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| | "With 2023, we returned to Bordeaux." Alexandre Thienpont of Le Pin & Vieux Château Certan |
| | | ▪ "Generally, the 2023s are relatively more tannic than we’ve become accustomed to, more linear and vertical, though endowed with greater fruit concentration than the 2021s. That appeals to my predilection. The best wines embrace these traits while maintaining sufficient fruit and grip, occasionally harking back to the kind of barrel samples encountered in the early days of my career, and I mean that in a good sense. One virtue that underlies the best wines is a brightness or what the French term éclat. It’s a kind of nascent energy that, in my experience, augurs a sample that will evolve into a great wine. This brightness derives from the fruit, acidity, fineness of tannins, and the more intangible concept of their personality, a combination of all .... The pinnacles of 2023 possess all these factors."
Neal Martin, Vinous
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| ▪ "The young wines, tasted from cask, reflect [a] paradox, possessing — at their best — the depth, density, and ripe tannin of a sunny vintage but also the vibrant, expressive aromas and flavors of a more traditionally 'Atlantic' season. The best 2023s are just as exciting as the best 2022s ... [and] the 2023s may be released at prices as interesting as any we have seen since 2019."
William Kelley, Wine Advocate
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| ▪ "So far, I have tasted more than 900 barrel samples of 2023 Bordeaux with my team over the last 10 days in the region, and the best reds show balance and freshness with deep center palates of ripe fruit and a complement of polished tannins. In many ways, I like them better than many of the highly touted 2022s because they are so Bordeaux in their nature with their tensioned mouthfeels and energetic finishes."
James Suckling
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|
| ▪ "The 2023 Lafleur is one of a small number of contenders for the title of wine of the vintage, and it's one 2023 that appears to surpass its 2022 counterpart. Wafting from the glass with aromas of blackberries, cherries and plums mingled with hints of licorice, violets and mint, it's full-bodied, deep and layered, with a concentrated core of lively, succulent, pure fruit framed by beautifully refined tannins, concluding with a long, fragrant finish. Its exquisite structure, intensity without weight and ineffable harmony mark it out as a great Lafleur, and one that will be worth a special effort to seek out. It's a blend of 56% Cabernet Franc and 46% Merlot."
98-100
William Kelley, Wine Advocate
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| ▪ "A blend of 54% Bouchet (Cabernet Franc) and 46% Merlot, the 2023 Lafleur has a deep garnet-purple color. It slowly unfurls with very pure scents of wild blueberries and violets, opening out to notes of boysenberry preserves, licorice, rose bud tea, sassafras, and fragrant earth. The medium to full-bodied palate is deceptively ethereal, yet amazingly dense, with super-fine, pixilated tannins and seamless freshness, finishing very long and fragrant. Wow."
98-100
Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, The Wine Independent
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| | | | ▪ "Brilliant Poyferré, deep ruby colour, setting the scene for ink, campfire, espresso, mint, cassis and damson. Concentrated but with a delicious balance, this feels effortless and is truly a wine for Bordeaux lovers to seek out."
98
Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux
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| | | | ▪ "Plenty of blackberry, blackcurrant, chocolate and flint aromas that follow through to a full body, yet it’s in check and focused with a beautiful framing of fine tannins. The purity of ripe fruit is impressive with Cabernet really showing through. 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot and 2% Cabernet Franc."
97-98
James Suckling
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| ▪ "Always one of the benchmark wines of a vintage, and here showcasing the quality of Cabernet Sauvignon in 2023 (as well as the potential for varying yields, as they are down at 30hl/h here). Well balanced, great depth of ink, cassis, bilberry and damson fruits, rises through the palate, with tannic grip and plenty of grilled but carefully judged oak. A great Chevalier ..."
95
Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux
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| | | | ▪ "Readers looking for one of the hidden gems in the vintage should jump on the 2023 Château Brane-Cantenac, an incredibly impressive Margaux that does everything right. Cassis, graphite, violets, lead pencil, and leafy tobacco notes all emerge on the nose, and it's medium to full-bodied on the palate, with classy, integrated oak, flawless balance, and fine tannins. I love its overall purity, as well as its balance ..."
95-97
Jeb Dunnuck
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| ▪ "Very aromatic, gorgeous florality on the nose, so inviting and welcoming. Really open and generous - roses, violets, peonies, red cherries and strawberries. Supple and juicy, instantly quite pretty and fun, a lively bright aspect to the red fruits - cranberry, crisp green apple, raspberry and strawberry then the fine tannins come into play and give the structure and the focus to the finish. It’s a little less plush than Brane is normally - usually more gentle, fleshy and smooth - this is a little two-toned with influence from the new oak in the tightness but there’s great potential here. Feels a bit more like a St-Julien expression - calm, relaxed, smooth, intentional, juicy and lifted. Less charming right now, more tense and precise."
96
Georgie Hindle, Decanter Magazine
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| | | | ▪ "Showing al-dente fruit with raspberries, orange peel and other hints of bitter citrus. Medium-bodied with creamy and medium, round tannins leading to a salty finish. Cabernet Franc really showing through. A blend of 45% Cabernet Franc, 35% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon. May be better than 2022."
96-97
James Suckling
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| | | | ▪ "The 2023 Beychevelle is fabulous. As always, Beychevelle includes quite a bit more Merlot than most wines in the appellation, but the Cabernet is especially high here. Inky dark fruit, crème de cassis, mocha, licorice and lavender build in the glass. This juicy, extroverted Saint-Julien has a ton to offer. The combination of fruit intensity, acid and supporting structure is superb. The 2023 is showy, but not at all overdone. Beychevelle remains one of the most distinctive wines in all of Bordeaux. It is especially classy in this edition."
94-96
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
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