Outstanding Bordeaux 2022 - Even better than expected!

The great and the good from Bordeaux assembled in London last week to showcase the highly touted 2022s. As expected, they are every bit as good as they were from barrel, if not better.

It is not hyperbolic to say they will be comparable to 1982, 1989/1990, 1996, 2009 and 2010. It is too soon to say if they have the precocity to be as good as 1945 and 1961, but it is entirely possible. What is not up for debate though, is their incredible concentration, unbelievable creamy fruit profile and svelte tannin structure. These are wines of pure class, grace and sophistication, as well as being endowed with enormous aging potential.

We have selected some of our favourite wines from the recent tasting. So, be on the lookout for a few mailers this week (starting with this one) highlighting the wines that we feel should be in every collectors’ cellar. Bordeaux aficionados will lament scrimping on the 2022s!

Leoville Poyferre is making arguably the best wine in St Julian these days, and it’s not as though the appellation is bereft of quality producers. Their wines have such clarity and precision, even in solaire vintages. They somehow combine power, exuberance and texture with purity and refinement to create something truly mesmeric; the 2022 vintage showcases this in spades. It is bell clear, resplendent with red fruit, cherry, redcurrants and brambles, citrus peel freshens the palate. It has an unctuous creamy texture overlaid by wild herbs and wet rock minerality, which adds wonderfully to the nutmeg and vanilla oak spice finish. This is sensational.

Grand Puy Lacoste tasted astonishing! It frankly screamed Pauillac. Lashings of pencil lead graphite, heady plum, blackcurrant and dark cherry, all awash with a beautiful creamy texture, it was like eating a bowl of sumptuous dairy soaked strawberries at Wimbledon. Incredibly smooth and morish but with such magnetic energy and power. This was electric, and quite simply spellbinding.

Cantemerle was our surprise of the tasting. It’s always a very reliable Haut Medoc that we, at J&B, are very fond of. In good vintages they move beyond reliability and are capable of making superb wines, at a compelling price point. However, this was more than that - it was superb. Regal dark fruits: raspberry, red currants, plums and a hint of kirsch, supporting soft and supple tannins, the structure is just so enticing, again with those creamy notes that seem to be the hallmark of the best wines in this vintage. The long finish has a mineral lift and a hint of nutmeg and leather. I would very happily drink this anywhere, anytime. It is already a joy.

These wines are still EP but are due in imminently between now and the New Year.