Clos Puy Arnaud 2022

Deep ruby, vibrant fruit, ripe raspberries, cassis, violets, cherry grape sugar; crisp fruit, ultra-fine tannins, great harmony, everything is in its place, remarkably fresh, long-lasting, balanced. Compliments!

Sleek and polished, with alluring notes of blackberry purée and warmed cassis that glide through, while fine-grained tannins, a buried chalky spine and a gilding of sweet tobacco add range and length. Shows a mouthwatering floral echo at the end. Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Best from 2026 through 2038. 3,416 cases made, 50 cases imported.

The 2022 Clos Puy Arnaud is a dense, extroverted wine. Inky dark fruit, licorice, menthol and cloves are all amplified. Usually Clos Puy Arnaud is more refined, but in 2022, the vintage dominates and speaks loudly. Even so, this is a compelling offering. I look forward to tasting it with bottle age.

Plums and black cherries with flowers and chocolate pack the nose and palate, further enhanced by its mineral essences that bring a touch of salt, with layers of dark red fruits on the finish. The wine blends 70% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. Drink from 2025-2035. 89-91 pts.

Deep dark ruby, opaque core, purple reflections, subtle brightening on the rim. Wild black berries, juniper and liquorice, some candied orange and nougat. Juicy, elegant, fresh core, ripe cherries, mineral-salty finish, shows length and certain ageing potential.

Delicately structured bouquet with fresh morello cherry juice, wild raspberry pulp, noble cassis spice and an intense lilac fragrance. On the taut palate, a silky texture, invigorating verve, a mineral core and a muscular body. The focused, aromatic finish shows plum skin, dark minerality and a crumbly astringency, rounded off.

The look and feel of this wine is one of quiet confidence, a beautifully made wine from owner Thierry Valette. Less exuberant than many in the vintage, with austerity and lean muscularity to the tannins, then it unfurls to reveal fragrant peony and tomato leaf notes, sappy and mouthwatering, understated yet fully ripe, of excellent quality. Harvested September 3 to 15, certified organic and biodynamic. Aged in 10% new oak, alongside oak casks and earthenware jars, with 3 months in cement vats before bottling unfined. pH 3.35.

Very ripe fruit, with kirsch-like accents, asserts itself from the first notes with a lovely freshness that avoids heaviness. On the palate, tenderness takes over with a delicate texture, intense fruit, and always that fresh, lightly alcoholic sensation.

Beautifully fruity bouquet with aromas of black berries alongside wafts of cocoa and peonies. Freshness takes center stage, which bodes well! Juicy and mouthwatering on the attack, the wine boasts a tonic character, perfectly integrated tannins, and a touch of austerity that keeps the doors of freshness wide open! A brilliant wine in its style—refined, authentic, and unique.

In comparison to the 2021, the 2022 Clos Puy Arnaud, a blend of 70% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, is less introverted and austere, offering up aromas of dark berries, spices, mulberries and flowers. Medium to full-bodied, generously extracted and concentrated, it's deep and lively and structured with velvety tannins, concluding with a long, delicately spicy and fresh finish. This estate is progressing toward producing more refined and vibrant wines, though this one will benefit from some time in the cellar to integrate its élevage fully.

The 2022 Clos Puy Arnaud (70% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon) is rock-solid, offering upfront red and black berry-like fruits, some spicy oak and loamy, mineral nuances, medium body, and a pure, layered, elegant mouthfeel.

On the nose, dark cherries, plums, warm spices and pebbles. It’s medium-bodied with fine, firm tannins. Textured and solid. A juicy, dense and scented blend of 70% merlot, 25% cabernet franc and 5% cabernet sauvignon. From biodynamically grown grapes with Demeter certification. Drink from 2027.