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Rocking levels of ripe black and blue fruits, spring flowers, violets, and blood orange all emerge from the 2022 Château Ripeau, a blend of 65% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Cabernet Sauvignon, aged all in new barrels. It's deep purple-hued and has medium to full-bodied richness, a round, layered mouthfeel, integrated acidity, and sweet tannins. A gorgeous effort, it already offers pleasure but will benefit from 4-5 years of bottle age and keep for two decades.
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Neal Martin
Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider
More reviews and scores
The 2022 Ripeau has a well-defined bouquet of blackberry, crushed stone and a touch of smoke. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-boned tannins, fresh and sapid with a delineated finish. This Saint-Émilion has a slight aloofness, which I kind of like. It may well ameliorate in the bottle.
Flowers, black plums, black cherries, chocolate, licorice, incense and fresh ground espresso beans create the nose. But it is on the palate, with its layers of opulently-textured, lush, ripe, dark pit fruits, chocolate, and plums, where the wine really takes off. The creamy, plush finish keeps on going, with length, freshness and layers of ripe, chocolately fruits. The wine blends 65% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. Drink from 2025-2045. 93-95 Pts.
The Grégoire family is quietly producing increasingly impressive wines at Ripeau, and this is a truly excellent vintage, with silky supple tannins, soft campfire, red liqourice, smoked caramel, blackberry and damson fruit, just extremely classy and balanced, ripe but measured. Clear ageing potential. I'm always reluctant to use the term best ever, but this is surely right up there. Harvest September 12 to 23, 31hl/ yield. Claude Gros oenologist.