2023 Saint-Estephe

2023 Saint-Estephe

 

Saint-Estephe is probably the most charming Left Bank commune this year, and has been so for years nose. Another lovely vintage. 

 

Personally I really enjoyed the somewhat less bold Calon-Ségur more than the last few vintages, and having enjoyed a 2012, now old school, Calon-Ségur the evening before at Fëte de la Fleur dinner, this is much more in that direction stylewise. 

 

Montrose is a winner this year, one of the great expressions of the vintage and one of my top favourites. 

 

Cos dÉstournel is also a favourite and I just love that they make less extracted and woody wines than ten years back, they are really doing everything right in my book. And the whites are beauties, if you can find them.

 

Haut-Marbuzet is very charming, and Lilian Ladouys and Ségur de Cabanac are probably the finest I have tried from each property. 

 

Lovely Phélan-Ségur and Meyney as well!

 

2023 Château Calon Ségur

Ruby. Cassis, blackberries, dark fruits, liquorice notes, layered.nuanced and detailed nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, blackberries, dark fruits, liquorice, spices, nuanced, long finish. Saline and mineral, long. 96-98

 

2023 Le Marquis de Calon-Ségur

Ruby. Blackberries, dark fruits, anise, spices, nuanced, liquorice, Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, blackberries, anise, dark fruits, liquorice, detailed, minerals, textured behind. 92-94

 

2023 Château Capbern

Ruby. Blackberries, dark fruits, anise, scented, nuanced nose, detailed. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, juicy, red berries, detailed, nuanced, layered, minerals, saline, Lovely. 91-93

 

2023 Château Cos Labory

Ruby. Blackberries, dark fruits, blueberries, some spices, liquorice nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, dark berries, blueberries, some spices, liquorice, leaner finish. 90-92

 

2023 Château de Pez

Ruby. Blackberries, anise, dark fruits, quite dense nose, blackberries. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, blackberries, dark fruits, liquorice, some spices, nuanced, layered, long. 91-93

 

2023 Château Fleuron de Liot

Ruby. Cassis, blackberries, dark fruits, liquorice, nuanced, fruit forward nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, blackberries, dark fruits, intense, layered, nuanced, long. 91-92

 

2023 Château Haut-Beausejour

Ruby. Cassis, blackberries, dark fruits, anise, liquorice, fruit forward nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, blackberries, anise, juicy, good length. 88-90

 

2023 Château Haut-Marbuzet

Ruby. Scented, blackberries, anise, spices, blueberries, floral nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, blackberries, anise, spices, liquorice, long. Elegant and very charming. 92-94

 

2023 Château La Haye

Ruby. Blackberries, anise, dark fruits nose, leaner. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, blackberries, anise, spices, leaner. 87-89

 

2023 Château Lafitte Carcasset

Ruby. Cassis, blackberries, anise, dark fruits, liquorice nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, red berries, juicy, lighter. 87-89

 

2023 Château Lafon-Rochet

Ruby. Vanilla, spices, blackberries, dark fruits nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, blackberries, anise, spices, detailed, nuanced, elegant texture, long. 91-93

 

2023 Château Le Boscq

Ruby. Dark fruits, anise, spices, liquorice, blackberries nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, blackberries, anise, some herbs, blueberries, leaner finish. 88-90

 

2023 Château Le Crock

Ruby. Cassis, blackberries, dark fruits, liquoric nose, some spices. Scented and lifted. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, cassis, blackberries, detailed, nuanced, intense, long, lovely balance. 92-94

 

2023 Château Lilian-Ladouys

Ruby. Blackberries, anise, spices, blueberries nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, blackberries, detailed, blueberries, nuanced and long. 90-92

 

2023 Château Meyney

Ruby. Blackberrties, anise, dark fruits, liquorice nose. Scented. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, blackberries, anise, dark fruits, juicy, spices, long finish. 92-94

 

2023 Prieur de Meyney

Ruby. Blackberries, anise, spices, liquorice nose, some herbs. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, red berries, anise, spices, leaner bodied, elegant. 86-88

 

2023 Château Montrose

Ruby. Blackberries, minerals, detailed, nuanced, quite intense, fruit forward nose, layered, spices, floral and lifted nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, blackberries, anise, dark fruits, liquorice, firmer, detailed, nuanced, incredible depth, refined, effortless, long finish. 96-98

 

2023 La Dame de Montrose

Ruby. Blackberries, anise, spices, blueberries, fruit forward, nuanced nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, blackberries, dark fruits, anise, liquorice, detailed, fruit forward, nuanced and long. A wonderful Dame de Montrose. 92-94

 

2023 Château Ormes de Pez

Ruby. Spices, dark fruits, anise, liquorice, blackberries, blueberries, fruit forward nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, blackberries, dark fruits, blueberries, liquorice, long finish. 90-92

 

2023 Château Petit Bocq

Ruby. Blackberries, anise, blueberries, fruit forward nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, blackberries, anise, spices, blueberries, good length. 89-91

 

2023 Château Phèlan Ségur

Ruby. Dark fruits, anise, spices, blackberries nose, detailed and nuanced. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, dark fruits, anise, spices, liquorice, firmer, structured, quite intense, long finish. 93-95

 

2023 Frank Phélan

Ruby. Blackberries, anise, dark fruits, liquorice nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, blackberries, anise, dark fruits, liquorice, good length. 87-89

 

2023 Château Ségur de Cabanac

Ruby. Blackberries, dark fruits, anise, liquorice, fruit forward nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, blackberries, dark fruits, minerals, long. Lovely. 91-93

 

2023 Château Tour de Pez

Ruby. Blackberries, dark fruits, anise, some spices, leaner nose, liquorice. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, blackberries, dark fruits, firmer. 88-90

 

2023 Château Tour des Termes

Ruby. Blackberries, anise, dark fruits, liquorice, fruit forward nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, blackberries, anise, spices, vanilla, good length. 88-90

 

2023 Château Tour Saint-Fort 

Ruby. Vanilla, spices, liquorice, dark fruits, some spices and herbs. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, blackberries, anise, dark fruits, leaner finish. 87-89

 

2023 Château Tour Saint-Forth

Ruby. Blackberries, anise, dark fruits, herbs. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, leaner bodied, quite herbal. 85-87

 

2023 Château Tronquoy

Ruby. Blackberries, dark fruits, liquorice, fruit forward, nuanced nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, blackberries, anise, dark fruits, liquorice, long. 90-92

 

2023 Château Tronquoy blanc

Pale lemon yellow. Apples, peach, minerals, fruit forward nose, detailed. Fresh acidity, rounded, elegant texture, nuanced, peach, leaner finish. Very elegant. 90-92

 

2023 Cos d'Estournel

Ruby. Cassis, blackberries, dark fruits, liquorice, spices, nuanced, detailed nose, layered. Minerals. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, blackberries, dark fruits, anise, liquorice, spices, nuanced, long. Somewhat firmer finish. 95-97

 

2023 Pagodes de Cos

Ruby. Blackberries, dark fruits, some spices, liquorice nose, blueberries nose. Touch minty. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, blackberries, dark fruits, liquorice, fruit forward, long. Juicy. 92-94

 

2023 Cos d'Estournel blanc

Pale lemon yellow. Apples, lemons, some minerals, detailed, tighter, nuanced, bright nose with depth. Fresh acidity, apples, lemons, minerals, nuanced, refreshing, detailed, elegant texture, long finish. Beautiful. 94-96

 

2023 Pagodes de Cos blanc

Pale lemon yellow. Scented, apples, lemons, some citrus, minerals, detailed, fruit forward nose. Fresh acidity, apples, peach, minerls, nuanced, elegant texture, long finish. 92-94

 

2023 G d'Estournel (Médoc)

Ruby. Dark berries, some anise, blackberries and some herbs nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, red berries, anise, leaner, some herbs, blackberries. Good length. 87-90