Last month, as Bordeaux was about to enter spring, I was enjoying silky wines from the 2023 vintage. Many of them were much better than I expected, especially after hearing so many tales of growing season difficulties from winemakers. Many seemed relieved to just get through the old phase without suffering a complete disaster.
Overall, the wines are too heterogeneous to describe 2023 as a great vintage, although some are pure magic.
“You can't put 2023 into any category,” says Omri Ram at Château Lafleur in Pomerol, one of my favorite wines. “It's as if each palace experienced a different vibe.”
The annual Ritual of Bordeaux en Bremore took place from April 22-26, and I arrived early so that I would have time to taste more than 450 barrel samples of the 2023 vintage. All told, the event attracted about 100 journalists and thousands of dealers from 70 countries.
While there are great wines worth buying in every appellation, from famous names to good value, many chateaux fall short of the mark. Their wines display bitter tannins and a lack of concentration. Some have green, immature flavours.
Fortunately, my first stop, at 9 a.m. on April 15 at Château Lafite Rothschild, the first growing area, set the standard for the best.
Wine style
My best reds and whites are as good as (and sometimes better) than the 2022, but in a style that Bordeaux fans like to call “classic.” Although it lacks the splendor and appeal of the best 2022, it combines the ripe tannins and smooth texture of a warm vintage with the vibrant floral and fruity notes and the purity and freshness of a cool vintage – with lower alcohol levels as well.
“It's a wine where you find the earth in your glass,” said Mathieu Cuvillier of Clos Fourtet in Saint-Émilion, meaning you can clearly detect the nuances of the wine's character in each estate.
The growing season has not been easy amid a deadly combination of heavy rain and warm day and night temperatures, a stark contrast to the 2022 season, which was plagued by extreme drought and heat. Winemakers struggle to deal with sudden changes in weather, with forecasts often misleading. Success comes down to luck, local climate, soil type, grape variety, and human decision-making. Experience and resources (i.e. experience and money) made the ultimate difference. The disaster lay in those who made a bad decision.
Rain and warm, humid weather in June set the scene for a virulent mildew outbreak that some said was the worst in 25 years. This fungus can quickly sweep through the vineyard destroying the crop.
“We had to monitor the vineyard by the hour and spray immediately,” says Veronique Sanders of Château Haut-Bailly – even on Sundays. Organic growers had to spray copper sulphate regularly and proactively, although the biodynamic Château Fonplégade had good results using an oak bark solution. Some of the vineyards were so wet that it was not possible to roll the tractors. Not all wine workers had enough workers on call to respond so quickly. Merlot is more susceptible to mildew than Cabernet Sauvignon or Cabernet Franc, which is why many 2023 wines contain a higher percentage of the latter two.
Christian Moix, owner of several major Pomerol estates, said they sprayed 18 to 20 times, raising the production cost per bottle. Every time it rains, the leaves are rinsed and need to be resprayed with copper or fungicide.
This was the second hottest year since the beginning of the 21st century, explains Jean-Philippe Delmas, of first-growth Château Haut-Brion. “The cloudy weather in July protected the grapes from the sun and preserved their freshness,” he says. “Then the extreme heat periods in mid-to-late August and early September were a focusing machine.”
That heat transformed some wines into something more profound. Some grapes were also burned, making it necessary to sort them at harvest. The long window for picking grapes meant that they could be harvested at ideal ripeness.
Winemakers stress that quickly adapting and rethinking everything they do has become the new normal.
Should you buy now?
The short answer is yes, if the price is right. But choose carefully.
Here's a quick reminder of how buying wine futures works. You can tie up your money now (sometimes at just 50% off), while the wine is still aging in the barrel, and receive your bottled wine in the fall of 2026. Don't assume you can turn your bottled wine around for a profit, as was the case before the case. Some 2019 futures contracts now cost less than they did four years ago. One reason to buy now is to keep your favorite wine and choose the format you prefer (magnum, half bottle, etc.).
Price was the main topic at private lunches and dinner parties, with dealers and dealers insisting that grand palaces had to cut prices by 30% from last year's levels to generate excitement.
“The market situation is serious,” says Emmanuel Croce, president of Commandery de Bontemps, a trade association in Left Bank Bordeaux Chateau, and co-owner of Chateau Desan. “We all know wine merchants already have a lot of inventory.” Market pressures include rising interest rates, inflation, two ongoing wars, and a weak market in China.
“The quality of the wine has exceeded my expectations, but we will only buy what we can sell,” says Jeff Zacharias of Zachis, a retailer in Port Chester, New York, that has been offering Bordeaux futures to customers since the 1970s. He says he will take fewer names than in the past.
Sean Bishop, owner of California's Bay Area-based JJ Buckley, says he tastes great wines and will likely offer 100 lots; 10 years ago, he would have offered $200. “Premiere wines will be sold, as well as great collectible wines with followings such as Pontet-Canet and Les Carmes Haut-Brion.”
It seems as if some chateaux, including Laffite, have heard this price message. Château Pontet-Canet, a huge success in 2023, was released at a price 27% lower than last year; The impressive Leoville Las Cases is priced at 40%, the Lafite Rothschild at 31%, and the Mouton Rothschild at 37.2%.
Key warning: Only buy from a reputable dealer with a long track record of delivering finished wine in the bottle. In the US, for example: Zachys, JJ Buckley, Millesima USA and K&L Wine Merchants. In the UK: Farr Vintners, Bordeaux Index, Fine + Rare, Berry Bros. & Rudd.
What should I buy?
Dozens of wines are worth purchasing if the price is right (including white wines, which I'll discuss in a future column). As usual, all the first growths are among the best wines ever, and I was blown away by Right Bank stars like Petrus, Le Pin, Ausone and Figeac. In addition to those and the 14 favorites and the five values below, I would choose Léoville Las Cases, Léoville Barton, Haut-Bailly, Rauzan-Ségla, Ducru Beaucaillou, Cos d'Estournel, Giscours, L'Evangile, Les Perrières, Canon, Desains, Domaine de Chevalier, Vieux Chateau Cirtan, Troplong Mondot and Rocheron. . The expanded list of the top 100 wines, with notes, will be available on my website (elinmccoy.com) in June.
Here are the top 14 wines (price included when available):
Chateau Beausejour Duvau Lagarose
The third collection is under the ownership of co-owner and winemaker Josephine Dufau Lagarros It is the best of the best, featuring a luxuriously silky texture and flavors of earth, minerals, salt and fruit.
Chateau Belair Monange
The first vintage made in the chateau's magnificent new cellar has wonderful juiciness, along with mineral and truffle notes and a rich depth.
Chateau Les Carmes Hauts Brion
This Pessac-Léognan property has become one of Bordeaux's bustling new stars. The 2023 has more Cabernet Sauvignon and Franc than usual, giving it aromas of violets and peony and a dark violet and mineral taste.
Chateau Cheval Blanc
Very rich, structured, delicate and polished, and more mineral and floral than 2022. The scent reminds me of violets, peony, iris and more.
Chateau La Consilante
A wonderful wine in this vintage: long and delicate, fleshy and layered, with pure, abundant fruit and a broad aroma of lilacs, rose petals and a hint of tobacco.
Chateau L AndGlaze Cleanette
A stunning wine with intense aromas of cherries, raspberries, cocoa and tobacco. It is very long and very strong.
Chateau Haut Brion
Energy, tension and a wonderfully velvety sensuality characterize this ever-complex wine that reveals layers of olive, licorice and cedar flavours.
Chateau Lafite Rothschild ($520)
A rich wine with quiet, deep power, elegance and lively freshness, Lafite is filled with elegant flavors of cassis and graphite and a distinct salty note until its very long finish. It's the best value Lafite on the market, according to Liv-ex.
Chateau Lafleur
A profound wine that sounds better than the great 2022 vintage. It displays expressive notes of tea, violet and tobacco, along with deep layers of vibrant dark fruit and a touch of spice. One of my favorite wines, it will be expensive but usually appreciates in value quickly.
Chateau Margaux
Sophisticated, charming, elegant and lively, this first growth is all about subtle flavors and energy. It's so classic and silky.
Chateau Montrose
With dark and intense color. Nose of pure blackberry fruit; Soft, smooth tannins. With a concentrated dark fruit character, it is one of the best on the Left Bank.
Chateau Mouton Rothschild ($442)
With a dense body suggestive of dark chocolate mousse, this meaty 93% cabernet has just about everything: layers of smoky black fruit, pomegranate flavors, tension, and a long finish. It is cheaper than any other liquor on the market.
Chateau Pichon Lalande
Consistently one of the best wines among recent vintages, this second growth exhibits a luxuriously silky texture, subtle floral and berry aromas and layers of bright, ripe fruit.
Chateau Pontet Canet ($91)
The lively scent of peony and the exceptionally pure, deep and delicious flavors of blueberry, mint and fennel really stand out. This wine shows how great Cabernet Sauvignon is.
Five valuable wines
Chateau Bellefonte-Plessier
With every antique and modern piece, these Saint-Emilion properties go above and beyond with their service. This vintage features juicy red berry flavours, density and structure, and a long, delicious finish.
Chateau Corbin
With gorgeous, tempting dark fruit, a silky texture and everything balanced, this saint- Émilion Grand Cru Classé exudes harmony and elegance.
Chateau Fonbleygood
The wines from the bio-American owned Saint-Émilion estate are a highlight. Notes of crushed rose petals, plum fruits and spice notes.
Chateau Siran
Wines from the Margaux estate are always a good buy. It's lively and crisp, with a heart of bright berry fruit and minerality, as well as soft but firm tannins.
Chateau Tronqui
The billionaire Bouygues brothers own this property, the quality of which continues to go higher and higher. This violet-hued wine has aromas of mint, flowers, tobacco and red cherry flavors.