Expert Reveals Bordeaux 2022 Vintage Cellar Essentials (and they are exquisite!)
Ready to level up your cellar? Here, LANGTONS Head of Auctions, Michael Anderson, selects the bottles to chase from Bordeaux 2022.
3 min
There are Bordeaux drops and then there are Bordeaux moments. This is the latter. The 2022 vintage has arrived through LANGTONS with depth across communes and enough quality to satisfy both the curious and the die-hard.
Here is your guide to what deserves a place in the cellar, and in years to come, your dining table.
1. Château Carbonnieux Blanc 2022, Graves, $110
The story of the legendary white of Château Carbonnieux Blanc (Graves, $110) stretches back to the 18th century when, thanks to its crystal clarity, it was introduced to the Sultan of Constantinople’s palace disguised as ‘mineral water from Carbonnieux. Today, the wine retains that luminous freshness in youth but develops dried and candied fruit characters with maturity, making it one of the most versatile whites in the region. This is a wine that can be drunk now through to 2029, so not a long termer.
2. Château Figeac 2022, St-Émilion, $850
If Carbonnieux speaks of crystalline youth, Château Figeac (St-Émilion, $850) speaks of longevity. Few estates can match its claim to 2000 years of continuous occupation, and the 2022 vintage bears that gravitas. Deeply garnet in colour, Cabernet Sauvignon shines here with notes of blackcurrant, blueberry, lilac, tobacco and bay leaf. On the palate, the wine is elegant and mineral, yet vibrantly alive. It’s a stunning effort that will reward those with patience – I’d suggest drinking from 2034–2060. It’s a great investment wine given Figeac’s ascent, too.
3. Château Gazin 2022, Pomerol, $235
In Pomerol, the quiet achiever is Château Gazin ($235), whose neighbours happen to be Petrus and L’Evangile. The 2022 shows deep crimson colour, with aromas of violet, musky plum, roasted chestnut and mocha. Classically proportioned, it offers a palate of ripe black fruits, chalky tannins and mid-palate depth that places it among the appellation’s most compelling releases. This wine sees its best drinking between 2029 and 2040.
4. Château Palmer 2022, Margaux, $1,050
Further south in Margaux, Château Palmer ($1,050) continues its reputation as a ‘Super Second’, officially ranked a Third Growth but revered as the equal of the First Growths. The 2022 is abundant in blackberry jam, chocolate, lavender and smoke, a wine of sheer extract and richness with remarkable intensity. It is best from 2035 and should be showing nicely to 2065. It’s a wine nipping at the heels of the Firsts and a wonderful investment opportunity.”
5. Château Haut-Bailly 2022, Pessac-Léognan, $415
Another of Bordeaux’s historic properties, Château Haut-Bailly (Pessac-Léognan, $415), dates to the mid-15th century. Its 2022 vintage shows blackcurrant pastille, violet and graphite, with a refreshing yet dense palate that finishes chalky and minerally. It is incredibly elegant now, so try from 2030–2045 with ease. A wine worth buying 6–12 bottles of to watch this ‘value’ Bordeaux evolve in the cellar over time.
6. Château Pontet-Canet 2022, Pauillac, $330
The Pauillac commune offers two contrasting but equally celebrated estates. Château Pontet-Canet ($330), founded in 1725, is full-bodied and packed with ripe black fruits supported by finely integrated tannins. The wine is remarkably compelling now, but best after 2029 through to 2045. It’s also a hit in the secondary market amongst speculators.
7. Château Lafite-Rothschild 2022, Pauillac, $1,950
Then there is Château Lafite-Rothschild (Pauillac, $1,950), perhaps the most recognised name in the Médoc. The 2022 vintage has immense grip and presence, offering loganberry, blueberry, wet stones, and forest floor. For me, this is one of the definitive wines of the vintage. It’s one of the world’s most collected and cellared wines. Best from 2034–2070+ and is a triumph.
8. Château Montrose 2022, St-Estèphe, $595
North in St-Estèphe, Château Montrose ($595) demonstrates why this Second Growth is often regarded as a rival to the First Growths. Ample blackberry, cassis and briary fruits meet velvety tannins and cedar, creating a wine of both richness and precision. The wine is fine, aromatic and worth the investment. Most joy to be extracted from 2033 onwards with a 25-year satisfaction window.
9. Château Suduiraut 2022, Sauternes, $99
The sweet wines of Bordeaux complete the spectrum. Château Suduiraut (Sauternes, $99), a neighbour to d’Yquem, delivers a 2022 that is full of marmalade, saffron, lime and orange zest. Its sweetness is cut with a lifted bitterness that lends focus. This wine is showing beautifully now and best from 2028–2035+.
10. Château Cos d’Estournel 2022, St-Estèphe, $690
Finally, another St-Estèphe giant, Château Cos d’Estournel ($690), speaks with intensity and power. A blend dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, the 2022 is tannic, commanding and built for the long haul like every vintage of Cos.
A long-standing cultural cruise and a new expedition-style offering will soon operate side by side in French Polynesia.
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A long-standing cultural cruise and a new expedition-style offering will soon operate side by side in French Polynesia.
3 minFrom late 2026 and into 2027, PONANT Explorations Group will base two ships in French Polynesia, offering travellers a choice between a culturally immersive classic and a far more exploratory deep-Pacific experience.
The move builds on more than 25 years of operating in the region with the iconic m/s Paul Gauguin, while introducing the expedition-focused Le Jacques Cartier to venture into lesser-known waters.
Together, the two vessels will cover all five Polynesian archipelagos — the Society, Tuamotu, Austral, Gambier and Marquesas Islands — as well as the remote Pitcairn Islands.
THE PAUL GAUGUIN: CULTURAL IMMERSION, POLYNESIAN STYLE
Long regarded as the benchmark for cruising in French Polynesia, m/s Paul Gauguin will remain based year-round in the region.
Renovated in 2025, the ship continues to focus on relaxed, culturally rich journeys with extended port stays designed to allow guests to experience daily life across the islands.
A defining feature of the onboard experience is the presence of the Gauguins and Gauguines — Polynesian hosts who share local traditions through music, dance and hands-on workshops, including weaving and craft demonstrations.
The atmosphere is deliberately intimate and internationally minded, catering to travellers seeking depth rather than distance.
Across the 2026–27 seasons, the ship will operate 66 departures, primarily across the Society Islands, Tuamotu and Marquesas, with select voyages extending to Fiji, Tonga and the Cook Islands.
LE JACQUES CARTIER: EXPLORATION AT THE EDGE
Le Jacques Cartier introduces a more adventurous dimension to PONANT’s Polynesian offering, with itineraries focused on the least visited corners of the South Pacific.
The ship will debut three new “Discovery” itineraries, each 14 nights in length, which can also be combined into a single, extended 42-night voyage — the most comprehensive Polynesian itinerary currently available.
In total, the combined journey spans six archipelagos, 23 islands and the Pitcairn Islands, a British Overseas Territory rarely included on cruise itineraries.
Unlike the Paul Gauguin’s cultural focus, Le Jacques Cartier centres on exploration.
Each day includes one guided activity led by local experts, with excursions conducted via tenders, local boats and zodiacs. Scuba diving is available on board, supported by a resident instructor.
Across the 2026–27 period, the ship will operate nine departures, offering a deliberately limited and low-impact presence in some of the Pacific’s most isolated communities.
THREE NEW DISCOVERY ITINERARIES
The new itineraries aboard Le Jacques Cartier include:
– Secret Polynesia: Unexplored Tuamotu, the Gambier Islands and the Austral Islands
– From Confidential French Polynesia to Pitcairn Island
– Polynesian Bliss: Marquesas and Tuamotu
Each voyage departs from Papeete, with prices starting from $15,840 per person.
SCOUTING THE PACIFIC’S MOST REMOTE COMMUNITIES
In preparation for the new itineraries, PONANT Explorations Group undertook extensive scouting across the Austral and Tuamotu Islands to develop activities in collaboration with local communities.
José Sarica, the group’s R&D Expedition Experience Director, worked directly with residents to design experiences including welcome ceremonies, cultural workshops and visits to marae, the region’s sacred open-air temples.
Six new ports of call have been confirmed as part of this process, spanning both the Tuamotu and Austral archipelagos.
SIX NEW PORTS OF CALL CONFIRMED
New stopovers include:
– Mataiva, known for its rare mosaic lagoon
– Hikueru, home to one of the largest lagoons in the Tuamotus
– Makemo, noted for its red-footed boobies and frigatebirds
– Raivavae, famed for its crystal-clear lagoon pools
– Tubuai, rich in marae and spiritual heritage
– Rurutu, known for limestone caves and seasonal humpback whale sightings
A DUAL EXPERIENCE, ONE DESTINATION
By pairing its long-established cultural voyages with expedition-led exploration, PONANT Explorations Group is positioning French Polynesia not as a single experience, but as two distinct journeys — one grounded in tradition and comfort, the other pushing into the furthest reaches of the Pacific.
For travellers seeking either immersion or discovery, the South Pacific is about to feel both familiar and entirely new.
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