2022 Château de Côme, Saint-Estèphe
The 2022 vintage in Bordeaux produced some truly exceptional wines, beautifully concentrated and balanced, with that unmistakable French elegance. The ripeness in 2022 carried the fruit to a perfect peak of flavor without ever feeling heavy or overly sweet. The 2022 Château de Côme from Saint-Estèphe is a standout example and captures everything that made this vintage so exciting.
Saint-Estèphe sits at the northern edge of the Médoc, where gravel soils start to mix with clay. That shift gives the wines real backbone: darker fruit, firm structure, and a powerful, age-worthy profile that Cabernet drinkers naturally gravitate toward. It is a style that delivers both muscle and refinement.
A bit of background on the estate: Château de Côme is closely tied to neighboring Château Clauzet, both under the same ownership, with Clauzet known as the first fully organic estate in Saint-Estèphe. Historically, the vineyard of Château de Côme was part of Clauzet and later bottled separately as a sort of Super Cuvée for the appellation. This is also the only kosher wine made by a First Growth winemaker. José Bueno, formerly the longtime technical director at Mouton Rothschild, oversees the winemaking here, and his precision, texture, and classic Left Bank style are immediately evident.
In the glass, the wine is unapologetically Saint-Estèphe: structured, richly fruited, mineral, and built on firm but refined tannins. The dark and red fruit sits alongside graphite, a touch of smoke, and subtle spice, all carried by a tension that keeps it fresh and vibrant.
So, who is this wine for? Even seasoned Bordeaux collectors will appreciate how it balances depth and finesse. California Cabernet fans will find the fruit profile inviting, and then notice the minerality and structure that make this commune so distinctive. It is a serious wine that opens beautifully with air and should age confidently for five to ten years.
Overall, it is a remarkable bottle from a remarkable vintage, one that delivers pleasure now and promises even more with time.
