Château Coufran 2022

Sticky black liquorice, wet stones, black fruit and quite massy tannins all combine to give a concentrated and chewy mouthfeel. Tannins are definitely at the fore, leaning into the vintage in terms of fleshiness, but there's an appealing undercurrent of cool, minty, stony freshness that stops it from becoming too heavy and sombre. This has improved from En Primeur but still needs some time to soften.

Round, supple, with black cherries, chocolate, and espresso in every tasty sniff and sip. Drink from 2025–2040.

Deep dark ruby, purple reflections, subtle brightening on the rim. Fresh plum fruit, ripe cherries, candied orange zest. Full-bodied, elegant, sweet cherries, ripe tannins, chocolaty, some fig on the finish, mineral aftertaste.

Smoky red and black fruits, leafy herbs, and subtle chocolaty, almost nutty nuances all emerge from the 2022 Château Coufran, a broad, layered, velvety-textured 2022 that's nicely balanced, has ripe tannins, and a great finish. The blend is 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, and it’s from more gravelly clay soils, with the élevage spanning 12 months. I'd drink bottles over the coming decade or so.

Unusually high Merlot for the Médoc, which might put it at a disadvantage in a hot year like 2022, but this has retained grip and character, with dried herbs and spices showing the heat, alongside some fleshy red cherry and raspberry fruit.

The nose is pleasantly fruity. It reveals notes of crushed fresh cherry, raspberry and, more subtly, violet and lilac, joined by fine touches of plum blossom and small pulpy/juicy fruits, with a discreet hint of camphor. The palate is well guided—fresh, supple, racy—with accuracy, tension, a certain indulgence, precision, suppleness and minerality. One also perceives roundness, all with an airy, almost weightless feel. It shows notes of pulpy/fleshy blackcurrant and vibrant red berries, and, more subtly, cherry, combined with touches of lilac and rose, as well as fine iodized and delicately sappy nuances. Hints of chocolate in the background.

Its vegetal profile has intensified over time, and it needs proper aeration for the fruit to emerge, along with a hint of stone and pepper. The very tight tannic framework still needs time; the texture is fine and taut, and the whole remained somewhat grippy at the time of our tasting.