Shop Wine

wines

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.Jeb Dunnuck | 97-100 JDAnother excellent showcasse for this estate run by Sara Lecompte Cuvelier. Supple, lively, fresh and round, a nice controlled core of red and black fruit - blackcurrants, cherries and violets with juicy acidity and lean tannins that are fine and well integrated. This feels powerful and concentrated no doubt but the strength comes underneath the fruit and acidity, like a creeping tiger waiting to pounce. Lovely frame and execution, feels on the more opulent and potent side but the acidity and tannin definition is brilliant and this has a really drinkable and moreish quality. 4% Petit Verdot completes the blend. 3.87pH. 9% press wine. A yield of 33.4hl/ha. 75% grand vin production. Julien Viaud consultant. Tasted three times and was impressed each time. Ageing 18-20 months in French oak barrels, 80% new, 20% second fill.Decanter | 96 DECA 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.James Suckling | 96-97 JSThe 2022 Leoville Poyferre is made from 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, and 4% Petit Verdot, with a yield of 33.4 hl/ha. It bursts onto the scene with gregarious scents of blackcurrant preserves, wild blueberries, and rose oil, leading to wafts of candied violets, licorice, and crushed rocks with a hint of cinnamon stick. The medium to full-bodied palate is rich, plush, and impactful, delivering beautiful tension and very respectable, fine-grained tannins, finishing long and opulent. This is a show-stopper! pH 3.87, TPI 93.The Wine Independent | 96-98 TWIThe 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.Vinous Media | 95-97 VMThe 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.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94-96 RP

The 2022 Les Carmes Haut-Brion is the finest wine bottled to date at this estate under Patrice Pichet’s ownership and Guillaume Pouthier’s direction. Unfurling from the glass with aromas of violet, iris, dark wild berries, pencil lead and mulberries, it’s medium to full-bodied, deep and concentrated with a deep core of fruit beautifully framed by velvety, precise tannins, segueing into a long, saline and perfumed finish. Suave and harmonious, it was crafted with 70% whole bunches and matured in 70% new oak. This unconventional blend of 40% Cabernet Franc, 34% Cabernet Sauvignon and 26% Merlot represents a turning point for the estate, cementing its rapid ascendancy in the Bordeaux firmament.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 100 RPDeep and brooding, this wine is beautifully floral with violets, irises, and peonies alongside ripe black cherries, liquorice, and dark chocolate. Concentrated yet bursting with energy, it flows effortlessly across the palate. Vibrant red fruits - strawberry, cherry, raspberry - sit atop a mineral backbone of salty, wet stones. Crisp yet powdery tannins and bright acidity give incredible tension. Despite its depth, it feels almost weightless, so drinkable yet built to age. Pure, pristine, and vibrant, with no trace of heat - just balance and finesse. Juicy, lively, and utterly compelling. A true expression of place and a sure-fire hit. 70% whole bunch fermented. Two years ageing, 80% new oak, 10% big 20hl vats and 10% amphora. 3.55pH. 40% Cabernet Franc, 34% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Merlot.Decanter Magazine | 100 DECThe purity and focus here is impressive with blackcurrants, crushed stones and floral undertones. The whole-bunch character comes through clearly with rose-stem and floral aromas and flavors. Full-bodied, this is always so delicious but has lots of integrated, open-grained tannins. 70% whole-cluster fermentation. 40% cabernet franc, 34% cabernet sauvignon and 26% merlot. Idiosyncratic. So attractive now but will age beautifully.James Suckling | 99 JSThe 2022 Château Les Carmes Haut-Brion checks in as a blend of 42% Cabernet Franc, 31% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the balance Merlot that saw plenty of stems in the ferments and 20 months in 80% new barrels. Its deeper ruby/purple hue is followed by a sumptuous nose of red, blue, and black fruits, as well as leafy herbs, darker chocolate, crushed stone, and almost bloody, iron-like nuances. I love its overall balance on the palate, and it’s medium to full-bodied, has a pure, layered mouthfeel, beautifully integrated tannins, and a great finish. It shows the class of this great terroir and will benefit from 4-6 years of bottle age and still be drinking well in 30-40 years. You’d be hard-pressed to describe this as Bordeaux in a blind tasting today, yet I have no doubt it will develop more and more classic Graves character over the coming decade. It’s a sensational, singular wine.Jeb Dunnuck | 98+ JDThe 2022 Les Carmes Haut-Brion is a blend of 40% Cabernet Franc, 34% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 26% Merlot, 90% aging in oak (70% new barriques, 20% 18hl casks) and 10% in amphoras. Deep garnet-purple in color, it pops out of the glass with lifted notes of redcurrant jelly, wild blueberries, blackcurrant pastilles, and lavender, leading to cerebral wafts of cast-iron pan, dark chocolate, and dusty soil with a hint of licorice. The red and black berry flavors do pirouettes on the medium-bodied palate, featuring incredibly fine-grained tannins and fantastic tension that gives a shimmer to the very long mineral-laced finish. As usual, the alcohol is 13.5% (the stem inclusion absorbs some of the alcohol during fermentation) and the pH is 3.64. This is a vibrant, showy, immediately impactful wine that flies in the face of traditional Bordeaux, carrying it off with bags of grace and style. A slight carbonic character from the whole bunch juxtaposed by a rock-solid structure thanks to the ripe stem tannins creates a unique signature. I personally love it, but if you’re a Bordeaux purest, this might not be your cup of tea.The Wine Independent | 97-99 TWIThe 2022 Les Carmes Haut-Brion contains the highest proportion of Cabernet Sauvignon (34%) in recent years, with 40% Cabernet Franc and 26% Merlot. It aged for two years in 80% new barrels, 10% foudres and 10% sandstone amphora. This is the first year with 100% infusion during vinification. It includes 70% whole cluster. This is very complex on the nose, as it showed in barrel, displaying blackberry mixed with wild hedgerow, pencil box and hints of cracked black pepper in the background. The palate is medium-bodied with quite elegant tannins, although the IPT is 95. Extremely well balanced, it is quite saline in the mouth with white pepper developing with aeration. The 2022 is very persistent on the finish. This is an intellectual Les Carmes Haut-Brion that will drink young, but there is clearly the substance to mature over many years. 13.2% alcohol.Vinous Media | 96 VM

Cool, ripe and pretty aromas include those of green apple, wet stone, petrol and a hint of soil tones. The vibrant medium weight flavors are, somewhat surprisingly, finer than those of the Caillerets if not as rich while displaying fine length on the compact, lemony and lightly mineral-infused finale. This is lovely and understated and a wine that should repay up to a decade of keeping.Burghound | 91 BH

Lovely nose of candied citrus with just a touch of butterscotch. Quite rich on the medium- to full-bodied palate, but very gentle and delicate. Lovely harmony of fine tannins, chalky minerality and ripe acidity that is already extremely satisfying in the long, silky finish. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 94 JSThe dense texture in this balanced and juicy white embraces ripe peach, spiced pear, butterscotch and smoke flavors. This is solidly structured, with light tannins lending a tactile feel on the lingering finish. Best from 2025 through 2032. 180 cases made, 60 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 92 WSThere is a vague hint of exotic character to the aromas of white and yellow peach, passion fruit, spice and wet stone. Here too there is excellent volume to the beguilingly rich flavors that, somewhat curiously, display a touch of rusticity on the otherwise markedly zest-inflected finale. This could use better depth so a few years of cellaring should help.Burghound | 90 BH

This beautiful Puligny-Montrachet 1er cru has a subtle nose of bergamot and orange zest with notes of wild herbs. Excellent tension on the generous but focused palate, driving the very long, structured finish, which has a serious stony minerality. From a high-altitude site that may well become better known due to climate change. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 95 JSThis white is creamy, with ample baking spice, butterscotch, peach and lemon cake flavors. Shows latent power yet remains fresh and long on the complex finish, where the fruit and spice elements echo. Drink now through 2030. 1,250 cases made, 350 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 92 WSA discreet application of wood frames the pretty aromas of the essence of pear and apple compote, carnation and crushed fennel. The sleek and intense middleweight flavors possess both good richness and a subtle minerality that adds a sense of lift to the markedly zest-inflected finale that exhibits solid length. Once again there is enough gas to notice so a few minutes in a decanter would be helpful.Burghound | 91 BH

This stellar Sancerre is a remarkable expression of the Sauvignon Blanc grape. This wine captivates the senses with an enchanting mélange of aromas, featuring vibrant notes of pink grapefruit, pear and green apple. These scents are harmoniously balanced, offering a fresh and crisp bouquet that invites you to delve deeper. The wine’s crisp acidity and mineral undertones contribute to its refreshing character, making it an excellent companion for a variety of dishes, from seafood to goat cheese. What truly sets this Sancerre apart, however, is its long, lingering finish. Sokolin Tasting Panel | 94+ SP

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.James Suckling | 98-99 JSBlackcurrant and bramble fruit with savoury herbal nuances on the nose, this smells rich and potent. Tense and focussed, compact from the get go, present tannins give grip and hold. This is definitely not out to charm, more serious, stern and focussed but there’s such overall precision. This is in high definition, supremely controlled and well worked with mouthfilling ripe tannins. I like the chewy aspect and there’s balancing acidity, hidden now by the density, that will sustain the wine for decades to come. Floral notes and some minerality come through giving the nuance so it’s not all heft, but there’s clear muscle on show. A long finish gives the sense of structure and style. An impressive wine. 95 IPT. 3.71pH. Ageing 18 months, 75% new oak. 3% Petit Verdot completes the blend. 4.1 g/L total acidity. Harvest 12 September - 24 September.Decanter | 97 DECThe 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.Jeb Dunnuck | 96-98+ JDThe 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.Vinous Media | 95-97 VMThe 2022 Lynch-Bages is composed of 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Petit Verdot. Deep garnet-purple in color, it is a little closed to start, soon revealing evocative creme de cassis, blueberry pie, and chocolate-covered cherries notes with suggestions of cast-iron pan, black truffles, and crushed rocks. The medium to full-bodied palate is taut with muscular black fruit and loads of mineral sparks, framed by very firm, grainy tannins and a refreshing line, finishing long and earthy. pH 3.71, TPI 95.The Wine Independent | 95-97 TWIOne 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.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93-96 RP

Racked to tank. A glowing pale primrose. Not very much reduction. Good weight, a light lemon acidity behind a fine depth of concentrated fruit. With time I think more personality will emerge. Drink from 2028-2035. Tasted Dec 2023.Jasper Morris | 91-94 JM

A stunning Margaux in 2022 with a bright and vibrant core, deep and persistent, alive and bright with layers of silky but firm tannins that give a gentle grip, powerful and concentrated black fruit, with a clearly defined structure that supports and doesn’t overwhelm. Despite the power this has a delicacy which I love, so pure and clearly charming. Opulent yet racy, really walking the line between heft and sleekness. The acidity really lifts the expression with spiced liquorice and wet stone nuances while staying cool and fresh. Generous, stylish, punchy and polished. An incredibly complex wine that really works. 3.6pH. 88IPT. 18% press wine. Ageing 18-20 months, 100% new oak. No Petit Verdot in the blend. Highest alcohol and tannin level for the grand vin.Decanter | 98 DECThe 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.Vinous Media | 97-99 VMThe 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.Jeb Dunnuck | 97-99 JDThe 2022 Chateau Margaux, composed of 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Merlot, and 2% Cabernet Franc, is deep garnet-purple in color. It shoots from the glass with an initial firework display of redcurrant jelly, blackberry pie, and fresh, juicy blackcurrants, followed by an array of iron ore, lilacs, black licorice, and sandalwood-inspired scents, plus a hint of wood smoke. The full-bodied palate is densely laden with rich, concentrated, muscular black and red fruits, supported by exquisitely ripe, finely grained tannins and seamless freshness, finishing very long and fragrant. This is a jaw-droppingly gorgeous effort that should be immortal. This represents 40% of the crop. "It’s been a long time since this much has made it into the First Wine!" commented winemaker Phillipe Bascaules. The pH is 3.61.The Wine Independent | 97-99 TWIA 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.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96-97 RPVery 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.James Suckling | 95-96 JS

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.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 99-100 RPThe 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.Jeb Dunnuck | 98-100 JDThe 2022 Montrose is composed of 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Petit Verdot, aging in 60% new oak. Deep garnet-purple in color, it slowly unfurls to offer a gorgeous perfume of violets, star anise, wilted roses, cumin seed, and garrigue, giving way to a core of blackcurrant pastilles, boysenberry preserves, and kirsch. The full-bodied palate is a firework display of graceful, highly nuanced fruit, featuring mineral, floral, black fruit, and red berry sparks, supported by very firm, super-ripe tannins and incredible freshness, finishing very long, vibrant, and shimmery. The yield was 31 hl/ha and the First Wine represents 50% of the 2022 production. The quality of the press wine was high this year, and 13% was included in the blend. pH 3.78, TPI 85.The Wine Independent | 98-100 TWIThe 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.Vinous Media | 97-99 VMA gorgeous richness straight away, you can feel the intensity and concentration but the texture is so sleek, almost silky yet weighty, juicy and intense. Supple but firm with crushed stones, liquorice, tobacco, dark chocolate, plums and blackcurrants. Tannins are firm and at the fore, but cool and crisp with bite and wet stone elements give an instant minerality. The fruit almost takes a back seat, ripe and black in nature, but quieter than the other elements and overall frame. Juicy and succulent, an appealing shot of acidity initially, mouthwatering and vibrant, then the chalky tannins come in and give this a sense of seriousness. This carries the strength of the vintage well, focused and precise with detail and a sense of energy that is so impactful. 1% Petit Verdot completes the blend. Harvest 2-22 September. 58% grand vin - one of the biggest proportions. There was 53% grand vin in 2018. 3.8pH. 80 IPT. A yield of 31hl/ha.Decanter | 97 DECA 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.James Suckling | 97-98 JS

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.James Suckling | 98-99 JSThe 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.Jeb Dunnuck | 97-99 JDSharp, energetic, racy and electric. The power and concentration is evident in the dark, rich, concentrated fruit with tannins that grip and take hold with a crushed stone texture, liquorice, graphite, tobacco and cool mint spice. The expression is exceptionally delineated with focus and push from start to finish. Quite bold and charged, but I love the succulence, the perfumed fruit, chalky sensation and overall sense of confidence. In high definition in terms of sharpness and tang to the fruit. A big wine but delivered with poise. 3.79pH. 13% press wine. Harvest took one month from 7 September to 5 October. 70% grand vin, 30% Alter Ego.Decanter | 97 DECThe 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.Vinous Media | 96-98 VMComposed of 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot, and 4% Petit Verdot, the 2022 Palmer is deep garnet-purple in color. It needs a lot of shaking and swirling to lure out a soft-spoken perfume of roses, lavender, star anise, and cloves, leading to a profound core of Morello cherries, fresh, juicy blackberries, and blackcurrant cordial. The full-bodied palate is stacked with layer upon layer of black, blue, and red fruits, supported by a skyscraper structure of very firm, very ripe, grainy tannins and superb tension, finishing with epic length and depth. This is a monumental achievement. pH 3.79.The Wine Independent | 96-98+ TWIAs 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.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95-97 RP

The 2022 Pape Clément is a classy, elegant wine. Soaring aromatics open first. On the palate, the 2022 is vibrant and explosive, with terrific depth and exceptional balance. Today’s wines here are simply striking because of their energy and verve. Those qualities help make Pape Clément one of the most changed wines in Bordeaux over the last decade or so. Red/purplish fruit, blood orange, cinnamon, new leather and sage are some of the many notes that linger on the sustained finish. The 2022 is a superb Pape Clément. Tasted three times.Vinous Media | 97 VMA very well-balanced Pape Clement showing a solid structure, concentration and length. Fresh and complex, with a fine streak of minerals and aromas of cassis, berries, white pepper and tapenade. Some wood spices, but they’re quite restrained. Full-bodied, tight and long. A transparent and complete wine for the cellar. Try after 2028.James Suckling | 97 JSA 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.Jeb Dunnuck | 96-98+ JDFocussed and charming, good weight and depth, the tannins come into play almost straight away coating the mouth in fine but plump, fleshy black fruit with cool blue fruit touches and high acidity giving a different, lighter nuance. Well made, with good definition. Not as lively as some, but has supreme complexity and shine, everything feels well worked with touches of oak, liquorice spice and clove that dot the palate. Strong and serious but confident and controlled. A thoroughbred. Tightly knitted but still showing glamour. Harvest 7-27 September. Bee friendly, HVE3 certified. Celebrating 770 vintages in 2022. Michel Rolland and Julien Viaud consultants.Decanter | 95 DECWhile Sauvignon Blanc is in the majority in this blend, there is an important place for Sémillon and Muscadelle. Wood aging will give the wine extra richness as it ages. Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEThe 2022 Pape Clement is composed of 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Sauvignon with a yield of 35 hl/ha. Deep garnet-purple in color, it is a little subdued to begin, soon unfurling to offer evocative notes of baked blackberries, boysenberry preserves, and plum pudding, followed by wafts of cassis, violets, cedar chest, and cumin seed. The full-bodied palate is rich and impactful, delivering layers of bright black cherries and baking spices with a lively backbone and fine-grained tannins, finishing long and energetic. pH 3.70.The Wine Independent | 95-97 TWIWell-packed with dark currant, raspberry, plum and cherry compote notes, all carried by gently singed apple wood and cedar. Sweet tobacco and a flash of incense fill in on the finish, which offers woodsy hints but stays polished and fine-grained overall. Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Best from 2028 through 2040. 23,800 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WSRevealing 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.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92-94 RP

The 2022 Chablis Grand Cru Blanchots is very promising, bursting with aromas of orange zest, citrus blossom, buttery pastry and fresh hazelnuts. Full-bodied, satiny and layered, it’s elegantly textural, with attractive mid-palate depth and purity.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPThe 2022 Chablis Blanchot Grand Cru is blessed with one of Piuze’s most enticing aromatics—gorgeous minty yellow plum mixed with jasmine and dried honey. The palate is well balanced with yellow plum (again), stem ginger, white peach and a hint of lemongrass. Very harmonious and persistent - this is an excellent Blanchot.Vinous Media | 93 VMSubtle if easily perceptible wood can be found on the airy and floral aromas of sea water, citrus and a hint of wet stone. The rich and solidly concentrated medium-bodied flavors exude an almost palpable minerality on the impressively long finale. This is notably more refined than the Bougros though it too could use better depth but with at least a decade of upside development potential, more will almost certainly develop.Burghound | 93 BHPale colour, a full and ripe nose, the white flowers are entwined with a little honeysuckle. Fresh enough on the palate with a fine white fruit thread, sinuous yet precise, and with great length. A fine and typical rendition of Blanchots. Drink from 2027-2037. Tasted: October 2023.Jasper Morris | 93 JM

Offering up aromas of citrus oil, crisp stone fruit, white flowers and buttery pastry, Piuze’s 2022 Chablis Grand Cru Bougros is medium to full-bodied, ample and satiny, with a bright spine of acidity and a mouthwateringly saline finish. It’s an especially strong performance for this site this year.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93+ RP

The 2022 Chablis Grand Cru Les Preuses is also rather rich and textural this year, mingling notes of sweet orchard fruit and confit orange with notions of toasted nuts and buttery pastry. Medium to full-bodied, broad and fleshy, with lively acids and a saline finish, I’d expect this to take on more cut and tension by the time it’s bottled.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPThe 2022 Chablis Les Preuses Grand Cru has an elegant bouquet with apricot purée, yellow flowers and light Mirabelle aromas, with hints of crushed stone emerging with time. The palate is well-balanced, with a slightly viscous opening matched by a silver bead of acidity. The salinity comes through right on the finish. Excellent.Vinous Media | 93 VMA restrained nose grudgingly offers up a blend of green fruit, citrus, iodine, shellfish and a hint of quinine. There is again fine volume to the beautifully texture and more refined medium-bodied flavors that exude evident minerality on the equally long if not quite as complex finale. Lovely and I very much like the balance that should permit it to age gracefully.Burghound | 93 BH

The deeper clays of this site tend to do well in warmer years, and the 2022 Chablis 1er Cru Butteaux is no exception, offering up aromas of dried white flowers, peach, citrus oil and freshly baked bread, followed by a medium to full-bodied, satiny and fleshy palate that retains good cut and tension in this warm vintage, concluding with a mouthwateringly saline finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RP

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.Jeb Dunnuck | 96-98+ JDPerfumed and aromatic, smells rich but not too intensely with roses and soft purple flowers. Succulent and really quite crisp and clear, such clarity to the fruit, with both a sharpness of acidity and mineral bite to the tannins. Liquorice, blue fruits, cool chalky tones, You get a sense of the power and structure, it’s wide and full, thick but keeping the freshness and tension with super high acidity giving the mouthwatering nature and a touch of austerity. Precise and detailed with energy and tension as well as depth and clarity. Great potential. A yield of 31hl/ha.Decanter | 96 DECThe 2022 Pavie Macquin, 65% Merlot and 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, is deep garnet-purple in color. It is quite closed to start off, revealing scents of cedar chest and dried roses before giving way to a fragrant undercurrent of blackberry pie, Morello cherries, and boysenberry preserves, plus suggestions of Indian spices and cast-iron pan. The full-bodied palate is super-taut and muscular, delivering a firm frame of ripe, grainy tannins and fantastic tension to support all the tightly wound layers, finishing very long and minerally. Likely to require considerable patience before it hits its stride, its a Pavie Macquin for marathon runners, not sprinters.The Wine Independent | 96-98+ TWIThe 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.Vinous Media | 95-97 VMThis 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.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94-96 RP

This is an powerful white with superb density and phenolic muscule. It’s full-bodied and really impressive. Opulent and rounded. Exotic and muscular. Great white. Feels like a great Montrachet. One for the cellar. 8,000 bottles made. pH 3.18.James Suckling | 99-100 JSI’d say the finest white coming out of the Médoc, and clearly in the top tier of whites in all of Bordeaux, the 2022 Pavillon Blanc De Margaux is, as always, 100% Sauvignon Blanc that was raised in 20% new 300-ltier barrels. It has an incredible nose of honeyed limes, caramelized lemon zest, green almonds, mint, and crushed stone. Medium-bodied on the palate, it has a great mid-palate, vibrant acidity, and a great finish. Sauvignon Blanc doesn’t get much better (if at all.)Jeb Dunnuck | 96-98 JDSmells ripe full of green apples, peach, orange, lime and lemon curd. Intense, depth and weight straight away with mouthwatering acidity, razor like, supporting the texture. There’s fatness but because of the acidity it doesn’t stand out in a bad way, and the acidity is sharp and cooling which comes across as quite thrilling. Well worked, round with both drive and tension. Gorgeous white stone and citrus fruits, delicate but deep and sustained with shots of sharp lemon, sweet peach, blood orange and grapefruit. Fresh and fun. A success. Harvest 18 September.Decanter | 96 DECAn impressively vibrant wine for this warm vintage, the 2022 Pavillon Blanc offers up inviting aromas of sweet gooseberries, mango, lemongrass and pastry cream, followed by a medium to full-bodied, fleshy palate that’s bright and nicely concentrated, concluding with a finish marked by elegantly mordant dry extract. Harvest for Sauvignon Blanc began on 18 August at Château Margaux.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93-94 RPThe 2022 Pavillon Blanc du Chateau Margaux is made from 100% Sauvignon Blanc, with very tiny yields this year of only 14 hl/ha. It waltzes out with gregarious notes of fresh peaches, green mango, and lime cordial with fragrant wafts of jasmine, chalk dust, and sea spray. The medium-bodied palate is coated with citrus and tropical fruit layers with expressive chalky sparks and a long zesty finish.The Wine Independent | 93-95 TWIOn the palate, the 2022 Pavillon Blanc retains terrific freshness and is done in a style that lies somewhere in between more generous years such as 2018, 2019 and 2020, and the more saline years like 2017 and 2021. This is a very creamy, layered dry white. Here, too, I am struck by the wine’s precision.Vinous Media | 92-94 VM

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.Jeb Dunnuck | 94-96 JDBeautiful vivid colour, bright and intense. Dark chocolate, cherries and subtle perfume on the nose. Bright and lively thought also lean and straight on the palate. A generous weight and intense grip to the tannins. It’s on the tense side, focussed with extreme precision to the fruit profile with racy acidity unpinning the tannins which are at the fore. Feels refined and elegant, more serious than some other second wines in its construction but is classy, juicy, sculpted and softly plush. The fruit has bite and tang, with liquorice and graphite edges and spiced accents giving angles but all enjoyable and really building to the whole. Great freshness and length. 7% Petit Verdot completes the blend. 3.61pH. 84 IPT - highest IPT, highest before was 2018 which was 82. 15% press wine. 31% production.Decanter | 94 DECRich 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.James Suckling | 94-95 JSThe 2022 Pavillon Rouge du Chateau Margaux is made from 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, 7% Petit Verdot, and 5% Cabernet Franc. Deep garnet-purple in color, it needs quite a lot of swirling to bring out notes of blackcurrant pastilles, Morello cherries, and preserved plums, followed by hints of dusty soil, cumin seed, and garrigue. The medium to full-bodied palate delivers commendable grace and backbone, with firm grainy tannins and well-knit freshness supporting the muscular black fruits, finishing with a fragrant lift. pH 3.65, TPI 85, alcohol 14.8% - but you don’t feel it.The Wine Independent | 93-95+ TWIThe 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.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92-94 RPThe 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.Vinous Media | 92-94 VM

Aged for seven months in wood, this ripe wine has power as well as richness. Its spicy character chimes with the dense white fruits from old Sémillon. Drink from 2025.Wine Enthusiast | 91 WE

Fine combination of fruit ripeness allied with purity of flavour, zesty citrus acidity and a lingering mineral quality on the finish. Plenty of concentration here. Will age but already drinking well. Based in Lignerolles, Lavantureux are one of the region’s rising stars.Decanter | 91 DEC

Brothers Arnaud and David have been making exciting, intriguing wines at the family domaine. Their Vau de Vey comes from 0.95ha of vines with an average age of 35 years. Plenty of power and complexity on nose and palate. A touch of oak evident but just needs a bit of time. Rich and luscious palate cut with vibrant citrus acidity and a long, pure finish. A very fine example.Decanter | 94 DEC

Coming from a 1.8ha plot, at one of the highest plantings of AP Chablis, this has more concentration than brothers David and Arnaud’s ’straight’ Chablis, with an additional mineral character balancing the concentration of fruit on the palate. Manages to have weight and force, yet remains light and delicate on its feet. A touch of wood adds a different type of complexity on the palate.Decanter | 93 DEC

A real success of the vintage that manages to deliver a bold, structured, concentrated and powerful wine with real terroir signature. You get the impression it’s from a warm vintage, but I love the fact you have texture, volume and weight but keeping the finesse. Fragranced black fruit and purple floral notes with soft medicinal herbal touches on the nose. Sleek and supple, tannins make the impression with juicy blackcurrants, black cherries and strawberries. Excellent tannin definition, they’re filling, massy and round, almost plush but accented by acidity and freshness. Strong signature, you know you’re in gravel with Cabernet. Juicy, clean, pure, but with bite and intensity. I love the dark savoury notes too, the cough syrup, liquorice, clove, tobacco and cigar box elements, complex and captivating. 4% press. 3.65pH 30% whole bunch Petit Verdot in the blend. Potential upsore in bottle. 1% Petit Verdot completes the blend. 60% new oak barrels;Decanter | 97 DECThe 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.James Suckling | 97-98 JSMoving 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.Jeb Dunnuck | 96-98 JDThe 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.Vinous Media | 95-97 VMThe 2022 Smith Haut Lafitte Rouge is a blend of 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Petit Verdot, with a yield of 29 hl/ha and aging in 60% new oak. Deep garnet-purple in color, it needs a lot of shaking to wake up notes of blackcurrant jelly, redcurrant preserves, boysenberries, and pencil lead, followed by suggestions of lilacs, Sichuan pepper, and cedar chest. The full-bodied palate is built like a skyscraper, delivering mouth-coating black fruits with red berry sparks supported by rock-solid, firm tannins, finishing very long and with a refreshing mineral lift. pH 3.70.The Wine Independent | 95-97+ TWIThe 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.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94-95 RP