2022 St Pierre (St Julien)

Aromas of cassis, blackberries, pencil shavings and licorice introduce the 2022 Saint-Pierre, a medium to full-bodied, velvety and suave wine that's rich but integrated, concluding with a clean, gently tannic finish. A touch less flamboyant than this estate could be in the past, it's a more classical expression of this estate.

A blend of 87% Merlot and 13% Cabernet Franc, the 2022 Saint-Pierre (Pomerol) displays a complex, elegant bouquet of cassis, mulberries, tobacco, lead pencil and licorice intertwined with notably fewer oaky notes than usual. Medium to full-bodied, layered and textured, it's enveloping with a fleshy core of fruit and velvety tannins that segue into a long, ethereal, mineral and open-knit finish.

Ripe plums, leafy tobacco, rose petals, and exotic flower notes all emerge from the 2022 Château Saint-Pierre (Pomerol), a more lifted, exotic Pomerol based on 87% Merlot and 13% Cabernet Franc. It brings ample fruit, is medium to full-bodied, has a certain meaty, bloody, iron-like character, and offers beautiful mid-palate density. I was able to taste two bottles of this, with a little bit of inconsistency, but I think it’s just young and needs a few years to really round into form and show its true potential.