Best Pauillac 2022 wines tasted en primeur
Georgie Hindle presents an overview of the 2022 vintage across the Pauillac appellation revealing her highest-scoring wines.
Pauillac 2022
Average yield:
- Average yield 34.8hl/ha, -27.4% relative to the 10-year average of 39.7hl/ha.
Rainfall during the vintage in mm and % relative to the 10 year average:
- Pre-budburst (Nov-March) 364mm (-25.0%)
- Véraison to harvest (August-October) 61.3mm (-47.7%).
- Total: 780.2mm (-12.2%)
What you find from the 2022 wines
A remarkable year for Pauillac with some stunning wines from all across the appellation showing refined power, finesse, energy, seduction, complexity and strength. But there is equally a mixture of styles from wines that are graceful and juicy to those that are more tannic and plush.
Drought occurred early in the season like much of the left bank although Pauillac received crucial rainfall in both April and June helping top up moisture levels and reviving thirsty vines. The appellation’s deep gravel soils also helped cope in the extreme conditions.
Hot days and cool nights allowed the grapes to ripen slowly keeping freshness and acidity in the resulting wines. Grapes were small and concentrated with thick skins and almost all harvests were concluded by the end of September, unprecedentedly early.
Yields were low given the lack of rain with strict selection also reducing percentages of grand vin production.
Top picks:
- Château Mouton Rothschild (98-100 points)
- Château Lafite Rothschild
- Château Latour
- Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande
- Château Pichon Baron
- Château Pontet-Canet
- Château Lynch-Bages
- Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste
- Château Duhart-Milon
- Château Haut-Batailley
- Château Haut-Bages Libéral
- Château d’Armailhac
- Château Clerc Milon
- Château Pédesclaux
See the top-scoring Pauillac 2022 en primeur wines
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Château Lafite Rothschild, Pauillac, 1er Cru Classé, Bordeaux, France, 2022
<p>Deep, dark and restrained, offering cool black fruit with hints of cocoa and sea spray minerality. Poised and perfumed, it glides across the palate with...
2022
Château Lafite RothschildPauillac
Château Mouton Rothschild, Pauillac, 1er Cru Classé, Bordeaux, France, 2022
Spicy liquorice, bitter chocolate, tobacco, cigar, and aniseed on the nose. Round and bright, with juicy, delicate fruit and velvety tannins. Super concentrated yet graceful,...
2022
Château Mouton RothschildPauillac
Château Latour, Pauillac, 1er Cru Classé, Bordeaux, France, 2022
A deep purple hue, with fragrant blackcurrants, plums, dried herbs, and exotic spice on the nose. Sleek and svelte, this exudes grace and energy, underpinned...
2022
Château LatourPauillac
Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande, Pauillac, 2ème Cru Classé, Bordeaux, France, 2022
<p>Shiny and striking, this delights from the first sip giving a burst of strawberry and citrus acidity before salty minerality comes in the form of...
2022
Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de LalandePauillac
Château Pichon Baron, Pauillac, 2ème Cru Classé, Bordeaux, France, 2022
Wonderfully aromatic and expressive, with dark fruit, floral scents, chocolate, cinnamon and liquorice. Smooth, svelte, bursting with energy. Juicy strawberries and cherries have crunch from...
2022
Château Pichon BaronPauillac
Château Lynch-Bages, Pauillac, 5ème Cru Classé, Bordeaux, France, 2022
Ripe and generous on the palate, this is chewy, crunchy and alive. Ripe fruit is there - chewy and sweet black currants and cherries...
2022
Château Lynch-BagesPauillac
Château d'Armailhac, Pauillac, 5ème Cru Classé, Bordeaux, France, 2022
Rich and toasty nose with sun-kissed blackcurrants, liquorice, tobacco, and a touch of tar. Some warmth and baked fruit add a jammy edge. Supple yet...
2022
Château d'ArmailhacPauillac
Château Clerc Milon, Pauillac, 5ème Cru Classé, Bordeaux, France, 2022
Liquorice spice, dark fruit, dried herbs, and faint florals on the nose. Wide, succulent, and alive in the mouth. Tannins are velvety, giving structure while...
2022
Château Clerc MilonPauillac
Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste, Pauillac, 5ème Cru Classé, Bordeaux, France, 2022
Vibrant floral scents on the nose - roses and violets with blackcurrants, dried herbs and chocolate. Smooth and round on the palate, this has an...
2022
Château Grand-Puy-LacostePauillac
Château Haut-Bages Libéral, Pauillac, 5ème Cru Classé, Bordeaux, France, 2022
Delicate aromatics that have a cool, blue fruit and stony edge. Lifted and lightweight, this has such finesse from the first sip. Nothing heavy or...
2022
Château Haut-Bages LibéralPauillac
Château Pontet-Canet, Pauillac, 5ème Cru Classé, Bordeaux, France, 2022
Dark and ripe on the nose, with deep blackcurrant, cocoa powder, and espresso notes alongside fragrant dried herbs, adding a savoury elegance. The palate is...
2022
Château Pontet-CanetPauillac
Château Pédesclaux, Pauillac, 5ème Cru Classé, Bordeaux, France, 2022
Strong and dark aromatics, blackcurrant, liquorice and salty stones. Juicy and lively on the palate, excellent acidity and freshness. There's something very precise and detailed...
2022
Château PédesclauxPauillac
Château Duhart-Milon, Pauillac, 4ème Cru Classé, Bordeaux, France, 2022
A deep, dark nose of blackcurrants and black cherries, accented by tobacco, cola, and violets. Pure and precise, this makes an immediate impact with its...
2022
Château Duhart-MilonPauillac