Shipping customers:

We normally charge the shipping fee up front to make things a bit more efficient when it comes time to ship your orders. If you expect to be adding more future purchases and want to wait and have the shipping billed upon release please make a note in your order and we’ll be happy to back out the shipping fee

 

Update 06/23/23

After a torrid couple of weeks, all the 2022 Bordeaux have been released. Most of the top wines of the vintage (loads of potential 100 pointers!) are still available. If you are looking for large formats, please don't hesitate to ask... we can make it happen!

Update 05/31/23

Yesterday and today saw two big releases as the campaign is finally starting to heat up. The utterly classic Pauillac-Grand Puy Lacoste (tasted this one 3 times and loved it!) and one of by far, the best buys of the vintage -the beloved Branaire Ducru. Nice price too (same as 2016)

Update 05/12/23

We’ve had some good releases the last couple of days. The Leoville Barton promises to be one of their finest ever (first vintage in the new cellars) and Langoa was simply awesome. Just wish I could get more of both as volume was down. Siran promises to be one of the best buys this year and also sports a one-off special label in tribute to Queen Elizabeth. Finally a trio of what are arguably the best-buys in all of St. Emilion. First off is Chateau Mangot. This has been a “sleeping giant” for quite some time with a superb terroir right near Chateau Valendraud. It was given cru classe status this year along with our next new offering the always loved Tour St. Christophe. This is once again another “homerun” from TSC don’t miss it. Finally another “sleeping giant” -Chateau Bellefont Belcier. This incredible property sits right next door to Chateau Pavie and the wine has never been better. I actually went out of my way to taste it twice just to be sure. Don’t miss it!

Update: 05/09/2023

The campaign gets underway today with the release of two very important wines. Cheval Blanc and Angelus. Both are some of the greatest ever produced at these famous Chateau!

Bordeaux 2022... The future is bright!

I just returned from a wonderful week in Bordeaux tasting the fabulous 2022 wines “en premiere”. With a very vigorous schedule I tasted almost every important wine on both banks (really the only ones I missed were Petrus, Le Pin and Lafluer!) some 2-3 times (as I also attended a few negociant tastings). All in all, I probably tasted close to 500 wines. Safe to say I’d like to think I have a pretty good sense of 2022 in its infant stage!

If you recall from the news 2022 was a very hot summer in France. Chateau folks told me they returned from holiday in August and were very concerned when they saw small berries with thick skins. Perhaps another 2003 was in the works?  But when it came to harvest (one of the earliest ever harvests by the way) the wines showed incredible freshness with reasonable alcohol levels.  How did this happen? I asked this question many times and received many different answers:

  • Better vineyard practices -especially canopy management to help give the grapes some nice shade
  • The vines have adapted to the “new normal” of hot vintages
  • 2021 was a relatively cooler vintage so the vines were in better shape to handle a rebound vintage like 2022
  • Better winemaking with more gentle extractions in the cellars

More flexibility at harvest. With smaller fermentation tanks and cold rooms for holding fruit, winemakers could harvest over a longer period of time instead of being forced to pick over-ripe or under-ripe grapes.

Of course, all of the above are probably true and as one Chateau director told me -these are Mediterranean plants that can adapt to these harsh climate changes. What remains to be seen is if this is a “one off” type of “miracle” vintage or if this is the new normal. Only time will tell but the winemaking and vineyard practices in Bordeaux have never been better so the future seems bright to me!

How do the wines taste? Well overall these wines were an absolute pleasure to taste. In many instances the fruit was so pure and beautiful it was almost as if they were ready to be bottled. The fruit is deep, dark and intense but in most cases the tannins are well integrated and very fine. You know you are tasting a wine of power, but the freshness and lift make that element quite less obvious. Almost like driving a large luxury car with a huge motor. The ride is quiet and smooth, but you know what will happen if you step on the gas!

My top five (well 6) of the vintage... not in order and it’s six as Latour is not sold as a future:

Vieux Chateau Certan
20% Cab Franc. A wine of amazing balance, intensely ripe but you don’t feel it, perfume for days on the nose…wow!

Palmer
Blueberry compote on the nose, intense mineral undertone. The great Merlot here shines through. Tannins are so integrated. Fantastic

Latour
Violets on the nose, hidden power tension classic Pauillac. A great wine in the making for sure.

Carmes Haut Brion
Floral nose, mid-weight very, very pure fruit and tons of freshness. CHB just keeps getting better and better.

Ausone
50/50 blend of Cab Franc and Merlot. Super dense yet balanced so exotic but still old world. Magical stuff

Montrose
Brooding, mineral intensity. Dark berry fruits -tight and compact keeps changing in the glass. Amazing accomplishment

 

Other highlights:

Canon
Another year, another great Canon. Layers, layers, and more layers. Almost “salty” with that Canon elegance.

Troplong
The limestone and clay terroirs at this special spot looking down on the rest of St. Emilion So subtle and so balanced. Hss all the hallmarks of a great wine. Troplong is the wine to watch right now.

L’evangile
Loved, loved this wine. 17% Cab Franc-layers of spicy fruit build up in intensity such finesse. Best L’evangile ever? Time will tell!

Haut Bailly
Voluptuous, and rich with wonderful Cabernet shining through. Very complex even at this early stage.

Brane Cantenac
Lots of buzz going around for this one already. Super fresh and bright and so finessed. A real joy to taste.

 

Other wines to put on your radar screen (that hopefully will be reasonably priced as well):

D’Issan
This will get huge scores. Sweet tannins and intense concentration yet you still know it’s a Margaux. Great stuff here

Larcis Ducasse
Another Phil favorite and the 2022 doesn’t disappoint. With that classic Larcis sexy fruit and mineral undertone it goes on and on…

Clerc Milon
Texture, mouthfeel, and delicious fruit. This should be a very strong buy.

Branaire Ducru
I’m always a Branaire fan and I love their 2022. Dark fruits, but so delicate at the same time. Has an interesting exotic character that brings you back. Great stuff!

Lagrange
Is there a better bang for the buck in Bordeaux right now? Red fruits, medium weight and so fresh. Another excellent Lagrange!

Laroque
Delicious, will be a bargain and it will age very well. Once again, a “no brainer” purchase that you’d be best to buy right away as it sells out quick.

This is just a handful of highlights. Many other greats that I may comment on as they are released. As always, please feel free to email me at pbernstein@bassins.com with any questions.

*First growths and “big” St. Emilion and Pomerol wines will come in wood three packs. All other wines will be in wood six packs.
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2022 Chateau Alter Ego Palmer - Margaux (Future ETA 2025)

750ml | SKU 94992 | Available
95 VM

The 2022 Alter Ego is bright, punchy and focused. Floral notes meld into a core of red/purplish fruit, spice, mint and orange peel. Medium in body and gracious, with sublime balance, Alter Ego is superb. In fact, the 2022 is one of the most rened edit...

$89.00

2022 Chateau Ausone - St. Emilion (Bordeaux Future ETA 2025)

750ml | SKU 94991 | 22 Available
98 VM

The 2022 Ausone, which was the earliest-picked ever on September 5 (although that is later than Cheval Blanc) has another very intense bouquet with layers of plush blackberry, blueberry, crushed violet and incense aromas that are beautifully entwined w...

$740.00

2022 Chateau Baron de Brane - Margaux (Future ETA 2025)

750ml | SKU 95290 | 19 Available
92 JA

Clear fig and dried fruit notes, but this also has extremely clear freshness and lift, and opens up to show baked earth, pomegranate, tar and black chocolate. Gourmet, well handled. 38% of production. 30th vintage for Henri Lurton at Brane, 31hl/h yield, ...

$27.00

2022 Chateau Beausejour Duffau - St. Emilion (Future ETA 2025)

750ml | SKU 95201 | 31 Available
98 VM

The 2022 Beauséjour is fabulous. I find it better from bottle than it was in barrel. Explosive aromatics from the Franc make a strong first impression. Bright acids drive through a core of dark red fruit, blood orange, spice, new leather and espresso....

$159.00

2022 Chateau Beausejour Duffau - St. Emilion HALF BOTTLE (Future ETA 2025) (375ml)

375ml | SKU 95204 | 23 Available
98 VM

The 2022 Beauséjour is fabulous. I nd it better from bottle than it was in barrel. Explosive aromatics from the Franc make a strong rst impression. Bright acids drive through a core of dark red fruit, blood orange, spice, new leather and espresso. All...

$84.00

2022 Chateau Berliquet St. Emilion (750ml)

750ml | SKU 94787 | 97 Available
94+ WA

The 2022 Berliquet offers up lovely aromas of raspberries, cherries, violets and pencil shaving, followed by a medium to full-bodied, lively and seamless palate that's dense and muscular, with rich tannin and a mineral finish. As readers will remember, th...

$64.99

2022 Chateau Beychevelle - St. Julien (Bordeaux Future ETA 2025)

750ml | SKU 94783 | 38 Available
96 VM

The 2022 Beychevelle is so impressive. A wine of precision and stature, the 2022 has so much to oer. Inky dark fruit, licorice, mocha and lavender build in a sumptuous, creamy Saint-Julien. All of that intensity mounts through the mid-palate, reaching ...

$95.00

2022 Chateau Calon Segur - St. Estephe (Bordeaux Future ETA 2025)

750ml | SKU 95153 | 69 Available
97-99 JD

A wine that's going to flirt with perfection, the 2022 Château Calon Ségur is a blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, harvested between September 12 and 26, from yields of 40 hectoliters per hectare. It...

$139.00

2022 Chateau Calon Segur - St. Estephe HALF BOTTLE (Bordeaux Future ETA 2025) (375ml)

375ml | SKU 95154 | 12 Available
97-99 JD

A wine that's going to flirt with perfection, the 2022 Château Calon Ségur is a blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, harvested between September 12 and 26, from yields of 40 hectoliters per hectare. It...

$72.00

2022 Chateau Canon - St. Emilion (Bordeaux Future ETA 2025)

750ml | SKU 95208 | Available
100 WA

The 2022 Canon has turned out brilliantly in bottle. Unwinding in the glass with aromas of sweet raspberries, wild berries and cherries mingled with hints of violets, pencil shavings, black truffle and rose petals, it's full-bodied, deep and concentrated...

$160.00

2022 Chateau Carmes Haut Brion - Pessac (Bordeaux Future ETA 2025)

750ml | SKU 95021 | 74 Available
100 WA

The 2022 Les Carmes Haut-Brion is the finest wine bottled to date at this estate under Patrice Pichet's ownership and Guillaume Pouthier's direction. Unfurling from the glass with aromas of violet, iris, dark wild berries, pencil lead and mulberries, it's...

$189.00

2022 Chateau Carruades Lafite - Pauillac (Bordeaux FUTURE ETA 2025)

750ml | SKU 94795 | 24 Available
96-97 JS

Extremely perfumed with sweet tobacco and blackcurrants as well as cedar and dark chocolate. Aromatic. Medium-bodied with an intense center palate of blackcurrant, orange peel and peaches. Nervy. 53% cabernet sauvignon, 40% merlot, 4% cabernet franc and 3...

$234.00

2022 Chateau Chapelle D'Ausone - St. Emilion (Future ETA 2025)

750ml | SKU 94993 | Available
94-96 JD

Cassis, red plums, graphite, chalky minerality, violet notes, and a hint of espresso all emerge from the 2022 Chapelle D'Ausone, which is based on 60% Cabernet Franc, 33% Merlot, and the balance Cabernet Sauvignon. With a vivid purple hue, medium to full ...

$195.00

2022 Chateau Clerc Milon - Pauillac (Bordeaux Future ETA Spring 2025)

750ml | SKU 94944 | 60 Available
94-96 JD

As to the Grand Vin 2022 Château Clerc Milon, it reminds me of the 2018 with its full-bodied, ripe, yet elegant style. Cassis, graphite, espresso roast, and lead pencil notes define the aromatics, and it has a beautiful spine of acidity, ripe tannins, and...

$86.00

2022 Chateau Clinet - Pomerol (Bordeaux Future ETA 2025)

750ml | SKU 95146 | 41 Available
96-98 JD

The 2022 Château Clinet showed beautifully, with an almost Médoc-like style in its darker cassis, graphite, cedar pencil, and tobacco aromas and flavors. Full-bodied on the palate, it has ripe, velvety tannins, a round, layered mouthfeel, and remarkable p...

$108.00

2022 Chateau Clos Fourtet - St. Emilion (Bordeaux Future ETA 2025)

750ml | SKU 95115 | 95 Available
99 VM

The 2022 Clos Fourtet is every bit as compelling as it was en primeur, maybe even a bit more so. Vertical and explosive, the 2022 oers a captivating mix of textural opulence and classic structure. The blend is 90% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% ...

$125.00

2022 Chateau Clos Fourtet - St. Emilion HALF BOTTLE (Bordeaux Future ETA 2025) (375ml)

375ml | SKU 95116 | Available
96-98 VM

The 2022 Clos Fourtet is fabulous. Rich, sensual and layered, the 2022 bristles with the energy found in the best wines of the year. Clean veins of minerality frame a core of red/purplish fruit, lavender, sage, mint, rose petal and mocha. Simply put, t...

$65.00

2022 Chateau Clos Marquis - St. Julien (Future ETA 2025)

750ml | SKU 95205 | 15 Available
95-97 JD

I loved the 2022 Clos Du Marquis, which is a brilliant effort, if not the finest vintage of this cuvée I've tasted. Cassis, graphite, and floral notes all define the bouquet, and it's full-bodied, with ultra-fine tannins and flawless balance. It shows the...

$79.00
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