Château La Lagune, 3ème Cru Classé, Haut Médoc, 2022

The grand vin from Caroline Frey and team is a blend of 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot and 3% Petit Verdot, and it is the first vintage here to be certified biodynamic. From the outset it presents an intriguing and welcoming nose, with plenty of rich and smoky intensity, all toast, sweet blackcurrant, blackberry, and crushed chalk with a touch of salted black bean. The palate is a delight, softly polished yet dark, brooding and integrated, with more black bean and salted olive, here backed up by a rich wrapping of integrated, tightly knit tannins which completely wrap up the palate. This holds together very well, with a rich sense of elegant and slightly aloof coherence, but there is great structure here and that is key to the wine’s potential. Long, dark and sinewy, with remarkable tannic grip, this is one for the cellar. Tasted twice. The alcohol on the label is 14%.

This is an exceptional vintage at La Lagune, really benefiting from the heat in terms of ripening the fruit, but retaining the reserved character that you often find here. Precision in its dark berry frame, with hints of opulence in waves of cocoa bean, cigar box and espresso, all tempered by slate-textured tannins and grip, savoury with personality, one of the best I have tasted from this estate. Caroline Frey owner, harvest September 9 to 26. A single point upgrade.