incense, it's medium to full-bodied, layered and concentrated, with a deep core of vibrant fruit, beautifully refined tannins and a long, saline finish. A blend of fully 50% Cabernet Franc, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon and 45% Merlot, it derives exclusively from Trotte Vieille's historic clay-limestone walled vineyard. Score: 94 - 96 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Even with its location on the heart of the Asteries limestone plateau the colour is insanely dark, a clear imprint of the vintage. This is the second vintage in Trottevielle's new cellars, and it's totally gorgeous, rich and creamy in its delivery of blackberry and blueberry fruits, feels complete, compelx and balanced, with the chocolate and damson core given lift and finesse by a salted cracker and saffran finish. 100% new oak, beautiful wine from the team here, owned by Philippe Casteja. Score: 95 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2030-2048 The 2022 Trotte Vieille represents the first year when all the Cabernet Sauvignon entered the Grand Vin (5%). Picked from 2 to 27 September, it is aged entirely in new oak. It has an intense bouquet that is well-defined albeit coated with the oak at the moment - this will be subsumed with time. There is an underlying orange pith/tangerine element lending nuance. The palate is very harmonious on the entry with pliant tannins. Very precise, silky smooth in texture thanks to the use of their new cuveries equipped with smaller vats. The acidity is nicely judged, opulent yet controlled with a touch of white pepper right on the finish. Very stylish. Score: 94 - 96 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2032-2060 My rough note on the 2022 Château Trotte Vieille included more than one expletive, and this beauty is straight-up gorgeous. Vivid blue fruits, violets, flowers, and chocolate all make an appearance on the nose, and it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a seamless, layered texture, perfect tannins, and nicely integrated oak. Based on 50% Cabernet Franc, 45% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Sauvignon, it remains to be seen if this will ultimately match the magical 2020, but we're not far off. This is a château readers need to have on their radar. Score: 95 - 97 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com |
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[Add to shopping basket] | Vieux Chateau Certan | Pomerol | £1,650 | 6x75cl | Low Stock - On allocation | 97-99 | 98-99 | 97-99 | 96 | 98-100 | 98-100 |
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The 2022 Vieux Château Certan is a wine of tremendous sophistication and polish. I expected to see a more opulent VCC, but the 2022 is surprisingly delicate and nuanced. The blend is 75% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, which means all the Cabernets at the château were used in Grand Vin. Perhaps that explains the wine’s construction, favoring length, persistence and aromatics more than size. Crème de cassis, lavender, spice and licorice hints linger on the super-expressive finish. There’s really not much more to say except that the 2022 is magical. “Real heat started in June," explained Alexandre Thienpont. “We had 15mm of rain over two days in mid-August that really helped. Even so, yields were 35 hectoliters per hectare, so lower than 2020. Berries weighed less athan a gram and juice yields were low.” Score: 98 - 100 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2032-2062 The freshness and dynamic sense to the wine is so surprising. Minerally and salty. It's full yet racy. Black ink and oyster shell. Excellent length. 25% cabernet franc, 5% cabernet sauvignon and the rest, merlot. Score: 98 - 99 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com A blend of 75% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon (very similar to the 2019), the 2022 Vieux Château Certan is a magical wine of exemplary harmony and balance. Offering up complex aromas of dark berries and cherries mingled with notions of exotic spices, licorice, iris, violets and loamy soil, it's full-bodied, supple and seamless, its sweet structuring tannins entirely concealed by a multidimensional core of pure, vibrant fruit. This sensual, perfumed Pomerol is likely to rank alongside the 2019 and 2016 in the pantheon of recent Vieux Château Certan vintages. Score: 97 - 99 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Firm tannic frame, with ink, graphite, violet flowers and red roses, even hints of black truffles at this young age, a sign of the exuberance of the vintage and one that will no doubt increase with age. A little less Cabernet Franc in the blend than usual because they have one plot uprooted right now. The aromatics are explosing, but things are more serious on the palate, with grip and austerity, and it will need a good eight to ten years in bottle to soften. Beautiful nutmeg and clove spice, with a mouthwatering finish. 35hl/h yield. 65% new oak. Oldest vines date back to 1958. 75% new oak Score: 96 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux The 2022 Vieux Château Certan was picked between 6 and 21 September at 35hL/ha and matured in two-thirds new oak. Alexandre Thienpont thinks it is a combination of the 2019 and 2020 and said that the Cabernet Sauvignon, from younger vines, lowered the alcohol (14.4%) and lent perfume. The aromatics are spellbinding with brilliant delineation and a surfeit of freshness. Blackberry, briary, crushed stone and light iris flower scents, vivacious and so energetic. The palate is medium-bodied with fine, very supple tannins, and lashings of cracked black pepper, pencil box and tobacco infusing the black fruit. As Thienpont said, persistent on the finish and gently lacquering the vines. The Cabernet is very expressive this year and so while it is a real Left Bank/Right Bank hybrid, it is, at the same time, quintessentially Pomerol. Chapeau Alexandre et Guillaume Thienpont. Score: 97 - 99 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2032-2075 One of the wines of the vintage, without a doubt, the 2022 Vieux Château Certan comes from healthy yields of 38 hectoliters per hectare and is 75% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. Jaw-droppingly good in every sense, its deep purple hue is followed by a massive array of black cherries, violets, red plums, chocolate, and violets. This carries to a full-bodied Pomerol with a voluptuously layered mouthfeel, perfect tannins, and a great, great finish. I never find Vieux Château Certan to have the overt power and structure of Petrus, or the feminine elegance of Conseillante, but it's unrivaled in its texture, seamlessness, and purity. If this doesn't put a smile on your face, I don't know what will. And I'll be a buyer. Score: 98 - 100 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com |