We had the full team at the Farr Vintners tasting bench earlier this month, mostly checking in on our stocks of the Durantou family wines (more of which to follow). We have followed these wines for years and they continue to offer nothing short of outstanding value for money. One of the standouts of our tasting was 2022 Château Saintayme which, at £135 per dozen in bond, has to be the best value Saint Emilion you can buy today.
The vineyards of Saintayme are found in Saint-Étienne-de-Lisse to the west of the appellation. They are in a single block of nine hectares, and planted to 100% merlot vines that are roughly 35 years old. The soil is predominantly cool clay and limestone; production is around 3,500 dozen per year, and we buy as much as we can.
Thomas Parker MW, not a man prone to hyperbole, reckons that 2022 Saintayme might just be the best wine ever made at the estate, and it is hard to disagree. It’s a wine that brings a smile to your face, and one that shows just how much good value there is to be found in Bordeaux if you know where to look. “The 2022 Saintayme conveys a sense of joy on the nose”, writes Neal Martin, scoring it 90 points, and we are on the same page.
We cannot think of a better Saint Emilion for the price; indeed at £135 per dozen in bond it works out to £17.50 per bottle after taxes: supermarket money for a genuine, artisanal wine with a sense of place, made by the very talented Durantou team. You can drink it this weekend or cellar it for five to ten years.
This must be the best Saintayme ever made. Purplish ruby in the glass, it opens with supple, sweet forest fruit and flecks of iron on the nose. The palate is sumptuous and round, loaded with red and black fruits, and wrapped in smooth tannins. The acid is bright, keeping everything in check without cutting into that moreish, ripe core. This is easy to love, juicy and appetising, with no hard edges. A long, fruit-driven and lightly peppery, smoky finish rounds out a very accomplished and delicious wine that you can drink tonight.
This is a solid and structured Saintayme, with lots of terracotta and dark fruits on the nose and palate. It's medium- to full-bodied with a fine, chewy tannin backbone and a flavorful finish. Impressive. Pure merlot. Drink after 2028.
The 2022 Saintayme conveys a sense of joy on the nose, with finely delineated vivacious black cherries, wild strawberry and a hint of cola. The medium-bodied palate is well balanced and quite elegant in style, with more black than red fruit, grainy tannins and a touch of white pepper on the finish. It feels malleable in the mouth and will drink slightly earlier than I expected out of barrel. 2026-2038.
Plenty of depth on the nose here, not easy in a vintage where alcohols run high, that can cut off aromatics and terroir expression. Enjoyable, reserved, great quality, love the limestone scrap, plenty of character, touch of floral notes that underline a rise through the palate. Takes its time. 30% new oak, harvest September 17 to October 3. Tasted twice.
