Chateau Croix de Labrie 2022

JAMES SUCKLING: "An incredible young wine that shows fantastic chalk and stone character on both the nose and palate. It’s full but super racy and intense, with a freshness and dryness that is very unique. Oyster shell and iodine character at the end. Salt and white pepper in the finish. From biodynamically grown grapes. From organically grown grapes."

JEB DUNNUCK: "I wouldn't be surprised to see the 2022 Chateau Croix De Labrie be the finest vintage to date from this team. Checking in as a blend of 84% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 6% Cabernet Franc, this stunning wine offers a vivid purple hue as well as a classy perfume of cassis and black raspberries interwoven with spring flowers, violets, camphor, and crushed stone. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it has incredible purity and precision while still bringing serious richness and depth. It's going to flirt with perfection in 7-8 years and keep for 2-3 decades. Bravo."

FALSTAFF: "Tiefdunkles Rubingranat, tintig, opaker Kern, violette Reflexe, zarte Randaufhellung. Frische Pflaumen, dunkle Waldbeeren, ein Hauch von Nugat und Edelholz, zart nach Gewürzen. Kraftvoll, stoffig, reife Herzkirschen, integrierte Tannine, gute Frische, mineralisch und lange anhaftend, sicheres Reifepotenzial."

THE WINE CELLAR INSIDER: "Inky in color, the wine exudes flowers, blackberries, boysenberries, mint, smoke, licorice, and black cherries with touches of chocolate. Here you find a blend of concentration, opulence, freshness, and silkiness. The wine is lush, and deep, with layers of ripe, sweet, black cherries, salty plums, peppery spices, and licorice. The wine is produced, and bottled with extremely low levels of sulfur. You can enjoy this young, or age it for more complexity, The wine blends 84% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 6% Cabernet Franc. This is the first vintage with this much Cabernet in the blend. 14.5% ABV. 3.4 pH. The yields were 35 hectoliters per hectare. Drink from 2026-2050."

WEINWISSER: "Sehr komplexes blaubeeriges Bouquet, Heidekraut, Schattenmorellen-Nektar und zarte Irisnoten. Am geradlinigen durchtrainierten Gaumen mit seidiger Textur, balancierter Rasse und edlem mineralischen Kern. Im gebündelten aromatischen Finale roter Kirschnektar, dunkles Terroir und erhabene Adstringenz. Gehört in seiner Klasse zu den Besten. 2030 – 2048."

DECANTER: "Blue fruits, vanilla, dark chocolate and plums on the nose. Vibrant and lively on the palate, smooth and really deliciously textured - not too heavy or too light, density is there in the fruit concentration but the balance of acidity and fine tannins is nicely supportive. Cool blue fruits are at the fore as well as tangy strawberries and raspberries, a sense of fun and ease about this with bite and tang to the fine but grippy tannins. Nicely detailed, you feel the edges here and the shape of the wine which has tension and focus. Not so demonstrably layered but generous and easy to enjoy with lovely mouthwatering acidity that is really appealing. Balanced and supremely finessed with a long length and fine tannins. Tasted twice and much preferred the second time. 3.44pH. 5.16ha vineyard worked organic and biodynamically on three sites; plateau of St Christophe des Bardes (harvest 14 & 15 September), bottom of the Pavie slopes (20 & 21 September) and the area Le Cateau (29 September). Ageing 80% barrels of 225l (70% new, 30% one wine old) and 20% large casks, foudre and demi-muids. Yield of 35hl/ha. Rolland & Associés consultants."

LISA PERROTTI-BROWN: "Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2022 Croix de Labrie bursts from the glass with vivacious notes of red currant jelly, baked black plums, blueberry compote, and tilled soil, leading to hints of unsmoked cigars, bay leaves, and crushed rocks. The medium to full-bodied palate is light on its feet with impressive tension and loads of bright red and black berry layers, finishing long and mineral laced. The blend this year is 84% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 6% Cabernet Franc."