2023 Bordeaux: Regularly irregular

A look into the new vintage

Last month I had the pleasure of heading into San Francisco and attending the annual UGC Tasting where this year the vintage on hand was 2023. If you aren’t familiar with the UGC tasting, it is now for both the trade and consumers. It used to be trade-only and it could be an absolute mess to deal with the many people that would flock to this (of which many weren’t in the trade, and this was a constant joke for almost as long as I’ve been in the industry). Now, they check your trade credentials with some more scrutiny but that is to then have you go to one of the official consumer tastings in the evening. In San Francisco, this would be hosted by K&L. Seeing as how I don’t have to worry about that part, I could just enjoy an unfettered 2 1/2 hours of young Bordeaux!

This was a tasting I was greatly looking forward to. Yes, it’s fun to taste through the wines in what should be epic years. But it’s the in-between years that provide me the most amount of joy and allows for a deeper understanding about the wines, region, and estates. If you are able to make an excellent wine in a slightly less than year, I personally take great notice and have certainly found myself as a longtime fan of houses based on their performances at tastings like this. This was also a chance for me to taste the wines from the September I visited Bordeaux (and my only visit so far), so there was that extra special quality for me that piqued my interest.

My experience in Bordeaux itself from late-September did give me a bit of perspective going into this. I didn’t necessarily know the finer details of the vintage at that point, but overall, the visits I made saw producers be honest with their assessments of the vintage at that time. They were positive but were clear that it wasn’t to be a “vintage of the century” (as too many of us have head time and time again for the last 20 years). As I looked more into it, it turns out that we should be extremely thankful that this vintage turned out as well as it did! They had a long, dry winter during the first months of the year. This would lead to an early budbreak and flowering. That in of itself isn’t necessarily a problem, but the heavy rains in June coupled with higher temps than normal created a ton of Downy Mildew problems. This is where finances come in handy. The estates that could afford to stay on top of it and spray a lot would be fine. Those with less resources……not so much. The warmth would continue well into July as would the cloud cover. The problem there is that the cloud cover limited actual sunlight hitting the grapes and ripening them and instead just create an environment of great canopy growth and uneven ripening. How an estate would Green Harvest also came into play. It will inevitably become hotter towards the end of July and into August, so you don’t want to pull back too many leaves and expose the bunches to possible shriveling, but you did need to pull back enough leaves to let the process energize.

Mother Nature wasn’t finished yet as early August didn’t see the heatwave that they expected, which would lead to a lot of heartburn as the sugars were too low. This made for a real threat of having to a vintage that was underripe and with low tonnage. The heat waves did come along at the end of August to get the train rolling again, but as with all things 2023, it led to uneven ripening and put a lot of pressure on Merlot. September would remain warm, but also a bit schizophrenic as rain threatened a lot, but never fully materialized in the ways that the forecasts would predict. Cabernet in most places wasn’t fully ripe yet, and those that don’t have as much in the coffers would be forced to pick early and produce wines that are stiff and uninteresting. On the flip side, because the predicted heavy rains didn’t happen, the estates with plenty of money in the bank were able to wait it out and would produce lovely wines. Such is an allegory for life, right?!

So, what we were left with? While many of the top producers don’t pour at UGC these days, I keep going because its these less heralded producers that make the backbone of the region and really tell the story of the vintage. What I came across was a vintage that will have a wide range of appeal. For the estates that made excellent wine, there is a suave and silky mouthfeel that is very reminiscent of modern winemaking across Europe. Many producers want something gentler and accessible as that is en vogue no matter which region you go to. The tannins could be strong and youthful but aren’t punishing. The alcohols have generally clocked in around 13-13.5% which will make many happy that want something more classic. This was a tasting that really showed off what in my opinion is a very good vintage that in could be considered classic-modern if that makes sense. These are wines firmly rooted in current winemaking and techniques, but with a style that will bring new drinkers into the fold while still pleasing many of those that want something classic.

There are some definite misses, but what I have liked is that the prices are firmly in line with what the vintage should give. In a world in which prices are constantly pushed more upwards, there is a lot of value to be gained here (looking at what K&L is charging on pre-arrival). Some of the bigger names are at reasonable prices for wines that could well be the star of one’s collection while you would have a difficult time finding a more expressive or lovely interpretation of Cabernet from producers like Branaire-Ducru or Langoa Barton at around $60 a bottle. This is a vintage that belongs in people’s hands and really, at their dinner table.

Below are some selected wines from the tasting:

2023 Château Gazin Pomerol- France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol

The nose is a little tightly wound, but there is still a lovely purity to it all with lovely and balanced tones of red fruits, red berries, fresh herbs, currants, licorice, red cherries, raspberries, raspberry liqueur, violets, wild flowers, and some savory spices. There is a refined nature to the nose that is just lovely and draws you into the glass. The Medium/full bodied feel shows odd the refinement of the nose with a silky and caressing texture on the feel with crisp, medium acidity and youthful, medium+ tannins. This is pretty now, but it has so much more to give. It felt a bit reticent at the time of tasting, but its quality was still shining through really well. I’d love to see where this goes with some age. (92 pts.)

2023 Château Canon-la-Gaffelière- France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

There is more of a bass quality to the nose that is searching and attractive in the way that you keep looking back at someone you are interested in. It is a bit tight, but still expressive and balanced with lovely tones of dark red cherries, cranberries, raspberries, licorice, spice notes, violets, sweet tobacco, creme de violette, cassis, purple flowers, and a touch of fresh herbs. There is so much going on, and it does take a few seconds to take it all in. The Medium/full bodied feel has a touch of brawn, but with balance while showing off tart, medium acidity and chewy, medium+ tannins that have a bit of youthful bite to them. This is excellent and a lot of fun to try. I got to visit this estate in September of 2023, and it brings a lot of personal joy to now try it. That said, it’s a baby and will certainly need time as there is a lot in the tank and this has barely gotten out of the driveway. (93 pts.)

2023 Château Le Gay Pomerol- France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol

The nose is pure and refined with excellent depth and style to the tones of red cherries, strawberries, raspberries, licorice, spice notes, sweet tobacco, violets, red flowers, and some creme de cassis. There is some youthful joy to the tones right now and a touch of juiciness, but it isn’t overdone or pushing boundaries. The Full bodied feel shows off that style and refinement of the nose with a suave texture to the feel while showing off crisp, medium acidity and chewy, medium+ tannins that do have a bit of bite. This is a serious winner and one to look out for. There is a lot of class and refinement here in the ways that I want from a Pomerol. (93 pts.)

2023 Château Brane-Cantenac- France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux

Oh, this is sexy. There is a good amount of lift and perfume to the nose that really draws you in as it then sits in the glass with tones of raspberries, dark red cherries, sour red fruits, crushed berries, blueberries, cranberries, heady floral notes, wood and savory spices, cassis, leather, and some sweet tobacco notes. This is an extremely alluring nose that is doing a lot already, while still letting you know that there is much more for it to give. The Medium/full bodied feel is suave and elegant with mouthatering, medium acidity and gripping, medium+ tannins. As the structure sheds and as it ages overall, this can be something really special. There is a lot to like here already as there is some nuance while still possessing a bit of stature behind it. (93 pts.)

2023 Château Branaire-Ducru- France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien

Oh, oh baby. This is exactly why I just love this estate. There is a level of elegance that it brings that does it for me and that is here in full color with lovely tones of crushed berries, red cherries, freshly picked red berries, raspberries, sweet tobacco, leather, cassis, a whole bunch of roses, and wild flowers. There is a good amount of perfume right now, but the tones aren’t working in full harmony just yet. The Medium/full bodied feel is deft and balanced with crisp, medium acidity and chewy, medium+ tannins that have presence. If you give this some time, it will greatly reward you. There is a lot to like already, but don’t be deceived by that. It is just getting started and I can only see it getting better over the next decade and beyond. (92 pts.)

2023 Château Saint-Pierre- France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien

The nose is fragrant and balanced with flowing tones of dark red cherries, cranberries, raspberries, licorice, spice box, cedar, kirsch notes, currants, leather, violets, and roses. There is excellent complexity, though it takes a few goes to get everything. The Full bodied feel is balanced and refined with mouthwatering, medium acidity and silky, medium+ tannins. This is lovely now, but there is a clear gear or two it can move up with age. (92 pts.)

2023 Château Clerc Milon- France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

The nose is vibrant and poised with lovely tokes of sweet red cherries, red berries, spice box notes, raspberries, currants, licorice, leather, violets, and roses. There is a heady quality to the tones that is really attractive already. The Medium/full bodied feel is balanced and elegant with crisp, medium acidity and silky, medium+ tannins that are on the sneaky side. This is extremely lovely and shows off so much elegance already. (92 pts.)

2023 Château Pichon-Longueville Baron- France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

The nose is deep, refined, and with some restrained power to the flowing tones of sweet tobacco, dark red cherries, raspberries, licorice, currants, spice box, crushed berries, sour red fruits, a bit of freshly cut cedar, and savory spices. The Full bodied feel shows off the restrained power of the nose while possessing a suave and deep take to the feel. The Medium acidity is refreshing and crisp while the medium+ tannins are youthful and strong. This is wonderful now and I can see this turning into something really special with age. Everything is in place for that to happen, all that is required is patience. (94 pts.)