L’Ecole No 41’s 2022 Apogee is a single-vineyard, Bordeaux-style red blend sourced entirely from Pepper Bridge Vineyard in Washington’s Walla Walla Valley AVA, a site the winery has worked with for Apogee since 1993. The blend is consistent across reviewers: 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Merlot, 10% Malbec, and 4% Cabernet Franc.

This is a dark-fruited, spice-leaning wine with a clear structural frame. James Suckling’s excellent 95-point review highlights classic Cabernet markers—“blackcurrants, bark, dried spices, walnuts and cigar box”—and calls it “full-bodied” with “firm, fine tannins” and “lovely balance and persistency,” finishing with a “light toasty character.” Vinous (94 points) is similarly enthusiastic, with Eric Guido describing “blueberry sauce and molten chocolate” lifted by “dried violets and stone dust,” and praising a finish that is “long, full of tension yet only gently tannic,” concluding, “This is a gorgeous vintage for Apogee.”

Other critics emphasize both richness and energy. Wine Enthusiast (93 points) notes a “sweet, ripe blackberry pastille aroma” alongside “a dusty mineral note,” with “bursts of black licorice and thyme” on the palate. It also points to a “rare combination of dazzling acidity and grippy tannins,” recommending patience: “Enjoy from 2027 to 2042.” Jeb Dunnuck (93 points) frames the wine as “elegant” and “medium-bodied,” built around “soft red fruit” and a “plush midpalate,” with “herbal hints of cedar and sage” and “dusty tannins that finish with grip,” suggesting it will “shine best in the next 5–7 years” yet “cellar well a good 20.” Decanter (92 points) underscores the wine’s “fruit-forward” profile, citing “black plums and Christmas spice” plus “Mexican dark chocolate,” with “black pepper and mocha powder” through the finish.

Overall, 2022 Apogee reads as a polished, cellar-worthy Pepper Bridge expression: generous fruit, savory detail, and firm but well-managed tannin.