May 20, 2024

Bordeaux Primeurs 2023: our opinion on the vintage

The start of the Bordeaux 2023 primeur campaign is imminent. Following our week of visits to Bordeaux, we are pleased to share with you our first impressions and share with you the pleasure we had tasting these 2023 primeurs. It is a heterogeneous vintage, fresh, intense and structured, compared to the powerful and rich 2022. The technical positions taken by the properties, both in the vineyard and in the cellar, further mark this homogeneity in the Bordeaux territory. The 2023 vintage presents ripe wines overall, but can sometimes lack depth, which can let the tannins mark the wines somewhat. It is a very expressive vintage which lets the terroir express itself, not comparable to the very sunny vintages of 2022, 2020 or 2018 which reveal more power and rich, generous aromas, with real expressions of the terroir. With most of the properties and during the discussions we were able to have with the technical teams, this 2023 vintage more precisely reflects the particularities of each property, each soil and the teams who work there. Our team finds great vintages of Merlot on the Right Bank, and majestic Cabernets on the Left Bank.

It's difficult not to recognize the unique character of each appellation, each property in this unvarnished vintage. We find in the Bordeaux 2023 en primeur, wines which express the typicalities of the places and the character of the professionals who have carried out beautiful expressive work! On the Left Bank, the blends give pride of place to Cabernet Sauvignon with freshness and delicacy, with a structure that accompanies beautiful floral and fruity aromas.

Saint-Julien: this appellation is used to presenting homogeneous wines. A 2023 vintage with very different profiles, sometimes fruity, sometimes powerful and rich, everyone will find their pleasure in tasting these magnificent wines.

Margaux: is the largest appellation of the Médoc communes, with a great diversity of soils and climates. The Cabernet Sauvignons turned out well and mildew spared this late grape variety.

Pauillac: the appellation offers a 2023 vintage with intense, complex and perfectly balanced wines, it is one of the great successes for this vintage. Cabernet Sauvignon offers structure, minty and fruity aromas as well as subtle floral aromas. The three main Premier Grands Crus Classés of the appellation reach the highest levels of quality.

Saint-Estèphe: in this appellation the meteorological climate of the vintage is different from other appellations. No pressure from mildew, the month of June was dry and well ventilated thanks to the marine influence. The limestone soils, characteristic of the appellation, have contributed to producing dense, intense, fresh and complex wines.

Right Bank: these wines, which are more sensitive to mildew, required a lot of effort from the producers, because only the month of April allowed a little respite. The most beautiful terroirs offer complex and elegant wines, with a welcome saline finish highlighting the delicacy of this vintage.

Saint-Emilion offers in 2023 a range of very varied expressions, at all levels of the appellation, up to the most Grands Crus Classés. The majority of plots were well ventilated and dried during the sunny mornings. Merlot once again shows the beauty of its intense, fruity and delicious aromas.
Pomerol: This appellation is located on the heights of the right bank, Pomerol mainly produces Merlot which is rich, delicious with a length full of complexity. It’s a great vintage, very balanced, the wines are harmonious and delicate when tasting.

Pessac-Léognan and Graves offer white and red wines. The 2023 vintage is a great success for these two appellations. The limestone and gravel subsoils brought the Merlots, Cabernets and Sauvignon to perfect maturity.
Sauternes: Unique in many aspects, the Sauternes appellation reserves very great Bordeaux wines. More and more properties are producing very great dry white wines on the lands of the appellation. Yet a vintage like 2023 reminds us how extraordinary sweet wines are, they are rich, floral, subtle and intense, fresh and aromatic. Sauternes produced a great vintage this year.

Sauternes: Unique in many aspects, the Sauternes appellation reserves very great Bordeaux wines. More and more properties are producing very great dry white wines on the lands of the appellation. Yet a vintage like 2023 reminds us how extraordinary sweet wines are, they are rich, floral, subtle and intense, fresh and aromatic. Sauternes produced a great vintage this year.