Just released today is the 2022 Château d’Armailhac from Baron Philippe de Rothschild's stable of properties in Pauillac. Situated next door to Mouton, it was first planted with vines in 1750 and known as Mouton d’Armailhacq in the 18th century, and has been in the Rothschild portfolio since 1933. Lots of recent investment has taken place in the cellars, and the new technical director, Lucie Lauilhé is getting herself established following the retirement of Jean-Paul Paultert, after 29 years in the post. Given that it is adjacent to Château Mouton Rothschild on the north and west sides, and receives the same care and attention from the Rothschild team, it represent superb value for Pauillac!
Following on from d'Armailhac, there are a couple more releases today worth taking a look at - a super white and red Pessac-Léognan from Malartic Lagravière. Having enjoyed an excellent reputation from the beginning of the nineteenth century, Château Malartic-Lagravière is one of only six properties to be classified in both red and white wines in the 1953 Graves classification. Since its creation in the 18th century, only four families have owned Malartic. It was purchased from Laurent-Perrier in 1997 by the Bonnie family, who have since invested heavily in both the infrastructure and the environment, resulting in a great lift in quality in recent years.
Château Haut-Bages Libéral, which belonged to the Libéral family in the 1800s, is so named for being at the top of the hill of Bages on the edge of Pauillac and Saint-Julien next to Pichon Baron, while the other half of its vineyards neighbor those of Latour. Now owned by Claire Villars Lurton with consulting by rock-star oenologist Eric Boissenot, the property recently built a new cellar, farms organically, and is in transition to biodynamic practices. This is one of Pauillac's lesser-known properties but following these updates and with the superb positioning of its vineyards this is likely to change.
Trotte Vieille is a small estate owned by the Castéja family of just 12 hectares, eight of which are located in a walled clos. Planted with a large percentage of Cabernet Franc, including a parcel of ancient, pre-phylloxera vines from which a massale selection has been taken, soils are shallow clay over limestone—entirely different from the deep clays of neighbor Troplong Mondot (the vineyard's exposition is different too). Vinification is quite gentle, though temperature is maintained at around 30 degrees Celsius at the end of maceration, and since 2010 or so, winemaking is more reductive. In the cellar, 100% new oak is the order of the day, but the toasts chosen are not especially impactful, and this naturally concentrated, lively wine seems to have no trouble digesting it.
Don't miss this opportunity to secure your stock at the opening prices.
Our 2022 Bordeaux Vintage Report is now available, and as always, our 2022 Futures Landing Page is updated with the new releases each day, and includes our Wines of the Vintage, Standout Mid-Range Wines, Over-Achievers and Value Drinkers. We'll continue sending offers on the most compelling wines as they are released...stay tuned!
"2022 is certainly the greatest overall vintage I have ever tasted." - Andy Lench of Bordeaux Wine Locators on his 37th vintage tasted en primeur.
"This is the 40th year I have tasted barrel samples in Bordeaux, but I have never come across anything like the 2022 vintage. It was one of the hottest and driest growing seasons in the history of France’s most famous wine region, yet it produced thousands of opulent and structured but still fresh and balanced wines. They are exciting...it was a joyous and fascinating experience to taste so many special wines. And there was high quality from top to bottom. The 2022 vintage really is something unique." - James Suckling
2022 D'Armailhac (Pauillac)
GVWM Standout Mid-Range Wine, Over-Achiever & Value Drinker
96-97 JS / 94-96 JD / 95 DE / 93-95 VM / 93-95 WI / 94 JA / 92-94 WA
It will surely be irresistible once it reaches its peak. You've been warned. - Neal Martin, Vinous Media
Strongly scented and perfumed on the nose, dark fruits, lively and lithe, supple and smooth on the palate, richly concentrated in terms of fruit density but sleek and stylish on the palate with a burst of bright and fresh blackcurrants and black cherries. Has a tang to it, the acidity and liveliness fills the mid palate before the stony tannins come in towards the end and give this bite and focus. More tense and streamlined than Clerc Milon, but so poised and finessed. This has bite and tension, the Cabernet speaks with liquorice, tobacco and clove subtly giving the spice at the end, but also a fresh mintiness. You can taste the gravel and the clay, putting the terroir in the glass. Really quite profound with concentrated fruit, juiciness and mouthwatering acidity. Fresh and lifted on the finish, you want more of this, but it will take some time to be more charming given its serious nature right now. One to wait for and be glad you did. 3.83pH. 11.3% press wine - usually at 7-8% maximum. 2% Petit Verdot completes the blend. HVE3 certified. Tasted twice. 50% new barrels. - Georgina Hindle, Decanter
$57.29 ea. 750ml | Future | BUY NOW
See our full list of D'Armailhac >
2022 Trotte Vieille (Saint Emilion)
98-99 JS / 96-98 WI / 97 DE / 95-97 JD / 94-96 WA / 94-96 VM
A striking and seriously impressive Trotte Vieille in 2022. Serious and strong aromatically, fully expressive with dark ripe bramble fruits, softly fragrant with gentle perfumed nuances. Bright and alive in the glass, has some tension, a sense of linearity and focus, with not much expansiveness at this point but the tannin detail and definition is exceptional with a soft creamy, chalky, powdery and firm texture. So refined, feels almost light in the mouth but there’s concentration and power underneath with mouthwatering acidity keeping the sense of life. Extremely well constructed with poise and a sense of definition to the overall frame. Very precise and totally moreish in a brooding way. A very complete wine with so much to like. 100% new oak. 60% grand vin. 30hl/ha. 3.70pH. First vintage fully operating in the new gravity fed cellar. - Georgina Hindle, Decanter
$84.58 ea. 750ml | Future | BUY NOW
2022 Malartic Lagraviere Rouge (Pessac Leognan)
94-96+ VM / 96 DE / 96 JA / 95-96 JS / 94-96 WI / 93-95 JD
Round, concentrated, vibrant and dynamic, a lovely burst of intense red and black fruits before quite serious tannins take hold in the mouth. Fine but full, they give the frame and the structure, setting the tone for a serious wine while the fruit and freshnes softly expand giving an aerial element to the finish. A lovely wine with intensity and detail, not the most demonstrative or juicy and appealing right now, but really well made and delivered. Supple, bright, chalky, chewy, this wine has intensity and precision. A little bit serious towards the end, the fruit just losing some focus, where it becomes more about the tannins and freshness but lots to like here with good potential. 1.5% Cabernet Franc. A yield 27hl/ha. HVE3 certified. - Georgina Hindle, Decanter
$49.29 ea. 750ml | Future | BUY NOW
See our full list of Malartic Lagraviere Rouge >
2022 Malartic Lagraviere Blanc (Pessac Leognan)
97-98 JS / 94-97 JD / 94 DE / 94 JA / 92-94 WI / 91-93 VM
Up with the crème de la crème, the 2022 Château Malartic-Lagravière Blanc is based on 76% Sauvignon Blanc and 24% Sémillon, all of which is still aging in 50% new French oak. It has an incredible bouquet of honeyed citrus, grapefruit, and flowers to go with medium to full-bodied richness and depth on the palate. It’s concentrated, has a great texture, nicely integrated acidity, and a brilliant finish. Yields here were a miniscule 18 hectoliters per hectare, and the Grand Vin is a selection of only 44% of the total production. - Jeb Dunnuck
$65.29 ea. 750ml | Future | BUY NOW
2022 Haut Bages Liberal (Pauillac)
GVWM Value Drinker
96-97 JS / 94-96 VM / 95 DE / 93-95 WA / 93-95 JD
The 2022 Haut-Bages-Libéral is lovely, bursting with aromas of blackberries and cherries mingled with notions of orange zest, rose petals and violets. Medium to full-bodied, fleshy and gourmand, with lively acids and a bright, chalky finish, its low pH of 3.54 reflects a decade of organic farming and the limestone subsoils that characterize this sector of Pauillac. - William Kelley, Wine Advocate
$48.88 ea. 750ml | Future | BUY NOW
2% discount for orders placed with a wire or personal check.*
Please click here to send us your order via our contact page, or call 360.350.4896 and we will be glad to assist you. (*Minimum order of $1000 for domestic wire, or $5000 for international wire. No minimum for personal check. For wines eligible for 5% case/9L discounts, maximum discount is 5%.)
Interested in a wine not on our website, or in placing a non-committed pre-order for particular 2022 Bordeaux? Click here to send us your list and we will advise as soon as the wines are available.
BOTTLING CHARGES FOR OTHER FORMATS Please note: Most Chateaux will be able to bottle your orders in the below formats. Click here or call +360.350.4896 if you are interested in any of the following options and they are not listed on our website:
375 ML - 12 x 750ml price + $40.00 per case (min. order of 12 x 375ml)
1.5 L - 12 x 750ml price + $36 per case (min. order of 6 x 1.5L)
3.0 L - 4 x 750ml price + $70 each | 6.0 L - 8 x 750ml price + $110 each
9.0 L - 12 x 750ml price + $180 each | 12.0 L - 16 x 750ml price + $210 each
15.0 L - 24 x 750ml price + $275 each | 18.0 L - 20 x 750ml price + $325 each
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Grand Vin Wine Merchants · 2950 32nd Ave SW · Suite A · Tumwater, Washington 98512 · United States (360) 350-4896
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