Red Bordeaux
| RED | 2022 | 1 case | Château d'Issan | 75cl | £306 per case of 6 | Château d'Issan 2022 / 1 case / 75cl £306 per case of 6 |
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Tasting Notes"The 2022 D'Issan is a lovely wine that will delight Médoc purists, wafting from the glass with aromas of sweet berries, burning embers, violets and loamy soil. Medium to full-bodied, fleshy and layered, with velvety tannins and a deep core of vibrant fruit, it's a blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and the balance Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot. The estate is now equipped with a battery of 20-hectoliter tanks, permitting sub-plot by sub-plot harvesting this year. 93-95 points" William Kelley, RobertParker.com------"The 2022 Château d'Issan was picked between 15 and 28 September and represents the first vintage vinified in the new vat room equipped with smaller 20-hectolitre vats. It has a fragrant bouquet with blackberry and blueberry fruit, crushed violet and a hint of dark chocolate. The palate is medium-bodied with firm tannins. This is one of the more saline wines on the Left Bank, cohesive with a touch of Japanese nori on the moderate-length finish. This will need a decade in bottle. 2032-2052. 93-95 points" Neal Martin, Vinous.com------"Fragrant dried cumin and turmeric spices on the opening, along with floral waves of rose petals, this maintains the finesse of Issan, delivering estate signature alongside fleshy blackberry and baked damson fruits, with waves of liquorice, graphite and crushed rocks. The oldest vines are kept for the 1st wine, and almost 80% of the new plots of Pontac Lynch are included here in Issan, giving a darker spiced character than you find in other hot vintages at this estate such as 2009. They almost pulled up the Malbec when they bought Pontac Lynch but it has once again proved its worth. 30hl/h yield (compared to 38hl/h last year). 3.67ph. 72IPT. Eric Boissenot consultant. 50% new oak. 95 points" janeanson.com------"This is one hell of an Issan with blackberry, blackcurrant, and hazelnut aromas and flavors. Cherries. Cedar. Full and intense with tannins that are long and bright. Goes tight at the end, indicating greatness. 65% cabernet sauvignon, 30% merlot, 2% cabernet franc, 2% malbec and 1% petit verdot. 96-97 points" jamessuckling.com------"The 2022 Château D'Issan ratchets up the quality, offering more purity, precision, and length. Revealing notes of darker currants and blue fruits, graphite, and chalky minerality, this medium to full-bodied red has beautiful freshness, and is focused, straight, and elegant. Just a beautiful barrel sample, it’s very impressive. 95-97+ points" Jebdunnuck.com |
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| RED | 2022 | 3 cases | Château Duhart Milon | 75cl | £378 per case of 6 | Château Duhart Milon 2022 / 3 cases / 75cl £378 per case of 6 |
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Tasting Notes"The 2022 Duhart-Milon unwinds in the glass with aromas of dark berries, cedar box, loamy soil, herbs and spices, followed by a medium to full-bodied, supple and velvety palate with a broad attack that segues into a lively, nicely concentrated core of fruit, concluding with a youthfully firm finish. 91-93 points" William Kelley, RobertParker.com------"The 2022 Duhart Milon is racy and explosive right out of the gate. Ripe dark cherry, plum, cloves, licorice, mentro and mocha fill out the layers in a deep, wonderfully expressive Duhart. Firm tannins extend the finish nicely imagine the 2022 will require at least a few years in bottle to be at its best, but it is pretty showy today. The blend is 78% Cabernet Sauvignon and 22% Merlot. 92-94 points" Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com------"The 2022 Duhart Milon underwent a short 15 to 18-day maceration and is raised in 50% new oak and the rest one-year-old barrels. It has a very graphite/mint-scented nose that is Pauillac through and through. The palate is fresh and vibrant with fine tannins. This is beautifully sculpted with a vibrant pencil lead-tinged finish reminiscent of Grand Puy Lacoste. The 2022 is a fabulous Duhart Milon that should give 30 to 40 years of drinking pleasure. It's a Pauillac a bit like the late Steven Spurrier insofar that it's a Pauillac always conservatively dressed in a pin-striped suit, but that's the essence of Duhart. 93-95 points" Neal Martin, Vinous.com------"Very Pauillac in its blackcurrant, dark chocolate and walnut husk character. Full-bodied yet compacted. Wet earth, mushroom, earth, black tobacco. Fine and intense tannins. Fresh and complex. 78% cabernet sauvignon and 22% merlot. 95-96 points" jamessuckling.com------"The Grand Vin 2022 Château Duhart-Milon is 78% Cabernet Sauvignon and 22% Merlot. It brings more richness as well as classic Pauillac character in its lead pencil, graphite, tobacco, and red and black fruit-driven aromatics. With gorgeous richness, a medium to full bodied mouthfeel, and a great finish, this utterly classic, seamless, balanced Pauillac should be snatched up by readers. It's going to give the 2009 a run for its money. 94-96+ points" Jebdunnuck.com |
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| RED | 2022 | 1 case | Château Duhart Milon - Moulin de Duhart | 75cl | £336 per case of 12 | Château Duhart Milon Moulin de Duhart 2022 / 1 case / 75cl £336 per case of 12 |
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Tasting Notes"Offering up aromas of plum preserve, hoisin sauce, sweet soil tones and spices, the 2022 Moulin de Duhart is medium to full-bodied, rich and fleshy, with powdery tannins and ripe acids, but this sample lacks a touch of precision. It's a blend dominated by 87% Merlot. 87-89 points" William Kelley, RobertParker.com------"The 2022 Moulin de Duhart is a gorgeous second wine. Plump, cicy one expressive, the 2022 will drink well right out of the gate. Succulent red cherry fruit, rose petal, cinnamon and lavender are nicely pushed forward. Pretty savoury and floral top notes add lovely aromatic complexity. The blend is 87% Meriet and 13% Cabernet Sauvignon. 90-92 points" Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com------"A blend of 87% Merlot and 18% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2022 Moulin De Duhart has a gorgeous nose of ripe black cherries, tobacco, and earth. It's medium-bodied, with plenty of richness, fine tannins, and a great finish. It's going to offer pleasure right out of the gate yet still have 10-15 years of overall longevity. 91-93 points" Jebdunnuck.com------"Such beautiful blackberry, chocolate and hazelnut character here. It's medium-bodied with juicy fruit and a succulent finish. All here for the second wine. 87% merlot and 13% cabernet sauvignon. 93-94 points" jamessuckling.com |
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| RED | 2022 | 4 cases | Château Giscours | 75cl | £300 per case of 6 | Château Giscours 2022 / 4 cases / 75cl £300 per case of 6 |
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Tasting Notes"Well judged and executed, with the vintage character coming through with the rich plum, cassis and fresh fig fruits, alongside black pepper and clove spices, but overall the feel is savoury, with austere tannins that are clearly revving up and have plenty of character. Impressive lift also, with juice running right through the palate, giving breath to the concentrated muscular tannic frame. Austerity also at this point, relatively rare and welcome in 2022, and emphasising a floral and smoky curl on the finish. 50% new oak. Entire harvest in the Grand Vin for the first time ever at Giscours (although I assume there must have been some of the production that was not bottled under the label). Axel Marchal consultant, Alexander Van Beek director. 95 points" janeanson.com------"Clearly one of the finest vintages from this château, the 2022 Château Giscours reveals a dense purple hue to go with beautiful Cabernet-driven aromatics of smoky blue fruits, iron, lead pencil, and spring flowers, as well as an almost marine-like character developing with time in the glass. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it has silky, perfectly integrated tannins, a great mid-palate, and outstanding length. It's a serious, age-worthy, incredibly impressive wine in the making. 94-96 points" Jebdunnuck.com------"With the 2022 Giscours, this estate takes another step up, delivering a deep and characterful wine redolent of cherries, dark berries, violets, peony and forest floor. Medium to full-bodied, broad shouldered and layered, it's deep and elegantly muscular, with impressive concentration, abundant but refined tannins and a structural authority reminiscent of the great Giscours vintages of the 1970s. Why is it so good? There are many reasons, but one is the high proportion of old vines—almost 60% of the blend deriving from vines that are over 50 years old—in a vintage that favored vines with deep, well-established root systems. Another is the increasing precision of harvesting at this address: Giscours's old vines are frequently co-planted with younger replacements that have filled any gaps in the ranks over the years; so, blocks are now picked in two or three passages instead of all at once, with the younger vines picked first. 94-96+ points" William Kelley, RobertParker.com------"The 2022 Giscours is a regal, sophisticated wine. Succulent red cherry, blood orange, spice, menthol and rose petal lend notable vibrancy and freshness throughout. Most surprisingly, the 2022 remains light on its feet, especially for a wine made from such low yields in a warm, dry year. Over the last few years Giscours has been one of the most improved properties in the Médoc. The 2022 is another step in that direction. Sublime. 95-97 points" Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com------"The 2022 Giscours was picked between 1 and 29 September, one of the earliest ever, with no SO2 added until blending and using bio-protection (yeasts) to protect the must. It has a delightful and sensual bouquet with lifted, violet and peony-scented blueberry and black cherry fruit. This is very well-defined and perhaps the purest I have encountered from barrel. The palate is medium-bodied with a disarming silky texture, harmonious and focused. It's mineral-driven with a poised and pixelated finish. Certainly, this represents one of the best wines from this Margaux estate in recent years, echoing their golden period of the 60s and early 70s. Tasted twice with consistent notes. 2030-2070. 95-97 points" Neal Martin, Vinous.com------"This is a big move forward for Giscours. Full-bodied yet agile and fresh with tannins that are precise and integrated, with great beauty and length. Well-structured and vivid. Extremely fine yet defined tannins, and then it opens like a butterfly. 97-98 points" jamessuckling.com |
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| RED | 2022 | 8 cases | Château Grand Puy Lacoste | 75cl | £357 per case of 6 | Château Grand Puy Lacoste 2022 / 8 cases / 75cl £357 per case of 6 |
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Tasting Notes"The 2022 Grand-Puy-Lacoste is a very pretty wine. Forward and quite showy, the 2022 cornes across as a wine that will drink well with minimal cellaring. Succulent dark cherry, plum, leather, incense and dried herbs are nicely delineated. There's good complexity and depth, but it is the radiance of the year that is front and center. Hints of blood orange, pomegranate, spice and a pretty rose petal/violet note linger. 92-94+ points" Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com------"A very structured and rich red with black berry and chocolate. Full-bodied with a solid core of fine tannins and a fresh and muscular finish. Dusty texture. Yet it remains bright and vivid. 3.55 pH. 79% cabernet sauvignon, 21% merlot. 95-96 points" jamessuckling.com------"Inky depths to the colour. Violet edging, bitter black chocolate and graphite, can feel the grain of the tannins, and the beautiful balance and juice to damson, cassis and plum puree fruits. Captures just the right amount of drama without sacrificing Pauillac character, this is a wine that is clearly going to age extremely well, with depth of flavour and rich tannic frame that shows how 2022 can succeed in the right hands. 75% new oak, 3.57ph. Harvest earliest ever, beginning on September 7 (2003 was September 15), 60% of production in the 1st wine, Eric Boissenot consultant. 38hl/h yield, a little over the Pauillac average. 96 points" janeanson.com------"A blend of 79% Cabernet Sauvignon and 21% Merlot, the 2022 Grand-Puy-Lacoste is a brilliant classic in the making, wafting from the glass with aromas of dark berries, violets and pencil shavings, followed by a medium to full-bodied, layered and concentrated palate that exhibits beautiful structural refinement and purity of fruit. Classy and integrated, it is somewhat reminiscent of a modern-day and less forbiddingly structured version of this estate's brilliant 1982. 95-97 points" William Kelley, RobertParker.com------"The 2022 Grand Puy Lacoste was picked from 7 to 23 September and contains more Merlot due to the high quality of the fruit, matured in 75% new oak. There is 14.2% alcohol. Therefore, this lends this GPL a little more precocity and sensuality compared to other vintages, not cut from the same "classical" cloth as, say, the 2019 or 2020. Underlying this velvety veneer are enticing traits of freshly-rolled tobacco and undergrowth. The palate is medium-bodied with finely-sculpted tannins. Silky smooth in texture, so much so that it belies that backbone underneath. There is a peacock's tail of mineral-rich, quite peppery black fruit on the finish, completing a Pauillac endowed with huge potential. 96-98 points" Neal Martin, Vinous.com |
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| RED | 2022 | 20 cases | Château Haut Bages Liberal | 75cl | £402 per case of 12 | Château Haut Bages Liberal 2022 / 20 cases / 75cl £402 per case of 12 |
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Tasting Notes"This is a refreshing Pauillac with concentration and character, plenty of appellation signature, slate, liquorice, mint, crushed rocks, has that intense, knitted down vintage signature but softens to show classic balance - sometjing that is unusual in this vintage that is anything but classic. Small concrete eggs for ageing and vinification along with barrels, 45hl/h yield (the highest in all of Pauillac reportedly; impressive for a biodynamic estate). 3.54ph. Impressive, one to look out for. Owner Claire Villars-Lurton has pulled up 1,500 Melrot vines to plant 400 trees over the past few years as part of her extensive agroforestry project. 40% new oak, 40% barrels of one wine, 20% in concrete eggs and amphora. 93 points" janeanson.com------"The 2022 Château Haut-Bages Libéral checks in as 87% Cabernet Sauvignon and 13% Merlot that will spend 16 months in 40% new French oak. It's a ripe, medium to full-bodied, balanced Pauillac with a terrific sense of elegance as well as minerality. Classic Pauillac notes of ripe black fruits, leafy tobacco, lead pencil, and spring flowers emerge from the glass, and it has ripe tannins, good acidity, and solid overall balance. 93-95 points" Jebdunnuck.com------"The 2022 Haut-Bages-Libéral is lovely, bursting with aromas of blackberries and cherries mingled with notions of orange zest, rose petals and violets. Medium to full-bodied, fleshy and gourmand, with lively acids and a bright, chalky finish, its low pH of 3.54 reflects a decade of organic farming and the limestone subsoils that characterize this sector of Pauillac. 93-95 points" William Kelley, RobertParker.com------"The 2022 Haut-Bages Libéral is shaping up to be a jewel. Bright and aromatic, with notable structure, the 2022 is beautifully put together. Red/purplish fruit, rose petal, mint and blood orange all race across the palate. A wine of dynamic energy and drive, Haut-Bages Liberal is super impressive in this tasting. I can't wait to taste this from bottle. The blend is 87% Cabernet Sauvignon and 13% Merlot. 93-96 points" Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com------"The 2022 Haut-Bages-Libéral was picked from 6 to 26 September and is being raised in 40% new oak, plus 20% in concrete tanks and amphorae. Yields were 45hL/ha, higher than many other estates, which Clare Villars-Lurton cites as a result of their long term application of biodynamic viticulture and use of cover crops. It has an entrancing bouquet with blackberry, briary, crushed stone and light estuarine scents, understated initially but rapidly gaining intensity. The palate is medium-bodied, fresh and saline with sculpted tannins, stunning balance and a mineral finish. This is an outstanding, vivacious 2022 from proprietor Claire Villars-Lurton. 94-96 points" Neal Martin, Vinous.com------"Lots of redcurrants and blackcurrants with some cassis as well as iron, tile, stone and hints of dried herbs. Full-bodied with lots of pretty structure and very juicy tannins. Lively and energetic. Exciting to taste. pH 3.54 and with 13.9% alcohol. From biodynamically grown grapes. From biodynamically grown grapes with Demeter certification. 96-97 points" jamessuckling.com------"The 2022 Haut-Bages Libéral is huge and explosive right out of the gate. A rush of dark red cherry/plum fruit, rose petal, blood orange, incense, licorice and mocha saturates the palate. Saline notes extend the mid-palate and finish effortlessly. This is one of the most exuberant, ample wines I have tasted from Claire Villars-Lurton. I would give the 2022 a number of years in bottle to shed some baby fat. Today, it tastes almost like a barrel sample! The purity and primary intensity of the fruit is remarkable. The Haut-Bages Libéral was raised in a combination of 40% new oak, 40% once-used barrels and 20% a mix of concrete and amphora. This is one of the under-the-radar gems of 2022. 97 points" Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com |
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| RED | 2022 | 1 case | Château Haut Batailley | 75cl | £520 per case of 12 | Château Haut Batailley 2022 / 1 case / 75cl £520 per case of 12 |
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Tasting Notes"Sculpted plum and raspbery puree fruits, fresh lift through the palte, this is a lovely wine that has intense liquorice and bilberry fruit, a little austere in its tannic structure on the finish, more so than in recent vintages at this sculpted fruit-forward Pauillac, but there is great spice here, and has the phenolic richness and density of the year. 3.73ph, 65% new oak. 93 points." Jane Anson------"A blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Merlot, the 2022 Haut-Batailley offers up aromas of sweet berries and plums mingled with licorice and pencil shavings. Medium to full-bodied, firm and structured, it's a serious, rather muscular and extracted wine that begins to nod toward its stablemate Lynch Bages in style. 91-93+ points" William Kelley, RobertParker.com------"The 2022 Haut-Batailley is a potent, brooding wine. Black cherry, gravel, cured meat, spice and leather infuse the 2022 with tons of mineral and savory intensity, backed by a formidable spine of tannin that gives the wine shape and vertical thrust. I imagine the 2022 will need the better part of a decade to come into its own. Tasted two times. 93-95 points" Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com------"The 2022 Haut-Batailley is matured in 65% new oak for a planned 16 months. It has a very intense and almost untamed bouquet that explodes from the glass, and only after five or ten minutes does it begin to show some restraint. The palate is medium-bodied with grippy, fresh and multi-layered tannins, not dissimilar to the Mouton-Rothschild that I tasted a couple of hours earlier. With a satin-textured finish, this will need a decade in the cellar and some taming during élevage. Like a young tiger at the moment. It has 14.2% alcohol. 93-95 points" Neal Martin, Vinous.com------"Classy and very focused with blackberry and blackcurrant character. The tannins nicely melt into the wine with finesse and weightlessness. Elegant. 70% cabernet sauvignon and 30% merlot. 94-95 points" jamessuckling.com------"The 2022 Château Haut-Batailley is much more structured and darker than the Verso, offering classic Pauillac cassis, currant, tobacco leaf, melted chocolate, and espresso nuances, with an almost iron-like hint that emerges with time in the glass. Full-bodied, concentrated, and powerful, it's nevertheless balanced and textured. It's a brilliant wine, if not the finest vintage I've tasted from this château. 94-96+ points" Jebdunnuck.com |
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| RED | 2022 | 1 case | Château La Chenade | 75cl | £180 per case of 12 | Château La Chenade 2022 / 1 case / 75cl £180 per case of 12 |
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| RED | 2022 | 12 cases | Château La Gaffeliere | 75cl | £342 per case of 6 | Château La Gaffeliere 2022 / 12 cases / 75cl £342 per case of 6 |
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Tasting Notes"A blend of 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Franc, the 2022 La Gaffelière derives exclusively from the prime hillside vineyards below Ausone that made this estate so compelling in the early and mid-twentieth century, and the 2022 is the finest wine produced at this address in many a year, surpassing the 2019 and 2020 in quality. Wafting from the glass with incipiently complex aromas of wild berries, violets, lilac, licorice, vine smoke and raw cocoa, it's medium to full-bodied, supple and seamless, with a deep, multidimensional and beautifully vibrant core of fruit and polished tannins, concluding with a long, mouthwatering finish. 95-96 points" William Kelley, RobertParker.com------"Such a delicious wine in 2022, with mouthwateringly sappy tannins, juicy and approachable while being muscular and stacked, and here the concentrated blackcurrant and loganberry fruit is studded through with oyster shell salinity. La Gaffelière is not the most high profile of the estates to have resigned from the St Emilion classification, but it's a real loss, because it is finding these type of wines that makes the ranking so worthwhile. Look out also for a 100% Cabernet Franc cuvee (not tasted, so I'll be looking out too) from this vintage to be released in a few years. Stéphane Derenoncourt consultant. 96 points" janeanson.com------"The 2022 Château La Gaffelière showed beautifully, with a medium to full-bodied, forward, sexy style carrying ample ripe black cherries, spring flowers, camphor, and graphite aromatics. These carry to a medium to full-bodied Saint-Emilion with nicely integrated tannins, remarkable purity, and a great, great finish. This is clearly a gorgeous Saint-Emilion in the making and is well worth seeking out. The blend is 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Franc, and this is certainly in the same ballpark, if not better than, the 2018, 2019, and 2020. 94-96+ points" Jebdunnuck.com------"The 2022 La Gaffelière continues this Saint-Émilion's strong run of form in recent years. The nose is extremely pure and shimmers with nascent excitement, beautifully defined with blackberry, raspberry and touches of cassis. If aromatics could "glide" then this would be a prime example. The palate is exquisite in terms of balance, just a little granular in texture. The 60% new oak is seamlessly integrated. There are hints of bay and tea leaf toward the silky-smooth finish, completing a potentially marvelous wine. 95-97 points" Neal Martin, Vinous.com------"This is serious. Bold and structured with beautiful fruit, which is crunchy and vibrant. Full body. Lots of complexity and depth with a wide and velvety tannin structure. Excellent length. Lots of blue fruits. Touch of whole cluster. 96-97 points" jamessuckling.com------"The 2022 La Gaffelière is a drop-dead gorgeous beauty. Refined, sculpted and wonderfully precise, La Gaffelière simply has it all. Hints of lavender, mint, blood orange, spice and black cherry fruit all race across the glass. Clean mineral notes and fine tannins support the finish. The delineation here is simply breathtaking. La Gaffelière is 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Franc. Élevage is expected to be 19 months in 50% new oak and 50% neutral barrels. The 2022 is another exceptional wine from the Malet Roquefort family. 98-100 points" Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com |
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| RED | 2022 | 7 cases | Château La Petite Eglise | 75cl | £243 per case of 6 | Château La Petite Eglise 2022 / 7 cases / 75cl £243 per case of 6 |
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Tasting Notes"Chocolate and walnut with hazelnut and berries. It’s full and chewy with velvety tannins and spices. Juicy and salty finish. Savory. 95-96 points" jamessuckling.com |
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| RED | 2022 | 5 cases | Château Lafite | 75cl | £3,570 per case of 6 | Château Lafite 2022 / 5 cases / 75cl £3,570 per case of 6 |
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Tasting Notes"Saturated inky colour, with intense ruby reflections. This is a classically constructed Lafite, with clear power to the tannins and intense spice, a little more upfront and concentrated than you find in many En Primeur vintages at this property but it exemplifies balance and confidence. Fully in control, delivering estate signature with finesse and understatement, with pulses of graphite, slate, bitter almond and cocoa bean. Takes its time to uncurl in the glass, leaving you plenty of time to admire its architecture. Give it a good decade at least. 17.5% of press wine, 3.85ph, 41% Lafite of overall production. Harvest August 31 to September 24, earliest since 1893. 100% new oak, Eric Kohler techincal director. Potential upscore in bottle. 97 points" janeanson.com------"A blend of 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot and 1% Petit Verdot, the 2022 Lafite Rothschild unwinds in the glass with aromas of dark berries, cassis, sweet soils tones, cigar box and lilac. Medium to full-bodied, it's the most tensile of the first growths this year, with a layered, concentrated but youthfully introverted mid-palate, lively acids and a long, saline finish. It checks in at a rather high pH of 3.85, which belies its incisive profile, from a harvest that extended from August 31 to September 24. 95-97+ points" William Kelley, RobertParker.com------"The 2022 Lafite-Rothschild was picked from 31 August to 24 September and apart from the 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, there is 17.5% pressed wine in the blend. The IPT is slightly lower than 2020. There is 13.6% alcohol this year, higher than 2018 and 2019. It has an intense bouquet with blackberry, crushed stone, touches of pencil box and undergrowth, very Lafite-Rothschild in style. The palate is medium-bodied with pliant tannins, perfectly judged acidity, linear and focused. Compared to vintages a couple of decades ago, there is mid-palate weight, yet it retains classicism and transparency, while delivering quite a gentle but insistent grip on the finish. Perpetually the most deceptive of First Growth, one should not doubt its long-term potential. 2032-2075. 96-98 points" Neal Martin, Vinous.com------"The 2022 Château Lafite-Rothschild is based on 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot, and 1% Petit Verdot that was harvested between the 31st of August and the 24th of September. It's a richer, more opulent wine compared to the more classic 2020 (although the pH is higher in the 2020) and has a deep, full-bodied, concentrated profile as well as classic Lafite aromatics of spicy red and black fruits, freshly sharpened pencils, graphite, and tobacco. Deep, rich, and concentrated, it nevertheless stays pure and flawlessly balanced, with ample, ripe tannins and a great finish. It's going to have some up-front appeal by Lafite standards but should still require a decade of bottle age. Director Eric Koher compares this to the 2005, but this modern-day clone of the 1959 is one of the most powerful, concentrated Lafites I've tasted. 97-99 points" Jebdunnuck.com------"A classical Lafite that reminds me of something like the 1986, with its blackcurrant and tobacco character with cedar and hazelnut, but it's so today with its purity and precision. It's really about being Lafite here. Terroir gives great elegance with strength. 99-100 points" jamessuckling.com |
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| RED | 2022 | 1 case | Château Lafite - Carruades de Lafite | 75cl | £1,080 per case of 6 | Château Lafite Carruades de Lafite 2022 / 1 case / 75cl £1,080 per case of 6 |
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| RED | 2022 | 1 case | Château Lagrange | 75cl | £237 per case of 6 | Château Lagrange 2022 / 1 case / 75cl £237 per case of 6 |
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Tasting Notes"The 2022 Château Lagrange is more mid-weight than I expected, yet it's nicely balanced and certainly elegant. Based on 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, and 2% Petit Verdot pulled from just 40% of the total production, it has a pretty nose of cassis and black raspberry fruits as well as some floral and spicy nuances. Its oak is nicely integrated, it's medium to full-bodied, and it has fine tannins. The barrel review will seem low if this puts on weight over the course of its élevage. 91-94 points" Jebdunnuck.com------"The 2022 Lagrange is a bold, racy wine. Dried herbs, tobacco, cedar, mint and incense give the 2022 striking aromatic nuance and vibrancy to match its mid-weight personality. The Cabernet is especially evident in this savory and punchy Saint-Julien that is showing very well today. 92-94 points" Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com ------"Solid Lagrange with blueberry and blackberry character. Medium body and a tannin structure that unfolds at the finish. Very well done. 94-95 points" jamessuckling.com-----"A Lagrange with real depth and restaint, feels so pefectly Left Bank, really impresive, a wine that shows the true possibilities of the vintage. There is a build up of tannins through the palate, but also a juiciness and a gorgeous cassis, bilberry and fresh cherry pit seduction, with huge confidence and clear ageing potential. 96 points" janeanson.com------"The 2022 Lagrange is brilliant, ranking alongside the 2020, 2019 and 2016 as one of this over-performing estate's finest recent vintages. Revealing aromas of dark cherries, cassis, violets and pencil shavings, it's medium to full-bodied, velvety and layered, with a deep core of fruit, beautifully refined but youthfully assertive tannins and a long, mouthwatering finish. It's a blend of 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot and 2% Petit Verdot with a very healthy pH of 3.63. 94-96+ points" William Kelley, RobertParker.com------"The 2022 Lagrange was picked between 8 and 30 September, it ages in 60% new oak for a planned 21 months. It has an almost clinical bouquet, with very well defined blackberry and blueberry fruit, graphite and crushed stone. Quite a gap in quality between this and the Fiefs de Lagrange this year. The palate is extremely pure with cashmere tannins, black cherry fruit infused by blood orange, lightly spiced, hints of white pepper toward a very concentrated, fine-boned finish. This will require several years in bottle, but it will be worth waiting for. A serious and very able Lagrange that should not be under-estimated. 95-97 points" Neal Martin, Vinous.com |
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| RED | 2022 | 5 cases | Château Laroque | 75cl | £292 per case of 12 | Château Laroque 2022 / 5 cases / 75cl £292 per case of 12 |
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Tasting Notes"The 2022 Laroque is bright, focused and full of energy. In this vintage, Laroque is especially refined. Dark plum, graphite, licorice, spice, lavender and mocha are nicely laced together in this gracious, finely cut Saint-Émilion. Bright saline accents lend notable brightness throughout. 92-94 points" Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com------"A very classic Bordeaux with medium to full body, firm tannins and crunchy character, with a linear nature. Currants and blackberries. Sandalwood, too. Fresh. 93-94 points" jamessuckling.com------"Another impressive performance from this estate, the 2022 Laroque offers up aromas of sweet berries, violets, iris and exotic spices, followed by a medium to full-bodied, layered palate with a rich core of fruit that's framed by lively acids, concluding with a taut, chalky finish. Once again, it's the result of a strict selection that sees only 45% of the production released as the grand vin. 93-95 points" William Kelley, RobertParker.com------"Clearly one of the new superstars in the appellation, Château Laroque is located on the cooler, eastern edge of Saint-Emilion and consists of pure, classic upper plateau limestone soils. The estate covers a whopping 54 hectares, which gives director Davie Suire ample flexibility when putting together the Grand Vin. Looking at the 2022 Laroque, it's a blend of 98% Merlot and 2% Cabernet Franc from healthy yields of 41 hectoliters per hectare, representing just 45% of the total production, and it will spend 16-18 months in 50% new French oak. This deep purple-hued beauty offers a classic Saint-Emilion bouquet of crème de cassis, graphite, tobacco, and a liquid rock-like sense of minerality. It’s medium to full-bodied, has incredible purity, and ultra-fine tannins. It’s unquestionably another beautiful vintage for this chateau that readers will love. 95-97 points" Jebdunnuck.com------"You just know that this estate is well placed to succeed in the vintage, and this really does walk the line of ripeness and salinity, such gorgeous definition and vivid energetic fruit. Stretches out through the palate also, has a relaxed confidece to it that is quite unusual in such a full--on vintage. Really impressive, Beaumartin family, David Suire director. 97 points" janeanson.com |
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| RED | 2022 | 3 cases | Château Laroque | Magnum | £307 per case of 6 | Château Laroque 2022 / 3 cases / Magnum £307 per case of 6 |
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Tasting Notes"The 2022 Laroque is bright, focused and full of energy. In this vintage, Laroque is especially refined. Dark plum, graphite, licorice, spice, lavender and mocha are nicely laced together in this gracious, finely cut Saint-Émilion. Bright saline accents lend notable brightness throughout. 92-94 points" Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com------"A very classic Bordeaux with medium to full body, firm tannins and crunchy character, with a linear nature. Currants and blackberries. Sandalwood, too. Fresh. 93-94 points" jamessuckling.com------"Another impressive performance from this estate, the 2022 Laroque offers up aromas of sweet berries, violets, iris and exotic spices, followed by a medium to full-bodied, layered palate with a rich core of fruit that's framed by lively acids, concluding with a taut, chalky finish. Once again, it's the result of a strict selection that sees only 45% of the production released as the grand vin. 93-95 points" William Kelley, RobertParker.com------"Clearly one of the new superstars in the appellation, Château Laroque is located on the cooler, eastern edge of Saint-Emilion and consists of pure, classic upper plateau limestone soils. The estate covers a whopping 54 hectares, which gives director Davie Suire ample flexibility when putting together the Grand Vin. Looking at the 2022 Laroque, it's a blend of 98% Merlot and 2% Cabernet Franc from healthy yields of 41 hectoliters per hectare, representing just 45% of the total production, and it will spend 16-18 months in 50% new French oak. This deep purple-hued beauty offers a classic Saint-Emilion bouquet of crème de cassis, graphite, tobacco, and a liquid rock-like sense of minerality. It’s medium to full-bodied, has incredible purity, and ultra-fine tannins. It’s unquestionably another beautiful vintage for this chateau that readers will love. 95-97 points" Jebdunnuck.com------"You just know that this estate is well placed to succeed in the vintage, and this really does walk the line of ripeness and salinity, such gorgeous definition and vivid energetic fruit. Stretches out through the palate also, has a relaxed confidece to it that is quite unusual in such a full--on vintage. Really impressive, Beaumartin family, David Suire director. 97 points" janeanson.com |
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| RED | 2022 | Château Larrivet Haut Brion | 75cl | £324 per case of 12 | Château Larrivet Haut Brion 2022 / / 75cl £324 per case of 12 |
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Tasting Notes"The 2022 Larrivet Haut-Brion offers up aromas of blackcurrant, blueberry, raspberry, violet, orange zest, iris and ripe plums, followed by a medium to full-bodied palate that's supple, seamless and elegant, its succulent core of fruit framed by velvety tannins, concluding with a floral finish. A blend of 61% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot and 21% Cabernet Franc—the most significant portion of this grape variety ever used at this estate run by Bruno Lemoine—this is one of the most interesting wines that this estate has produced in recent years. It matured in 15% amphorae, 50% new barrels and the balance in tanks. 92-94 points." (YC), Wine Advocate------"Broad and structured, but supple and sleek, with fine-grained tannins. Medium- to full-bodied. Hints of coffee beans and cedar. Solid finish. Bright. 93-94 points." (JS) Jamessuckling.com |
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| RED | 2022 | 1 case | Château Le Tertre Roteboeuf | 75cl | £990 per case of 6 | Château Le Tertre Roteboeuf 2022 / 1 case / 75cl £990 per case of 6 |
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Tasting Notes"The 2022 Tertre Rôteboeuf is surprisingly understated in this vintage, which is quite different from most years. In this warm, punishing dry vintage I expect to find a more opulent Tertre, but the wine instead remains light on its feet, with surprising minerality and tons of energy to play dark red (rather than black) fruit. The 2022 is pretty clenched today, but élevage should help soften some of the angulurity in the contours, Tertre Roteboeuf is once again one of the most distinctive wines in Saint-Emilion. There's a feeling of raw, unbridled power that is impossible to miss. Yields were 35 hectaliters per hectare instead of the more typical 40-45 or so. As usual, there is no green harvest and the entire crop is bottled as the Grand Vin. 95-97 points" Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com------"Both the suavest and the most exotic cuvée in the Mitjaville portfolio, the 2022 Le Tertre Roteboeuf is a full-bodied, supple and fleshy wine evocative of blackberries, espresso roast, rose petals, spices and smoked meats. Concentrated, refined and seamless, it concludes with a long, aromatic finish. Readers might think of it as a cousin of the 2009 vintage, with its sweetness of fruit but rather ethereal, harmonious profile, which stands in contrast with more overtly powerful years, such as 2020 or 2010. 95-97 points" William Kelley, RobertParker.com------"The 2022 Tertre-Rôteboeuf is very deep in color It has a very intense bouquet with Dorset plum, raspberry coulis, touches of fennel and fresh fig. Fine delineation. The palate is medium-bodied with plenty of structure, pure mulberry, blackberry and raspberry fruit, white pepper and curry leaf. It is a more exotic Saint-Émilion, but I would not describe it as exotic. It's just very Tertre-Rôteboeuf. 95-97 points" Neal Martin, Vinous.com------"Coming from an incredible hillside terroir on the eastern side of Saint-Emilion, the 2022 Château Tertre Roteboeuf reveals a dense purple hue to go with a kaleidoscopic array of cassis, blueberries, cherries, acacia flowers, violets, and orange blossom. Always exotic, singular, and overflowing with character, the 2022 looks to be no exception and is full-bodied, with a layered, elegant mouthfeel, beautiful tannins, and a great finish. 96-98 points" Jebdunnuck.com |
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| RED | 2022 | 1 case | Château L'Eglise Clinet | 75cl | £1,554 per case of 6 | Château L'Eglise Clinet 2022 / 1 case / 75cl £1,554 per case of 6 |
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Tasting Notes"A L’Eglise Clinet with tension and class, with dark berries and chalk, salt and spice. There’s hazelnut and ripe seeds with coffee bean undertones. Full and wonderfully long and fresh. 97-98 points" jamessuckling.com------"Straight-up gorgeous, I'd put the 2022 Château L'Eglise-Clinet up with the top tier Pomerol in the vintage, and I wouldn't be surprised to see it surpass the 2020 as well. Ripe black cherries, violets, spring flowers, graphite, and tobacco all emerge on the nose, and it's medium to full-bodied, with a layered, elegant mouthfeel, beautiful tannins, and a great finish. Compared to the 2005 by owner Noëmie Durantou (who has done an incredible job taking over the estate after the loss of her father), this rich, concentrated, incredibly impressive Pomerol is going to need 7-8 years of bottle age but will evolve for 30 years in cold cellars. 96-98+ points" Jebdunnuck.com------"Turns the intensity and exoticism of the vintage on its head, unpacking it carefully, and layering up depth and character. Grilled cedar, fleshy damson and casis fruits, this is all about carefully-considered and delivered juice and flavour. Intense, with balance and carefully-extracted juice, and the precision that you want at L'Eglise Clinet, even in such an ovewheming vintage. 85% new oak, harvest September 3 to 9. Noemie Durantou and Olivier Gautrat. 98 points" janeanson.com------"The 2022 L'Eglise-Clinet was picked from 3 to 9 September for the Merlot and the Cabernet Franc on 5 and 9 September, matured in 85% new oak. It has an exquisitely-defined bouquet with succinct floral, pressed iris and clay notes percolating through the black fruit. With breathtaking focus, these scents seem to cast a spell over you. The palate is medium-bodied with slightly chalky tannins that frame the mineral-laden, peppery black fruit. There's not a hair out of place, exuding the essence of this Pomerol estate with an exceptionally long, intense and paradoxically tender finish. It's a wine that may leave you spellbound...just like this barrel sample. 2032-2075. 98-100 points" Neal Martin, Vinous.com |
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| RED | 2022 | 1 case | Château Léoville Barton | 75cl | £220 per case of 3 | Château Léoville Barton 2022 / 1 case / 75cl £220 per case of 3 |
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| RED | 2022 | 1 case | Château Léoville Barton | 75cl | £440 per case of 6 | Château Léoville Barton 2022 / 1 case / 75cl £440 per case of 6 |
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Tasting Notes"The 2022 Léoville Barton is a total model of classicism, even in this warm, dry year. All of the Léoville Barton signatures are present, even if the wine is still coming together. Blue/purplish fruit, lavender, spice, gravel and dried herbs open nicely in the glass, but it is the wine's energy and overall tension that I find most surprising. This is classic as classic gets. Not interested in making the richest or showiest wines, nor interested in jacking up prices as high as they can be. Readers will find a straightforward (in the best sense of the term) Saint-Julien that captures the best of what Bordeaux can be. Just enough of everything, but not too much of any one thing. 93-95 points" Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com------"Very polished and poised with blackberry and blueberry character. Medium body with tight and focused tannin tension. Lively finish. Harmonious for the vintage. 95-96 points" jamessuckling.com------"The 2022 Château Léoville Barton is another pretty, elegant wine from this talented team. A blend of 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11.5 % Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc, its ruby/purple hue is followed by a beautiful perfume of ripe red and black fruits, smoked tobacco, graphite, and violets. Playing in the medium to full-bodied end of the spectrum, it has fine tannins, a supple, elegant mouthfeel, and a great finish. It's surprisingly approachable yet I wouldn't be surprised to see this firm up over the course of its élevage. 94-96+ points" Jebdunnuck.com------"One of the stars of the Médoc and a wine likely to equal or surpass its 2019 and 2016 counterparts, the 2022 Léoville Barton unwinds in the glass with deep aromas of cassis, pencil shavings, spices and tobacco leaf, followed by a medium to full-bodied, deep and layered palate that's vibrant, pure and seamless, with beautifully classy tannins and a long, penetrating finish. The 2022 is a blend of 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11.5% Merlot and 5.5% Cabernet Franc; and it's the first vintage produced in the estate's new winery, which more than doubled the number of vats, permitting sub-plot by sub-plot harvesting and vinification, along with a number of other technical improvements which translate into enhanced purity and precision. 96-97+ points" William Kelley, RobertParker.com-----"The 2022 Léoville Barton was picked between 8 and 23 September at 30hL/ha and matured in 60% new oak. This represents the first vintage that has been vinified using gravity and cuvons (basically vats on wheels!) in their newly-built winery. The nose makes an instant impact with intense black cherry, bilberry and violet aromas. A nuanced estuarine/oyster shell scent emerges with time in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with finely-chiseled tannins, fabulous precision, a killer line of acidity and more mineralité on the finish, that it knows what to do with. This is a precision-tooled Léoville Barton with the sharpness of a samurai sword. The 2022 marks the start of a new and glorious chapter for the Saint-Julien estate, which passes in the slipstream of the 22019 and 2022. It constitutes the finest Léoville Barton that I have tasted out of barrel. Tasted three times. points" Neal Martin, Vinous.com |
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