The 2022 Clos de Sarpe is a Bordeaux blend consisting of 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc, produced in the Saint Emilion sub-region of Bordeaux, France. This red wine, sealed with a cork, is distinguished by its deep purple hue and an alcohol content of approximately 15%. Notably, it has garnered significant acclaim from several top-tier wine critics, each highlighting its unique qualities and potential for aging.
William Kelley of Robert Parker's Wine Advocate rated the wine 93-95 points, noting its "aromas of sweet red berries, cherries, licorice, and petals." Kelley emphasized the wine's full-bodied nature and its "suave and seamless" texture, attributing this to the limestone terroir and judicious extraction during a long, low-temperature maceration.
James Suckling awarded the 2022 Clos de Sarpe 94-95 points, praising its "intense sliced berry aromas and flavors with minerals and stones." He described the wine as having a "bright finish" with "fine tannins" and a mineral-heavy end, reflecting its Saint Emilion origins.
Jeff Leve from TheWineCellarInsider.com gave the wine an impressive 94-96 points. He highlighted the wine's "deeply colored" appearance and its "perfumed with flowers, crushed stones, peppery spices, black plums, black cherries, and espresso." Leve recommended allowing the wine time to mature, suggesting it will be best enjoyed from 2027-2055.
Jeb Dunnuck was particularly enthusiastic, awarding the wine 96-98+ points. He described it as a "magical Saint-Emilion in the making," with classic limestone-influenced aromatics such as "pure cassis, graphite, chalky minerality, liquid violets, and scorched earth." Dunnuck noted its "remarkable purity" and predicted it would benefit from a decade of aging, with a potential longevity of up to 50 years.
The Wine Independent also rated the wine 93-95 points, noting its "medium to deep garnet-purple color" and "fragrant scents of dried plums, boysenberries preserves, and raisin cake." They praised its "mouth-coating black and blue fruit preserves" and "velvety tannins," which contribute to its great length and tension.
Finally, Vinous awarded the wine 94-96 points, describing it as "fabulous," with "dark, structured and wonderfully deep" characteristics. The review highlighted the wine's "bright red/purplish berry fruit, lavender, rose petal, spice, and pomegranate," and commended its "sublime balance."
In summary, the 2022 Clos de Sarpe is a highly regarded Bordeaux blend, praised for its intense flavors, remarkable balance, and significant aging potential. It stands out as a noteworthy wine from the Saint Emilion region, with excellent reviews across the board.