Winemaker Notes
Decadent and attractive with blueberry and blackberry aromas that are abundant and clear. Full body, firm and chewy tannins and a long, flavorful finish. Very structured and poised.
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
A blend of 85% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2022 Vieux Maillet is terrific, pure, and concentrated, revealing cassis, black cherry, chocolate, loamy earth, and graphite-like aromatics. Medium to full-bodied, balanced, and elegant on the palate, with fine tannins and a seamless texture, it’s a beautiful, balanced, classy wine.
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Vinous
The 2022 Vieux Maillet is a gorgeous, highly expressive Pomerol. Blue-toned fruit, lavender, mint, licorice, leather and spice build nicely as this opens in the glass. Penetrating aromatics give the Vieux Maillet much of its presence. A host of floral and savory notes extends the finish.
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Wine Enthusiast
Mainly Merlot, this wine has an intense black chocolate aroma and dense tannins. It shows its youth through its structure that promises serious aging. With black fruits and ripe berry flavors, keep the wine until 2027.
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James Suckling
A juicy, ripe and plummy Pomerol with berries and spiced cherries. Medium-bodied on the palate with solid fruit and firm but dissolved tannins. Long and fleshy at the end.
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Wine Spectator
Juicy and open-knit in feel, with delicious boysenberry and blackberry compote notes laced with violet and licorice accents. Merlot and Cabernet Franc.
One of the world’s most classic and popular styles of red wine, Bordeaux-inspired blends have spread from their homeland in France to nearly every corner of the New World. Typically based on either Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot and supported by Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot, the best of these are densely hued, fragrant, full of fruit and boast a structure that begs for cellar time. Somm Secret—Blends from Bordeaux are generally earthier compared to those from the New World, which tend to be fruit-dominant.
A source of exceptionally sensual and glamorous red wines, Pomerol is actually a rather small appellation in an unassuming countryside. It sits on a plateau immediately northeast of the city of Libourne on the right bank of the Dordogne River. Pomerol and St-Émilion are the stars of what is referred to as Right Bank Bordeaux: Merlot-dominant red blends completed by various amounts of Cabernet Franc or Cabernet Sauvignon. While Pomerol has no official classification system, its best wines are some of the world’s most sought after.
Historically Pomerol attached itself to the larger and more picturesque neighboring region of St-Émilion until the late 1800s when discerning French consumers began to recognize the quality and distinction of Pomerol on its own. Its popularity spread to northern Europe in the early 1900s.
After some notable vintages of the 1940s, the Pomerol producer, Petrus, began to achieve great international attention and brought widespread recognition to the appellation. Its subsequent distribution by the successful Libourne merchant, Jean-Pierre Mouiex, magnified Pomerol's fame after the Second World War.
Perfect for Merlot, the soils of Pomerol—clay on top of well-drained subsoil—help to create wines capable of displaying an unprecedented concentration of color and flavor.
The best Pomerol wines will be intensely hued, with qualities of fresh wild berries, dried fig or concentrated black plum preserves. Aromas may be of forest floor, sifted cocoa powder, anise, exotic spice or toasted sugar and will have a silky, smooth but intense texture.