92-94 Yohan Castaing - Robert Parker's the Wine Advocate

The 2022 Larrivet Haut-Brion offers up aromas of blackcurrant, blueberry, raspberry, violet, orange zest, iris and ripe plums, followed by a medium to full-bodied palate that's supple, seamless and elegant, its succulent core of fruit framed by velvety tannins, concluding with a floral finish. A blend of 61% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot and 21% Cabernet Franc—the most significant portion of this grape variety ever used at this estate run by Bruno Lemoine—this is one of the most interesting wines that this estate has produced in recent years. It matured in 15% amphorae, 50% new barrels and the balance in tanks.

90 James Suckling - Jamessuckling.com

A fruity and floral red with some dried strawberries, potpourri and grilled thyme. Firm and nicely grainy on the palate with tight structure and a generous finish. Garnacha, tempranillo, merlot and petit verdot. Drink in 2024.

90 Wine Spectator

"Snappy, with plenty of ginger and glazed citrus notes to the dried cherry, plum and raspberry flavors. Features loads of chocolate and spice on the long, lush finish, with hints of white pepper. Drink now." —K.M.

96-97 James Suckling - Jamessuckling.com

This is like a baby Mouton this year with blackcurrant, flower, and orange aromas. Medium- to full-bodied with a tight and racy palate that shows persistence and verve. One to watch.

94-96 Jeb Dunnuck - jebdunnuck.com

Another wine that showed beautifully on multiple occasions, the 2022 Château D'Armailhac checks in as 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, 16% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Petit Verdot. This deep purple-hued beauty offers up a full-bodied, ripe, sexy profile that carries lots of blueberry, cherry, and cassis fruit, notes of spice, leafy herbs, and chocolate, velvety tannins, good acidity, and a great finish. It should have a broad, lengthy drink window.

93-95 Antonio Galloni - Vinous

The 2022 Château d'Armailhac was picked from 8 to 27 September and matured in 50% new oak. This has a very pure and sensual bouquet with precocious black plum, cassis violet and espresso scents. The palate is medium-bodied with muscular tannins on the entry, though I find just a little more complexity compared to the Clerc Milon this year. There's a gentle and discrete crescendo toward its delineated and minerally finish. Excellent. This is more like the d'Armailhac that I was familiar with, say, ten years ago. It will surely be irresistible once it reaches its peak. You've been warned.

95 Decanter

Strongly scented and perfumed on the nose, dark fruits, lively and lithe, supple and smooth on the palate, richly concentrated in terms of fruit density but sleek and stylish on the palate with a burst of bright and fresh blackcurrants and black cherries. Has a tang to it, the acidity and liveliness fills the mid palate before the stony tannins come in towards the end and give this bite and focus. More tense and streamlined than Clerc Milon, but so poised and finessed. This has bite and tension, the Cabernet speaks with liquorice, tobacco and clove subtly giving the spice at the end, but also a fresh mintiness. You can taste the gravel and the clay, putting the terroir in the glass. Really quite profound with concentrated fruit, juiciness and mouthwatering acidity. Fresh and lifted on the finish, you want more of this, but it will take some time to be more charming given its serious nature right now. One to wait for and be glad you did. 3.83pH. 11.3% press wine - usually at 7-8% maximum. 2% Petit Verdot completes the blend. HVE3 certified. Tasted twice. 50% new barrels.

93-95 Lisa Perrotti-Brown - The Wine Independent

The 2022 d'Armailhac is a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, 16% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot. Deep garnet-purple in color, it slowly emerges from the glass with evocative blueberry pie, black raspberries, and warm cassis scents, giving way to hints of pencil lead, lilacs, and underbrush. The full-bodied palate delivers taut, muscular black fruit with beautifully rounded tannins and plenty of freshness, finishing long and spicy. This year represents a real step up. pH 3.83, TPI 75.

94 Jane Anson - Inside Bordeaux

The difference from a typical vintage colour is more marked in Armailhac than Clerc Milon, where we are more used to deep colours. This in contrast is an extremely intense Armailhac, really stepping into its Pauillac boots, a ton of deep plum, cassis and damson. Great expansion through the palate, beautiful depth of flavour, this is extremely impressive, with an edge of eucalyptus and graphite on the finish, and more grip than usual. Yields down to 26hl/h (there are more new plantings here so young vines). Second vintage with the new winery, and new technical director Lucille Lauilhé. Harvest September 8 to 27, 50% new oak, 3.83ph.

92-94 William Kelley - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

Deep aromas of raspberries, cherries, crushed mint and spices preface the 2022 d'Armailhac, a medium to full-bodied, layered and concentrated wine that's deep, lively and seamless, framed by powdery tannins and concluding with a penetrating finish.

90 Wine Spectator

Sleek and fresh, with elegant, juicy flavors of cherry, cinnamon and toasty spices that zip along the snappy finish. Drink now through 2029. 4,160 cases made.

98 Mark Squires - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

The 2009 Quinta de Vargellas Vinha Velha Vintage Port is a typical field blend aged in used French oak vats. It comes in with 98 grams per liter of residual sugar. One of the fleshiest wines in the vertical—from a very warm year—this has plenty of power and fine depth, hallmarks of the vintage. This was not always received as well as some lusher vintages, but it was likely also far more closed when young. This is a relative powerhouse even now, stern and dramatically different than the lusher and sexier 2007, for instance. For me, always obsessed with structure, it rings the bell. Laced with herbs and dried fruits, this is mightily impressive on its own terms, though. It adds a long finish, but it shows no trace of maturity anytime in the near future. The fruit is sappy but very dry. For all of its power, it retains some elegance, and it is vaguely approachable. The key word there is "vaguely." Do you want to enjoy it or just fight off the tannins? This is another brilliant Vinha Velha, even if often underrated, probably thanks to its somewhat brooding demeanor. Even now, it is a relatively backward one that needs much more time to express itself. Drink it if you must now, but you'll probably regret it.

92 Decanter

Initially restrained on the nose, this wine opens up to an amazingly full-bodied fruit on the palate. Supple and juicy, the raspberry fruit has a ripe intensity which is almost jam-like from its short maceration, and then the Mourvèdre kicks in with blackcurrants and crunchy dark fruit which continue all the way to the finish. The intensity and ripeness are charming, but there is also power and acidity, hiding in the background but always there, allowing the fruit to take centre stage towards the finish. Lovely balance and elegance.

98-99 James Suckling - Jamessuckling.com

Wow. This is incredibly structured and powerful with ultra-fine tannins that are tight and layered. It’s full and powerful with carved muscles of tannins. This will need so much time.

96-98 Jeb Dunnuck - jebdunnuck.com

As to the Grand Vin 2022 Domaine De Chevalier, this awesome Graves is based on 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot and the rest Cabernet Franc. Vinified in a mix of concrete and wood tanks, with a portion seeing malolactic fermentation in barrel, it offers a deep purple/ruby hue as well as a brilliant bouquet of crème de cassis, graphite, smoke tobacco, and damp earth. Reminding me of a supercharged version of the 2016, it's full-bodied and has a layered, silky mouthfeel, beautiful tannins, and a great finish. Released with a new, one-off label, the 2022 celebrates Olivier Bernard's 40th year at the château, and it's certainly a wine worth seeking out.

95-97 Neal Martin - Vinous Media

The 2022 Domaine de Chevalier was picked from 5-30 September and represents the 40th vintage under the irrepressible Olivier Bernard, who celebrates with a one-off label. It soars from the glass with take-no-prisoner aromatics: perfumed mineral-rich red berry fruit, incense and black truffle. Pessac-like earthiness with an opposing airiness defines many a great wine from this estate. The palate is medium-bodied with grippy tannins. Slightly powdery in texture and saline in the mouth, this gets the saliva flowing. However, the arching structure on the finish suggests it will require considerable bottle age. Cellar this for a couple of decades, and you'll be repaid handsomely. 14% alcohol.

96 Jane Anson - Inside Bordeaux

Showing how it's done in 2022, Domaine de Chevalier comes in strong with a deep ruby red colour, a vibrant rim, smoked oak on the nose, edges of tar, red roses, liquorice root, and a confident delivery of full-on tannic architecture that frames the cassis and bilberry fruit. Delivers vintage signature in a carefully controlled way, with enough slate, pummice stone, mint and eucalyptus to balance things out and slow down delivery. The fruits are fully ripe, heading towards baked plum and fig, but met step by step with a corresponding cooling flavour. 40th harvest of Olivier Bernard (meaning a special label).

94-96 William Kelley - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

A blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot and 2% Cabernet Franc, the 2022 Domaine de Chevalier delivers aromas of minty dark berries, cherries and ripe plums mingled with hints of licorice, coniferous forest and spices. Medium to full-bodied, it’s concentrated and layered, textured and elegant, framed by powdery tannins and concluding with a long, penetrating, long finish. Olivier Bernard and his team have crafted an outstanding wine that will bear a special label commemorating his 40th vinification at this Péssac-Léognan reference point.

95 Georgina Hindle - Decanter

Lovely detail and precision with plump, ripe fruit, good concentration and intensity, mouthfilling tannins that have a lovely texture and overall length. Feels really well made, structured and vibrant, not taken too far with a really appealing flavour and texture. Just lovely, fresh, lifted, still concentrated with underlying power but delivered seamlessly. A brilliant, compelling, utterly moreish wine. 2% Cabernet Franc completes the blend. A yield of 40hl/ha. Harvest 15 September - 5 October. Ageing 18 months; 33% new barrels, 65% one and two wine. In organic conversion. Derenoncourt consultants.

94 Joaquín Hidalgo - Vinous Media

The 2019 Selección Especial blends Tempranillo, Garnacha and Graciano from vineyards on Montes Obarenes and the slopes of Sierra Cantabria. Aged for 26 months in the winery's French oak barrels, this garnet wine offers a balsamic core with delicate cherry and elder notes, accompanied by hints of licorice. Dry, intense and creamy, the chalky flow lingers, concluding with a velvety, complex finish. This red stands out for its crystal-clear expression, showcasing a range of Rioja's virtues.