A brief note on scores! My list of tasting notes and scores reflects the results of a brilliant 2022 Bordeaux vintage. Most Châteaux produced very expressive, concentrated and beautifully balanced wines. For those who strictly follow scores and hang on to every word and comment, it is worth pointing out that we are tasting wines that have been drawn out of barrel soon after the end of malo-lactic fermentation and have yet to go through the magical stage of oak maturation, etc. The young wines are largely elemental and without great complexity. We can judge the year as being great because experience has shown that wines with definition, precise structures, volume and density are made of the right stuffing to develop evenly through the maturation phase and then in bottle. One can imagine their progress, and for the most part, these young wines do achieve their predicted potential. But as a consumer buyer, I would recommend that you choose your wines not only on critic’s scores but also on the reputation of the Château and the sub region. A score of above 87 is quite reasonable, even though not brilliant. But it would be a pity to simply rely on 95+ scores. In the end, scores just calibrate the wealth and comparative hierarchies of the vintage. I will be buying wines based on value as well. This forthcoming 2022 en-primeurs campaign will be one for the ages. Audere Credere
18
The Vintage Journal – International Series
Powered by FlippingBook