2022 Saint Estephe Ratings, Tasting Notes, and Wine Buying Guide
2022 St. Estephe could be the best vintage the appellation has ever experienced. Across the board, from top to bottom, the wines are fabulous! Stylish, character-driven wines of complexity and ageabilty, which can also be enjoyed relatively young. And, as I mentioned, it is not just the top Second Growth wines, or other Classified Growths, just about every Cru Bourgeois made perhaps the best wines in the history of their estate. For a detailed look at the 2022 Bordeaux, the wines, the growing season, and harvest 2022 Bordeaux Vintage Detailed Analysis
All of the following 2022 St. Estephe wines were tasted in non blind tasting conditions in my office in early 2025.
2022 Beau-Site – St. Estèphe – Strawberries, flowers, and cherries create the backdrop for this fruit-forward, creamy wine. Medium-bodied, with loads of sweet, ripe, round-textured fruits, and a refreshing, minty accent in the finish, this will drink well young, as well as offer the ability for aging as well. The wine blends 74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot and 3% Petit Verdot. Drink from 2026-2040. 92 Pts
2022 Calon Segur – St. Estèphe – Inky dark in color, and equally dark in its fruit profile, the wine kicks off with blackberries, crème de cassis, smoke, lead pencil, and flowers in the nose. The palate is fresh, energetic and packed with layers of black currants, blackberries, Asian spice, and espresso. The wine is powerful, concentrated, and crisp, with a vibrant, lifted, firm finish that ends with a touch of salty fruits, and chocolate mint in the backend. The wine blends 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot. Drink from 2030-2060. 96 Pts
2022 Calon Segur Le Marquis de Calon Segur – St. Estèphe – Cherries, strawberries, flowers, cocoa, and spearmint aromas are on display in the perfume. On the palate, the wine is soft, round, and polished, with lift, freshness, and sweetness with a touch of chocolate mint on the backend. The wine blends 58% Merlot, 38% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot. Drink from 2025-2040. 92 Pts
2022 Capbern – St. Estèphe – Toasty oak, red fruits, menthol, and flowers seek attention in the perfume. The palate is supple, juicy, and loaded with black and red fruits with a chocolate edge that adds even more roundness to the creamy-textured palate. The wine blends 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 44% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot and 1% Cabernet Franc. Drink from 2026-2040. 93 Pts
2022 Clauzet – St. Estèphe – Tobacco, smoke, and dark red fruits show in the perfume. The wine is medium-bodied, round, and juicy, with spice and dark chocolate which adds to the finish. Drink from 2025-2038. 90 Pts
2022 Cos Labory – St. Estèphe – Ripe, dark fruits, and flowers show in the nose, with ease. Polished, ripe, and round in texture, you find levels of sweetness, hints of chocolate, and juicy black cherries, with freshness in the finish, that leaves you with just a hint of dark chocolate on the backend. This is the last vintage for the new owners. Starting in 2023, the team of Cos d’Estournel took over the vineyard, and production of the wine. The wine blends of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot, 7% Petit Verdot, and 2% Cabernet Franc. Drink from 2026-2042. 92 Pts
2022 Cos dEstournel – St. Estèphe – Powerful, dense, rich, opulent, and harmonious, this opaque-colored wine is a gem! The wine coats, and covers your palate with endless layers of flawlessly ripe, dark red with black, and blue fruits made even better with its cashmere, and velvet textures. The finish lingers and expands for over 60 seconds delivering waves of fruits, dark cocoa, licorice, and Asian spices. There is a seamlessness to the endnotes with lift, and purity making you want to take sip, after sip of this hedonistic, elegant wine. The wine blends 61% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot, 1% Petit Verdot, and 1% Cabernet Franc. Drink from 2020-2060. 99 Pts
2022 Cos dEstournel Les Pagodes de Cos – St. Estèphe – There is a lot to like here, especially the supple, rich, opulent, creamy-textured fruits that effortlessly across your palate. The finish adds chocolate, spices, silky tannins, freshness, and a refreshing touch of mint on the backend. This is going to be delicious just about on release, and it is going to age for at least 15 or more years with ease. The wine blends 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 49% Merlot and 1% Cabernet Franc. Drink from 2026-2040. 93 Pts
2022 Cos dEstournel Blanc – Bordeaux – A superb effort for white Bordeaux wine in this hot, dry vintage was worth the effort. Fresh, and refreshing with its juicy, green apples, and citrus, the wine delivers pop, and sweetness in the grapefruit-oriented waxy, finish. The wine blends 74% Sauvignon Blanc and 24% Semillon. Drink from 2025-2035. 95 Pts
2022 Cos dEstournel Les Pagodes de Cos Blanc – Bordeaux – Limes, green apples, and waxy lemons with a fresh, lemony edge in the finish are what yo find here. Already delicious, drink this on the young side, for all its sweet fruits. The wine is made from 57% Sauvignon Blanc and 43% Semillon. Drink from 2025-2030. 92 Pts
2022 De Come – St. Estèphe – Flowers, herbs, tobacco, and juicy red currants define the nose, and the medium-bodied, where you enjoy its vibrant fruits, freshness, and creamy, fruit-filled finish. Drink from 2026-2040. 90 Pts
2022 De Pez – St. Estèphe – Even better in the bottle than it was from the barrel, Opening with licorice, black cherries, flowers, and blackberries, you also find of spice on the back of the perfume. On the palate, the wine is round, fresh, fruity, and loaded with crushed rocks, and stones, finishing with layers of licorice, and salty, chewy, black currants. The wine blends 59% Merlot, 38% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Petit Verdot. After 10 years of renovations, and work in the vineyards, this marks the first vintage of de Pez offered as a future on the Place de Bordeaux. Drink from 2025-2037. 94 Pts
2022 Domeyne – St. Estèphe – Black currants with nuances of flowers, spice, and tobacco on the nose, and on the medium-bodied, fruity palate. You can enjoy this on release. Drink from 2026-2040. 92 Pts
2022 Fleuron de Liot – St. Estèphe – Light, fresh, fruity, medium-bodied, and forward wine, with a currant, and strawberry finish that comes with a chalky edge. This is going to be good to go with just a year or so of aging and should be fun to drink for more than a decade. Drink from 2026-2037. 89 Pts
2022 Graves de Pez – St. Estèphe – Creme de cassis and blackberries show with ease in this medium-bodied, earthy, savory, spicy, and chewy wine. This is going to be good to go with just a year or so of aging and should be fun to drink for more than a decade. Drink from 2026-2040. 90 Pts
2022 Haut Marbuzet – St. Estèphe – Espresso, flowers, incense, and black with red fruits pop in the nose. The palate is equal to the perfume with its luscious, creamy-textured fruits that glide across their palate, leaving with loads of sweet, ripe, lush, polished cherries. It is nice to see a return to a high level of quality for this estate. Drink from 2027-2045. 94 Pts
2022 Haut-Beausejour – St. Estèphe – Flowers, and tobacco blend with red fruits in the nose. The medium-bodied palate is fresh, bright, and chocolatey, which adds roundness to the finish. Drink from 2026-2038. 91 Pts
2022 La Croix de Pez – St. Estèphe – Chewy, vibrant fruits, ripe, round textures, and a finish packed with blackberries, currants, spice, and a touch of chalk are what you find here. You can enjoy this on release or age it for a few years. Drink from 2026-2037. 90 Pts
2022 La Haye – St. Estèphe – Creamy, fruity, spicy, early-drinking, medium-bodied wine, with a core of tobacco-edged red fruits that is easy to drink on release. Drink from 2025-2037. 90 Pts
2022 Laffitte-Carcasset – St. Estèphe – Flowers, tobacco leaves, black currants, and a touch of spicy, strawberries with a hint of cocoa pop in the nose. The palate, is supple, creamy, and fresh, with a spicy, turmeric edge on the back of the finish. Left Bank wine lovers seeking that increasingly-elusive QPR ratio, should be all over this. Drink from 2026-2040. 93 Pts
2022 Laffitte-Carcasset T3 de la Terrasse 3 – St. Estèphe – Packaged in an over-sized, albeit attractive bottle, this limited wine was produced from their oldest parcel of 100% Cabernet Sauvignon planted on the famous terrace 3. The wine pops with cigar wrapper, cedar and currants in the perfume. On the palate, the wine is fresh, vibrant, and chewy, with plenty of fruit, coupled with a dose of minerality in the finish. Drink from 2026-2040. 92 Pts
2022 Lafon Rochet – St. Estèphe – This is gorgeous from start to finish. Supple, lush, and creamy, the wine is full-bodied, intense, long, and complex. The layers of fruit, with their length, and purity make a statement on your palate. This is one of those wines that one sniff, and sip, is not enough. You will need to try it again for the pleasure. The finish offers, length, and lift, which is the perfect backdrop for all the polished, blackberries, black cherries, chocolate, and spice. The wine blends 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, and 4% Cabernet Franc. This is the first vintage with the new owner, Jackie Lorenzetti, and the team of Emmanuel Cruse fully in charge. They’re off to a great start as this is without a doubt, the best vintage of Lafon Rochet ever produced! Drink from 2028-2050. 95 Pts
2022 Lafon Rochet Les Pelerins – St. Estèphe – Early-drinking, easy-going, fruity wine with a core of ripe, soft, spicy, vibrant, supple, black with red currants, and a cool refreshing touch of mint, with a hint of cardamon on the backend. This is perfect for early drinking pleasure. Drink from 2025-2032. 90 Pts
2022 Le Boscq – St. Estèphe – Sweet, cherries, forest leaves, and flowers are on display in the perfume. The palate expresses black currants, dark chocolate, creamy tannins, and a long, polished finish. Drink from 2026-2040. 92 Pts
2022 Le Crock – St. Estèphe – With a strong, floral edge to the perfume, you also find dark, red berries, cedar, and cigar box in the nose. The palate is even better with its showy display of black raspberries, blackberries, crème de cassis, chocolate, spice, and a refreshing touch of mint in the vivacious, gorgeous, creamy finish. This is the best vintage of Le Crock ever produced! The wine blends 44% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 11% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot. Drink from 2025-2040. 93 Pts
2022 Lilian Ladouys – St. Estèphe – Smoke. tobacco leaves, flowers, dark red fruits, cedar, and chocolate create the nose. The pit fruits on the palate are vibrant, round, lush, and sweet, with a spicy edge and a hint of chocolate-mint that shows in the finish. The wine blends 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, and 8% Petit Verdot. Drink from 2026-2040. 92 Pts
2022 Martin – St. Estèphe – Tobacco, underbrush, and crisp, red currants with cranberries provide the backdrop for this medium-bodied, bright, high-toned, chewy wine with a savory, mint-tinted finish. Drink from 2025-2035. 88 Pts
2022 Meyney – St. Estèphe – Black cherries, espresso, and flowers define the perfume here. The palate, with its rich, lush, round, layers of ripe, dark fruits, and chocolate, is made even better by the marine influences in the finish, and a touch of mint, that adds freshness to the finish, and endnotes. This should age quite nicely. Drink from 2026-2045. 93 Pts
2022 Meyney Prieur de Meyney – St. Estèphe – Flowers, tobacco leaves, and ripe currants are all over the place here. Fruity, round, and creamy, with loads of lush, red fruit, this will be gorgeous on release. Drink from 2025-2035. 90 Pts
2022 Montrose – St. Estèphe – Power, and elegance in balance, and harmony are what you need to know here. This sublime wine pops with its display of blackberries, black currants, black cherries, flowers, and a kitchen full of spices. The level of depth on the palate is almost off the charts, yet, the wine remains light on its feet with a seamless finish that holds your focus for more than 60 seconds! This is one of the great vintages of Montrose, and a contender for wine of the vintage. The wine blends 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot. Drink from 2030-2065. 100 Pts
2022 Montrose La-Dame-de-Montrose – St. Estèphe – Tobacco, cedar, sea salt, and dark black fruits open the nose. On the palate is where you find this is at its best, There are layers of dark-chocolate, espresso-tinted fruits with grace, and elegance, and a surprising amount of power for a second wine. Everything works, leaving you with length, elegance, and complexity that is ready to go, yet, has the uncanny ability to age for up to 2 decades. This is a true, mini-Montrose! The wine blends 71% Merlot, 23% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Petit Verdot, and 1% Cabernet Franc. Drink from 2027-2042. 94 Pts
2022 Petit-Bocq – St. Estèphe – Flowers, espresso, licorice, smoke, and black currants pop in the perfume. On the palate, the wine is lush, round, and fruity, chocolate-edged, long, flamboyant, creamy finish. This is a steal of a deal, savvy consumers should check this out! Drink from 2026-2040. 92 Pts
2022 Phelan Segur – St. Estèphe – Deep in color, aromatically, the wine displays black, dark red, and blue fruits, smoke, espresso, flowers, and chocolate with a hint of spice in the nose. On the palate, the wine is rich, lush, and polished, with layers of sweet fruits that are vibrant, and lively, with a finish loaded with chocolate, black cherries, cinnamon, plums, licorice, and espresso. The wine blends 56% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Petit Verdot and 2% Cabernet Franc. Drink from 2026-2045. 95 Pts
2022 Tour Saint-Fort – St. Estèphe – Black fruits, and flowers, with a tobacco edge show in the perfume. The medium-bodied, fresh palate is even better with all of its sweet, juicy fruits, and rounded textures. The wine blends 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot and 20% Petit Verdot. Drink from 2026-2040. 92 Pts
2022 Tour de Pez – St. Estèphe – With a floral edge to the perfume, the wine starts off fruity, and creamy, with lift, and sweetness in the mid-palate, but the finish leaves you with a minty, chalky edge. Drink from 2026-2038. 90 Pts
2022 Tour des Termes – St. Estèphe – Supple, creamy, fruity, long, and round, the wine is packed with layers of sweet, supple, creamy, dark red, with black fruits that already taste delicious in your glass. Drink from 2026-2040. 93 Pts
2022 Tronquoy – St. Estèphe – The wine pops effortlessly with black, and red dark fruits, array of spices, and chocolate accents in the perfume. The palate offers even more pleasure with its layers of creamy, supple, ripe, sweet fruits, that not only taste great today, but they also have the structure to age for at least 15 or more years. This is the debut vintage with a new name as it is now known as only Tronquoy, and a new, modernized label, and wax capsule as well. Drink from 2026-2040. 93 Pts
2022 Tronquoy Blanc de Tronqupy – Bordeaux – Crushed rocks, green apples, and lemon curd provide the perfume. The palate is fresh, round, and fruity, with a lush, rounded, sweet, lemon wax endnote. Drink from 2025-2030. The wine is an equal blend of Semillon and Sauvignon Gris. Drink from 2025-2031. 91 Pts
Up next, we continue our coverage of 2022 Bordeaux and the Left Bank with our guide to
2022 Pauillac Wines which will be followed by a report on the best
2022 Saint Julien Wines before looking at the top 2022 Margaux wines.
