Bordeaux En Primeur 2023

Frederic Faye and Marielle Cazaux can be well pleased with their 2023s. La Conseillante and Figeac are amongst the most alluring wines of the vintage.

With a raft of perfect scores, this 2023 is the highest rated wine of the vintage with all the major critics unanimous with their praise. We loved its cool, composed, classy character.

There may be more complex wines, more flamboyant wines and more powerful wines produced from the plateau of Pomerol, yet for us and many, VCC epitomises the best qualities of this appellation.

oday’s main event is another knock out right-bank, left-bank combination. Representing St Emilion, we have the most improved château in Bordeaux, the imperious Troplong Mondot.

Daniel and Florence Cathiard’s Smith Haut Lafitte is the toast of Pessac. Since taking the reins in 1990, their wines have been lauded with critical praise.

Vincent Millet and his team continue to produce brilliant St Estephes at Calon Segur and neighbouring Chateau Capbern.

Aurélien Valance described Margaux 2023 as having “the ripeness and texture of a warm vintage with the freshness and purity of a cool year.”

Guillaume is something of a maverick. Since his move from Chapoutier, he has transformed the fortunes of Les Carmes Haut Brion.

Few can match Pichon Baron’s record at blind tastings. This has been one of the best performing Pauillacs for as long as any of us can remember.

L’Eglise Clinet was the first stop on the J&B bus, and it cheered our spirits and provided a sense of optimism for the entire 2023 vintage. The range presented to us by sisters, Noëmie and Constance Durantou left us feeling hugely upbeat.

This is yet another spectacular Pichon Comtesse from Nicolas Glumineau. We would expect nothing less... Pichon has been on top form, producing wines of First Growth quality for the last decade.

This feels very much like déjà vu… Every year we visit Xavier and Emeline Borie at their handsome chateau, and every year we fall head-over-heels for their latest edition of Grand Puy Lacoste.

In recent years, Leoville Poyferre has established itself as a contender for the leading wine in St Julien. The Cuvelier regime keeps turning out blockbusters worthy of First Growth status.

Tetre Roteboeuf's its distinctive personality and ability to age with grace and charm attracts many loyal supporters.

Olivier Bernard has built a reputation for generous and ever-so-charming Pessacs of both persuasions.

Over in St Emilion, Belair Monange’s inaugural vintage produced in their splendid new winery is magical, displaying the class of the limestone Côte and Plateau.

We’re not always complimentary about Bernard Magrez’s flagship, Pape Clement. However, this year, we must doff our chapeau and congratulate him on a really top-class effort.

The 2023 Ducru Beaucaillou will delight fans of Bruno Borie’s wines. This is a big, impressive, yet manicured wine, true to the recent house style.

The 2023 Ausone is yet another magnificent, multifaceted example, which will grow in stature and complexity during élevage.

There is no lack of ambition here. Lynch is rightly considered one of the top estates in Pauillac producing vin de garde in a contemporary-classical style.

This is another flawless range from Jean-Philippe Delmas, which expresses the noble terroirs of the Bordeaux suburbs.

The Barton wines have been firm favourites for many years. With the introduction of the new winery, comes even greater precision during vinifications...

Pierre-Olivier Clouet and his team have done it again. This is another spellbinding Cheval Blanc, full of grace and charm.

2023 has provided another memorable range of Guinaudeau wines.

This is a superb Angélus with a real sense of poise and elegance.

The 2023 Baron Philippe de Rothschild range is the finest we have tasted.

Lafite is a statuesque, imposing figure, Duhart Milon offers power and refinement, whilst the glorious Evangile is lustrous with a kaleidoscopic display of aromas and flavours.

We haven’t always been complimentary about recent Pontet Canets, but the 2023 is a welcome return to the top table of Pauillac.

According to the Château, the 2023 is reminiscent of the 1771, a reminder of how long the wines from this grand vineyard can age…

As ever, this overachieving Pauillac Fifth Growth is one of the best pound for pound bottles you can buy from Bordeaux.

Pomerol's clay dominated plateau produces some of the world's most silky and seductive wines.

Home to three First Growths, Pauillac is renowned for its gravel croupes and great Cabernet Sauvignon dominated wines.

The best Margaux chateaux produce beautiful, ethereal wines famed for their delicacy and power.

Discover the mellifluous delights of Sauternes 2023. This vintage has produced some sensational botrytised wines: unctuous, aromatic and zesty, full of decadent pleasure.

For many, St Julien is quintessential claret, robust, powerful yet refined, subtle and poised.

Stretching from the suburbs of Bordeaux to the rolling hills of the Graves, Pessac-Léognan is home to many great wines, both red and white.

St Estèphe is home to the high flying Montrose and Calon Segur as well as a plethora of our "best value" selections, such as: Capbern, Meyney, Tronquoy and Phelan Segur.

Though different in profile from 2018, 2019 and 2020, we think 2021 has the capacity to join this illustrious sequence and may even become some collectors’ preference.

Every vintage ending with a zero is marked by success in the same way that seven spells disaster. 

"Tout est grand en 2019!" These are the words of our dear friend, Denis Durantou, who passed away on the 14th of May this year.