2022 Chateau de France
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Tasting notes
Ripe blackberries, smoked earth, chocolate, and background oak notes all emerge from the 2022 Château De France, a nicely concentrated, rich, textured, earthy Pessac-Léognan that has medium to full-bodied richness, a round, layered mouthfeel, and building tannins. Give it a few years and enjoy over the following 15.
Critic scores
Average Score
James Suckling
Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider
More reviews and scores
The 2022 Château de France has an earthy nose where I would have liked more fruit expression. The palate is more animated, with fine tannins and fleshy red fruit tones laced with dark chocolate, though it lacks a bit of structure on the finish. It's just under what I was hoping for in barrel.
This has violet flower aromatics, but it struggles to really fill out through the mid palate. Medium intensity in colour, they have carefully handled the low yields and the heat, pulses of clove spices throughout, but lacks fruit. Arnaud Thomassin owner, 30% new oak for ageing, 30hl/h yield, from vines on deep gravels.
50% Merlot, 50% Cabernet Sauvignon. Mid bright crimson. Attractive perfume. Very savoury – no obvious sweetness. In fact notably bone dry on the finish! More refreshing and fleeter of foot than many. Neat rather than knockout. (JR)
About the producer
Neighbouring Ch. de Fieuzal, Ch. de France has been making wine since the 17th century. Purchased by the Thomassin family in 1971, investment has been significant – as has the associated rise in quality.