Weine

Decanter: This Rutherford vineyard is a sleeper in the Heitz lineup, often caught in the shadow of the legendary Martha’s Vineyard in Oakville, but offering serious value by comparison. This 2001 vintage shows smoky, herbal and iron-driven aromas leading to graphite and pepperoncini flavours. Drinking beautifully at the moment and should continue to evolve for another two decades."

Decanter: A boisterous, exuberant vintage of Martha's Vineyard, showing notes of ripe black cherry, mint chocolate and loamy soil tones, with a great deal of fleshy amplitude and energy on the palate. These days, Martha's Vineyard is picked a bit riper and sees a bit more new oak, but by and large the fundamentals remain the same, distinguishing it as a rather classical wine in the modern Napa firmament."

The Wine Advocate: Heitz's 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Martha's Vineyard is one of the best vintages I can remember tasting. Loaded with blackcurrants, it also carries hints of camphor and mocha on the nose, while the medium- to full-bodied palate is rich and concentrated, and the vibrant, long-lasting finish is framed by oodles of soft tannins. Readers may want to note that beginning in 2025, grapes from this historic 30-acre site may be sold to other producers, although Heitz is expected to continue to make this bottling from "their" portions of the vineyard."

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 Fleur Cardinale is a blend of 78% Merlot, 16% Cabernet Franc, and 6% Cabernet Sauvignon, vinified with a cold pre-fermentation maceration and raised for 12-14 months in 72% new French oak, 18% one-year-old barrels, 7% large foudres, and 3% amphora. It's a full-bodied, layered Saint-Émilion exhibiting dark berries, graphite, crushed stone, and truffly earth-like nuances on the nose. This ripe, yet flawlessly balanced Saint-Emilion has moderate acidity, silky tannins, and a seamless, polished texture. A slightly modern-styled expression, it’s nevertheless lush, opulent, and utterly compelling, showing both depth and finesse."

Jeb Dunnuck: Based on 80% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Merlot, the 2022 Château Fonbadet reveals classic Pauillac notes of currants, cassis, graphite, and freshly sharpened pencil, with a kiss of leather in the background. Medium to full-bodied, it’s round, pure, and focused on the palate, with ripe tannins and an elegant, fine-grained texture. Vinified in concrete tanks, it was aged for 16 months in 50% new French oak, with the rest in once-used barrels. 2,083 cases produced."

Falstaff: Helles Goldgelb, silberfarbene Reflexe. Frische Mandarinen und Grapefruitzesten, weiße Tropenfrucht, mineralisches Bukett. Saftig, elegante Süße, etwas Stachelbeeren, weiße Frucht, feiner Säurebogen, stoffig und elegant im Abgang, zeigt Länge und gutes Entwicklungspotenzial."

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 a solid and structured red with a full body and a compact tannin structure. It shows ripe blackberries, blackcurrants and black olives, with spice and earth undertones. The finish is meaty and long. Try after 2028."

Jeb Dunnuck: A brilliant white Fronsac, the 2022 Grand Village Blanc is bright, juicy, and beautifully textured, with crushed stone, mint, lime, and chalky minerality all defining its aromatics. Medium-bodied and fresh on the palate, it shows remarkable purity and elegance, with a clean, focused finish. Its oak (one-third new) is perfectly integrated. You could drink this today or in a decade."

The Wine Cellar Insider: This still under the radar Pomerol pops with its nose of chocolate, black cherries, and flowers. Elegant, lifted, and silky on the palate, the creamy-textured finish is rich, fresh, and supple, with length, purity, and refinement. The wine blends 83% Merlot with 17% Cabernet Franc. Guillaume Thienpont of Vieux Chateau Certan is in charge of the estate. Drink from 2026-2052."

The Wine Cellar Insider: Already showcasing its stunning display of flowers, truffles, wild cherries, licorice, chocolate, and plums in the nose, it’s clear this will be a showstopper. Texturally, the sensuous palate, with its waves of velvet-covered fruits, steals the spotlight. The perfectly ripe, deep fruits offer length, lift, and complexity, with a lingering finish that keeps you wanting more. The wine blends 96.5% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, and .05 Petit Verdot. Drink from 2027-2055."

The Wine Cellar Insider: Everything you could want in La Conseillante and Pomerol is here. The initial sniff is all it takes to hook you with its dark chocolate, violet, black cherry, truffle, licorice, and spearmint profile. The show-stopping, sensual display of perfectly ripe fruits with their silk and velvet textures, coupled with a racy edge, is off the hook! The finish looks at the 60-second mark and keeps on going. This is hedonism at its best. 2022 is at the level of the perfect 2016, if not even better. La Conseillante lovers should be all over this wine! The wine blends 87% Merlot with 13% Cabernet Franc. Drink from 2027-2060."

Jeb Dunnuck: 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. Just sensational in its power while remaining weightless, it offers utterly classic Lafite aromatics of crème de cassis, freshly sharpened lead pencils, spring flowers, and graphite. Full-bodied, concentrated, and seamless on the palate, it has a multi-dimensional mouthfeel, off-the-charts purity, and a finish that won’t quit. It’s shockingly accessible, yet there’s no shortage of structure, depth, or concentration. Aged in new French oak barrels, this is a monumental Lafite that should evolve for 50-75+ years. If this doesn’t do it for you, I can’t imagine what would."

Lisa Perrotti-Brown: Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2022 La Rose Figeac prances out with showy notes of baked blueberries, kirsch, and plum preserves, plus suggestions of spice cake and star anise. The full-bodied palate is chock full of bright black fruits, framed by firm, ripe, rounded tannins, and plenty of freshness, finishing long."

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."

Decanter: Creamy, opulent scents on the nose - floral and dark fruit with vanilla and cinnamon. Smooth and friendly, this has a lovely weight and texture - crisp and chalky with bright acidity that's not too high or too low giving enough freshness and life to sustain the palate from start to finish. Ends cool and salty. Lovely to drink now."

Decanter: Glossy and shiny lemon fruit, feels really nice, a bit of honey and some bitterness but combines to be a really nice and refreshing mouthfeel with complexity. Very enjoyable."

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."