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The 2021 Smith Haut Lafitte is an engaging, dynamic wine. Gravel, menthol, licorice, mocha and spice are all beautifully delineated. A wine of energy and focus, the 2021 is absolutely enthralling—medium in body, refined and super-impressive.Vinous Media | 96 VMLots of clove, black-licorice and cigar-box character. Already perfumed. Medium body with fine, chalky and precise tannins. Lead-pencil shavings. Well framed and structured with a fresh, lengthy and spicy finish. Extremely long and intense. 63% cabernet sauvignon, 33% merlot, 3% cabernet franc and 1% petit verdot. From organically grown grapes.James Suckling | 96-97 JSThe 2021 Smith Haut Lafitte, a blend of 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot reveals a deep, complex bouquet of dark berries, spices, licorice, pencil lead and flowers intertwined with hints of menthol. Medium to full-bodied, satiny and seamless, it’s suave and concentrated, with velvety, elegant tannins and a refined, penetrating finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPGorgeous aromas on the nose, so expressive with blackcurrant, plum, damson, strawberry and red cherry all abounding out of the glass. This has style and substance on the palate, the sour cherry, blackcurrant and blueberry covered in the terroir markers of slate, graphite, pencil lead and liquorice which are the drivers on the palate, the fruit taking a backseat right now though there is cohesion with verticality and an undercurrent of freshness. The energy is there, almost latent, it’s under the surface, brimming, not yet ready to go but it will be there in time. This has refinement and you feel they haven’t pushed too hard. It’s definitely got the markers of the vintage, the coolness of the year, showing the grapes and terroir even more clearly in the glass, especially the spiced Cabernet aspects. I love the style and the no frills effect. It’s got a super long length too with enough class on show you know it will age well.Decanter | 94 DECProvides a step up in substance, with steeped red and black currant fruit laced with tobacco, bay leaf and worn leather accents. Features flashes of warm earth and iron that underscore the finish, also showing depth and grip. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Best from 2025 through 2035. 10,000 cases made, 2,400 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 93 WSThe flagship 2021 Château Smith Haut Lafitte checks in as 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, and a splash of Petit Verdot. It’s a rich, powerful wine, delivering lots of ripe black fruits (currants, some cassis), notes of scorched earth and graphite, medium to full body, ripe tannins, and a great mid-palate. It shows the straight, focused style of the vintage yet brings plenty of mid-palate depth, ripe, building tannins, and outstanding length.Jeb Dunnuck | 93-95+ JDThe 2021 Smith Haut Lafitte is a blend of 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Petit Verdot, aging in 60% new oak. Deep garnet-purple in color, it needs a little swirling before it bursts with vibrant black cherries, fresh blackberries, and blackcurrant cordial scents, followed by hints of violets, star anise, and cedar chest. Medium-bodied, the palate delivers a great density of fresh black fruits and earthy layers, framed by firm, ripe, grainy tannins and compelling freshness, leading to a long finish with a spicy kick on this very impressive wine. At 22 hl/ha, yields are less than half of 2019 and about half of 2020, with 1/3 of the crop going into the Grand Vin this year.The Wine Independent | 92-94 TWI

Rich cherries, cassis, fresh olives and dark spices. Svelte, fine tannins on the medium- to full-bodied palate, showing lots of juicy berries and a linear, extensive finish. Excellent length, focus and structure here. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 94 JSThis is another robust wine from Tenuta Luce with immediate notes of maple syrup and brown sugar. Made with a blend of 75% Merlot and 25% Sangiovese, the 2021 Lucente releases aromas of cherry cola, Tootsie Roll and toasted hazelnut. With 300,000 bottles made, you get a big and burley red wine.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90 RPA sweetly scented blend of wild blueberries and dusty sage gains complexity through cardamon and ground clove hints as the 2021 La Vite Lucente emerges from the glass. This is soothingly round and pure in style. A wave of ripe red and blue fruits easily wash across the palate, leaving a tactile mineral tinge and spice. Fine tannins frame the finish without slowing its momentum, and the 2021 tapers off long and staining with a steely minerality that lingers. The Lucente is a blend of Merlot and Sangiovese geared toward early consumption.Vinous Media | 90 VM

Clove, vanilla, restrained cherry, milk chocolate and balsamic aromas. The attack is soft and velvety, with dense tannins, a savory character, a full body and crisp, refreshing acidity. Great mid-palate extraction and details. Embracing finish, long and consistent. Drinkable now, but best from 2031.James Suckling | 95 JSMade with equal parts Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, the Tolaini 2021 Valdisanti is a lush expression with a big, upfront delivery of bold black fruit. On the palate, that intensity tapers off somewhat to reveal a silky and elegant mid to full-bodied approach. It shows great length and a softer texture than you might expect given the first impact of the bouquet. You get lingering notes of pencil shaving and toasted oak, but the wine is ready to drink now. Production is 54,000 bottles.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPFocused like a laser, this racy red features black currant, black cherry, cedar, licorice and graphite aromas and flavors. A balanced version, with a light dusting of tannins shoring up the finish. Excellent length. Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2026 through 2038. 4,500 cases made, 3,000 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 94 WSThe 2021 Valdisanti is a bright, punchy wine. Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc speak with a decidedly Tuscan accent in this vibrant, mid-weight offering. The 2021 is a distinctive wine with much to offer. Crushed rocks, graphite, lavender and plum all build into the resonant finish.Vinous Media | 93 VMAromas of vanilla, clove, toasted coconut, blackberries and mulberries shine on the nose, and the palate stays sunny with more sweet and tart blackberries, vanilla and coconut, plus a touch of licorice candy. Heat and acid lift the finish.Wine Enthusiast | 91 WE

The 2021 Troplong Mondot is fabulous. It offers up a rush of dark red-toned fruit, crushed rocks, leather, menthol, cedar and blood orange. As always, Troplong Mondot is marked by a strong presence of Cabernet Sauvignon that seems to add brooding intensity, muscle and power. I tasted it three times. A bottle given a brief decant of about 20 minutes showed best. The 2021 spent 13 months in oak (two months less than normal), in a mix of 60% new, 21% 20-hectoliter cask and 19% once-used. The 2021 is a Troplong Mondot of extreme purity and class.Vinous Media | 96 VMBright purple rim to the wine. So many aromas on the nose, really captivating and full - dark chocolate, pink flowers giving a soft perfume, cinnamon, raspberries, black cherries and liquorice too - all intensifying over twenty minutes in the glass. Super bright and charged on the palate, this is off like a firecracker from the initial impact, giving tangy strawberry, red cherry and raspberry fruit flavours. It’s got power no doubt, but a delicate, light style, not so concentrated and intense more lifted and aerial with tension. So much energy here, the flavours come in waves on the palate, red fruits, cooling blue fruits, exotic spices, flowers and fresh minty, stone notes with a real mineral salinity on the finish. It’s perhaps not so weighty or full in the mouth like previous more opulent vintages, but there is clarity and definition of elements on show. I love the mineral finish, so Troplong. Extremely refined. First vintage in the new cellar facilities which helped with precision.Decanter | 96 DECThe 2021 Troplong Mondot unwinds in the glass with aromas of dark berries, cherries and plums mingled with violets, exotic spices and smoke. Medium to full-bodied, deep and complete, the wine is layered and complex, with all the depth and authority that one expects from this clay-driven terroir, its concentrated core of fruit underpinned by sweet tannins and lively animating acids, concluding with a long, resonant finish. A blend of 85% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Cabernet Franc with a remarkably low pH of 3.35, it’s the first vintage produced in the estate’s state-of-the-art new winery.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPElegant and refined nose with a classy touch of spices and mineral to the red currants and berries. Very sleek and linear on the palate with super polished, immaculate tannins and a very long finish. Not a powerful vintage for sure, but this is all about finesse and subtlety. Already drinkable, but can hold for a decade.James Suckling | 95 JSFresh, if a touch on the skinny side, with bitter cherry and pomegranate notes carried by a chalky structure, while savory accents dart around throughout. Pretty, silky finish. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2025 through 2033. 10,000 cases made, 1,000 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 90 WSA blend of 85% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 2% Cabernet Franc, the 2021 Troplong Mondot is deep garnet-purple colored. Energetic notes of baked plums, wild strawberries, and black raspberries jump from the glass, followed by hints of tar, licorice, black olives, and truffles. Medium-bodied, the palate is plush and energetic, with a lively line and long minerally finish.The Wine Independent | 90-92 TWI

Here’s a wine that takes us to a vintage that excels in terms of general fruit clarity and precision. The 2021 Giusto di Notri is 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc and 10% Merlot that ages in new oak (50% of the wine) with the other half going into second- and third-passage barrel. Intensity and depth are highlighted nicely here in a vintage that ended on October 16th (much later than 2020). This benefits complexity and aromas. The vintage also delivers more freshness and balanced tannins (without the sharper edges you get in 2020). This is a beautiful wine, one that’s set up for long cellar aging.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPIntense aromas of red currants, sweet tobacco, lead pencil, and terra-cotta. Medium to full body with polished tannins that are very well-integrated into the wine. It is racy and long with lovely mocha and subtle fruit at the end. 80% cabernet sauvignon, 10% cabernet franc and 10% merlot. Drink after 2028.James Suckling | 96 JSBlack currant, blackberry, plum, violet, green olive, graphite and wild rosemary aromas and flavors are the hallmarks of this impressive red, which is lively and refreshing, with dense tannins gripping the long, oak-tinged finish. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2026 through 2038. 3,333 cases made, 500 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 94 WSThis blend of the two Cabernets plus Merlot is matured in new and second-use French oak barriques for around 18 months. Leafy, herbal and spicy notes are a prelude to a core aroma of blackcurrant, cocoa and violets. In the mouth it combines bright and precise acidity with soft, voluptuous yet structured black fruits, with some juicy spiced plum, herbal bitters, chocolate and a woody presence. Fine-grained tannins grip the gums and bolster the fruit. A deliciously lively red to enjoy now or in several years.Decanter | 94 DEC

Simply put, Christian Moueix’s Napa Valley project Ulysses is a wine every collector of Napa Cabernet should have in their cellar. The 2021 release of the Oakville red is a knockout that is never too bombastic, entirely reserved even in its generosity, and one that will last a very long time. A dry winter and spring led to the second consecutive year of a drought that began in January 2020. Temperatures were warm and consistent and slightly above average. The vines produced smaller clusters of small berries with high phenolic compounds and tannin levels. 1,400 cases produced. Opaque purple-ruby to the rim. A wine showing all the best qualities you’d expect from a prime Oakville site. This is a beautifully balanced red, imbued with a tremendously fresh streak of acidity. The nose leads with prime, ripe, dark black fruits, cassis, violets, creme de menthe, and crushed slate.—medium to full-bodied with impressively fashioned tannins that are robust and build through the extravagantly long finish. Marked by ripe black cherry and spiced plum notes, the length is extended by zesty blood orange acidity. Fragrant with sage and thyme, nuanced by brighter cherry blossom freshness and mineral tension. Impressive depth and density with a core of pure, ripe, and juicy fruit. Exceptional. This was the last wine in a complete vertical tI tasted with Moueix and winemaker Tod Mostero in a tasting room tucked within the barn on the Ulysses Vineyard site. ’I’m thrilled,’ commented Moueix, ’There’s a real dignity to the wines.’ Moueix said that until this tasting, he hadn’t quite noticed the style signature but found it emerging, though cautioned, ’Even with our experience next door at Dominus, we are still figuring it out.’ For Mostero, ’Making these has been a discovery of place. With our mature vines, we’re just beginning to get a sense of the true resonance of the place. The 2021 typifies what we can expect. This arrow-like structure that is piercing, resonant, and strong.’Decanter Magazine | 99 DECThe reserved plushness comes out clearly with brightness, focus and very creamy tannins that give it muscle and tension. Juicy and flavorful but not overdone. Energetic and flexing but in a friendly way. Plums, milk chocolate, terra cotta and nutmeg. Almost all cabernet sauvignon with a touch of cabernet franc and petit verdot. Give it four or five years to soften. Try after 2028.James Suckling | 98 JSThe 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon is a huge, dense wine. Copious dark fruit, menthol, licorice, plum, espresso and spice are amplified in a large-scale, ample Oakville Cabernet. The 2021 is very much a wine of power and structure. Sepia-toned notes lend darkness, while the oak imprint also appears to be quite present at this stage. Even so, the wine exudes balance but in a pretty extroverted style, especially compared to Dominus.Vinous Media | 96 VMThe 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon, with around 5% Cabernet Franc in the blend, is opaque purple-black in color. It storms out of the glass with powerful scents of blackcurrant cordial, plum preserves, star anise, iris bulb, and dark chocolate plus suggestions of camphor, cedar chest, and crushed rocks. The medium to full-bodied palate delivers a sold line of firm grainy tannins and bold freshness to frame the energetic black fruit layers, finishing long and fragrant. 1,400 cases were made.The Wine Independent | 96 TWIThere are 1,400 cases of the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon, which offers up charming red-fruited notes of cherries and redcurrants, plus some loamy-earth scents. While it comes across a bit more angular and more coarsely textured than its sister wines Dominus or Napanook, it also seems a bit lighter in body despite also weighing in at 15% alcohol. It’s impressively complete and balanced overall, adding savory, mocha-tinged notes on the lingering finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RP

Composed of 71% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Petit Verdot, the 2021 La Joie sports a deep garnet-purple color. It comes galloping out of the glass with energetic notes of fresh red and black currants, mulberries and candied violets, giving way to evocative wafts of cardamom, clove oil, and iron ore. The medium to full-bodied palate is built like a brick house, delivering taut, muscular black fruit and very firm, finely grained tannins, plus a finely knit line of freshness, finishing long and energetic. It’s tightly wound and will require patience to allow the tertiary characters to blossom. Forget it for 5-7 years in the cellar and drink it over the following 30 years+.The Wine Independent | 100 TWIAlso inky black, the 2021 La Joie is packed with loads of licorice, blackcurrant, menthol, and polished leather. Full-bodied and plush, with a rocky texture, massive structure, and tremendous power, it will be a wine to cellar while you’re drinking the 2022s.Jeb Dunnuck | 98-100 JDThe 2021 La Joie is composed of 71% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot, and the wine was matured for 16 months in 95% new French oak. It’s exceptionally pure and layered on the nose, its scents of blackcurrant and blueberry accented by tones of lavender and cardamom. The full-bodied palate is effortlessly seamless. It features Goldilocks ripeness, loads of powdery, suede-textured tannins and bursts of mouthwatering acidity. Though its flavors are youthfully coiled, it opens dramatically over several days, and it will be epically long lived in the cellar. 2,500 cases were made.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97+ RP

This is a big white with sliced apple, pineapple and lychee fruit. It’s full-bodied and dense with lots of fruit and phenolics on the mid-palate. A roundness and power at the end. From the same plots as Yquem. Harvested August 9. 60% sauvignon blanc and 40% semillon. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 94 JSComposed of 60% Sauvignon Blanc and 40% Sémillon, the 2022 Y d’Yquem has 6 grams per liter of residual sugar. It skips out of the glass with cheery notions of fresh, crunchy pears, allspice, fennel seed, and lime leaves, leading to touches of lemon drops, chalk dust, and white pepper. The medium-bodied palate has a satiny texture and racy backbone with layers of pear and baking spices flavors, finishing on a lingering chalky note.The Wine Independent | 94+ TWI

The 2022 Vino Bianco Leukò bursts from the glass with a wild aromatic display of ground ginger, incense, dried peaches and sour melon. It’s soft and enveloping with a pleasant inner sweetness up front and zesty acidity as floral-laced white pit fruits and candied citrus tones cascade throughout. The palate is left reeling, watering for more, as a perfumed floral air dissipates over tropical kiwi hints. This is Leukò on steroids. It’s a blend of 70% Greco Bianco and 30% Gaglioppo, vinified white.Vinous Media | 92 VM

Attractive nose of ripe mangoes, pineapple and grilled lemons with some toasty, nutty notes and hints of smoky minerality. Cardamom and pie crust, too. It’s full-bodied, nervy and juicy, with bright acidity and savory nuances. It’s layered and long and it builds up on the palate, with vibrant, spicy notes of candied ginger, dried lemons and bitter citrus peel. Truly the Montrachet of Italy. Drink or hold. James Suckling | 98 JSThis is Marchesi Antinori’s top white wine, and it comes from the region of Umbria. The Castello della Sala 2022 Cervaro della Sala is based on Chardonnay and has a small part of the local grape Grechetto in the blend. The nose opens to a reductive note of flint or matchstick, but it lifts quickly to reveal soft orchard fruit, white peach and minty apple. There are delicately applied toasted notes with a hint of pecan or macadamia nut. To finish, you also get salty mineral notes that underline the extremely vertical or lifted personality of the bouquet. Renzo Cotarella tells me that tweaks to winemaking in recent years have attempted "to slim down the wine and not make it any bigger." This was a hot vintage, but Cervaro della Sala remains true to its leaner and meaner blueprint. However, given its accessible personality, we could expect a shorter drinking window for the 2022s.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RP

There’s extraordinary energy in this wine. It displays a dark nose of black cherries, bramble fruit, violets, forest, licorice, bark, carob and leather. Density and tension dominate the full-bodied palate, with firm, velvety tannins. It’s slightly austere in the finish at the moment, yet it’s crunchy and full of potential. Try from 2026.James Suckling | 96 JSTignanello is one of Tuscany’s most iconic wines and the 2022 doesn’t disappoint, starting with its captivating aromas of fragrant purple flower, cake spice, camphor and ripe plum. A blend of mainly Sangiovese with small amounts of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, the smooth, utterly delicious and elegantly structured palate delivers succulent black cherry, cassis, vanilla, mocha and graphite alongside well-integrated, fine-grained tannins. Fresh acidity lifts the rich flavors. Abv: 14% Kerin O’Keefe | 96 KODelightfully approachable on the nose right away, with warm mocha notes and cool graphite aromas against bing and black cherries, and a palate that’s equally outrageously delicious and easy to love even in its unbridled youth, with more cherries, blackberries, raspberries and chocolate inside a framework of tannins made to measure and acid built like an invisible force field.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEThe 2022 Tignanello is all class and refinement. Crushed flowers, mint, white pepper, blood orange and cinnamon all grace a Tignanello defined by a decidedly sophisticated personality. The 2022 has started to flesh out nicely, especially in the mid-palate, but it remains very much on the understated side of things relative to most vintages.Vinous Media | 95 VMThe rich texture wraps around plum, cherry, graphite, tobacco and earth flavors, with a line of dusty tannins underneath. Fresh, elegant and long, ending with a pleasant astringency. Give this a year or two to integrate. Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2027 through 2040. 12,000 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 94 WS

This opulent Malbec-forward blend delivers loads of crushed blueberry, black plum, coffee and sage aromas on the nose, while the palate displays hearty tannic structure with lavish acidity and flavors of currant, cassis, shattered granite, dark chocolate and licorice. Rest this in the cellar for a decade or more and grill the biggest steak you can find.Wine Enthusiast | 97 WEThe 2022 Bordeaux Red Blend is a blend of 36% Malbec, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, and a splash of Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. A more saturated red color, it’s pretty and floral with hints of mocha, purple flowers, black raspberries, and red-fruited highlights. The palate is full and ripe, with a plush and well-detailed feel and a long finish. Although it offers more immediate appeal in the vintage, it should have a wide window to show its best over the next 12-15 years. 8,470 cases were produced.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDA vibrant, layered blend of 36% Malbec, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, and a final 5% of Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, this wine brings freshness and perfume to the classic Bordeaux framework. The nose opens with a mix of black and red berries, wet roses, and subtle green undertones that add aromatic tension. On the palate, it’s compact, with dusty tannins and a warm finish that carries notes of spiced cocoa. A wine that feels both youthful and has the structure to evolve.Decanter Magazine | 94 DECThe 2022 Bordeaux Red Blend is composed of 36% Malbec, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot and 2% Cabernet Franc. Matured for 18 months in 50% new French oak, it bursts from the glass with pure red cherry and pomegranate perfume, unfurling nuances of lavender, forest floor and glossy new oak as it opens in the glass. The medium-bodied palate features generous, floral fruit. It’s structured by powdery tannins and juicy acidity and has a long, layered finish. 8,470 cases produced.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPAn elegant but rich and ripe Bordeaux-style blend that’s not too tight with tannins and features broad, opulent black fruit flavors and generous oak spices. Full-bodied, sleek and luxurious. Drink now or hold.James Suckling | 92 JS

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.James Suckling | 97-98 JSThe Ausone 2022 is a blend of 50% Merlot and 50% Cabernet Franc, with a yield of 38 hl/ha. The Merlot was harvested between 5th and 7th September and the Cabernet Franc between 21st and 27th September. It has a pH of 3.57, a TPI of 66, and it is opaque purple in color. The wine is completely closed on the first smell, requiring a lot of swirling to begin to release fragrant notes of dried roses, licorice, cast-iron pan, and cumin seed, giving way to a core of Morello cherries, wild blueberries, and redcurrant preserves. The full-bodied palate is an exercise in elegance, featuring very fine-grained, very firm tannins and breathtaking tension to frame the tightly wound red and black fruit layers, finishing with epic length and mind-blowing complexity. Holding its cards close to its chest, it’s a hard wine to read at first glance, yet there’s a lot of nuanced sub-text bound within the rock-solid structure. I see this slowly unfolding over many years to become a wine for the ages.The Wine Independent | 97-99+ TWIThe 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.Jeb Dunnuck | 96-98 JDQuite intense nose, strongly perfumed and scented with purple flowers and a mix of red and black fruit. Fragrant with chocolate, tobacco, cedar, cinnamon, crushed stones and liquorice. Aromatically very inviting. Plush and sapid, tannins are ripe but the acidity gives it real tension so you get some intensity of texture and sharpness of fruit on the palate making it a bit serious and tense right now though with lovely detail and lots of precision in terms of tannins and fruit. Mouthwatering acidity is at the fore, really giving some zing and electricity to this while the crushed stones, liquorice and clove spice give the accents around the edges. Clear strength and concentration, such power underneath - you do feel the heat from the alcohol (15.4%!) but the acidity and soft mineral elements help keep the balance and frame though it’s not as demonstrably mineral as some years. Acidity does settle and this expands slowly - keeping the linearity and sense of focus but also giving hints to its power and ageability. Sculpted and well delivered, characterful and confident with long ageing potential. Long finish with graphite, pencil lead and toasted spices on the finish. 3.57pH 85% grand vin, 20,000 bottles. Harvest 5 and 9 September for Merlot, 21 and 27 September for Cabernet Franc. A yield of 38hl/ha. Potential upscore in bottle.Decanter | 96 DECThe 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.Vinous Media | 95-97+ VMA 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.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94-96 RP

The 2022 Baron de Brane Blanc is a tasty dry white to drink now and over the next few years. Strong varietal Sauvignon Blanc notes are front and center. Citrus peel, crushed rocks, sage, mint, slate and tomato leaf are all very nicely delineated.Vinous Media | 90 VM

One of the clear standouts of the vintage! A sensual, fun, salivating and sublime wine from winemaker Joséphine Duffau-Lagarrosse that manages to give such generosity, power, terroir markers and overall drinkability. Aromatic, scented, open and expressive with cherries, blackcurrants, purple flowers and crushed stones. Sleek and supple, sharp, tangy acidity and concentrated ripe fruit - it’s forward and intense, direct but defined and detailed. Fine and supportive tannins have bite and a mineral tang putting you squarely in St-Emilion on limestone. Raw and wild in a way, but so expressive and open - honest and just such a captivating wine that belies the heat of the vintage with its cool menthol, blue fruits and lifted finish. Streamlined and focussed, sustained, determined and characterful - sleek in the best way, this is confident but not showy. Succulent, classy, polished. A brilliant wine. 3.5pH. A yield of 42hl/ha. Harvest 6 - 9 September for Merlot and 23 September for Cabernet Franc. Julien Viaud and Axel Marchal consultants. 98-100 points. Decanter | 98 DECA beautiful and enticing red with blackberry, hazelnut, dried flower, spice and berry character. It’s full yet poised with finesse and richness while also being bright and energetic. Precise.James Suckling | 97-98 JSThe 2022 Beausejour Duffau-Lagarrosse is made from 69% Merlot and 31% Cabernet Franc (the highest ever proportion) with a yield of 42 hl/ha. Deep garnet-purple in color, it spills out of the glass with fantastically perfumed notes of lilacs, molten licorice, Indian spices, and cedar chest, giving way to a profound core of blueberry preserves, blackberry pie, and boysenberries with a waft of crushed rocks. The full-bodied palate is rich and opulent, delivering layer upon layer of fragrant black and blue fruit notes, supported by amazing tension and very fine-grained tannins, finishing long and beautifully perfumed. Dazzingly electric, it’s pure energy in a glass! The pH, BTW, is just 3.50—gotta love limestone.The Wine Independent | 97-99 TWIThe 2022 Château Beauséjour (Duffau-Lagarrosse) looks to be another brilliant wine from this incredible terroir located just outside the village of Saint-Emilion. Based on 69% Merlot and 31% Cabernet Franc resting in 68% new oak, it sports a dense purple hue as well as a floral, intense bouquet of cassis, liquid violets, black cherries, truffly earth, and graphite. Hitting 14.5% alcohol with a pH of 3.5, it’s full-bodied and has a pure, layered, opulent mouthfeel and just about perfect tannins. There’s a little bit more clay in the soils at this estate (there’s still plenty of limestone) which gives the wines plenty of power and richness, and the 2022 holds onto a beautiful sense of elegance.Jeb Dunnuck | 96-98+ JDThe 2022 Beauséjour (Duffau Lagarrosse) promises to be the finest wine that this superb limestone terroir has produced in at least several decades. In recent years, the quality of the site always shone through, but it was sometimes obscured by an impactful vinification and élevage (plenty of creamy new oak and malolactic fermentation in barrel). Much of the estate’s Cabernet Franc was frequently eliminated from the blend. Joséphine Duffau Lagarrosse has changed that, incorporating fully 31% Cabernet Franc in the blend to deliver a complex and compelling wine evocative of wild berries, plums, rose petals and violets. Medium to full-bodied, pure and vibrant, it’s supple and layered, with beautifully refined tannins, terrific depth at the core and a long, chalky finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95-97 RPThe 2022 Beauséjour Héritiers Duffau-Lagarrosse was picked on 6-9 September for the Merlot and 23 for the Cabernet Franc, representing the highest percentage to date. It was cropped at 42hL/ha with 14.9% alcohol and a pH of 3.5. Aged in 68% new oak, it has a delicate nose that completely disguises that summer’s warmth. Precise redcurrant and raspberry fruit aromas are laced with minerals. The limestone soils percolate and evince the estate’s style under Joséphine Duffau Lagarrosse. It seems to deepen, to "stretch out" with aeration, manifesting more darker fruit. The palate is medium-bodied, mineral-driven and almost pastille-like in terms of purity with its mélange of red and blue fruit and granular texture. Background notes of tobacco and black truffle begin to surface with time. There’s just a trace of white pepper on the finish. Precise, focused and with plenty of substance, this is a characterful and intellectually satisfying Duffau. Most importantly, not only will it be flippin’ delicious, but you get the sense that Joséphine is only just getting started.Vinous Media | 95-97 VM

A fabulous wine in the making. Perfumed aromatics on the nose, ripe black fruits and purple flowers. Clean and intense, grippy straight away, the tannins give the impact and hold the attention, ripe fruit, but lean cool mineral tannins that provide both the freshness and sense of structure. Focussed with bite and depth, stylish and sure, I love the liquorice tang, not spiced at all but giving an extra level of minerality, terroir and freshness. Still quite shy to an extent, it’s serious but so polished and pure. Refined and superbly well built. Juicy but controlled, not too sharp, or severe, quiet, calm, persistent and well balanced. Gorgeous terroir markers and a chalky texture on the finish that is so moreish. Potential upscore in bottle. Harvest 8-20 September. Decanter | 98 DECLoads of mocha, red fruits and hazenut. Nuts too. Wild strawberries and violets. Full-bodied and juicy with dusty and fine tannins that spread across the palate. Lovely soft texture. Elegant and long at the end. Rich and juicy at the end. 98% merlot and 2% cabernet franc.James Suckling | 97-98 JSThe 2022 Bél-Air Monange was picked from 8 to 20 September. It offers copious red fruit on the nose laced with graphite and sous-bois scents, gaining complexity in the glass. I love the detail and delineation of this wine. The palate is medium-bodied with finely-sculpted tannins that frame the layered mineral-rich fruit. Supremely focused with a surfeit of tension on the finish, there’s an abiding sense of harmony and completeness to this Saint-Émilion that feels draped in limestone. A wine befitting their eye-catching new château building.Vinous Media | 96-98 VMAnother beautiful vintage for this cuvée, the 2022 Château Belair-Monange is 98% Merlot and 2% Cabernet Franc coming from a mix of terroirs on the upper plateau and hillside vineyard just outside of Saint-Emilion. This dense plum-hued effort offers up an incredible bouquet of black raspberries, chalky minerality, spring flowers, and graphite. Rich, full-bodied, and concentrated, it has an incredibly sense of minerality, a great mid-palate, and enough structure to warrant a solid 7-8 years of bottle age.Jeb Dunnuck | 95-97+ JDAromas of blackberries, cherry preserve, black tea and licorice introduce the 2022 Belair Monange, a full-bodied, deep and powerful wine with a layered, somewhat liqueured core of fruit, powdery tannins and a long, expansive and slightly heady finish. Perhaps because the vines are younger, this is the cuvée in the Mouiex portfolio that shows the ripeness of the vintage the most this year.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94-95 RP

One of the standouts of the vintage that impressed equally on three different occasions. Fragrant and expressive on the nose, lovely scents and dark fruits. Smooth and crisp, silky but concentrated, such precision and detail straight away with succulent and juicy acidity. There’s concentration no doubt, it’s ripe and intense, the dark perfumed blackcurrants and black cherries give a serious backbone and tension to the wine, while the minty, stony freshness carries the flavour and gives the energy and definition. Excellently weighted on the palate, with structure and a mouthwatering sensation that comes in once the weight settles. So well constructed with a beautiful texture and overall integration of all the elements. Exceptional quality and drinkability on offer with a delicious salty, graphite and flint finish that puts you at the estate. Overlook this at your peril. 2.5% Petit Verdot completes the blend. 3.65pH. Harvest 12 - 24 September. 60% grand vin production. A yield of 34hl/ha. Tasted three times. This vintage was the first to be made 100% in the new cellar with double the number of vats than were available in 2020 for more precise fermentations. HVE3 certified. Harvest 12 September - 24 September.Decanter | 97 DECThe 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.James Suckling | 96-97 JSA 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.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95-97 RPThe 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.Vinous Media | 95-97 VMAn 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.Jeb Dunnuck | 95-97 JDThe 2022 Branaire-Ducru is made from 60.5% CS, 31.5% Merlot, 5.5% Cabernet Franc, and 2.5% Petit Verdot with a yield of 34.5 hl/ha. Deep garnet-purple in color, it gallops out of the glass with energetic notes of crushed blackcurrants, fresh blackberries, and juicy plums, plus suggestions of clove oil, fertile loam, and dried lavender. The medium to full-bodied palate has a lot of elegance and finesse for its density and hefty weight, featuring lively black fruit layers and an approachable, grainy texture, finishing on a mineral note. Nicely done! The pH is 3.65.The Wine Independent | 94-96 TWI

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!Jeb Dunnuck | 97-99 JDThe 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."Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96-98 RPRich and vibrant on the nose, smells concentrated and alcoholic. Crisp and clean on the palate however with bite to the cherry, plum and blackcurrant fruit alongside a hint of sweet strawberry and herbal raspberry on the mid palate that gives some instant energy before the clear concentration and heft of the wine shows through. Not so much in the texture but in the ripe flavours, cool minty and stone edged tannins and clear liquorice and clove spice. Still taught but detailed with elements of generosity. 2% Petit Verdot completes the blend. 3.65pH. A yield of 26hl/ha. Ageing 17 months, 30% new oak.Decanter | 96 DECA 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.James Suckling | 95-96 JSThe 2022 Calon Segur is composed of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Petit Verdot. Deep garnet-purple in color, it erupts from the glass with powerful scents of creme de cassis, blackberry preserves, and fruitcake, leading to touches of wild sage, smoked meats, Chinese five spice, and camphor with a waft of graphite. The full-bodied palate is super concentrated and hedonic, delivering impactful black and blue fruit preserves layers with a velvety texture and lively backbone, finishing with long lingering exotic spice notes. It’s big, sure, but it is also very bright and energetic. The alcohol is 15% and the pH 3.8.The Wine Independent | 95-97+ TWIThe 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.Vinous Media | 94-96 VM

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.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 99-100 RPA superb Canon in 2022. Supple, shiny, oh so charming, gorgeously sleek and well textured like pure silk but with density to the tannins that grips and coats the mouth, plus you know there’s such power and concentration underneath in the waves of liquorice, stones, blackcurrant fruit. Extremely polished and charming. Vibrant, energetic, tense, and straight. It’s not plush, more direct, but this wine thrills. Seamless and effortless, bright and energetic but with such a calm control and confidence. A stunning wine more for what it doesn’t say than what it does in 2022. A yield of 45hl/ha. pH 3.5. 18 months ageing with 50% new oak. Harvest 30 August - 22 September.Decanter | 98 DECEndless 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.James Suckling | 98-99 JSTasted 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."Jeb Dunnuck | 97-99+ JDThe 2022 Canon is a blend of 75% Merlot and 25% Cabernet Franc with a yield of 45 hl/ha, planned to be aged for 18 months in 50% new French oak. Deep garnet-purple in color, it requires a lot of patient swirling to release scents of fresh blackberries, raspberry preserves, and Morello cherries, giving way to emerging scents of rose oil, cumin seed, crushed rocks, and underbrush, plus a fragrant waft of candied violets. The medium to full-bodied palate is lively and tightly wound with firm, finely grained tannins and amazing tension, finishing long and perfumed. pH 3.50.The Wine Independent | 97-99+ TWIThe 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.Vinous Media | 96-99 VM

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.James Suckling | 96-97 JSPlums, blackcurrants, dark chocolate and perfumed aromas on the nose. Smooth and bright, silky, sharp, intense but so likeable, a shot of high acidity really sets the tone, this is zinging with energy, bite and power. It’s a look at me wine with a strawberry and red cherry sweetness as well as herbal savouriness that hits the mid palate creating a mouthwatering juiciness and sense of structure. The power comes in after a few minutes, alongside minerality and wet stone touches to the fine but present tannins. Streamlined, focussed and confident. Cleverly constructed with lots to like, will age well and has lovely Pauillac touches. 64IPT. 3.75pH. Harvest 31 August to 24 September. 16% press. 3% Petit Verdot completes the blend.Decanter | 94 DECThe 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.Jeb Dunnuck | 93-95 JDThe 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.Vinous Media | 92-94 VMAromas 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.Robert Parker Wine Adocate | 91-93 RPThe 2022 Carruades de Lafite is a blend of 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Petit Verdot. Deep garnet-purple in color, it needs a swirl or two to reveal evocative notes of blackcurrant jelly, black raspberries, and Morello cherries, plus suggestions of iris bulb, tilled soil, and crushed cloves. The medium-bodied palate is typically elegant, minerally, and refreshing, with firm, fine-grained tannins to provide support, and a long, lifted finish.The Wine Independent | 91-93 TWI

A hidden gem of a wine that doesn’t get the recognition it deserves, the 2022 Château Couhins Blanc is 93% Sauvignon Blanc and 7% Sauvignon Gris brought up in 18% new barrels, with the balance in used oak and tank. Bright citrus, honeyed lime, mint, sappy flowers, and chalky minerality all define the aromatics, and it’s medium to full-bodied and concentrated on the palate, with gorgeously clean acidity and a great finish. Savvy readers should snatch up this ripe, voluptuous, sensationally layered, textured, complex white. It’s always hard to predict how these concentrated dry whites will age, yet this should benefit from 2-3 years of bottle age, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see it still drinking beautifully at age 20.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDThe 2022 Couhins Blanc is superb, especially in the way it balances its brisk, saline character with notable mid-palate depth. White flowers, citrus peel, white pepper, sage and mint are all beautifully delineated. Intensely saline, mineral undertones support the persistent finish. This is commendable.Vinous Media | 94 VMClear, pure and mineral with sour cream, white fruit and a touch of gooseberries. Medium-bodied on the palate, this has fresh medium acidity. Dissolved yet grainy in texture with a lengthy finish. Drink now.James Suckling | 94 JSThe 2022 Couhins Blanc, a blend of 93% Sauvignon Blanc and 7% Sauvignon Gris, is showing well today, evoking aromas of white fruits, lemon, lemon peel, spring flowers and fennel. Medium to full-bodied, juicy and enrobing, it’s fresh and lively with a perfumed mid-palate that segues into a long, mouthwatering finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RPTense and vibrant on the palate, zingy and fresh, this is lively and delivers a straight line of acidity with lemon, lime and pineapple. Not the longest finish, a little restricted but this has a clean and crisp body. A lovely mineral, almost salty line from start to finish and a real feeling of cool freshness. I like this a lot. It delivers complexity and freshness. A great 2022.Decanter Magazine | 92 DEC

Black cherry and dark currant fruit is lightly mulled in feel, while sweet tobacco, chestnut leaf and singed alder notes wrap around it. The earth-tinged finish shows focus and poise. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Best from 2026 through 2038.Wine Spectator | 94 WSJuicy red, blue, and black fruits, sappy herbs, violets, and chocolate notes all emerge from the 2022 Château De Pez, a ripe, full-bodied, opulent Pez that has a balanced, layered style that’s already hard to resist. I love how this has come together since En Primeur, and this is well worth a case purchase. It’s going to deliver the goods any time over the coming two decades or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDLively, fresh and open with lots of clear and clean red berry fruit and salty, stone-edged tannins. Sleek and svelte, nice energy and focus; not plush or overtly powerful. Has definitely lost its en primeur heft and become slightly lighter and more appealing, with energy and vibrancy, yet you still know it has muscles and will age well.Decanter Magazine | 94 DECSerious depth and complexity on the nose, showing a refreshing touch of spearmint to the pure blue fruit, cassis and minerals plus a hint of incense and graphite. Powerful but polished and taut in tannins with a linear set of fruit on the medium- to full-bodied palate. Structured, fine-boned and well-dissolved with a fresh, lengthy finish. 38% cabernet sauvignon, 59% merlot, 2% cabernet franc and 1% petit verdot. Great for aging. Drink from 2027.James Suckling | 94 JSPolished and charming, the 2022 de Pez bursts with aromas of blackberries, vanilla pod and pencil shavings, followed by a medium to full-bodied, ample and velvety palate that’s integrated and expressive. This will offer a broad drinking window. As readers may remember, this estate has now been fully restructured and serves as something of a research and development laboratory for its sibling, Pichon Lalande, and director Nicolas Glumineau and his team have been working to bring more precision and purity to the wine.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RPThe 2022 de Pez, a blend of 59% Merlot, 38% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Petit Verdot, is deep garnet-purple in color. Notions of baked black plums, blueberry preserves, and fruitcake jump from the glass, followed by hints of Chinese five spice and potpourri. The full-bodied palate is packed with black fruit preserves layers, supported by firm, rounded tannins and plenty of freshness, finishing long and lifted. It will be aged for 18 months in 50% new oak. pH 3.8.The Wine Independent | 91-93+ TWI

"The Chatin family purchased Château de Respide in 2021. Amelie Chatin is originally from the Champagne region and worked as an oenologist for Dom Ruinart for nine years prior to travelling and eventually settling here in Graves. Her regular bottling of Graves Blanc is made from a fifty-fifty blend of sauvignon blanc and sémillon, with the vines generally planted on gravelly or sandy soils, though some plots are on chalk. The wine is fermented and raised in stainless steel tanks. The 2022 version offers up a deep and complex bouquet of fresh fig, gooseberry, a lovely base of soil, gentle notes of fresh-cut grass and a topnote of lime zest. On the palate the wine is vibrant, focused and full-bodied, with lovely depth at the core, fine soil signature and grip, bouncy acids and excellent balance on the long, complex and very serious finish. This is outstanding white Graves."John Gilman | 91 JG

The 2022 Cheval des Andes is a significant upgrade to Mendoza’s historic regional blends, combining grapes from Las Compuertas (Luján de Cuyo) and Paraje Altamira (Uco Valley). The 2022 vintage allowed for a slower ripening of Cabernet Sauvignon, which take prominence in this blend alongside 30% Malbec and 5% Petit Verdot...A bouquet of bright fruit—raspberry, blueberry and delicate cassis—and complementary bay leaf and mint tones give way to a touch of ash and mild bell pepper. Boasting serious concentration, fine tannins and a slight creaminess, the 2022 has a structure that is firm but never tight, maintaining weight without losing balance. The finish is long, energetic and full of flavor. This is an exceptionally beautiful wine. Drink: 2026-2042.Vinous Media | 99 VMEarthy, savoury nose full of wet soil, peppercorns and blackcurrants alongside violets, chocolate, cherries and raspberries. Well crafted, such a svelte and streamlined expression with real charm and finesse. There’s power for sure but it’s funnelled into one line from start to finish. I love the brightness and opulence here yet there’s super charm and precision too. Great energy, succulence and vibrancy with natural acidity creating a salivating effect that makes you want to come back for another glass. Expertly made with an accumulation of details that make it so enjoyable. The joint project of Château Cheval Blanc and Terrazas de los Andes. Winemaker Gérald Gabillet.Decanter Magazine | 98 DECAromas of dark currants, spices, cloves and a touch of elderberries. The palate is elegant and medium- to full-bodied with polished, precise tannins, firm fruit, a juicy backbone and a solid and flavorful finish. 65% cabernet sauvignon and 35% malbec from Lujan and Altamira. Drink from 2027.James Suckling | 98 JSSoon to be released through La Place de Bordeaux, the 2022 Cheval des Andes opens with an exotic, spice-driven bouquet, supplemented by lifted herbal notes and a vibrantly red-fruited and perfumed backdrop. The palate is similarly energetic, melding an elegantly rich, polished texture with a slender, tensile energy. It concludes with a long, persistent and high-toned finish that gradually unfurls a sturdy structure of supremely refined tannins. This is an excellent counterpoint to the comparatively darker and more open-knit 2021, showcasing a brighter, more tenacious profile while sacrificing none of the grace, nuance and textural attention to detail that has come to define Cheval des Andes. It’s a blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Malbec and 5% Petit Verdot.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPSupremely structured and rather muscular in style, this offers a loam and iron base, juxtaposed against subtle floral and dried thyme notes that mix with a dense, compact core of cherry and Santa Rosa plum. For all this muscle, there’s finesse on the finish, with mace and floral red currant details lingering around well-formed tannins. Built to cellar. Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Petit Verdot. Best from 2036 through 2040. 8,333 cases made, 1,600 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 94 WSA partnership between Château Cheval Blanc and Terrazas De Los Andes, the 2022 Cheval Des Andes blends 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Malbec, and 5% Petit Verdot. Iron and gunpowder aromatics dominate, with a supple tension to the tannins and well-integrated oak. This will drink well over the next 12-15 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JD