Villemaurine 2022 (750ML)

94-96 JD / 94-95 JS / 93-95 WI / 94 DE / 92-94+ VM / 93 JA

Newly acquired by the Lefévère family (Sansonnet, Soutard Cadet, and Moulin du Cadet), Château Villemaurine covers eight hectares of vines (six are in production) planted on pure limestone soils just beside the village. Based on 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc aging in 70% new barrels, the 2022 Château Villemaurine has a killer bouquet of black raspberry and cassis-like fruits interwoven with liquid flowers, camphor, and chalky minerality. With integrated oak, medium to full body, ripe tannins, and a great mix of both richness and freshness, this is a brilliant wine in the making, and I suspect the best is still to come from this address. - Jeb Dunnuck

Lots of blue fruit with chalk and white pepper. Medium body. Linear and bright. Tight and very long. Excellent potential. Tasted twice with consistent notes. - James Suckling

The 2022 Villemaurine, 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc, is very deep purple black in color. It has a wonderfully fragrant nose of candied violets, cinnamon, cloves, and Sichuan pepper with a powerful core of blueberry pie and black cherries. The full-bodied palate is dense and muscular, with black and blue fruit layers supported by a refreshing backbone and soft tannins, finishing with an exotic spice lift. pH 3.42. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Wine Independent

Cool blue fruits and crushed stones on the nose, smells fresh and lively. Supple and juicy, really quite fun with high acidity giving this a just shy of sharp tang before a cool, stony mentality comes in providing freshness. Well worked, they didn't push too far here and this has lovely terroir markers, linear, focussed and straight to the point. Appealing energy, density and push. Still quite chalky and powdery on the finish, almost too much, but it keeps the enjoyment while the power runs subtly underneath. A success in 2022. A yield of 38hl/ha. Ageing 16 months, 70% new French oak barrels, 30% second fill 500l wooden casks and two amphoras. HVE3 certified. Same owners as Ch Sansonnet, Moulin du Cadet and Soutard Cadet. Rolland & Associés consultants. Tasted twice. - Georgina Hindle, Decanter

The 2022 Villemaurine is an absolute joy. Rich and opulent to the core, the 2022 packs a serious punch. Inky dark fruit, chocolate, cloves, menthol and licorice infuse the 2022 with tremendous depth. Bright saline notes extend the finish effortlessly. Villemaurine is a big, heady wine, but all the elements are so well balanced. Tasted three times. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media

Inky in colour for Villemaurine, intensely concentrated while still delivering the limestone signature and fingerprints. Expect cocoa bean, mirabelle plum, saffran, white pepper, closed down at first then deliciously stretched out as it opens through the palate. Impressive. The Lefevre family of Château Sansonnet took over as new owners in 2021 so this is their first full vintage. 70% new oak, plus a few amphora. - Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux