Presentation of the 2022 vintage at Bordeaux
Remarkable, grandiose, unheard of, mythical, and even stratospheric, many are the adjectives that can describe this 2022 vintage at Bordeaux. It was supposed to be great but, in fact, it meets all the conditions to be an exceptional vintage.
With its particular climate, 2022 offers a surprising result. We expected to taste sunny wines, with notes of ripe fruit, jammy and warm in the mouth but, it is not so! The vines have shown great resilience in producing small concentrated berries, rich in tannins and coloring matter (anthocyanins) but with remarkably low acidity. The result is powerful, dense wines but with amazing balance thanks to incredible freshness.
The vine has shown tremendous adaptability in producing grapes of splendid balance. Although they are still in the early stages of maturation, the wines already appear to be exceptional and suggest a great potential for ageing thanks to their freshness. However, the climatic conditions will have had the better of the size of the berries, creating Rarety on this very great vintage.
Climatic conditions:
The spring, above the season's averages, allowed for a flowering as well as an early and perfect setting1. The few stormy rains in mid-May and late June, by constituting small Réserves hydric, probably played an important role for further development. This was followed by a hot summer and Sec allowing a sufficient hydric constraint to stop the vegetative growth of the vine and to provoke the veraison² of the berries in a homogeneous way. August and September, climatically identical to the previous months, favored an optimal ripening of the berries and pips. The harvest, which also took place under a great sun, made it possible to collect very healthy grapes, ripe but with small berries, a consequence of the strong hydric constraint.
1 Nouaison: the phase that follows the fertilization of the flower, when the ovary is transformed into a fruit (berry of grape).
2 Veraison: the ripening phase during which the berries will change color, concentrate in sugar and lose some of their acidity.
The grape varieties:
Merlots are very charming this year. Round and generous, they bring intense and greedy fruity notes. The Cabernet Francs were also very successful. Bright, they bring complexity and a nice freshness to the blends. The Cabernet Sauvignons developed under ideal conditions. The heat at the end of the summer allowed the ripening of the pips and the degradation of the vegetal aromas characteristic of under-ripening. The resulting wines have a powerful tannic structure without being aggressive.
The appellations:
Once again, the Bordeaux winemakers were able to show us that, despite extreme climatic conditions, it is possible to produce great wines on quality terroirs. Whether Rive gauche or Rive droite, we can undoubtedly say that the 2022 vintage is a success.
Rive gauche, a place of predilection for Cabernet, the wines possess a very rich aromatics. Black fruits and spices dominate, bringing elegance to the blends. The very hot summer was favorable to the ripening of the Cabernet Sauvignon. On the palate, the wines have a lot of straightness and power. The finishes are fresh with beautiful tannic structures, a sign of great ageing potential.
Rive droite, the land of Merlot, the wines are on the whole very aromatic. There are notes of fresh red fruits but also flowers. When tasted, the wines appear full of roundness. The tannins are velvety and enveloping. There is density and always a fresh finish that counterbalances the sweet heat brought by the relatively high alcoholic degrees. In sum, wines that could be drunk now but will evolve perfectly with time.
Our favorite wines:
Marie, our young oenologist who has tasted all the wines in the last few weeks, gives you these favorite wines:
Château Canon: It reveals itself to us with an elegant deep purple color. The nose is complex and of incredible finesse. Floral notes appear and then, fresh and greedy red fruits are added. In the mouth, the wine is dense and silky, perfectly balanced between roundness and freshness, characteristic of the limestone plateau. The tannins, coating, carry us to a magnificent finish with cherry aroma.
JS: 98-99 / WA: 99-100
Château Pichon Baron: Adorned with a brilliant dark and intense color, this wine opens with a powerful first nose with scents of blackberry and bigarreau cherry. It is splendid! Then comes complexity with fresher notes of flowers. In the mouth, the attack is straight and very precise, the tannins are fine and velvety. The finish lingers for a long time on notes of black fruit.
JS: 96-97 / WA: 95-97
Château Branaire Ducru: Revealing a seductive envelope of a deep red, this wine does not take long to reveal a nose full of greed. Strawberry, raspberry and a little bit of amyl are mixed in a subtle way. The mouth is not in rest either. Fleshy and pulpy, it continues to bring us this greediness worthy of a real candy. Silky, chiseled tannins add structure to this already incredible balance.
JS: 96-97 / WA: 95-97
Château Pavie: Adorned with a sumptuous garnet color, this wine presents itself to us with a rich and powerful nose. The bouquet gradually takes shape with fruity notes of blackberry and blackcurrant then, spicy with cloves. In mouth, it is a delight. The attack, supple and dense, quickly gives way to a voluminous mid-palate. The chalky tannic structure as well as the aromatic persistence only make this wine a little more exceptional.
JS: 95-96
