2022 Pavillon Rouge du Château Margaux, Margaux, Bordeaux

The 2022 Pavillon Rouge, which represents 32% of the production this year, has a highly perfumed nose with wilted violets chaperoning the copious black fruit. Wonderful definition. The palate is medium-bodied with fine boned tannins. Silky smooth and sensual, with a mineral-driven finish, this sashays along in style. One of the few 2022's whose barrel sample is so seductive I could have eloped with it there and then. Drink 2026-2048Neil Martin, Vinous.com.com (May 2023)

The 2022 Pavillon Rouge du Chateau Margaux is made from 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, 7% Petit Verdot, and 5% Cabernet Franc. Deep garnet-purple in color, it needs quite a lot of swirling to bring out notes of blackcurrant pastilles, Morello cherries, and preserved plums, followed by hints of dusty soil, cumin seed, and garrigue. The medium to full-bodied palate delivers commendable grace and backbone, with firm grainy tannins and well-knit freshness supporting the muscular black fruits, finishing with a fragrant lift. pH 3.65, TPI 85, alcohol 14.8% - but you don't feel it.Drink 2027-2049Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, The Wine Independent (May 2023)

Rich and dense with lots of fruit and juiciness. Redcurrants, black berries, strawberries and orange peel on the nose. Full and layered with fine, velvety tannins and a juicy finish. Big presence.james_suckling, jamessuckling_com (April 2023)

You could easily mistake the 2022 Pavillon Rouge De Margaux for the Grand Vin here, and truth be told, I wouldn’t be surprised to see this actually evolve better than some of the Grand Vins from just over 10-15 years ago. A blend of 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Petit Verdot (the second wine got all the Petit Verdot in 2022), it offers a deep, medium to full-bodied, seamless profile as well as solid framboise, darker raspberry, currants, sandalwood, and spice aromatics, silky tannins, and outstanding length. The purity and precision paired with this level of texture and richness far exceeds the vast majority of second wines out there.jeb_dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com (May 2023)

Beautiful vivid colour, bright and intense. Dark chocolate, cherries and subtle perfume on the nose. Bright and lively thought also lean and straight on the palate. A generous weight and intense grip to the tannins. It’s on the tense side, focussed with extreme precision to the fruit profile with racy acidity unpinning the tannins which are at the fore. Feels refined and elegant, more serious than some other second wines in its construction but is classy, juicy, sculpted and softly plush. The fruit has bite and tang, with liquorice and graphite edges and spiced accents giving angles but all enjoyable and really building to the whole. Great freshness and length.7% Petit Verdot completes the blend. 3.61pH. 84 IPT - highest IPT, highest before was 2018 which was 82. 15% press wine. 31% production.Drink 2028-2048Georgina Hindle, Decanter (April 2023)

64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, 7% Petit Verdot, 5% Cabernet Franc. 32% of the production. Cask sample. Deep colour. A more powerful rendition than usual. Ripe, rich and structured, the tannins present but the texture suave. Slightly powdery and dry on the finish. In need of élevage. 14.5%. Drink 2030 – 2042jancis_robinson_mw MW, JancisRobinson.com (May 2023)

Glass-staining inky purple, fleshy damson and cassis fruits with spice and concentration. Captures the spirit of the vintage with plush damson fruits, edges of sweet spices and gunsmoke, but keeps the understated pleasure that Margaux specialises in, with soft peony aromatics. High Petit Verdot in this blend because using the 2% that normally goes into the first wine but is kept out in 2022. No pumping over, with director Philippe Bascaules making the choice to let extraction happen gently, with minimal intervention. 32% of the crop in Pavillon, 25hl/h yield. 60% new oak (although this sample is 100%), and clear need to be cautious with oak during ageing.Drink 2028-2042jane_anson_mw, janeanson_com (April 2023)

The 2022 Pavillon Rouge is deep and perfumed, wafting from the glass with notions of cherries, raspberry preserve, lilac, violets and spices, followed by a medium to full-bodied, velvety and concentrated palate that's deep, rich and vibrant, with a tannic grain that resembles the grand vin this year. It represents just under a third of the estate's production.William Kelley, Wine Advocate (April 2023)