En Primeur 2023

The 2023 Aile d’Argent is a rich, heady, wine that very much captures the radiant style of the year in its generous textural feel. Tangerine peel, spice, menthol, lime, dried flowers and light tropical accents abound, The 2023 is a serious dry white. There’s a bit more Sémillon in the blend and a greater emphasis on texture and structure than usual, while the oak imprint and exotic character of some previous editions have been toned down.

Score: 92 - 94 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2025-2030

Great depth and freshness, fleshy nectarine and spiced pear, fennel and oyster shell, grilled oak and genersoity. Balances salinity and flesh, expertly judged. Harvest August 29 to September 6, 45% new oak for ageing. Co-fermented Muscadelle with Sauvignon Gris.

Score: 96 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2025-2038

The 2023 Alter Ego is plump, juicy and super-expressive. Soft, silky tannins enshroud a core of plum, red cherry, spice, menthol and mocha. All the elements are so nicely balanced. A burst of red-toned fruit and spice lingers on a finish lifted by bright acids. This is such a sensual Alter Ego.

Score: 93 - 95 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2028-2043

Wafting from the glass with pure aromas of cherries, berries, plums and potpourri, the 2023 Alter Ego de Palmer is medium to full-bodied, bright and vibrant, with a vigorous core of fruit framed by supple tannins. It's a blend of 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 43% Merlot and 4% Petit Verdot.

Score: 92 - 94 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2023 Alter Ego represents one-third of the crop, coming exclusively from gravel soil and picked at 32hL/ha. It displays a very deep purple hue. The bouquet is notably opulent, with the Merlot very expressive and shaping the aromatics at the moment. Hints of cassis and violets lurk beneath, perhaps needing a little more delineation. The palate is actually cut from a slightly different cloth, more restrained and a touch spicier than expected. Graphite and tobacco emerge toward the finish, as if the reins have been passed over to the Cabernet component. This will be fascinating to revisit in bottle—I would just like to see more aromatic composure.

Score: 92 - 94 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2028-2048

The 2023 Angélus is elegant and polished right out of the gate. Floral top notes and bright acids bring out the more refined side of Angélus. The 2023 shows how much Angélus has evolved in recent years. Bright red-toned fruit, blood orange, mint and rose petal lend notable verve. The blend is 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Franc. About half of the Franc is being raised in foudre. All the elements are so well integrated for a young wine. It is one of the best recent vintages I have tasted.

Score: 94 - 96 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2053

A classic blend of 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Franc, the 2023 Angélus reflects this estate's continuing evolution with regard to ripeness, extraction and élevage choices, offering up attractive aromas of dark berries and plums mingled with hints of mint, potpourri, rose petals, vine smoke and orange zest. Medium to full-bodied, fleshy and supple, with a velvety attack that segues into a core of pure, pillowy fruit framed by supple, powdery tannins, it's cool and harmonious, concluding with a long, perfumed finish. This is a terrific effort that foregrounds the vintage and the terroir at their best.

Score: 95 - 96 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2023 Angélus is the traditional blend of 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Franc. It aged for 20 months in new oak with just over half the Cabernet Franc aged in foudres (the Merlot is apparently less receptive to this larger vessel). It has a crisp and precise bouquet, not powerful, a light marine influence coming through with background scents of oyster shell. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-grained tannins. There’s a pleasant saline edge to this Angélus, perhaps a little more compact on the mid-palate than usual, with touches of white pepper toward the finish. It needs a little more persistency on the aftertaste. This will deserve five of six years in bottle.

Score: 94 - 96 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2060

The 2023 d’Armailhac is a plump, juicy wine that very much captures the generous side of the year. Succulent red plum, spice, new leather, rose petal and pomegranate are nicely amplified. Armailhac can have a slight edginess in its tannin profile, but today, that is not especially evident. This is a very sexy, almost opulent d'Armailhac, despite having the most Cabernet Sauvignon ever in the blend.

Score: 90 - 92 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2028-2043

The 2023 d'Armailhac is an attractive effort, bursting with aromas of cherries, raspberries, licorice and cigar wrapper. Medium to full-bodied, fleshy and succulent, with a pretty core of fruit, sweet powdery tannins and lively acids, it's a blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot—which is a rather high percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon for this address.

Score: 92 - 93 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2023 d'Armailhac was picked from September 7 to 30 and aged in 50% new oak. It contains the highest percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon to date. Its tightly wound bouquet demands encouragement from the glass, perhaps just missing the panache that elevated the previous vintage. You could argue that this seems more “serious.” The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannins and a firm backbone. It’s a little pepperier than previous vintages, closing with a streamlined finish. Give this two or three years in bottle.

Score: 91 - 93 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2027-2042

The 2023 Ausone is a powerful, heady wine. Dark, layered and explosive, the 2023 possesses tremendous depth and tons of sheer resonance, something that becomes increasingly apparent with time in the glass. Strong saline notes frame a core of dark-toned fruit, mocha, spice, new leather, pencil shavings and lavender. The savory, mineral-drenched finish is eternal. All the 2023 needs is time. Readers lucky enough to own it should be thrilled.

Score: 96 - 98 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2033-2073

The 2023 Ausone reveals an incipient bouquet of violet, smoke, dark wild berries, spices and cherries, all beautifully interwoven with creamy new oak. Medium to full-bodied, layered and concentrated, with a rich chassis of tannin, it has a vibrant core of fruit and a long, mineral, vanillin-inflected finish. At 60% Cabernet Franc and 40% Merlot, this ranks alongside the 2014 vintage as one of the most Cabernet-dominant Ausone vintages of recent years, and it will mature for 20 months in new oak barrels. - Tasted by Yohan Castaing

Score: 95 - 97 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2023 Ausone was picked September 14 to 30 and matured for a planned 20 months. It has a wonderful bouquet that is very floral in style and perfectly controlled, perhaps more refined than the 2022 (which incidentally had a degree more in alcohol). The palate is medium-bodied with a silky smooth entry, finely tuned with impressive mineralité. It just gently "rolls out" on the languorous finish. This is a more understated Ausone compared to recent vintages, but it exudes sophistication and could easily surpass the Vauthiers' 2022.

Score: 96 - 98 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2028-2060

The 2023 Barde-Haut is a powerful, dense wine from Saint-Émilion's Saint-Christophe-des-Bardes sector. Ample and resonant, the 2023 wraps the palate in blue/purplish berry fruit, mocha, spice and new leather. There's terrific breadth here.

Score: 92 - 94 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2027-2043

All about tannins and texture, extremely well assembled with grip and personality. Smoky grilled coffee bean, gorgeous depth of fruit, liquorice root and freshly cut herbs, clear intensity set against floral fragrance, mouthwatering finish. 50% new french oak 3.4ph, 45hl/h yield, harvest September 14 to 29.

Score: 95 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2029-2042

The 2023 Batailley is an ample, large-scaled Pauillac. Even so, I find it quite restrained and not particularly expressive at this stage. There's good vibrancy to the red-toned fruit. Hopefully élevage will do the trick here.

Score: 90 - 93 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2028-2048

You want to know what Pauillac tastes like, roll up and enjoy this vintage of Batailley. Squid ink, slate, cassis, bilberry, slate, crayon, black chocolate, plenty of tannic grip, a smudge of grilled cedar oak and a squeeze of mint, it's all here. 57% new oak for ageing. Harvest September 12 through to October 5, Axel Marchal consultant, Philippe and Frederic Castéja owners.

Score: 96 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2032-2048

The 2023 Beaumont is an expressive Haut-Médoc. Blackberry, gravel, dried herbs, menthol and licorice are nicely woven together. The 2023 is attractive, if a touch dark and almost somber in feel. Frost and warm weather caused dehydration, reducing yields. That comes through in the form of tannins that feel a bit tough and bruising. Tasted two times.

Score: 88 - 90 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2025-2035

Aromas of sweet cassis and plums framed by a touch of creamy oak introduce the 2023 Beaumont, a medium-bodied, supple, soft and giving blend of 54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot and 6% Petit Verdot. While this estate suffered from frost and mildew, for now it retains attractive purity of fruit in an easygoing style.

Score: 87 - 89 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2023 Beaumont has a generous bouquet with a mixture of blackberries, red plums and sous-bois. It's not as powerful as the previous vintage, but there is always a sense of "honesty" about this Claret that I appreciate. The palate is medium-bodied with powdery tannins and fine acidity, quite smooth in texture, with a touch of savoriness on the finish. Enjoy it over six to eight years.

Score: 88 - 90 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2027-2036

The 2023 Beau-Séjour Bécot is fabulous. Rich, opulent and explosive to the core, the 2023 offers up a heady mélange of dark red/purplish fruit, spice, lavender, rose petal, blood orange and bright saline notes. As always, Cabernet Franc plays an important role in shaping the aromatic and flavor profile. The 2023 is an absolute stunner. It’s the first vintage made in the new cellar. That's of course not enough of a track record to make any definitive assessments, but in the 2023, I see a wine with more aromatic presence, greater precision and more refined tannins than any recent vintage I can recall. In a word: magnificent. Tasted two times.

Score: 95 - 98 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2031-2053

The first vintage produced in the estate's highly functional new winery, the 2023 Beau-Séjour Bécot has turned out beautifully and looks likely to rival or surpass the brilliant 2022. Unfurling in the glass with notes of raspberries, dark berries and minty cherries mingled with notions of iris, wisteria and lilac, it's medium to full-bodied, layered and velvety, with a suave attack that prefaces a cool, complete core of fruit that's pure, perfumed and mineral, concluding with a long, saline finish. It's a blend of 77% Merlot and 23% Cabernet Franc that was harvested from September 7 to October 4, sub-block by sub-block.

Score: 96 - 98 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2023 Beau-Séjour Bécot has the highest percentage of Cabernet Franc to date after the introduction of vines planted with a north-south orientation eight years ago, from a massal selection. The Merlot was picked from September 7 until October 4, a long harvest. It underwent a ten-day cold pre-fermentation to fix the aromatics and enhance volume, then it was matured in 55% new oak—25% one-year old and 20% foudres. It has a crisp, well-defined bouquet with lifted red cherry, wild strawberry and crushed limestone aromas. This is classy and complex. The palate is medium-bodied with sapid red fruit, fine acidity and moderate grip. The texture is slightly chalky and reminds me of Troplong Mondot, which is no surprise given the similarities in their respective terroirs. Just a touch of salinity surfaces on the finish. This is a sophisticated and quite cerebral Saint-Émilion that should age with style.

Score: 92 - 94 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2028-2050

The 2023 Beauséjour-Duffau is a powerful, resonant wine. In this early tasting, it does not feel totally put-together, but this sample shows good depth and plenty of potential. The 2023 is 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc, more Franc than in the past. That choice lends gorgeous aromatic presence, but also more structure. This is going to be a fascinating wine to follow.

Score: 92 - 95 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2053

Joséphine Duffau Lagarrosse's third vintage at this terrific hillside terroir is her most impressive to date. The 2023 Beauséjour (Duffau Lagarrosse) offers up aromas of black raspberries, mulberries, violets, spices and incense, followed by a medium to full-bodied, deep and layered palate that's seamless, suave and concentrated, with lively acids, beautiful purity of fruit and a long, mineral, gently balsamic finish. It's a blend of 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc, picked on nine days between September 13 and October 3. Duffau Lagarrosse's work on oak selection (she favors Burgundy's cooperage Cadus, among others) has delivered much more seamless integration at this early stage, and her attentive approach to extraction is already bearing fruit in the form of tannins that are more polished and refined than was formerly the case at this address. It's a brilliant effort from a property with almost limitless potential.

Score: 96 - 98 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2023 Beauséjour Duffau-Lagarrosse was picked from September 13 to 29 for the Merlot and October 2 and 3 for the Cabernet Franc at 46h:/ha. It matured in 61% new oak. This is the last vintage to be made in the old vat room, the new one due to be completed in July. Allowing the barrel sample five minutes to open, it has a very succinct bouquet, predominantly red fruit with light loamy and crushed stone aromas, a touch of wilted rose petal in the background. The palate is very fresh on the entry with finely chiseled tannins. There is a lot of mineralité here deriving from the vineyard's limestone terroir, and the tongue tingles in the mouth (not unlike actually licking limestone!) Quite linear, chalky and tensile toward the finish, this is a finely tuned and complex wine that is in the similar style of, say, Canon. It's not as audacious as the previous vintage, but potentially more cerebral.

Score: 94 - 96 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2028-2050

The 2023 Belgrave is a stellar wine and one of the sleepers in this vintage. Rich and layered in the glass, with terrific persistence, the 2023 has so much to offer. Succulent dark cherry, plum, mocha, spice and new leather all meld together in this wonderfully expressive, nuanced Haut-Médoc. The blend is 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot with no Petit Verdot in this vintage. The 2023 is a very fine mini Saint-Julien of sorts, and I mean that in the best sense of the term. Tasted two times.

Score: 91 - 93 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2027-2043

Firm tannic structure, textured slate and rose bud adding savoury character and punch, plenty of blackberry and cassis fruit, soft through the mid palate but this is unfussy and well made. 30% new oak for ageing.

Score: 91 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2028-2038

The 2023 Bellevue is a powerful, vibrant Saint-Émilion. Dark red-toned fruit, orange peel, spice, mint and white pepper confer brightness and energy. Saline underpinnings extend the finish while adding palpable tension.

Score: 92 - 94 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2043

The 2023 Berliquet marks another important step forward for this château. Floral aromatics are immediately alluring. Bright, sculpted fruit and vibrant acids convey finesse through to the saline, delineated finish. This is the first vintage made in the new cellar, which surely helps. Élevage is in French oak and amphora. Berliquet is all charm in 2023. Tasted four times.

Score: 91 - 93 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2027-2043

The 2023 Berliquet is the first vintage produced in the estate's new winery, equipped with double the number of vats, permitting proper separation of blocks. That's especially important, as Berliquet is a more diverse terroir than Canon, and it can now be interpreted with much more precision. Offering up aromas of cherries, black raspberries, licorice and violets, it's medium to full-bodied, pillowy and layered, with a fleshy core of concentrated fruit, refined, chalky tannins and lively acids.

Score: 93 - 95 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2023 Berliquet was picked 23 September to October 5 at 45hL/ha, matured in 34% new oak plus 10 amphorae. Initially, the nose is quite backward and doesn't want to play. Give it a few swirls and it opens to reveal black cherries, blackcurrant and a distant tang of oyster shell emanating from limestone soils. The palate is medium-bodied with a very harmonious entry. Finely weighted, tensile and slightly savory in style, this is very elegant, finishing with citrus-like freshness. Berliquet has definitely been in the ascendant in recent vintages, and this is another to add.

Score: 93 - 95 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2028-2050

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. Tasted two times.

Score: 94 - 96 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2033-2063

The 2023 Beychevelle has turned out especially well this year, exhibiting a more integrated, seductive style than recent vintages that were constructed in a punchier, more extracted register. Offering up aromas of cassis and plums mingled with notions of pen ink, violets and pencil shavings, it's medium to full-bodied, broad and fleshy, with a deep core of fruit and a classy, suave profile that foregrounds the estate's prime vineyard holdings on the plateau around Ducru-Beaucaillou. It's a blend of 54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot and 6% Petit Verdot that represents 50% of the estate's production.

Score: 93 - 94 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2023 Beychevelle was picked from September 13 through October 6 over 17 days of harvest, partly because of the size of the crop and not having to rush. It has the highest proportion of Merlot under winemaker Philippe Blanc (35%), and it matured in 70% new oak. This has a notably floral and tightly-knit bouquet, leaning a little more toward blue fruit than other Saint-Julien wines tasted from barrel. The oak is nicely integrated. The palate is medium-bodied with strict tannins that impart a sense of linearity. Very saline, this is a saliva-inducing Beychevelle, lightly spiced with a structured, almost Pauillac-like finish. Excellent.

Score: 92 - 94 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2029-2055

The 2023 Blanc de Lynch-Bages, just bottled a week before this tasting, is terrific. Bright citrus peel, dried flowers, almond, lime and crushed rocks lend quite a bit of nuance. A dollop of Muscadelle adds tropical flair without overpowering the balance. This is very nicely proportioned.

Score: 92 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2024-2029

The 2023 Blanc de Lynch-Bages has a fresh, orchard-fruit-scented bouquet, maybe a bit constrained since it was only bottled two weeks prior to my visit. The palate is well balanced with more complexity than the aromatics at the moment—pear and white peach, with almond shavings toward the finish. Fine.

Score: 87 - 89 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2024-2028

The 2023 Branaire-Ducru offers up pretty notes of crushed red/purplish berry fruit, lavender, spice and mint. At this stage, the 2023 comes across as a bit light, even within the context of this property, where the wines are always laid back relative to neighboring estates. Perhaps the 2023 will flesh out over time. We will see. Tasted two times.

Score: 91 - 93 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2053

The 2023 Branaire-Ducru has turned out beautifully, wafting from the glass with classy aromas of dark berries, plums, pencil shavings and licorice, followed by a medium to full-bodied, cool and layered palate that's seamless, complete and enveloping, with terrific depth and vibrancy of fruit, refined tannins and a long, suave finish. At 61% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 5.5% Cabernet Franc and 3.5% Petit Verdot, it's almost the same blend as the 2022, though at 13.1% alcohol and a pH of 3.63, it's more classically proportioned. Harvest began on September 12 and dragged on through October 4, parcel by parcel, with the vintage's healthy yields meaning the team could use their new winery, equipped with 63 smaller tanks, to keep all those components separate.

Score: 93 - 94 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2023 Branaire Ducru was picked from September 12, on the same day as last year, albeit with a longer harvest, as they finished on October 4. Yields were 53hL/ha, and the blend is almost the same as the 2022. This is the second vintage made in the new winery. My sample came from a new-oak barrel, but the final blend will include 60%. Lucid purple in color, it has a charming, very pure bouquet, perhaps less opulent than some of its Saint-Julien peers, yet precise. Delicate floral scents permeate the predominant red fruit, never bursting from the glass but unfurling with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with slightly edgy tannins that impart tension, veering slightly more to black fruit on the mid-palate. This is certainly one of the most elegant Branaire-Ducru vintages to date, but it has more weight on the finish (something that has been addressed in recent years.) Understated and sapid, it should be open for business a little earlier than others, but it will age well over 20 to 25 years.

Score: 92 - 94 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2028-2050

The 2023 Brane-Cantenac is a sensual, silky wine. There's plenty of depth and structure behind that, but the first impression is most definitely one of elegance. Crushed flowers, spice and dried herbs meld into a core of super-expressive, dark, red-toned fruit. The 100% new oak is impeccably balanced within the wine’s frame. Brane-Cantenac remains one of the best relative values in Bordeaux, or anywhere, for that matter. This is a fine effort from proprietor Henri Lurton and his team. Tasted two times.

Score: 94 - 96 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2033-2063

The 2023 Brane-Cantenac is a blend of 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot (which saw some saignée), 1% Cabernet Franc, 1% Carmenère and 1% Petit Verdot, and it completed its malolactic fermentation in barrels as has been the rule at this estate since the 1990s. Offering up aromas of dark cherries, cassis and spices framed by creamy new oak, it's medium to full-bodied, rich and fleshy, with a creamy core of fruit and a long, gently lactic finish.

Score: 93 - 95 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2023 Brane-Cantenac was picked from September 4 to October 2 at 45.7hL/ha with the highest IPT (Indice de Polyphénols Totaux, a measurement of tannin) ever with respect to the Merlot, which underwent some saignée in tank. Matured entirely in new oak, it has wonderful delineation on the nose, quite floral with pressed violets infusing the lifted black fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with a silky-smooth entry and a silver bead of acidity. Pure black fruit infused with graphite lends this Pauillac-like attributes, sustained on the finish, as usual. This is a very classical Brane-Cantenac— a worthy follow-up to the 2022.

Score: 93 - 95 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2029-2050

The 2023 Calon Ségur is a wine for readers who can be patient. In many recent years, Calon Ségur has been quite showy, but this is not one of them. Bold acids and huge tannins dominate at this stage. Bright red-toned fruit is a signature, but the 2023 is a powerful, young Calon Ségur that will clearly need time to come together. Bright acids extend the finish beautifully.

Score: 94 - 96 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2033-2063

The 2023 Calon-Ségur is another en primeur success for this resurgent Saint-Estèphe third growth. Wafting from the glass with aromas of cassis, pencil shavings, wild berries and plums, it's medium to full-bodied, cool and layered, with a deep and integrated core, terrific concentration, lively acids and refined structuring tannins, concluding with a long, penetrating finish. It's a blend of 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot that checks in at 14% alcohol.

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

The 2023 Calon Ségur was picked September 6 to 30 at 45hL/ha. As usual, it is being aged entirely in new oak for a planned 20 months. It has a tight, cohesive bouquet of predominantly black fruit intermixed with wild hedgerow, tobacco and melted tar. The palate is medium-bodied with impressive grip on the entry—quite fresh, with a subtle marine tincture and a touch of Japanese nori in the background. It gently fans out on the finish, but it remains controlled and especially linear for Calon-Ségur, perhaps less swayed by the Merlot (15% of the blend). Classy.

Score: 92 - 94 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2060

A wine of classicism and reserve, the 2023 Canon is less overtly expressive than most recent vintages, keeping much of its personality in reserve. Nevertheless, I watched it grow considerably over the two weeks I spent in Bordeaux. Bright red-toned fruit, blood orange, mint and spice are some of the many notes that open in the glass. It is a wine that marries generous fruit with classical rigor. I won't be surprised if it shows even better with time. Tasted four times.

Score: 94 - 96 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2033-2063

Wafting from the glass with aromas of mulberries and raspberries mingled with spices, rose petals, licorice and violets, the 2023 Canon is another brilliant wine from a property whose excellence can almost be taken for granted. Medium to full-bodied, deep and layered, it's seamless and concentrated, its vibrant core of fruit framed by sweet, powdery tannins and girdled by lively acids, concluding with a long, mineral finish.

Score: 96 - 98 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2023 Canon was picked from around 6 September to 6 October at 45hL/ha and matured in 50% new oak. It has a perfumed bouquet with pure black cherries and touches of cassis and violet. The oak is beautifully integrated. Perhaps if I have to quibble, it is not quite as complex as the very best recent vintages, but that's a high bar nowadays. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy black cherry fruit laced with iodine, and veins of blue fruit. There is a sorbet-like freshness embroidered throughout this Canon, and it delivers a lovely cracked black pepper note on the finish. Excellent. Again.

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

The 2023 Canon La Gaffelière is a powerful, dense wine. In recent years Canon La Gaffelière has been on the more perfumed side, but the 2023 moves in a direction of textural intensity. On the other hand, its balance is compelling. Dark red-toned fruit, pomegranate, spice, blood orange, mint and dried herbs open, but only with great reluctance. Tannins are present but also buried by the fruit.

Score: 94 - 97 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2048

The 2023 Canon la Gaffelière offers up aromas of minty berries, plums, pencil shavings, dried herbs and bay leaf, followed by a medium to full-bodied, bright and crunchy palate underpinned by tangy acids and chalky tannins. It's a blend of 35% Merlot, 45% Cabernet Franc and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon.

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

The 2023 Canon La Gaffelière saw harvest between September 20 and 29, cropped at 35hL/ha with slightly more Cabernet Franc (45%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (20%) than usual. Matured in 40% new oak, this sports an unashamedly floral bouquet with pressed iris and violet flowers that are integrated with the black fruit—incredibly precise. The palate is very well balanced with slightly chalky tannins (a leitmotif of von Neipperg's 2023s). It fans out gently on the finish, yet it maintains a sense of verticality that you don't usually see in this Saint-Émilion. This is excellent, but a bit more Left Bank in style this year.

Score: 92 - 94 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2029-2055

The 2023 Cantemerle is a deep, potent wine. A blast of dark plum, blackberry, mocha, grilled herbs, gravel and lavender make a strong first impression. The aromatics and overall structure are quite appealing, although I find the tannins a touch bruising at this stage. A long, sustained finish compensates to some degrees. Tasted two times.

Score: 88 - 90 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2026-2038

The 2023 Cantemerle offers up aromas of dark berries, cherries, mint and herbs, followed by a medium-bodied, round and fleshy palate that's a touch varietal in profile this year.

Score: 88 - 89 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2023 Cantemerle has an attractive nose that offers more fruit concentration than its peers, raspberry and crushed strawberry, light peppery notes. The palate has good body on the entry, but it doesn't quite possess phenolic ripeness right on the finish. Could this be subsumed during the élevage? A third sample verified a nagging, albeit slight vegetal aspect but let's see how it will show once in bottle.

Score: 87 - 89 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2027-2040

The 2023 Cantenac Brown is concentrated, ample and generous right out of the gate. Blackberry, incense, new leather, tobacco, menthol and chocolate are all amplified to the maximum. As is often the case, Cantenac Brown is one of the more extroverted wines in Margaux. It's a style that works so well. Readers will have to be patient, as the 2023 needs time to shed some of its baby fat.

Score: 93 - 96 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2033-2063

The first vintage produced in the estate's new state-of-the-art winery, the 2023 Cantenac Brown has turned out very well indeed, offering up aromas of dark berries, pencil shavings and violets, followed by a medium to full-bodied, rich and layered palate that's serious and precise, concluding with a long, resonant finish. This blend of 71.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot and 1.5% Cabernet Franc represents 52% of the estate's production; and it reflects both the new winery's enhanced capabilities, along with the presence of old-vine Cabernet Sauvignon derived from holdings recently acquired in the heart of the plateau of Margaux.

Score: 93 - 95 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2023 Capbern is a plush, sensual wine. Juicy dark plum, spice, mocha, gravel and incense are all amplified in this racy, wonderfully inviting Saint-Estèphe. Soft, supple tannins wrap it all together in style. Readers looking for an affordable wine to drink over the next 10-12 years will adore this. Superb.

Score: 90 - 92 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2025-2038

A serious, brooding wine, the 2023 Capbern offers up aromas of cassis and dark berries mingled with licorice and spices. Medium to full-bodied, fleshy and layered, with good depth and concentration, it's built around lively acids and powdery tannins. It's a blend of 69% Cabernet Sauvignon (an unusually high proportion for Capbern) and 29% Merlot with the balance Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot.

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

The 2023 Capbern was picked from September 6 to 20 at 45hL/ha, matured in 60% new oak. Alcohol is stated at 14.6%. It has a ripe, plush bouquet with brambly red fruit, raspberry confit and just a hint of orange rind coming through with aeration. The palate is well-balanced and cohesive, with slightly powdery tannins, gentle grip and a touch of warmth on the spice box-tinged finish. The acidity (pH is 3.7) keeps this on an even keel, but I would be inclined to drink it after two or three years.

Score: 89 - 91 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2027-2040

The 2023 Carbonnieux Blanc is bright, chiseled and full of Sauvignon Blanc character. I find it a bit austere in feel, though. It lacks just that little bit of mid-palate texture that could take it to the next level.

Score: 87 - 88 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2025-2030

A blend of 65% Sauvignon Blanc and 35% Sémillon, the 2023 Carbonnieux Blanc exhibits elegant aromas of pear, white peach, spring flowers and herbs, followed by a medium-bodied, satiny and long texture enhanced by bright acids and a lively mid-palate. It concludes with a long, delicate, mouthwateringly mordant finish, making it a classic white wine from this estate. - Tasted by Yohan Castaing

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

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 Carruades de Lafite is a very pretty, sensual wine that very much captures the personality of the Grand Vin, naturally in a more approachable style. The blend is 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot, with no Franc or Petit Verdot. I have to say, there is something very direct about the 2023—something frank that is really evident. I admire its purity. Succulent red plum, spice, cedar, tobacco and a lifting touch of white pepper open first, while beautifully persistent saline undertones extend the finish.

Score: 92 - 94 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2028-2043

A blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot, the 2023 Carruades de Lafite is lovely, bursting with aromas of minty blackberries, cassis and cigar box, followed by a medium to full-bodied, fleshy and layered palate that's creamy and textural, its generous core of fruit largely concealing its powdery structuring tannins, concluding with a long, resonant finish.

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

The 2023 Carruades de Lafite is notable for some of the Cabernet being picked prior to the Merlot, between September 7 and 29. This year, there is no Cabernet Franc or Petit Verdot in the blend. It has a far superior bouquet to some of the vintages I was tasting a decade or so ago—much more purity and precision, with notes of black plum, wild strawberry and a touch of cassis. The palate is medium-bodied with a silky texture and a crisp line of acidity. It’s fresh, precise and saline, with a long tail on the finish. This is surely one of the best Carruades I have tasted at this stage.

Score: 91 - 93 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2027-2047

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 Chasse-Spleen is a very pretty, aromatic Moulis. Crushed flowers, sweet red-toned fruit, chalk, mint and white pepper are all nicely lifted in this mid-weight offering Bright acids lend freshness to play off the mid-weight structure.

Score: 89 - 91 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2027-2038

Offering up aromas of minty cassis, dark berries and pencil shavings, the 2023 Chasse-Spleen is medium to full-bodied, fleshy and youthfully structured, with good depth at the core and a penetrating finish. It's a strong effort.

Score: 89 - 91 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2023 Chasse-Spleen takes time to open on the nose, gradually revealing raspberry and blackcurrant scents, touches of rose petals and freshly rolled tobacco. The palate is medium-bodied with grippy tannins, adequate freshness and a marine-tinged finish—almost Pauillac-like in style. This is quite a stylish if almost “old-school" Chasse-Spleen that should develop well in bottle.

Score: 91 - 93 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2028-2048

The 2023 Cheval Blanc is silky, elegant and exceptionally polished. Cabernet Franc is rarely as expressive as it is here. Everything in the 2023 is about detail. All the elements are so well balanced—so integrated. Red/purplish berry fruit, mint, cinnamon, rose petal and blood orange meld together, while seamless tannins wrap it all up in grand style. What a wine.

Score: 95 - 98 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2033-2063

One of the most profound wines of the vintage is the 2023 Cheval Blanc, a striking wine that stands out for its strong sense of identity and seamless integration at such an early stage in its life. Wafting from the glass with notes of mulberries, lilac, dark fruits, iris root and violets, it's medium to full-bodied, supple and seamless, with a gourmand core of cool, vibrant fruit that entirely conceals its sweet structuring tannins, concluding with a long, perfumed finish. It's a blend of 52% Merlot, 46% Cabernet Franc and 2% Cabernet Sauvignon, drawing on fully 46 of the blocks that make up Cheval Blanc, and it attained 13.8% alcohol.

Score: 98 - 100 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The Grand Vin 2023 Château Cheval Blanc is based on 52% Merlot, 46% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Cabernet Sauvignon and, as always, is resting in 100% new French oak. It's deep ruby/plum-hued and offers a gorgeous array of ripe black cherries, currants, leafy herbs, spring flowers, and spicy oak. This carries to a medium to full-bodied Cheval with gorgeous mid-palate depth, ripe, building, yet polished tannins, and a certainly salty, mineral character on the finish. This is a classic, regal, aristocratic Cheval Blanc that will need bottle age, but it’s absolutely gorgeous. It's the finest wine I tasted on the Right Bank.

Score: 96 - 98 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com

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 La Clarté de Haut-Brion is the second white wine from La Mission and Haut-Brion. It offers terrific cut and focus. Citrus peel, white flowers, mint, crushed rocks, white pepper and a touch of reduction lend notable energy to this airy, sculpted dry white. Time in the glass reveals its lovely mid-palate texture, rounding things out. The 2023 is a fine Clarté.

Score: 90 - 92 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2025-2033

Effortless, well balanced, white peach, juicy pear, delicious, sculpted and extremely easy to love. 3.2ph, 40% new oak. A test with shade cloths to provide cover for the berries on a small part of the white vineyard is underway, as the team under Jean-Philippe Delmas reacts to the changing conditions.

Score: 93 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2025-2035

The 2023 Clerc Milon is a packed with blackberry, grilled herbs, leather, incense, gravel and cloves. A dark, brooding powerhouse, the 2023 will need a few years to settle down. Today, its imposing, tannic personality is very much front and center.

Score: 91 - 93 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2028-2043

Revealing aromas of red berries, cherries and blackcurrants mingled with hints of pencil shavings and new oak, the 2023 Clerc Milon is medium to full-bodied, deep and fleshy, with a layered core of fruit, sweet velvety tannins and a seamless, succulent profile. It's a blend of 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, 6.5% Cabernet Franc and the balance Carmenère and Petit Verdot.

Score: 92 - 94 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2023 Clerc Milon was picked from September 7 to 29 and is matured in 55% new oak. It has much more fruit concentration on the nose than the Pastorelle—quite precocious, with blackberry and cassis fruit. It's floral and more flamboyant than the d'Armailhac. The palate is very well balanced with a slightly creamy texture and a lovely mouthfeel. Its concentration is neatly counterbalanced by the acidity, and it feels very harmonious and long on the finish. Superb. If Mouton-Rothschild is beyond your budget—yes, I am familiar with that feeling—then this is where you should look.

Score: 92 - 94 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2028-2050

The 2023 Clinet is powerful and racy right out of the gate. Crushed flowers, spice, mocha and a kiss of French oak meld into a core of dark red- and black-toned fruit. This modern, stylish Pomerol is so expressive. Hints of graphite, lavender, crushed rocks and pencil shavings linger on the substantial finish. Tasted two times.

Score: 94 - 96 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2048

Rich and layered, the 2023 Clinet wafts from the glass with aromas of dark berries, spices and licorice, framed by creamy new oak. Medium to full-bodied, deep and complete, with a rich chassis of powdery tannin underpinning its sweet core of fruit, it concludes with a broad, vanillin-inflected finish. As is routinely the case at this address, it's a successfully rendered Pomerol in a more modern style.

Score: 94 - 95 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2023 Clinet was picked from September 13 to 26 at 42hL/ha and aged in 80% new oak. It has a very appealing bouquet, quite pure with vivacious red cherries, crushed strawberry and violet scents. The oak is neatly integrated. This is almost Saint-Émilion in style. The palate is medium-bodied with pliant tannins and a fine bead of acidity, lightly spiced with a crisp and linear finish. This is a delightful, composed Clinet that should drink well after four to five years.

Score: 93 - 95 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2027-2047

The 2023 Clos du Marquis might very well be the best Clos du Marquis I have ever tasted. A wine of freshness and verve, the 2023 is all nuance. Sweet red plum, blood orange, spice, flowers, mint and white pepper are all finely cut. The 2023 shows more vibrancy, less oak extraction and more refined tannins than in the past. It’s a glorious wine in every way. This early tasting is hugely promising. Clos du Marquis could turn out to be one of the real surprises of 2023.

Score: 93 - 95 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2028-2043

The 2023 Clos du Marquis is a rather serious, structured wine, evocative of cherries, dark berries and kirsch, framed by a touch of creamy new oak. Medium to full-bodied and fleshy but structured, it's a taut, concentrated wine that will reward some patience.

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

The 2023 Clos du Marquis was picked from September 6 to October 5 at 44hL/ha and matured in 50% new oak. It has a complex bouquet, comprising a mélange of red and black fruit, cedar and subtle touches of violet—very charming. The palate is medium-bodied with fine grip. It’s a little creamy in texture on the entry, but there is solid backbone and a saline finish. This is very promising.

Score: 91 - 93 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2029-2050

The 2023 Clos Fourtet is pure class. Elegant and soaring, the 2023 offers up an exciting mélange of dark-toned fruit, leather, incense, dried herbs, pencil shavings and crushed rocks. Beams of supporting limestone-infused tannin and acid give Clos Fourtet is super-distinctive feel. The long, enduring finish is a thing of beauty. Clos Fourtet remains a benchmark example of wines from Saint-Émilion's famed limestone plateau. Tasted two times.

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

The 2023 Clos Fourtet is especially suave and refined this year, wafting from the glass with deep aromas of red berries, licorice, violets and pencil shavings, framed by a nicely integrated patina of new oak. Medium to full-bodied, supple and layered, with a velvety attack that segues into a bright, precise mid-palate, it's pure and lively, concluding with a mineral finish.

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

The 2023 Clos Fourtet was picked from September 14 to October 3 and aged in 40% new oak. The nose is very attractive and quite sensual in style with red cherries, crushed strawberries and incense. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins, fresh, focused, pure and quite linear on the finish. This is much more classically styled than the 2022, and it conveys tenderness and persistence. Superb.

Score: 92 - 94 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2027-2047

The 2023 Clos l'Église presents a gorgeous contrast of intense dark fruit against a mineral backbone that confers energy. There's a ton of nuance here. Graphite, crushed rocks, plum, mocha, spice, leather and dried herbs are all vividly sketched. There's a bit more Cabernet Franc in this year's blend, as one of the Merlot parcels is being replanted. That results in an especially nuanced Clos l'Église that captures the best the year had to offer.

Score: 93 - 95 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2028-2045

Smoky oak, good ift and zip, waves of rosemary and black chocolate, cocoa bean, espresso, intense but with peony and iris aromatics, and fresh waves of acidity that sends the palate upwards to meet blueberry fruits. Love the silky texture, and the grip, very appellation signature. Oldest vines here are more than 80 years, planted before the frost of 1956. Mathieu Bellot is the vineyard consultant, but no outside winemaking consultant.

Score: 93 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2029-2042

The 2023 La Conseillante is shaping up to be a jewel of a wine. Medium in body and silky, with exceptional balance, the 2023 impresses from start to finish. Crushed flowers, lavender, spice, mocha and tobacco are some of the many nuances that emerge over time. More than anything else, the 2023 impresses with its balance and total class. It's a wine that marries the elegance of La Conseillante with a bit more mid-palate resonance and sustain through the finish than some recent vintages. Yields were 43 hectoliters per hectare. Élevage consists of 70% new oak, 27% used barrels and 3% amphora. Tasted two times.

Score: 95 - 97 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2033-2063

One of the great wines of the vintage, and one that can rival its 2022 counterpart, the 2023 La Conseillante wafts from the glass with a strikingly floral bouquet of violets, lilac, raspberries, exotic spices, candied orange, pipe tobacco and rose petals. Medium to full-bodied, supple and fleshy, its textural attack segues into a layered and enveloping core of pure, vibrant fruit framed by sweet tannins and concluding with a long, precise finish. It's a blend of 88% Merlot and 12% Cabernet Franc, some 30% of which is maturing in amphorae. Harvest began on September 7, lasting until October 2, block by block.

Score: 98 - 100 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2023 La Conseillante was picked from September 7, with the final Cabernet Franc brought in on October 2 at 43hL/ha. There were just six days of picking over 3.5 weeks. Matured in 70% new oak, it has a very well-defined bouquet with black cherries, wild strawberries, touches of violet and a hint of crushed stone. The palate is medium-bodied with a captivating, edgy opening. Just slightly granular in texture thanks to the tannin structure, it’s very harmonious and poised, with a sophisticated, mineral-driven finish. This is an exceptional La Conseillante from Marielle Cazaux and her team. It will rank alongside the 2022 even if it is very different stylistically.

Score: 96 - 98 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2028-2042

The 2023 Cos d’Estournel is fabulous. Dark, resonant and inviting, the 2023 has so much to offer. All the elements are beautifully woven together. Black cherry, plum, licorice, espresso, mocha and incense fill out the layers. Readers will find a Cos endowed with tremendous substance and intensity. I can't remember a young Cos with this much fruit concentration, yet there is nothing overdone here. I loved it.

Score: 96 - 98 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2033-2063

A contemporary classic in the making, the 2023 Cos d'Estournel has turned out beautifully, reflecting a lighter touch with extraction that has delivered more sensuality and harmony without the loss of any of the estate's signature power and authority. Wafting from the glass with deep aromas of cassis, wild berries, orange zest and exotic spices, framed by well-integrated new wood, it's medium to full-bodied, deep and layered, with a concentrated core of fruit, beautifully suave tannins and a cool, seamless profile. It's a blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot and the balance Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot that attained 12.9% alcohol and is being matured in 50% new oak.

Score: 95 - 96 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2023 Cos d'Estournel, picked from September 12 to 29 and matured in 50% new oak, blossoms in the glass. The aromatics deliver nearly immediate gratification: black cherries, wild strawberries, crushed violet petals and vanilla pod. It’s all quite sumptuous but very well focused. The palate is medium-bodied with finely chiseled, slightly powdery tannins. It’s beautifully balanced with a very pure and seductive finish. This is a notably composed and assured Cos d'Estournel, almost a lesson in how less can be more. It’s only a couple of steps behind the previous vintage.

Score: 94 - 96 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2033-2065

The 2023 Cos d'Estournel Blanc is quite powerful and not especially aromatic today. At this stage, it is mostly the wine's body that makes an impression. The 2023 has good depth, but it is clearly not expressive today. It will be interesting to see what time brings.

Score: 91 - 93 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2025-2033

Green gold, well balanced, slate and pummice stone, rises through the palate from the first sip, lemongrass and lime, showing structure, depth, purity and sculpted citrus and sage. Excellent concentrated flavours, steely and mouthwatering, gets the balance exactly right between steel and flesh. 7% new oak (with barrels used only for the Sémillon). Harvest September 5 to 15. 10ha of white for the Estournel wines, 18 years on from its first vintage in 2005.

Score: 95 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2025-2038

The 2023 Château Cos D'Estournel Blanc includes slightly more Semillon and checks in as 70% Sauvignon and 30% Semillon, raised in just 7% new French oak, with the rest in once-used barrels. A selection made mostly in the cellar, it has a vivid gold hue as well as a stunning nose of ripe lemon, honeyed flowers, mint, crushed stone, and subtle hints of toast. Gorgeously textured, medium to full-bodied, and balanced, with the bright, almost racy acidity of the vintage, it's pure class.

Score: 95 - 97 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com

The 2023 Cos Labory is a powerful, dense wine. Big tannins wrap around a core of dark fruit, gravel, spice, menthol and mocha. This strapping, old-school Saint-Estèphe packs plenty of punch. Clearly, Cos Labory is a work in progress. It will be some years before the Cos team can turn the estate around, as there is so much work to be done, especially in rehabilitating the vineyards. Even so, this is a fine effort for a property in transition.

Score: 91 - 93 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2045

Aromas of dark berries, pencil shavings and spices introduce the 2023 Cos Labory, a medium to full-bodied, layered and velvety wine that's fleshy and enveloping, with a deep core of fruit underpinned by plenty of sweet, powdery tannin. Now overseen by the team at Cos d'Estournel, this is a strong effort for this estate.

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

The 2023 Cos Labory is the first vintage made completely by Michel Reybier's team. The 2023 went through a parcel selection and use of peristaltic pumps. Matured in 30% new oak, it has a slightly richer and more decadent bouquet, perhaps reflecting the summer heat more than Cos d'Estournel. The palate is medium-bodied with juicy ripe tannins, fleshy in style but there is satisfying structure in situ. Quite marine-influenced towards the finish with a tangy peppery aftertaste. Give this 3-4 years in bottle. It's not far from the 2022 in quality.

Score: 89 - 91 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2027-2045

The 2023 Coutet is stellar. Soaring aromatics and bright acids drive through a core of lemon confit, apricot, mint, spice, passion fruit and pineapple. The interplay of deep, layered flavors and energy is so compelling.

Score: 93 - 95 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2028-2048

Beautiful aromatics, fresh acidity that picks things up from the first moment, crisp citrus, mango, pineapple, grated ginger, and a twist of bitter aniseed on the finish. Richly concentrated, reflecting small yields, but once again a wine that shows the huge potential of this style in the 2023 vintage. Harvest between September 20 and October 11.

Score: 96 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2025-2045

The 2023 Château Coutet is another decadent, powerful Barsac in the vintage. Honeyed orange, toasted spices, sautéed pineapple, and assorted tropical, floral notes all just about jump from the glass, and it's full-bodied on the palate, with a wealth of fruit, good acidity, and a great finish.

Score: 95 - 97 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com

The 2023 La Croix Ducru-Beaucaillou marries sophistication with the textural richness that is such a signature here. All the elements are so well balanced. Jammy dark red fruit, pomegranate, blood orange, spice and mocha infuse the 2023 with tons of nuance. Supple tannins wrap it all together. This Saint-Julien screams with character.

Score: 90 - 92 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2025-2035

Inky plum colour, high tannic count (91IPT) but with a cushion of air running underneath, this delivers a contrast of light and shade, and captures an effortless St Julien character, coulpled with floral and savoury Cabernet, and the kick of gourmet cocoa bean that is a signature of the wine. 60% new oak.

Score: 93 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2025-2032

The 2023 La Dame de Montrose is a rich, heady wine. Succulent dark cherry, plum, new leather, spice, menthol, licorice and mocha are beautifully amplified. Explosive to the core, the 2023 possesses tons of aromatic intensity and pure volume. This showy, Merlot-based Dame is quite alluring.

Score: 92 - 94 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2027-2043

Another strong performance from this bottling, which dependably numbers among Bordeaux's top three or four second wines, the 2023 La Dame de Montrose reveals aromas of cassis, pencil shavings and licorice, followed by a medium to full-bodied, deep and dense palate that's polished, pure and layered, with sweet tannins, lively acids and a saline finish. It's a blend of 61% Merlot, 32% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Petit Verdot and 2% Cabernet Franc.

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

The 2023 La Dame de Montrose has a light and slightly tertiary nose, with touches of tea leaves infusing the black fruit. The palate is soft and supple on the entry, with licorice-tinged black fruit and a rounded, cracked-black-pepper-tinged finish. There’s good body for a Deuxième Vin. This will give a decade of drinking pleasure.

Score: 89 - 91 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2026-2037

The 2023 Desmirail is a savory, aromatic style of Margaux. Crushed flowers, sage, cedar, sweet pipe tobacco and mint all grace this mid-weight, nuanced Margaux from Denis Lurton.

Score: 90 - 92 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2027-2038

Sandalwood, espresso and tar notes are overt on the opening, but they are balanced by attractive brambled black fruits, and this is showing a sleek tannic character. Antoine Medeville consultant. No need to wait the full 10 years for this to soften - think six or seven years.

Score: 91 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2030-2048

The 2023 Doisy-Daëne is all class. Lifted aromatics open first. Delicate and understated in feel, with fine balance, the 2023 has so much to offer. Tangerine peel, passion fruit, mint, apricot and a kiss of sweet spice blossom with a bit of aeration. Doisy-Daëne remains one of the most sublime wines in Barsac and Sauternes.

Score: 94 - 96 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2028-2053

Pale gold with vibrant edging, starts with concentrated and intense clove spices, luscious apricot fruit, opening to show juicy, sculpted slivers of steel and lime juice. A return to form for this excellent Barsac wine after the succulent but unbalanced 2022. Great stuff from this legendary Dubourdieu property, although once again the yields are extremely low and the character is more concentrated than you find in vintages like 2021. Ageing starts with 10 months in oak barrels, followed by 9 months in stainless steel tank before bottling.

Score: 95 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2025-2045

The 2023 Château Doisy Daëne is another ripe, powerful wine, yet it brings a juicy, lively style in its sweet peach, citrus, and orange fruit as well as notes of candied ginger, mint, and sappy floral aromas and flavors. It has beautiful acidity, full-bodied richness, and a great finish.

Score: 96 - 98 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com

The 2023 Doisy-Védrines is floral, elegant and classy. Jasmine, orange confit, mint, chamomile and lightly honeyed, floral overtones all grace this utterly exquisite, beguiling Barsac. Terrific.

Score: 92 - 94 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2028-2053

Silky texture, intense and opulent, this has the lift and sculpted acidities of the vintage in Barsac, with concentrated apricot, nectarine and pineapple. 9hl/ha yield.

Score: 94 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2025-2040

The 2023 Domaine de Chevalier Blanc is one of the best dry whites of the year. Creamy and expansive, with terrific brightness, this exudes balance. Citrus confit, white pepper, mint, almond, pear and crushed rocks are some of the notes that build as the 2023 shows off its pedigree. I expect it will offer exceptional drinking for the next several decades. What else is new?

Score: 94 - 96 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2053

A perfumed, complex bouquet of pear, white peach, hazelnuts, lime tree leaves and spring flowers prefaces the 2023 Domaine de Chevalier Blanc, a medium to full-bodied, fleshy and concentrated wine with racy acids, chalky, structuring dry extract, and a bright, vibrant profile that's rare in this vintage. This is a blend of 70% Sauvignon Blanc and 30% Sémillon. - Tasted by Yohan Castaing

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

The 2023 Domaine de Chevalier Blanc was picked from August 28 to September 6 at 45hL/ha. It’s a blend of 70% Sauvignon Blanc and 30% Sémillon. This has wonderful purity on the nose, revealing scents of lime, green apple and crushed stone—one of the most precise I have encountered at this early stage. The palate is well balanced with a fine bead of acidity that lends this white Pessac-Léognan superb focus. There’s real intensity here, building with a sense of nascent confidence toward the mineral, almost slate-like finish. Very long and tender, this is a white Domaine de Chevalier from the top drawer.

Score: 94 - 96 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2028-2050

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

The 2023 Le Dragon de Quintus is a gorgeous, vibrant Saint-Émilion. Crushed flowers, red plum, spice, new leather and cedar lend notable energy and brightness. The 2023 is a fine Dragon with plenty of the breadth that is typical here, but in a slightly more restrained style than in past vintages.

Score: 90 - 92 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2026-2035

Intense depth and character but with freshness, floral character, clear salinity, sappy tannins that are not entirely resolved, but there is good spice and impressive lift. Includes Merlot from the north facing vineyards, and this is sculpted and precise, juicy finish. Director Mariette Veyssiere.

Score: 91 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2026-2034

The 2023 Ducru-Beaucaillou is a heady, sumptuous Saint-Julien. The aromatics alone are captivating. Truffle, rose petal, blood orange, pomegranate, spice and menthol build in a creamy, lavish Ducru. The 2023 is a classic Bruno Borie wine that emphasizes textural opulence. Time in the glass brings out gorgeous floral and spice-driven top notes. The balance of opulence and vibrancy is compelling.

Score: 95 - 97 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2033-2063

Glass-staining violet. A serious Ducru, delivered with precision and balance, with plenty of concentration and a slow, long build, layered, fine and sappy tannins. Proof again that this is a great Cabernet year in this corner of Bordeaux, less velvet concentration than the 2022 Ducru perhaps, but more finesse and packed full of nuance, and a saline mouthwatering finish. 41hl/h yield, 100% new oak, with long seasoning of up to five years, nine different coopers.

Score: 96 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2030-2050

As to the Grand Vin, the 2023 Château Ducru-Beaucaillou brings everything up a level, offering a gorgeous perfume of crème de cassis, spring flowers, graphite, and crushed stone. This gives way to a medium to full-bodied, pure, incredibly elegant Ducru that has ample mid-palate depth, building tannins, and a great spine of acidity. It’s another gorgeous wine from this chateau that plays in the style of the 2010, 2016, and 2020. The 2023 is 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Merlot, again in new barrels, and it hit 13% alcohol, a pH of 3.7, and an IPT of 89. It will have 50+ years of longevity.

Score: 95 - 97 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com

The 2023 Duhart-Milon is seriously impressive. Dark, virile and brooding in its intensity, the 2023 screams with Cabernet Sauvignon character. Plum, blackberry, incense, leather, grilled herbs and licorice lend notable textural resonance and pure power. There's a good bit of tannin, so patience is a must. A virile, authoritative wine, Duhart-Milon is hugely promising in this edition. The blend is 80% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Merlot.

Score: 92 - 94 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2031-2043

A blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon (picked late, between September 25 and October 3) and 20% Merlot, the 2023 Duhart-Milon has turned out beautifully, unfurling in the glass with aromas of cassis, cherries and dark berries mingled with hints of mint, cedar and spice box. Medium to full-bodied, fleshy and layered, it's deep and concentrated, with an ample core of cool but ripe fruit, sweet tannins and a long, penetrating finish.

Score: 92 - 94 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2023 Duhart-Milon was picked September 7 to October 3 and contains 15% pressed wine, matured in 50% new oak. It has a much more backward bouquet than the Moulin, displaying well-defined yet tightly coiled graphite-infused black fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with saturated tannins that belie the backbone of this Pauillac. That graphite element is accentuated in the mouth and controls the classic finish that could only come from this appellation. This is excellent, but patience is required.

Score: 93 - 95 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2060

The 2023 Durfort-Vivens is a very pretty, understated wine. In 2023, Durfort is marked by a brighter profile than usual: red fruit, blood orange and flowers. Medium in body and persistent, with good energy and very fine balance, the 2023 is promising. Even though it’s showing a touch of oak at this stage, this layered and sumptuous offering is showing well.

Score: 92 - 95 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2031-2053

The 2023 Durfort Vivens is once again dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon, which represents 92% of the blend. Unwinding in the glass with aromas of minty cassis, plums and berries mingled with hints of pencil shavings and violets, it's medium to full-bodied, deep and layered, with good concentration, sweet tannins and a long, penetrating finish. With a pH of 3.66 and 13.7% alcohol, it's a resounding success.

Score: 94 - 95 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2023 Echo de Lynch-Bages is a potent second wine. It’s really the Cabernets that drive the wine's flavor profile and overall feel. The Echo is not as juicy or succulent as it can be, rather it is a wine that will need a year or two post-release to show at its best.

Score: 90 - 92 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2027-2043

Rich and deep, cocoa bean, slate and espresso, so intense that you have to look twice to see that it is a 2nd wine. Tannins layer up through the palate, not drying but certainly chewy and firm, with lashings of blackberry and cassis fruit, held in place by espresso-laced tannins. Mix of new and one year old barrels for ageing, 3.63ph. Out to impress.

Score: 92 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2028-2040

The 2023 L’Eglise-Clinet is fabulous. Rich, deep and vertical in structure, this is all poise. Nothing in particular stands out, as all the elements are impeccably balanced. Time in the glass helps this open a bit, but the 2023 is a wine of reserve—a wine that is not showing all its cards. Gravel, incense, tobacco, dried herbs and mocha open with some coaxing. This will be stellar in time.

Score: 94 - 97 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2053

The 2023 L'Eglise Clinet unwinds in the glass with brooding aromas of dark berries and cherries mingled with baking chocolate, pipe tobacco and toasty new oak. Full-bodied, layered and muscular, with a sweet core of fruit framed by rich, powdery, generously extracted tannin, it's broad-shouldered and powerful, concluding with a long, expansive finish. It's a blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc that checks in at 14.6% alcohol.

Score: 93 - 95 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2023 L'Eglise-Clinet was picked between September 10 and 14 and matured in 82% new oak. It has a stunning bouquet with enthralling delineation and focus, very intense with blackberries, raspberry, crushed stone, Earl Grey and a touch of blood orange. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-boned tannins and a dash of cracked black pepper. It's very harmonious and fans out brilliantly on the finish. It is surely going to vie with the stupendous 2022, and this ranks as one of the best wines of the vintage. Tasted on two visits at the beginning and end of my Bordeaux tastings.

Score: 98 - 100 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2032-2060

The 2023 L’Évangile is sensual and plush in the glass. Silky, refined tannins wrap around a core of dark-toned fruit, spice, mocha, leather and dried flowers. This opens nicely, leading to an explosive, deep finish that is quite compelling. Élevage is 50% new oak, 27% once-used barrels, 15% 26hL cask and 8% amphora. It's another fine effort from the team led by Technical Director Juliette Couderc.

Score: 94 - 96 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2048

Wafting from the glass with deep aromas of dark berries, spices, licorice and petals, framed by a sweet patina of new oak, the 2023 L'Evangile is medium to full-bodied, deep and layered, with a textural attack that segues into a supple, integrated core that's framed by sweet, powdery tannins. It's a blend of 78% Merlot, 21% Cabernet Franc and 1% Cabernet Sauvignon, checking in at 13.5% alcohol, that was harvested between September 4 and 28.

Score: 93 - 95 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2023 L'Évangile was picked from September 4 to 28 at 42hL/ha, which is the highest for many years. Matured in 50% new oak (including 15 foudres) and 8% in amphoras (my sample only from used barrels), this has a very floral and precise bouquet with dark red fruit, blueberry, hints of blood orange and light sous-bois scents. It's very L'Evangile. The palate is medium-bodied with filigree tannins. Crisp and precise, there’s fine tension toward the finish with a lingering black pepper note. This is a lovely L'Évangile that deserves five or six years in bottle. It will be worth the wait.

Score: 94 - 96 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2029-2055

The 2023 de Fargues is shockingly young, deep and powerful. I am especially drawn to the wine's textural presence and overall intensity, as the aromatics are rather reticent. The 2023 is embryonic and not totally put together. Even so, I find it super intriguing. Orange marmalade, ripe pear and exotic floral notes abound.

Score: 94 - 96 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2043

The 2023 Château de Fargues was picked over two tries through the vineyard between October 2 and 12. That represents an extremely quick harvest, as there was concern that there would be too much richness that would make it difficult for the yeasts to do their job. The 2023 has a fragrant bouquet that delivers the intensity that de Fargues always brings to the table: copious marmalade, quince and dried honey aromas with just a hint of melted candle wax. The palate is very well balanced, its impressive weight matched by tension in the mouth. This is not the most persistent de Fargues in recent years, but there is a lovely spicy aftertaste. It will broaden with bottle age. Excellent.

Score: 95 - 97 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2028-2060

The 2023 Ferrière is a hugely promising wine. At this early stage, 2023 looks like a wine of notable refinement. Ferrière is typically a big Margaux with large-grained tannins, but that is not the case at all with 2023. Dark cherry, plum, lavender, spice and menthol abound. Claire Lurton likes to present this wine from tank, before the wine is put into wood, in order to show the quality of the fruit. For that reason, the en primeur sample is really just a snapshot.

Score: 92 - 94 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2031-2053

This is one of the best Ferrieres for years, with waves of blackberry, cassis, fennel, anis, liqourice root, all sweet and pure and intense, with velvety tannins. Great stuff. 40hl/h yield, 3.79ph, harvest Septemboer 13 to october 2, highest yields for for 12 years, 40% new oak for ageing overall, along with concrete eggs, touch of amphoras.

Score: 92 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2030-2044

The 2023 Feytit-Clinet is fabulous. Rich and sumptuous in the glass, the 2023 offers up a heady mix of blue/black fruit, gravel, chocolate, scorched earth, lavender and liquified rocks. Feytit-Clinet is often a rich, structured Pomerol, but in 2023, the tannins are totally woven into the wine's fabric, making for a wine that marries power with finesse. Clean mineral notes extend the finish effortlessly. The 2023 will see 14-15 months in oak—70% new and 30% once-used barrels. Yields were a healthy 42 hectoliters per hectare. Tasted two times.

Score: 93 - 95 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2048

Medium plus to full intensity this is inky, with gorgeous violet reflections, grilled oak on the nose, intense but has good construction and a sense of reserve, Espresso and charred coffee bean, along with cassis and blueberry, silky, concentrated, appellation typicity, and a ton of personality.

Score: 94 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2030-2042

The 2023 Fieuzal reveals a bright, perfumed bouquet of mulberries and cherries mingled with floral accents of violets, lilac and spring flowers. Medium to full-bodied, layered and textural, it’s pure and seamless, with a fleshy core of fruit, bright acids and powdery, ultra-refined tannins, concluding with a mineral, penetrating finish. This blend of 50% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Petit Verdot stands out in this challenging vintage for gravelly, sandy terroirs. Under the adept guidance of Stephen Carrier, the estate—positioned on the border of the Pessac-Léognan appellation—has hit new heights in recent years. This 90-hectare estate in Pessac-Léognan is experiencing a renaissance under the stewardship of winemaker Stephen Carrier. Readers who have experienced older vintages from Fieuzal will recognize its untapped potential, though Carrier believes the estate lost 20 years due to viticultural errors made in the late 1980s—a setback he is now determined to overcome. The estate has undergone replanting at a high density (9,000 vines per hectare compared to 6,000 in its older plantings), and the varietal composition has been adjusted to better suit the soil types; approximately 60% of the vineyard consists of gravel, with sandier clay soils to the southwest. In 2023, Stephen Carrier continued his quest for excellence, producing some of the most elegant and unique wines of Pessac-Léognan and Bordeaux. The reds are refined, pure and crystalline with lively and bright bouquets, while the white wines showcase a pure profile with a saline, mineral dimension. Readers who appreciate precise, delicate wines should undoubtedly explore this revitalized estate. (Tasted by Yohan Castaing)

Score: 94 - 96 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: 2025-2055

The 2023 Château De Fieuzal is terrific, with ripe plum and cassis fruit as well as some chocolaty, leafy herb and damp earth nuances. A classic Graves, it’s medium to full-bodied and has fine tannins, good overall balance, and outstanding length. Based on 50% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 10% Petit Verdot, it should easily be an outstanding wine.

Score: 90 - 92 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com

The 2023 Figeac is gorgeous. Seamless and vibrant, with captivating elegance, this is an absolute beauty. What I admire most is its exceptional balance. Everything is in the right place. Time in the glass brings out hints of gravel, dried herbs, licorice, tobacco and cedar that add dimension. Although it is early, Figeac is shaping up to be one of the wines of the vintage.

Score: 95 - 98 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2033-2073

A brilliant classic in the making, the 2023 Figeac unwinds in the glass with aromas of cassis and mulberry mingled with notions of iris, cigar wrapper, pencil shavings, burning embers and spices. Medium to full-bodied, rich and layered, it's deep and concentrated, with an enveloping core of fruit that's framed by powdery tannins and lively acids, concluding with a broad, atypically mineral finish. It's a blend of 41% Merlot, 32% Cabernet Franc and 27% Cabernet Sauvignon that attained 13.5% alcohol.

Score: 96 - 98 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2023 Figeac was cropped at 45hL/ha from September 6 until October 5, one of the longest harvest periods ever. It matured in 100% new oak, as usual. My samples included the 5% vin de presse. This has a very perfumed bouquet: red fruit rather than black, iris flower rather than violet, light sous-bois and tobacco scents deriving from the Cabernets. The palate is medium-bodied, and the Cabernets really "sing" on the entry. Black fruit mixes with graphite and light tobacco notes, surging with fresh acidity and real brightness, or what the French call éclat. There’s gentle grip here—classic Figeac from start to finish, with a subtle marine influence toward the close. This will be a wonderful Saint-Émilion that ranks amongst the best wines of the vintage. Chapeau!

Score: 96 - 98 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2065

The 2023 La Fleur-Pétrus is fabulous. Increasingly, I find it one the most complete Pomerols in the Moueix range. Perhaps, that’s because it comes from numerous parcels throughout the appellation and is therefore a wine that greatly benefits from blending. Bright acids and floral top notes add lift to a core of red-toned fruit. Hints of cedar, sweet pipe tobacco, mint and orange peel linger on the beautifully persistent finish.

Score: 94 - 96 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2033-2063

The 2023 La Fleur-Pétrus is very attractive, unfurling in the glass with aromas of dark berries, sweet cherries and plums mingled with hints of incense and spices, discreetly framed by new oak. Medium to full-bodied, velvety and layered, it's deep and textural, its rich core of fruit framed by plenty of sweet, powdery tannin.

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

The 2023 La Fleur-Pétrus was picked September 7 to 19. Now, this is a level up from the Hosanna, with greater precision and focus—very pure and more terroir-driven. The palate is sleek and smooth on the entry, with svelte tannins, a perfect line of acidity and a very harmonious finish that fans out nicely. This is a refined La Fleur-Pétrus that should age well in bottle.

Score: 92 - 94 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2028-2050

The 2023 de Fonbel is an exotic wine, perhaps because of its varietal blend of 64% Merlot, 28% Cabernet Sauvignon and 8% Carménère. Rose petal, mint, lavender and dried herbs open in the bouquet. I find the tannins a bit severe on the finish, but perhaps élevage will take care of some of that.

Score: 90 - 92 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2028-2043

The 2023 Franc Mayne is a plush, exotic Saint-Émilion. Rose petal, raspberry jam, mocha, licorice and chocolate infuse the 2023 with notable depth. This plush, extroverted Saint-Émilion is quite forward and racy—quite the charmer. Franc Mayne is all Merlot, but it has very strong aromatic and saline signatures that recall Franc. Tasted two times.

Score: 92 - 94 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2043

Ripe black fruits, orange peel, liqourice, cocoa bean, careful construction, attractively measured grilled oak, not the concentration of the 2022 at this property, but it has a more supple appeal, and great to see the consistency in differently-styled vintages. Second year in organic certification. Thomas Duclos consultant since 2018. 50% new oak barrels and 50% of wooden casks and amphoras.

Score: 92 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2030-2044

The 2023 Gazin is deep, layered and exceptionally well-balanced. All the elements are in the right place. Dark red/purplish fruit, spice, leather, tobacco and dried herbs all meld together in a seamless, super-expressive Pomerol that hints at a very bright future. This is a fine follow up to the 2022.

Score: 91 - 93 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2043

Revealing aromas of dark berries, cassis and cherries, the 2023 Gazin is medium to full-bodied, firm and compact, with a dense core of fruit framed by chewy tannins.

Score: 88 - 90 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2023 Gazin has a typical bouquet for this Pomerol estate—always understated, and one where you have to spend time coaxing aromas. Eventually, it offers predominantly black fruit laced with black truffles and light earthy scents. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins. It veers more toward red fruit laced with white pepper on the cohesive and classically styled finish. This is maybe not a long-term Gazin, but it has an air of sophistication.

Score: 91 - 93 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2028-2048

The 2023 Giscours is the very best wine I have ever tasted here. Giscours has been knocking on the door of Bordeaux's elite for a few years now. Two thousand twenty-three is the year in which Giscours joins the region's big boys and girls. A towering, majestic Margaux, the 2023 dazzles from start to finish. What a wine!

Score: 96 - 98 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2063

The 2023 Giscours is one of the real successes of the vintage, unwinding in the glass with aromas of dark berries, cherries and red fruits mingled with hints of undergrowth, violets and licorice. Medium to full-bodied, deep and layered, it's seamless and concentrated, with a fleshy core of fruit framed by ripe, powdery tannins and succulent acids, concluding with a long, broad finish. It's a blend of 71% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot and 6% Cabernet Franc.

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

The 2023 Giscours was picked between September 6 and October 6, a month-long harvest at an average of 31hL/ha, lower than usual due to the loss of Merlot. This has a higher percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon (71%). No sulfites were added until fermentation, and the élevage includes 50% new oak. This sample was taken from a foudre that represents a combination of barrels; I tasted it three times thereafter. It has a classically styled bouquet, less open and concentrated than the 2022, but well-defined with graphite-tinged black fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with a bright entry, a crisp line of acidity and fresh black fruit, with a noticeable marine/briny influence that guides the finish. This is not a powerful Giscours and doesn't quite have the persistence of the previous vintage, but I admire its linearity and classicism.

Score: 90 - 92 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2029-2045

The 2023 Gloria is bright, punchy and super-expressive. Red-toned fruit, crushed flowers, white pepper and mocha are nicely dialed up. this super-classic Saint-Julien delivers the goods. Best of all, it should be a great value.

Score: 91 - 93 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2053

An attractive effort, the 2023 Gloria offers up aromas of dark berries and plums mingled with subtle hints of violets and licorice. It's medium to full-bodied, taut and lively, with good depth and persistence. This blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 10% Petit Verdot and 5% Cabernet France is the third and final vintage of organic conversion at Gloria.

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

The 2023 Gloria presents a deep purple hue. It has a succinct bouquet with black cherries, red plum and pronounced floral aromas that emanate from the Petit Verdot. The palate is medium-bodied with bright blackberry and raspberry fruit, quite a minerally Gloria with a more linear, stricter finish than the 2022, as you would expect. There’s also fine salinity here. This is a classy Gloria that just misses the panache of recent vintages (and of the 2023 Saint-Pierre).

Score: 90 - 92 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2028-2050

The 2023 Grand-Puy Ducasse is fabulous. In fact, the 2023 is one of the best recent vintages I have tasted here. A wine of grandeur and sweeping intensity, this Grand-Puy Ducasse is seriously impressive. Silky tannins enshroud a huge core of dark fruit. Hints of graphite, dried flowers, mint and spice appear later, adding shades of complexity. It's a magnificent effort by the team led by Technical Director Anne Le Naour. Tasted two times.

Score: 93 - 95 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2048

Exhibiting aromas of dark berries, cedary pencil shavings and oak vanillin, the 2023 Grand-Puy-Ducasse is medium-bodied, firm and chewy, with a somewhat herbal finish.

Score: 86 - 88 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2023 Grand Puy Ducasse has one of the most impressive bouquets encountered from this estate in a number of years: blackberry, cedar and light floral notes, with a hint of pencil shavings in the background. This is Pauillac through and through, with newfound conviction. The palate is medium-bodied with crunchy black fruit, and a touch of dark chocolate and black pepper. There’s much more body and grip compared to previous vintages. Excellent. This may surpass their 2022.

Score: 92 - 94 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2027-2047

The 2023 Grand-Puy-Lacoste is powerful, reticent and shy, revealing notes of black cherry, gravel, scorched earth and licorice. It’s rich, ample and quite potent, marked by an intriguing mix of super-ripe Merlots and later-picked Cabernet. All of this fruit was picked before the September rain, so the tannins are a touch aggressive. Time in bottle should help this come together.

Score: 92 - 94 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2033-2063

Aromas of cassis, cigar wrapper, pencil shavings and violets introduce the 2023 Grand-Puy-Lacoste, a medium to full-bodied, fleshy and supple wine that's seamless and sensual, with good depth at the core, beautifully integrated tannins and a lively, charming profile. It's a blend of 77% Cabernet Sauvignon and 23% Merlot that was picked between September 11-28.

Score: 93 - 95 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2023 Grand Puy Lacoste was picked September 11 to 28 at 48hL/ha and matured in 75% new oak. It has a classic "GPL" bouquet with blackberry, pencil box and light marine scents, obviously not as powerful as the previous vintage, yet in typical style, beautifully defined and focused. Just a touch of cracked black pepper surfaces with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with gentle but insistent grip, just a light bitter edge lending tension and nerve. I perceive good depth here, but this is not a powerhouse of a Pauillac (is GPL ever?). It fans out toward the finish whilst maintaining control. There’s an impressive linearity to this wine, and thus I suspect it will require less bottle-age compared to recent vintages.

Score: 93 - 95 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2029-2052

The 2023 Gruaud Larose is a powerhouse. Rich and ample, with striking depth, the 2023 offers notable resonance from start to finish. Black cherry, blackberry, licorice and spice fill out the layers nicely. The 2023 is a big, potent Gruaud Larose that will need a number of years to be at its best. This is a terrific example of the vintage at its finest.

Score: 94 - 96 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2033-2063

The 2023 Gruaud Larose was picked from September 11 to October 3 at 42hL/ha and matured in 95% new oak with 15% vin de presse. There was no saignée. There is a large difference between the Sarget and the Grand Vin this year: There’s much more complexity and purity here. Layers of blackberry, cedar and floral scents surface in the glass, all very composed with beautifully integrated oak (perhaps better than previous vintages). The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins—quite crisp and commendably saline, which really comes through toward the finish. This is a classic Gruaud Larose that confirms the ongoing improvement at this estate.

Score: 93 - 95 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2029-2065

The 2023 Guillot-Clauzel is gorgeous. Fresh, floral and medium in body, this is all class from start to finish. Since taking over winemaking for this small, two-hectare property in 2018, Guillaume Thienpont has really dialed in the approach. The denser, oakier winemaking of the first few years has evolved into an approach that seeks to exalt the finesse this site is capable of. The 2023 is really quite delicious.

Score: 92 - 94 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2048

The 2023 Giraud is a statuesque, ravishing beauty. White flowers, passion fruit, mint, orange blossom and apricot are some of the many notes that soar out of the glass. Complex, deep and wonderfully dynamic, Giraud is a positively stellar wine in this great Sauternes vintage. I loved it.

Score: 95 - 97 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2053

Vivid gold in colour, laced with white peach juice, grilled pear, stone fruits, lime juice, opulent but with sculpted lift and zest, this extends outwards and upwards through the palate, capturing the pleasure of 2023 sweet wines in Bordeaux. Has spice and character, gorgeously expressive even now, and will age with ease. Sandrine Garbay, long time winemaker of Yquem, is director at this 128ha estate, that has been farmed organically since 2011. Harvest began on September 27 and continued through to October 13.

Score: 96 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2025-2045

The 2023 Haut-Bages Libéral is fabulous. Deep, layered and exquisitely beautiful, the 2023 bristles with tension. Dark red cherry, plum, spice, leather, menthol and licorice grace a wine of depth, richness and sensuality. It's a terrific effort from proprietor Claire Villars-Lurton.

Score: 94 - 96 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2053

The 2023 Haut-Bages-Libéral is very promising, bursting with aromas of dark berries, cassis, pencil shavings and violets, followed by a medium to full-bodied, fleshy and suave palate with an enveloping core of fruit, lively acids typical of this limestone terroir, and sweet, powdery tannins. It's a blend of 86% Cabernet Sauvignon and 14% Merlot with a low pH of 3.48.

Score: 93 - 95 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2023 Haut-Bages Libéral was picked at 53hL/ha between September 12 and 30, matured for 16 months in 40% new oak. The nose was quite backward when I tasted it, though Claire Villars-Lurton commented that it had just closed down the week that I visited. It will be more open once in bottle. The palate is more indicative: clean, fresh, linear and nicely focused, with more grip than the Ferrière. Touches of graphite linger on the finish. This is very classically styled, and there is nothing wrong with that–a wine for Pauillac purists and those seeking wines with less sulfites.

Score: 92 - 94 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2028-2046

The 2023 Haut-Bailly is one of the most sensual, elegant wines I have tasted here. Soft, curvy and racy, the 2023 is impeccably balanced right out of the gate. Deceptively approachable and soft, the 2023 is much more about finesse than power. It’s a wine that represents the new spirit of Bordeaux—a wine that emphasizes understatement and class.

Score: 94 - 96 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2033-2063

A blend of 58% Cabernet Sauvignon (harvested from the 20th to the 29th of September), 34% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petit Verdot, the 2023 Haut-Bailly offers up aromas of mulberries, cassis, dark wild berries, pencil lead, licorice and spices, followed by a medium to full-bodied, concentrated and rich palate that is both layered and seamless, its deep mid-palate animated by lively acids, concluding with long, mineral, penetrating finish. Although it displays a darker, more brooding profile character than in previous years, it remains highly representative of its terroir and will benefit from some patience. It's being matured in 50% new oak. - Tasted by Yohan Castaing

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

The 2023 Haut-Bailly was picked from September 11 to 29 at 40.5hL/ha. It is being raised in 50% new oak for a planned 14 months, plus another three in vats. Véronique Sanders told me that there is 6% vin de presse in the blend this year. This has a beguiling bouquet that instantly switches on a metaphorical neon sign that announces you are in the presence of a very serious wine. Extremely pure and delineated, the nose presents aromas of blackberry mixed with wild strawberry, cedar and light sous-bois. It's much more classical in style compared to the 2022. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-grained tannins that frame the blackberry, raspberry, cedar and graphite-infused fruit. It boasts more grip and persistency on the finish than its peers, with a residual subtle pinch of black pepper. This ranks as one of the standout wines in Pessac-Léognan, perhaps in Bordeaux itself. Outstanding.

Score: 96 - 98 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2065

The 2023 Haut-Batailley is another impressive wine from this Chateau. There's plenty of the typical dark fruit and overall breadth that is such a signature, but the tannins show greater finesse than in some prior years—a very positive evolution that continues here. Black cherry, plum, lavender, cloves, leather and licorice are all beautifully amplified. The 2023 marks another major step forward for Haut-Batailley.

Score: 93 - 96 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2028-2043

The 2023 Haut-Batailley is a blend of 71% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot and 4% Petit Verdot that increasingly resembles its stablemate Lynch Bages in style. Offering up aromas of dark berries, plums, pencil shavings and creamy new oak, it's medium to full-bodied, deep and layered, with plenty of generously extracted, youthfully chewy tannin and a long, lusty finish.

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

The 2023 Haut Batailley was picked from 14 September and matured in 65% new oak. It has a harmonious and focused bouquet with blackberry, graphite and iris flower scents. The oak here is neatly integrated. It's actually stylistically not dissimilar to the Mouton Rothschild! The palate is medium-bodied with svelte tannins—quite rounded in the mouth, but there is backbone here. A subtle white pepper note mixes with pencil shavings on the classically styled finish, completing this refined Pauillac.

Score: 91 - 93 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2028-2050

The 2023 Haut-Brion is superb. Silky, soft tannins enshroud a core of black fruit, gravel, chocolate, cloves and licorice, building into a potent, sumptuous, dazzling wine. Exotic and racy, with remarkable polish, this has a ton of potential. It’s an especially sensual, seamless Haut-Brion. All the 2023 needs is time—probably quite a bit of it, especially for readers who want a full-on Haut-Brion experience.

Score: 95 - 97 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2033-2083

The 2023 Haut-Brion exhibits a more Cabernet-inflected personality than the richer 2022, offering up a deep but youthfully reserved bouquet of dark wild berries, licorice, smoke and pencil lead mingled with notions of cigar wrapper, nicely integrated new oak and spices. Full-bodied, deep and velvety, it’s layered and concentrated, with a deep core of fruit structured around abundant but velvety tannins, concluding with a long, controlled finish. Somewhat reminiscent of the estate's successful 2006, it's a blend of 52.3% Merlot, 38.6% Cabernet Sauvignon and 9.1% Cabernet Franc. - Tasted by Yohan Castaing

Score: 95 - 97 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2023 Haut-Brion was picked at the same time as the La Mission Haut-Brion, albeit the secateurs sheathed one day later, on October 6. The nose is less immediate than the La Mission and the fruit is a little darker: blackcurrant, juniper, hints of black olive and a light cedar scent. The palate is medium-bodied with fine grip and tension. This has superb energy, presenting a crescendo of flavors toward a complex and persistent finish that lingers in the mouth. There is real pedigree to this First Growth, and it will certainly give 30 to 40 years of drinking pleasure.

Score: 96 - 98 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2065

The 2023 Haut-Brion Blanc is a quiet, restrained white. Pear, mint, white pepper and crushed rocks are all beautifully sketched, its mineral character emerging with time. The 2023 is not an obvious wine, initially quite aromatic but less expressive on the palate. The long, sustained finish takes things to another level. Complex and dynamic, the 2023 grows over time, hinting at an exceptionally brilliant future.

Score: 93 - 96 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2028-2043

A bit shy, the 2023 Haut-Brion Blanc exhibits aromas of lemon, lemon oil, crisp stone fruits and spring flowers, followed by a medium to full-bodied, dense and fleshy palate that's round and layered, with chalky underlying structure and a long, mineral finish. It's a blend of 58% Sauvignon Blanc and 42% Sémillon. - Tasted by Yohan Castaing

Score: 93 - 94 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2023 Haut-Brion Blanc was picked from August 21 until September 5. This is very detailed on the nose with orchard fruit, dewy meadow and light Mirabelle scents—very poised and focused. The palate is very well balanced with an irresistible texture, lightly spiced with impressive depth on the finish. It's the umami sensation that really lifts this superb Haut-Brion Blanc.

Score: 95 - 97 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2028-2055

The 2023 d’Issan is a powerful, dense wine, especially for a property where the wines tend to be more understated. A rich, muscular Margaux, the 2023 d'Issan exudes intensity in all of its dimensions. Readers will have to be patient, as the 2023 is going to need a number of years to shed some of its considerable baby fat. Dried herbs, tobacco, incense and bold, dark-toned fruit flow into the deep, resonant finish.

Score: 93 - 95 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2033-2063

First time not to have Malbec in the main Issan wine since the purchase of the neighbouring estate Pontac Lynch in 2020. 50% new oak, 32hl/h yield. Fine tannins, well balanced, inky and powerful but with oyster shell salinity. Chalky tanins with touch of En Primeur asterity, well constructed, full of cocoa bean, cassis, liqourice root, classical balance. 30hl/h yield.

Score: 95 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2032-2048

The 2023 Jean Faure is a very distinctive Saint-Émilion driven by a high percentage of Cabernet Franc in the blend. Dense and explosive in the glass, the 2023 saturates the palate with waves of inky dark fruit, chocolate, spice, new leather and licorice. Ripeness feels a bit pushed to the limit, but finding the right time to pick Franc is rarely easy.

Score: 91 - 93 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2043

Violets and gunsmoke swirl upwards out of the glass, setting the scene for a sterling vintage at Jean Faure. Delicately boned, sappy blue fruit, this seduces slowly but surely, fantastic balance and fully showcasing the potential of Cabernet Franc in the vintage. Often this wine is austere and needs time when tasting En Primeur, but the fragrance and the finesse is already on full display. Brilliant stuff. 30% new oak for ageing, along with 25% oak casks, 15% concrete eggs; 30% one year old oak barrels.

Score: 96 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2028-2044

The 2023 L’If is unusually floral and refined for a wine that has, in the past, been darker and more ample in structure. Cedar, tobacco, crushed flowers and mint add lift and aromatic presence. Silky tannins create an impression of finesse. The 2023 represents the first year of vinification in the new cellar outfitted with cement vats. Overall, though, this wine feels like a new chapter for L'If. The vibrancy and energy here are palpable. Tasted two times.

Score: 94 - 96 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2048

The 2023 L'If was picked from September 18 to 27 for the Merlot. The Cabernet Franc was picked on October 2. The wine aged for 12 to 16 months in 50% new oak, the first time in the new cellar in concrete vats instead of stainless steel. It has quite an exuberant bouquet with ripe red cherry and wild strawberry fruit, a hint of blood orange and iris flower. It is very focused and beautifully defined, the limestone terroir percolating through. The palate is medium-bodied with the Cabernet Franc shaping the entry—a little peppery in style. The tannins are quite strict at the moment (which came as some surprise to the Thienponts), framing the dark berry and graphite-tinged fruit. Linear toward the finish, reflecting the slightly cooler growing season, this is a very fine, cerebral L'If.

Score: 93 - 95 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2027-2043

The 2023 La Chenade, 100% Merlot this year, opens with gorgeous aromatics. Medium in body and vibrant, with terrific energy, the 2023 is all class. Cedar, tobacco and dried herbs add an attractive savory/floral character, while bright acids that pull it all together on the close. This is beautifully done.

Score: 90 - 92 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2028-2038

The 2023 La Chenade shows a dark, somber profile, evoking aromas of gentian, licorice, mulberries and violet. Medium-bodied with a layered and rich palate, it’s creamy and enrobing with velvety tannins and a long, firm finish. It was made entirely from Merlot grapes that are matured in new oak barrels, comprising 40% of the total. - Tasted by Yohan Castaing

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

The 2023 La Chenade is pure Merlot. Last year contained 20% Cabernet Franc, but this year, Noëmie Durantou blended it into the Les Cruzelles cuvée. Picked on September 13 and matured in 40% new oak, this is noticeably reductive on the nose. It’s quite intense, although perhaps missing amplitude usually bestowed by the Cabernet Franc. The palate is medium-bodied with a lovely texture and a keen line of acidity, lightly spiced with gentle grip on the slightly savory finish. Very satisfying in the mouth, this is a sensual La Chenade that will provide for delicious early drinking.

Score: 89 - 91 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2027-2050

The 2023 La Gaffelière is a dense, powerful wine. As has been the case since 2018, La Gaffelière has a strong Franc component—40% in 2023. Usually, the aromatics are quite lifted, but this wine is rather dense. Nothing in particular stands out, as all the elements are impeccably balanced. This will need time to be at its best, but it shows promise. The introduction of 500-liter barrels and a reduction of new oak closes the wine a bit, but there's a ton of raw energy here and a good bit of tannin, too.

Score: 93 - 96 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2048

The 2023 La Gaffelière is very pure and floral on the nose, with black cherries intermingling with violet and iris flower scents. The new oak is neatly integrated here. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins and layers of lightly spiced black fruit. Cedar and graphite furnish the poised but persistent finish. This is another in a succession of impressive wines from this estate that just oozes sensuality. Superb.

Score: 94 - 96 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2029-2055

The 2023 La Mondotte is fabulous. In fact, the 2023 is one of the best Mondottes I can remember tasting. A wine of vertical, explosive energy, La Mondotte dazzles from the very first taste. Inky dark fruit, mocha, lavender, new leather, spice and dried herbs build as this dynamic, complex Saint-Émilion shows off its compelling personality. Superb.

Score: 95 - 97 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2048

I typically have a weakness for Canon-la-Gaffelière in the von Niepperg portfolio, but this year it's the 2023 La Mondotte, a blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc, that stands out as the highlight of the range. Revealing aromas of dark berries, licorice and petals, framed by creamy new oak, it's medium to full-bodied, layered and harmonious, with good depth at the core, supple tannin and a penetrating finish.

Score: 92 - 94 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2023 Labégorce is a bold, authoritative wine. Black cherry, plum, chocolate, licorice, mocha and leather infuse the 2023 with tons of character. An exuberant, flashy Margaux, Labegorce has plenty to offer in 2023.

Score: 90 - 92 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2027-2038

The 2023 Labégorce has a well-defined nose that leans slightly more toward red than black fruit. It's understated at first but soon coheres and gains intensity. The palate is medium-bodied with very pliant tannins. Satin-like in texture and very cohesive, with a touch of spice on the finish, this is a classy Margaux that will give a great deal of pleasure over the next 15 to 20 years. Warning through: it will be difficult to resist in its youth.

Score: 92 - 94 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2027-2049

The 2023 Lafaurie-Peyraguey is a classy, bracing dry white from Silvio Denz. Sauvignon Blanc takes the lead. Lime, sage, tomato leaf and white pepper notes abound in this dynamic, flavorful white.

Score: 91 - 93 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2025-2033

Intense golden amber in colour, reflecting a small yield, this has the rich intensity of the appellation, succulent and opulent and yet bursting with powerful lime zest, orange peel, preserved lemons, white truffle, pineapple, mandarin peel and slate. Luscious with grip and lift, and a clear return to form after a challenging 2022 here. Now majority owned by the Lalique luxury goods company rather than its owner Silvio Denz, with the sale completed in October 2023 (the same group owns The Glenturret whisky).

Score: 97 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2026-2040

Revealing a deeper gold hue, the 100% Semillon 2023 Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey has a ripe, decadent bouquet of caramelized pineapple, honeyed mint, spice, and candied orange. It's a rich, powerful, full-bodied monster of a Sauternes offering terrific sweetness, bright, integrated acidity, and a great finish. Count me impressed. It's another heavenly sweet wine in the vintage.

Score: 95 - 98 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com

The 2023 Lafite-Rothschild races out of the glass with notable textural intensity. Explosive and deep, with striking balance, Lafite dazzles in this vintage. The 2023 is a somber, virile Lafite endowed with remarkable depth and tons of sheer character. Plum, blackberry, gravel, pencil shavings, graphite, mocha and lavender build into the intense, palate-staining finish. The blend is 93% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Merlot and 1% Petit Verdot.

Score: 95 - 98 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2023-2073

The finest of the first growths this year appears to be the 2023 Lafite Rothschild, a terrific effort that unwinds in the glass with deep and incipiently complex aromas of cassis, pencil shavings, lilac and violets mingled with hints of cigar wrapper and mint. Medium to full-bodied, layered and concentrated, it's vibrant and refined, with a deep core of fruit, plenty of sweet structuring tannin and a compelling marriage between energy and plenitude. It's a blend of 93% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Merlot and 1% Petit Verdot that reminds me of 2019's tannins combined with 2016's unimpeachable classicism.

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

The 2023 Lafite-Rothschild was picked September 7 to 29 at 45hL/ha and matured in 90% new oak. This is more discrete on the nose—one of the tropes of this First Growth—even when compared to the more immediate Carruades. This takes time to unfurl in the glass, slowly revealing black fruit laced with pencil box and just a touch of pressed violet. There’s wonderful precision here. The palate is medium-bodied with a cashmere texture, very pure (again) with a judicious dab of cracked black pepper. The finish is very sleek, thanks to its almost filigree tannins, seeming to glide across the palate. It's not a grippy or sinewy Pauillac, and on reflection, it is technically perfect. Yet, I find myself searching for a bit more…soul. Perhaps a few rough edges would captivate the emotions. This is a delicious Lafite-Rothschild no doubt, but I want it to move me once in bottle. Maybe it will.

Score: 95 - 97 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2070

The 2023 Lafon-Rochet is a promising wine. Today, it shows terrific depth, driven by an elevated presence of Cabernet Sauvignon and a healthy dollop of Petit Verdot. Dark blue-toned fruit, lavender, licorice and dried herbs show tons of character. There's plenty of Lafon-Rochet finesse, but with an added kick of textural richness not found in the wines made during the Tesseron era. This comes together beautifully with a bit of time in the glass.

Score: 93 - 95 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2053

Generous and layered, the 2023 Lafon-Rochet offers up aromas of blackberries, cassis, incense and burning embers, followed by a medium to full-bodied, rich and enveloping palate that's gourmand and charming, concluding with a gently minty finish. Like the 2023, this represents a richer, more demonstrative style for this Saint-Estèphe property, where Christophe Congé and his team are rehabilitating the vineyards.

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

The 2023 Lafon-Rochet was picked from September 13 to October 5 at 42hL/ha with no saignée. It contains 4% Petit Verdot, as there was more water during the growing season (which Petit Verdot needs_. Matured in 40% new oak, this has quite an intense bouquet with mainly black fruit, hints of graphite and chimney soot, nicely focused though it needs time to absorb the wood. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins that frame the layered blackberry and raspberry fruit laced with white pepper and pencil shavings. This errs slightly toward Pauillac on the finish, which is no surprise given its proximity. Displaying moderate length, this is a fine but grippy, denser Lafon-Rochet that should give 20 years or more of drinking pleasure.

Score: 91 - 93 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2029-2047

This is tight but has creamy, round tannins and a juicy character. Blackberries, chocolate and spices on the medium-bodied palate. Chewy and polished.

Score: 94 - 95 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com

This is very much in the character of Lagrange over the past few years, showing precision and confidence in its construction, finessed and elegant, with St Julien balance and reserved power. Will absolutely deliver for fans of classical Left Bank Bordeaux with its slate tannins, savoury Cabernet black and blue fruits, fresh leaf tea, tobacco, raspberry leaf, spiced sage and lusicous mouthwatering signoff. 51hl/ha yield.

Score: 95 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2029-2044

The 2023 La Lagune is a serious wine, but it is also quite backward. Dark red cherry, plum, spice, leather and dried herbs open with some coaxing. The 2023 is going to need time to come together. Its aromatic intensity and overall persistence suggest it has a bright future. Tasted two times.

Score: 92 - 94 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2028-2048

The 2023 La Lagune, a blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon and 35% Merlot, reveals bright aromas of dark wild berries, flowers, cassis and spices. Medium-bodied, supple and enveloping, with a perfectly balanced mid-palate, it’s elegant and charming with an ethereal, fruity finish. This is an excellent rendition of this terroir. - Tasted by Yohan Castaing

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

The 2023 Langoa Barton is packed with dark red cherry, plum, spice, cedar and tobacco. Over the last few years, an updated style of vinification in a new cellar has yielded a bit more mid-palate sweetness, pliancy and resonance than in the past. It will be interesting to see where this goes, but clearly, we have entered into an era of Langoa. Tasted two times.

Score: 91 - 93 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2027-2043

The 2023 Langoa Barton is a very accomplished wine, the family's new winery having permitted more precise, parcel-by-parcel winemaking as well as gentler handling of the fruit to deliver a wine with all this estate's customary intensity of flavor but more polish and refinement. Unwinding in the glass with aromas of dark berries, cassis and plums mingled with hints of pencil shavings and dried rose petals, it's medium to full-bodied, with an inky core of fruit, vibrant acids and plenty of suave structuring tannin. This classic blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot and 3% Cabernet Franc is sure to number among the intelligent purchases of the en primeur campaign.

Score: 93 - 95 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2023 Langoa Barton was picked from September 12 until October 2 at around 50hL/ha, with some "late" saignée for half the vat–when it has some “serious color,” according to Damien Barton. Two vats were chaptalized out of a total of 42, the highest at 15%, yielding an average alcohol of 13%. Matured in 60% new oak, it has a very perfumed bouquet with black plum, boysenberry and a touch of mint. This is notably forward and unabashed. The palate is medium-bodied with pliant tannins, a sorbet-fresh Langoa with a bright, almost pastille-like finish that lingers in the mouth. Very seductive and vivacious, I appreciate the nascent energy here.

Score: 91 - 93 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2028-2045

The 2023 Larcis Ducasse is elegant, powerful and wonderfully expressive. In other words, classic Larcis. Plum, blood orange, spice, menthol, mocha and gravel infuse the 2023 with layers of dimension that only grow with time in the glass. This will need some time to shed its considerable baby fat. Superb. Tasted four times.

Score: 94 - 96 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2033-2063

Harvested between September 14 and 25, the 2023 Larcis Ducasse offers up aromas of dark berries, preserved plums, orange confit, vine smoke, licorice and spices. Medium to full-bodied, layered and fleshy, with a sweet core of fruit framed by ripe, powdery tannins, it's succulent, suave and polished, concluding a mouthwateringly mineral finish. It's a blend of 86% Merlot and 14% Cabernet Franc.

Score: 93 - 95 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2023 Larcis Ducasse was picked from September 14 to 25 at 43hL/ha. The nose is quite open with brambly red fruit, briar and subtle incense aromas. It's not as intense as the previous vintage, though I appreciate the definition and charm. The palate is medium-bodied with firm tannins on the entry that frame the layered black fruit, struck through with light flinty elements. Blind, I might have said there is Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend thanks to the graphite finish. It is a classically-styled Larcis Ducasse that should drink well for 20+ years.

Score: 93 - 95 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2028-2050

The 2023 Larrivet Haut-Brion Blanc is a rich, exotic wine. Tangerine peel, spice, lemon confit and passion fruit build as this explosive, resonant white shows off its considerable pedigree. All the elements are so well balanced. Readers should expect a pretty overt style.

Score: 94 - 96 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2040-2043

A blend of 95% Sauvignon Blanc and 5% Sémillon, matured in 25% new 500-liter barrels and 75% new standard barrels, the 2023 Larrivet Haut-Brion Blanc evokes aromas of confit citrus, white peach, verbena and spring flowers, followed by a medium to full-bodied, fleshy and round palate that’s perfectly balanced with racy acids and a long, mouthwatering finish. As usual, this is an excellent result. - Tasted by Yohan Castaing

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

A wine of stature and pure breeding, the 2023 Larrivet Haut-Brion is superb. Its vertical energy is compelling right out of the gate. Dark red-toned fruit, gravel, incense, licorice, spice, rose petal and tobacco build effortlessly in a deep, layered Pessac-Léognan that hits all the right notes. The blend is 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Cabernet Franc and 7% Merlot, done with a touch of stem inclusion and aged in 92% French oak and 8% amphora. Superb. Tasted three times.

Score: 93 - 95 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2043

The 2023 Larrivet Haut-Brion bursts with aromas of cassis, coniferous forest, mulberries, orange zest and iris, followed by a medium to full-bodied, seamless and layered palate with bright acids and a succulent core of fruit framed by powdery tannins. This year, Bruno Lemoine and his team employed whole-bunch fermentation for their Cabernet Franc, yielding excellent results. This charming, well-executed Pessac-Léognan is a blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Cabernet Franc and the remainder Merlot (notably reduced due to mildew). - Tasted by Yohan Castaing

Score: 92 - 94 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2023 Lascombes marks a new direction for the Chateau. Dark and virile, with real intensity, the 2023 marries richness and energy. Black cherry, lavender, spice, menthol and licorice emerge from the glass. This fleshes out beautifully on the finish, showing terrific breadth and nuance. The 2023 is, without question, the most elegant, finessed Lascombes made in many years. That won't surprise readers familiar with wines here that were often monolithic and one-dimensional. The 2023 will be a fascinating wine to follow. This is also a new chapter for Estate Director Axel Heinz, formerly at Ornellaia, who strikes me as a liberated winemaker these days—someone freed from the burden of expectations. Tasted three times.

Score: 92 - 95 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2053

A wine that begins a new era for this estate, the 2023 Lascombes (which I examined from separate components before tasting the prospective blend) offers up aromas of dark berries and plums mingled with hints of crushed mint, violets and pencil shavings. Medium to full-bodied, fleshy and velvety, with good depth and purity, it's a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot and 3% Petit Verdot. This estate, which was formerly one of the Médoc's poster children for over-ripeness and over-extraction, is assuredly coming in from the cold.

Score: 92 - 94 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

Under ex-Ornellaia winemaker Axel Heinz, the 2023 Lascombes has a fragrant and floral bouquet with refined aromatics and lively black fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with a creamy texture and fine acidity, quite poised with a subtle saline note toward the finish. It possesses better structure than previous vintages—this shows a new direction for the estate, with greater selection in the vineyard.

Score: 92 - 94 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2029-2050

The 2023 Latour-Martillac is a very promising wine. Dark red-toned fruit, gravel, incense and pressed rose petal lend notable complexity. What impresses me most about the 2023 is the quality of the tannin, something that has been penalizing at times in the past. There's a good bit of structure, but it is nicely integrated. Sweet floral and spice notes lift the finish. Terrific. Tasted two times.

Score: 90 - 92 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2028-2043

Grilled oak, deep ruby colour, touch of rose petals on the nose, more floral than many in the appellation, gives a pretty feel to the opening beats. This is on the fresher side of the vintage but still with ripe fruits, and a cushion of air that runs through the palate, good quality, elegant, medium term drinking, should be good to go within four or five years, just allow the architecture to soften. 40% new oak, 33hl/ha yield.

Score: 92 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2028-2038

The 2023 Latour-Martillac Blanc is a tense, steel dry white. Lemon peel, chalk, white pepper, sage, mint and crushed rocks lend brightness and energy. I like the vibrancy here, but I just wish there was a bit more mid-palate creaminess. At this stage, the Blanc is a bit austere. Tasted two times.

Score: 89 - 91 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2027-2035

Lime juice, citrus fruit, fresh peach, kiwi, liqourice and slate character, good grip and lift. Unfussy and bright.

Score: 92 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2024-2032

The 2023 Le Gay is intensely aromatic, floral and quite pretty. Crushed flowers, spice, mint, herbs, licorice and tobacco meld into a core of dark red/purplish berry fruit. All the elements are very nicely balanced in this stylish, mid-weight Pomerol from the Parent family. The 2023 is a blend of 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc vinified entirely in 100% new French oak barrels. Élevage is projected to be 14 months, about 2 months shorter than normal. Tasted two times.

Score: 93 - 95 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2048

Supple texture, campfire smoke and grilled liqourice, with leafy iris and peony florals. Plenty of charm, with blackberry and black cherry fruit, although the finish has a flash of heat. Vignobles Parent.

Score: 92 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2030-2044

The 2023 Le Pin is all sensuality. Rich, deep and explosive, the 2023 possesses notable depth. It is an especially exuberant, dense Le Pin. Dark-toned fruit, iron, leather, scorched earth and incense gradually unfurl in the glass. The long, sustained finish is suggestive of what is certain to be a very bright future. I tasted the 2023 from the en primeur blend and then directly from barrels crafted by Seguin-Moreau, the historical cooper of choice here, and Taransaud, a more recent addition. I found young wines of tremendous freshness and verve. This is a magnificent showing from Jacques Thienpont, Fiona Morrison MW and Guillaume Thienpont.

Score: 96 - 99 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2033-2063

The 2023 Le Pin is another strong effort for this small Pomerol winery, wafting from the glass with aromas of wild berries, violets, exotic spices and creamy new oak. Medium to full-bodied, polished and suave, it's velvety and refined, with attractive purity of fruit, lively acids and a long, gently vanillin-inflected finish. It's the result of multiple harvests, starting with young vines, between September 11 and 23.

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

The 2023 Le Pin was picked between September 11 and 23 at 39hL/ha—four pickings according to age of vine and plot. It matured in 65% new oak (this figure has gradually reduced since the 2020 vintage). They had no mildew, due to the free-draining gravel soils, though the Thienponts saw more at L'If. I love this nose. This is so pure and refined, it seems to embrace and gently hug the senses, like your favorite aunt or uncle. It blossoms in the glass to reveal subtle crushed stone and graphite notes. The palate has unerring symmetry, finely chiseled tannins and a linear, penetrating finish that goes on and on. This is one of the best vintages of Le Pin I have tasted from barrel, more serious and more floral than some recent vintages.

Score: 97 - 99 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2028-2050

The 2023 Le Prieuré is a model of classicism and refinement. Dark, sensual and inviting, Le Prieuré is one of the most refined wines in Saint-Émilion. In recent vintages, it has always been a wine of tension. This iteration includes parcels from the neighboring châteaux, where there is a bit more clay. Consequently, the 2023 has a bit more mid-palate texture than most years, yet it retains its vibrant, saline intensity. I loved it. Tasted two times.

Score: 92 - 95 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2048

The 2023 Léoville-Barton marries the classicism the château is so well-known for with an extra kick of textural intensity from the heat of the year. It’s powerful, dark and serious, with compelling notes of black cherry, lavender, spice and blackberry. This is an especially dense, somber Léoville-Barton endowed with tremendous presence. The blend is 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot and 3% Cabernet Franc, the first time Franc has appeared in the blend. This will need time to soften, as the tannins are imposing. Tasted two times.

Score: 93 - 95 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2063

The 2023 Léoville Barton is a lovely classic in the making, unfurling in the glass with aromas of cassis and blackberries mingled with notions of pencil shavings, licorice and violets. Medium to full-bodied, ample and fleshy, it's layered, concentrated and suave, with beautifully refined tannins, vibrant acids and a long, penetrating finish. Benefiting from the Barton family's new highly functional winery, as well as experimentation with more discreet cooperage choices, it's somewhat reminiscent of the estate's terrific 2016. The 2023 blend is 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot and 3% Cabernet Franc.

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

The 2023 Léoville Barton was picked from September 12 to October 2 and aged in 60% new oak. This takes a long time to settle in the glass, unfolding with black fruit, wild mint and a subtle seaweed scent. This Saint-Julien gains cohesion with aeration—a bit of pep. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins. A touch of dark chocolate infuses the black fruit, harmonious with a patina of new oak that will integrate with time. This is classic Léoville Barton from tip to toe, and whilst it does not match the imperious 2022, it is a very impressive follow-up due to its interwoven elegance.

Score: 92 - 94 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2055

The 2023 Léoville Las Cases is a wine of understatement and class. In so many vintages, Las Cases is quite authoritative, but I find the 2023 rather quiet and unexpressive today. It’s a rather intellectual Las Cases, a wine with tremendous potential, but also a wine that is quite reserved at this early stage. Time in the glass brings out hints of blueberry, graphite, spice and mocha. It will be interesting to see where this goes. This is a very austere, classically built Las Cases for readers who can be patient.

Score: 94 - 97 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2033-2073

A blend of 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc and only 4% Merlot, the 2023 Léoville Las Cases is one of the more serious, structured wines of the vintage, reminiscent of a modern-day version of the estate's excellent 2001. Unwinding in the glass with aromas of cherries, cassis and plums mingled with hints of licorice, mint and creamy new oak, it's medium to full-bodied, deep and concentrated, with a taut core of fruit, lively acids and plenty of fine, youthfully firm tannins. It will require and reward patience.

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

The 2023 Léoville Las-Cases was picked from September 9 to October 2 at 43hL/ha and matured in 80% new oak barrels. This has a very precise bouquet, and, like the Clos du Marquis, it is imbued with an attractive estuarine element—aromatics that transport the imbiber to the banks of the Gironde. The oak is neatly integrated; 80% is much more optimal than 100% would have been. The palate is lightly spiced on the entry, moderately deep and quite lively on the mid-palate. This is a more linear Las-Cases than recent vintages, conveying a sense of "seriousness" toward the almost saturnine finish. Impressive in terms of persistence, this is a worthy follow-up to the magnificent 2022, but it will demand patience.

Score: 95 - 97 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2065

The 2023 Léoville-Poyferré is positively stellar. Medium in body, vibrant and beautifully persistent, the 2023 is all class. It also signals a shift away from the richer (but equally successful) style favored here in the recent past, now moving toward an approach that favors more vibrancy. Dark red-toned fruit, blood orange, spice, mocha and cedar infuse the 2023 with notable freshness and verve. The new Léoville-Poyferré is quite the stunner. Tasted two times.

Score: 95 - 97 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2028-2063

Aromas of cassis, plums, pencil shavings and toasty new oak introduce the 2023 Léoville Poyferré, a medium to full-bodied, rich and chunky wine with a deep core of succulent fruit framed by sweet, generously extracted tannins. It's a blend of 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot that saw some saignée and osmosis for additional concentration. As usual, it's the creamiest, most "modern"-styled of the three Léovilles. Harvest began on September 14 and concluded on October 5, with fermentations a little cooler than usual, perhaps an intimation of a stylistic evolution in progress.

Score: 93 - 95 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2023 Léoville-Poyferré was picked from September 14 until October 5 at 52.78hL/ha and aged in slightly less new oak than usual, simply because of the large volume. In fact, some of the lots commenced their malolactic fermentation in vat rather than barrel. This has an intense bouquet with black cherries and iodine, becoming more floral with aeration. The palate opens with a medium body and pliant tannins, fleshy and ripe, dovetailing into a dense and multi-tiered mid-palate. Typical Poyferré in style, blood orange and light graphite notes are embroidered into the ripe black fruit, and there is noticeable glycerol on the finish. It is perhaps the most opulent of the three Léovilles, and yet it arrives with a modest 13.1% alcohol. This is a contender for the best Saint-Julien in show.

Score: 95 - 97 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2027-2055

The 2023 Les Cruzelles is a potent, deep wine. The 2023 has all the Cabernet Francs from the Lalande-de-Pomerol estate blended with Merlots that were particularly abundant. Pretty floral and savory notes from the Franc give this mid-weight, dynamic, vibrant Lalande-de-Pomerol tons of charm. I especially admire its energy. Readers will want to give this a few years in bottle.

Score: 91 - 94 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2028-2043

The 2023 Les Cruzelles initially presents a slightly oaky aroma, which transitions to a more floral essence upon aeration. Then it evokes aromas of dark wild berries, spices and mulberries. Medium-bodied, round and charming, it has velvety tannins and a dense, elegant mid-palate, with a long, rich and fruity finish. It's a blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc matured in 55% new oak. - Tasted by Yohan Castaing

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

The 2023 Les Cruzelles is the same blend as last year. Though it includes fruit that went into La Chenade in 2022, the volume of Merlot was higher, so it remains 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc. When Noemie Durantou tasted through the tanks, she found it easy to pick out the wines from Les Cruzelles. Harvested between September 11 and 18 and matured in 52% new oak, this has a delineated and focused bouquet. A hint of incense infuses the black fruit, while a subtle citric element tucks in underneath. The palate is wonderful, certainly more complex and mineral-driven than the La Chenade, possessing gentle grip and perfectly pitched acidity. it fans out with chutzpah on the peppery finish. Excellent.

Score: 91 - 93 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2029-2045

The 2023 Lynch-Bages is a dark, brooding wine. In so many vintages, Lynch-Bages is a wine of sensuality, but in 2023, it is quite the powerhouse. Formidable tannins wrap around a core of black fruit, spice, menthol, licorice and gravel. This is a somber, introspective Lynch-Bages with a ton of Cabernet Sauvignon character. I can't wait to taste this from bottle.

Score: 94 - 97 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2033-2073

As usual one of the chunkier, broader-shouldered wines of the Médoc, the 2023 Lynch-Bages exhibits aromas of dark berries and cassis mingled with pencil shavings, licorice and pipe tobacco, framed by creamy new oak. Medium to full-bodied, rich and layered, it's deep, concentrated and generously extracted, with plenty of youthfully chewy tannin to carry it along in the cellar. The 2023 is a blend of 71% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot.

Score: 93 - 95 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2023 Lynch-Bages takes some time to really settle, so I gave it 5-10 minutes in the glass. On the nose, glossy black fruit mixes with touches of cassis, graphite, violets and blood orange, perhaps demonstrating more horsepower than I anticipated. The palate is medium-bodied with fine, saturated tannins. There is a lovely symmetry to this Pauillac (not unlike Latour), armed with a cashmere texture and plenty of backbone on the finish, even though I would not describe it as a "grippy" Lynch-Bages. There’s plenty of graphite character on the aftertaste. Excellent.

Score: 93 - 95 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2060

The 2023 Lynch-Moussas is super-expressive right out of the gate. The lifted, expansive bouquet is enticing. Red-toned fruit, blood orange, cedar, new leather and sweet pipe tobacco build over time, adding layers of complexity and overall dimension. This stylish, mid-weight Pauillac is a delight.

Score: 92 - 94 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2028-2043

Lynch Moussas is classically one of the lighter-styled Pauillac classifieds, and its intensity in both colour and tannic architecture in this vintage reflects just how well this appellation has fared in 2023. There is balance to the blackberry fruits set against tobacco leaf and liqourice, although the levels of ripeness are not as fully in evidence as with Batailley. But honestly, this small group of wines, under the ownership of Philippe Casteja, can be relied up for offering typicity and great quality at still-reasonable prices. 49hl/h yield. 58% new oak for ageing, 50% 1st wine.

Score: 93 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2030-2045

The 2023 Malartic Lagravière is a beautifully poised, elegant wine. It is perhaps not as exuberant as many wines in this vintage, and yet all the elements are very nicely balanced. I find the interplay of rich, heady flavors, aromatics and classicism to be intriguing. It will be interesting to see where this goes, but I like the direction. Lifted floral top notes add to an impression of understated finesse.

Score: 92 - 94 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2028-2043

The 2023 Malartic Lagravière, a blend of 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot and 1% Cabernet Franc, exudes aromas of dark wild berries, violet, mulberries, spices and licorice, complemented with a delicate touch of oak. Medium to full-bodied, supple and elegant with bright acids and a delicate mid-palate, it’s refined and less structured than the 2022 vintage, making it a classic expression from this estate. - Tasted by Yohan Castaing

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

The 2023 Malartic Lagravière has a perfumed nose with blueberry/blackberry fruit and touches of iris flower and peony. The oak here is nicely integrated. The palate is medium-bodied with crunchy black fruit, quite firm in the mouth and in need of a little more nuance and detail on the finish. It doesn't quite match recent vintages, missing the same energy and complexity.

Score: 89 - 91 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2027-2039

The 2023 Malartic-Lagravière Blanc is a seriously beautiful wine. Explosive aromatics meld into a core of orchard and citrus fruits. Bright acids pull it all together. I especially admire the wine's inner perfume and balance. This is one of the better dry whites of the year. A kiss of French oak lingers. Tasted two times.

Score: 92 - 94 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2025-2033

The 2023 Malartic Lagravière Blanc, a blend of 80% Sauvignon Blanc and 20% Sémillon matured for 50% in new oak barrels, reveals a lemony, citrusy bouquet with aromas of lime tree leaves, pear and herbs. Medium-bodied to full-bodied, textural and layered, it’s framed by bright acids and a long, elegant and mouthwatering finish. - Tasted by Yohan Castaing

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

The 2023 Malartic-Lagravière Blanc has a taut, correct and, in some ways, conservative bouquet that takes time to unfold in the glass. But, I appreciate the tension and mineralité. Hints of petrichor and Granny Smiths eventually take control. The palate is very well balanced with a fresh lemon sherbet-, orange pith- and lemongrass-tinged opening. There's a very appealing texture and impressive weight on the finish. Overall, this is a superb white Malartic to drink over the next 20 years.

Score: 92 - 94 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2026-2046

The 2023 Malescot St. Exupéry is a powerful Margaux that will need a bit of time to come together. Potent tannins wrap around a core of red/purplish fruit, lavender, mint and dried herbs. These days, Malescot is not quite as unyielding as it used to be, but this remains a decidedly old-school Margaux in style and overall philosophy.

Score: 92 - 94 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2048

One of the most suave, classy vintages from this estate in some years, the 2023 Malescot St. Exupery is a blend of 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot. Wafting from the glass with aromas of cherries, berries, licorice and pencil shavings, it's medium to full-bodied, fleshy and succulent, with good depth at the core, supple tannins and a harmonious, integrated profile. Part of the blend is maturing in foudre.

Score: 93 - 95 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2023 Malescot Saint Exupéry was cropped at 38hL/ha, picked a day later than the previous year. Lea Zuger told me that they now use six foudres installed in November, meaning there is 60% new oak—less than other vintages. Barrel-maturation will be 14 to 16 months. Whereas in 2022, nearly all the estate’s fruit went into the Grand Vin, this year it represents 75% of the volume. Displaying blackberry and briar on the nose, this demands some coaxing from the glass. There’s just a light, confit-like aroma in the background. The palate is medium-bodied with a fine structure, slightly powdery tannins, modest weight and noticeably fresh acidity and salinity, the latter especially prominent toward the finish. More classically hewn compared to the 2022, this will require five or six years in bottle. Classy.

Score: 92 - 94 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2029-2050

The 2023 Mangot is a heady, extroverted wine. Soaring Cabernet aromatics meld into a core of red cherry, plum, blood orange, spice, menthol and cinnamon. The 2023 offers an attractive combination of aromatic presence and textural creaminess. It's a big wine, to be sure. Tasted two times.

Score: 89 - 91 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2027-2035

The 2023 Château Margaux is fabulous. Sensual, silky and exceptionally polished, the 2023 Château Margaux is shaping up to be a classic. Seamless, silky tannins wrap around a core of dark red/purplish fruit. Hints of spice, new leather, menthol, licorice and rose petal fill out the glass. There's a bit of new oak peeking through today, but that won't be an issue in a few years' time. Only Bordeaux can produce wines that offer so much flavor intensity at a low alcohols. Margaux is the least showy of the First Growths, but it is often the most refined. The 2023 is sublime.

Score: 97 - 100 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2033-2073

The 2023 Château Margaux shows considerable promise, unfurling in the glass with aromas of cassis, violets, spring flowers and sweet tobacco, framed by a deft touch of new oak. Medium to full-bodied, deep and layered, it's taut, concentrated and classically structured, with sweet, refined tannins and lively acids, concluding with a long, mouthwatering finish. It's a blend of 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot that attained 13% alcohol.

Score: 95 - 97 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2023 Château Margaux, which contains 15% vin de presse, is quintessential Château Margaux. It immediately blossoms in the glass with irresistible crushed violets on the nose, instantly demanding attention—you will gladly give it. Exquisitely defined and very focused with supremely well integrated oak, this is blessed with laser-like precision. The palate is silky smooth on the entry, perhaps a little feistier than expected thanks to a liberal sprinkling of black pepper. Quite structured (like the Pavillon Rouge) and gentle, you can almost overlook its grip. It finishes with a concentrated, graphite-tinged finish that lingers long in the mouth. This First Growth will require ten years in bottle to really show what it is capable of.

Score: 97 - 99 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2033-2070

The 2023 Le Marquis de Calon Ségur is a bright, beautifully focused wine. Graphite, lavender, mocha, chocolate, incense, licorice and crushed rocks all run through this gorgeous, wonderfully inviting Saint-Estèphe. This is an especially serious Le Marquis, perhaps because of the inclusion of some Merlot lots that usually go into the Grand Vin. In this tasting, I find the aromatic presence and structure of the Cabernet highly expressive and very much in the foreground. What a gorgeous wine this is.

Score: 91 - 93 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2025-2038

The 2023 Le Marquis de Calon-Ségur is a blend of 50% Merlot and 48% Cabernet Sauvignon with the balance Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, incorporating the estate's finest Merlot plots that generally go into the grand vin but which didn't match with Calon's best Cabernet Sauvignon lots this year. Offering up aromas of cassis, plums, burning embers and spices, framed by a deft touch of new oak, it's medium to full-bodied, deep and structured, with impressive density and muscle, built for the cellar.

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

The 2023 Le Marquis de Calon Ségur represents 48% of the château’s volume, sourced old Merlot vines that don't enter the Grand Vin, plus young Cabernets. It has a composed bouquet with raspberry, blackberry, cedar and light tertiary scents. I appreciate the Saint-Estèphe DNA in its aromatics. The palate is medium-bodied with pliant tannins and fresh acidity, more complexity than the Capbern that precedes its and more substance on the finish. This is a very commendable second wine.

Score: 90 - 92 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2028-2042

The 2023 Marquis de Terme is a dense, powerful Margaux. Black cherry, plum, chocolate, new leather, espresso and cloves are all amplified, lending the 2023 tons of textural volume and richness. All the elements are so well balanced. This is a fine vintage for Marquis de Terme, a wine that has improved markedly in recent years. Tasted three times.

Score: 92 - 94 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2048

Glass-staining rich plum colour, this has clear structure and concentration, very much classic Left Bank in its fruit chracter and tannic grip, good balance, enjoyable, austere right now but will fill out through the mid palate over ageing, and has fennel and black pepper spice to round things off with a punch. This year includes the Marojallia vines for the first time.

Score: 92 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2030-2045

The 2023 Meyney is terrific. Silky and polished, the 2023 shows a side of Meyney I have not seen before. There's also terrific freshness and overall brightness. Dark red plum, blood orange, chalk, mint and dried herbs are all beautifully delineated. More than anything else, I admire the wine's poise.

Score: 91 - 93 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2027-2043

Aromas of dark berries, cassis, vanilla pod and spicy new oak introduce the 2023 Meyney, a medium-bodied, lean and compact wine with a somewhat drying finish.

Score: 87 - 88 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2023 Meyney is surprisingly backward on the nose with blackberry, kirsch, touches of black pepper and loamy aromas. It remains understated in the glass yet gains purity. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-grained tannins. Maybe a little conservative in style, it stays within the confines of the vintage yet feels harmonious. What is missing is just a bit of grip and density on the finish. Fine.

Score: 89 - 91 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2027-2039

The 2023 La Mission Haut-Brion is a dense, powerful wine. Firm tannins give the 2023 a feeling of sternness—a sense of classical austerity that is beguiling. This is the second-most tannic vintage for La Mission, only surpassed by 2010, so readers should plan on being patient. It will be interesting to see what élevage brings. At this stage, the 2023 is quite the bruiser. Hints of mocha, spice, new leather, crushed flowers and red-toned fruit linger.

Score: 92 - 95 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2033-2063

The 2023 La Mission Haut-Brion unwinds in the glass to reveal aromas of ripe red fruits, dark wild berries, spring flowers, burning embers and lilac. Medium to full-bodied, rich and concentrated, it’s layered and textural with a dense core of fruit underpinned by youthfully firm structuring tannins. This blend of 52.7% Merlot, 29.6% Cabernet Sauvignon and 17.7% Cabernet Franc its likely to become fleshier and more enveloping with barrel maturation. - Tasted by Yohan Castaing

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

The 2023 La Mission Haut-Brion was picked between September 5 until October 5, a relatively long picking, at 50hL/ha. It has a wonderful bouquet with brightness and verve: very well-defined red and black fruit, a little floral in style, maybe not as rambunctious as recent vintages. The palate is medium-bodied with lithe tannins. A perfect line of acidity counterbalances the creamy texture, turning quite plush toward the finish, but it is amazingly well-focused. This is a generous La Mission Haut-Brion that will probably drink earlier than say, the 2022, as winemaker Jean-Philippe Delmas agreed. It’s very fine and very delicious, but I would not place it within the canon of top vintages.

Score: 93 - 95 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2029-2060

A creamy, round texture with ripe yet fresh aromas and flavors, showing apples, pears and hints of peaches. Medium- to full-bodied, polished and satisfying. 65.3% sauvignon blanc and 34.7% semillon.

Score: 96 - 97 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com

The 2023 Montlandrie is a rich, expansive wine. In 2023, the blend includes more Cabernet Sauvignon than in the past, and that comes through in the wine's textural breadth. Succulent dark plum, crème de cassis, lavender, spice, leather, tobacco, incense and dried herbs build effortlessly in the glass, culminating in a broad, resonant finish that is quite striking. This Montlandrie is such a gorgeous and complete wine.

Score: 91 - 93 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2028-2038

A blend of 55% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc and 25% Cabernet Sauvignon matured 50% in new oak, the 2023 Montlandrie offers up aromas of flowers, wild dark berries and mulberries with a touch of reduction. Medium to full-bodied, dense and rich with a concentrated core of fruit, it’s enrobing and charming with structuring tannins and a long, licorice and smoke-inflected finish. It will offer a broad drinking window. - Tasted by Yohan Castaing

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

The 2023 Montlandrie sees a change in composition, as a plot of Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon that Noëmie Durantou planted in 2021 enters the blend for the first time. She found the first-pressed wine for the Cabernet Sauvignon impressive, so she also added that to the blend. The result is 55% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc and 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, picked between September 18 and 30 and matured in 50% new oak. This new makeup certainly gives it a different aromatic profile than previous vintages: black cherries, cedar and pencil shavings, very focused, more Left-Bank-meets-Right-Bank in style. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins. It’s beautifully structured and judiciously spiced with gentle grip on the finish. Together with Les Cruzelles, these wines represent outstanding value for money. This will certainly age well in bottle.

Score: 92 - 94 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2027-2047

The 2023 Montrose is a dark, brooding powerhouse but with the elegance that is such a signature today. Black cherry, plum, leather, licorice, mocha, spice, tobacco and dried flowers infuse the 2023 with tons of character. The Cabernet Sauvignon is so expressive here. Readers will have to be patient, as this is a wine built for the cellar. It's not especially showy today, but all the ingredients are there. The 2023 is quite the bruiser. In other words, it’s classic Montrose. In the end, that's not terribly surprising, as the winemaking team relied exclusively on the original holdings of about 45 hectares from what the estate calls the 'grand plateau' or 'Terrace 4', essentially the historic core of the property. Harvest ran from September 5 to 28. There was some rain on the 21st, but 15mm of precipitation after a heat spike was not meaningful. The 2023 is magnificent in every way.

Score: 95 - 97 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2032-2063

The 2023 Montrose is another brilliant wine from an estate that's now routinely among Bordeaux's very best, year in, year out. A blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Merlot and 4% Cabernet Sauvignon, derived exclusively from the estate's historic core on the fourth terrace situated just in front of the château itself, it unwinds in the glass with aromas of cassis and wild berries mingled with notions of lilac, violet and pencil shavings. Full-bodied, deep and layered, with a textural attack that segues into a dense, multidimensional mid-palate framed by beautifully ripe tannins and lively acids, it concludes with a long, resonant finish. It will be worth a special effort to seek out.

Score: 97 - 100 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2023 Montrose is focused on the original terroir of the estate, known as Terrace 4, located in front of the river. It comprises 45 hectares, around 12 to 15 hectares less than previous vintages so as to capture the expression of Montrose classified in 1855. Picked from September 5 to 28 and matured in 60% new oak, this has a very intense and focused bouquet: pure black fruit with just a touch of strawberry, hints of violet petals developing in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-boned tannins—very pure, with pitch-perfect acidity. This gains depth toward the finish but maintains a sense of linearity that ensures it is one of the vintage’s finest contributions from the Left Bank. Magnificent.

Score: 96 - 98 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2033-2075

The 2023 Moulin Saint-Georges emerges from a small, 7-hectare property in front of Ausone. The richer side of the year comes through in the wine's dark blue/purplish fruit profile, lavender, licorice and spice notes. There's a bit of tannin here, but élevage should help this come together. The Moulin Saint-Georges includes 100% new oak, quite a statement of intent at this level.

Score: 90 - 93 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2028-2043

Grip and length, grilled campfire smoke, slate texture, nuanced blueberry and raspberry fruits, cold ash and pumice stone. West exposure for the slopes here means cooler temperatures and lower ph, fresh acidities, helps accentuate this oyster shell salinity.

Score: 94 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2029-2044

The 2023 Mouton Rothschild is shaping up to be one of the wines of the vintages on the Left Bank. Its balance of intense, super-concentrated fruit and equally imposing structure is spellbinding. Dark red-toned fruit, blood orange, spice, pencil shavings and dried herbs gain intensity in the glass. I especially admire its vertical build and overall energy. This is an exciting young Mouton endowed with palpable dynamic energy. It's a superb effort from the team led by Technical Director Jean-Emmanuel Danjoy.

Score: 96 - 99 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2033-2073

Aromas of crème de cassis and dark berries mingled with pencil shaving, espresso roast and violets introduce the 2023 Mouton Rothschild, a medium to full-bodied, layered and fleshy wine with a creamy core of ripe but lively fruit, sweet tannins and an expansive finish. In terms of parcels, the 2023 is quite different in origins from the 2022, favoring plots that are better-drained rather than those resistant to drought. It's a blend of 93% Cabernet Sauvignon and 7% Merlot, without either Cabernet Franc or Petit Verdot featuring in the blend, and it attained 13.3% alcohol.

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

The 2023 Mouton Rothschild was picked from September 7 to 30 and contains 93% Cabernet Sauvignon, the second highest ever (after the 2010). Matured entirely in new oak as usual, this has an intense, floral bouquet with violet petals infusing the black fruit and touches of licorice loitering just off stage—very fine delineation. The palate is medium-bodied with extremely refined tannins. Focused and harmonious, it’s velvety smooth with a long and tender finish that has more crispness than the 2022. In fact, I might ultimately end up preferring this over the 2022…it will be interesting finding out in the future!

Score: 96 - 98 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2070

The 2023 Ormes de Pez is a powerful, bold Saint-Estèphe. Black cherry, gravel, incense, chocolate, tobacco, licorice and cured meat infuse the 2023 with tons of Saint-Estèphe personality. Burly and rustic, in a good sense, the 2023 has tons of character. The Merlots feel pretty ripe and exuberant in this sample.

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

Aromas of dark berries, cassis and creamy new oak introduce the 2023 Ormes de Pez, a medium-bodied, rich and creamy wine with a lively core of fruit and sweet structuring tannins. At 55%, Merlot dominates the blend.

Score: 90 - 91 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2023 Ormes de Pez was picked from September 19. This was tasted two or three times. I must confess, I was not taken by the bottle poured at Lynch Bages, which felt high-toned and a bit blowsy. However, the last bottle tasted at the UGC was far better: a more classically-hewn nose with tertiary notes of tar and graphite infusing the black fruit. Quintessential Saint-Estèphe. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannins and well balanced with gentle grip. The new oak (45%) is well integrated. Suffice it to say, this is much more promising.

Score: 91 - 93 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2028-2042

The 2023 Les Pagodes de Cos makes a strong statement out of the gate. A blast of intense dark fruit, leather, spice, menthol, game, licorice, dried herbs and chocolate infuses the palate with remarkable textural intensity. Ample and resonant in the glass, with fabulous balance, Les Pagodes is exceptionally fine in 2023. The long, sustained finish is a thing of beauty.

Score: 92 - 94 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2027-2043

The 2023 Les Pagodes de Cos has turned out beautifully, offering up aromas of cassis, orange zest, vine smoke and incense, followed by a medium to full-bodied, fleshy and polished palate with a deep core of fruit, supple tannins and a lively, mouthwatering finish. It's a blend of 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot and the balance Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot.

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

The 2023 Les Pagodes de Cos, representing 47% of the volume of the château, has a plush crushed strawberry, cassis and violet-scented bouquet that displays some prudent use of oak. The palate is svelte and silky in texture and harmonious, with a judicious pinch of white pepper and graphite. A nicely poised, persistent finish wraps things up in style. This is a classy Les Pagodes that should give 12 to 15 years of drinking pleasure.

Score: 90 - 92 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2027-2042

A breathtaking wine, the 2023 Palmer is sensational. Inky, rich and explosive, the 2023 is a real head-turner. Readers will find an extroverted, dense Palmer that is immediately captivating. Here, too, the balance is mind-blowing. Ample and resonant, the 2023 is striking in its beauty. Waves of layered fruit rush out first, building through to the back end with stunning aromatic intensity. There is no other wine like Palmer in Bordeaux. In a lot of ways, it reminds me of a great Pomerol, as heretical as that might sound! If I could pick only one wine to own from the 2023 vintage, Palmer might very well be it.

Score: 98 - 100 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2033-2063

Director Thomas Duroux and his team elected to harvest late in pursuit of full maturity, beginning with the Merlot on September 11 and finishing the Cabernet Sauvignon on October 5 to produce a beautiful 2023 Palmer, redolent of cherries, wild berries, rose petals and violets. A blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 46% Merlot and 4% Petit Verdot, it's medium to full-bodied, plush and enveloping, with a cool core of fruit, succulent acids, ultra-refined tannins and a seamless, complete profile.

Score: 96 - 97 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2023 Palmer represents two-thirds of the crop this year, raised in barrel (50% new) until July, then racked into 3,000-liter foudres for another 12 months. My sample was representative of the new oak ratio. The nose is very intense, as normal, loaded with blackberry, boysenberry, violet and veins of blood orange in the background. Powerful, though not in the same way as the barnstorming 2022, it manages to retain focus. The palate is medium-bodied with fine grip on the entry. This is quite a deep Palmer with touches of licorice-tinged black fruit. It’s more opulent than almost all other Margaux wines this vintage, furnished with black pepper and allspice on the finish. It will require several years in bottle. The 2023 Palmer is one of the most long-term, serious wines on the Left Bank.

Score: 95 - 97 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2065

The 2023 Pape Clément is one of the most exciting wines I have tasted here in a long time, maybe ever. Intensely aromatic and layered, the 2023 is simply stunning. Dried flowers, mint, licorice, mocha, cedar and tobacco soar out of the glass. The purity of the flavors is simply mind-blowing. Plum, pomegranate, blood orange and spice build in the glass, adding notable textural richness and resonance. This is the first vintage vinified with indigenous yeasts. Aging takes place in a combination of concrete tanks, ceramic eggs, Clayvers, 400-liter barrels and 225-liter barriques. For readers who want to taste the “new” Bordeaux, this is it. What a wine! Tasted four times.

Score: 95 - 97 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2053

The 2023 Pape Clément evokes aromas of dark wild berries, spices, licorice and mulberries, followed by a medium to full-bodied, round and ample palate with structuring tannins and a firm, concentrated mid-palate that segues into a long, fruity finish. Less oaky than the previous years, this is a more contemporary expression of this great terroir. It's a blend of 50% Merlot, 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. - Tasted by Yohan Castaing

Score: 92 - 94 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2023 Pape Clément is the first vintage fully employing crème de levures, using native yeasts in the vineyard to start the fermentation and improve balance, together with two native yeasts regularly employed since 2012 (to maintain some consistency). It was picked from September 5 to October 3 and matured in 60% new oak, including foudres. The 2023 is cut from a very different cloth compared to recent vintages. It’s much more classic in style, almost reserved, with tightly wound black fruit mixed with briar and light gravelly scents. The palate is medium-bodied with a light entry, just a pinch of spice and moderate depth. The silky, peppery, finish is more tertiary than you would expect to find on what was once quite a bombastic Pessac-Léognan. One sample had a soupçon of herbaceousness, whilst another at the château had none at all. Very fine. I like this new direction. though I would not regard this as a benchmark for future vintages. This will be interesting to revisit after bottling.

Score: 93 - 95 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2029-2042

The 2023 Pape Clément Blanc is another strong vintage for a wine that has been in transition for a few years now. There's still plenty of textural richness in the Blanc, but less of the tropical character and flamboyance of some past years. Orange peel, mint, dried herbs, chamomile and crushed flowers open gracefully. All the elements are so well balanced. Tasted three times.

Score: 93 - 95 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2025-2033

Aromas of white flowers, lemon oil, pomegranate and lemongrass preface the 2023 Pape Clément Blanc, a moderately weighted, sappy, layered and incisive wine with bright acids and a penetrating, mouthwatering finish. In comparison to previous vintages, the use of wood has been scaled back, allowing the wine to express a closer connection to its terroir and achieve greater precision in its aromatic profile. - Tasted by Yohan Castaing

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

The 2023 Pape Clément Blanc is aged in around 20% new oak, with a reduction in new wood for the Sauvignon Blanc. The Sémillon matured in more neutral vessels according to winemaker Fabien Teitgen. The nose is very charming and well-define with yellow fruit, chamomile and light almond aromas. The palate is fresher than I have found in recent vintages with quince, touches of lychee and citrus peel. There's commendable linearity on the finish. This should age well in bottle but will certainly give immediate pleasure for those with less patience or time.

Score: 91 - 93 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2027-2040

The 2023 Pavie is fabulous. Rich, dense and explosive in the glass, it offers up generous dark red fruit, cedar, spice, pipe tobacco, menthol and mocha. The 2023 impresses with its notable density and sheer palate presence. Naturally, this needs time to be at its best, but it is already incredibly expressive. This is a superb vintage for Pavie.

Score: 95 - 97 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2031-2063

Plus damson and black cherry fruits, rich and ripe but balanced by tomato leaf, pumice stone. This is intense and concentrated, skilfully constructed showing fragrant cumin and turmeric spice that lifts through the palate, opening to show black tea, blood orange, cocoa bean, mint leaf, totally delicious and speaks clearly of its limestone soils. Feels at the top of its game. Harvest September 18 to October 5, 72% new oak for ageing, Gerard Perse owner.

Score: 96 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2033-2048

The Grand Vin 2023 Château Pavie is based on 51% Merlot, 32% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Cabernet Sauvignon that was brought up in 72% new oak. It's a more inward, serious effort that has a layered bouquet of ripe red and black fruits, spicy oak, spring flowers, and smoke tobacco. This carries to a full-bodied 2023 revealing a beautiful sense of minerality, ample mid-palate depth, and a gorgeous finish. It shows the more elegant, vibrant style of the vintage while still being classic Pavie. If anything, it reminds me slightly of the château's 2001.

Score: 95 - 97 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com

The 2023 Pavie Macquin is one of the stars of the vintage. An exceptional, vibrant wine, Pavie Macquin dazzles from start to finish. Seamless tannins wrap around a core of inky red/purplish fruit, lavender, mint, spice and blood orange, all framed by bright, salivating acids. The transition toward higher-density vineyards and greater freshness is paying huge dividends. This is a stellar effort from the château and long-time consultant Stephane Derenoncourt, who has kept Pavie Macquin as one of just a handful of estates he personally follows these days. In a word: Brilliant! Tasted two times.

Score: 95 - 97 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2053

Aromas of sweet raspberries, cherries and plums mingle with notions of licorice and creamy new oak, introducing the 2023 Pavie Macquin, a medium to full-bodied, layered and concentrated wine with a deep core of fruit, tangy acids and powdery tannins. As higher density plantings on the plateau with superior vine genetics start to enter into production, and as the south of the property is restructured, this estate's tannins are becoming more refined, even if the very low pH of 3.35 still tends to foreground the wine's structure.

Score: 93 - 95 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2023 Pavie Macquin was picked from September 18, finishing with the Cabernet Sauvignon on October 3, cropped at 48hl/ha. The nose offers a mélange of red and black fruit with light wilted rose petal and iris scents. The Cabernet Franc (17% of the blend) imparts loamy aromas. The palate is very svelte and creamy on the entry, but there is real depth and freshness here. Harmonious and poised, it fans out beautifully on the finish. This is more elegant and complex than the 2022, and my score reflects this. Superb.

Score: 94 - 96 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2028-2050

The 2023 Pavillon Blanc is quite powerful in this vintage, marked by a combination of creamy, textured fruit, bright acids and an almost phenolic feel that adds pseudo-tannic structure. I imagine the 2023 will need a few years in bottle. Pavillon Blanc is usually more immediate and racier, but the 2023 looks like more of a long-distance runner. Lemon confit, almond and white flowers unfurl in the glass.

Score: 92 - 94 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2025-2035

White peach flesh on the opening gives an opulent start that quickly narrows inwards to flint and steel. An exceptional white wine, with sculpted charm, showcasing citrus, lime zest, green apple, anis and sage. Harvest August 23 to 30, yields 37hl/h compared to 15h/h in 2022.

Score: 96 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2026-2040

The 2023 Pavillon Rouge is a deep, intense wine. Bright acids drive a core of dark red-toned fruit, spice and flowers. There's a bit more Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend, which makes structural elements stand out, but the tannins are on the lower side analytically. I would give this a few years to come together. Pavillon Rouge represents 30% of the château's production.

Score: 90 - 93 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2025-2043

Somewhat reminiscent of a cooler-fruited version of the lovely 2019, Château Margaux's 2023 Pavillon Rouge wafts from the glass with aromas of cassis, raspberries, licorice and pipe tobacco, deftly framed by creamy new oak. Medium to full-bodied, ample and fleshy, with a sweet core of fruit, ripe tannins and a lively, succulent profile, it's a blend 79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot and 2% Cabernet Franc that attained 13.3% alcohol.

Score: 92 - 94 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

Representing 30% of the crop, the 2023 Pavillon Rouge has a very pure and floral bouquet, with crushed violets and blue fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with slightly grainy tannins and moderate depth, quite linear and structured in style with white pepper and a touch of brine on the saline finish. There’s good length, even if it’s missing the amplitude of the previous vintage.

Score: 90 - 92 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2027-2042

The 2023 Pedesclaux is one of the best wines I have tasted here in some time, maybe ever. It offers a striking mix of ripe dark fruit and bright acids. My impression is that the extractions are less pushed, which really seems to emphasize vibrancy in the fruit. The 10% Cabernet Franc really lifts the aromatics, but it’s the wine's balance and energy that I admire most. Terrific.

Score: 92 - 94 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2028-2043

The 2023 Pedésclaux is the estate's second organic-certified vintage. A blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc, it offers up attractive aromas of cassis and dark berries mingled with notions of mint and licorice, followed by a medium to full-bodied, fleshy and layered palate with sweet tannins, succulent acids and a rather rich, giving profile.

Score: 90 - 93 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2023 Pédesclaux was picked from September 13 to October 4 and includes the old Cabernet vines. Matured in 65% new oak, it has a comparatively opulent bouquet with perfumed black cherries, violet petals and a hint of licorice. I would like a little more Pauillac DNA to be articulated on the nose. The palate is medium-bodied with pliant tannins, quite peppery on the entry, with modest depth. Salted licorice and graphite notes emerge toward what feels like a more structured finish. This will require four to five years in bottle. It just needs to develop more personality.

Score: 89 - 91 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2028-2042

The 2023 Le Petit Cheval represents 10% of the estate's production and is a blend of equal parts Merlot and Cabernet Franc. In a way, that results in a Petit Cheval that is very Cheval, meaning very expressive in the bouquet but less giving on the palate. Crushed red berry fruit, cinnamon, star anise, pomegranate and blood orange lend an exotic flair. Bright acids and persistent tannins appear on the finish to give the wine shape, closing with a burst of energy. Superb.

Score: 92 - 94 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2028-2043

There are only 15,000 bottles of the 2023 Le Petit Cheval, a blend of equal parts Merlot and Cabernet Franc that didn't have quite the plenitude of the grand vin. Offering up an attractive bouquet of minty berries, cherries, plums and petals, it's medium-bodied, pillowy and vibrant, with polished tannins and a bright core of fruit. I suspect that a bit of patience will be rewarded by more fat and texture.

Score: 89 - 91 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2023 Le Petit Cheval, which sees no new oak, offers blackberry and raspberry fruit on the nose, with hints of fireside hearth and light Earl Grey aromas, all finely delineated. The palate is medium-bodied with expressive Cabernet Franc that imparts subtle bell pepper notes in the background. Cohesive, silky-smooth and moderate in length, this is an attractive Le Petit Cheval that will give a decade's drinking pleasure.

Score: 91 - 93 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2026-2038

The 2023 Le Petit Haut Lafitte Blanc is terrific. Airy and vibrant, the 2023 is pure class. Crushed rocks, mint, salt, white pepper and lemon curd are all beautifully lifted. The Sauvignon Blanc-based Petit is very fine in 2023.

Score: 92 - 94 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2025-2033

As usual, a blend of 80% Sauvignon Blanc and 20% Sémillon matured 50% in new oak, the 2023 Le Petit Haut Lafitte Blanc offers up aromas of spring flowers, citrus, lime tree leaves and menthol. Medium-bodied, satiny and round, it’s satiny with a fleshy core of fruit, bright acids and an elegant, ethereal finish enhanced by gastronomic bitterness. It will offer a broad drinking window. - Tasted by Yohan Castaing

Score: 90 - 93 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2023 Le Petit Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc is a blend of 80% Sauvignon Blanc and 20% Sémillon. It has a more complex and refined bouquet compared to the Les Haut Blanc: dried pineapple, peach skin and yellow plum. Lovely. The palate is very well balanced with a slightly waxy texture, a keen line of acidity and a fresh, Golden Delicious- and ginger-tinged finish. Recommended.

Score: 91 - 93 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2026-2036

The 2023 Le Petit-Mouton is fabulous. It could easy be a Grand Vin at another address. Rich, ample and beautifully resonant in the glass, the 2023 impresses with its notable palate presence. Dark red cherry, pomegranate, cinnamon, rose petal and new leather are some of the many notes that build. The 2023 is seriously impressive. Wow!

Score: 93 - 95 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2027-2043

Aromas of dark berries, cassis and cigar wrapper introduce the 2023 Le Petit Mouton, a medium-bodied, fleshy wine with good depth and density, its lively core of fruit framed by sweet, powdery tannins, concluding with a penetrating finish. It's a blend of 79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot.

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

The 2023 Le Petit-Mouton is aged in 50% new oak. It has an intense nose, mainly black fruit commingling with briar and light estuarine scents. Perhaps the aromatics feel a bit "secretive" at present. The palate is medium-bodied with a concentrated entry. This is a voluminous and powerful Pauillac for the vintage, driven by that 79% Cabernet Sauvignon. There’s a fine bitter edge on the finish; give this Le Petit Mouton three to five years in bottle.

Score: 91 - 93 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2028-2045

The 2023 La Petite Eglise is a serious, deep wine. It is one of the few second wines in Bordeaux that needs some time in bottle to be at its best. Dark-toned fruit, graphite, leather, menthol, spice and incense lend this large-scaled Pomerol a ton of distinction. A dollop of Franc (10%) adds tension and vibrancy.

Score: 92 - 94 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2028-2043

As usual, the 2023 La Petite Eglise is a blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc that checks in at 14.4% alcohol. Wafting from the glass with aromas of plums and cherries mingled with notes of dark chocolate and truffle, it's medium to full-bodied, fleshy and succulent, with a rich core of fruit, sweet tannins and good depth at the core, concluding with a broad, oak-inflected finish.

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

The 2023 Phélan Ségur is a powerful, brooding wine. Black cherry, plum, gravel, incense, licorice, dried herbs, lavender and mocha infuse the 2023 with striking complexity. Persistent saline notes lend energy, dimension and shape. The Cabernet Sauvignon really screams with intensity here. Tasted two times.

Score: 92 - 94 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2028-2043

A blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Merlot and 2% Petit Verdot, the 2023 Phélan Ségur offers up aromas of cassis, dark berries, licorice and toasty new oak, followed by a medium to full-bodied, deep and nicely concentrated palate with plenty of powdery structuring tannin and good length on the finish. It's a strong effort.

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

The 2023 Phélan Ségur was picked September 18 to October 11 at 52hL/ha and matured in 55% new oak. This has a very pure bouquet. You can actually tell that there is less SO2 being employed here since it displays that strong crushed strawberry fruit, almost confit-like character, turning more floral with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-boned tannins. This is very well balanced, though not a Phélan Ségur laden with huge concentration (the analytical alcohol is a more restrained 13.54%). There is just a touch of balsamic that perks up the finish, while graphite notes join the chorus line toward the close. Quite an "involving" wine in the cards, this will be fascinating to revisit once in bottle.

Score: 92 - 94 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2029-2045

The 2023 Pichon Baron is stellar. It is another wine in this lineup that impresses with its finesse and nobility. Dark and enveloping, with terrific freshness, this Grand Vin is so expressive. The 2023 is an understated, wonderfully refined Pichon Baron. Dark fruit, violet and mocha build into the resonant finish.

Score: 95 - 97 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2033-2063

A blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Merlot, the 2023 Pichon-Longueville Baron is a terrific effort from this estate, unwinding in the glass with aromas of crème de cassis, dark berries, pencil shavings, cigar wrapper, violets and burning embers. Medium to full-bodied, layered and textural, it's deep and concentrated, with sweet structuring tannins and a long, resonant finish. The charm and vibrancy of the vintage lends this considerable appeal, without effacing Pichon Baron's more serious, Cabernet-driven personality.

Score: 95 - 97 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2023 Réserve de la Comtesse is fabulous. This is the first vintage in which Cabernet Sauvignon drives the blend, the result of extensive replanting over the years and vines that are now old enough to be used here. Among other things, that means the Réserve is more closely aligned with the Grand Vin in style, starting in the vineyard. Potent and explosive, the 2023 offers up a heady mélange of dark fruit, leather, spice, grilled herbs and lavender. It’s a stellar wine in every way. Tasted three times.

Score: 92 - 94 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2028-2043

A terrific second wine, the 2023 Resèrve de la Comtesse wafts from the glass with a pure bouquet of blackcurrants, dark berries, lilac and pencil shavings. Medium to full-bodied, layered and velvety, it's sensual and vibrant, with melting tannins and a deep core of cool fruit framed by polished but present tannins. This blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot and 5% Cabernet Franc marks the 50th anniversary of this second wine's production.

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

The 2023 Réserve de la Comtesse has a lovely bouquet, discrete initially, then opening with cassis and light violet fruit. It never shouts too loudly at this early stage. The palate is medium-bodied with crisp tannins on the entry. There’s also a stronger graphite element than I have noticed in recent vintages, due to the higher percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon (60%). This is a classically styled Réserve.

Score: 90 - 92 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2027-2037

The 2023 Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande marries elegance, power and sophistication. Soft, ripe tannins wrap around a core of inky dark fruit, licorice, spice, pencil shavings, lavender and menthol. Bright acids pull it all together on the finish. In 2023, Pichon Comtesse blends Merlot picked early for freshness and Cabernets picked later for tannin ripeness and flavor complexity. Readers will have to be patient, but the 2023 holds considerable promise for those who can wait. This is another stellar effort from the team led by General Manager Nicolas Glumineau. Tasted three times.

Score: 95 - 98 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2033-2073

The 2023 Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande is a brilliant wine that will be worth a special effort to track down. Unwinding in the glass with aromas of wild berries and cassis mingled with licorice, lilac, iris root, violet, burning embers and pencil shavings, it's medium to full-bodied, seamless and complete, with a deep, layered core of cool fruit that largely conceals it's ultra-refined structuring tannins. At a very measured 13% alcohol and 3.67 pH, it unites all Pichon Comtesse's sensuality with unimpeachable Pauillac classicism. The 2023 is a blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot and 3% Cabernet Franc.

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

The 2023 Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande was picked from September 6 until 29, with some rain on September 20 in the middle of Cabernet picking. But, Nicolas Glumineau remarked that the vineyard/fruit was in good condition; one day of rain did not affect the quality. The 2023 has a quintessential Comtesse bouquet, displaying pure and expressive black fruit laced with violet and graphite, delivered with impressive delineation. The palate is very refined on the entry. This is armed with beguiling symmetry—poised yet intense on the finish. It doesn’t exert huge grip because it knows it doesn't need to, and it fans out gloriously. Outstanding.

Score: 96 - 98 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2029-2060

The 2023 Pontet-Canet is a powerful, impressively constituted wine. Dark, vibrant and sensual in the glass, the 2023 is somber and mysterious in bearing. Black plum, gravel, lavender, graphite and licorice all meld together in the glass. More than anything else, the 2023 is incredibly well put together. In this vintage, the wine was blended at the beginning of élevage rather than at the end, as was the custom in the past. This is a gorgeous and hugely promising Pontet-Canet. I especially admire its finely cut precision and soaring aromatics.

Score: 94 - 97 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2048

With the 2023 vintage, this estate has crafted a wine of unprecedented aromatic intensity and precision that marks a significant evolution. Revealing an elegant, fresh bouquet of mulberries and cassis mingled with notions of violets, gentian and menthol, the 2023 Pontet-Canet is medium to full-bodied, seamless and multidimensional, with a pure and precise core of fruit that's framed by ultra-refined tannins and a powerful but controlled profile, concluding with long, mineral, licorice-inflected finish. It's the result of more daring harvest decisions than in previous years: By picking the Merlot earlier to highlight fresh, fruity notes rather than baked, sun-kissed flavors and simultaneously delaying the Cabernet Sauvignon harvest until after September 28 to refine tannins, the 2023 Pontet-Canet marks a significant evolution at this renowned estate. At this early stage, its élevage appears to be more discreet, too. This wine, which I'd be delighted to own, is a blend of 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 39% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot, matured in 50% new oak barrels, 35% amphorae and 15% once-used barrels. - Tasted by Yohan Castaing

Score: 96 - 98 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2023 Pontet Canet, which underwent a 34 day harvest (see producer profile for detailed info), has a very pure bouquet with dark cherries, blackcurrant and touches of vanilla, cohering over the course of ten minutes in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied, with very supple tannins matched by a keen line of acidity. There is plenty of creaminess on the mid-palate, fine grip and a pinch of black pepper toward the finish. Moderate in length, there’s lovely linearity here and an underlying salinity that becomes evident with continued aeration. Very fine.

Score: 93 - 95 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2028-2050

The 2023 Potensac is a seriously beautiful wine that shows just how complex and nuanced wines from this property can be. Crushed flowers, spice, red/purplish fruit, rose petal and mint are some of the notes that lift from the glass. Bright saline tones underpin the mid-palate and finish. This is one of the most complete young Potensacs I can recall tasting.

Score: 91 - 93 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2027-2043

The 2023 Potensac is a solid effort, offering up aromas of dark berries, cherries, loamy soil and cigar wrapper, followed by a medium-bodied, fleshy palate that's taut and penetrating, with good depth at the core.

Score: 89 - 91 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2023 Potensac has a well-defined nose: predominantly black fruit, with touches of seaweed in the background. I warm to it more with acquaintance, and it gradually coheres. The palate is medium-bodied with pliant tannins and a fine line of acidity. Silky-smooth in texture, you can tell that there is some quality new oak on the finish, which is simpatico with the fruit. It's a good, solid Potensac that will require three or four years in bottle.

Score: 90 - 92 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2028-2040

The 2023 Poujeaux is plump, juicy and super-inviting right out of the gate. Inky dark fruit, sweet spice and floral accents caress the palate, all framed by supple, silky tannins. There's a bit more Petit Verdot in the blend this year, and that comes through in the wine's dark flavor profile and structural feel. This is a fine vintage for Poujeaux. Tasted four times.

Score: 90 - 92 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2027-2043

The 2023 Poujeaux offers up youthfully reserved aromas of licorice, dark wild berries and smoke. Medium-bodied, firm and slightly austere, it’s elegant and gently structured with powdery tannins and a long, somber finish. A second encounter revealed greater flesh and plentitude. It's a blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon (a higher proportion than usual), 35% Merlot and 10% Petit Verdot. - Tasted by Yohan Castaing

Score: 89 - 91 William Kelley, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com

The 2023 Poujeaux was picked from September 18 to October 4 andmatured in 30% new oak. The first couple of samples tasted didn't quite engage as much as a third bottle on the penultimate day's tasting, which seems more representative. This Moulis, owned by the Cuvelier family (Clos Fourtet) has a tempting nose with blackberry, wild strawberry, incense and crushed violet scents—well defined and focused, blossoming nicely in the glass. There's good energy and vibrancy. The palate is medium-bodied with crunchy black fruit. Perhaps just a little gritty in terms of texture, there is a bit of rigidity apropos the tannins on the finish. Hopefully, it will gain more elegance once in bottle, but it feels as if it will meld together during élevage.

Score: 91 - 93 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2028-2042