Description

I am pleased to present my Bordeaux 2023 En Primeur report. With prices dropping (in both senses of the word!) at a rate of knots, you can read what I thought of over 625 wines, and the vintage in general.

Certain to offer some bargains and drinking for the mid-to-long term, this is a classic vintage, especially for the great Cabernet terroirs, Merlot on clay, and Sauternes.

However, there will be a need to tread carefully among the less expensive wines, with the risk of rigid tannins and dilution the twin perils of rain: early harvesting ahead of forecast downpours, and mildew respectively. In contrast, the great producers, with their wealth of experience and money-no-object winery facilities, have almost universally produced great wines of balance and precision, without the excess alcohol that has marked some other recent warm vintages

The report features tasting notes and scores for over 625 of the top wines of Bordeaux in 2023, as well as commentary and notes on the vintage, dozens of photographs, and a recap of the century of vintages so far. I hope you enjoy it.

Roderick Smith MW