Château Margaux is one of the original Premier Cru Classé properties of 1855, and one of the grandest, most imposing châteaux in the Médoc. Viticulture has been practiced on the estate for several centuries. Margaux was revitalized in 1978 after being bought by the Mentzenopoulos family and is currently owned by the daughter Corinne. For more than two decades the wine making was done by the gifted Paul Pontallier, who passed away in 2016, and who is credited for making significant improvements to the wines. Winemaking is now overseen by Philippe Bascaules, who worked alongside Pontallier for 21 years, and the run of incredible wines has continued. The 2022 is no exception!
Château Smith Haut Lafitte have released their two cracking Pessac-Leognans this morning which are sure to be in high demand. The 14th Century chateau, placed atop a small gravel knoll (“Lafitte") in Pessac-Leognan, was purchased by a scottish wine merchant named George Smith in the eighteen hundreds to cater to the increasing demand for Bordeaux wines. Both their red and whites are superb quality.
The 2022 Chateau Beausejour is the first vintage overseen completely by Josephine Duffau-Lagarrosse since she took over the estate mid-2021, and it’s clearly grabbed the attention of all the critics with Wine Advocate’s William Kelley stating it "promises to be the finest wine that this superb limestone terroir has produced in at least several decades.” That’s a tall statement considering it had been in the hands of none other than Nicolas Thienpont since the 2009 vintage! The 2022 has the highest ever percentage of Cabernet Franc in the blend at 31% to complement the balance 69% Merlot. "Not only will it be flippin' delicious, but you get the sense that Joséphine is only just getting started." - Neal Martin, Vinous Media
We are also excited to announce the release of the 2022 Château Léoville Las Cases, which Neal Martin has declared to be a tour de force that eclipses the 2018-2020 trio, giving a potentially perfect score. He's not the only one! This revered 2nd Growth is one of the oldest properties in the Medoc and it is without doubt the leading estate in Saint-Julien. The vineyards are superbly sited on gravelly-clay soils with the largest plot being surrounded by a stone wall and stretching between the village of Saint-Julien and their neighbour, Château Latour. In fact many say that it should have been the Sixth First Growth, and with good reason. The 2022 shows off this class to the full, garnering a whole swathe potentially perfect scores.
Last but certainly not least is one of our candidates for wine of the vintage, St Emilion’s Chateau Pavie. The estate has a venerable history, dating back to Roman times, but it has only truly shone in recent years, since its acquisition in 1998 by Gérard Perse. Since then, and following considerable investment, it has rapidly grown in stature, achieving its esteemed status alongside the greatest Chateaux of Saint-Emilion. As of the 2022 vintage the vineyards of Pavie-Decesse and Monbousquet also owned by Perse have been incorporated into Pavie. The estate has been on fire in recent vintages, and in 2022 have produced a great wine which comes in a special bottle to celebrate the 25th harvest of Gerard Perse.
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.
“It reminds me of 1982. But 2022 is better than 1982. In 1982 the yields were 60 hectoliters per hectare. Today, yields are dramatically lower. And as a matter of style, 2022, just like 1982 will be approachable young.” - Michel Rolland
"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 Margaux (Margaux)
98-100 JA / 97-99 JD / 97-99 WI / 97-99 VM / 98 DE / 96-97 WA / 95-96 JS
Stunning in its density and construction, with a gorgeous balance that starts with red rose aromatics and slides into creamy and intense raspberry, damson, loganberry and cassis fruits. The intense structure of the vintage is on display, here with velvety tannins giving shape and contrast by a push and pull of slate, graphite, cloves, turmeric, cardamom and white pepper. Bitter dark chocolate ending, a character of the year but here delivered with a blast of cooling mint leaf. Philippe Bascaules director, harvest September 8 to 27, 25hl/h yield. 100% new oak, to be monitored carefully over ageing because this is the first time they have seen this level of alcohol in the Cabernet Sauvignon. 40% of the crop is into this 1st wine, one of the highest in years. Harvest September 8 to 27. They are slowly changing the row orientation in the vineyard at Margaux, begun last year but a 50 year project, and introducing more Cabernet Franc through field grafting (wanting to get up to maybe 15% of plantings, currently 5%). - Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux
$710.00 ea. 750ml | Future | BUY NOW
See our full list of Margaux >
2022 Pavillon Rouge Du Chateau Margaux (Margaux)
94-96 JD / 94-95 JS / 93-95+ WI / 94 JA / 94 DE / 92-94 WA / 92-94 VM
You could easily mistake the 2022 Pavillon Rouge De Margaux for the Grand Vin here, and truth be told, I wouldn’t be surprised to see this actually evolve better than some of the Grand Vins from just over 10-15 years ago. A blend of 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Petit Verdot (the second wine got all the Petit Verdot in 2022), it offers a deep, medium to full-bodied, seamless profile as well as solid framboise, darker raspberry, currants, sandalwood, and spice aromatics, silky tannins, and outstanding length. The purity and precision paired with this level of texture and richness far exceeds the vast majority of second wines out there. - Jeb Dunnuck
$209.98 ea. 750ml | Future | BUY NOW
See our full list of Pavillon Rouge Du Chateau Margaux >
2022 Smith Haut Lafitte Rouge (Pessac Leognan)
97-98 JS / 97 DE / 97 JA / 96-98 JD / 95-97+ WI / 95-97 VM / 94-95 WA
A real success of the vintage that manages to deliver a bold, structured, concentrated and powerful wine with real terroir signature. You get the impression it’s from a warm vintage, but I love the fact you have texture, volume and weight but keeping the finesse. Fragranced black fruit and purple floral notes with soft medicinal herbal touches on the nose. Sleek and supple, tannins make the impression with juicy blackcurrants, black cherries and strawberries. Excellent tannin definition, they’re filling, massy and round, almost plush but accented by acidity and freshness. Strong signature, you know you're in gravel with Cabernet. Juicy, clean, pure, but with bite and intensity. I love the dark savoury notes too, the cough syrup, liquorice, clove, tobacco and cigar box elements, complex and captivating. 4% press. 3.65pH 30% whole bunch Petit Verdot in the blend. Potential upsore in bottle. 1% Petit Verdot completes the blend. 60% new oak barrels; - Georgina Hindle, Decanter
$156.19 ea. 750ml | Future | BUY NOW
See our full list of Smith Haut Lafitte Rouge >
2022 Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc (Pessac Leognan)
97-98 JS / 97 JA / 95-97 JD / 96 DE / 94-96 VM / 93-95 WI / 93-95 WA
The flagship 2022 Château Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc is a normal blend of 90% Sauvignon Blanc and 5% each of Sauvignon Gris and Sémillon. Aged in 55% new French oak, it shines in the vintage and brings plenty of classic richness and depth while at the same time staying pure, clean, and balanced. Honeyed lemon, orange blossom, white flowers, and crushed stone all define the aromatics, and it has a beautiful mouthfeel that certainly brings the richness and depth of the vintage. This is another gem of a white from this incredible château. - Jeb Dunnuck
$164.19 ea. 750ml | Future | BUY NOW
See our full list of Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc >
2022 Beausejour (Duffau Lagarrosse) (Saint Emilion)
98-100 JA / 98-100 DE / 97-99 WI / 97-98 JS / 96-98+ JD / 95-97 VM
95-97 WA
One of the clear standouts of the vintage! A sensual, fun, salivating and sublime wine from winemaker Joséphine Duffau-Lagarrosse that manages to give such generosity, power, terroir markers and overall drinkability. Aromatic, scented, open and expressive with cherries, blackcurrants, purple flowers and crushed stones. Sleek and supple, sharp, tangy acidity and concentrated ripe fruit - it’s forward and intense, direct but defined and detailed. Fine and supportive tannins have bite and a mineral tang putting you squarely in St-Emilion on limestone. Raw and wild in a way, but so expressive and open - honest and just such a captivating wine that belies the heat of the vintage with its cool menthol, blue fruits and lifted finish. Streamlined and focussed, sustained, determined and characterful - sleek in the best way, this is confident but not showy. Succulent, classy, polished. A brilliant wine. 3.5pH. A yield of 42hl/ha. Harvest 6 - 9 September for Merlot and 23 September for Cabernet Franc. Julien Viaud and Axel Marchal consultants. 98-100 points. - Georgina Hindle, Decanter
$167.98 ea. 750ml | Future | BUY NOW
2022 Leoville Las Cases (Saint Julien)
99-100 JS / 98-100 WA / 98-100 JD / 98-100 VM / 98-100 AG / 98-100 WI
98-100 DE / 97 JA
One of the wines of the vintage this year is the 2022 Léoville Las Cases, a monument in the making that combines unerring classicism with unusual sensuality and charm by the standards of this estate's sometimes youthfully forbidding wines. Exhibiting deep aromas of dark berries, violets, pencil lead, rose petals and tobacco leaf, it's full-bodied, deep and multidimensional, with terrific concentration, beautiful purity of fruit, abundant but refined tannins and a long, vibrant finish. On the several occasions that I tasted it, the 2022 was surprisingly open for a young Las Cases, but it wouldn't surprise me if it were to shut down after a few years in bottle. It's a blend of 83.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10.5% Cabernet Franc and 6% Merlot. - William Kelley, Wine Advocate
$376.89 ea. 750ml | Future | BUY NOW
See our full list of Leoville Las Cases >
2022 Pavie (Saint Emilion)
GVWM Wine of the Vintage
97-99+ WI / 96-98+ JD / 96 DE / 95-96 JS / 94-96 VM / 95 JA
 Released in a special bottle to celebrate the 25th harvest of Gerard Perse, the 2022 Château Pavie checks in as 52% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc, and 18% Cabernet Sauvignon, which is in line with recent vintages, although one important factor is that both Pavie Decesse and Bellevue Mondot will no longer be produced and will are now incorporated into the Château Pavie. Given the quality of those two releases, I don't see that affecting the quality of the Grand Vin. The 2022 sports a deep, saturated purple hue as well as a gorgeous bouquet of ripe cassis, blackcurrants, espresso roast, violets, and chalky minerality. Hitting the palate with full-bodied richness, it has a layered, opulent mouthfeel, velvety tannins, integrated oak, and a great finish. This is another heavenly Pavie that's going to shine with just 5-7 years of bottle age and evolve for 30-40 years or more. - Jeb Dunnuck
$403.49 ea. 750ml | Future | BUY NOW
See our full list of Pavie >
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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