One of the key components to a great vintage is when the petit chateaux and value wines make superb wines, which is what happened with 2022 Bordeaux. While it is clear that not ever wine from every appellation is great, there are countless stellar, value wines from numerous appellations from the Left Bank and the Right Bank.

As you can see from my tasting notes below, 2022 Cotes Bordeaux, as well as 2022 Fronsac and other surrounding appellations produced a number of outstanding, well-priced wines with character that will be delicious on release, and they can age a bit as well.

Several of the reports already published contain details on the vintage and harvest, so we are not going to cover that here. For a complete, detailed overview and analysis of the 2022 Bordeaux vintage and harvest with producer quotes… 2022 Bordeaux Vintage, Harvest Report

All of the following 2022 Cotes de Bordeaux and Fronsac wines were tasted in Bordeaux in April. Most of the wines were tasted at the property. However, a few of the wines were tasted at Negociants, Consultants or with trade groups. Whenever possible the wines were tasted more than once.

2022 Cotes de Bordeaux and 2022 Fronsac Wine Tasting Notes …

2022 Ad Francos – Bordeaux Côtes de Francs – Plummy, sweet, round, ripe, creamy fruits with a touch of espresso and cocoa in the finish make this a wine that will be a treat to enjoy early in life. Drink from 2025-2030. 89-91 Pts

2022 Ad Francos Reserve Ad Aeternam – Bordeaux Côtes de Francs – Ripe, sweet, dark, plummy fruit, creamy textures and a long finish that is lined with all the dark cherries and chocolate you could ask for. You can enjoy this in its youth, or age it for at least a decade or more. Drink from 2025-2036. 91-93 Pts

2022 Alcee – Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux – Flowers, powdered-chocolate, black plums, cherries and a hint of spearmint open the perfume. The wine is rich, lush, full and polished on the palate, with layers of sweet, ripe, juicy plums and dark chocolate with intensity and freshness to the fruits on the mid-palate and in the finish. The wine was produced from 100% Merlot. Drink from 2025-2037. 92-94 Pts

2022 Ampelia – Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux – With a core of plums and cherries, the wine has a spicy, peppery edge as well. You find freshness, forwardness and silky tannins, with lift in the creamy finish. You can enjoy this on release and for over the next decade. Drink from 2025-2037. 90-92 Pts

2022 Beausejour Cuvee Prestige – Fronsac – The wine is medium-bodied, with ample cherries, plums and flowers in the nose and palate, finishing with espresso-tinted, black cherries and hints of cocoa on the back end. This is going to be easy to like on release. Drink from 2024-2032. 87-89 Pts

2022 Belle Coline – Blaye Côtes de Bordeaux – The wine is medium-bodied, fresh, soft, spicy, fruity and forward. You can enjoy its plums, and espresso on release, and for a few years after that. Drink 2025-3030. 89-91 Pts

2022 Cap de Faugeres – Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux – Rich, deep, dark and fruity, from start to finish you find layers of chocolate-coated, black fruits, licorice, black cherries, and espresso. The wine is plush, round, polished and forward, with a touch of salt and more dark, plummy fruits on the backend. The wine was blended with 85% Merlot, and15% Cabernet Franc. Drink from 2025-2034. 91-93 Pts

2022 Château Canon Pecresse – Canon-Fronsac – Soft, fresh, silky, creamy and loaded with dark, red fruits, chocolate and licorice, the wine is going to be delicious on release, allowing you to enjoy all of its fruits, freshness, spice and cocoa early in life. This is the final vintage for the previous owners as the vineyard was purchased in 2023. Drink from 2025-2038. 91-93 Pts

2022 Clarisse Cuvée Allegria – Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux – Medium-bodied, sweet, red, fleshy fruits with a floral edge and a vibrant, fruit and chocolate-filled, creamy, finish. Drink from 2023-2036. 90-92 Pts

2022 Clos Lunelles – Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux – Dark chocolate, black cherries, blackberries, smoke, wet earth and forest leaf aromas show in the nose. The wine is rich, dense, opulent and mineral-driven, so you find a strong, oceanic-influence that comes along with the plums, black cherries and cocoa. The low pH provides ample lift and energy in the tense finish that is perfect for its wealth of fruit. The wine was made from blending 80% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Cabernet Franc, 14.63% ABV, 3.57 pH. Drink from 2025-2040. 93-95 Pts

2022 Clos Puy Arnaud – Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux – Plums and black cherries with flowers, and chocolate pack the nose and mouth, which is made even better by all of its mineral essences, giving you a touch of salt, with its layers of dark red fruits in the finish. The wine blends 70% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. Drink from 2025-2035. 89-91 Pts

2022 Croix Lartigue – Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux – Medium-bodied, soft, round, and plummy with a nice touch of chocolate, licorice and espresso in this well-priced wine that is going to be ready-to-go on release. Drink from 2025-2032. 90-92 Pts

2022 DAiguilhe – Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux – Dark pit fruits, blackberries, flowers, and cocoa create the nose. The wine is medium-bodied, soft, sweet, polished and fresh. On the medium-bodied palate, the fruits are ripe, sweet and long, leaving you with a touch of salty chalk on the back end of the creamy finish. The wine is made from 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc. 14.3% ABV. Drink from 2025-2038. 93-95 Pts

2022 DAiguilhe Querre – Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux – Medium-bodied, with a nose of incense, flowers, plums, chocolate, espresso and black cherries , the wine starts off well. But, the wine is over-oaked on the palate. if it becomes better integrated, it promises to get a better score. The wine blends 80% Merlot with 20% Cabernet Franc. Drink from 2025-2032. 89-91 Pts

2022 DArce – Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux – Boysenberry, dark cocoa, flowers, spice, and crushed stones make up the nose. On the palate, the wine is medium-bodied, fresh, soft, and polished, with crisp red fruits, minerality, and a vibrant finish. The wine blends 90% Merlot with 10% Cabernet Franc. Drink from 2025-2032. 90-92 Pts

2022 Dalem – Fronsac – Spices, flowers, fruits, silky tannins and layers of red and black plums that are a treat to taste. The wine is medium-bodied, soft, round and delivers length and complexity in the finish. Drink from 2025-2037. 93-95 Pts

2022 De Francs L’Infini – Côtes de Francs – Creamy, lush, fresh ripe, sweet black plums and cherries with chocolate, espresso and a touch of salt to the fruits finishes with freshness, creamy textures and chalk. Produced from 100% Merlot, this is the top wine from Chateau de Francs. Drink from 2025-2038.. 92-94 Pts

2022 De Francs Les Cerisiers – Côtes de Francs – Soft, round and creamy, the sweet, red berries show a nice, vibrant, freshness with a crushed stone and peppery edge to their character. Drink from 2025 – 2035. 90-92 Pts

2022 De la Huste – Fronsac – Medium-bodied, fresh, creamy and fruity, with sweetness to the dark berries, soft, elegant tannins and ripe, black and red plums in the finish. Drink from 2025-2032. 90-92 Pts

2022 Domaine-de-lA – Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux – Deeply colored, the perfume is packed with flowers, black plums, black cherries, blue fruit and chocolate. Supple, creamy, fresh and polished, the finish carries on the wines theme of ripe, silky, dark red fruits, cocoa and espresso. This is from the home property of Stephane Derenoncourt. Drink from 2025-2038. 92-94 Pts

2022 Fontenil – Fronsac – With an opaque hue, the wine opens with all the black plums, black cherries, chocolate, flowers and licorice you need to start your day. But with the 2022, it is the palate, with its opulent, rich, endless waves of perfectly ripe, mineral-driven fruits that steal the show. The finish, with its layers of velvet-edged, creamy fruits finishes with salty, crushed stone accents, giving you length purity and complexity. Part of the reason the 2022 is so strong is that Le Defi was not produced this year, so all of that fruit was included this vintage. Drink from 2026-2042. 94-96 Pts

2022 Fougas Maldoror – Côtes de Bourg – Cherries and spice open the wine. On the palate, the wine is supple, creamy and spicy, with nuances of crushed rocks and refreshing mint that comes in on the end of the finish. Drink from 2025-2036. 89-91 Pts

2022 Gigault Cuvee Viva – Blaye Côtes de Bordeaux – Floral, fruity and fresh, with soft, supple textures, the wine is medium-bodied, finishing with sweet, creamy cherries and a touch of spice. The wine will be ready to enjoy on release. Drink from 2025-2032. 90-92 Pts

2022 Grands Marechaux – Blaye Côtes de Bordeaux – Flowers, oranges and cherries are easily found on the nose and palate. This is perfect for this forward, soft, medium-bodied, fresh and fruity wine. You can enjoy this on release. Drink from 2025-2031. 89-91 Pts

2022 Haut Carles – Fronsac – Black cherries covered in chocolate, smoke, spice, licorice and flowers form the perfume. The wine is rich, lush and creamy with espresso, dark chocolate, plums and blackberries in the mid-palate and in the vibrant, polished finish. Drink from 2025-2034. 93-94 Pts

2022 Hostens Picant – Sainte Foy Bordeaux – The medium-bodied, fruity, forward, soft wine is round, ope,n and ready to go with its nice portfolio of sweet, ripe cherries. Drink from 2025-2031. 90-89 Pts

2022 Hostens Picant Cuvee d’exception Lucullus – Sainte Foy Bordeaux – Floral in nature, due to the large portion of 53% Cabernet Franc in the blend, the wine is creamy, round, polished, and fruity, with nice definition in the black cherry and crushed stone finish. Give this a few years of age before you pull a cork, and this should be an even better wine. Drink from 2025-2035. 91-93 Pts

2022 Joanin Becot – Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux – Violets, plums, cherries and licorice fill the nose. From there, the medium-bodied wine is opulent, fruity, deep and dark, with elements of chocolate, black plums, black cherries, spice and licorice on the mid-palate that carry through to the finish. The wine is a blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc. 15% ABV, 3.60 pH. Some of the vines used here date back 1870! Drink from 2025-2035. 92-94 Pts

2022 LAurage – Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux – Licorice, black fruit, espresso, and chocolate on the nose. The wine is loaded with layers of lusciously-textured, black plums, chocolate, licorice and supple, creamy tannins. The wine is produced from 98% Merlot and 2% Cabernet Franc. 15% pH 3.8. Drink from 2025-2038. 92-94 Pts

2022 La Dauphine – Fronsac – Quite floral on the nose, the wine is also loaded with smoke, cherries, plums, licorice and cocoa. Creamy, soft, polished, and fresh, there is a nice salty essence in the finish providing complexity, and a touch of chocolate-mint adding vibrancy to the finish. La Dauphine is now one of the top wines from Fronsac. Drink from 2025-2038. 93-95 Pts

2022 La Prade – Côtes de Francs – Flowers with an ocean breeze open the nose before you find the black raspberries and touch of spice in the perfume. Medium-bodied, sweet, fresh and fruity, with fresh black plums, black raspberries, licorice and cherries from stat to finish. With all this fruit, you can enjoy this on release. Made from 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc. Drink from 2025-2036. 91-93 Pts

2022 La Riviere – Fronsac – Lusciously-textured, dark-cherries, coffee beans, and licorice already show well in the round, supple, fresh, medium-bodied, plummy wine. This is going to be simply delicious on release. But, if you allow it a year or so for the oak to better integrate, it is going to be an even better wine. Drink from 2025-2037. 91-93 Pts

2022 La Rousselle – Fronsac – Licorice, flowers and spice with black raspberries and plums fill up the nose and palate here. The wine is supple, medium-bodied, fresh and sweet, with accents of chocolate, licorice, and espresso. The wine blends 60% Merlot with 40% Cabernet Franc. 14.5% ABV. Drink from 2025-2035. 90-92 Pts

2022 La Vieille Cure – Fronsac – Lush, dark, polished, fruits, cocoa, chocolate, espresso and plums are ripe, sweet, creamy, long, fresh and a pleasure to taste. You can enjoy this with pleasure on release and for another 12 or more years after that. Drink from 2025-2038. 92-94 Pts

2022 Le Doyenné – Cadillac Côtes de Bordeaux – Soft, creamy, medium-bodied, sweet and fresh, this is going to be quite nice to taste on release for all of its upfront, spicy, red berries. Drink from 2025-2032. 87-89 Pts

2022 Le Rey Argileuses Parcelles 1 et 3 – Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux – Lush, round, polished dark red fruits with loads of chalk deliver length and complexity. It is hard to find a better value from the Cotes de Bordeaux appellation. The wine blends 80% Merlot with 20% Cabernet Franc. Drink from 2025-2035. 91-93 Pts

2022 Le Rey Les Rocheuses Parcelles 5 & 6 – Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux – Deeply colored, the wine opens with oceanic influences, flowers, leaves, herbs and black cherries. Medium-bodied, supple, creamy and fresh with a strong mineral accent to the sweet, juicy plums on the mid-palate and in the backend. The wine blends 80% Merlot with 20% Cabernet Franc.15% ABV, 3.6 pH. Drink from 2025-2037. 92-94 Pts

2022 Les Charmes-Godard Blanc – Côtes de Francs – Honeysuckle, green apples, lemons, ginger and pineapple create the nose. And on the palate, the wine is even better with its sweet, ripe, yellow citrus, mango, white peach and pineapple endnote. You can enjoy this for all of its sweet, ripe, fruits on release. The wine blends 60% Semillon 27% Sauvignon Blanc and 13% Sauvignon Gris. Drink from 2024-2029. 92-92 Pts

2022 Les-Trois-Croix – Fronsac – Flowers, cherries, licorice, and espresso blend to create a supple, fresh, creamy, rich wine with minerality, lush textures and ripe, polished fruits in the lengthy finish. Drink from 2025-2038. 93-95 Pts

2022 Monbadon – Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux – Black fruits, spice and flowers show beautifully on the nose. The black, red and blue fruits are sweet, fresh and creamy. The tannins are soft and polished, giving you a wine ending with layers of dark, red, sweet, fresh, and spicy, fresh, pit fruits. The wine blends 55% Cabernet Franc and 45% Merlot. The wine is aged in 50% new, French oak barrels and amphora. Drink from 2025-2037. 93-94 Pts

2022 Monbadon Indie de Monbadon – Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux – With a nose of black raspberries, red plums and a touch of flowers to form the core of the character here, the wine is medium-bodied, soft, silky and fresh on the palate, with a nice sweetness to the fruits and a salty touch coming in at the end of the finish. The wine blends 51% Cabernet Franc and 49% Merlot. The wine is aged in a combination of 500 liter barrels, vats and amphora. Drink from 2025-2031. 89-91 Pts

2022 Montlandrie – Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux – Flowers, truffles, black and blue fruit, cocoa and licorice open the nose. The medium-bodied palate is round, creamy and fresh, with supple, sweet, ripe fruits and a drizzle of chocolate in the mid-palate and finish. The wine blends 75% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14.5% ABV, 3.85 pH. Harvesting took place September 8 – September 23. Drink from 2025-2038. 92-94 Pts

2022 Moulin-Haut-Laroque – Fronsac – Black cherries, dark plums, licorice, chocolate and espresso beans pack the nose and creamy, soft, forward, fruity palate. This should deliver pleasure for at least 10- 12 years. Drink from 2025-2037. 91-93 Pts

2022 Moulin-Pey-Labrie – Canon-Fronsac – Medium-bodied, fresh, forward, with red berries, licorice and flowers in the nose and palate. The wine is lively, with a nice touch of limestone that you can taste and feel. Drink from 2025-2037. 89-91 Pts

2022 Pitray – Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux – Produced from 90% Merlot, and 10% Cabernet Franc, the wine is medium-bodied, soft, supple and creamy, with sweetness to the fruits and a touch of licorice on the backend. Drink from 2023-2032. This is the new high-end wine from Château de Pitray from Nina Mitjavile. Drink from 2025-2038. 91-93 Pts

2022 Pitray Les Prairies – Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux – The wine opens with flowers, cherries, licorice, plums and a touch of orange blossom in the perfume. Medium-bodied, with sweet, creamy, black cherries, and chocolate on the mid-palate, in the finish you find freshness and juicy plums that linger. This is the second wine of Pitray. The wine should be delicious to enjoy on release. The wine is produced from 75% Merlot, 23% Cabernet Franc and 2% Malbec. Drink from 2025-2032. 89-91 Pts

2022 Prieure Saint-Anne – Côtes de Bordeaux – Medium-bodied, fresh, forward and on the savory side, the red fruits are complicated by spices and a leafy, savory edge. Drink from 2025-2030. 89-91 Pts

2022 Puygueraud – Côtes de Francs – Leafy herbs, spices, flowers, wet earth and cherries are at the center of the nose and character of the wine. On the palate, it is the freshness, length and cut stone minerality that stand out, starting from the mid-palate, and carrying through to the finish. The wine blends 88% Merlot and 12% Cabernet Franc. Drink from 2025-2037. 91-93 Pts

2022 Reaut – Cadillac Côtes de Bordeaux – Licorice, black cherries, and a touch of leafy herbs lead the way to a medium-bodied, fruity, olive and herb-tinted, chalky finish. Drink from 2024-2030. 87-89 Pts

2022 Reynon – Cadillac Côtes de Bordeaux – Medium-bodied, forward, fruity,, and chalky with a core of dark currants and peppery spice that is perfect for early drinking pleasure. Drink from 2025-2030. 87-89 Pts

2022 Richelieu – Fronsac – Opulent, lush, and creamy, the wine is loaded with dark, ripe, plums, cherries, licorice, chocolate, and espresso. finishing layers of sweet, dark, red pit fruits and cocoa on the mid-palate and in the endnotes. Drink from 2025-2037. 91-93 Pts

2022 Roc de Cambes – Côtes de Bourg – Deeply colored, the nose is packed with blackberries, plums, flowers, savory herbs, cigar box and espresso. Earthy, meaty, chewy, sweet, red it fruits, savory herbs and spice fill the medium-bodied mid-palate and vibrant finish. The wine blends 80% Merlot with 20% Cabernet Sauvignon. ABV 15% 3.8 pH. Drink from 2026-2040. 93-95 Pts

2022 Villars – Fronsac – Flowers, and all the chocolate-covered plums you can eat are all over the place. The wine is creamy, supple and vibrant, with sweetness, lift and ripe, deep fruits in the mid-palate and in the finish. Drink from 2025-2038. 92-94 Pts

2022 Vrai Canon Bouche – Canon-Fronsac – Soft, polished, round, creamy black and red fruits are all over the place here, in the nose and in the sweet, fruity, creamy finish. You can enjoy this with pleasure on release. Drink from 2025-2036. 90-92 Pts

We are continuing our coverage of 2022 Bordeaux with more 2022 Right Bank value wines and petit chateaux. Up next, 2022 Bordeaux Superieur followed by 2022 generic Bordeaux AOC wines.

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