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‘En Primeur’

Château Lafite-Rothschild enjoys an exceptional location close to the Gironde estuary. With a surface area of 112 hectares divided into three main zones, the vineyards of this benchmark among the great wines of Pauillac stretch from the slopes surrounding the château to the Carruades plateau to the west, as well as a parcel in the neighbouring commune of Saint-Estèphe. Classified Premier Crus Classé in 1855, it produces some of the best wines in Pauillac.

The terroir of Lafite-Rothschild:

Pontet-Canet is one of the most iconic estates of Bordeaux. It is one of the pioneers of environmentally friendly and sustainable agriculture in Bordeaux. A philosophy that advocates the free expression of the terroir and the transcription of its character to the wines. It is a 5th Grand Crus Classé, representing 81 hectares of some of the best terroir in AOC Pauillac. The vineyard is planted with 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot.

History of the Estate

In 1757, Jean-François De Pontet, Governor of the Médoc, acquired land in Pauillac and in the area known as Canet. As was customary, he gave his name to the Château: Château Pontet-Canet. Henri Herman Cruse, an established wine merchant in Bordeaux, bought the estate in 1865. He revolutionised the château and built up the reputation of its wines. In 1975, the estate was bought by Guy Tesseron, a Cognac winemaker and merchant who also owned Château Lafon Rochet in Saint-Estephe. His son, Alfred Tesseron, took over in 1994. Straight away, in 1995, the first steps were taken towards organic farming and a rethink of production methods.

In 2004, Château Pontet-Canet made a long-term commitment to convert its entire vineyard to biodynamic viticulture – the first of the Médoc Grand Cru Classé.

A few years later, in 2010, the Château’s wines were certified organic and biodynamic. Becoming the first Grand Cru Classé in the Médoc to obtain double certification for its entire vineyard.

The Terroir

The heart of the Pontet-Canet terroir, the ‘Plateau’, is a ridge of Günz gravel from the Garonne (dating from the first ice age of the Quaternary era between -1.3 and -1.1 million years ago), resting on a limestone bedrock. This fine, well-draining soil is reputed to suit the character of the great Cabernet Sauvignon grapes, which account for over 60% of the grand vin.

The other part of the vineyard is located near the river, not far from the village of Pouyalet, an area that is clearly more chalky. In some plots, the limestone is more present, while in others the clay rises to the surface.

These cooler, richer soils are ideal for Merlot, producing more structured, fleshy wines. To reconnect with the past, four plots on the edge of the vineyard have been planted with Petit Verdot, which brings spicy aromas to the great wine of Pontet-Canet.

The Vineyard

In order to avoid the soil being compacted by heavy tractors and to preserve the old vines, the estate decided to use draught horses in 2008. Today, a dozen or so Percheron horses work half the vineyard‘95% of our work takes place in the vineyards.’ – Mathieu Bessonnet, Technical Director

In keeping with the desire to regulate the soil naturally and remain true to the essence of the terroir, a room has been set up to produce all the biodynamic preparations, herbal teas, decoctions, washes and sulphur- and copper-based sprays.

The Wine

Vinification takes place in the Château’s three vats: the historic wooden vat dating back to the 19th century, the concrete vats inaugurated in 2005 and the latest amphora vats, which was completed in 2017 and is the only one of its kind, designed without electricity.

Around half the production is matured in new barrels, 10-15% in ‘one-wine’ barrels and, since 2012, 30-40% in Dolia (concrete amphorae). The ageing period varies from 16 to 18 months, depending on the type of wine.

A big release from Pomerol today in the form of Château La Conseillante. It is being offered by the international trade for £2,652 per 12×75, up 40.8% on the 2021’s opening price (£1,884 per 12×75). Although the 40.8% price increase is a lot, this wine still offers fantastic value compared to previous (lower scored) vintages of this wine on the secondary market. This is a testament to how it performs as an investment year on year. We have taken our full allocation here.

Neal Martin (Vinous) gave the wine a barrel score of 97-99 points. He mentions in his tasting note that ‘Marielle Cazaux has crafted one of the most intellectual La Conseillante wines in recent years’.

William Kelley (Wine Advocate) awarded the wine a barrel range of 97-100 points. He said that ‘the 2022 La Conseillante is a remarkable wine that has the potential to emerge as one of the wines of the vintage’. He went on to say ‘congratulations to winemaker Marielle Cazaux, consulting oenologist Thomas Duclos, the Nicolas family led by Jean-Valmy, and all the team at La Conseillante who have firmly established this estate at the very top of Pomerol’s qualitative hierarchy in recent vintages’.

James Suckling agreed that ‘this is sensational’ and commented on its ‘silky, silky, silky. Creamy texture’. He awarded it 98-99 points.

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Next up is Vieux Château Certan. It is being offered by the international trade for £3,300 per 12×75, up 20.6% on the 2021’s opening price (£2,736 per 12×75). Some older vintages of this wine have started to increase in value more recently according to Liv-Ex data, this could suggest that this could be a wine to hold on to.

Neal Martin (Vinous) gave the wine a barrel range of 97-99 points, calling it ‘very expressive this year’. He mentions that ‘while it is a real Left Bank/Right Bank hybrid’ it is ‘quintessentially Pomerol’.

Jane Anson (Inside Bordeaux) awarded the wine a score of 96 points, noting the ‘exuberance of the vintage’ and mentioning that the wine ‘will no doubt increase with age’.

James Suckling gave the wine a barrel range of 98-99 points and noted the wines ‘excellent length’.

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The final first growth available to buy en primeur has been released. It is being offered by the international trade for £6,180 per 12×75, a 21.2% increase on the 2021’s opening price (£5,100 a case).

Neal Martin (Vinous) awarded it a barrel range of 96-98 points, praising its medium-bodied palate that is ‘blessed with unerring symmetry’. He noted the 2022 Haut-Brion’s ‘bewitching’ texture and a finish that is ‘almost pixelated’. In his words: ‘magnificent, but not necessarily the best wine that Delmas oversaw in this vintage’.

‘A classic, breath-taking expression of Haut-Brion’, noted Lisa Perrotti-Brown (Wine Independent) who rated it at 97-99+ points. After the first ten years in the bottle, she expects to ‘watch it soar’.

James Suckling scored the wine at 98-99 points, underscoring the ‘fascinating aromas’ of currants and cedar with sandalwood and peaches. He highlights the ‘interesting’ merlot majority in this year’s blend (53.6%), an anomaly for Haut-Brion.

Ducru-Beaucaillou was released this week. It is being offered by the international trade for £2,244 per 12×75, up 17.6% on the 2021’s opening price (£1,908 per 12×75). It has been a trend this campaign that prices have been up compared to the 2021 vintage. Ducru-Beaucaillou is a wine that performs well on the secondary market and one that we will be taking our allocation of.

Neal Martin (Vinous) awarded the wine a barrel range of 95-97 points, calling it ‘one of the most dense and muscular’ of the Château’s history. He added that the 2022 Ducru-Beaucaillou ‘threatens to overwhelm the senses’ while still young, noting that the bottle tasting will be particularly important.

William Kelley (Wine Advocate) assigned it a score of 94-96 points, deeming it a ‘punchy, modern Saint-Julien reminiscent of a hypothetical blend of the 2018 and 2020’.

James Suckling gave the wine a barrel range of 97-98 points, calling it ‘full-bodied with powerful tannins, yet fine and layered’.

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Château Mouton Rothschild was released this morning. It is being offered by the international trade for £6,216 per 12×75, a 21.9% increase on the 2021’s opening price (£5,100 a case). Another wine that we always take our full allocation of given it’s long history of success on the secondary market.

Neal Martin (Vinous) awarded the wine a barrel range of 96-98, calling it ‘a Mouton-Rothschild determined to make a statement’. He makes note of the ‘powerful, almost burly’ profile, saying it ‘feels a bit like tasting Thor’s hammer at the moment’. He is overall optimistic, though: ‘It is, perhaps, how the 1986 tasted in its youth’.

‘A legend in the making’, writes Lisa Perrotti-Brown (Wine Independent) who scored the wine at 98-100 points. She highlights its ‘explosive, intense’ flavours, adding that ‘it is amazing how classical this Mouton is.

Jane Anson (Inside Bordeaux) gave the wine a score of 98 points, recommending that the wine ‘needs a long time before approaching’, but is a ‘thoroughly enjoyable experience’.

‘In a word: magnificent’, says Antonio Galloni (Vinous) who rated it at a range of 96-98 points.

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Château Léoville-Las-Cases was released yesterday. It is being offered by the international trade for £2,772 per 12×75, a 42.2% increase on 2021’s opening price (£1,950 a case). Leoville Las Cases is often a top performer and received a possible 18 100-point scores (including Neal Martin) making it the best vintage for a long time.

This year’s Las-Cases has garnered immense praise from critics. According to Neal Martin of Vinous, the wine received a score of 98-100 points. In his tasting note, he described it as ‘lavish and audacious’ for a Saint-Julien, surpassing the trio of 2018-2020 vintages and being a ‘tour de force’.

James Suckling awarded the wine a range of 99-100 points. He noted that the tannins were seamlessly integrated, providing fantastic structure, while the texture remained fresh and vivid. Suckling found it to be ‘thought-provoking’ and ‘endless’.

Meanwhile, Jean-Marc Quarin awarded it a perfect 100-points. He commented that it is ‘the meatiest, most precise, deepest and most austere Léoville Las Cases I know’ and added ‘that’s wonderful!’

William Kelley (Wine Advocate) also scored the wine 98-100 points. He said it was ‘one of the wines of the vintage’ and ‘a monument in the making’. That being said, Kelley did caution that ‘it wouldn’t surprise me if it were to shut down after a few years in bottle’ as it ‘was surprisingly open for a young Las Cases’.

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After the surprise release of Lafite on Friday, the second first growth wine of the campaign was released yesterday. Chateau Margaux 2022  is being offered by the international trade for £6,192 per 12×75, a 21.4% increase on the 2021’s opening price (£5,100 a case). It is wine that very often performs favourably on the secondary market and one that we will be taking our full allocation of.

Neal Martin of Vinous bestowed the wine with a barrel range of 96-98 points, characterized as having an ‘almost swaggering’ style. He emphasizes that this year’s Margaux deviates from its usual subtle and nuanced blend, instead presenting itself as a ‘First Growth that is dressed to impress’.

Jane Anson from Inside Bordeaux describes the wine as ‘stunning’ in terms of its density and construction, awarding it a score of 98-100 points. She commends the ‘gorgeous balance’ achieved, despite the unprecedented alcohol levels found in the estate’s Cabernet Sauvignon.

Jeff Leve of Wine Cellar Insider shares the same level of enthusiasm for the 2022 Margaux, rating it within the range of 98-100 points. He praises its ‘silky, sensuous, rich, and almost viscous’ palate.

William Kelley of Wine Advocate, while slightly more reserved, rates the wine at 96-97+ points. He acknowledges that the 2022 vintage is one of the most powerful ever produced at the estate, yet maintains that, at this early stage, everything seems to be in check.

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The next release of this campaign is Château Montrose. It is being offered by the international trade for £1,746 per 12×75, a 28.4% increase on the 2021’s opening price (£1,360 a case). It is a very high scoring vintage and still at a discount to the 2016 vintage as seen below.

Neal Martin (Vinous) awarded the wine a barrel range of 97-99 points, lauding the ‘focused, superb concentration’ in Montrose’s ‘trademark sense of symmetry.’ He notes that ‘this could be the finest Saint- Estèphe in 2022.’

‘Unrolls to show the depth and class of Montrose,’ writes Jane Anson (Inside Bordeaux) who scored it 97 points. She goes on to praise the ‘intensity’ and ‘depth of expression,’ praising its ability to have ‘density without shouting.’

Lisa Perrotti-Brown (Wine Independent) gave it a range of 98-100 points. She highlights the ‘vibrant and shimmery’ finish alongside the palate, which she describes as ‘a firework display’ of flavour.

William Kelley (Wine Advocate) echoed the enthusiasm for the 2022 Montrose, scoring the wine 99-100 points. In his words: ‘such a compelling wine that assigning it a bracketed score seems a mere formality.’

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