Château Capbern, St Estèphe, 2023
As always, Calon Segur's sister property has produced one of the best value wines of the vintage. This is really cool and classy with its beautifully fragrant bouquet of bright dark fruits, red berries, bergamot and flowers. There's lots of vivid Cabernet fruit, high toned and quite serious, finishing with an impressive tannic framework, refreshing salinity and a hint of dark chocolate and salty caramel. This is a serious little wine that should be really satisfying within five years of bottling. Produced with a much higher proportion of Cabernet Sauvignon than usual (69% ), 29% Merlot, 1% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot.
critic reviews
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.
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.
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.