After tasting more than 900 Bordeaux 2022 en primeur samples, Georgie Hindle has given her full verdict on the new vintage.
Here we present a quick and easy way to see tasting notes and scores for the top 83 dry white wines all with 90 points or above.
Producer
Appellation
Vintage
Score
Notes
Château Cos d'Estournel, Blanc
Bordeaux Blanc
2022
96
Green apple, grass, soft floral touches, some orange zest and fresh pineapple. Electric and thrilling, this is sharp, agile, sweet, tangy and salty - a gorgeous combination of fresh citrus fruits and peach flesh with flint and wet stone edges. Lovely direction and focus and still such depth on the mid palate which some are lacking. Has appealing orange, lemon, peach, pear, apple fruit, juicy friendliness and yet this has persistence from start to finish that is so captivating and electric. Round, deep, sensual, rich and opulent but not heavy, retains its firm structure but with a delicious lemony sugary brightness that just lifts the palate and keeps the attention. A brilliant white wine, just so enjoyable from the moment it touches the palate, widening, expanding, deepening and delighting. 4.21 total acidity, 3.21pH.
Château Margaux, Pavillon Blanc
Bordeaux Blanc
2022
96
Smells ripe full of green apples, peach, orange, lime and lemon curd. Intense, depth and weight straight away with mouthwatering acidity, razor like, supporting the texture. There’s fatness but because of the acidity it doesn't stand out in a bad way, and the acidity is sharp and cooling which comes across as quite thrilling. Well worked, round with both drive and tension. Gorgeous white stone and citrus fruits, delicate but deep and sustained with shots of sharp lemon, sweet peach, blood orange and grapefruit. Fresh and fun. A success. Harvest 18 September.
Les Champs Libres, Blanc
Bordeaux Blanc
2022
96
Apple, pineapple, mango, apricot, pear, blossom, clean and flinty aromas. Fresh and bright, forward, well built - so energetic and vibrant but controlled, not too much acidity or sharpness. Great aromatic complexity as well as a comforting juiciness with depth as well as vibrancy with saline, ginger, lemon balm and pineapple flavours. Finishes so long with bitter orange and lemon, but also a cool chalkiness that lingers. Just fantastic.
Château La Mission Haut-Brion, Blanc
Pessac-Léognan
2022
96
Crisp, crunchy, juicy, lively and filling, this has an excellent energy and tang to it while still keeping a balanced weight and cool freshness at the end. Not at all showy, very relaxed, generous and fun. I really like this, giving just enough juicy and creamy lemon, apricot and peach fruit and bitter citrus peel to be really interesting. Long length, great persistence and detail. This will be great to drink and enjoy young. 3.3pH.
Château Smith Haut Lafitte, Blanc
Pessac-Léognan
2022
96
Lovely perfumed notes, floral, intensely fruity with vanilla, elderflower, green apple, pear, peach and white blossom, expressive and aromatic. Succulent and juicy straight away, a real hit of citrus juice, sharp and intense, so lively and yet the texture is quite filling giving a well balanced mouthfeel. Calm but layered, you feel the precision of each aspect, the soft toasted notes, bitter grapefruit and lemon peel, crisp green apple and mineral salinity - each is carefully presented. It’s rich and has concentration but keeps the focus delivering a supremely drinkable and nuanced wine. I love the mineral tang and long length. You get the feeling of a large, warm vintage but the acidity and focus is there, so it doesn't end heavy. Lots to like here and one of the best whites of 2022. 3.2pH
Château Valandraud, Blanc
Bordeaux Blanc
2022
95
Rich and ripe, a lovely intensity of lemon, green apple, pear, apricot and peach on the palate. Succulent, lively, round, juicy and weighty, lovely control and intensity of flavour. Still compact, a little shy, but layered and complex with crisp aspects as well as spiced ones giving nuance and interest. Good persistence and feeling of refinement. The sharp acidity really balances the richness of the vintage with power, opulence but control and character. A force in the glass, but very appealing. Harvest 1-13 September, ageing on the lees, 80% new barrels, 20% in amphora, less than 10 months. 3.15pH. 6,000 bottles.
Château Doisy-Daëne, Grand Vin Blanc Sec
Bordeaux Blanc
2022
95
Succulent and bright, such a thrilling sharpness to the lemon and lime fruit, super thrilling and intense, but softens and expands to give a lovely weight and overall frame. Fresh and well balanced, excellent definition and detail to the citrus and orchard fruit and long length with crystalline purity and wet stone nuances that are so delicious.
Château Haut-Brion, Blanc
Pessac-Léognan
2022
95
Herbal and scented on the nose, blossom, green apple, ginger and lemon - intense and sharp, more tense and decisive, poised with excellent movement and intensity of fruit. Doesn’t have the sharp acidity, it’s the structure, texture and construction that is so compelling. Nicely filling and weighty, almost oily but cool and charming. That added level of intensity and tension keeps this a bit more lively and lifted then La Mission Blanc which is more fun and friendly. Confident and well balanced, still not super acidic or particularly thrilling but the overall frame is excellent and the aspects of spice and bitterness are so appealing. Feels purposeful and makes you want another glass. 3.3pH.
Château Couhins-Lurton, Blanc
Pessac-Léognan (Cru Classé de Graves)
2022
95
Great aromatics, lively and expressive on the nose. Fun, forward and bright on the palate, sharp and tense, tangy and racy, I really like this expression, crisp green apple, chamomile, pear and peach. Feels clean and well worked, crystalline with purity and focus. Not as weighty as some, but an excellent, streamlined, focused and quite linear style with supreme bite and tang. Really very drinkable and a success in 2022 with a lifted and long finish. Harvest 25 August-8 September. Yield of 17hl/ha. Ageing for 15 months, 12 months in barrel.
Château La Garde, Blanc
Pessac-L̩ognan
2022
95
Lively and bright, such intensity of sharp lemon and lime at the beginning, straight but forward and so expressive. Crunchy and crisp, so charming and enjoyable with lift and length and the most lovely saline, mineral aspects towards the finish giving different nuance and complexity. Feels really well made, if only they made more of this. A lovely bitter tang on the finish reminds you it's serious, one of the best whites with such sherbet juiciness, sharp, lively, intense - I love it! Focused and pure. Aged 8 months in oak. Harvest 18 August - 29 August. HVE certified.
Château Grand Village, Blanc
Bordeaux Blanc
2022
94
Smells amazing, green apple, elderflower, white blossom, citrus fruit and wild honey accents too. Bright and pulsing with energy from the start, crystalline and pure, there’s a sense of direction and verve to this, complete, round but focused and direct, juicy and succulent, a hint of sweetness but a cool stony freshness too. Density and power comes in waves but this also has such approachability with nuance and freshness the whole way through. Classy and expertly made.
Château Mouton Rothschild, Aile d'Argent
Bordeaux Blanc
2022
94
Gorgeous tropical notes on the nose, pineapple, mango, lemon, fresh but ripe and lively with elderflower, acacia flowers, green apple and citrus fruits. Nicely weighted on the palate. A shot of bright mango and apple with flecks of lime and a creamy lemon yoghurt type texture, thick but enjoyable. Keeps its coolness, not so tense or necessarily streamlined but generous flavour all the way through. A citrus kick and lift at the end brings the freshness and tang back, with a salinity that is moreish. Joyful and really quite approachable still with weight and texture. Will be bottled in the first week of June. Very moreish. Harvest 22-31st August. A yield of 16.7hl/ha. 1% Muscadelle completes the blend. 3.18 PH. 3.8 g/l total acidity. Aged 45% in new barrels.
Clos Cantenac, L'Exuberance Blanc
Bordeaux Blanc
2022
94
An atypical Bordeaux white from 100% old-vine Sémillon on sloping limestone vineyards in the Entre-deux-Mers that is a great success in 2022. Smells fresh with green fruits, toffee apple, lemon, ginger and lime. Sharp and filling, a lovely density straight away, not thick though as the sharp acidity keeps the tension and the focus but this definitely has a gourmet edge which is want you want from Semillon with a tang you'd imagine would come from Sauvignon. Creamy, unctuous, seriously appealing with a sharp kick of lemon, lime and grapefruit pith giving such excellent bitter edges and then a sweet peachy fruitiness. Great balance and intensity with such drinkability. A lovely buy with a long finish and ageing potential. One to seek out.
Château Coutet, Opalie
Bordeaux Blanc
2022
94
Sharp and lifted, a real intensity of lemon and lime with fragrant orange, grapefruit and touches of bitter rind that give interest and accents. Has a real sense of life with a delicate sweetness giving reference to Sauternes and mouthwatering acidity. Really lovely - persistent, forward, focussed, clean, thrilling and lively. Nice detail and moreish quality.
Château Brown, Blanc
Pessac-Léognan
2022
94
Crystalline and pure, a lovely vibrancy to this, sleek and taught, not tense but keeps a focussed frame and drive from start to finish. Lovely succulence and general weight in the mouth, forward, charming and totally drinkable. A smooth, textured, dense but also fresh wine with lots to like and I particularly love the salty stone, almost minty touches on the finish which increase the length and really hold the interest. Excellent acidity, a real sense of life and weight on the palate. Beautiful expression, joyful, complete and complex. A stand out in 2022. 3.25pH. Yield: 30hl/ha. Total acidity: 1.72%
Château de Rouillac, Blanc
Pessac-Léognan
2022
94
Lively and vibrant, racy, forward, generous and well controlled. Such purity of fruit and definition of the elements with length and body which is the most compelling. Full of life and energy, it really marries the bright acidity with round fruit giving an unctuous element but also such appealing weight and persistency. I love it. Floral, herbal, spice and fruit - hints of both sweet sherbet lemon and apple fruit as well as mouthwatering pineapple but with great salty, crushed stone text on the finish giving nuance and interest. Complex and well presented with interest. A really compelling wine that stands out.
Château Larrivet Haut-Brion, Blanc
Pessac-Léognan
2022
94
Citrus, herbal, elderflower, peas, lots of Sauvignon notes on the nose. Clean and crisp, bite and freshness here, sharp and lively. A wonderful combination of juicy and fleshy peach with bright lime and grapefruit pith offering sweetness, sharpness, bitterness and coolness. Well constructed with lots of enjoyable drinking promise. Doesn't shout so much right now, but there's grip, intensity and finesse. Elegant yet characterful. Harvest 22 - 31 August. Aged eight months. Derenoncourt consultants.
Château Malartic-Lagravière, Blanc
Pessac-Léognan (Cru Classé de Graves)
2022
94
Herbal and aromatic on the nose, expressive and engaging. Full, round and energetic, a lovely frame and texture to this, lovely licks of lemon, grapefruit, pear, apricot, some bitter lemon rind giving accents and a gorgeous persistence, not so vibrant, but there's underlying acidity that keeps the lift and it's so well controlled and confident. Really feels very precise and delineated, polished and structured, still with some spice giving some tension but this is really lovely. Complete and characterful. A yield of 18hl/ha.
Domaine de Chevalier, Blanc
Pessac-Léognan (Cru Classé de Graves)
2022
94
Round, full, compelling, charming and confident, this has a width and density that is really well worked, calm, not super vibrant but really rich in terms of fruit expression with coolness, white stone fruit flavours and some subtle toasting. Feels structured and well worked, serious but not as tense as many with more fruit persistence and depth than a lot of the whites this year. Perhaps missing a touch of acidity bit this is very good indeed and ends with a zestiness that is really appealing. Tasted twice. Derenoncourt consultants.
Château Cos d'Estournel, Les Pagodes de Cos Blanc
Bordeaux Blanc
2022
93
Sharp, precise and thrilling, a lovely shot of juicy lemon and pineapple - a hint of tropical fruit - before the mineral and salty white stone fruit - peach, pear and apple come in giving a tang and bite to the palate. Decisive and well defined with purity and tension. Good succulence too, stylish with mouthwatering acidity and a clean overall taste. 4.02 total acidity, 3.25pH.
Château Coutet, Opalie
Bordeaux Blanc
2022
93
Fragrant orange, lemon, lime, and peach on the nose and palate, this is lifted and lively, so much fruity fun and density here, lovely vibrancy while keeping quiet a straight, sleek wet stone undertone that gives the tension and minerality all the way through. One of the more punchy and upfront wines with full flavour that really lasts. Excellent!
Château d'Aiguilhe, Blanc
Bordeaux Blanc
2022
93
Expressive, herbal and grass notes on the nose, quite aromatic and inviting, a creamy lemon curd, green apple, and pear aroma. Smooth and well balanced, nice and round, a thrilling amount of acidity accents the fat. I like the sharp citrus element, a really tangy lemon and lime, grapefruit pith with some weight and texture that’s like tannins giving some energy, focus and density. Thrilling and round, supple and juicy. Tangy, focussed, nicely defined and easy to drink. Well balanced and enjoyable. Yield: 18 hl/ha. 30% new oak barrels.
Château Doisy-Daëne, Grand Vin Blanc Sec
Bordeaux Blanc
2022
93
Vibrant and forward with lively lemon and orange fruit, clean and pure, has more vibrancy than many with a good push of citrus and white stone fruit and lift all the way through. Still quite lean and tense, not so expansive but still with definition and push. HVE3 certified.
Château Grand Village, Blanc
Bordeaux Blanc
2022
93
Smells amazing, green apple, elderflower, white blossom, citrus fruit and wild honey accents too. Bright and pulsing with energy from the start, crystalline and pure, there’s a sense of direction and verve to this, complete, round but focused and direct, juicy and succulent, a hint of sweetness but a cool stony freshness too. Density and power comes in waves but this also has such approachability with nuance and freshness the whole way through. Classy and expertly made.
Château Les Charmes-Godard, Blanc
Bordeaux Blanc
2022
93
Lemon, elderflower, spicy notes and herbal aspects on the nose. Clean and clear, but a lovely density and weight on the palate too, a sense of creaminess but balanced acidity that is sharp and really suits and supports the fruit. Crisp apple, creamy peach and lively citrus. Nice persistence and easy drinkability with hints of sweet and sour fruit that I love. On the more intense and maybe more tense side but good potential. Harvest 26 August - 1 September. Aged 8-9 months in stainless steel tanks. Derenoncourt consultants.
Château Suduiraut, Vieilles Vignes
Bordeaux Blanc
2022
93
Orange, grapefruit, lemon rind, flint. Broad and wide on the palate with a lovely weight. It’s serious, not super tangy, more filling and wide, with a bitter orange tang and peach, pear and apple fruit. Rich and gourmet but clean and clear, with hints of bright acidity and juiciness that accent the quite thick texture. Calm and controlled. Textured, sleek, and clean, well defined, punchy and sharp. Great potential. 3.1 total acidity. Ageing nine months, 30% new French oak barrels, 70% one wine.
Château Suduiraut, Pur Semillon
Bordeaux Blanc
2022
93
Lemon juice, rind and balm notes - floral, fragrant and deep. Has a richness of texture with weight and smoothness, touches of spice, aromatic herbs and toast with clear Semillon power and structure. Still super young with more ageing needed to let the Semillon really express and shine. Nice juicy elements at the end give the accents and the energy - shots of lemon and lime providing a zing and the nuance and balancing the spiced aspects on the finish. 2.9 total acidity. Ageing nine months, 50% new French oak barrels, 50% one wine.
Le Clos du Beau-Pere, Blanc du Beau-Pere
Bordeaux Blanc
2022
93
Fresh and fragrant pear notes on the nose, fragrant and aromatic. So much pear on the palate too, a lovely controlled weight though so you get some fresh, crisp fruit as well as honeyed, elderflower, fragrant edges. I like the control, relaxed and wide, not so overtly acidic because of the weight but a really nice flavour and definition. Easy to drink, good with food. One for fans of creamy, chalky, pear and fragrant whites. Harvest 18 August - 1 September. Ageing on the lees in new oak and one year old barrels. 3.20pH. 2,200 bottles.
Château Lagrange, Fiefs de Lagrange
Bordeaux Blanc
2022
93
Plump, vibrant, touching on thrilling with high acidity aligned to the bright lemon, orange, peach, apricot lime and apple flavours with touches of dried herbs, ginger, lemon balm and caramel all giving different flavour nuances. Racy and round, a nice persistence and lovely tang on the finish.
Château du Tertre, Blanc
Bordeaux Blanc
2022
93
Floral scents, dried herbs, lemon patisserie, stone fruit and sweet caramel notes. Alive and so vibrant on the palate, really juicy but also so thrilling, electric with a push of zesty fruits with orange rind, grapefruit, peach and apple at the fore edged by toast and baking spices. Clean, crisp and lots going on. Feels well worked and nicely presented with such energy and motion. 19% Viognier completes the blend. Eric Boissenot consultant.
Château de Rayne Vigneau, Grand Vin Blanc Sec
Bordeaux Blanc
2022
93
Pear, apricot, peach - a lovely intensity to this with fruit forwardness but also a clean, crisp bite to the edges which gives a straight and focussed frame. Lifted and sharp with a citrus kick and creamy, flinty touches - lots going on here. I love the intensity but also sleekness and really long length with definition and detail.
Château George 7, Blanc
Fronsac
2022
93
Immensely drinkable and enjoyable with a richness to the texture and fruit concentration with peach, apricot and soft, herbal-edged citrus elements. This has nice persistence from start to finish with intensity of flavour and a lightness of touch as well as salty mineral elements that provide nuance and terroir markers. A lovely white in 2022 , already in bottle, worth seeking out.
Château La Louvière, Blanc
Pessac-Léognan
2022
93
Bright and zesty, vibrant and thrilling, a lovely sense of electricity to this with citrus lemon peel, lime, apricot and peach. Nicely textured, keeping the straightness and direction. Detailed and enjoyable. Direct, streamlined but refined and polished. Sharp and alive with lovely complexity and nuances of spice, herbs and stone fruit. 3.35pH. Tasted twice.
Château Pape Clément, Blanc
Pessac-Léognan
2022
93
Citrus kick straight away, great direction and focus - there's purity to the lemon, peach, green apple, pear and apricot fruit. Sharp and straight but stylish. Fruity and juicy, precise and detailed, a touch tense still but there's excellent sculpting here and lots of life. Quite bold, some toasted nuances putting the wood at the fore and narrowing some of the expression but there's so much to like with a long, spiced finish. Harvest 28 August to 2 September. Yield of 30hl/ha. Michel Rolland and Julien Viaud consultants. HVE3 and Bee friendly certified. Rolland & Associés consultants.
Château Smith Haut Lafitte, Le Petit Smith Haut Lafitte
Pessac-Léognan
2022
93
Creamy rich, lightly honeyed lemon and lime on the nose with peach and pear and floral scents. Round and ripe with a soft juiciness in the middle accented by a touch of sweet and sharp citrus and orchard fruit with a weighty, creamy, fatness at the end. A more gourmet take with an enjoyable unctuous element and general weight. Gentle, confident, rich but maintains definition, balance and focus. Compelling with a cool wet stone minerality on the finish that is so moreish. This will continue to age well and change with the Semillon taking on more body. 3.2pH. 50% new barrels.
Château Carbonnieux, Blanc
Pessac-Léognan (Cru Classé de Graves)
2022
93
A shot of bright lemon and lime with orange and grapefruit elements - citrus acidity, vibrancy and bitterness all combine to give quite a nuanced and exciting mouthful that carries the flavour to a long finish. Feels a bit tense and strict, not so fleshy and open, but well worked with intensity and detail. I like the style and the frame and this sustains interest with mouthwatering acidity and just enough fruitiness to balance it. Cool and crisp. HVE3 certified. Tasted twice.
Château Latour-Martillac, Blanc
Pessac-Léognan (Cru Classé de Graves)
2022
93
Sharp and instantly quite tangy on the palate, nice sense of life and energy with a good push of citrus fruit from start to finish. This keeps a sleek frame with bite and interest from start to finish. Lifted, lively, tense, but well defined and softly creamy. A yield of 42hl/ha. Tasted three times.
Château Olivier, Blanc
Pessac-Léognan (Cru Classé de Graves)
2022
93
Thrilling and lively, great acidity keeps the tension and focus on the bright lemon, lime, green apple, pear and apricot fruit with some hints of enjoyable bitterness and spice. Lean and sharp, but approachable and feels well worked. Juicy, succulent, mouthwatering, sweet and sharp. Lots going on here. Clean and clear.
Château Lynch-Bages, Blanc de Lynch Bages
Bordeaux Blanc
2022
92
Peach, apricot, pear and green apple combine with sweet tropical fruit touches lending both a freshness and rich, gourmet aspect to this wine. Succulent and energetic - a nice balance between opulence and liveliness. Still on the serious side but with subtle minerality and enjoyable florality. 3.20pH. Ageing six months, 50% new oak. The first time all the grapes were harvested in August (25-31). 3.2pH. 4.3 g/L total acidity. Aged 6 months in barrels on lees (50% new oak).
Château Puygueraud, Blanc
Bordeaux Blanc
2022
92
Herbal, spiced, some fragrant notes of jasmine, ginger, lemon and apricot. Zingy and almost tart on the palate, mouthwatering acidity gives the energy and creates the focus, but also gives it a sharp almost tightness on the mid palate while it slowly expands to a long finish. Feels nicely constructed and there's plenty of thrilling acidity and bite to the citrus fruit to keep this interesting and nuanced. Sleek and razor sharp at the moment with a hint of unctuous, sweet lemon and pear acidity and mouthwatering freshness. Lots going on. Harvest 24 - 31 August. Aged 8-9 months in stainless steel tanks. Derenoncourt consultants.
Château Valandraud, Virginie de Valandraud Blanc
Bordeaux Blanc
2022
92
Green apple, ginger, orange rind and lemon notes on the nose. Smooth and weighty on the palate, the initial mouthwatering acidity is covered by the intensity of the fruit giving an oily sensation with peach, apricot and lemon flavours. Less vibrant than expected given the pH but remains cool and focussed. Lightly fruited, clean and long. Not so crisp but there's excellent flavour intensity, just more lean, but long length, so there’s potential here. Harvest 25 August - 13 September. Ageing nine months in two and three-year-old oak. 3.25pH. 6,000 bottles
Château d’Arsac, Cuvée Celine
Bordeaux Blanc
2022
92
Elderflower, green apple and creamy lemon touches on the nose. Light and lifted, this has a clean and supple profile, nice density giving a wide mouthfeel but keeping the tension and direction. Creamy, unctuous, sweet, sharp, complex and really flavourful. I like this a lot. Less highly acidic than some which is great, more gourmet and really quite drinkable.
Château Fourcas-Dupré, Blanc
Bordeaux Blanc
2022
92
Sweet and sharp and sour, a lovely burst of almost spritzy texture with racy acidity underpinning the lemon, crisp apple, peach and lime fruit. More sharp and high toned than round or unctuous but I love the focus and the determination while keeping a linear frame and such drive. Soft touches of toast and graphite linger on the finish.
Château Rieussec, R de Rieussec
Bordeaux Blanc
2022
92
Sharp and tangy, bright, energetic and so lively in the mouth. Keeps a sense of calm and seriousness, the brightness softens quite quickly with more of a cool, creamy, salty touch at the end and some flinty minerality on the finish. I love the initial brightness and intensity of apple, lemon, peach and apricot fruit before it narrows into a long finish.
Château d'Arche,
Bordeaux Blanc
2022
92
Lovely bitter and juicy notes, lively and smooth with a great weight and long length. Feels refreshing but with both appealing spiced accents as well as sweet Sauternes nuances. A touch unctuous, mouthwatering and long so you have lots going on here. Clean, clear and moreish.
Clos des Lunes, Lune d'Or
Bordeaux Blanc
2022
92
Supple and juicy, a lovely kick of lemon, orange and grapefruit with focus and a sense of style. There’s an easy drinking feel to this, bright and straight, unctuous on the mid palate which is so appetising and this feels well worked with bite, tang, fruit and acidity. Great.
Château de Rochemorin, Blanc
Pessac-Léognan
2022
92
Gorgeous perfumed aromas on the nose, so delicate and nuanced but really expressive. Succulent but straight, juicy and bright but keeps the tension. Sleek and just the most appealing lemon, green apple, peach and apricot flavours. This is gentle and firm with focus. Great for easy drinking, still with complexity, mouthwatering apple acidity and some cool orchard fruit flavours on the finish with a touch of lingering nuttiness. 3.35pH.
Château Lespault-Martillac, Blanc
Pessac-Léognan
2022
92
A bold nose, green herbal aspects. Sharp and intense but round and nicely filling, keeps a straight profile with a linear mid palate. A cool, chalky, mineral, slate and almost flinty touch keeps the focus. Good style here, I like this, nothing feels out of place, not too sharp but confident, clean and pure. Harvest 27 August - 10 September. Aged nine months; fermented in barrel. Derenoncourt consultants.
Château Smith Haut Lafitte, Les Hauts de Smith
Pessac-Léognan
2022
92
White pear, green apples crisp and fresh on the nose, lively aromatics. Cool and well balanced, smooth and sharp with a juicy core of peach, apricot and green apple. This has a lovely weight in the mouth with intensity of fruit and fresh acidities. Mouthwatering and vibrant, really well worked and round, not long but super fresh at the end. Good balance and very pleasing. Easy to understand and great for drinking now with succulence and freshness all the way. Stony, fresh, herbal aromatics. 3.2pH 50/ new oak barrels.
Château Bouscaut, Blanc
Pessac-Léognan (Cru Classé de Graves)
2022
92
Clean and crisp, a shot of bright lemon and lime with bitter grapefruit and orange touches that give spice and nuance to the palate. Maintains balance and direction, nicely textured and weighted with richness and creaminess underpinned by sharp acidity. Lovely construction, keeping a zesty vibrant expression to a long finish with persistence. Appealing juiciness and soft sweetness initially which is so moreish. Tasted twice.
Château Couhins, Blanc
Pessac-Léognan (Cru Classé de Graves)
2022
92
Green apple, green pepper, elderflower, lime and lemon pith. Sharp and mouthwatering, a burst of citrus fruit and lemon peel then moves towards peach flesh and apricot. Round with lots of energy and appeal. Harvest 22 August - 1 September. Aged eight months. Barrel fermentation. Derenoncourt consultants.
Château Bastor-Lamontagne, Confidence
Bordeaux Blanc
2022
91
Round and creamy with both herbal, salty, creamy citrus and bitter orange elements that build to a nice complex whole. Still on the tense, almost shy side, but this has weight and depth on the palate with brightness, energy, mouthwatering acidity and freshness. Feels well made and nicely weighted. 4ha on clay-limestone and clay-sandy loam. Rolland & Associés consultants.
Château Dauzac, D de Dauzac
Bordeaux Blanc
2022
91
Beautiful aromas, lemon and floral touches, bright, crisp green apple and pear. Supple and bright, clean and almost delicate though, more straight than fleshy or fat, a lightness of touch but crisp apple and shots of citrus give an enjoyable tang. Easy to drink and nicely balanced. Some stony minerality and touches of bitterness on the finish which are lovely and give a nice accent to the fruit.
Château Hostens-Picant, Blanc
Bordeaux Blanc
2022
91
Elderflower, gooseberry, green apple and herbal-tinged green fruits. Soft, almost creamy acidity gives this a cool, but comforting palate, not too high or sharp, more controlled and balanced, so maybe less thrilling at this point but this feels well executed. Really drinkable, easy, smooth, supple, balanced and calm. Harvest 25 - 28 August. Aged nine months in stainless steel tanks. Derenoncourt consultants.
Château Marjosse, Blanc
Bordeaux Blanc
2022
91
Grassy, herbal nose, smells expressive. Clean and crisp, a nice juiciness here, feels well made with energy and spark, lime juice, lemon and peach. On the lighter, more creamy side, but enjoyable and easy. Mouthwatering acidity gives the lift at the end, this will provide enjoyable drinking pleasure.
Naujan, Blanc
Bordeaux Blanc
2022
91
Crisp green fruit, apples, pears and lime on the nose. Bright and focussed with balanced citrus and mineral elements, cool and calm, not shouting too much, but sleek and focussed with an easy drinking aspect and cool stone fruit touches too. A lovely hit of sweet sherbet lemon on the mid palate gives a bounce and life while the coolness and freshness continues from start to finish. I like this. Intense but not too much. 3.2pH. Rolland & Associés consultants.
Château Clarke, Le Merle Blanc
Bordeaux Blanc
2022
91
Crisp, round, lively but also quite creamy giving more of a gourmet, calm tone to this than overly acidity and racy. Feels confident with peach and apricot fruit and a gentle cool freshness throughout. Still on the shy side, just hinting at its potential but offering glimmers of precision, fruit purity and lovely salty minerality. Eric Boissenot consultant.
Château de Rayne Vigneau, Le Sec de Rayne Vigneau
Bordeaux Blanc
2022
91
Crystalline and pure, this is clean and crisp with bite to the lemon, lime, green apple and apricot fruit with an unctuous juiciness to that gives lift and life. Floral aromatics come in towards the end giving the perfumed element with coolness and some apricot pitt. Lovely form and appealing soft sweetness as well as bitterness.
Château Sigalas Rabaud, La Semillante de Sigalas
Bordeaux Blanc
2022
91
Cool and collected, this is quite serious in the sense it doesn’t have really sharp tangy acidity and push of citrus fruit from the start, but the soft lemon, peach and creamy apricot is well worked giving an easy-drinking appeal.
Domaine de L'Alliance, Les Clous
Bordeaux Blanc
2022
91
Succulent and mouthwatering but with a really juicy green apple and lemon sweetness that makes the initial zing and gives the weight and frame to the wine. Sharp and interesting, with a cool and touch flinty finish. Clean, light, interesting, forward and lovely interplay between citrus fruits, sweetness and coolness.
Château Climens, Asphodèle
Bordeaux Blanc
2022
91
Lifted and so clean, lively and bright with real floral and fruit aspects - jasmine, lemon, lime, lots of pear and peach. Fragranced and nicely detailed. Not overly sharp, more calm, with some mineral elements and wood tones. Not as expressive as I would have thought, but well worked.
Château de Cruzeau, Blanc
Pessac-Léognan
2022
91
Smells aromatic, seriously floral and perfumed - expressive with tropical notes on the nose; peach, pineapple and honeyed lemons with crisp green apple. Nice acidity, but soft, so this is more focussed on a cool, creamy peach, orange and apple flavour. Generous but calm and controlled with clear structure - an appealing overall weight on the palate with succulence that then gives way to nuances of cool white fruits and some delicate minerality - flint and wet stone. Soft, charming and easy to drink. 3.28-3.33pH.
Château Haut-Brion, Le Clarte
Pessac-Léognan
2022
91
Strong aromatics; crisp green apple, grass, elderflower and ripe gooseberries. Rich and intense on the palate, an appealing weight and texture, round and filling, almost waxy and oily but kept in check by salty, creamy lemon, vanilla, peach and apricot fruit. Nicely balanced, not too sharp or acidic, more calm and controlled but still giving texture and nuance. You still get shots of citrus which lift the palate and I really like the cool creamy texture. Airy and appealing. For the vintage it’s very good and super easy to drink! 3.3pH.
Château Picque Caillou, Blanc
Pessac-Léognan
2022
91
Sharp and vibrant, lifted and focussed with shots of bright citrus acidity - lemon and lime, with some tropical mango and pineapple against some bitter grapefruit pith. Very aromatic with appealing texture, flavour persistence, mouthwatering acidity and crunchiness. A yield of 33hl/ha.
Domaine de Chevalier, Esprit de Chevalier
Pessac-Léognan
2022
91
Tangy and forward, nice and bright with citrus fruits, lemon rind, orange juice and grapefruit pith. Has a really lovely construction, feels serious and well worked with underlying power and good concentration and bitterness on the end which I love. One of the more persistent though still missing some more vibrancy. In organic conversion.
Château Ad Francos, Blanc
Bordeaux Blanc
2022
90
A shot of bright and thrilling citrus starts the palate, focussed and pure, quite straight with a tang and edges of bitter orange and lime zest. Filling, rich and textured with some wood touches still, young, tense and spiced which overtakes some of the fruit at this point giving a touch of restriction but there's nice energy to begin with and purity of fruit. Honeyed lemon, caramel, vanilla, toast and grapefruit. Julien Viaud consultant.
Château de Malleret, Blanc
Bordeaux Blanc
2022
90
Peach, pear and creamy apple on the nose. Soft and gentle, not as acidic as I was expecting, much more calm and controlled still with freshness and juicy pear and apple fruit with a vein of minerality giving focus to the finish. Feels nicely structured and wide with enough depth and energy to be filling and lively enough. Good effort, ready to drink with some stone, flint freshnes on the finish. Harvest 30 August. Aged eight months. Derenoncourt consultants.
Château Nardian, Blanc
Bordeaux Blanc
2022
90
So aromatic; white pepper, lemon blossom, ginger, clementine, jasmine, flint and graphite. Supple but energetic, thick but fresh, juicy but not so acidic. The focus is on the texture, weight and aromatics - the Muscadelle really speaks with the Sauvignon Blanc giving a zing.
Château Reynon, Blanc
Bordeaux Blanc
2022
90
Crystalline and pure, lemon, lime, green apple and elderflower notes. Lovely lift and sharp attack which melds into more creamy, cool lemon and peach flavours. Lacking a touch more density and fruity fleshiness but it's clean with purity and nice texture and a zest shot of lemon on the finish which lifts the expression. HVE3 certified.
Dourthe , N°1
Bordeaux Blanc
2022
90
Lively and vibrant, a nice push of peach, apricot, lemon and lime with crisp green apple. Creamy and soft, a gentle expression, but really works with enough acidity to be appealing and weight to give more of a gourmet feel. Lovely cool expression. So drinkable.
Domaine de L'Alliance, Definition
Bordeaux Blanc
2022
90
Sharp and tangy, a lovely sense of life to this, bright and juicy, a citrus, lemon, lime and grapefruit edge with clear wet stone elements. Light and clean, I love the touch of sweetness giving depth and interest on the mid palate, before it narrows slightly on the finish.
Clos des Lunes, Lune d'Argent
Bordeaux Blanc
2022
90
Cool and crisp, clean and nicely weighted on the palate with some creamy and chalky lemon, pear and apricot. An easy-drinking style with nuance and freshness. Lacks a touch of weight and zing, but there’s appealing bitter lemon rind with apricot and peach flavours. Feels clean.
Château Chantegrive, Cuvée Caroline
Graves
2022
90
Vibrant and lively, a good push of green and yellow citrus fruit, with gently mouthwatering acidity and some brightness as well as cool, crisp stony touches. Loses a little intensity and overt fruitiness. Keeps the focus but the structure takes over the friendliness. Still, feels well defined and weighty with grip and tension. HVE3 certified.
Château Chantegrive, Cuveé Caroline
Graves
2022
90
Lively and fresh, crisp green apple, pear, apricot and peach. Gentle, a nice creamy texture that gives weight and density to the palate while remaining cool and approachable. A little light, lacks a touch of added vibrancy but there's detail and lots of easy drinkability with soft mouthwatering acidity. Fruit stops a little short and there's some stalky edges on the finish. HVE certified.
Château Ferrande, Blanc
Graves
2022
90
Lemon and orange nuances, a nice burst of citrus fruit before the cool, stony, spiced touches come in and just take over. The structure feels like it narrows a little and becomes a bit serious towards the finish but it does keep the freshness if not total liveliness - a cool minerality as opposed to juicy fleshiness. Some toasted aromas with some creamy lemon. Just missing a bit more push. HVE certified.
Château Cantelys, Blanc
Pessac-Léognan
2022
90
Smells nicely aromatic and open on the nose, round and weighty, an unctuous sweet, sour and sharp attack on the palate with lime, lemon, peach and apricot. Straight but nicely grippy with acidity that holds interest. A touch restricted and narrow on the finish, some woody tones coming in and the acidity is not so matched with the frame yet. Some lingering bitter touches on the finish. Harvest 9 September. Yield of 25hl/ha. 3.25pH. Ageing 30% in new barrels, 70% in barrels of one and two wines. Rolland & Associés consultants.
Château de France, Blanc
Pessac-Léognan
2022
90
Bright and sharp, filling, but remains lean. Good intensity of flavour but keeps the sleekness and strictness meaning you don't get so much generosity and length but there is good acidity and citrus fruit elements. A yield of 40hl/ha.
Château Haut Nouchet, Blanc
Pessac-Léognan
2022
90
Creamy green apple and pear, smells lovely and inviting. Smooth and juicy but also quite sharp and straight, a nice complexity to this, not shouting, not too sharp - enjoyable and well framed. Cool and stony finish with touches of orange, peach and pear. Lifted and gently lively. Nicely worked. Harvest 24 - 26 August. Aged nine months. Barrel fermentation. Derenoncourt consultants.
Château Malartic-Lagravière, Comte de Malartic
Pessac-Léognan (Cru Classé de Graves)
2022
90
Grass, lime, lemon peel and green apple. Balanced and easy to drink but lacks some real vibrancy and push. Clean and clear though, purity with a slightly textured and grippy palate. Easy, and if you like floral wines this is great. Harvest 24 August-1 September. Yield of 18hl/ha.
Château Mont-Pérat, Blanc
Premières Côtes de Bordeaux
2022
90
Round and nicely weighted with orange, grapefruit, peach and apricot nuances and a slightly high-toned citrus element giving weight on the palate with some caramel and toasted touches on the end. Nice bitter edges and lemon and orange flavour. Well worked, not too high acidity giving a slightly more gourmet feel. 3.3pH. Yield of 30hl/ha. Clay, gravel and limestone soil. Rolland & Associés consultants.
Château Callac, Grand Lande
Vin de France
2022
90
Vanilla, lemon, orange and apple nose. Good weight and definition on the palate, with a hit of citrus and apricot juice with quite cool, creamy acidity that expands and widens the palate though is lacking some zip thanks to the shyness of Semillon right now. This does carry a bit more juice and thickness towards the finish but there's a sense of reticence. Harvest 24 - 26 August. Aged nine months. In organic conversion. Derenoncourt consultants.
