2022 Haut Simard
Buying options
Tasting notes
The 2022 is the unashamed star of our mini-vertical of Haut-Simard, and the vintage Edouard Vauthier points to as a fulcrum point for the estate. The nose is sweet and bright, packed with seamless red berry fruit, along with hints of florals and pencil shavings. It is the palate that is so striking, however, driven and long, linear with graphite-etched tannins and mouthwatering acidity. Vibrant, pinpoint and very, very good – especially for the price. Blend: 70% Cabernet Franc, 30% Merlot
This is full of rich, sweet red fruit – cherries and strawberries with some red, rather than black, plum. The palate offers a crunchier mouthful, with a concentrated, dense core of fruit. The texture is what most impresses, with beautifully fine tannins that coat the mouth. Blend: 70% Cabernet Franc, 30% Merlot
Critic scores
Average Score
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
Neal Martin, Vinous
More reviews and scores
Blending a record setting 70% Cabernet Franc with 30% Merlot, you find a wine loaded with black fruits, flowers, and wild herbs. On the palate, the wine is fresh, vibrant, bright, and crisp, with a core of ripe, black, and red fruits, and vibrant, chalky tannins on the backend. Give it a year or so in the cellar and it promises to be even better. Drink from 2025-2040.
The deep ruby/purple-hued 2022 Château Haut-Simard is 70% Cabernet Franc and 30% Merlot raised in a mix of concrete tanks and barrels. It has a beautifully varietal nose of red and black berries, leafy herbs, spring flowers, and truffly earth. Medium-bodied, straight, and focused, with plenty of tannins, it shines for its purity as well as its balance. It's going to need some time the cellar, but it's a beautiful wine.
A blend of 70% Cabernet Franc and 30% Merlot, the 2022 Haut-Simard has a deep garnet-purple color. It gallops out with wonderfully pure, vibrant notes of black and red currant preserves, wild blueberries, and rose oil, giving way to touches of lilacs and charcoal. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is very tightly knit and elegant, delivering fine-grained tannins and compelling tension, finishing long and minerally. Beautiful!
About the producer
Ch. Haut-Simard is owned by the Vauthier family of Ch. Ausone. Since Alain Vauthier took over the Saint-Emilion estate in 2008, quality here has risen exponentially with vintages from 2019 onwards in particular showing the potential of this exceptional terroir.