Pavillon Blanc du Château Margaux,

Pale gold in colour, maintaining pale green reflections even in such a hot vintage, and this delivers a sharp almost steely feel, with a white flower and citrus kick. The luscious aspect of the year comes through with lemon confit through the mid palate, and overall the fruit flavours and textures are creamier than in 2021, but this has nuance and lift. The team at Margaux, led by Philippe Bascaules, is always so careful to avoid skin contact in the whites, and only use the first fraction of the juice that comes out of the press;, and it pays off in this exceptional wine. 3.18ph (higher than last year but still low enough to give clear grip). Harvest for the whites from August 18 for five days. 14h/h yield, extremely low, with 50% of the crop in Pavillon Blanc (they are introducing a 2nd white wine this year, although name not yet announced).

The 2022 Pavillon Blanc du Chateau Margaux is made from 100% Sauvignon Blanc, with very tiny yields this year of only 14 hl/ha. It waltzes out with gregarious notes of fresh peaches, green mango, and lime cordial with fragrant wafts of jasmine, chalk dust, and sea spray. The medium-bodied palate is coated with citrus and tropical fruit layers with expressive chalky sparks and a long zesty finish.

The 2022 Pavillon Blanc was picked from 18 August, finishing five days later. Just 50% of the crop was used (14hL/ha), so there will be a second wine for the first time, which is as yet unnamed. Light white peach and orchard fruit on the nose, perhaps it is missing the vigor of the previous vintage? The palate is well balanced with grapefruit and touches of tangerine, quite linear in style, good tension with a bright finish that just lacks the complexity of the best whites from this First Growth.