The 2022 Primeurs week
Year after year, the Primeurs week is an opportunity to present numerous references from the Saint-Emilion, Pomerol and Fronsac appellations wines to the professionals.
What is their appreciation of this new vintage? Did the winegrowers succeed in creating beautiful wines despite the difficult climatic conditions?
Find out everything you need to know about the 2022 Saint-Emilion wines Primeurs in this article.
The Primeurs tradition
The Primeurs is a tradition in the wine industry that allows buyers to pre-order wines before they are bottled.
During the Primeurs week, wine professionals (wine traders, wine merchants, restaurants, etc.) visit the various appellations to taste the new vintage and get an idea of the wines’ ageing potential.
The Primeurs period also allows winegrowers to finance their production and to guarantee advantageous prices for buyers.
What do the professionals think of the 2022 Saint-Emilion vintage ?
The reviews from wine professionals for the 2022 Saint-Emilion Primeurs have been extremely positive.
According to their initial feedback, the Saint-Emilion 2022 vintage is “quite exceptional”.
Rich in fruit, they offer an elegant and balanced tannic structure.
For Stéphane DERENONCOURT, wine consultant, it “can be compared to legendary vintages like 2016, 2010 or 2005″ (Source: France Bleu Gironde).
James Suckling asserts : ” In 40 years, I have never seen a vintage like 2022. Despite the heat and dryness, the wines offer exceptional fruit and freshness».
As for Mathieu DOUMENGE, Grand Reporter for the magazine Terre de Vins, he explains that the 2022 vintage was “born in extreme climatic conditions, the most flagrant illustration of which is the scorching summer, marked by heat record and drought“.
He alos adds “the 2022 vintage is, without doubt, the one of the climatic challenge. And this challenge has been brilliantly met by the Bordeaux winegrowers, particularly in Saint-Émilion.”
The result offers wines of great aromatic complexity with aromas of black fruits, cherries, blackcurrants and liquorice.
The high acidity and well-integrated tannins that the professionals noted during the 2022 Primeurs tastings of Saint-Emilion wines underline the great ageing capacity of many of the wines.
Saint-Emilion 2022 vintage therefore seems to ensure a good ageing which will allow, over the years, to develop more complex aromas and flavours over time.
Saint-Emilion wines 2022 Primeurs
Alexis Goujard from the Revue des Vins de France shares with us his analysis of the 2022 Primeurs and his 5 favourites.
“Everything was in place for an unbalanced vintage and yet, at the end, 2022 clearly ranks among the great Bordeaux vintages.
Mature and full of flavour, it displays above all an exceptional definition of tannins, the latest being integrated with great elegance within the wine.
These are wines with a tender structure, which have taste, freshness and length. The editors of Terre de Vins have greatly appreciated the overall level of the Saint-Emilion’s, where the clay-limestone terroirs particularly stand out with magnificent successes.
The “greats” are there, with very distinct identities, and the gems in the smaller properties are numerous for wine lovers, who will really be able to enjoy themselves with excellent value for money” – Mathieu DOUMENGE, Terre de Vin
Saint-Emilion wines
The exceptional terroir and the quality of the soils and practices of the Saint-Émilion appellations winegrowers allow the production of wines of superior quality.
Made from three main grape varieties:
- Merlot,
- Cabernet Franc
- and Cabernet Sauvignon,
Saint-Emilion wines have a strong personality, with a solid tannic structure and a great capacity for ageing.
Merlot 2022 – Saint-Emilion
Merlot performed particularly well in this 2022 vintage.
Main grape variety of Saint-Emilion wines, it is mostly appreciated for its fruitiness and roundness on the palate. This year, the professionals noted that the Merlot grapes were particularly aromatic, with notes of red and black fruits.
Cabernet Franc 2022 – Saint-Emilion
Cabernet Franc, a variety that brings structure and acidity to the wines, was also well received in 2022. A particular elegance and fresh red fruit aromas were highlighted for this new vintage.
Cabernet Sauvignon 2022 – Saint-Emilion
Although less present in Saint-Emilion wines, Cabernet Sauvignon was also well received this year. Professionals noted that this grape variety brought depth and complexity to the wines and that it performed well in the blends this year.