BORDEAUX EN PRIMEUR 2022

Cheval Blanc & Angelus

It is fair to state that the Bordeaux 2022 vintage threw up several surprises. The hot and dry weather conditions throughout the year set record highs for temperature and lows for rainfall. Another surprise was how well the vines seemed to handle these conditions, although yields are down, with berries being very small and thick-skinned. The third and final surprise is how well the resulting wines have turned out, with many showing remarkable freshness and balance, with superb aromatics combined with the structure to age. Not all chateaux fared well, but those who had put in the hours in their vineyards and understood how to handle the grapes when they arrived in their cellars have produced an exciting set of wines.
  • The temptation to make comparisons with previous hot, dry vintages such as 1976 or 2003 should be resisted. Instead, 2022 has more in common with 2005, 2009, 2010, and 2018.
     
  • Merlot, often grown on clay soils which retain moisture, particularly on the Right Bank, showed particularly well in this vintage, conveying an unusual level of aromatics and complexity.
     
  • This was a vintage which demonstrated the advances in viticulture since 2003. The use of cover crops between rows of vines aided water retention, unlike the bare soils prevalent in 2003. Canopy management, particularly the use of foliage to shade ripening grapes, has advanced considerably.
     
  • Most vignerons now recognize the crucial importance of harvesting dates. Those who made the wrong decision failed to capture the optimum balance between sugar, acidity, and physiological ripeness.
     
  • The top chateaux are now equipped with an array of fermentation vessels of varying sizes, enabling them to harvest small blocks at the optimum level of ripeness.
     
  • This was a vintage which favoured properties with a high proportion of mature vines. Young vines lack the deep roots to access water, particularly on sandy or gravel soils.
     
  • High tannin and alcohol levels but notably low malic acid levels. The high pH encourages microbial spoilage so wines are more vulnerable to develop volatile acidity and Brettanomyces during élevage.
     
TERMS & CONDITIONS
  • BOTTLING Prices are for standard 750ml bottles. Wines can be bottled in half bottles, magnums, or other formats for an additional charge. Please provide special bottling instructions before 31 August 2023.
     
  • STORAGE There will be storage charges if we do not receive any shipping instructions before 30 Nov 2024. The charge will be HK$300 per annum per case or per large format bottle (9L-case). Cellarage invoices will be raised on 1 January 2025. If you wish to collect your wine early, we will refund you the remaining full month(s) storage fee on a pro-rata basis.
     
  • SHIPPING COST HK$180 per case inclusive of insurance. Please instruct us in advance for special shipping arrangements.
     
  • OFFER Please note that the following wines are offered ex-cellars Bordeaux. And they are available in units of 6 or 12 bottles per case. The minimum order will be 12 bottles (750ml) per wine. They will be available for delivery in Spring/Summer 2025. Payment upon receipt of invoice.
*Denotes limited availability | WA = William Kelley | JS = James Suckling |
AG = Antonio Galloni | JR = James Lawther
CHÂTEAU CHEVAL BLANC, SAINT-ÉMILION 2022*
WA 97-99, JS 99-100, AG 98-100, JR 18.5

€550.00 / 750ml

WA 97-99… One of the stars of the vintage is the striking 2022 Cheval Blanc, a blend of 53% Merlot, 46% Cabernet Franc and 1% Cabernet Sauvignon that bursts from the glass with aromas of mulberries, cherries and wild berries mingled with mint, orange zest, pencil lead, vine smoke and exotic spices. Medium to full-bodied, velvety and layered,
it's rich and gourmand, with beautifully refined tannins, lively acids and a long, saline, pungently perfumed finish. Harvest began on 29 August, with all the Merlot picked before the month was out, and the result is a wine that is as vibrant as it is lavish.

JS 99-100… This is a wine that soars to new heights with its brightness and weightlessness. The balance of serene fruit that’s perfectly ripe. Full-bodied yet tight and polished where it seems delicate and compressed, with berry, chocolate and walnut character. The finish is endless and poised.

AG 98-100… The 2022 Cheval Blanc is shaping up to be one of the wines of the vintage. Deep, seamless and striking in its beauty, the 2022 possesses pedigree to burn. Readers will find a sumptuous wine, but there’s plenty of tannin lurking beneath all of that intensity. In fact, the 2022 is the most tannic Cheval since 2010. The aromatics are surprisingly vibrant for a wine from a warm, dry year. The wine's energy is palpable. The 100% new oak is not all perceptible, which is another sign of top-notch balance. Time in the glass brings out a whole range of exotic Franc notes, followed by blood orange, red fruit, mind and dried herb touches. The 2022 includes 17% press wine (compared to the 11% or so that is typical), but as I have noted in my comments elsewhere in this report, the press lots were of high quality in 2022 because the winemaking was gentle. Once again, Cheval Blanc represents a pinnacle of excellence.

JR 18.5… Floral notes from the Cabernet Franc with a hint of mint and chocolate. Sumptuous texture, the fruit juicy and fresh but the perception silky and smooth. Powerfully built but ripe tannins behind. Delicious and just so refined. One of the wines of the vintage.
CHÂTEAU ANGELUS, SAINT-ÉMILION 2022
WA 96-98, JS 98-99, AG 93-95, JR 17.5+

€410.00 / 750ml

WA 96-98… This estate's shift in the direction of gentler extraction and more reductive, less overtly oaky élevage continues, and this extreme vintage only underlines that. Fermented at cool temperatures (20 to 23 degrees Celsius), and with an increasing proportion of the wine's Cabernet Franc component matured in large wooden foudres, the 2022 Angélus
wafts from the glass with deep aromas of dark berries and cherries mingled with hints of iris, licorice and pencil lead. Full-bodied, deep and seamless, with a layered core of cool, vibrant fruit, powdery tannins and a long, saline finish, it's a brilliant young wine in the making. The 2022 is a blend of 53% Merlot, 46% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot.

JS 98-99… So many beautiful primary fruit aromas. Al dente. Peaches. Very floral. Aromatic. Full-bodied and extremely fine tannins with length and beauty that show incredible depth. Superb brightness and reality. Exciting. Cabernet franc freshness and dynamics come through now, even though the blend is 60% merlot and 40% cabernet franc.

AG 93-95… The 2022 Angélus is racy and super-expressive right out of the gate. These days a more restrained style has become the norm at Angélus, and yet there is plenty of mid-palate pliancy and overall richness. As good as this is, the most impressive 2022s I tasted at Angélus were straight out of barrel, which makes me think the Grand Vin could perhaps be at another level with a bit more selection. Even so, the 2022 is quite alluring.

JR 17.5+… Purple-black hue. Dense, dark and spicy. Beautifully textured, the tannins ripe and smooth. Plenty of lift and no exaggeration. Firm, long and crunchy on the finish. Substantial but measured. 
LE CARILLON DE L'ANGELUS, SAINT-ÉMILION 2022
WA 91-93, JS 94-95, JR 16.5+

€105.00 / 750ml

WA 91-93… Unfurling in the glass with notions of raspberries, red plums, sweet soil tones and truffle, the 2022 Le Carillon d'Angélus is medium to full-bodied, fleshy and vibrant, with powdery tannins and a long, saline finish. As readers will remember, this bottling is no longer a "second wine" per se, but rather draws on some 25 hectares of dedicated
vineyards, emphasizing Merlot from the cool terroirs of Saint-Christophe-des-Bardes, complemented by holdings in the gravelly Figeac sector and on clay soils near Angélus itself—with anything that doesn't make the cut relegated to the No. 3 d'Angélus.

JS 94-95… A very fresh and vivid red with crunchy and bright character. Citrus rind as well. Medium-bodied. Fine taninned with a vivid finish. Precise.

JR 16.5… Precise in execution, the aroma lifted and refined, the texture of tannin pure and exact. Nothing overblown, the fruit remaining juicy. Harmonious. 
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All prices are listed in Euro (EUR)
All prices shown are applicable to regular-sized bottles (750ml)
Minimum order of one case of 12 bottles (750ml) or two cases of 6 bottles (750ml) per wine
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