En Primeur 2022 New Release: Château Figeac, La Conseillante, Château Laroque
Bordeaux Index
22 June 2023
One of our favourite wines not just of this vintage but of the past few years has been La Conseillante. Their 2022 has been released this morning at GBP 2652. It is truly spectacular and captivating wine from Marielle Cazaux.
In the lead up to the 2022 releases, our Senior Buyer, Victoria Mason, discussed the vintage and the wines with Marielle Cazaux, managing director of La Conseillante with the full interview published on our website: find here
“A masterpiece—brava, Marielle!” Lisa Perrotti-Brown
It is clear that the 2022 Conseillante is a spectacular wine, and this comes down to Marielle’s focus on the vineyard. Due to the heat, Marielle adapted her approach: rolling the cover crop, rather than cutting it, mulching, not touching the canopy, and using a type of ‘sunscreen’ on the vines all helped to ensure the best possible balance in her 2022. When our team tasted the wine, we were blown away by its precision and complexity.
“A wine that has perfection written all over it is the 2022 Chateau La Conseillante” Jeb Dunnuck
The Nicolas family have owned and managed the property since 1871 and the 5th generation are now at the helm – giving remarkable continuity and long-term vision. Bordering no less than Petrus to the north, L’Evangile to the east and, just over the border south into St Emilion, Cheval Blanc, La Conseillante holds a prime location on the Pomerol plateau. As one might expect from this their soils are a mixture of red and blue clay types, which are mainly home to the Merlots, and significant portions of gravel – especially to the southern border with Cheval Blanc – on which the Cabernet Franc is mainly planted.
“The 2022 La Conseillante is a remarkable wine that has the potential to emerge as one of the wines of the vintage” William Kelley
“Saline both on the finish and aftertaste, Marielle Cazaux has crafted one of the most intellectual La Conseillante wines in recent years” Neal Martin
With no less than three potential 100pt scores from critics, this is without doubt one of the most highly sought wines of the vintage.
Figeac
The most exciting producer on the Right Bank right now must surely be Figeac.
Today is the estate’s first release as a Grand Cru Classé ‘A’ at GBP 3036 per 12.
Leading up to the campaign our Senior Buyer, Robert Mathias, spoke with Frederic Faye, General Manager of the estate to understand more about the vintage and what to expect from the wine. Click here to find the full interview.
“The 2022 Figeac is a brilliant wine with which to celebrate this property's elevation to Premier Grand Cru Classé "A" status.” William Kelley
The upgrade to Premier Grand Cru Classé ‘A’ is the realisation of a vision by Monsieur Manoncourt which has taken decades of hard work and persistence. This is an important shift in the image and recognition of the estate and the standing of the brand. With this shift comes a shift in price but one that will persist for the future. This is an important moment in the history of the estate and with at least one potential 100pt score, from William Kelley, the wine is one of the best ever produced. Both Jeb Dunnuck and Jane Anson make reference to the 2016 Figeac which has a total of three 100pt scores – no doubt, this will be one of the best scoring wines of the vintage.
“An appropriate way to start your tenure as a Grand Cru Classé "A".” Neal Martin
“The 2022 is a towering Figeac, a wine that brilliantly showcases the unique qualities of this site.” Antonio Galloni
Figeac is a property that we truly love, for so many reasons. This is a family estate and one that has consistently welcomed us with open arms - General Manager Frederic Faye continues to impress (and amuse) us with his skill, good humour and above all, his capacity to get the very best out of this unique piece of St Emilion terroir. There are three hills of gravel over blue clay. 2022 is the second year in their remarkable new winery which allows for much greater precision and plot by plot selection and vinification. It also allowed for much gentler extraction that was essential this vintage. The harvest this year started on the 1st September and ended on the 27th September – the earliest ever at the property. This year Frederic spoke of how exceptional the Cabernet Franc was in the blend, the final wine composed of 35% Merlot, 34% Cabernet Franc and 31% Cabernet Sauvignon. This wine represents an important moment in history for the estate and they couldn’t have done a better job.
“Close to the 2016 vintage in its construction and effortless confidence, no question of the ageing ability of this wine, and a fine vintage to mark the first year as Premier Grand Cru Classé A.” Jane Anson
Château Laroque
Château Laroque, one of BI’s most popular wines sold en primeur over the past two years, is a lesser-spotted St-Emilion Grand Cru Classé that has recently won the adoration of a number of notable critics.
This historic château's 61 hectares are perched up at one of St-Emilion’s highest points, neighbouring Château Troplong Mondot, and on a plateau rich in red and blue clays over a limestone substratum. Only 40 hectares are classified as Grand Cru Classé, however, and of those just 27 are dedicated to the production of the estate’s Grand Vin. Old vines, low yields, meticulous viticulture, strict selections (only 44% of the crop made it into the Grand Vin), small parcel vinification and gentle extractions have seen Château Laroque starting to fulfil the true potential of its extraordinary terroir. Terroir, which we must remember, was so vital in 2022 for retaining much-needed water through long dry season with very little rain, and which delivered Merlots of the very highest quality.
“[Château Laroque] is firing on all cylinders today thanks to the talented David Suire!” – Jeb Dunnuck
David Suire, erstwhile protégé of winemaking guru Nicolas Thienpont, was appointed to oversee the extensive investments in the vineyards and chais and the 2022 is further testament to both the brilliance of the chateau’s privileged location and the experience of one of St-Emilion’s most adroit oenologists. Antonio Galloni writes, “In this vintage, Laroque is especially refined.” and scoring the 2022 an impressive 97pts, Jane Anson finds superb balance in the wine, “this really does walk the line of ripeness and salinity”.
It’s clear that Château Laroque has a brand new swagger and we are very confident you will be well rewarded with the purchase of their latest release, and especially at such a rocking price.