critic reviews
Sleek, balanced, powerful, enjoyable, full brambled autumnal blackberry and damson fruit, toch of rosebud on the finish. Vignobles Parent.
The 2023 Le Gay was a perplexing wine from barrel. Revisiting it in bottle, I still find a herbaceous component on the nose, though fair enough, not as accentuated as it was back then. The palate is balanced on the entry, but again, there is clearly an underripe element that jars on the finish. A second bottle, and that vegetal element was less obvious, but lurks in the background. I have admired a lot of recent vintages from Le Gay, but this bottle consistently poses more questions than answers.
The 2023 Le Gay is deep garnet-purple in color. Notes of Morello cherries, juicy blackberries, and boysenberries jump from the glass, followed by hints of cedar chest, sassafras, and clove oil. The medium to full-bodied palate is lively, with bright red berry and floral layers framed by a firm, grainy texture and just enough freshness, finishing a touch woody at this youthful stage. The blend is 95% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc, with a yield of 42 hl/ha.