En Primeur Bordeaux 2023

The 2023 Carbonnieux is a very pretty, promising wine. The open-knit, floral bouquet is immediately alluring, Medium in body and gracious, but with plenty of depth, Carbonnieux is beautifully refined in 2023. I admire its balance and poise. Hints of spice, crushed flowers and tobacco lift a core of dark blue- and black-toned fruits.

Score: 91 - 93 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2027-2038

The 2023 Carbonnieux reveals aromas of dark wild berries, mulberries, cassis, spices and menthol intertwined with violet notes with aeration. Medium to full-bodied, layered and textured with structured tannins, it’s lively and rich with powdery tannins and a fresh, elegant finish. This blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot will be matured in one-third new oak. - Tasted by Yohan Castaing

Score: 91 - 93 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2023 Carbonnieux has a relatively light bouquet with black cherries, wild strawberry and earthy notes, and touches of mushroom, though it is not as defined as I would like. The palate is medium-bodied with angular tannins on the entry, light red fruit but it needs more cohesion and flesh on the finish. I am not convinced by this showing I'm afraid. Tasted twice.

Score: 84 - 86 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2026-2033

The 2023 Les Carmes Haut-Brion is increasingly a wine of seamlessness. Whereas the various components were once easily discernible, today Carmes is most often a wine of total beauty. The 2023 is a bit shy, especially in its aromatics. In other words, a pretty big departure from so many other recent vintages that have been far showier at this stage. Technical Director Guillaume Pouthier explains that he plans to give the 2023 longer aging, around 24-26 months, so he approached vinification and the early part of aging in a more reductive style than in the past. As always, Les Carmes is marked by its strong presence of Cabernet Franc and use of whole clusters, but as mentioned above, those signatures are less immediately evident than they once were. Les Carmes has been one of Bordeaux's stars over the last few years. I can't wait to see how the 2023 turns out.

Score: 94 - 96 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2035-2073

Guillaume Pouthier and his team have once again crafted one of Bordeaux's most unique and characterful wines. Revealing aromas of mulberries and raspberries mingled with notions of vine smoke, orange zest, rose petals and spices, the 2023 Les Carmes Haut-Brion is medium to full-bodied, fleshy and concentrated, with a powerful, vibrant and complete mid-palate, concluding with a long, ethereal and mouthwateringly saline finish. Sensual, suave and seamless, its beautifully refined tannins are, analytically, more abundant than even those of the 2022 vintage, yet they are so brilliantly integrated as to be near-imperceptible. This blend of 50% Cabernet Franc, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Merlot is crafted for longevity, though its refined structure will make it surprisingly approachable at an early age. It's maturing 70% in new oak barrels, 20% in 18-hectoliter foudres and 10% in amphorae. A creditable yield of 50 hectoliters per hectare represents a decided agronomic success in what was a challenging growing season. - Tasted by Yohan Castaing

Score: 97 - 99 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2023 Les Carmes Haut-Brion was picked September 11 to 25 with 60% whole bunch and more Cabernet Franc than usual. Aging was 70% in new barrels, 20% in 18-hectoliter foudres and 10% in amphorae. This offers plenty of dark berry fruit mixed with cedar and pinecones on the nose, very well defined and focused. The palate is medium-bodied with pliant tannins, and the acidity is very well-judged. Just a soupçon of white pepper appears toward the finish. This is a much more succinct Les Carmes than the 2022, but it’s extremely harmonious and characterful.

Score: 94 - 96 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2028-2048

The 2023 La Chapelle de La Mission Haut-Brion is a potent yet accessible second wine. Soft contours add to its considerable appeal. Crushed flowers, spice and sweet pipe tobacco lift a core of red-toned fruit in this racy, sensual Chapelle. Attractive floral and cinnamon notes linger. The 2023 is all charm—I expect it will drink well with minimal cellaring.

Score: 90 - 92 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2026-2043

The 2023 La Chapelle de la Mission Haut-Brion offers up aromas of blueberries, cassis and dark wild berries. Medium-bodied, long and fleshy, it’s nicely integrated, with a dense core of fruit, youthfully firm tannins and a persistent finish. Deeper and more structured than usual, it will regards some patience. This is a blend of 48.3% Merlot, 39.4% Cabernet Sauvignon and 12.3% Cabernet Franc. - Tasted by Yohan Castaing

Score: 90 - 92 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2023 La Chapelle de la Mission Haut-Brion, matured in 21% new oak, has a fragrant nose with black plum, cedar and light tobacco scents that gently unfurl. The palate is medium-bodied with a supple opening that suggests you could drink this Deuxième Vin now! Open and expressive with mainly red fruit mixed with subtle white pepper and graphite notes, this is a nicely controlled, quite elegant La Chapelle.

Score: 89 - 91 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2027-2038

The 2023 Le Clarence de Haut-Brion is a heady wine. Here, the tannins are especially polished, almost uncharacteristically so, even through they are very much present. Black cherry, plum, chocolate, spice, new leather and gravel build effortlessly in the glass. Bright acids punctuate the finish. The 2023 is a showy Clarence with tons of character.

Score: 91 - 93 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2026-2045

With aromas of ripe raspberries, dark wild berries and flowers, the 2023 Le Clarence de Haut-Brion is a moderately weighted, firm and dense wine on the palate with sweet structuring tannins and a long, vibrant finish. This blend of 55.5% Merlot, 40.9% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3.6% Cabernet Franc is a great bottle in the making. - Tasted by Yohan Castaing

Score: 91 - 93 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2023 Le Clarence de Haut-Brion is well-defined on the nose with blackberry, cedar and a subtle mint aroma, showing a little more fruit concentration than the La Chapelle. The palate is medium-bodied with a gentle grip on the entry and fine backbone. It’s a little granular in texture, sorbet-fresh and pliant, with redcurrant and cranberry fruit. This is very enticing, even at this early stage.

Score: 90 - 92 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2027-2039

The 2023 Domaine de Chevalier is beautifully resonant in the glass. Deep, layered and quite persistent, the 2023 has so much to offer. In many vintages, this red needs time to be at its best, but this edition has enough forward fruit to make me think it will drink well with minimal cellaring, even if the acids remain brisk. Graphite, dried herbs, menthol, licorice and rose petal build into the tense, saline-infused finish. The 2023 is all finesse.

Score: 94 - 96 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2063

The 2023 Domaine de Chevalier reveals a perfumed, incipiently complex bouquet of dark wild berries, cassis, rose petals, spices and licorice. Medium to full-bodied, concentrated and rich, with a fleshy core of fruit framed by powdery tannins and bright acids, it concludes with a long, saline, gently oak-inflected finish. This blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot and 5% Cabernet Franc is maturing in 40% new barrels. - Tasted by Yohan Castaing

Score: 94 - 96 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2023 Domaine de Chevalier was picked from September 7 to 30 and contains 13% alcohol. This is quintessential "DdC" on the nose: black fruit, sous-bois and hints of black olive at first, subtle marine notes emerging with time in the glass. There’s wonderful focus and delineation. The palate is medium-bodied with pencil-shaving-tinged black fruit on the entry. Perhaps a bit grippier with more spine than one would expect (especially following the more sensual 2022), this is very traditional in style, with a tremendously long and satisfying saline finish. Superb.

Score: 94 - 96 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2029-2060