Confession - Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 2022

Alexandre Ma

94

byAlexandre Mathe3/10/2025

When the malolactic fermentation undergoes outside of oak barrels, Château La Confession’s fruitiness has become increasingly clear and pure, with a more graceful and smooth body. The fragrance of iris and peony is charming and captivating, while the sweet and tempting aromas of strawberry and waxberry are further enhanced by a touch of salinity from the clay-limestone soil. This exemplifies the winery’s thorough understanding of its terroir. To me, the 2022 vintage marks a new turning point for Château La Confession, as I see “a headstrong elder embrace the new era with a confident smile”.

Wine Advocate

90

byWilliam Kelleythe3/7/2025

The 2022 La Confession offers up aromas of sweet blackberries, mint chocolate and toasty oak, followed by a medium to full-bodied, rich and velvety palate built around powdery tannins. Its élevage remains front-and-center for the time being.

Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux

91

byJane Ansonthe3/7/2025

Good quality, redcurrant, raspberry, kirsch, salted crackers, a little abrupt on the finish. Jean-Philippe Janoueix owner, well located on limestone soils, 50% new oak including Stockinger barrels, 30% amhoras, 5ha vineyard.

The Wine Cellar Insider

94

byJeff Levethe3/4/2025

La Confession, Château

Jeb DUNNUCK

91

byJeb Dunnuckthe2/28/2025

Spicy red and black fruits, new leather, flowers, and incense notes all shine in the 2022 Château La Confession, a medium-bodied, nicely balanced, complex, elegant 2022. I like it already yet see no reason this shouldn’t evolve nicely over the coming 10-15 years or so. The blend is 70% Merlot, 27% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Malbec, raised in 50% new oak.

Yvesbeck.wine

94

byYves Beckthe2/25/2025

71% Merlot, 27% Cabernet Franc, 2% Malbec Subtiles nuances de cerises et de sureau dans le bouquet de La Confession qui se distingue par sa finesse et sa fraîcheur. Friand et élancé en attaque, le vin se révèle de manière linéaire. Ses tannins, veloutés, mais néanmoins musclés, offrent de la sérénité et de la vigueur. Un vin élégant, abouti et frais qui mérite un peu d'épanouissement. 2025-2047 94/100

Vinous

91

byNeal Martinthe2/12/2025

The 2022 La Confession offers an opulent bouquet of ripe red cherry, blueberry, and violet scents. The palate is medium-bodied with saturated tannins. It's plush on the entry but it tightens up toward the more tannic, moderately long finish. Afford this three of four years in bottle.

Vinous

92

byAntonio Gallonithe1/28/2025

The 2022 La Confession is a dark, powerful wine. Dark fruit, leather, espresso, clove, licorice and heavy torrefaction notes abound. La Confession offers good depth and plenty of structure. Readers will find a bold, extroverted Saint-Émilion with tons of immediacy and exuberance.

Decanter.com

92

byGeorgina Hindlethe5/25/2023

Juicy and pure, tannins make the mark almost straight away but they are fine with real bite and precision, nice intensity and drive. Lovely energy and sleekness, I like the salty chewy but firm tannins, they give nice support to the blackcurrant and cherry fruit with a lifted fresh finish. Energetic, sculpted, serious and fun! So much easy drinking pleasure to be had here, still with grip and focus.

Alexandre Ma

93-95

byAlexandre Mathe5/17/2023

When the malolactic fermentation undergoes outside of oak barrels, Château La Confession's fruitiness has become increasingly clear and pure, with a more graceful and smooth body. The fragrance of iris and peony is charming and captivating, while the sweet and tempting aromas of strawberry and waxberry are further enhanced by a touch of salinity from the clay-limestone soil. This exemplifies the winery's thorough understanding of its terroir. To me, the 2022 vintage marks a new turning point for Château La Confession, as I see "a headstrong elder embrace the new era with a confident smile”.

Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux

93

byJane Ansonthe5/16/2023

Austere in its construction, with fresh acidity running through the palate, this opens to show creamy raspberry and red cherry fruit, intense but with a sense of restraint. Smoked sandalwood oak on the finish threatens the balance, but this has charm and is impressive. Jean-Philipe Janoueix owner.

Yvesbeck.wine

94-95

byYves Beckthe5/10/2023

Beaucoup de finesse et de fraîcheur dans le bouquet de La Confession avec une belle symbiose entre des nuances de baies noires, de Moka et une touche minérale. Scénario identique en bouche où le vin se distingue par sa finesse et sa fraîcheur. On a pris soin de ne pas lui en faire faire plus qu'il ne faut ou qu'il ne peut. Le choix de l'élégance, de la finesse et de la fraîcheur correspond aux atouts que son terroir lui fournit. Une très belle réussite avec une finale éclatante, scintillante !

Bettane & Desseauve

90-91

by Bettane & Desseauvethe5/10/2023

Au fil des semaines, le vin se construit avec un élevage moins prégnant et une matière dense et veloutée qui ressort de mieux en mieux.

Jeb DUNNUCK

90-92

byJeb Dunnuckthe5/10/2023

The 2022 Château La Confession should be outstanding. It has good ripeness in its black cherries and assorted darker fruits, which give way to more chocolate, graphite, and earth with air. Medium-bodied on the palate, nicely textured, and balanced, this blend of 70% Merlot, 27% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Malbec is going to evolve for 15-20 years if well stored.

Vinous

91-93

byAntonio Gallonithe5/9/2023

The 2022 La Confession is a heady, intense Saint-Émilion. Black cherry, plum, gravel, incense, licorice and chocolate add to an impression of richness. This exuberant, flashy Saint-Émilion will be an absolute delight to drink pretty much upon release. Tasted two times. Drinking window : 2026-2037

The Wine Cellar Insider

93-95

byJeff Levethe5/5/2023

Flowers, tobacco leaf, mint, licorice, and red berries open the nose. On the palate, the wine is silky, polished, fresh, and energetic. The fruits are clean, pure, and lively, with sweetness, lift, and delicacy, as well as purity in the finish. The wine blends 70% Merlot, 27% Cabernet Franc and 3% Malbec. 14.5% ABV, 3.63 pH. Drink from 2025-2045.

Wine Advocate

91-93

byWilliam Kelleythe5/2/2023

Proprietor Jean-Philippe Janoueix has brought in consultant Thomas Duclos to initiate a stylistic shift in the direction of less oak and extraction, and the 2022 La Confession is the first vintage to see the effects of this new approach. Offering up aromas of dark berries, cherries, licorice and rose petals, it's medium to full-bodied, fleshy and supple, with a lively core of fruit and a saline, perfumed finish.

Jamessuckling.com

93-94

byJames Sucklingthe4/19/2023

Blackberries, black olives and dark chocolate with some volcanic salt undertones. Medium body. Juicy and chewy. A blend of 70% merlot, 27% cabernet franc and 3% malbec.