Château Capbern 2022

Very ripe-fruity on the nose, blackberries, plums, preserved cherries; on the palate, full-bodied, two mouthfuls of wine, very good tannin quality, shows opulence, a creamy texture and great length, unfortunately the alcohol is noticeable on the finish. A ripe style, do not serve too warm.

Notes of red and black currant preserves form the core, while dried lilac and rose hip add a floral hint. Sleek through the finish, with just a kiss of toast that lets an iron detail chime prettily underneath the fruit. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Drink now through 2037. 6,000 cases made.

Smells gorgeous, rich and vibrant with dark bramble berry tones. Blackcurrant and black cherry. Quite tannic straight away, they make the impression, slightly grainy and chalky giving a wide, expansive and mouth-coating feeling. Bold, but clean and clear, it has a nice crispness as well as depth with some minty, herbal liquorice, flint and clove aspects on the finish. Slightly lifted in terms of alcohol impression at the end, sticking out a touch, but overall this is quite streamlined and sleek, not plush at all but coolly concentrated with a subtly juicy core. 1% Cabernet Franc completes the blend. 3.25% pH. Ageing 18 months, 60% new French oak barrels.

The 2022 Capbern has vibrant red berry fruit intermixed with sage and cedar scents, nicely defined and more open-knit than its peers. The palate is medium-bodied with a pastille-like entry, seemingly quite Merlot-driven, fleshy with a composed, quite tensile finish that fans out with confidence. Tasted blind at the Southwold tasting in London.

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.

Deep ruby colour, opaque core, purple reflections, brightening on the rim. Herbal savouriness and black olives, dark wild berries, a hint of liquorice. Medium complexity, dark cherries, taut tannins, gastronomic, well-lasting style.

Intense bouquet of blueberry, licorice, lilac and light tobacco. On the palate, a soft texture and a tightly knit tannic frame, with the typical Saint-Estèphe bite, paired with delicately firm notes in the background. In the focused finish, the wine streamlines and ends on wild cherry, tarragon and finely crumbly astringency, rounded off.

Concentrated in colour and flavour, this is one of the few big-name wines this year that really does seem to have lost typicity, no doubt impacted by hail more than by the vintage itself. Plenty of spice, deep clove notes, a lusciously textured palate, but more exuberant than usual, lacking some of that old-school Capbern restraint. Harvest from September 6 to 27. Yield of 28 hl/ha, following hail early in the season. Ageing in 60% new oak.

Juicy blue fruits (wild blueberry) open on the nose, followed by a note of dark chocolate and iris. On the palate, drive, character and great confidence, with a spicy, energetic edge.

The bouquet unfolds with subtlety and confidence. It first reveals freshness, which bodes well given the hot, dry conditions of the vintage. The terroir and the finesse of the work are surely no strangers to this! It also shows a few candied notes, but not in an exuberant way… they’re there, duly noted. On the palate, the wine displays a certain breadth, yet remains linear in its progression. Its slightly suave tannins provide support and add to the charm we’ve managed to channel over the years. A conquering Capbern, with power that’s controlled and perfectly integrated. It can certainly be approached young, but its potential is great!

Deep colour. An intense, profound and creamy nose that becomes very pure with a swirl of the glass. Broad on the attack, juicy through the mid-palate, full-bodied; the wine melts across the palate, powerful and noble. Great, sappy length with a slightly austere edge.

A reliable choice, it presents itself this year with more firmness and structure, a signature of its fresh terroir. Lilac, marshmallow, its clear garnet didn't reveal the superb enveloping texture, the sappy tannins, the refreshing palate with a hint of salinity. One understands its reputation among connoisseurs.

A finely textured wine, wearing its alcohol lightly, this is ripe and concentrated. Its blackberry aroma and its power and spicy black fruits form part of an ensemble with the tannins. Drink from 2028.