critic reviews
The 2023 Capbern has a light bouquet with tertiary black fruit laced with cedar and pencil box scents, perhaps a little Pauillac in style. The palate is medium-bodied, with gentle grip on the entry. A little softer than the preceding Le Prieuré, more approachable as a result, building toward the finish, whose tannins linger. Commendable in terms of cohesion, and with a dash of black pepper, this is a fine Capbern that should age well in bottle.
A blend of 69% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot, 1% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Petit Verdot, the 2023 Capbern has a deep garnet-purple color. It is a little grumpy to start, offering notes of black pepper and sassafras before opening out to notions of plum preserves and stewed strawberries, with a waft of tree bark. The medium-bodied palate is refreshing and light on its feet, with lightly chewy tannins and a peppery finish.
Highly spiced blackberry and cassis fruits, liquorice root, coffee beans, creamy cappucino, even a touch of grated ginger which adds freshness to what is a pretty intense Capbern. The alcohols are unusually high for the vintage in this sector of Bordeaux, and it brings a supple character to the tannins and a rich texture to the fruit - underlining that Capbern is far away from the tradionally-framed St Estèphe it was in the past. 45hl/h yield, 60% new oak for ageing, harvested September 6.
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.