2022 Vintage Union des Grands Crus

Tasting wines at the Union des Grands Crus – or any large event – is always an interesting and enjoyable experience. It’s worth keeping in mind that some tasting formats are conducive to investigating certain hypotheses and not others. For example, any very young wine (as tasted as UGC) may weave in and out of accessibility, articulate for a time and then withdrawn. So detailed notes on individual wines can be possible in moments when they’re open but just as easily it can be easy to miss what’s there. Nevertheless, these impressions can be helpful – both to compare to en primeur notes as well as to refer back to as the wines evolve in bottle.

Perhaps the most useful aspect of the UGC tastings is the opportunity to gain broad impressions about the style of the vintage, the performance of particular regions (sometimes as broad-brush as one bank of the other, in some circumstances even more specific to appellations), and to estates which might be up-and-coming. I had already tasted about 60 wines from the 2022 vintage in Bordeaux prior to the UGC but having the opportunity to zoom out and see dry and sweet, white and red, Left Bank and Right really does help to form a coherent opinion as to the vintage.

To start with, I like the 2022s very much; the combination of depth without excess alcohol makes them undoubtedly appealing. There are certainly some acids which seem unusually low – most in Sauternes where one had to wait quite a long time for botrytis (which was very good when it came) and in wines where Merlot strongly predominates in Péssac-Léognan and the Right Bank (Cabernet Franc seems to help freshen them). Acidity in the Northern Médoc is relatively well preserved and I actually had to loop back to Saint-Julien at the end of the tasting to ensure the perception of low acidities on the Right Bank and in Péssac were indeed correct rather than reflective of palate fatigue.

Yet even with a relatively low acid, the wines don’t come across as flabby or listless. Rather, they come across as particularly gourmand in a way. They will be pleasurable wines to drink. That said, I recall some small berry weights in the Médoc when I visited in September 2022 and the situation might be even more pronounced for the usually-larger Merlots. The result being that many Merlot-dominant wines can be shockingly tannic. So while that low acidity lends a certain lavishness, we’ll have to wait for the tannins to integrate.

Ultimately, these are wines that will be worth waiting for. I like the wines from both banks, dry and sweet, red and white. It’s regular in that way. It’s also worth noting what these wines aren’t – they aren’t overripe or dessicated, there’s no marked discrepancy between alcoholic and technical ripeness. This challenging growing season has resulted in not only great success, but potentially some useful insights into the nature of making superb Bordeaux in climate extremes.

• 2022 Château Les Carmes Haut-Brion

  France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

  Black fruit and mineral fill the nose, a little vegetal element must originate with the whole cluster treatment. Very tannic and perhaps a bit low acid. 40% CF, 34% CS, 26% M. I've enjoyed modern Les Carmes Haut-Brion, but admit I am mystified by the school of thought that puts this in the highest tier.

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• 2022 Domaine de Chevalier

  France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

  Small, fine, dark berries, coffee, black earth. Nice acidity for the AOC this year which is good given the mass of tannic and full body. Should develop very nicely.

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• 2022 Domaine de Chevalier Blanc

  France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

  Fleshy, creamy pineapple - good acid but not bracingly so. Should be impressive.

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• 2022 Château Haut-Bailly

  France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

  Pretty spectacular - musky red and black cherry, bricky, baked earth - just perfect Pessac. Floral and pretty but glorious sap, full in the mouth. Maybe a hair low in acid as is pretty common among '22s outside of the Médoc.

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• 2022 Château Pape Clément Blanc

  France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

  Nice custardy richness, lemon curd. Good presence in the mouth, expanding nicely.

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• 2022 Château Pape Clément

  France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

  Polished, dense - biggish, not its easiest today. Very, very tannic.

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• 2022 Château Smith Haut Lafitte

  France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

  Not easy to understand today; very oaky, shrouding the rest but the fundamental substance seems to be there. The ABV does rear its head; the 14.5% may be a problem.

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• 2022 Château Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc

  France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

  Wonderful; intense, peach candies, nice (and necessary) acid without cutting.

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• 2022 Château Beau-Séjour Bécot

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Saint-Émilion Grand Cru

  Creamy black summer fruit, soft and supple with a pleasant mineral and floral elements. Grippy, slightly lowish acid. This should be very good and I can imagine its decadence really appealing by perhaps 15.

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• 2022 Château Berliquet

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Saint-Émilion Grand Cru

  Pretty soft, pomegranate and blue-fruited, floral potpourri inflected. Slightly warm in the mouth.

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• 2022 Château Canon

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Saint-Émilion Grand Cru

  Impressive - broad, soft, black fruited; decadent but not fat. Good acid in the mouth, all the more impressive for the year. ABV seems relatively under control.

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• 2022 Château Canon-la-Gaffelière

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Saint-Émilion Grand Cru

  Really good - I love the freshness of the Cabernet Franc with its mix of rich plum and green peppercorn. 13.9% ABV; very enjoyable.

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• 2022 Château Dassault

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Saint-Émilion Grand Cru

  Nicely red-fruited, easygoing Saint-Émilion. Not profound but satisfying.

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• 2022 Château La Dominique

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Saint-Émilion Grand Cru

  Attractive, red-fruited, a little peppery.

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• 2022 Clos Fourtet

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Saint-Émilion Grand Cru

  Fleshy but no fat on it; red and black summer fruit, blackcurrant preserve, mineral. A good expression of the vintage avoiding its potential excesses - lowish acid, relatively tannic, alcohol well managed.

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• 2022 Château Franc-Mayne

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Saint-Émilion Grand Cru

  Showing its Merlot; a little freshness from Cabernet Franc (25%) - but pretty primordial with plenty of oak and lots of tannin to integrate.

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• 2022 Château Pavie Macquin

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Saint-Émilion Grand Cru

  Really nice sea breeze, blueberry, purple floral. Good flesh in the mouth - really gourmand, decadent yet there's enough acid there to prevent flabbiness. Intriguingly fennel-inflected. With the Canon, one of my favorite right banks of the UGC.

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• 2022 Château La Tour Figeac

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Saint-Émilion Grand Cru

  Dark red berries freshened with a little green peppercorn (40% Cabernet Franc). Tannic, good acid.

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• 2022 Château Valandraud

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Saint-Émilion Grand Cru

  Pretty oaky on the nose and even more so on the mouth - one of the only wines at the UGC which is so heavily touched by the vessel of its élevage. Very tannic. The underlying material is shrouded by all of it.

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• 2022 Château Beauregard

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol

  Purple fruit, clay and violet. Not profound and perhaps missing a little acid, but a delicious mouthful of Pomerol.

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• 2022 Château La Cabanne

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol

  Purple-fruited, clay, round, pleasant.

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• 2022 Château Clinet

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol

  Really nice texture; reminds me of biting into a fresh Périgord truffle with its black fruit and mineral earthiness. Nice presence in the mouth. This will take some time to integrate its oak, but in 15 years or so this should be very satisfying.

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• 2022 Château Le Gay Pomerol

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol

  Big but not top heavy; round, black-fruited, a little robust - impressive, full-bodied. When this eats its oak, it should be really good.

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• 2022 Château Gazin Pomerol

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol

  Flattering, full, purple-fruited, floral, slightly low acid but rather than flabby it simply feels gourmand and joyful.

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• 2022 Château Petit Village

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol

  Rich and polished at first then the tannin hits; relatively simple but very pleasant - a good future ahead, I think.

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• 2022 Château Rouget

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol

  Red and minerally, different from the other Pomerols on show in view of its redness.

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• 2022 Château Chasse-Spleen

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Moulis en Médoc

  Black and blue fruit - a little juicy and lots of grippy tannin.

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• 2022 Château Maucaillou

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Moulis en Médoc

  I like Maucaillou but only got to this late in the tasting; very tannic.

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• 2022 Château Fourcas Hosten

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Listrac-Médoc

  Nice freshness on the nose, mineral, red fruit - a little light but round int eh mouth, relatively low acid.

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• 2022 Château Brane-Cantenac

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux

  Juicy blue fruit, floral touch, lovely violetty nose; a gorgeous mouthful - great balance. A real winner.

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• 2022 Château Cantenac Brown

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux

  Big, spicy in the mouth - difficult to taste today with a relatively heavy oak influence. This was easier to understand at Terre des Vins in 2023.

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• 2022 Château Dauzac

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux

  Lovely fruit, soft, easy, and floral - should be charming. Perhaps a hair of Brett on this bottle; not quite as articulate as an example at Terre des Vins last year.

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• 2022 Château Desmirail

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux

  Fullish, appealing - really nice blue/black fruitiness with a slightly floral kiss. A good wine from an estate I don't really know well.

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• 2022 Château Giscours

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux

  A very reductive example at the UGC, difficult to assess but biggish in the mouth and reasonably tannic. A bigger whack than most of the Margaux on show; curious to see how this is when it finishes getting dressed.

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• 2022 Château Kirwan

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux

  A little tough to assess owing to its reduction and oak; must revisit.

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• 2022 Château Lascombes

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux

  Rich, deep, blueberry and floral, quite tannic. Looking forward to seeing what Axel Heinz does here; he joined Lascombes in time for the 2022's assemblage.

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• 2022 Château Malescot St. Exupéry

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux

  Cherry, sweet strawberry, deliciously succulent, wildflower-inflected fragrance. Lots of appeal; good balance.

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• 2022 Château Rauzan-Ségla

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux

  Lovely, stylish, jellied blue-black fruit, slightly violetty. Winsome.

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• 2022 Château Siran

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux

  Pleasant and singing, fresh, clear red fruit. Should be a very enjoyable drink relatively early in life.

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• 2022 Château du Tertre

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux

  Pretty nose, a little green and spicy - curiously for the vintage, a little underripe? Medium weight.

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• 2022 Château Beychevelle

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Saint-Julien

  Lovely, plush fine, firm wall of black fruit on the nose and palate, bay on teh finish - showing well, perhaps slightly low acid?

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• 2022 Château Branaire-Ducru

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Saint-Julien

  Wonderful to have another encounter at UGC; silky, red, floral, gorgeous in the mouth.

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• 2022 Château Gloria

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Saint-Julien

  Very pleasant blackcurrant; fullish and welcoming, one of the better Glorias.

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• 2022 Château Gruaud Larose

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Saint-Julien

  Gorgeous nose, dark and intriguing, wild raspberry, goes on and on with a little pine floor. Biggish and with abundant but refined tannin, fresh and balanced.

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• 2022 Château Lagrange (St. Julien)

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Saint-Julien

  Another great showing; perfect boysenberry nose - such cut for its polish.

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• 2022 Château Langoa Barton

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Saint-Julien

  Glorious nose even now, cherry, raspberry, and rose, powdery and full - gorgeous. Variation on a theme of the 2009; silky mouthfeel yet great acid.

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• 2022 Château Léoville Barton

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Saint-Julien

  Slightly withdrawn on the nose at the UGC, but long, balanced, and very obviously promising. A second bottle full-throttle. A little easier to understand during the en primeur tastings.

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• 2022 Château Léoville Poyferré

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Saint-Julien

  Sweet and sunny character but in the best sense - succulent red, blue, and black fruit with a slightly marine influence and floral touch. A delight. Not as much grip in the mouth as I recall and good acid for the year.

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• 2022 Château Saint-Pierre

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Saint-Julien

  Blue and black, really impressive, easier to taste than I recall. Full bodied, deep, relatively tannic but managed.

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• 2022 Château Talbot

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Saint-Julien

  Beautiful richness to the dark-fruited nose, plum and black cherry, bay leaf. Welcoming and full yet serious. Beautiful roundness in the mouth. pH 3.71 - very nice acid for the year.

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• 2022 Château Batailley

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  Full, fresh blackberry and currant, pencilly, a little nori. Beautiful depth and Pauillac character.

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• 2022 Château Clerc Milon

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  Fleshy blueberry, currant, lovely richness. Long in the mouth. A pleasure.

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• 2022 Château d'Armailhac

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  Soft, mixed-berry fruit, delicately perfumed. The tannin creeps up on you but the palate manages to feel creamy nonetheless. As is usually the case, d'Armailhac is a lighter rendition of Pauillac but it's very pleasant. Zippy acid, which shouldn't be taken for granted in '22.

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• 2022 Château Duhart-Milon

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  Pretty, sweet strawberry, spicy, slightly green-inflected - reminiscent of sage. Round, juicy, and lovely. Mineral and unsmoked cigar in the mouth, a little jellied fruit character. Long in the mouth. Really delicious!

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• 2022 Château Grand-Puy Ducasse

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  Pretty palate, juicy blackcurrant, lovely flesh and roundness without flabbiness. Mineral in the mouth, finishing very well with a wild strawberry note. Delicious. 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot.

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• 2022 Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  Glorious in the mouth, full of Pauillac black fruit with a little pencil shavings - fresh, salty, carrying the lovely roundness of the vintage in a classical frame at the same time. Beautifully juicy.

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• 2022 Château Haut-Batailley

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  Quiet nose but really nice on the palate; mid-weight, quite tannic among many tannic '22s.

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• 2022 Château Lynch-Bages

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  Boysenberry, blackcurrant, inky, saturated, and sapid with great length - more tannic than most of the '22 Pauillacs on show.

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• 2022 Château Lynch-Moussas

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  Nice, full, cool blueberry and curranty attack. Loads of pencil int eh mouth; fresh and flattering. Should be really good! 74% CS, 26%M. ~92-93

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• 2022 Château Pichon-Longueville Baron

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  Blackberry and coals, a characterful ashen, marine palate; serious, exciting. Very Pichon Baron. I very much look forward to watching this develop.

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• 2022 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  An interesting - perhaps unique - synthesis among the 2022s on show in terms of its great prettiness and substantial tannin. Black-fruited, generous, slightly nutty; it should be fascinating and enjoyable in equal part to watch this develop.

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• 2022 Château Cos Labory

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Saint-Estèphe

  Nice, fresh, dark-fruited nose; marine minerality and a plummy juiciness in the mouth. Shows some good spirit of the hill of Cos.

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• 2022 Château Ormes de Pez

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Saint-Estèphe

  Pretty, sweet red fruit, red spices, high toned, friendly, round and creamy.

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• 2022 Château de Pez

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Saint-Estèphe

  Spicy palate, red-fruited, a little black pepper.

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• 2022 Château Phélan Ségur

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Saint-Estèphe

  Delicious in the mouth, purple-fruited and clay, nice grip - should be great.

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• 2022 Château Doisy-Daëne

  France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Barsac

  Big, full in the mouth, beautiful honey notes, lowish acid (3.9 pH) 100% Semillon.

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• 2022 Château Doisy-Védrines

  France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes

  Pleasant but the lowish acid is felt a little more here than elsewhere.

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• 2022 Château Guiraud

  France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes

  Full of beeswax and honey; interestingly, doesn't seem extraordinarily sweet which should make it pretty versatile.

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• 2022 Château Suduiraut

  France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes

  Honey and orange - glorious. See prior.

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• 2022 Château La Tour Blanche Sauternes

  France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes

  Lovely honey and passionfruit - really delicious and such great chew in the mouth. 85% Semillion, 10% Sauvignon Blanc, 5% Muscadelle. 140g/L.

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