Bordeaux 2023 in Bottle: Coming Around Again

BY NEAL
MARTIN | FEBRUARY 12, 2026Left Bank:&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://vinous.com/wines?term=NMSaintEstepheFeb2026">Saint-Estèphe</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://vinous.com/wines?term=NM2022BordeauxPauillac">Pauillac</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://vinous.com/wines?term=NMSaintJulienFeb2026">Saint-Julien</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://vinous.com/wines?term=NMMargauxFeb2026">Margaux</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://vinous.com/wines?term=NMPessacLeognanGravesFeb2026">Pessac-Léognan and Graves</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://vinous.com/wines?term=NMLeftBankMiscellaneousFeb2026">Left Bank Satellites</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://vinous.com/wines?term=NMSauternesFeb2026">Sauternes</a>&nbsp;Right Bank:&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://vinous.com/wines?term=NMPomerolFeb2026">Pomerol</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://vinous.com/wines?term=NMSaintEmilionFeb2026">Saint-Émilion</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://vinous.com/wines?term=NMRightBankMiscellaneousFeb2026">Right Bank Satellites</a>A year feels
like a shrinking slice of time as you get older. Perhaps that is why I am still
recovering from the last primeur as I pack my bags for the next. Such a
quick tempo was never problematic when en primeur campaigns were
successful and nascent vintages flew off the shelves. But as Bordeaux’s
problems have mounted in tandem with unsold stock, there is a concertina of
vintages all squashing against each other, akin to a motorway pileup where oncoming
vehicles cannot brake in time to avoid another casualty. What
hurts, what frustrates winemakers the length and breadth of Bordeaux, is that this
state of affairs is not connected to quality. This is no early-1990s nadir when
the region was beleaguered by inclement seasons that poleaxed successive primeurs.
Au contraire, quality is better than it has ever been. The problem for newborn vintages
like 2023 is that they must immediately jostle for attention against “toddlers”
that remain on merchants’ shelves and—disquietingly for proprietors—inside
châteaux’s own cellars as allocations are finally being refused by Bordeaux
négociants.<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1770822633020-Bordeaux+2023+in+Bottle+Cover_Vinous.png">The view from the balcony at Bélair-Monange. Consequently,
you could argue that appraising the latest bottled vintage is unnecessary. By
the same token, you could argue that it is more important than primeur.
After all, here we inspect the finished article, not to mention that everything
is available, from First Growths down to Cru Bourgeois. Moreover, many of these
wines can be enjoyed with little cellaring, even though I have made my views
clear that great Bordeaux always requires patience and time. The fact is that many
wines can be purchased for less than they can en primeur,
postponing buying decisions for many until the wines are physically released
(or later). Who knows the trajectory of prices in coming months? Consumers
rightly berate châteaux for their avarice in recent years, yet a vast
proportion of 2023s are less expensive than many Village Crus from the
Côte d’Or. Is that a reflection of Bordeaux being underpriced, or Burgundy
being overpriced?I write
all this to explain why, despite the brickbats thrown towards the Gironde
Estuary, there are valid reasons to examine the latest bottled vintage. Though
I pull no punches where it is underwhelming, 2023 still has much to offer. The
Growing SeasonA quick
primer on the growing season. For an unexpurgated version of events, I advise
readers to peruse my <a target="_blank" href="https://vinous.com/articles/the-dalmatian-vintage-bordeaux-2023-apr-2024">en primeur report</a>.As I
reported then, there was no thematic arc to the growing season. The vines’
growth cycle was early due to warmer temperatures, though fortunately, 2023 was
unafflicted by any frost episodes. Thereafter, temperatures remained relatively
warm, fitting in with the growing cadre of solar vintages: May was 1°C above
average at 17.1°C, while June was 2.4°C above average at 21.7°C. But there was
no drought. Indeed, June was damp and saw 83 millimetres (mm) of rain, which
predicated outbreaks of mildew that disproportionately affected the Merlot. The
acuteness of mildew pressure depended on the level of rainfall, higher on the
Right Bank than in the Médoc, though these appellations escaped unscathed compared
to the Entre-Deux-Mers, which was decimated by mildew. Variances in mildew
pressure also depend on mesoclimate, soil type, rootstock and vine age, as well
as the use of cover crops. It was vital for vineyard managers to spray pre-emptively,
because once mildew takes hold, then you are playing catch-up—a lesson many
learned in 2023. <img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1770822512336-leoville_poyferre_Vinous.jpg">Sara
Lecompte Cuvelier in the graffitied tasting room at Léoville Poyferré. Flowering
was slightly later than usual, but that was no bad thing, as it coincided with
a spell of clement weather that spawned a voluminous crop. July and August saw
warm temperatures close to previous growing seasons, at 21.1°C and 21.8°C,
respectively. This helped to halt the spread of mildew, though, by that time,
some berries were bloated after rain in June, prompting green harvesting to
reduce yields and enhance concentration. July was dry but unseasonably cloudy
with fewer sunlight hours than average, dampening expectations. Two heatwaves
from August 18 to 24 and September 3 to 10 came as a jolt, especially for
younger vines, as temperatures soared to 38°C. Consequently, despite average
lower temperatures, vines could still shut down, a factor more prevalent than
some winemakers admit. This altered perceptions of the season, as average
temperatures in September were a balmy 21.3°C. Bunches were able to reach
phenolic maturity without&nbsp;similar sugar levels to 2022 due to lower
average temperatures throughout the growth cycle, thus leading to lower alcohol
levels. Down in
Sauternes, the humid environment that seemed to dog the Left and Right Bank
actually fomented perfect conditions for the creation of noble rot. Many went
out in early September to pick shrivelled, non-botrytized berries and passerillage, to have lots that would impart acidity. Then, botrytis infection
rushed across the appellation following 75 mm of rain on September 11. So,
instead of several small tris, most estates conducted just a couple of
large tris, which formed entire blends during 20 days of warm, dry weather from
September 23 to October 18. By that time, practically everything was picked.
There was just a bit of grape-worm that affected some of the Sauvignon Blanc in
Sauternes and Bommes, but it was only a minor problem that could be dealt with
easily.The
HarvestThe
whites were harvested beginning mid-August, which is becoming the norm. Sauvignon
Blanc was picked from August 12, three days later than in 2022, and the
Sémillon a couple of days later. This lasted until around the second week of
September, depending on the property. <img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1770822538956-lascombes_sorting_Vinous.jpg">Sorting the 2023 harvest at Château Lascombes. The
reds kicked off with the early-ripening Merlot around the first week of
September, though harvest clicked up a few gears in the week commencing
September 11. It was full speed ahead in mid-September until French weather
forecasters threw a spanner in the works and predicted rainy weather on
September 20, expediting picking. However—not for the first time—the forecast
proved inaccurate. The 100 mm of rain never materialised. It was more like 20 mm,
which was actually beneficial, enough to push the Cabernets to full maturity.
Dry and sunny conditions allowed picking to continue and permitted teams to
pick à la Sauternes, conducting sorties in and out of the vines—precision
picking. It was a
healthy crop rather than a bumper. Official figures for AC Bordeaux show that
the harvest totalled 3.84 million litres, 13% above 2022, though, within the
context of the last decade, 2023 is the third “small” vintage in a row.
However, there are significant inter-appellation differences, and I refer
readers to my original report for specifics. Essentially, the Left Bank saw a
bountiful crop, for example, 51.6 hl/ha in Saint-Estèphe, 62% more than the
previous vintage. These decline as you move towards the Right Bank.How I
Tasted the WinesI
assessed the 2023s over three separate weeks of tasting in September, October
and December, with a few stragglers dispatched to my home office in the first
days of January. Appointments comprised the usual blend of château visits and
tastings at négociants and consultants. I tasted many of the top wines, the
Grand Cru Classés, on multiple occasions. At the time of writing, I am awaiting
samples from the Cercle de Rive Droite, which I will add forthwith, along with two additional shipments of samples.&nbsp;The
WinesRevisiting
the 2023 Bordeaux, the wines generally vindicated my original assessment, with
the inevitable recalcitrant that either surpassed or failed to meet my original
projections. It is a sporadically great vintage with virtues that will tickle
the fancy of those seeking more classically styled claret. It is not a
consistent vintage, for there are shortcomings that cannot be overlooked, but point
your wallet in the right direction and trust me, 2023 Bordeaux will tick a lot
of boxes. <img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1770822559191-mouton_Vinous.jpg">I
visited Mouton-Rothschild a couple of days after they revealed the label
for the 2023 vintage, by Portuguese artist Joana Vasconcelos. I
titled my primeur report “The Dalmatian Vintage” because spots of
astounding quality are scattered from Bordeaux’s head to toe.&nbsp;The caveats
I observed then have not miraculously vanished. Sometimes the wines are afflicted
by hard, rough-edged tannins and—perhaps even more so in bottle—dry finishes.
As I wrote at the time, the aromatics are often delightful, but sometimes they fail
to transfer onto the palate, raising and dashing hopes in one swig of the glass.
Some wines are occasionally beset by overripe fruit, possibly due to de-leafing
in July to improve air circulation, only to be caught out by the August
heatwaves. That is the gamble you take. Hindsight is a valuable thing. &nbsp;Sometimes finishes seem to just drift away so
that the wines lack grip: signs of over-cropping, or occasionally taking
infusion-like maceration too far and not obtaining sufficient body and density.
Too
many Bordeaux “experts” gloss over shortcomings. Not the done thing these days.
That does the region no favours, least of all to anyone reading reports written
through rose-tinted spectacles or by those prone to score inflation. I tasted some unequivocally
faulty wines deemed close to perfection elsewhere. I would love to see those
critics reassess the wines blind. With
that out of the way, let me state for the record, hand on heart: I have great
appreciation for the 2023 vintage. No, it does not quite belong within the
pantheon of unequivocal greats such as 2010, 2016 or 2022. But 2023 deserves to
be ensconced within the notional second tier. Many wines are blessed with
magnificent perfumes that are very seductive, intensely floral and pure. Crucially,
the 2023s are more classic in style than the 2022s: less opulent, stricter,
sometimes quite saline in style, all facets I appreciate. The 2023s rarely
achieve the snow-capped peaks of the previous vintage, but there is definitely
a stylishness to the best that will stand them in good stead for ageing. <img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1770822577503-ausone_Vinous.jpg">Constance
Vauthier guides me through the 2023s at Ausone. Initially,
I suspected that 2023 leaned towards a Left Bank vintage, though as my tasting
visits progressed, I found myself appreciating the Right Bank Saint-Émilion and
Pomerols, plus the top performers in satellite appellations. The likes of
Lafleur, Le Pin, Troplong Mondot and Cheval Blanc are unequivocally magnificent
and may well challenge the supremacy of their 2022 counterparts in the future.
The dry whites, as I mentioned in my en primeur report, are well worth investigating.
Check out the whites from Olivier, Domaine de Chevalier, Lune d’Or, Smith Haut
Lafitte, Les Champs Libres and Valandraud. I only tasted a dozen or so
Sauternes, though what I did encounter looks extremely promising, crowned by a
brilliant Suduiraut. (Readers should note that I will taste the 2023 Yquem in New York soon.) Below,
I present a dozen wines, not necessarily the highest scoring, but those that I
think represent sound value in today’s market…Bourgneuf
(Pomerol)Branaire
Ducru (Saint-Julien)Clos
Cantenac (Saint-Émilion)Clos
des Lunes – Lune d’Or (Bordeaux Blanc) German-Marbuzet
(Saint-Estèphe)Lamolière
(Fronsac)Château
des Laurets (Puisseguin Saint-Émilion)Poesia
(Saint-Émilion)La
Pointe (Pomerol)Soutard
(Saint-Émilion)La Tour
Figeac (Saint-Émilion)Trottevieilles
(Saint-Émilion)Final
ThoughtsRemember
when everything revolved around en primeur? It was a critical few days
that shaped a vintage’s reputation. It created stars. Its ripples were felt for
the rest of the year. It underpinned the region’s economy through the network
of distributors from château to consumer. Income generated from primeur sales
could subsidise less profitable but worthy regions and benefit winemakers
beyond Bordeaux. The
spotlight has partially shifted to the same wines in bottle because plenty still
seek homes. And why shouldn’t that be more important? Conjecture from
the finished product is less prone to deviation than that based on prenatal
scans. It begs the question whether a tepid reaction to wines at primeur
predicates a similar reaction in bottle, or whether it mirrors a shift in
buying habits, with consumers foregoing primeur and simply waiting for bottling
before deciding whether to open their wallets.The
2023 vintage is full of wonderful wines. The one vital question is: If quality
is no longer sufficient to entice consumers to buy, then what is? If you
could snap your fingers and the backlog of unsold stock suddenly vanished,
would that make a difference? I am certain that it would. As long as this wine
lake exists, it will act as a drag on subsequent primeur campaigns,
irrespective of quality. The 2023s will drink earlier than the richer and
denser 2022s, and the vintage does not deserve to be overlooked simply because
of these challenging times for the region. As the lyrics to Carly Simon’s
classic 1970s hit go…







































































































"I
know nothing stays the same But if you're willing to play the game t’s coming around again.”© 2026, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or redistributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism.<hr> You Might Also Enjoy<a target="_blank" href="https://vinous.com/articles/event-horizon-bordeaux-2024-primeur-may-2025">Event Horizon: Bordeaux 2024 Primeur</a>, Neal Martin, May 2025<a target="_blank" href="https://vinous.com/articles/2024-bordeaux-en-primeur-the-razors-edge-apr-2025">2024 Bordeaux En Primeur: The Razor’s Edge</a>, Antonio Galloni, April 2025 <a target="_blank" href="https://vinous.com/articles/a-place-beyond-praise-bordeaux-2022-feb-2025"></a><a target="_blank" href="https://vinous.com/articles/a-place-beyond-praise-bordeaux-2022-feb-2025">A Place Beyond Praise: Bordeaux 2022</a>, Neal Martin, February 2025<a target="_blank" href="https://vinous.com/articles/2022-bordeaux-in-bottle-living-in-the-present-jan-2025">2022 Bordeaux in Bottle: Living in the Present</a>, Antonio Galloni, January 2025<a target="_blank" href="https://vinous.com/articles/the-dalmatian-vintage-bordeaux-2023-apr-2024">The Dalmatian Vintage: Bordeaux 2023</a>, Neal Martin, April 2024<a target="_blank" href="https://vinous.com/articles/bordeaux-at-a-crossroads-2023-en-primeur-april-2024">Bordeaux at the Crossroads: 2023 En Primeur</a>, Antonio Galloni, April 2024

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