Bordeaux 2022 at Two Years: The Rest of The Left
Having tasted my way through the 2022 vintage in the four big-name appellations of the Médoc, St Estèphe, Pauillac, St Julien and Margaux, in this report I will finish up my tastings on this side of the Gironde with the remaining Médoc appellations, which include the two communal zones of Moulis-en-Médoc and Listrac-Médoc, and the much broader Médoc and Haut-Médoc labels.
It stands to reason, given the overall quality of the 2022 vintage, that there is high quality waiting to be discovered in these parts, some of which boast some very desirable terroirs, despite the lack of a prestigious appellation. And there is, of course, also the hope of value here, these wines on the whole not commanding the same level of pricing as classed growths and similar from more famed addresses.
Well, that’s the hope, anyway.
Of the two communal appellations I think Moulis-en-Médoc tends to give a more classically framed left-bank style, thanks to the gravelly soils with which it is blessed, and so I will begin my report here. I confess, however, that the first two names on my radar are hardly unknowns, with both Chasse-Spleen and Poujeaux putting in really strong performances in 2022, and I was especially impressed with the first of this duo. Both are old favourites of course, but it is rewarding to see both properties taking full advantage of such a benevolent vintage. The dark fruit and layered energy within the 2022 from Chasse-Spleen is seriously high-class, while the 2022 from Poujeaux impressed with its summer berry fruits, chalky scents and polished structure.
