2022, Among the Best Bordeaux Vintages in a Decade: Two Château Haut-Reys Finds

2022, Among the Best Bordeaux Vintages in a Decade

★ The 2022 Château Haut-Reys Graves Rouge earned a star from the Guide Hachette.

This past Thursday, our Fine Wine Team met with the Bordeaux importer behind Château Haut-Reys and tasted through these wines. What caught our attention wasn’t just that they were good. They had the character we want from Bordeaux: freshness, structure, balance and a real sense of place, and they were incredibly easy to enjoy. When we discovered what we could offer them for, we knew we had an amazing Flash opportunity.

First, the 2022 Graves Rouge

2022 was an exceptional year in Bordeaux. Despite an unusually hot and dry growing season, the best vineyards produced wines with remarkable concentration, freshness and structure. Jancis Robinson ranks 2022 among Bordeaux’s four best vintages of the past decade, and Graves and neighboring Pessac-Léognan were among the areas singled out for particularly impressive wines.

The Château Haut-Reys 2022 Rouge comes from a 20-hectare family estate in La Brède, right at the edge of Pessac-Léognan. The vineyards sit on the classic gravelly soils of Graves, with clay and limestone adding to the mix.

This wine delivers exactly what we’d hope for from the vintage and the appellation: ripe red and dark fruit, a supple palate, fine tannins and an elegant, savory finish. The 2026 Guide Hachette awarded it one star, calling it a “very successful” wine and noting its roundness, fine tannins, ripe fruit and lingering finish.

It’s drinking beautifully now, and at $18.99, this is a particularly compelling way to experience a very good Bordeaux vintage without the Bordeaux price tag.

We’d enjoy this with steak frites, or if the weather keeps up as it has been, some French onion soup made with beef stock. The ripe fruit and fine tannins are terrific with beefy, savory dishes, while the wine’s freshness keeps the pairings balanced on the palate.

Then There’s the 2023 Graves Blanc

The Blanc comes from the same Graves estate and brings a completely different expression of the appellation. A traditional blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon and Muscadelle, it is fresh and aromatic, with citrus, mineral notes and ripe fruit. Sauvignon brings the brightness, Sémillon adds texture and roundness, and Muscadelle contributes an extra aromatic lift.

It’s a beautifully versatile white for oysters and shellfish, grilled fish, roast chicken, goat cheese or a simple dinner salad. At $16.99, it’s a terrific everyday Bordeaux Blanc.

We went into Thursday’s tasting looking for wines we’d be excited to offer. We came away with two bottles that checked all the boxes: a great Bordeaux appellation, interesting terroir, excellent drinking, a highly regarded vintage for the Rouge and a Guide Hachette star to back it up. These are wines we would proudly pour for guests or enjoy for a weeknight glug.

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