Bordeaux 2022 - Our Picks

Our Picks in 2022  (under £50 per bottle)

"it would also be a pity if high prices for the region’s two-dozen most collected estates were to distract from all the riches contemporary Bordeaux has to offer …"  William Kelley, Wine Advocate

2022 is a year where many Chateaux have made outstanding wines.  Here is our a selection at the "value end" of Bordeaux; these are wines that have performed at the top of their potential with gorgeous efforts that both surprised and delighted us during the en primeur tastings.  We were expecting wines that showed the warmth of the vintage, but these are wines which combine ripeness with subtlety and finesse, and the balance that hints at wide drinking windows.

In another surprise, we were hugely impressed by many second wines in 2022.  Made with an exacting attention to detail, wines such as Pichon Comtesse Reserve, Griffons de Pichon Baron, La Dame de Montrose offer serious winemaking expertise and genuine value for money, along with the style signatures of these famous estates. 

William Kelley:  It is worth noting that the quality of second wines is especially high....  The best second wines in 2022 often exhibit similar structure and texture to their grand vin counterparts, something that isn’t always the case, and they merit more serious consideration than usual this year.”

Right Bank

St Emilion & Pomerol Satellites

Pound for pound, there are no consistently better wine values around than these...  La Chenade shows dark juicy fruit for earlier drinking, while Les Cruzelles is opulent, layered and more serious. Montlandrie is a real fruitbomb in 2022, powerful and long, so impressive. Better than many more expensive names.

St Emilion
Saintayme, an upfront ripe style at a fantastic price. Laroque and Franc Mayne show the pure side of Saint Emilion: bright, floral and subtle. 

Left Bank

Medoc/Haut Medoc/Moulis
Beaumont - good claret with Medoc grip, this will drink well young, Potensac shows off sunny fruit, and impressive, supple tannins.  Chasse Spleen, was very fine, classical Cabernet impression.

Margaux
Alluring perfumed Margaux from Siran & Labegorce, whilst Giscours really shows its class in 2022.

Pauillac
A perfectly judged Batailley, and two of the best second wines in 2022 in Griffons (mini-Pichon Baron) and a simply beautiful Pichon Comtesse Reserve (mini Pichon-Lalande). 

St Julien
Lovely mint and graphite character at Lagrange, while Branaire was expressive, seamless and long.  La Croix Ducru Beaucaillou was excellent, dense and structured to last.

Saint Estephe
Ch de Pez is a newcomer to our list, from the winemaker of Pichon Lalande; there is Saint Estephe structure, subtle richness and good balance.  La Dame de Montrose is expressive and aromatic, bags of charm and supple tannins: "a second wine that would embarrass numerous classified growths" (Wine Advocate)

Pessac-Leognan
A very good Cabernet-driven wine from Larrivet Haut Brion really stood out this year.