Cru Bourgeois 2023: Value stars to seek out in the Médoc

Producer

Appellation

Socre

Tasting note

Château Beaumont

Haut-Médoc (Cru Bourgeois Supérieur)

90

Upfront and lively with bright blue fruit acidity and a cooling minty, wet stone aspect that gives some powdery chalkiness on the finish. Straight and well defined, a nice balance between tannins and energy. Unfussy and easy although still with quite a lot of liquorice, tobacco and clove spice. One to have with food to consume some of the tannins.

Château Biston-Brillette

Moulis-en-Médoc (Cru Bourgeois Supérieur)

90

Smooth and easy-going, this has a cool blue fruit core with plenty of liquorice and slate touches giving freshness and minerality. It has a soft juiciness and nicely integrated tannins. Not super complex, but well defined with a long-lasting finish.

Château Coutelin-Merville

St-Estèphe (Cru Bourgeois)

90

A touch of earth chocolate starts the expression here with some blackcurrant and plum fruit. It has a nice cool vein running through but not so much energy and lift at this point. It’s more serious and knitted down but I like the complexity and structure with a lovely soft chewy texture. Well made and will likely be very enjoyable in a year or two.

Château Croix du Trale

Haut-Médoc (Cru Bourgeois)

90

Fleshy and round in the mouth with quite a dark fruit and toasted edge that is at the fore right now. Lovely tannins but there’s some residual oak that needs to integrate more on the finish. Cooling acidity and nice freshness throughout. Quite a powerful wine for 2023.

Château d'Arcins

Haut-Médoc (Cru Bourgeois)

90

Juicy acidity meets quite present tannins here creating a bit of a battle between fun and seriousness. I like the structure, it’s not at all lean and it’s not too dry either so when this harmonises more it’ll be very enjoyable. Well made with a refined edge.

Château de Bensse

Médoc (Cru Bourgeois)

90

Certainly cool and fresh with blue and black fruit but feels a little tense and a bit shy right now. Tannins are nice but this is missing a little more zing. I think the oak is dominating a lot of the expression but this should resolve nicely. There’s purity and no dryness, just a feeling that the fruit is muted.

Château de Panigon

Médoc (Cru Bourgeois)

90

Juicy and clean, still quite tannic, they’re fleshy and at the fore but this is also lifted and really quite cool. Feels modern. Characterful and lots of energy despite the clear heft on show it doesn’t feel too dry or overworked. Just needs to settle.

Château Deyrem Valentin

Margaux (Cru Bourgeois Supérieur)

90

Tangy fruit and acidity meets creamy tannins and a chalky undertone. There’s brightness and energy with present tannins. Needs a bit more time to settle but this has some flesh and texture which is enjoyable.

Château du Cartillon

Haut-Médoc (Cru Bourgeois Supérieur)

90

Fleshy and ripe, this has a good forward motion and plenty of punchy flavours including rich strawberry. Turns a little chalky towards the finish just becoming a bit more tight and serious but this will soften. Not bad. Plenty to get stuck into here. Cool blueberries and liquorice accents.

Château Fleur La Mothe

Médoc (Cru Bourgeois Supérieur)

90

Easy and accessible, this has gentle, well-integrated tannins with clean fruit and overall freshness. It’s balanced with enough structure to be enjoyable without being forced. Nice acidity keeps things lifted; just an unfussy, smooth and harmonious expression with everything in place. Approachable now.

Château Haut-Madrac

Haut-Médoc (Cru Bourgeois)

90

Chewy tannins with some strawberry juice aspects, turns a little dry and toasted from the mid palate onwards becoming a little more savoury and less fruity and lively. Still, this has the hallmarks of a classic wine in the making.

Château La Chandellière

Médoc (Cru Bourgeois)

90

Fruity and upfront, this has a nice bounce to it while being full of black cherry fruit and soft liquorice accents. There’s a touch of clove and bitter chocolate spice on the finish which just detracts from the friendly start but this has a nice restrained expression still with some flesh and chew.

Château La Clare

Médoc (Cru Bourgeois)

90

A little shy on the palate, some blackcurrant and cherry fruit with cool, fresh minty aspects that keep this refreshing. Not overworked, or trying too hard, this has a nice friendly aspect with lots of liquorice and graphite giving the minerality. Cool, classic and likeable.

Château La Fon du Berger

Haut-Médoc (Cru Bourgeois)

90

Fleshy and ripe with a juicy, almost sweet strawberry edge to the blackcurrant fruit. Touches of liquorice and chocolate dot the palate giving some nuance with a lively undercurrent giving lift. Lots going on here, not yet fully harmonious but there’s potential. Nice cool, salty finish. Nothing harsh here.

Château Lamothe Bergeron

Haut-Médoc (Cru Bourgeois Supérieur)

90

Chewy and round with plenty of fleshy blackcurrant and black cherry fruit and cooling acidity. This feels well made, on the plumper side for the vintage which I really like but without straying into the dry category. Lots to enjoy here. Refined, supple and straightforward. Unfussy and yummy.

Château Larose Perganson

Haut-Médoc (Cru Bourgeois Supérieur)

90

Smooth and silky, this has a lovely texture with fruit and acidity at the fore and tannins that slowly build to give texture and weight after a few minutes. Raspberry and red cherry with a dusting of cedar and sweet spices. Good quality.

Château Larose-Trintaudon

Haut-Médoc (Cru Bourgeois Supérieur)

90

Supple and lively, a really appealing floral vein runs through this with red cherry and strawberry juice. Unfussy, smooth, some Cabernet mint and tobacco elements with a wet stone, flinty finish. Lively, fun and easy to drink.

Château Laujac

Médoc (Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel)

90

Juicy strawberry and creamy cherry fruit with a cool, mint undertone. Clean and clear, not super complex, but really well delivered with a sense of classicism. I love the precise cherry element with a clean, wet stone mineral finish. Still needs a bit of time but this is unfussy and will be approachable and enjoyable young.

Château Lestruelle

Médoc (Cru Bourgeois)

90

Lively acidity makes the first mark, giving this lift and tang with cooling blue fruit and fine tannins. Feels refined and straight, not too much or too little, good persistence and a long slate-edged finish. Already approachable, not super complex, but enjoyable and one to have with food.

Château Magnol

Haut-Médoc (Cru Bourgeois)

90

Nice Cabernet touches on the nose and palate with just-grippy tannins, juicy red berry fruit and a chalky, mineral finish. Not as concentrated as some but acidity is well balanced giving lift. This is well built for easy enjoyment.

Château Mongravey

Margaux (Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel)

90

Lots of bright, almost searing acidity sets the tone here with cherry, strawberry and some cranberry crispness. I like the juiciness although this is also straightforward and direct with a well-made feeling. Easy to like this. Purity of fruit, fine tannins and long length. Good quality.

Château Paloumey

Haut-Médoc (Cru Bourgeois Supérieur)

90

Floral and perfumed blackcurrant fruit on the palate, this has a tiny hint of evocatism, ripe but still really quite cool and focused with fine tannins and a softly chalky finish. I like this, it’s not trying too hard. Easy to like.

Château Patache d'Aux

Médoc (Cru Bourgeois)

90

Juicy and filling in the mouth, a nice zing of strawberry and cranberry acidity with quite pronounced minerality in the form of wet stone and slate-edged, salty tannins. More straight than fleshy, this is well proportioned with energy and a sense of restraint. Touches of liquorice, black chocolate and toast on the finish.

Château Peyrabon

Haut-Médoc (Cru Bourgeois Supérieur)

90

Tangy but stays the right side of sharp. A little herbal and savoury on the palate with some dryness and toasted aspects. Ends slightly salty with coffee, tobacco and liquorice. There is some juiciness and chew but it’s cool, quite serious.

Château Plantey

Pauillac (Cru Bourgeois)

90

Smooth and almost seductive for this vintage with dark bramble blackcurrant and cherry fruit. Still lashings of oak on here with tobacco, clove, liquorice, tar and some cigar smoke as well as a hint of dry, chalkiness on the finish. Feels like when it comes around it’ll be delicious. Softly chewy, cool acidity and pristine fruit but the oak is doing all the talking right now.

Château Puy Castera

Haut-Médoc (Cru Bourgeois)

90

Lovely cherry fruit here: red, blue and black, something so clean and precise about the fruit profile that is lovely while the cooling acidity keeps the freshness all the way through. Relatively straightforward but really well made. Great clarity. Nicely approachable with a really crisp ending. Nice to drink now.

Château Reysson

Haut-Médoc (Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel)

90

Fun and lively, great, juicy blackcurrant and cherry appeal here. Sleek and shiny, tannins come in on the mid-palate showing the structure and lingering through to a long finish. Still a touch knitted down but this has lovely purity and focus with such balancing acidity. Given time this will be lovely.

Château Saint-Christophe

Médoc (Cru Bourgeois)

90

This has juicy blueberries but together a more creamy and calm expression that is smooth and sleek. It has cool freshness but isn’t shouting much right now. Feels well made but just a little shy. It’ll come around. Nice tannin integration and good persistence.

Château Saint-Hilaire

Médoc (Cru Bourgeois Supérieur)

90

Crunchy blueberries and softly chalky cherries combine here with fine tannins and a lovely overall smooth texture. Feels complete if not super complex, but well delivered with precision and refinement. Good to approach this now.