2022 Grand Puy Lacoste

79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Merlot. 38 hl/ha. Purple-black colour. Rich and concentrated, packed with fruit and tannin. Huge depth, the tannins powerful but refined. Slight glow on the finish. Real Pauillac power. Imposing wine that will need some time but all the components are there. (JL)

A rich wine that is rather youthful at this stage, with rich but fresh aromas of black and blue fruit, violets and fine wood spices, which will integrate soon. On the palate this is flavorful and well structured, with fine, dusty tannins. As with many left-bank wines in Bordeaux, the tannins this year changed from fine-grained to super dusty and mealy, which means higher phenolic ripeness. 79% cabernet sauvignon and 21% merlot. 14% alcohol. The tannins make you want to drink it now, but it’ll be better from 2029 when the oak integrates. From a vertical tasting at the winery.

The 2022 Grand-Puy-Lacoste has turned out nicely in bottle, unwinding in the glass with aromas of cassis and plums mingled with notions of rose petal, tobacco leaf and pencil shavings. Medium to full-bodied, bright and velvety, with a layered core of fruit and powdery structuring tannins, it's beautifully balanced.