Château Haut-Marbuzet - Saint-Estèphe 2022

Bettane & Desseauve

About the wine:

What a delicate aroma and texture—you can really sense the great Cabernets expressing all their class in this 2022 vintage, which is precise, long, and has a captivating freshness on the finish. As always.

About the estate:

This world-renowned estate is located in Marbuzet, on a hillside overlooking the Gironde River. Its vineyards lie halfway between Cos d’Estournel and Montrose. Henri Dubosq, a leading figure in the Médoc, has been crafting the estate’s wines with great success since 1982. In 2006, he partnered with Philippe Jorand, a Michelin-starred chef, to bring out the best in the 13 hectares of Château Layauga-Duboscq, situated on prime terroirs around Gaillan and Queyrac. Haut-Marbuzet’s wines have always been full-bodied, combining roundness and richness, with excellent aging potential. Haut-Marbuzet is truly a superb, must-visit estate within the appellation.

Robert Parker - Wine Advocate

About the wine:

As is its custom, this estate has crafted a sensual and delicate wine in a region where power and austerity are often the norm. Haut-Marbuzet 2022 reveals an elegant and alluring bouquet of licorice, black berries, cherries, and flowers, intertwined with a barely perceptible hint of oak. Medium-bodied to full-bodied, well-balanced, and complex, it is enveloping with a fleshy core of fruit, velvety tannins, and a long, mineral—almost salty—finish. 2028–2048

RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France

About the wine:

The small, highly concentrated berries produced a wine that is very dense, yet also very refined and delicate, with substantial tannins that are nonetheless incredibly silky. A legendary Haut-Marbuzet co-created by Henri and Bruno Duboscq.

About the estate:

No other Bordeaux estate can boast such a devoted community of wine lovers. For more than thirty years, Haut-Marbuzet and its colorful and dynamic owner, Henri Dubosq—now supported by his sons—have won the hearts of discerning wine connoisseurs. While these wines have long been considered charming in their youth (which they undeniably are), yet limited in terms of aging potential, one must taste the mature vintages of this Saint-Estèphe estate to understand that its terroir is above all capable of producing wines that age beautifully. The old Merlot vines planted on blue clay lend Haut-Marbuzet’s bouquet superb truffle notes reminiscent of certain old Pomerols. Like many others, the estate experienced a slight dip in form in the early 2000s, but its strong comeback in recent years makes it more indispensable than ever in the cellars of wine lovers.

Wine Enthusiast

James Suckling

About the wine:

Don’t be put off by the still slightly pronounced woody notes. This wine is built for long-term aging, with impressive depth and complexity. Spicy berries, white pepper, hibiscus, and hints of cedar, chocolate, and minerals. Its strength lies in its tannins—both earthy and abundant—which lend it structure, elegance, and precision. The finish, lasting about a minute, is truly velvety and long. A wise purchase for this vintage. Drink starting in 2026 and over the next 10 to 15 years.

Yves Beck

About the wine:

The bouquet of Haut-Marbuzet is serene and confident. It hints at power, but without being overbearing. On the contrary, it reveals a wealth of details, blending maturity and freshness—with, for example, notes of plums, blackberries, and licorice complemented by cocoa beans, followed by subtle mineral nuances (chalk, graphite). The dense attack gives way to a commanding wine that shines for its ability to be powerful yet subtle, thanks to smooth, compact tannins, while an acidity that is both structuring and juicy ensures freshness. An exceptional wine that will need to be left to age in the cellar for a while! 2030–2057