Bordeaux 2023 En Primeur

The 2023 vintage in Bordeaux is best summed up as a ‘modern classic’, by this I mean ripe fruit but with freshness and balance. These are wines with terroir definition, a good thing if you prefer your Pauillac to taste like Pauillac and not Napa. The best wines tended to show a core of ripe, vibrant fruit and a pleasing freshness and balance, perhaps a surprising fact given the warm and relatively dry growing conditions.

The growing season was not without its challenges, heat and rain causing mildew pressure which means a lot of work in the vineyard. Margaux, Pessac-Léognan alongside parts of Saint-Emilion and Pomerol were the worst affected, and those who farm without pesticides suffered most. The end of August saw a couple of days where temperatures reached 40+ degrees Celsius, so careful canopy management was required to prevent any sun damage. But mostly, the growing season saw no real extremes in temperature or weather and most chateau produced an above average yield of high quality grapes. Vignerons were able to manage the challenges they faced, with the most important decisions focused on harvest date and yield restrictions. Merlot ripens faster than Cabernet and so in places such as Pontet-Canet they harvested the Cabernet a full two weeks later than the first Merlot berries in order to retain balance in the final blend. The big challenge in the new world of higher global temperatures is how to mitigate the heat and drought. Merlot in clay soils has done very well given the retention of water from the winter, but with lots of techniques such as better canopy management, there are some real successes across all appellations.

Emeline Borie of Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste described it as two vintages in one, the ripeness of 2022 but the freshness of 2021. For me, the successful wines remind me of the 2001 vintage or perhaps 2014 but with riper fruit. The style of the 2023 vintage is a contrast to the richness and power of 2022. The wines are likely to be approachable slightly earlier but unquestionably have the structure to age well. Indeed, I think that time may be needed to reveal the real quality of this vintage, just as has been the case with 2001.

Overall, we left Bordeaux with a good feeling about the wines which has been heightened by the indication of significant price reductions from the Chateau.  This could be a very interesting opportunity for consumers across all price points. these thoughts are echoed by the critic reports starting to come out, as William Kelley of the Wine Advocate writes:

“The best 2023s are just as exciting as the best 2022s, even if the vintage is more varied in quality and style; yet the final paradox is that, due to a cool global economy and two consecutive lukewarm en primeur campaigns, the 2023s may be released at prices as interesting as any we have seen since 2019”, continuing that 2023 at the top exhibits “the fully ripe tannins and suave, seamless mouthfeels of a sunny vintage such as 2019; yet their vibrant aromas and flavors, evocative of fresh fruits and flowers, are more indicative of a cooler year.”

The Wines

Below are the wines that I/we particularly enjoyed and would recommend at each price point. For me, the standout wines were Vieux Château Certan on the right bank and Château Montrose on the left for overall quality, Mouton, Margaux, GPL and the Pichon’s also need special mention to name a few. However, the real gems are often the more affordable, Dame De Montrose, Ormes de Pez, Batailley, Montlandrie and La Gaffelière, were all such names and deserve consideration.

We will stick to our tried and tested path of only recommending wines we believe in and, where the price is good, but if you have specific requests or wines you follow please do let us know in advance.

All the best,

James

James Pymont, Buying Director