“Is 2022 the acme of Bordeaux? Will it be uttered in the same breath as 1945, 1961, 1982, 2016 and so forth? The 2022 vintage is one of the modern-day greats. The best will stand the test of time.” ~ Neal Martin, Vinous.com
Few wine critics can challenge the supremacy of Neal Martin when it comes to the region of Pomerol and its wines. Indeed, his epic tome is now regarded as the ultimate authority on the region, recently prompting Neal to agree to start work on an updated second edition. Reading the above comments from Neal in his recent Pomerol “in bottle” report, it is very clear that 2022 is already being compared to some of the region’s other hallowed vintages, a sign that bodes exceptionally well for producers who produced second wines.
Chateau Séraphine 2022 recently placed 8th in Neal Martin’s overall review of Pomerol 2022 wines, only coming in behind the great names of Petrus, Le Pin, VCC, La Conseillante, L’Eglise Clinet, Lafleur and Trotanoy. So the Seraphine Grand Vin is certainly rubbing shoulders with the heady, elite big boys of Pomerol. So, what better time then to take another closer look at the second wine from owner Martin Krajewski, namely the L’Innocence de Seraphine 2022, a wine that normally offers exceptional bang for your buck. The new release 2022 will be available in bottle soon but the 2019 is currently offered for £65 inc. per bottle in the UK (and which also rated a solid 93/100 on A Fine Wine Safari).
The 2022 Vintage:
The word was out early that the Bordelais felt they had something special in 2022, long before the world’s wine merchants arrived to make their own assessments at En-primeur. Heatwaves and drought are not usually parents to high-quality wines. However, the wines in barrel confounded merchants’ expectations, with most agreeing that the 2022 vintage was indeed a special one across Bordeaux. Despite the lack of water, the vines did not seem to suffer terribly, remaining in leaf and in good health right up to the harvest. The berries were small and so yields were restricted.
All varieties were beautifully ripe, so much so that some properties felt no need to produce any second wines, many opting rather to increase the proportion of press wine in the final blend, such was its quality. Predictably, release prices were, on the whole, very high. But, due to the across-the-board high quality, those producers that did decide to make second wines, like Chateau Seraphine, produced exceptional examples that will undoubtedly thrill Bordeaux lovers.
L’Innocence de Seraphine 2022, Pomerol, 14% Abv.
Pomerol’s consumer popularity is undoubtedly reinforced by the elegance, succulence and fleshy accessibility of the appellation’s Merlot based wines. This beautiful 2022 is the second wine of the iconic boutique Chateau Seraphine and shows all the regal elegance, pedigree and sophistication you’d expect from this prime right bank terroir. Dark and inky in the glass, the aromatics display a majestic melange of black berries, cassis, damson plum, milk chocolate, and cocoa powder with delicate Chinese five spice nuances. In the mouth, the texture is liquid silk, creamy, plush, and expansive with a weightless concentration and incredibly powdery soft tannins that are enlivened by well integrated tangy acids and a lush cola-tinged finish. Seamless, creamy, and undeniably seductive with a wonderful approachability already, this is exactly what sophisticated Pomerol drinkers want in an earlier drinking expression. Drink now to 2035+.
(Wine Safari Score: 93/100 Greg Sherwood MW)
The wines of Chateau Seraphine and Clos Cantenac are imported into the UK by fine wine specialist merchant Museum Wines.