Château Peby Faugères 2022

For the 25th anniversary, in a black dress; a complex nose, plenty of dark fruit, floral notes, smoke, cherry lozenges; a powerhouse on the palate, sensationally structured, extremely compact, with fine tannins, plenty of drive, not an ounce of fat. Very, very long, echoing dark fruits and a hint of Roquefort. An excellent Peby Faugères with great reserves.

A frankly toasty version, with a rich core of crushed plum and black cherry fruit coated with mocha and melted licorice. Tilts toward extracted in profile, though violet and ink notes add range and length. For fans of the style. Best from 2027 through 2038. Tasted twice, with consistent notes. 1,800 cases made.

A bold and intense nose full of ripe damsons, raisins and blackcurrants with dark chocolate and coffee beans. Ripe, fleshy fruit meets high acidity with a touch of toast and cocoa powder-edged tannins on the palate. It’s verging on opulent, but the acidity pulls it back to freshness, albeit still with power. Ripe and full-on but not dry or too hot. Once the oak integrates further this will be very nice. The black and gold bottles are specially engraved to celebrate the 25th harvest of Lalique owner Silvio Denz.

This is very powerful and rich, with layers of fruit and loads of fine, silky, caressing tannins, reminiscent of Napa. It's full and intense with plums, chocolate and lots of redcurrants. This is a wine that harks back to the early 2000s. Juicy and flavorful. Pure merlot. Best after 2028.

100% Merlot. Cask sample. Very deep purplish crimson. Intense, almost gamey nose with a light cheesiness (brie?). This is the wine that so far in this line-up most emphatically recalls the exaggerations of the late 20th and early 21st century. Really quite painful to taste, with monolithic tannins dominating any fruit. Furry finish. (JR)

The 2022 Peby Faugères, 100% Merlot, is a rich, heady wine. A blast of black cherry, plum, lavender, licorice, sage, grilled herbs and menthol stains the palate. This sumptuous, explosive Saint-Émilion packs a pretty serious punch. There's a lot of wine here. This is a gorgeous, stylish offering from Silvio Denz.

Rich, rich, rich, did I mention the wine is rich yet? Opulent, dark, and velvety, the wine delivers its chocolate- and espresso-drenched plums and black cherries with ease on the nose, mid-palate, and in the decadent, long, palate-staining finish. The wine is produced from 100% old-vine Merlot. Drink from 2027–2050.

Deep ruby colour, inky opaque core, purple reflections, brightening at the rim. Fine wood spice, fully ripe cherries, chocolate, tobacco, herbal savouriness. Substantial on the palate, elegant, red-berry nuances, vivid, integrated tannins, salty, mineral finish, nougat on the aftertaste. Shows length and some ageing potential, a combination of depth and finesse.

The 2022 Château Péby Faugères is a bold, full-bodied effort showcasing ripe red, blue, and black fruits, with chocolate and graphite-driven aromas and flavors. A spicy saddle leather nuance adds complexity to this lush, weightless wine, delivering a fruit-bomb style while still holding everything together nicely. Brought up in plenty of new wood (beautifully integrated), it will evolve well for 20+ years.

Intense, concentrated, powerful, damson, kirsch, orange peel, cocoa bean, espresso, intense, good quality, delivers its signature exuberant style. 7.15ha vineyard, 34hl/ha yield, 45% new oak for ageing, harvest September 8, 25th anniversary vintage since the arrival of Lalique owner Silvio Denz. Vincent Cruège technical director, organic certified.

A nose that is slightly veiled at first, then reveals generous ripe fruit in the background. On the palate, a flavorful texture with a hint of animality.