Weine

James Suckling: "So much violets, licorice, pencil, flowers and currants define this on the nose before it moves to fresh mushrooms. It’s full-bodied yet compacted with tension and a compressed center palate. Incredible, fine-grained tannins and energy. The length is truly great. Should be even more beautiful in 2024. Give it time."

Chateau Les Carmes Haut Brion 2016 Dieser außergewöhnliche Bordeaux verzaubert mit einem faszinierenden Bouquet aus Veilchen, schwarzen Johannisbeeren und verführerischem Waldfrüchtekonfit, untermalt von dezenten Noten nach Zedernholz, feuchtem Waldboden und einem Hauch Orangenzesten. Am Gaumen besticht er durch seine beeindruckende Struktur mit samtigen, perfekt integrierten Tanninen und einer vielschichtigen Aromatik von dunklen Beeren, reifen Kirschen und subtilen Gewürznuancen. Die perfekte Balance zwischen Kraft und Eleganz kulminiert in einem außerordentlich langen, intensiven Finale, das von einer präzisen Frische getragen wird. Ein wahrhaft faszinierender Wein mit bemerkenswerter Komplexität und Tiefe.

Chateau Bellevue Mondotte 2009 Dieser außergewöhnliche Wein präsentiert sich in einem tiefgründigen Indigoblau mit violetten Reflexen und entfaltet ein faszinierendes Bouquet aus konzentrierten Heidel- und Brombeeren, kandierten Kirschen und edlen Veilchennoten. Am Gaumen offenbart sich eine opulente Textur, die einem flüssigen Samt gleicht, wobei eine überraschend präsente Säurestruktur die natürliche Süße ausbalanciert und den vielschichtigen blauen und schwarzen Fruchtaromen eine klare Form verleiht. Der vollmundige, kraftvolle Körper beeindruckt durch seine samtige Struktur mit schokoladigen, festen Tanninen sowie einer bemerkenswerten Länge und Intensität im extraktsüßen Nachhall, der von feinen Nuancen aus Lakritze, Kaffee und kandierten Kirschen begleitet wird.

Chateau Les Carmes Haut Brion 2014 Dieser außergewöhnliche Wein präsentiert sich mit einer beeindruckenden aromatischen Komplexität, bei der dunkle Früchte, Heidelbeeren und Johannisbeeren durch florale Nuancen von Veilchen und Lavendel ergänzt werden. Am Gaumen offenbart der 2014er eine elegante Struktur mit seidigen, gut eingebundenen Tanninen, die von einer lebendigen Säure getragen werden. Der Wein besticht durch seine bemerkenswerte Balance zwischen Fruchtfülle und würzigen Anklängen von Schokolade und dezenten Rauchnoten. Im langen Abgang entfalten sich Aromen von roten Beeren, Gewürzen und einem Hauch Tabak. Ein femininer Pessac mit verführerischem Charakter, der durch seine Präzision und Finesse glänzt und bereits jetzt Trinkgenuss verspricht.

Jeb Dunnuck: "The finest example of the château I've tasted, the 2022 Château Clerc Milon is deep purple-hued with a sensational perfume of crème de cassis, spring flowers, spicy oak, and graphite. It's full-bodied, concentrated, has a weightless mouthfeel, and beautiful tannins, all making for a riveting Pauillac. It needs a decade of bottle age to hit prime time, but this is another truly special 2022 that readers should pounce on."

The Wine Advocate: "Offering up aromas of sweet cherries, berries, spices and new oak, the 2022 Clos l'Eglise is medium to full-bodied, broad and layered, with a velvety attack that segues into a vibrant, rather structured mid-palate, concluding with youthfully firm tannins. Incorporating fully 30% Cabernet Franc this year, this is a strong effort, albeit a touch on the liberally extracted side for such a concentrated vintage."

Weinwisser: "Ungeheuer tiefgründiges schwarzbeeriges Bouquet, edles Veilchenparfüm, frisch gepflückte Alpenheidelbeere, Schattenmorellensaft, dunkle Schokolade und zarter Irisduft. Am königlichen Gaumen mit superseidigen Tanninen, kaschmirartigem Tanningerüst, ein David- ähnlicher Körper, schwebt mit dieser unglaublichen Rasse förmlich über das Parkett. Im kaskadenartigen Finale tiefgründig und mit magischer Balance, im nicht enden wollenden erhabenen Finale Wildkirsche, Estragon und frisch gemahlener Kakao. Dieser Wein tritt bei den Primeurs in der Regel schüchtern und zurückhaltend auf, das ist dieses Jahr überhaupt nicht der Fall, wie ein Topmodell stolziert er über den Laufsteg und ist sich seiner Schönheit bestens bewusst! „Ein supersexy und super seriöser Cheval Blanc" fasst Pierre-Olivier stolz zusammen. Hierfür kann es nur die Bestnote geben, das ist einer der Weine des Jahrgangs. Von (möglichen) 41 Plots sind alle im Grand Vin, d.h. es gibt dieses Jahr keinen Petit Cheval."

Jeb Dunnuck: "A blend of 80% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2022 Clos Saint-Martin is massive and deeply layered, with dense black fruits, truffle, chocolate, crushed stone, and floral notes. Full-bodied and powerful, it has great freshness, fine tannins, and remarkable purity. Aged for 20 months in 60% new oak barrels and 40% amphorae, this structured and mineral-driven wine will need time but should evolve gracefully for 30+ years. Total production: 416 cases."

Falstaff: "Tiefdunkles Rubingranat, opaker Kern, violette Reflexe, dezente Randaufhellung. Feine Kräuternote, Edelholzwürze, schwarze Kirschen, Waldbeeren und zart nach Cassis, ein Hauch von Nougatkaramell. Saftig, engmaschig, frische Struktur, sehr finessenreich und balanciert, präsente, reife Tannine, lebendig und animierend, rote Kirschen im Abgang, salziger Nachhall, ein großes Zukunftsversprechen."

The Wine Cellar Insider: "The striking, black-purple color lets you know this is going be good. The nose, with its array of black, blue and red fruits, smoke, flowers, and Cuban cigars definitely grabs your attention. But, make no mistake, it is the multi-layered palate, with its opulence, and density that somehow also manages to be equally diaphanous that steals the show. The seamless finish effortlessly glides across your palate for more than 60 seconds! Give this beauty some time in the cellar before popping a cork. With tannins this soft, it is going to be effortless in their youth. Yet, it will age for 3 or more decades with ease. The wine blends 81% Cabernet Sauvignon with 19% Merlot. Tasted twice, this competes with the 100 Pt. 2016. Drink from 2028-2065."

Jeb Dunnuck: "The 2022 Château Duhart-Milon is all finesse and elegance, offering cassis, black raspberry, spring flowers, spicy wood, and graphite. Medium to full-bodied, it’s incredibly pure, layered, and seamless, with utter class from start to finish. You can safely drink bottles anytime over the coming 30 years."

James Suckling: "This is linear and transparent with dark cherries and lemon rind. Subtle and fine. Medium-bodied with vibrating tanking that gives this vibe and length. Focused and pretty. 83% merlot and 17% Cabernet franc. Drink after 2028."

Jeb Dunnuck: "One of the more muscular, concentrated 2022s in my tastings, the 2022 Château Larcis Ducasse sports a deep ruby/plum hue to go with serious aromatics of ripe red and black cherries, smoked tobacco, new leather, truffle, and an incredible sense of crushed stone-like minerality. Rich, full-bodied, and massively concentrated on the palate, this intense, flawlessly balanced, voluptuous 2022 has a stacked mid-palate, velvety tannins, and fabulous length on the finish. I wouldn't be surprised to see this close down with 3-4 years of bottle age only to re-emerge after a decade. Based on 86% Merlot and 14% Cabernet Franc raised in 40% new oak, this modern-day legend has a terrific pH of 3.48 and an alcohol of 14.8%."

Jeb Dunnuck: "Awesome aromatics of black cherries, saddle leather, savory flowers, and incense emerge from the 2022 Château La Fleur-Petrus, another riveting wine in the vintage that brings incredible intensity while at the same time staying elegant, seamless, and flawlessly balanced. A blend of 97% Merlot and 3% Petit Verdot, this full-bodied, seamless Pomerol has fine yet building tannins, beautiful mid-palate depth, and a great finish. It picks up more and more classic La Fleur Petrus floral and spicy nuances with time in the glass, and it will have three decades of prime drinking ahead of it. It will be fun to compare this with the 2020 over the coming decades."

The Wine Advocate: "The 2022 La Conseillante is just as exquisite in bottle as it was en primeur. Wafting from the glass with an exotic bouquet of mulberries, black raspberries and plums mingled with notions of black truffle, burning embers, violets, mint and licorice, it's full-bodied, velvety and enveloping, with a fleshy, even unctuous core of fruit underpinned by a broad chassis of sweet, powdery and perfectly integrated tannin. This is the most lavish, sensual La Conseillante of the last decade, with the most texture and density, yet it remains unerringly precise and harmonious. It's a blend of 87% Merlot and 13% Cabernet Franc."

The Wine Advocate: "In bottle, the 2022 Lafite Rothschild has turned out even better than I anticipated. Wafting from the glass with aromas of sweet red berries, minty blackcurrants, violets and cigar box, it's medium to full-bodied, velvety and suave, with a deep, enveloping core of lively fruit, beautifully refined tannins, and a long, perfumed finish. Even at this early stage, it's remarkably integrated and harmonious, and it's certainly the most elegant of the first growths this year, reminding me of a modern-day version of Lafite's magical 1953."

James Suckling: "A unique white, like old Sauternes from the 1920s, showing grape skin, orange peel, apricots and pie crust on the nose and palate. Tarte tatin. It's full-bodied and very sweet but gives a dry impression from the tannins at the end. A masterpiece with a mind-bending finish. OMG. Speechless. 230 grams residual sugar. Drink or hold."

Jeb Dunnuck: "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: "The 2022 Château La Clotte is another serious wine in the lineup. Mulled black cherries, liquid violets, spicy wood, and smoky, chocolaty nuances are just some of this wine’s nuances, and it's medium full-bodied, has a pure, layered mouthfeel, silky tannins, and a gorgeous finish. It's one hell of a gorgeous Saint-Emilion that deserves 4-5 years of bottle age and will evolve for two decades."

Jeb Dunnuck: "As to the Grand Vin, the 2022 Château La Mission Haut-Brion is pure perfection, and it's as seamless, pure, and layered as they come, while still bringing incredible intensity and richness. Smoky red and black currants, leafy tobacco, scorched earth, as well as a hint of violets, all define this incredible wine, and it's full-bodied on the palate, with a layered, multi-dimensional mouthfeel, velvety sweet tannins, moderate acidity, and a gorgeous finish. I love this sexy, opulent, straight-up heavenly wine today, yet it can be drunk with incredible pleasure any time over the coming 50+ years. Reminding me of the 2009 and an undeniable candidate for the wine of the vintage, the 2022 hit a solid 14% alcohol with a lofty pH of 3.95."