▻ Bordeaux 2023 – Part One

Let's Talk About

23 Apr

Written By Sarah Kemp

In conversation with Jane Anson

Episode Summary:-

After a week in Bordeaux visiting châteaux and tasting more than 200 wines, Jane Anson and Sarah Kemp discuss the quality of the 2023 vintage, note which appellations did well, and evaluate the factors in the vineyard which shaped the wines. Jane has already spent a week tasting with the consultants, and has another full week of tasting to go to prepare her report, which will include tasting notes on over 600 wines, it will be available to her subscribers on janeanson.com on May 2nd. The good news is that they are both impressed with the freshness and balance of the vintage. Sarah explains that for her, “It is Bordeaux Profound,” a vintage for Bordeaux lovers, with many drinkable terroir-specific wines at 13% alcohol.

En Primeur is always a full-on week: You leave the house at 7.30 am and return 12 to 13 hours later, fitting in to a tight schedule, as many châteaux prefer that you visit them rather than pouring their wines at a group tasting. Jane and Sarah’s first visit was to taste the DBR Lafite wines; the tasting was at Château Duhart-Milon, (Lafite’s cellar is under renovation), and it provided the opportunity to see the new cellar and beautiful gardens, an oasis in the centre of Pauillac, their last visit was at Château Nenin in Pomerol where they tasted Château Lèoville-Las-Cases, who are also undergoing building works (It’s good to see where the money is being reinvested Jane comments).

Unusually, there had not been much talk prior to the vintage from negociants and châteaux, and Jane sensed a nervousness regarding pricing due to economic and political conditions. What is positive is that interest is still there for Bordeaux, with 6,000 to 7,000 people expected in Bordeaux for En Primeur week, commencing 22nd April. Some châteaux expect as many as 2,000 visitors, and while interest is still strong there is a bonus – yields are mostly much higher than previous years, so there is quantity as well as quality.

Putting together a view of a vintage is like completing a jigsaw puzzle, with each piece of information from a château helping to complete the picture. One of the big pieces of information was what happened in the vineyard in June, when there was rain and warmth. Mildew was a concern for several estates, and the decision of whether to strip leaves off the vines and risk heat spikes burning the grapes later was one of the main issues of the vintage. Rain, however, was not ubiquitous, and Château Lafite produced a rain map showing the corridors of rain, which were quite localised (see map).

Northern Medoc gained praise from Jane and Sarah, and Pauillac was the sweet spot, with plenty of exciting wines; St-Estèphe had some stunning wines, but a couple of wines had unusually high alcohol for the vintage (many estates are producing wines at 13% on the Left Bank); smiles continued onto St Julien, where again there were some exceptional wines. The Margaux appellation, as usual, was more complicated, with the rain in the Southern Medoc being more of an issue. Pessac-Léognan was a similar story to Margaux, though Sarah and Jane agreed that Château Haut-Brion had made a truly outstanding wine, and both Château Smith Haut-Lafitte and Château Haut-Bailly continued their excellent streak. On the Right Bank, it is more of a mixed story, with Merlot having issues with mildew. Jane explains that there is a high proportion of Cabernet Franc, with one wine being 100%.

After a week’s tasting, Sarah remarked, “I felt a lot of these wines, not all, were what made me fall in love with Bordeaux. It’s the vintage I will buy for my son, to remind him why I love Bordeaux and was away so often.”

Running Order:-

0.00 – 8.42

“I felt a lot of these wines, not all, were what made me fall in love with Bordeaux. It’s the vintage I will buy my son to remind him why I love Bordeaux.” – Sarah Kemp

– Sarah Kemp joins Jane Anson for her second week of tasting the Bordeaux 2023 vintage.
– The average yields in 2023.
– The issue of mildew and leaf stripping.
– The issue of heat spikes when you have leaf-stripped.
– The comparison of the vintage to 2021 and 2022.
8.43 – 18.19

“Pauillac is the sweet spot.” – Jane Anson

– A breakdown of the appellations.
– The Right Bank’s issue with Merlot and mildew.
– Conclusion on view of the vintage.