Continuing our coverage of 2023 St. Emilion with wines L-Z. For Pt. 1, with 2023 St. Emilion Wines A-K
2023 St. Emilion Tasting Notes Pt. 2, Wines L-Z
2023 L’Archange – St. Émilion – Flowers, cherries, chocolate, licorice, mint, spice, and espresso fill the nose, before you get to all of the delicious, fresh, and creamy red fruits topped with chocolate on the mid-palate, and in the finish. The wine is produced from 100% Merlot. This should be ready to go on release. Drink from 2027-2038. 92 Pts
2023 L’Eclat de Valentin – St. Émilion Grand Cru – Flowers, licorice, and chocolate, along with plums and cherries, create the nose. On the palate, the wine is medium-bodied, soft, fresh, round, polished, and fruity, with a charming black cherry finish. This is quite nice now, and with a year or two in the cellar, it will be even better. Drink from 2026-2037. 90 Pts
2023 La Clotte – St. Émilion Grand Cru – Smoky, with accents of espresso, flowers, licorice, cherries, and plums fill the aromatic profile. The palate is even better with its layers of soft, sweet, ripe, plums, cherries, chocolate, vanilla and just right amount of sea-salt that pops in at the end of the finish. You can enjoy this with just a year or two of aging. The wine blends 85% Merlot, with 15% Cabernet Franc. Drink from 2027-2042. 94 Pts
2023 La Commanderie – St. Émilion Grand Cru – Spearmint, flowers, and smoky red fruits in the nose mesh perfectly with the medium-bodied, forward, creamy, chocolate-coated, black cherry, licorice, and mint, finish. Drink from 2027-2037. 91 Pts
2023 La Confession – St. Émilion Grand Cru – Flowers, black raspberries, cherries, licorice, and plums shoot from the glass. Medium-bodied, soft, creamy, silky and fresh, the vibrant finish serves all the sweet berries you could ask for. The wine blends 70% Merlot, 27% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Malbec. Drink from 2027-2045. 94 Pts
2023 La Croizille – St. Émilion Grand Cru – Smoke, licorice, espresso, and black cherries fill the aromatic profile. Soft, fresh, and creamy, the wine leaves you with chocolate, plums, and a nice, mint and saline note in the finish. You can enjoy this young, or age it for more complexity. Drink from 2027-2040. 91 Pts
2023 La Dominique – St. Émilion Grand Cru – Sweet cherries and flowers in the perfume let you know everything you need to know that is going to be a nice wine. Elegant is the keyword here. The wine is medium-bodied, soft, refined, silky and fresh with a good sense of purity to the sweet red fruits on the palate and in the finish. Just a year or two in the bottle will add a lot to the experience. The wine blends 88% Merlot, with 12% Cabernet Franc. Drink from 2028-2045. 94 Pts
2023 La Dominique Relais de – St. Émilion Grand Cru – Bright, juicy, fresh, vibrant red berries with accents of mint, and espresso are already available here. This is quite nice for early drinking pleasure that you can enjoy while waiting for the Grand Vin to develop. Drink from 2027-2031. 87 Pts
2023 La Fleur Pourret – St. Émilion Grand Cru – The blend of flowers and cherries is perfect for the aromatic profile. On the palate, the wine is one of the fresh, elegant, medium-bodied side of the style range with its focus clearly set to the purity and refinement on the palate, and in the finish. The wine comes from the Family Manoncourt, which owns Chateau Figeac, and is made by the same team that produces Figeac. Drink from 2026-2032. 90 Pts
2023 La Gaffeliere – St. Émilion Grand Cru – Even better from the bottle than it showed in its barrel tastings, the aromatic profile pops with its floral bouquet of flowers, plums, cherries, cocoa, and licorice. On the palate, the wine is silky, soft, polished, and refined. There is elegance and purity here, with a strong dose of minerality that is apparent in the salted-chocolatey, finish along with its lingering cherries, and plums on the backend. Drink from 2027-2050. 96 Pts
2023 La Grace Dieu Haut Troquart – St. Émilion Grand Cru – Smoke, espresso, spearmint, and cherries form the core here. The palate is better with its soft, round approach paired with chocolate and cherries on the mid-palate, in the oaky finish. Perhaps a year of two of patience will allow the wine to better integrate. Drink 2027-2035. 88 Pts
2023 La Grace Dieu Les Menuts – St. Émilion Grand Cru – Chocolate, plums, espresso, and a touch of licorice kick off the wine. The palate is round, soft, and polished, with more of those cocoa and espresso notes, making this quite easy to enjoy on release, though it does show a strong oak component. Drink from 2026-2035. 89 Pts
2023 La Marzelle – St. Émilion Grand Cru – Espresso, licorice, chocolate, and dark cherries fill the nose. The palate is medium-bodied, soft, and fruity, with a nice touch of sea-salt on the backend of the finish that adds a lot to the experience. La Marzelle is a hot property that keeps getting better and still sells for a fair price. Drink from 2027-2039. 92 Pts
2023 La Mondotte – St. Émilion Grand Cru – The intensity in the aromatic profile allows you to enjoy all of its flowers, cherries, licorice, espresso, and spice tones with ease. The palate delivers a bright, fresh, vibrant profile packed with marine-influenced deep, red berries with their understated sense of elegance and energy. The wine blends 80% Merlot with 20% Cabernet Franc. Drink from 2029-2055. 97 Pts
2023 La Serre – St. Émilion Grand Cru – Black cherries, mint leaf, orange rind, licorice, and herbs produce an enticing aromatic profile. Medium-bodied, fresh, sweet, and fruity, with espresso, cherries, orange rind, and a refreshing touch of mint in the finish. You can enjoy this with ease on release, as well as age it for more complexity. Drink from 2026-2040. 92 Pts
2023 La Voute – St. Émilion Grand Cru – Chocolate, blackberries, licorice, and flowers form the perfume. On the palate, the wine is supple, creamy, and loaded with chocolate-covered cherries, licorice, and a touch of salt in the finish that was made in a forward style that will provide pleasure on release. Drink from 2026-2040. 92 Pts
2023 La-Fleur-Morange – St. Émilion Grand Cru – Flowers, espresso, smoke, black raspberries, and licorice create the perfume. On the palate, the wine is polished and fresh, with lift to the layers of sweet, red fruits. The wine blends 70% Merlot, (Some of which are 100% years of age) with 30% Cabernet Franc. Drink from 2028-2040. 94 Pts
2023 La-TourFigeac – St. Émilion Grand Cru – Flowers, licorice, smoke, cherries, plums, and a refreshing touch of mint are displayed in the perfume. Soft, silky, lush, sweet, and polished, this is ready for release and should remain viable for at least 12-15 more years. The wine blends 65% Merlot, with 35% Cabernet Franc. The wine shows much more character and depth than it did in barrel, which is always a good thing. Drink from 2027-2042. 95 Pts
2023 Lafon La Tuilerie – St. Émilion Grand Cru – Dark chocolate, black licorice, smoke, espresso, and assorted spices full the perfume. The wine is medium-bodied, bright, fresh, juicy, and forward, finishing with cocoa, black raspberries, and sweet, red plums. Produced from 100% Merlot, this will drink well young and age for at least a decade or more. Drink from 2026-2038. 91 Pts
2023 Laforge – St. Émilion Grand Cru – Initially you find espresso notes before moving on to the chocolate, licorice, black cherries, and raspberries. On the palate, the wine is lush, plush, and polished, with layers of sweet, juicy red pit fruits that develop in the glass. Give it a year, or two for the wine to better integrate with the oak, and should be even tastier. The wine blends 92% Merlot with 8% Cabernet Franc. Drink from 2027-2039. 91 Pts
2023 Laniote – St. Émilion Grand Cru – Flowers, licorice, espresso and cherries form the perfume. The palate is medium-bodied, crisp, soft, forward, and vibrant with a strawberry, raspberry and oaky note in the finish. Drink from 2027-2035. 90 Pts
2023 Larcis Ducasse – St. Émilion Grand Cru – Another 2023 that is showing much better in the bottle than it did in the barrel. The wine has gained weight and complexity, which is always a positive sign. The floral display in the nose kicks things off in the right way before you get to the marine-influences, and nuances of perfectly red with black pit fruits. Full-bodied, plush, round, concentrated, deep, mineral-driven, vibrant, and packed with fresh, lifted fruits, the finish is crisp, ripe, long, and vibrant. The wine is a blend of 86% Merlot and 14% Cabernet Franc. Drink from 2029-2055. 97 Pts
2023 Larcis Ducasse Murmure – St. Émilion Grand Cru – With just a hint of espresso coinciding with flowers and blackberries that form the character here in this medium-bodied, ready to go, soft, fruity wine. You can enjoy this on release with pleasure while waiting for its big sister to develop. Drink from 2026-2032. 91 Pts
2023 Larmande – St. Émilion Grand Cru – Flowers, high-toned, red fruits, spice, mint, and a touch of chocolate permeate the nose. The palate is round, creamy, fruity, and plush, with a stream of sweet, juicy, ripe, black raspberries, plums, and chocolate that steal the show. Drink from 2027-2040. 92 Pts
2023 Laroque – St. Émilion Grand Cru – Flowers, crushed rocks, chocolate, smoke, orange rind, and spice create the complex set of aromatics. The palate is equally complex with its layers of lush, polished, sweet, pure, red fruits with their edge of sea-salt. Concentrated, vibrant, and elegant, there is depth and a slightly racy character providing length and complexity on the mid-palate, and in the finish. The wine was made with 99% Merlot and 1% Cabernet Franc. Drink from 2028-2042. 96 Pts
2023 Laroque Les Tours de Laroque – St. Émilion Grand Cru – Sweet cherries, and flowers blend together in the perfume. Medium-bodied, soft, elegant, and fresh, there is ample refined, red fruits to carry the finish all the way through. Enjoy it over the next 7-8 years while waiting for its big brother to develop. Drink from 2026-2033. 90 Pts
2023 Laroze – St. Émilion Grand Cru – Mint, chocolate, espresso, smoke, and plum aromatics show effortlessly. Medium-bodied, with a fresh, sweet, vibrant core of red pit fruits that are on display in the soft, creamy finish. You can enjoy this with just a year or so of aging, and it will only get better after that. Drink from 2027-2039. 91 Pts
2023 Le Dome – St. Émilion Grand Cru – Flowers, citrus rind, licorice, sandalwood, smoke, black plums, and black cherries create the perfume. The vibrant, lifted palate offers its layers of salty black cherries, plums, and chocolate with ease. The backend is crisp and vivacious with a polished, racy backend. This is going to be even better with a few years of aging. The wine blends 80% Cabernet Franc with 20% Merlot. Drink from 2029-2052. 95 Pts
2023 Le Prieure – St. Émilion Grand Cru – The flowers and black raspberries in the nose easily grab your focus. On the palate, the wine is silky, vibrant, and fresh, with lift, energy, and waves of creamy raspberries, cherries, and spice to top things off. The wine is a blend of 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc. Drink from 2027-2045. 94 Pts
2023 Les Gravieres – St. Émilion Grand Cru – Flowers, smoke. licorice and espresso, with shaved chocolate already pops in the nose. On the palate, the wine is soft, fresh, round, and fruity, with a nice sweetness and background note of chocolate and minerality that shows up at the back of the finish. The wine is produced from 100% Merlot. Drink from 2027-2038. 91 Pts
2023 Leydet-Valentin – St. Émilion Grand Cru – Soft, supple, ripe, round, and polished, there is quite a bit of oak needing to better integrate here. The wine has promise and a lot of polish, but it needs a bit of time to better come together. The wine is a blend of 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc. Drink from 2027-2035. 91 Pts
2023 Lif – St. Émilion Grand Cru – Flowers combined with red fruits form the aromatic profile. On the palate, it is already easy to enjoy the wines’ display of vivid, pure, sweet, ripe red berries with their oceanic influences. There is good lift and energy here due to the wine’s purity, and refreshing, spicy endnotes. The wine blends 80% Merlot with 20% Cabernet Franc. Drink from 2028-2050. 95 Pts
2023 Louis – St. Émilion Grand Cru – Floral in nature, the wine quickly moves you to its cherry, strawberry, and raspberry, medium-bodied, minty, chocolate-oriented, soft, juicy, vibrant, fruity palate. The wine is a blend of 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc. Drink from 2028-2040. 91 Pts
2023 Lucia – St. Émilion Grand Cru – Smoke, espresso, cocoa, and black cherries create the core of the nose and palate here. The wine is creamy, round, lush, and polished. The finish displays chocolate mint, edged fruits, with a bit too much oak at the moment. So allow it a few years in the bottle for the oak to integrate. The wine is made from 90% Merlot, with 10% Cabernet Franc. Drink from 2028-2039. 92 Pts
2023 Lynsolence – St. Émilion Grand Cru – Licorice, chocolate, mint, and espresso pop in the perfume. The palate is round, juicy, and fruity, with a chalky edge and more of that sweet mint in the finish. 2023 is the first vintage produced without the previous owner, Denis Barraud, who passed after making the 22s. Drink from 2027-2040. 92 Pts
2023 Magnan la Gaffeliere – St. Émilion Grand Cru – Mint, cedar, tobacco, and Fa hint of cocoa ride along with the red fruits in the perfume. The palate is bright, clean, and fresh with salty chocolate notes that show up lightly at the end of the finish. The wine blends 75% Merlot with 25% Cabernet Franc. Drink from 2026-2036. 89 Pts
2023 Mangot – St. Émilion Grand Cru – Tobacco, chocolate-mint, espresso, and dark red berries with a nice touch of minerality open the wine in the nose and on the palate. The wine is fresh, lively, vibrant, and balanced, with strong note of spice, and crushed stone that comes in at the end of the finish. Give it just a year or two of aging, and enjoy it over the next 15 or more years with pleasure. The wine is produced from a blend of 65% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. Drink from 2027-2040. 93 Pts
2023 Mazerat – St. Émilion Grand Cru – Full-bodied, rich, and almost showy in style, coinciding with their new label and moniker. The wine pops with coconut, espresso, smoke, licorice, and black with red , fruits. The palate combines density with richness, which works for its vivid, spicy, salt-tinted fruits. The wine blends 90% Merlot with 10% Cabernet Franc. Drink from 2028-2045. 94 Pts
2023 Milens – St. Émilion Grand Cru – Candied cherries, and fresh raspberries with floral aromas dominate the perfume. The palate is even better with its touches of chocolate, spice, and mint to accompany all of those sweet, red, soft-textured fruits. This is going to drink great, right out of the gate. Drink from 2026-2036. 90 Pts
2023 Millery – St. Émilion Grand Cru – Flowers, black cherries, blackberries, spice and minty freshness offer their essence in the perfume. The medium-bodied palate is charming, soft, and polished with sweetness to the red pit fruits, and a refined, elegant finish that tastes and feels great. While already quite charming to enjoy, it promises to be even better with just a few years of age. This is a wine to look out for as it is owned and produced by the same team that owns and produces Chateau Figeac. Drink from 2027-2042. 92 Pts
2023 Moine Vieux – St. Émilion Grand Cru – Forward, soft, fruity, medium-bodied, fresh, red berry oriented wine with a lean to the raspberry and minty side of the style range, with a delicate touch of chocolate that pops in at the end of the finish. This will be delicious on release and for up to a decade after that. Drink from 2026-2035. 90 Pts
2023 Mondou – St. Émilion Grand Cru – Powerful, lush, round, fruit-forward, rich wine that comes in an over-sized bottle matching its big, boisterous character. Creamy, plush, and polished black cherries and licorice smothered in chocolate, topped with espresso beans is the name of the game here. At this stage, the wine displays a bit too much oak, so it is going to need time to integrate, allowing all the layers of ripe fruits to shine through. Drink from 2028-2040. 92 Pts
2023 Monlot – St. Émilion Grand Cru – Espresso, flowers, smoke, peppery spice, and cherries produced the core of this wine. Medium-bodied, concentrated, and fruity, but with a lot of oak that needs to better integrate. The finish is slightly drying, so give it time to soften. Drink from 2027-2037. 90 Pts
2023 Montlabert – St. Émilion Grand Cru – It is impossible not to want to dig into all the red cherries, black raspberries, licorice, and plums on the palate here. They are soft, refined, and elegant, with a refreshing minty edge in the finish. The wine blends 75% Merlot, with 25% Cabernet Franc. Drink from 2027-2038. 93 Pts
2023 Montlabert La Croix – St. Émilion Grand Cru – Medium-bodied, sweet, ripe, juicy, and fresh with a core of sweet black cherries, hints of chocolate, and a touch of mint on the palate and in the finish. You can enjoy this on release with pleasure, and over the next few years, while waiting for the Grand Vin to develop. The wine is a parcel selection that blends 85% Merlot, with 15% Cabernet Franc. Drink from 2026-2034. 89 Pts
2023 Moulin Saint Georges – St. Émilion Grand Cru – With just a hint of espresso mingling with the flowers, black raspberries, and plums in the fragrance, the wine gets off to a good start. From there, it is the layers of soft, elegant, sweet, silky fruit that grab and maintain your attention. 85% percent Merlot, with 15% Cabernet Franc create the blend. Drink from 2027-2042. 94 Pts
2023 Palais Cardinal – St. Émilion Grand Cru – While it is a bit light in weight, the sweet, cherries are so clean and pure with an elegant character, it is impossible not to be seduced by its sweet, easy-to-like, and easy-to-drink charms. This will be gorgeous on release. Drink from 2026-2036. 90 Pts
2023 Pavie Macquin – St. Émilion Grand Cru – With little effort you find an array of flowers, licorice, tobacco, and red fruits, and black plums in the perfume. The palate is edgy, fresh, and with a depth of flavor, which is perfect for the lush, vibrant waves of salt-edged, sweet, pure fruits that fill your palate as it lingers. This is a very strong effort that will evolve without effort for 2 or more decades, yet have the ability to drink well with just a few years of bottle age. The wine blends 82% Merlot, 17% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Cabernet Sauvignon. Drink from 2029-2055. 98 Pts
2023 Pavie Macquin Les Chenes de Macquin – St. Émilion Grand Cru – Forward, fruity, and already fun to imbibe, the wine is ready to go on release with its open, sweet, red-fruited style. Drink from 2026-2032. 90 Pts
2023 Peby Faugeres – St. Émilion Grand Cru – The perfume is packed to the gills with flowers, licorice, crushed rocks, chocolate, and black cherries. The wine is concentrated, lush, creamy, polished, deep, and yet, with all that going on, it is equally vibrant, fresh, and long, with a touch of mint in the chalky endnote. The reduction in the amount of new oak used for the aging has really improved the style of wine being made here. The wine is produced from 100% old vine Merlot. Drink from 2029-2050. 95 Pts
2023 Peby Faugeres Le Merle de – St. Émilion Grand Cru – Flowers and cherries fill the core of this medium-bodied, soft, forward, fresh, creamy wine that is perfect for early-drinking pleasure while waiting for their top wines to develop. Drink from 2026-2033. 91 Pts
2023 Petit Faurie deSoutard – St. Émilion Grand Cru – Smoke, licorice, chocolate, black cherries, and plums already pop with ease in the nose. The wine is round, sweet, and fruity, with lift and energy, along with a vibrant hit of spice on the backend of the creamy finish. This will be delicious, just about on release. Drink from 2027-2040. 92 Pts
2023 Peymouton – St. Émilion Grand Cru – Flowers, spices, black cherries, licorice, and mint pack the perfume. On the palate, the wine is medium-bodied, sweet, fresh, vibrant, and slightly chewy in the finish. The wine blends 89% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Cabernet Sauvignon. Drink from 2026-2037. 90 Pts
2023 Poesia – St. Émilion Grand Cru – Just about equal, but different stylistically from Barde Haut, here you find a vivid display of flowers, oceanic nuances, espresso, mint, chocolate, and red fruits in the nose. The palate has great energy, supple, salt-crusted fruits that display purity and elegance. The wine is showing much better in the bottle than it did from barrel, which is always a good sign. This could be the best vintage of Poesia I have ever tasted! The wine blends 70% Merlot with 30% Cabernet Franc. Drink from 2027-2047. 96 Pts
2023 Pressac – St. Émilion Grand Cru – Licorice, black cherries, flowers, cherries, and black raspberries fill the perfume. Medium-bodied, elegant, fresh, and clean, with layers of juicy, plums, cherries and spice in the energetic, salt-tinted, finish. Drink from 2027-2043. 93 Pts
2023 Ripeau – St. Émilion Grand Cru – Flowers, chocolate, licorice, espresso, smoke, and sweet cherries show in the nose, and on the plush, round, polished, fruit-filled palate. The wine is soft, forward, and even though it is already delicious, it should get better with another year or two in the bottle. The wine blends 65% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. Drink from 2027-2040. 92 Pts
2023 Rochebelle – St. Émilion Grand Cru – Black cherries, tobacco, flowers, and licorice show effortlessly in the nose. The medium-bodied palate is lifted, vibrant, fresh, silky, clean, and pure, with lift, and good energy in the sweet, red pit fruit finish. Drink from 2027-2040. 92 Pts
2023 Rol Valentin – St. Émilion Grand Cru – Licorice, espresso, spices, and smoky wood crowd into the perfume. On the palate, the wine is medium-bodied, soft, creamy, and fresh, with sweetness to the fruits, lift, and energy on the backend. The wine blends 85% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Malbec. Drink from 2027-2039. 92 Pts
2023 Roylland – St. Émilion Grand Cru – Flowers, mint and fresh red berries define the perfume. The palate comes through with sweet, bright raspberries, plums, and cherries with a delicious creamy finish. Give it just a year or two in the bottle, and it is going to be even better! This little known St. Emilion deserves more attention. Drink from 2027-2040. 93 Pts
2023 Saint Pey – St. Émilion Grand Cru – Medium-bodied with the essence of chocolate, licorice, and smoke before you delve into all of the round, soft, sweet, ripe cherries at its core and in the finish. Drink from 2026-2034. 90 Pts
2023 Saint-Georges-Cote-Pavie – St. Émilion Grand Cru – Touches of cocoa, herbs, flowers, and sweet cherries fill the perfume. The palate is equal to the nose with its medium-bodied, vivid red pit fruits and fresh, clean strawberry character. It needs a year or two in the bottle before really coming on strong. The wine blends 80% Merlot, with 20% Cabernet Franc. Drink from 2027-2040. 93 Pts
2023 Saintayme – St. Émilion Grand Cru – Quite oaky in the nose, and on the palate, so it needs time to better come together so you can enjoy all of its sweet, red fruits, flowers and supple, round textures, this will be ready-to-go on release and age for about a decade after that. The wine is produced from 100% Merlot. Drink from 2026-2037. 90 Pts
2023 Sanctus – St. Émilion Grand Cru – Flowers, chocolate, black cherries, and licorice are front and center in the perfume. The palate is round, fruity, lifted, and fresh, with a sweetness and salty accent adding complexity to the wine. Drink from 2027-2040. 92 Pts
2023 Sansonnet – St. Émilion Grand Cru – Lush, opulent, deep, dark, and rich, there is also ample freshness here, exacerbated by nuances of dark red, with black pit fruits, licorice, smoke, espresso and chocolate. The long, intense, polished finish is complicated with its salty, crushed-rock accents. There is serious length, and depth here. The change in the in barrel aging program has allowed for more freshness, elegance, and purity to express itself in the wine. I would like to see even more of it in future vintages. The wine blends 87% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. Drink from 2028-2045. 95 Pts
2023 Simard – St. Émilion – Spice, smoke, espresso, cherries and cocoa notes fill the perfume. The wine is forward, medium-bodied, round, and creamy, leaving you with loads of sweet, energetic, lightly spiced red fruits from start to finish. You can enjoy this now, or age it for a few years. The wine blends 55% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc, 15% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot. Drink from 2027-2037. 91 Pts
2023 Soutard – St. Émilion Grand Cru – Chocolate, cherries, licorice, espresso and mint define the core of this wine. On the palate, the wine is supple, juicy, fresh, creamy, vibrant, and long, with an elegant, juicy, fruit and mineral packed finish. Give it just a year or two in the bottle and it is going to be even better. Drink from 2027-2047. 94 Pts
2023 SoutardCadet – St. Émilion Grand Cru – Blackberries, blue fruits, licorice, chocolate, smoke, and espresso fill the perfume. The palate is lush, rich, polished, and packed with creamy, chocolate-infused plums and black cherries, culminating in a full-bodied finish with a burst of black pit fruits, polished tannins, mint, dark cocoa, and espresso. The wine blends 90% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Petit Verdot. Drink from 2027-2042. 94 Pts
2023 Tauzinat L’Hermitage – St. Émilion Grand Cru – Smoke, espresso, flowers, and red fruits define the core of this medium-bodied, bright, fresh, vibrant, red berry and crisp, red pit fruit wine,, with its spicy minty endnote. You can enjoy this on release and for at least a decade after that. Drink from 2026-2035. 89 Pts
2023 Teyssier – St. Émilion Grand Cru – Fresh, and fruity, this medium-bodied, forward, fresh, vibrant wine is loaded with ripe, red fruits made even better with a sprig of mint that comes in at the end of the finish. The wine blends 80% Merlot with 20% Cabernet Franc. Drink from 2026-2035. 90 Pts
2023 Tour Baladoz – St. Émilion Grand Cru – Initially you find chocolate covered, black cherries, flowers, licorice, espresso, and a hint of mint in the perfume. Medium-bodied, vibrant, soft, and juicy, the lively finish shows off its sweet, spicy, black raspberries with ease. Drink from 2026-2038. 90 Pts
2023 Tour Saint Christophe – St. Émilion Grand Cru – Espresso, flowers, black raspberries, licorice, smoke, and plums pack the perfume. The lively, rich palate delivers layers of salt-tinted, sweet, ripe, vibrant red, with black fruits perfectly poised between its energetic and soft, polished sides, along with a minerality. The wine is made from blending 80% Merlot with 20% Cabernet Franc. Drink from 2028-2048. 94 Pts
2023 Tour de Capet – St. Émilion Grand Cru – An interesting wine with 20% Malbec included in the blend, initially, you find aromas of flowers, spice, and a hint of chalk. Medium-bodied with fresh, meaty red berries from start to finish. The wine is produced from 80% Merlot, and 20% Malbec. Drink from 2027-2037. 89 Pts
2023 Trapaud – St. Émilion Grand Cru – Assorted green herbs, flowers, and red fruits pop from the blend of 60% Cabernet Franc with 40% Merlot. Medium-bodied, soft, and approachable, the wine will be delicious upon release and for at least a decade thereafter. Drink from 2026-2036. 90 Pts
2023 Trianon – St. Émilion Grand Cru – Flowers, herbs, licorice, espresso, and red fruits pop in the nose. On the palate, the wine is medium-bodied, with a core of sweet, ripe, slightly light raspberries and cherries with a soft, refined finish. This will deliver pleasure on release. Drink from 2026-2038. 90 Pts
2023 Troplong Mondot – St. Émilion Grand Cru – Flowers coalesce with its blend of red and black fruits, Indian spices, tobacco leaf, and herbs. The palate shows vibrant red fruits, greenery, crushed stones, and spice, finishing with creamy tannins, vibrancy, and refinement. This is a slightly discreet vintage, which will benefit from a few additional years of bottle aging. The wine blends 84% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 3% Cabernet Franc. Drink from 2029-2055. 97 Pts
2023 Trotte Vieille – St. Émilion Grand Cru – Flowers, black cherries, blackberries, espresso and licorice permeate the aromatic profile. On the palate, the wine is plush, opulent, soft, creamy, and fresh, with sweetness, lift, and energy that you can taste and feel from start to finish. Give it just a year or two in the bottle and it will be even better! The wine blends 53% Cabernet Franc, 44% Merlot, and 3% Cabernet Sauvignon. Drink from 2028-2050. 95 Pts
2023 Valandraud – St. Émilion Grand Cru – Chocolate, espresso, perfectly ripe, deep, dark, plums, and black cherry aromatics are all over the place. On the palate, the wine is rich, opulent, intense, deep, long, and palate-staining. It is also equally vibrant, fresh, lush, creamy, and long, leaving you with multiple-layers of ripe, sweet, fruits, salty chocolate, and espresso from start to finish. Blending 84% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc, and 8% Cabernet Sauvignon. Drink from 2029-2055. 97 Pts
2023 Valandraud Virginie de Valandraud – St. Émilion Grand Cru – Soft, supple, refined, and creamy, this elegant, junior version of Valandraud delivers the goods. The wine is already serving up its wealth of fresh, ripe, and sweet red fruits that are accompanied by a refreshing sprig of mint in the endnote. Drink from 2027-2042. 93 Pts
2023 YonFigeac – St. Émilion Grand Cru – Espresso, smoke, cocoa, and strawberries work together to produce the nose and the medium-bodied, crisp, bright red berry-focused palate. Drink from 2026-2036. 89-91 Pts. 90 Pts
Up next, we continue our look at 2023 Bordeaux from the Right Bank with 2023 Cotes de Bordeaux, Fronsac, St. Emilion Satellite Appellations and in case you missed it, 2023 St. Emilion Pt. 1 Wines A-K
