Dassault - Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 2022

Alexandre Ma

93

byAlexandre Mathe3/10/2025

The 2022 Château Dassault flawlessly captures the essence of “gentleness,” with its alluring berry fragrance and velvety body, wrapping you in the warmth of a sweet smile. While wines from sandy clay soils typically have lower tannin levels, this vintage, despite the harsh conditions of the dry 2022 year, demonstrates remarkable fine tannins and an unexpected touch of saltiness. It’s no exaggeration to say that the 2022 Château Dassault stands as one of the brightest masterpieces in recent years.

Wine Advocate

87

byWilliam Kelleythe3/7/2025

The 2022 Dassault was blended by the estate's new consultant, so perhaps it would otherwise have been worse. Exhibiting aromas of baked fruits, figs and toasty oak, it's medium to full-bodied, heavily extracted and coarse.

Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux

94

byJane Ansonthe3/7/2025

Intense and concentrated, good lift through the palate, bitter cocoa bean edge to it, fennel, liquorice and crushed rocks, raspberry and black cherry. Full barrel vinification and ageing for the Cabernet Sauvignon, Romain Depons director.

Jeb DUNNUCK

93

byJeb Dunnuckthe2/28/2025

The 2022 Château Dassault is a powerful, inky, concentrated effort that's going to demand – and reward – cellaring. Black cherry liqueur, new leather, graphite, and violet notes define the aromatics, and it's medium to full-bodied, has a juicy spine of acidity, nicely integrated tannins, and a great finish. Hide bottle for 4-6 years, and it's going to drink nicely over the following 15-20 years. The blend is 76% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, and 4% Cabernet Sauvignon that was aged in 60% new barrels, with 11% in foudre and 10% in amphora.

Yvesbeck.wine

90

byYves Beckthe2/25/2025

76% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, 4% Cabernet Sauvignon Dassault 2022 se révèle lentement, presque prudemment. Il révèle des nuances de baies noires couplées à une touche de bois de réglisse. En bouche, le vin se veut fin avant tout. Il dispose d'une certaine largeur et de tannins veloutés qui assurent les arrières. Pour l'instant, il peine encore à vraiment se positionner et la fin de bouche demande à gagner en harmonie. 2026-2040 90/100

Vinous

93

byNeal Martinthe2/12/2025

The 2022 Dassault has a composed and delineated bouquet that's much more refined and elegant than the wines I was tasting a decade ago. The palate is medium-bodied and nicely poised with pliant tannins and a keen thread of acidity. It has a pure fruit tone laced with pencil shavings toward the finish. This is an excellent Saint-Émilion that will age with style.

Jamessuckling.com

94

byJames Sucklingthe2/3/2025

Some sweet berries such as plums and cherries with hints of dried bark on both the nose and palate. Medium-bodied and attractive with fluidity as well as firm and silky tannins. Drink after 2027.

Vinous

93

byAntonio Gallonithe1/28/2025

The 2022 Dassault is a potent, exotic wine. Inky dark fruit, cloves, new leather, licorice, spice and menthol flesh out in a rich, deeply layered Saint-Émilion. All the elements are impeccably balanced. Dassault is an extrovert, and a gorgeous one at that!

Decanter.com

95

byGeorgina Hindlethe5/25/2023

Supple and agile, generous and succulent, this is textured with fruit purity and a lovely, almost creamy element to the tannins which are really well integrated. Feels cool and confident, Dassault is doing great work and always delivers a charming, easy, polished wine. Beautifully presented and really in balance. May not be one of the most layered and dense wines but this is excellent, juicy, fun, friendly, clean, pure and precise. Love it! Still with minerality that puts you in St-Emillion.

Alexandre Ma

92-94

byAlexandre Mathe5/17/2023

Château Dassault 2022 is the epitome of gentleness, its seductive berry aromas, and a soft, velvety texture that feels like a sweet smile enveloping me. Although sandy and clay soils naturally produce wines with fewer tannins, the 2022 vintage defies the norm with an unusually dense tannin structure and a salty sensation that I have never before experienced from this estate. Undoubtedly, the 2022 vintage is the most dazzling achievement of Château Dassault in recent years in my mind.

Vinous

92-94

byNeal Martinthe5/17/2023

The 2022 Dassault has a nicely composed bouquet offering crushed violet and blueberry fruit, cedar and briny aromas percolating with time. The palate is medium-bodied with fine acidity, cohesive with a precise finish. Dassault is entering a purple patch in recent years, and this comes recommended.

The Vintage Journal

93-94

byAndrew Caillard MWthe5/17/2023

Deep crimson. Elderberry, dark cherry, praline/ dark chocolate aromas with lifted floral notes. Bittersweet and grainy textured wine with fresh dark berry fruits, attractive savoury/ mocha complexity and fine quartz-like acidity. Lovely density, richness and volume. (Merlot Cabernet Franc Cabernet Sauvignon 70% new oak)

Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux

94

byJane Ansonthe5/16/2023

An intense wine with plenty of muscles. Rich inky plum in colour, a quck build up of tannins, this feels very much on brand, with estate signature, has the depth and the confidence to wrestle the excesses of 2022, and to match them step for step. Good qulity, no mercy, this is bilberry, cassis, cocoa bean, red liquorice, slate, crushed rocks, a well built wine with St Emilion signature, and that will go the distance.

matthewjukes.com

17

byMatthew Jukesthe5/15/2023

The Wine Independent

93-95

byLisa Perrotti-Brownthe5/15/2023

The 2022 Dassault is deep garnet-purple in color. A little closed and broody to start off, it soon reveals notes of plum preserves, blueberry pie, and sassafras, followed by touches of charcuterie and star anise. The full-bodied palate delivers a racy backbone and firm, ripe, velvety tannins to support the generous black fruit preserves, finishing long and opulent.

Yvesbeck.wine

93-94

byYves Beckthe5/10/2023

Le bouquet de Dassault révèle de fines notes d'élevage entourées par des parfums de baies noires et de réglisse. Nuances minérales. Bonne densité en bouche où le vin dispose de tannins aux grains fins qui confèrent de la puissance et de l'énergie en fin de bouche. Un vin sapide, harmonieux à la finale fruitée et persistante.

Bettane & Desseauve

94-95

by Bettane & Desseauvethe5/10/2023

Avec l’intégration sur le millésime 2022 de Petit Faurie de Souchard et un nouveau chai, le cru gagne en précision. Mâche plus importante, cœur de bouche dense et finale montante savoureuse. C’est délicieux. Coup de cœur.

Jeb DUNNUCK

92-94

byJeb Dunnuckthe5/10/2023

Tasted on multiple occasions, the 2022 Château Dassault is a ripe, powerful effort revealing lots of ripe red, blue, and black fruits as well as floral and spicy nuances, nicely integrated background oak, medium to full body, and ripe, firmer tannins that should soften over the course of its élevage.

Vinous

90-92

byAntonio Gallonithe5/9/2023

The 2022 Dassault is a potent, imposing Saint-Émilion. Inky dark fruit, lavender, sweet spice, licorice and menthol infuse the 2022 with notable inner sweetness and overall depth. The mid-palate and finish are both very nicely articulated. Juicy and opulent, Dassault is looking good at this stage. Drinking window : 2028-2042

The Wine Cellar Insider

92-94

byJeff Levethe5/5/2023

Deeply colored, the wine is loaded with chocolate, espresso, cinnamon, flowers, and black cherries. The fruits are creamy, luscious, ripe, sweet, and vibrant with a chocolate edge to the berries in the finish. This is an outstanding vintage for Chateau Dassault! Drink from 2025-2042.

Jamessuckling.com

95-96

byJames Sucklingthe4/19/2023

Crushed stone and blackberry character with some iodine. Medium to full body. Fine tannins and a umami finish. Impressive.