While 2023 is not the same for everyone in the Haut Medoc, there are some fabulous value wines for buyers seeking Left Bank Bordeaux without a big price tag attached. We have tips on the best wines in this guide.
2023 St. Julien offers everything you should like in the appellation. Lower in alcohol than in previous vintages, with freshness, elegance, complexity, and charm, there is a beautiful character this year that make these wines stand out in a crowd. Plus, even the top wines are going to drink well with minimal aging this year.
2023 Pauillac wines are exciting! They deliver the best definition of a modern classic with lower alcohol, more freshness, refinement, and energy, along with refined, stately-textures. These are concentrated, tannic, age-worth wines that Pauillac fans should have in their cellars. As good as these wines are, my guess is most will score at the top of the range and a few could even earn higher scores after aging, when bottled.
At the top, there are sublime wines from the Saint Estephe appellation. They offer everything you could ask for, character, complexity, power, elegance, and the ability to age, and evolve for decades with ease.
Margaux 2023 could be the appellation of the vintage. With a bit less rain than the vineyards to the north, and slightly warmer temperatures, wines from the Margaux appellation are simply sublime! They offer the trademark floral aromatics with elegant, finesse-styled textures, and purity. There are some truly do not miss wines here in 2023!
2023 Pessac Leognan has a lot to fans of the appellation. The reds have concentration, character, lift, and energetic, silky textures. The white wines offer freshness, energy, sweetness, and purity. Lower in alcohol than in previous years, there are several wines worth seeking out this year.
White Bordeaux wine needs cooler vintages than the red wines to preserve their freshness and vivacious, sweet fruits. That is what makes 2023 Bordeaux Blanc interesting, as the wines offer those unique characteristics. Plus, more producers are experimenting with non-traditional Bordeaux grapes, making some fun, and tasty new white wine blends!