Bordeaux 2022 - 30-31 May

Star Values from the RIGHT BANK today, with the wines of the Durantou family of Pomerol fame:  La Chenade & Les Cruzelles, just across the border in Lalande de Pomerol, are seriously good 2022s, fresh, focused dark fruit with depth and quality, better than many Pomerols year on year. Montlandrie is the best Cotes de Castillon we have tasted, and Saintayme is another unbeatable value, with early drinking appeal. You will struggle to find better wines at these prices. Sadly production of La Chenade is halved this year, and Les Cruzelles severely reduced. These are artisan wines where the family know every vine; indisputably gorgeous 2022s.

Read on for releases from the LEFT BANK.

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.
91-93 - Antonio Galloni

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.
90-92 - Antonio Galloni

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.
92-94 - Antonio Galloni

Possibly the best Les Cruzelles that I have tasted at this stage and sure to be an unbeatable value-for-money.
92-94 - Neal Martin

LEFT BANK

Major news with the release of Grand Puy Lacoste. A glorious GPL, Neal Martin rates it 96-98, equal to two First Growths in 2022 Lafite and Mouton. Also availabile in a special edition case of mixed formats.   The excellent, high-scoring Branaire Ducru, along with Sociando Mallet & the "utterly charming" Labegorce & Kirwan are also now available.

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.
95-97 William Kelley

"Classy and integrated, it is somewhat reminiscent of a modern-day and less forbiddingly structured version of this estate's brilliant 1982."
95-97 William Kelley