Bordeaux
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Le Marquis de Calon Segur Saint Estephe 2022 Pre-Arrival
$37.98Pre-Arrival ProductQuickviewJD94JS94PLEASE BE AWARE, THIS IS A PRE-ARRIVAL WINE - YOU WILL NOT BE CHARGED SHIPPING FEES UNTIL THE WINE(S) ARRIVE
94 Points! Lovely finesse with good depth of fruit. Tobacco, paprika, roasted spices and sweet berries. Fine-grained and dusty tannins unwind nicely on the medium- to full-bodied palate. - JamesSuckling.com
94 Points! Rocking blackcurrants, leafy tobacco, chocolate, and smoky nuances all emerge from the 2022 Le Marquis De Calon Ségur, one of the biggest, ripest, sexiest second wines in the vintage. It's full-bodied and has a round, opulent mouthfeel, sweet tannins, and a great finish. This might truly shock you with a decade of bottle age. - Jeb Dunnuck
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Haut Bailly Pessac Leognan 2022 Pre-Arrival
$155.98Pre-Arrival ProductQuickviewJD98+DEC96JS97NM97LPB98VM97RP97Out of stockPLEASE BE AWARE, THIS IS A PRE-ARRIVAL WINE - YOU WILL NOT BE CHARGED SHIPPING FEES UNTIL THE WINE(S) ARRIVE
98+ Points! Looking at the Grand Vin, the 2022 Château Haut-Bailly checks in as 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot, and the rest Cabernet Franc all raised in 50% new French oak. Its deeper ruby hue is followed by a gorgeously classic Haut-Bailly nose of red and black currants, savory flowers, dried herbs, and chocolate. Reminding me of the 2009 (or maybe a mix of the 2009 and 2010) with its opulent, sexy, yet concentrated style, it still stays flawlessly balanced and light on its feet, with no sensation of weight, ultra-fine tannins, and a great finish. It needs to be hidden in the back of the cellar for 5-7 years and will keep for 40+ years if well stored. - Jeb Dunnuck
97 Points! The aromas of blueberries, blackberries and sandalwood come through so clearly that they entice you before you taste. In the mouth, it has such an intensity of silky tannins caressing every inch of your palate. Very classy and extremely long, it goes on and on. 56% cabernet sauvignon, 37% merlot, 5% petit verdot and 2% cabernet franc. - JamesSuckling.com
97 Points! The 2022 Haut-Bailly was picked between 7 and 27 September and underwent a four-week cuvaison, taking longer to consume the sugar and was matured in 50% new oak. It has a bouquet that compels you just to sit and contemplate. It gradually unfolds with blackberry, raspberry, potpourri and iris flower scents, well-defined, not showy but suave. The palate is medium-bodied with filigree tannins. Minerals, black pepper and clove off a gentle grip with an impressive crescendo. It will need a decade in bottle. This Haut-Bailly has a haunting beauty, the kind of wine that will bring people to tears! - Neal Martin, Vinous Media
98 Points! Deep garnet-purple colored, it slowly unfurls in the glass to reveal powerful scents of crème de cassis, blueberry compote, and plum pudding, opening out to hints of star anise, incense, and dried roses. The full-bodied palate is concentrated and seductive with firm yet velvety tannins and wonderful tension, finishing very long and opulent. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, MW
97 Points! A youthfully reticent bouquet of licorice, pencil lead, spices and dark berries prefaces the 2022 Haut-Bailly, a medium to full-bodied, layered and structured wine with a concentrated core of lively fruit framed by youthfully firm tannins. Concluding with a long, energetic and pencil lead-inflected finish, the 2022 has gained in elegance and integration during élevage, yet it will require time to fully mellow and realize its full potential. - Yohan Castaing, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
97 Points! The 2022 Haut-Bailly is one of the most elegant wines I have tasted here in a very long time. Dark red/purplish fruit, lavender, spice, rose petal and blood orange are all finely laced together in the glass. There's a new sense of polish at Haut Bailly these days. The 2022 is a great example of that. Readers will find a supremely finessed wine with striking fruit purity, gorgeous length and a slightly linear build that is not at all typical (in a good sense) for a warm, dry vintage. Clean mineral notes support the finish. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media
96 Points! Fragranced nose, purple fruits, blackcurrants, juniper, liquorice, crushed stones, salt, violets, roses, dark chocolate and cherries - perfumed, alive and expressive. Smooth, but generous with crunchy fruit and salty touches that come in and coat the super fine tannins with a powdery sensation that really fills the mouth. Nice terroir aspects, smooth, well textured and elegantly weighted. Gives dark fruit, subtle savoury tones with dark chocolate and herbal aspects giving nuance. Excellent length and freshness, it's graceful but almost a bit light in terms of fruit density and plushness - although the tannins are exceptional, really so sleek and silky with definition and detail. Feels well worked, gentle, confident and shiny. It's missing a touch more excitement and juicy liveliness but it’s extremely finessed and you can't fault the attention to detail of the tannins and the moreish quality they give. Great potential. 3.92pH. 2% Cabernet Franc completes the blend. A yield of 30hl/ha. Consultants Christophe Olivier and Axel Marchal. Harvest 7-27 September. - Georgina Hindle, Decanter.com
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Calon Segur Saint Estephe 2022 Pre-Arrival
$149.98Pre-Arrival ProductQuickviewJD98WS96DEC96JS97LPB96RP96-98PLEASE BE AWARE, THIS IS A PRE-ARRIVAL WINE - YOU WILL NOT BE CHARGED SHIPPING FEES UNTIL THE WINE(S) ARRIVE
98 Points! The flagship 2022 Château Calon Ségur checks in as 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. It's a massive wine from this château that brings a fabulous nose of darker currants, smoked tobacco, chocolaty oak, graphite, and loamy earth. This full-bodied, deep, unctuous Saint-Estèphe has a round, layered mouthfeel, remarkably pure tannins, and flawless overall balance. It's going to take a decade to shed its baby fat, but this is legit sensational juice! Don’t miss it. - Jeb Dunnuck
96-98 Points! The 2022 Calon-Ségur is another superb wine from this historic Saint-Estèphe third growth that began a comprehensive renaissance the better part of a decade ago. Unwinding in the glass with aromas of cassis and blackberries mingled with hints of fresh mint, burning embers, licorice and violets, it's medium to full-bodied, layered and concentrated, with terrific depth at the core, supple tannins and a long, saline finish. The blend consists of 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. Vincent Millet observed that "when you tasted the Merlot, you were under the impression that you were tasting Cabernet." - William Kelley, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
96 Points! Deep garnet-purple colored, notes of plum preserves, blueberry compote, and crème de cassis erupt from the glass, leading to hints of Chinese five spice, iron ore, fallen leaves, and dried sage with a hint of rose bud tea. The concentrated full-bodied palate is jam-packed with black fruit and exotic spice layers, supported by velvety tannins and plenty of freshness, finishing long and opulent. Decadent! - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, MW
96 Points! Rich and vibrant on the nose, smells concentrated and alcoholic. Crisp and clean on the palate however with bite to the cherry, plum and blackcurrant fruit alongside a hint of sweet strawberry and herbal raspberry on the mid palate that gives some instant energy before the clear concentration and heft of the wine shows through. Not so much in the texture but in the ripe flavours, cool minty and stone edged tannins and clear liquorice and clove spice. Still taught but detailed with elements of generosity. 2% Petit Verdot completes the blend. 3.65pH. A yield of 26hl/ha. Ageing 17 months, 30% new oak. - Georgina Hindle, Decanter.com
97 Points! Stunning depth and minerality with fine spices, dark olives, ashtray and a hint of white pepper, paprika and iron. Powerful but also really fine, complex and classy, with full body and super-fine-grained tannins. Spot-on balance helps highlight depth and layers. Really long and restrained. Very complete. Already appealing but will improve in the next decade. - JamesSuckling.com
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Le Prieuré Saint Emilion 2022 Pre-Arrival
$55.98Pre-Arrival ProductQuickviewDEC93LPB94VM94PLEASE BE AWARE, THIS IS A PRE-ARRIVAL WINE - YOU WILL NOT BE CHARGED SHIPPING FEES UNTIL THE WINE(S) ARRIVE
94 Points! The 2022 Le Prieuré is another magnificent wine from one of Saint-Émilion’s most under the radar properties. Dark blue/purplish fruit, gravel, spice, menthol and lavender are all finely delineated. As always, Le Prieuré is a wine of cool sophistication and finesse. Clean mineral notes extend the finish effortlessly. Superb. Drinking window : 2030-2060 - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media
92-94 Points! The 2022 Le Prieuré is a blend of 92% Merlot and 8% Cabernet Franc, delivering a powerful 15.2% alcohol this year. For the first time, it contains fruit from Château Malineau, which features more clayey soil that Vincent Millet remarks lends to the cuvée its rondeur. It is matured in 30% new oak for 18 months. It has quite a rich and opulent bouquet, with confit-like blueberry and cassis fruit. I find this conveys less delineation than the Vray Croix de Gay and perhaps previous recent vintages. The palate is sweet and ripe on the entry with vivacious blueberry and cassis fruit, citrus fruit, hints of blood orange with a smear of dark chocolate toward the finish. Quite a "punchy" Saint-Émilion, but I may just prefer the 2020 by comparison. - Neal Martin, Vinous Media
94 Points! This is a blend of 92% Merlot and 8% Cabernet Franc, aged 18 months in French oak, 30% new. Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, it rolls out with evocative notes of juicy plums, black cherries, and garrigue, leading to hints of menthol and anise. The full-bodied palate is dense with rich black and red fruit layers, supported by velvety tannins and seamless freshness, finishing long and fragrant. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, MW
93 Points! High toned and serious on the nose, concentrated, intense, ripe and perfumed, a touch of alcohol also. Focussed and taught but with a really super juicy and appealing initial burst of flavour, herbal raspberries, creamy strawberries and some stalky bramble blackcurrant giving sweetness, spice and tension. Clean, balanced and slick, this is stylish, generous and likeable but still with a serious core. The texture is wonderful, tannins are perfectly weighted and integrated. A success. 3.75pH. Ageing 18 months, 30% new oak. Eric Boissenot consultant. - Georgina Hindle, Decanter.com
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d'Issan Margaux 2022 Pre-Arrival
$79.98Pre-Arrival ProductQuickviewJD96DEC96JS98VM94RP95Out of stock98 Points, James Suckling's #1 World Wine of the Year! This is really luxurious, showing blackcurrants and orange peel with cedar and dried-mushroom aromas following through to a medium to full body that grows on the palate. This has crunchy and lightly chewy tannins that are slightly austere but in an elegant, classical Bordeaux way. Chewy at the end. So much energy and vibe. So complex. Probably the greatest wine ever from here. A blend of 65% cabernet sauvignon, 30% merlot, 2% cabernet franc, 2% malbec and 1% petit verdot. Best after 2028 but already a joy to taste. - JamesSuckling.com
96 Points! The deep ruby/purple-hued 2022 Château D'Issan is rock star stuff, offering a massive array of red and black fruits, spring flowers, violets, smoky tobacco, and a beautiful sense of minerality. This full-bodied, powerful, concentrated Issan has a layered, seamless mouthfeel, beautiful tannins, and a great finish. The alcohol here is 14.6% and the pH is a solid 3.6. Give bottles 4-5 years if you can, and it will evolve gracefully over the following three decades. - Jeb Dunnuck
96 Points! Deep, heady, really quite seductive and aromatic on the nose, draws you in with bramble fruits, chocolate, exotic spices and perfumed floral nuances. Juicy and lively, pure and focussed, but such a vibrancy to this wine. Sweet and sour elements combine with really salty, chalky, powdery and quite filling tannins that give the nuance of flavour and texture. Bright yet serious, finessed yet layered. Lovely intensity of elements. On the more savoury side right now in terms of lingering flavour but there’s mouthwatering acidity giving the liveliness and sense of fun. I really like this, textured, upfront, forward, extremely drinkable and so approachable, but thrilling too. An exciting wine with great integration and finesse and still clear strength underneath. One of the most exciting wines this year. Stylish, potent and polished. I love it! A yield of 30hl/ha. Harvest 15 - 28 September. 1% PV planted in 1948, 12% press wine. 2% Malbet and 1% Petit Verdot complete the blend. Total acidity: 3.55. 50% new barrels. 3.67pH. - Georgina Hindle, Decanter.com
95 Points! The 2022 D'Issan has turned out beautifully, wafting from the glass with aromas of minty cassis, rose petals, pencil shavings and vine smoke. Medium to full-bodied, suave and velvety, it's deep, complex and well-balanced, with a sweet core of fruit and ripe structuring tannins. It's a blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and the balance Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot. - William Kelley, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
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Clinet Pomerol 2022 Pre-Arrival
$114.98Pre-Arrival ProductQuickviewJD98DEC96JS97VM96RP94+PLEASE BE AWARE, THIS IS A PRE-ARRIVAL WINE - YOU WILL NOT BE CHARGED SHIPPING FEES UNTIL THE WINE(S) ARRIVE
98 Points! The Grand Vin from this terrific Pomerol estate, the 2022 Château Clinet checks in as 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon that spent 19 months in 80% new barrels. It's a beautiful Pomerol that clearly ranks with the greats from this address, offering a vivid purple hue, classic notes of cassis, leather, graphite, and black cherries, full-bodied richness, and a layered, seamless mouthfeel. It's another remarkable 2022 that brings the richness and depth of the vintage while staying light on its feel and flawlessly balanced. It has plenty of upfront appeal even today, yet there's ample structure here as well, and it's going to evolve beautifully over the coming 30 years or more. - Jeb Dunnuck
96 Points! Streamlined and sleek, silky smooth but also gorgeously textured, clean and clear with grip and interest. Less fleshy and chewy than some, more charming and elegant with tannins that have a weight in the mouth. There is clear power and concentration underneath the juicy acidity with a straight backbone and direct energy from start to finish. Appealing layers of salinity, blackcurrant fruit, creamy vanilla, cool cola touches and crushed stones on the finish. Feels well made and sophisticated. 3.74pH. A yield of 34hl/ha. Earliest harvest ever starting on 6 September for Merlot and 20 and 21 September for Cabernet Sauvignon. - Georgina Hindle, Decanter.com
96 Points! The 2022 Clinet is terrific. Vibrant, aromatic and beautifully sculpted, Clinet is also a terrific example of the energy quality-minded winemakers were able to achieve in 2022. Crushed rose petals, spice, blood orange, mint and white pepper give Clinet a compelling upper register of presence in the bouquet. Wonderfully delineated, Clinet builds effortlessly into the mid-palate and finish, where a closing burst of red/purplish fruit framed by clean mineral notes leaves a lasting impression. This is stellar. Tasted two times. Drinking window : 2030-2052 - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media
97 Points! Intense aromas of dark violets and blueberries as well as terra-cotta follow through to a full body, yet it’s tight and focused with beautifully framed fruit from polished tannins and a long and rather endless finish. A complete and fresh Pomerol in 2022. - JamesSuckling.com
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Echo de Lynch Bages Pauillac 2022
$48.98Out of StockQuickviewJD92DEC93JS94LPB91Out of stock94 Points! Dark currants with blackberries and a touch of pencil shavings. Good perception of freshness despite the ripe black fruit. Tight, full-bodied and fine-grained on the palate. Long, structured and juicy. 64% cabernet sauvignon, 31% merlot and 5% cabernet franc. Give it two or three more years. - JamesSuckling.com
92 Points! Blackcurrants, smoky tobacco, crushed stone, and graphite emerge from the 2022 Echo De Lynch-Bages, ripe, concentrated, structured second wine. It has more than a small resemblance to the Grand Vin in a rounder, more mouth-filling style that will have two decades of overall longevity. - Jeb Dunnuck
93 Points! Blue fruits, subtle perfume, a juicy blackcurrant and stony minerality on the nose. Supple and juicy, a real sense of fun with detail to the fine tannins. Well balanced, gorgeous texture, depth and characterful. A great second wine still with terroir markers, a salty finish, chalky texture and grippy tannins. Still concentrated and serious, there’s an intensity to the fruit but really well delivered. Will be a beauty. 91 IPT. 3.69pH. Ageing 14 months, new and one year old oak barrels. 3.9 g/L total acidity. 91 IPT. - Georgina Hindle, Decanter.com
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Léoville Poyferré Saint Julien 2022 Pre-Arrival
$116.98Pre-Arrival ProductQuickviewJD100DEC96JS99NM96+VM96PLEASE BE AWARE, THIS IS A PRE-ARRIVAL WINE - YOU WILL NOT BE CHARGED SHIPPING FEES UNTIL THE WINE(S) ARRIVE
100 Points! Reminding me of the 2018 (as well as the 2009), if not slightly more concentrated, the 2022 Château Léoville Poyferré is one of the most opulent and flamboyant wines out of the Médoc in 2022, and it has incredible intensity while staying light on its feet and graceful. Its dense, glass-staining purple hue is followed by a sensational perfume of crème de cassis, graphite, darker chocolate, scorched earth, and flowers. Full-bodied on the palate, it brings extravagant levels of fruit as well as a seamless mouthfeel, beautifully integrated oak, tannins, and acidity, no hard edges, and a gorgeous finish. It shines even today, yet it has beautiful underlying structure and will evolve gracefully over the coming 30+ years. The 2022 is based on 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot, and 4% each of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, aged 18-20 months in 80% new oak. - Jeb Dunnuck
99 Points! A mind-blowing Leoville Poyferre, probably one of the best for a long time. Huge depth and structure, showing a deep matrix of fruit full of fresh blackberries and a dash of ink and lead pencil. Such verticality on the full-bodied palate with beautiful balance and a clear finish that goes on and on for more than a minute. Great potential ahead. This was tasted at the UCGB tasting and was one of the best wines of the day. - JamesSuckling.com
96+ Points! The 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. - Neal Martin, Vinous Media
96 Points! The 2022 Léoville-Poyferré is super-exotic. Dense and pliant, with striking mid-palate depth and exquisite balance, this is pure sensuality. Red cherry, apricot, blood orange, wildflowers and spices all meld together as the 2022 opens in the glass. Seamless, refined tannins extend the mid-palate and finish. The purity of the fruit is remarkable. I also find the new wood imprint—long a signature here—much less evident than in the past. Earlier picking in the Merlot today yields a wine with more red fruit tones than in the past, when Léoville-Poyferré was a darker wine. It will be interesting to see if these are long-term trends. Tasted three times. Stellar. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media
96 Points! Another 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. - Georgina Hindle, Decanter.com
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Domaine de Chevalier Blanc Pessac Leognan 2022 Pre-Arrival
$112.98Pre-Arrival ProductQuickviewJD98DEC94JS99LPB96VM96RP95PLEASE BE AWARE, THIS IS A PRE-ARRIVAL WINE - YOU WILL NOT BE CHARGED SHIPPING FEES UNTIL THE WINE(S) ARRIVE
99 Points! Very complex aromas of pears, persimmons, honey and cooked apples. Mineral undertones. Always subtle and multidimensional. Full-bodied with a tight and dense middle palate that gives a superb mouthfeel. It's lively and flavorful at the end but in a reserved way. Just a hint of bitter lemon and lilac. I really want to drink this, but give it three or four years to reach the right place. - JamesSuckling.com
98 Points! Based on 70% Sauvignon Blanc and 30% Semillon that spent nine months in barrel, the 2022 Domaine De Chevalier Blanc is a brilliant white revealing a vivid gold hue as well as bright citrus, crushed stone, mint, and honeysuckle-driven nuances. Pure, focused, and elegant, it has remarkable balance, integrated acidity, medium to full body, and a beautifully layered texture. It should evolve beautifully for 20+ years. - Jeb Dunnuck
96 Points! The 2022 Domaine de Chevalier Blanc is stunning. It exudes textural depth, intensity and pedigree from the very first taste. I imagine it will still be stellar in another few years’ time. For now, it is a wine to think about cellaring. Time brings out dried lemon peel, sage, mint, chamomile, salt and crushed rock scents that lend both vibrancy and complexity. In most vintages, the Blanc is either incredibly steely or ample in feel. In 2022, it is both. Tasted four times. Drinking window : 2027-2047 - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media
96 Points! It sails out of the glass with bright, vivacious notes of waxed lemons, fresh grapefruit, and yellow apples, leading to hints of elderflower, cedar, and honeysuckle. The medium-bodied palate delivers a wonderfully satiny texture with a racy line cutting through the intense citrus and orchard fruit layers, finishing long and fragrant. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, MW
95 Points! The 2022 Domaine de Chevalier Blanc has turned out brilliantly in bottle, wafting from the glass with aromas of pear, jasmine, white flowers, spring blossoms and spices. Medium to full-bodied, layered and enveloping, it's charming and sappy with a dense structure, bright acids, gastronomic bitterness and a long, saline and mouthwatering finish. Confirming my expectations, this blend of 70% Sauvignon Blanc and 30% Sémillon is one of the best white wines of the vintage. It should gain harmony with age. - Yohan Castaing, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
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Pichon Baron Pauillac 2022 Pre-Arrival
$179.98Pre-Arrival ProductQuickviewJD98WS97DEC98JS98NM97LPB97VM98RP95-97Out of stockPLEASE BE AWARE, THIS IS A PRE-ARRIVAL WINE - YOU WILL NOT BE CHARGED SHIPPING FEES UNTIL THE WINE(S) ARRIVE
98 Points! The 2022 Château Pichon-Longueville Baron is young and unevolved, with a barrel sample-like feel, offering cassis, graphite, liquid violets, and incredible purity. Powerful and structured, it has remarkable depth, rock-solid concentration, and seamless integrated structure and tannins. Based on 81% Cabernet Sauvignon and 19% Merlot aged 18 months in 70% new oak, this classically styled, inward Pauillac is one of the most promising wines of the vintage and should evolve for 40+ years. - Jeb Dunnuck
98 Points! The 2022 Pichon Baron is one of the most elegant, polished wines I have ever tasted here. Silky and refined, the 2022 is super-impressive right out of the gate. The aromatics alone are mesmerizing. Blood orange, herbs and floral notes lend notable delineation to a core of Cabernet Sauvignon fruit. As I did enprimeur, I find the wine's balance nothing short of exquisite. There's more freshness and vibrancy here than in the past, along with a noticeably lower oak imprint and more sensual tannins that lend notable sophistication throughout. The Grand Vin spent 16 months in French oak barrels, 70% new, and then two months in wood vats prior to bottling. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media
97 Points! The 2022 Pichon Baron was picked 8 September to 3 October and matured in 70% new oak. It has wonderful precision on the nose, with intense blackberry and bilberry fruit, crushed stone and graphite. The oak is seamlessly integrated. The palate is tensile right from the start. Taut and linear, fresh, quite saline with a nuanced touch of black pepper toward the finish. Real pedigree and sophistication here, this is a magnificent Pichon-Baron that achieves a new level of precision thanks to the more piecemeal Sauternes-inspired harvest in tandem with their new winery. - Neal Martin, Vinous Media
98 Points! What a nose with complex aromas of blackberries, blackcurrants, graphite and pencil shavings. Full-bodied, this has layers of tannins and intense richness but is framed and held together by the phenolic structure. Vertical and deep, it goes on for minutes on the palate. Great finish. 81% cabernet sauvignon and 19% merlot. Give this five to six years to come together more. - JamesSuckling.com
97 Points! Deep garnet-purple colored, it needs a little swirling to coax out notes of warm black currants, juicy black plums, and mulberries, followed by hints of camphor, charcoal, and tapenade with a touch of violets. The medium to full-bodied palate is densely laden with rich black fruit flavors, supported by firm, grainy tannins and just enough freshness, finishing long and savory. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, MW
95-97 Points! An unusually gourmand, sensual wine from this estate, the 2022 Pichon-Longueville Baron bursts with aromas of crème de cassis, sweet dark berries, licorice, lilac and pencil shavings. On the palate, it's medium to full-bodied, layered and velvety, with excellent concentration and a rather rich, supple profile. A blend of 81% Cabernet Sauvignon and 19% Merlot, it's the result of sub-block by sub-block picking and cooler than usual fermentation temperatures. - William Kelley, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
98 Points! Wonderfully aromatic and expressive, with dark fruit, floral scents, chocolate, cinnamon and liquorice. Smooth, svelte, bursting with energy. Juicy strawberries and cherries have crunch from fine tannins and mineral edges. Calm and controlled, yet quietly powerful. Fruit and oak emerge over time, layering chalky, powdery, ripe, spiced and fresh textures. Ends as joyously as it starts, and very moreish. - Georgina Hindle, Decanter.com
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Pichon Lalande Pauillac 2022 Pre-Arrival
$239.98Pre-Arrival ProductQuickviewJD98WS98DEC99JS99NM98LPB98-100VM97+RP100PLEASE BE AWARE, THIS IS A PRE-ARRIVAL WINE - YOU WILL NOT BE CHARGED SHIPPING FEES UNTIL THE WINE(S) ARRIVE
100 Points! The 2022 Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande has turned out even better in bottle than I anticipated, bursting from the glass with aromas of cassis and blackberries mingled with scents of licorice, violets and pencil shavings. Full-bodied, layered and enveloping, it's suave, seamless and complete, with faultless precision, pristine integration of tannin, controlled sweetness and a long, expansive finish. The 2022 manages to unite the sensuality that's the estate's calling card and the ripeness of the vintage on the one hand, with a sense of Pauillac classicism on the other, threading the needle to deliver one of the finest wines of the vintage and a benchmark Pichon Comtesse. It's a blend of 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc that spent 18 months in barriques (three months more than was formerly the case), two-thirds of which were new. As I wrote en primeur, there's more than a hint of the 1982 about this wine, and like the 1982, the 2022 will offer an exceptionally wide drinking window. - William Kelley, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
99 Points! What perfect aromas of blackcurrants, lead pencil, violets, blood oranges and blood. Some iron. Medium- to full-bodied, this has incredible tannins that are completely loaded and integrated, melting into the wine with such a glorious mouthfeel. The finish goes on and on, lightly austere in the most sophisticated way. Racy and rigorously focused. 78% cabernet sauvignon, 17% merlot and 5% cabernet franc. Try after 2030, but already a new benchmark for this estate. - JamesSuckling.com
98 Points! This brims with notes of dark currant, blackberry and black cherry preserves that sparkle subtly with reserved energy, while sweet tobacco, licorice snap, chestnut, violet and ink notes work harmoniously through the long, crumpled velvet finish. A late humus echo provides a beautiful counterpoint, which just makes you want to go right back and start the experience all over with another sip. A total stunner. - Wine Spectator
99 Points! Shiny and striking, this delights from the first sip giving a burst of strawberry and citrus acidity before salty minerality comes in the form of chalky tannins, graphite, pencil lead and slate. Really quite mineral. It's sleek and classically styled, no overt ripeness of fruit although there's concentration in the frame and power that thrusts the flavours forward. Detailed and joyous, it's pent up with muscles and tension but where other wines are showcasing that brawn now, this also delivers a ton of juicy acidity and lift which makes this so joyful. I love it. 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc. - Georgina Hindle, Decanter.com
98 Points! Looking at the flagship 2022 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse De Lalande, it's based on 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot, and the balance Cabernet Franc that spent 19 months in two-thirds new oak and one-third in once-used barrels. Its similarly deep purple hue is followed by a magical, heavenly 2022 that has a layered, full-bodied profile that brings an incredibly floral character as well as a huge core of darker currant fruits, ripe, polished, velvety tennis, no hard edges, and a thrilling finish. It’s a quintessential Comtesse that brings the forward, supple elegance of the château while still offering plenty of classic Pauillac depth, structure, and character. Give bottles 5-7 years and enjoy over the following 40+. - Jeb Dunnuck
98-100 Points! A blend of 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, and 5% Cabernet Franc, the 2022 Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande is deep garnet-purple in color. After a little coaxing, aromas of blackcurrant jelly, juicy plums, and wild blueberries waltz out of the glass, followed by nuances of red roses, damp soil, tar, and licorice. The medium-bodied palate is tightly wound, with impressive tension created by mineral-laced, crunchy black fruit layers, framed by firm, grainy tannins and seamless freshness, finishing long and savory. pH 3.8. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Independent
97+ Points! The 2022 Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande is a wine of somber intensity, one that will require years to be at its best. Dark fruit, leather, incense, licorice, plum and mocha slowly open in the glass. Pichon Comtesse is often more demonstrative at this stage, but the 2022 is decidedly reticent. I expect it will be slow to reveal all of its character. I tasted the 2022 three times and found it consistently closed. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media
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L'If Saint Emilion 2022 Pre-Arrival
$169.98Pre-Arrival ProductQuickviewJD95JS98NM94LPB97VM96RP94PLEASE BE AWARE, THIS IS A PRE-ARRIVAL WINE - YOU WILL NOT BE CHARGED SHIPPING FEES UNTIL THE WINE(S) ARRIVE
98 Points! A curious wine that offers lots of fruit character on the nose, beginning with blackberries and flowers that move to integrated tannins, proceeding to a firmness and a well-framed palate. 80% merlot and 20% cabernet franc. - JamesSuckling.com
95 Points! The 2022 Château L'If comes from eight hectares of vines, mostly located on the upper plates near Troplong Mondot. Based on 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc raised in 50% new oak, its deep ruby/purple hue is followed by a pure, incredibly elegant wine that has a core of black raspberry fruit as well as sappy flowers, chalky minerality, and hints of forest floor. Playing in the medium-bodied, silky, elegant end of the spectrum, it brings beautiful purity, ultra-fine tannins, and a great finish. The level of purity, finesse, and minerality here is something. Give bottles 3-5 years and enjoy over the following two decades. - Jeb Dunnuck
94 Points! The 2022 L'If, a blend of 20% Cabernet Franc from fourth-leaf vines and 80% Merlot, was picked on 14 and 26 September at 35hL/ha. The limestone soils percolate through nicely on the nose with mineral-rich blackberry and bilberry fruit, quite estuarine (even if it doesn't border the Gironde!) The palate is medium-bodied with crunchy black fruit and blueberry notes. It's finely structured with a touch of licorice popping up on the finish, overtly spicy on the aftertaste. This is a very well-crafted Saint-Émilion from Jacques Thienpont and team - no wonder it is gaining a loyal following like Le Pin. - Neal Martin, Vinous Media
97 Points! This is a blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc, aged in French oak barrels, 50% new. Deep garnet-purple colored, it strolls confidently out of the glass with expressive black raspberry, fresh blackberry, and wild blueberry notes, plus nuances of sassafras, lilacs, and anise. The full-bodied palate delivers energetic black and red berry layers with approachable, fine-grained tannins and a lively line, finishing on a lingering ferrous note. So pretty! - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, MW
96 Points! The 2022 L’If is a powerhouse. An exotic mélange of blackberry jam, bittersweet chocolate, licorice, cloves and menthol saturates the palate, all backed up by huge, imposing tannins. This brooding, virile Saint-Émilion packs a huge punch. It will be interesting to see if this softens with élevage. The blend is 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc. Drinking window : 2032-2052 - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media
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Rauzan Segla Margaux 2022
$114.98QuickviewJD98WS96DEC97JS98NM96LPB97-99VM97+RP9698 Points! The flagship 2022 Château Rauzan-Ségla checks in as 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Merlot, and the balance Petit Verdot, all aged 18 months in 50% new French oak. It's much more focused and precise compared to the second wine and has brilliant aromatics of crème de cassis, crushed violets, graphite, and smoky oak. Gorgeously concentrated and full-bodied, with riveting purity and precision, this stunning Margaux has ripe yet building tannins, a terrific mid-palate, and flawless overall balance. I love it today yet 7-8 years of cellar are warranted and it will cruise over the following 3-4 decades in cold cellars. It's another sensational wine from this estate. - Jeb Dunnuck
98 Points! Aromas of blueberries and blackberries with walnuts and hints of tar that follow through to a medium to full body with plush and velvety tannins and a lovely, caressing mouthfeel. It closes up at the end. Extremely long, pure and structured. Classic 72% cabernet sauvignon, 26% merlot and 2% petit verdot. From organically grown grapes. - JamesSuckling.com
97-99 Points! Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2022 Rauzan-Segla is made from 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Merlot, and 2% Petit Verdot, aging for 18 months in French oak, 50% of it new. A little swirling unleashes an explosion of black and red currant jelly, wild blueberries, and chocolate-covered cherries, giving way to a fragrant undercurrent of violets, underbrush, and crushed rocks with a touch of star anise. The full-bodied palate is built like a brick house and crafted like a Chanel suit, with a firm backbone of super-ripe, grainy tannins and impressive tension supporting a gorgeous array of floral, spice, and black fruit layers, finishing very long and with impeccable grace. pH 3.7. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Independent
97+ Points! The 2022 Rauzan-Ségla is a classy, elegant wine. Even so, the 2022 very clearly lacks the immediacy of some surrounding vintages. Readers should be prepared to cellar this for a number of years The mid-weight, gracious presence of Rauzan-Ségla is very much present, and yet the tannins are pretty imposing. Dark red/purplish fruit, rose petal, graphite and white pepper are all beautifully delineated in the glass. The 2022 is pure and total sophistication. This is a wine that may very well have more to say in the future. Tasted four times. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media
97 Points! Heady floral aromatics and vibrant black fruit. Gorgeous succulence and energy. It's not shouting, not too high in acidity or too fleshy, but a great combination of plush and filling tannins, cool blue fruit, ripe red fruit, crystalline minerality and subtle spices. Smooth and clean, elegant and confident. Approachable with detail and finesse to the elements. Juicy, bright, clean, seductive, powerful, captivating – utterly satisfying. - Georgina Hindle, Decanter.com
96 Points! The 2022 Rauzan-Ségla is showing well in bottle, unfurling in the glass with aromas of dark berries and cherries mingled with licorice, burning embers and pencil shavings. Medium to full-bodied, ample and velvety, it's suave and seamless, with its dense core of fruit framed by powdery structuring tannins that lend a more evident backbone than it exhibited en primeur. As readers may remember, the 2022 is a blend of 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Merlot and 2% Petit Verdot; and in 2022, the east-facing sides of the vines, which see the afternoon sun, were picked separately, along with anything that showed signs of stress. - William Kelley, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
96 Points! The 2022 Rauzan-Ségla was picked 2 to 28 September at 30hL/ha and matured for 18 months in 50% new oak. Nicolas Audebert told me that it contains 17% vin de presse which is slightly higher than normal, a combination of 150 separate vinifications. This has a very opulent bouquet with layers of black cherries, créme de cassis and violets. Perhaps just a little too decadent? The palate is medium-bodied with fine balance, grainy tannins, very pure and focused with quite a minerally finish. Long in the mouth. It's just missing that knockout blow at the moment, yet it's still a supremely well-crafted Margaux. - Neal Martin, Vinous Media
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Giscours Margaux 2022 Pre-Arrival
$98.98Pre-Arrival ProductQuickviewJD97+WS95DEC96JS98VM96RP9695 Points, Wine Spectators #1 Wine of the Year! Warmed cassis and plum notes form the core, while lilting lilac, violet and iris accents stream throughout. Offers a flash of black tea on the finish, along with a beguiling, cashmere-like mouthfeel. Judicious toast lets it all play out beautifully. A pitch-perfect example of the vintage profile. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2026 through 2040. - Wine Spectator
98 Points! Stunning aromas of blackcurrants, dark mushrooms and black cherries with forest-floor notes. Full body that fills your mouth with fine, caressing tannins and dark, flavorful fruit. The tannins are very intense and structural, spreading across the palate in layers and giving intensity and energy. Plenty of energy and verve here. This has gravity, too. 64% cabernet sauvignon, 30% merlot, 3% petit verdot and 3% cabernet franc. - JamesSuckling.com
97+ Points! The deeply colored and glass-staining 2022 Château Giscours is packed with cassis, black cherries, violets, and graphite-like aromatics. Medium to full-bodied, it’s concentrated and intense, with beautifully ripe tannins, a pure, graceful mouthfeel, and a long, structured finish. There’s serious depth here, and while it already shows remarkable balance, I suspect it will shut down for a period before emerging as a classic Margaux a decade or so after the vintage. This beauty is going to be long-lived, and you can expect at least 30-40 years of prime drinking. Based on 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, and equal parts Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, it’s a serious, age-worthy Giscours. Tasted multiple times with consistent results. - Jeb Dunnuck
96 Points! A seriously impressive and beguiling Giscous in 2022 and one of the most elegant. A remarkable wine with gorgeous clarity and purity and just the most gentle seduction, even more so because it really doesn't feel as if it's trying too hard yet still delivering depth and complexity. Fresh and lifted, fragrant and so juicy but with textured tannins that give both the weight, structure and density to the quite bright, tangy, vibrant fruit. Nicely composed, feels quite powerful yet restrained and finessed offering lots of immediate drinking appeal but with a serious backbone that suggests long ageing too. Elegant, fineseed, subtle confidence with such cool minerality that gives freshness all the way through. It's not the most dense, or fleshy, but so refined. A compelling wine. Possible upscore in bottle. 3% Cabernet Franc completes the blend. 3.70pH. A yield of 27hl/ha, the lowest ever. No Sirene de Giscours this year. 100% grand vin. Ageing 17 months, 50% new oak. 10-15% press wine. Tasted twice. - Georgina Hindle, Decanter.com
96 Points! The 2022 Giscours is compelling, just as it was en primeur. Deep, layered and inviting, the 2022 possesses notable textural richness and intensity. Yields were down about 25%, and drought starting in May produced tiny berries with thick skins. The 2022 is a very rich Giscours, one that will need a number of years to shed some baby fat. But even with all of that obvious richness, the 2022 clocks in at 13.5% alcohol. This is such a classy wine. Tasted three times. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media
96 Points! The 2022 Giscours has realized all the potential it showed en primeur, wafting from the glass with a deep bouquet of sweet berries, mint, rose petals and pencil shavings. Medium to full-bodied, deep and layered, it's textural and enveloping, built around lively acids and sweet powdery tannins, concluding with a long, resonant finish. As I pondered two years ago, why is the 2022 so good? There are many reasons, but one is the high proportion of old vines—almost 60% of the blend derives 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. The team also adapted hedging practices to limit hydric stress, which helps to explain the sweetness of the tannins. - William Kelley, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
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Les Carmes Haut Brion Pessac Leognan 2022 Pre-Arrival
$210.98Pre-Arrival ProductQuickviewJD98+DEC100JS99LPB98VM100RP100Out of stockPLEASE BE AWARE, THIS IS A PRE-ARRIVAL WINE - YOU WILL NOT BE CHARGED SHIPPING FEES UNTIL THE WINE(S) ARRIVE
100 Points! Deep 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. - Georgina Hindle, Decanter Magazine
100 Points! The 2022 Les Carmes Haut-Brion is a towering masterpiece from Technical Director Guillaume Pouthier. Dark and seamless in the glass, the 2022 presents an exotic mélange of black cherry, lavender, sage, blood orange, menthol, espresso and dried flowers, showing tremendous depth and substance in all of its dimensions. Time in the glass hints as to what is to come in the years and decades that follow. The 2022 is a co-ferment of 40% Cabernet Franc, 34% Cabernet Sauvignon and 26% Merlot done with 70% stems that saw six full weeks on the skins. Élevage is 70% new oak, 20% 18HL cask and 10% amphora. Most importantly, all the elements are so well balanced that nothing sticks out. Instead, it is the wine's total sense of harmony that is mind-blowing. Magnificent. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media
100 Points! 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. - Yohan Castaing, robertparker.com
98+ Points! The 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
99 Points! The 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. - JamesSuckling.com
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d'Armailhac Pauillac 2022
$56.98QuickviewJD96JS97NM94LPB94Out of stock97 Points! Floral character such as orange blossoms and cassis with lead pencil aromas that follow through to a medium body and a lovely balance of fruit and freshness. It’s long and caressing with everything in place. Crisp. Best ever? 60% cabernet sauvignon, 22% merlot, 16% cabernet franc and 2% petit verdot. - JamesSuckling.com
96 Points! Rocking levels of darker currants, chocolate, tobacco, and spicy notes all emerge from the 2022 Château D'Armailhac, a blockbuster from this château that has ripe, velvety tannins, a beautiful mid-palate, and outstanding length. Based on 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, 16% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Petit Verdot, this is easily the finest Armailhac I’ve tasted. It already offers pleasure today yet deserves 4-6 years of bottle age and will evolve for 20-30 years if well stored. - Jeb Dunnuck
94 Points! The 2022 Chateau d'Armailhac was picked from 8 to 27 September and matured in 50% new oak. This has a very pure and sensual bouquet with precocious black plum, cassis violet and espresso scents. The palate is medium-bodied with muscular tannins on the entry, though I find just a little more complexity compared to the Clerc Milon this year. There's a gently and discrete crecendo toward its delineated and minerally finish. Excellent. This is more like the d'Armailhac that I was familiar with, say, ten years ago. It will surely be irresistible once it reaches its peak. You've been warned. - Neal Martin, Vinous Media
94 Points! Deep garnet-purple colored, it gallops out with powerful notes of black currant jelly and plum preserves, followed by hints of dusty soil, dried lavender, and tapenade. The medium to full-bodied palate delivers plenty of black fruit preserves flavors with seamless freshness and grainy tannins, finishing satisfyingly earthy. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, MW
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Chapelle d'Ausone Saint Emilion 2022 Pre-Arrival
$189.98Pre-Arrival ProductQuickviewJD96JS94LPB96VM93PLEASE BE AWARE, THIS IS A PRE-ARRIVAL WINE - YOU WILL NOT BE CHARGED SHIPPING FEES UNTIL THE WINE(S) ARRIVE
96 Points! The second wine of this brilliant château, the 2022 Chapelle D'Ausone checks in as 65% Cabernet Franc, 35% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Sauvignon that was raised 20 months in barrels. Classic Cabernet Franc notes of black raspberries, currants, spring flowers, candied violets, and sappy mint herbs all shine here, and it's medium to full-bodied on the palate, with a pure, layered, seamless mouthfeel, ripe tannins, and a great finish. While it's not the best vintage for the second wines, you wouldn't know it by tasting this. - Jeb Dunnuck
96 Points! This is a blend of 60% Cabernet Franc, 35% Merlot, and 5% Cabernet Franc. Deep garnet-purple colored, it leaps with expressive scents of red currant preserves, fresh blackberries, and violets, plus nuances of cedar chest and cinnamon stick. The medium to full-bodied palate is coated with rich black and red berry layers, supported by velvety tannins and bags of freshness, finishing long and spicy. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, MW
93 Points! The Chapelle d'Ausone is a powerful but also embryonic wine. Here, too, the wine's balance is impeccable. Super-ripe red cherry fruit, blood orange, spice, menthol and rose petal all meld together. Chapelle is a powerhouse second wine, if that term can even be used. The blend is 60% Cabernet Franc, 35% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media
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Ausone Saint Emilion 2022 Pre-Arrival
$739.98Pre-Arrival ProductQuickviewJD98+JA100JS98NM98LPB100VM96PLEASE BE AWARE, THIS IS A PRE-ARRIVAL WINE - YOU WILL NOT BE CHARGED SHIPPING FEES UNTIL THE WINE(S) ARRIVE
100 Points! Hands down one of the wines of the vintage, shows power and depth coupled at every point with lift and grip, stretches out through the palate, slowly but surely delivering a tickle of spiced sage and saffron, with sappy blackcurrant and graphite. 100% new oak, harvest september 5 to 27, organic conversion, 54 years average vines, Vauthier family shows once again how well they judge construction and architecture. First year not officially a Premier Grand Cru Classé A, but they have kept the ranking off the label for a number of years, so no change on that level. - Jane Anson
100 Points! This is a blend of 50% Cabernet Franc and 50% Merlot. It has a deep garnet-purple color and WOW—what a perfume! This 2022 Ausone offers up an incredible array of floral, earth, and black fruit scents—iris, crushed rocks, juicy blackberries, and black raspberries—plus hints of dusty soil and star anise. The palate bursts with energetic black and red berry flavors and loads of earthy/minerally accents, framed by very fine-grained tannins and amazing tension, finishing very long and chalky. Stunning. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, MW
98 Points! Wow. This is such a big and beautiful Ausone with huge depth that slowly uncoils. Really powerful, mineral and naturally concentrated, with iron, chalk and a rich, almost opulent core of black fruit, but really fresh, with chiseled tapenade and wood spices that only tiptoe on the nose. Superb intensity hidden beneath the palate, with a matrix of chalky tannins that vibrate, shine and extend. Nothing stops it at the finish, which lasts well over a minute. Almost beguilingly drinkable considering the tannin quality, which is so fine and energetic, but I'd give it at least 3-4 years to let the wood spices integrate more and let the wine grow with more complexity. A bigger Ausone with higher alcohol, but fantastic and rather outrageous. 60% cabernet franc and 40% merlot. This will age well for at least two decades. - JamesSuckling.com
98 Points! The 2022 Ausone was picked from 5 to 30 September and matured for 20 months in French oak. These aromatics take a little time to open in the glass. Once they do, they are precise with wilted iris flowers infusing the black fruit and background pencil box and incense hints. The palalte is medium-bodied with silver bead acidity threaded through the blackberry and bilberry fruit. Fresh and focused, this Ausone possesses a structured finish with a pinch of black pepper on the finish. Elegant in style, this Ausone almost creeps up in you and seduces, intellectual and persistent in the mouth. - Neal Martin, Vinous Media
98+ Points! Lastly, the Grand Vin 2022 Château Ausone is based on equal parts Cabernet Franc and Merlot that spent 20 months in new barrels. Smoky black cherries, mulberries, iron, violets, and spring flower notes are just some of its nuances, and it's deep purple-hued, with full-bodied richness and a surprising level of elegance, purity, and precision. This is one of the more elegant, finesse-driven, yet still incredibly powerful examples of this Château that I can remember. It deserves a decade of cellaring and will evolve for half a century. - Jeb Dunnuck
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Palmer Margaux 2022 Pre-Arrival
$379.98Pre-Arrival ProductQuickviewJD97WS97DEC97JS98NM97VM98RP97PLEASE BE AWARE, THIS IS A PRE-ARRIVAL WINE - YOU WILL NOT BE CHARGED SHIPPING FEES UNTIL THE WINE(S) ARRIVE
97 Points! The Grand Vin 2022 Château Palmer is based on 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot, from tiny yields of 22 hectoliters per hectare. It's a deep, unctuous, fabulously textured 2022 that does everything right. Ripe blackcurrants, blueberries, liquid violets, and freshly sharpened pencil notes define the aromatics, and it's full-bodied, with a pure, layered, seamless mouthfeel, a remarkable floral character, and a great finish. It's a ripe, opulent, incredibly sexy Palmer that will benefit from a decade of bottle age and evolve gracefully over the following 30-40 years. - Jeb Dunnuck
98 Points! Lots of creme de cassis with cedar, dried flowers, blackberries and dark cherries. Opulent and flamboyant. Full-bodied and layered, this grows with plush, velvety tannins that caress every inch of your palate. Extremely long and attractive in the finish. Well-designed in this ripe year. 51% merlot, 45% cabernet sauvignon, and 4% petit verdot. - JamesSuckling.com
97 Points! The 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. - Neal Martin, Vinous Media
98 Points! The 2022 Palmer is a wine of sublime beauty and refinement. Silky, caressing and super-expressive, the 2022 is also one of the most surprising wines of the year in that it does not show the drought or heat of the growing season at all either in its flavor profile or feel. Succulent black cherry, plum, leather, licorice, spice and dried herbs lend notable complexity throughout. The 2022 starts off rather slow, and then really explodes on the back end. It is a magnificent wine in every way. Drinking window : 2030-2052 - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media
97 Points! Sharp, 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. - Georgina Hindle, Decanter.com
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d'Aiguilhe Cotes de Castillon 2022 Pre-Arrival
$22.98Pre-Arrival ProductQuickviewJD94DEC94JS92VM92Out of stockPLEASE BE AWARE, THIS IS A PRE-ARRIVAL WINE - YOU WILL NOT BE CHARGED SHIPPING FEES UNTIL THE WINE(S) ARRIVE
94 Points! Rich and intense nose, concentrated with dark bramble fruits. A shot of sharp intense strawberry and raspberry fruit hits the palate, super succulent and instantly mouthwatering, quite lean and linear though there is a nice expansion of fruit flavours while the tannins stay quite firm and straight. Touching on austere and severe but the softly plump juiciness keeps this enjoyable and there is layering of elements. Acidity is on the prominent side but this is quite captivating with crunchy, bright, just-ripe red fruits and chalky texture on the finish. Yield: 35 hl/ha. 30% new oak barrels. - Georgina Hindle, Decanter.com
92 Points! A firm and tight red with blackberries, crushed stones, ink and iodine. Medium-bodied with medium tannins that are polished and very pretty. Refined and delicious. Always an excellent value. - JamesSuckling.com
94 Points! The 2022 Château D'Aiguilhe brings more of everything, with a gorgeous nose of black raspberries, crushed stone, spring flowers, and violets that opens up beautifully with air. This carries to a medium to full-bodied effort delivering ripe, polished tannins, a seamless mouthfeel, and a great, great finish. - Jeb Dunnuck
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