2022 Bordeaux generic AOC wines are anything but generic. There are numerous reasons why wines fit in this category. They could be produced from grapes not allowed in the appellation, more often than not, this is when growers plant white wine grape varieties when the AOC laws only permit red wine grape production. It is interesting note how many more producers in the Medoc are planting white wine grapes. In fact, you are seeing this with vineyards in St. Emilion as well!
When looking at the scores and 2022 tasting notes with these white wines, with 2022 Bordeaux, many of the generic AOC 2022 white Bordeaux wines scores higher than Bordeaux blancs from more traditional producers of white Bordeaux wine.
Or the property does not follow the rules of the appellation. Perhaps the wine was produced from fruit planted outside the appellation, or blended with fruit from multiple appellations. Dry white Bordeaux wine from Sauternes are also labeled AOC Bordeaux. Or, the easy answer could be, maybe the vineyard is simply located in the appellation of Bordeaux.
The main point here is that simple 2022 Bordeaux AOC wines might not be so simple. They can be quite interesting, fun to drink and delicious, with unique characteristics that offer value as well.
By now, if you are a reader of The Wine Cellar Insider, I am sure you are already familiar with the 2022 Bordeaux growing season and harvest. But, if you want to know more, for a full, detailed overview and analysis of the 2022 Bordeaux vintage and harvest with producer quotes… 2022 Bordeaux Vintage, Harvest Report
All of the following 2022 AOC Bordeaux wines were sampled in Bordeaux in April. Most of the wines were tasted at Negociants, Consultants or with various wine trade groups, as well as at the chateau.
2022 Bordeau AOC Wine Tasting Notes …
2022 Cantenac Brown Alto de Cantenac Brown – Bordeaux – Pineapple, grapefruit, white flowers and orange rind fill the nose. On the palate, the wine is sweet, creamy, and expressive, with a lemon curd and white peach filled finish. The wine was produced from a blend of 90% Sauvignon Blanc and 10% Semillon. Drink from 2024-2028. 91-91 Pts
2022 Clos des Lunes Lune d’Argent – Bordeaux – Pineapple, guava, yellow citrus and flowers form the core of this wine. On the palate, the wine is sweet, juicy and focused on its white peach, green apples and lemon curd palate and finish. Drink from 2024-2030. 92-92 Pts
2022 Clos des Lunes Lune d’Or – Bordeaux – White flowers, lemon rind, pineapple, vanilla, pink grapefruit and green apples are at the center of the wines character. The wine is sweet, fresh and loaded with green apples, cinnamon and citrus in the fresh and creamy finish. The wine blends 70% Semillon with 30% Sauvignon Blanc. Drink from 2025-2032. 94-94 Pts
2022 Clos-du-Beau-Pere Blanc du Beau Père – Bordeaux – The first white wine from Pomerol in over 100 years could only come from Jean-Luc Thunevin and Murielle Andraud. Flowers, white peach, lemon rind and spice show easily in the nose and on the fresh, sweet, juicy and lively palate. Produced from blending 50% Sauvignon Blanc and 50% Sauvignon Gris. Good luck finding any as the production is limited to about 200 cases. Drink from 2025-2030. 91-91 Pts
2022 Cos d’Estournel Blanc – Bordeaux – White flowers, bright yellow citrus, green apples and pears create the enticing perfume. On the palate, it is the pomelo, lemon curd and a refreshing touch of spicy, green apples, with crisp citrus and vanilla that gives this freshness and ripe, sweet, fruit in the finish. The wine blends 74% Sauvignon Blanc and 24% Semillon. Drink from 2024-2032. 95-95 Pts
2022 Cos dEstournel Pagodes de Cos Blanc – Bordeaux – White peach and pomelo, with flowers, lemons, green apples and honeysuckle are found in the nose and palate here in this creamy, fresh and juicy, Bordeaux blanc. The wine is made from 57% Sauvignon Blanc and 43% Semillon. Drink from 2024-2029. 92-92 Pts
2022 DAiguilhe Blanc – Bordeaux – White flowers, yellow citrus and vanilla are clearly evident on the nose and palate. The wine has lift, sweetness and freshness in its core of yellow citrus and green apples that carries through from the mid-palate to the fruit-filled finish. The wine is produced from 100% Sauvignon Blanc. Drink from 2024-2030 92-92 Pts
2022 Domaine de Cambes – Bordeaux – Tobacco leaf, cocoa, red berries and oceanic influences show through on the nose. On the palate, the wine is medium-bodied, earthy, chewy, and leafy, leaving you with savory, red berries and salty tannins in the finish. The wine blends 80% Merlot with 20% Cabernet Franc. Drink from 2025-2035. 90-92 Pts
2022 Grand Village Blanc – Bordeaux – The sweet, pink grapefruits, flowers and white peaches are balanced between their creamy textures and freshness on the palate. The wine lingers long after the wine has left your glass. This blend of 70% Sauvignon Blanc and 30% Semillon is ready to go. Drink from 2025-2030. 92-92 Pts
2022 Jean Faux Blanc – Bordeaux – Bright, fresh, crisp, crunchy, yellow citrus with touch of orange and green apple, in a forward style that will be at its best over the next few years. Drink from 2024-2027. 90-90 Pts
2022 La Grande Clotte Blanc – Bordeaux – Green apples and juicy, fresh lemons are all over the place here, in the nose, and on the crisp, sweet, citrus filed palate. Drink from 2024-2028. 91-91 Pts
2022 La Tour Carnet Blanc – Bordeaux – Flowers, spicy green apples, and pomelo form the character of this forward, sweet, fresh, white Bordeaux. This will be ready to go on release for all of its fruit and freshness. The finish serves up more of those tart Granny Smith apples and fresh lemons. Drink from 2024-2028. 92-92 Pts
2022 Lafaurie-Peyraguey Blanc Sec – Bordeaux – Creamy, sweet and fresh lemons, green pears, green apples and white peach and a nice hit of pineapple on the nose and on the fruity palate. The wine blends 60% Sauvignon Blanc with 40% Semillon. Drink from 2024-2030. 92-92 Pts
2022 Lafont-Fourcat – Bordeaux – Flowers, smoke, licorice, espresso and black cherries open the wine. The palate is medium-bodied, soft, fresh, and fruity, with a sweet, vibrant, cherry and chocolate character, leaving you with more of those ripe fruits in the finish. The wine blends 60% Merlot with 40% Cabernet Franc. Drink from 2025-2034. 89-91 Pts
2022 Lafont-Fourcat A Nos Amours – Bordeaux – Deeply colored, the wine is loaded with lush, dark supple-textured, creamy, black and red fruits. There is a nice depth of flavor, and ample layers of dark red fruits, chocolate and licorice, with a spicy influence that comes in on the backend of the finish. Not much of this wine is produced. But, if you see it grab it. It sells for a song for a wine at this level of quality. Produced from 100% Merlot. Drink from 2025-2038.. 92-94 Pts
2022 Laurence Blanc Sec – Bordeaux – Crisp, fresh, sweet, vibrant, lemons with flowers and grapefruit aromatics and a sweet, fresh, yellow citrus filled palate are what you will find here. Drink from 2023-2030. 91 91-91 Pts
2022 Le Nardian Blanc – Bordeaux – White peach, vanilla, spice and orange rind form the core of this creamy, lush, sweet, forward, white Bordeaux wine. Drink this on the young side for all of its fresh, juicy, ripe fruits. The wine is a blend of 70% Sauvignon Blanc, 15% Muscadelle and 15% Semillon. 14.8% ABV. Drink from 2024-2028. 92-92 Pts
2022 Leroy-Beauval – Bordeaux – Fresh, sweet, soft and round, with a core of currants, spice and cocoa from the character ff this wine. The wine is forward, medium-bodied, fruity, creamy and ready to go. Drink 2025-2032. 91-93 Pts
2022 Leroy-Beauval Blanc – Bordeaux – White flowers, lemons, green apples, and minerality combine perfectly in this fresh, already delicious white Bordeaux wine. Drink from 2024-2028. 90-90 Pts
2022 Les Champs Libres – Bordeaux – Fresh, yellow citrus, white peach, mint, Granny Smith apples, honeysuckle and white peaches create the perfume and the vivid, creamy fruit presence on the palate. Owned by the same family that produces the famed, Chateau Lafleur in Pomerol, the wine is produced from 100% Sauvignon Blanc, picked September 9 – September 11. 14% ABV, 3.01 pH. Drink from 2025-2036. 95-95 Pts
2022 Lynch Bages Blanc de Lynch Bages – Bordeaux – Flowers, lemons, white peach, orange rind, white flowers and spice show in the nose and on the bright, citrus, pear and green apple filled palate. This is going to be delicious on release. The wine is produced from blending 67% Sauvignon Blanc, 22% Semillon and 11% Muscadelle. Drink from 2023-2032. 93-93 Pts
2022 Margaux Pavillon Blanc du Chateau Margaux – Bordeaux – Lemon chiffon, lawn grass, pears, vanilla, white peach, and tangerine skin nuances form the core of this wine. The wine is forward, sweet, creamy, and pure, with a buttery accent on the long, fruit-packed, fresh, vibrant backend. The wine will be a pleasure to enjoy on release and over the following decade or longer. The wine is produced from 100% Sauvignon Blanc.13.4% ABV. 3.18 pH. Yields were only 14 hectoliters per hectare, so not much of this wine was made. If you are a fan, act quickly. This is the white wine of the vintage! Drink from 2024-2037. 97-97 Pts
2022 Marjosse – Bordeaux – Black cherries, currants and flowers show in the nose. On the palate, the wine is medium-bodied, soft, forward, elegant and fruity. This should deliver pleasure with ease on release. Drink from 2025-2030. 89-91 Pts
2022 Marjosse Blanc – Bordeaux – Grapefruit, lemons, green apples and lime shine in this fresh, crisp. fruity, delicious, easy to like, Bordeaux Blanc. Drink from 2024-2029. 90-90 Pts
2022 Mouton Rothschild Aile D’Argent Blanc – Bordeaux – White peaches, lemon rind, flowers, grapefruit and spice are all over the place. The wine is fresh, sweet, creamy, and spicy, with ample levels of sweet, ripe, fruits, and peaches in the finish. You can enjoy this on release. The wine was made from a blend of 52% Sauvignon Blanc, 39% Semillon, 8% Sauvignon Gris and 1% Muscadelle. Drink from 2024-2030. 94-94 Pts
2022 Puygueraud Blanc – Bordeaux – Lemon rind, white peach and flowers on the nose get the wine going. The palate is juicy, sweet. and fresh, with loads of yellow and orange citrus along with a bite of green apple in the finish. The wine blends 86% Sauvignon Blanc with 14% Sauvignon Gris. Drink from 2024-2028. 91-91 Pts
2022 Stella Solare Croix de Labrie – Bordeaux – White peach, pineapple, guava and saffron create in the perfume. From there, you find a fleshy, creamy, tropical-accented, citrus oriented wine that will be delicious on release. The wine is a blend of 60% Semillon, 20% Sauvignon Blanc and 20% Sauvignon Gris. Drink from 2024-2030. 92-94 Pts
2022 Suduiraut Lions de Suduiraut Bordeaux Blanc Sec – Bordeaux – White peach, grapefruit, Granny Smith apples, lemon and ginger produce a showy perfume. The wine is sweet, fruity, fresh and forward, so you can enjoy it in its youth for all of its sweet, creamy, yellow and white fruits. The wine blends 54% Semillon, and 46% Sauvignon Blanc. Drink from 2024-2029. 91-91 Pts
2022 Talbot Caillou Blanc – Bordeaux – Yellow citrus, white peach, orange rind and honeysuckle scents open the nose. On the palate, the wine is creamy, sweet, exuberant and fruity, with just a hint of chalk in the backend of the finish. The wine blends 71% Sauvignon Blanc and 29% Semillon.14% ABV. Drink from 2024-2028. 92-92 Pts
That is it for 2022 Bordeaux red wine reports, we have now covered all of the 2022 Left Bank, and 2022 Right Bank wines. Next, we are going to look at the challenging 2022 Dry White Bordeaux from Pessac Leognan and other appellations before we wrap everything up with sweet Bordeaux wine and 2022 Sauternes.
