Best Margaux 2023 wines tasted en primeur
The 2023 vintage across the Margaux appellation presented challenges for many estates including localised storms and summer heatwaves. Read the appellation over and see the top-scoring wines.
All Bordeaux 2023 coverage:
Verdict & top-scoring wines | How the weather conditions shaped the vintage | Decoding the yields | Wine styles: what to expect
St-Estèphe | St-Julien | Pauillac | Pessac-Léognan | St-Emilion | Pomerol | Haut-Médoc | Dry whites | Top value | Sauternes & Barsac
Margaux 2023: Challenging conditions but with some standout wines
Average yield: 37.7hl/ha
Variance from 2022: +20%
Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for the top Margaux en primeur 2023 wines
Vintage overview
Margaux had excellent flowering that led to high yields. These were not as high as further north in the Médoc, given both mildew pressure and the degree to which late summer heatwaves affected the hotter, more gravel-dominant soils in the appellation.
At Château Margaux, estate director Philippe Bascaules said that 10% of the harvest was lost due to sunburnt grapes, with the heat so unbearable some days in late August that harvesters had to stop working at 10am.
As for the mildew pressure, Château Rauzan-Ségla director Nicolas Audebert, who also directs winemaking for Château Canon in St-Emilion, drew a comparison between the two, as it proved more demanding to treat vines in the more spread out Margaux estate as opposed to the smaller and contiguous vineyard around Château Canon.
Those estates with crews ready for hard weekend work to treat vines throughout rather large Médoc estates best handled the pressure, and Château Rauzan-Ségla is one of the top wines of the appellation.
The grand vin had one of the highest-ever proportions of Cabernet, with 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, but managed to elicit gorgeous floral aspects and quite refined tannin to best exemplify the appellation. Quality also depended on the extent to which estates were able to remove grapes unfit for the wines, with much talk of sorting, sorting – and more sorting.
As in other parts of the Médoc, lacking Merlot affected some wines, leaving an impression of somewhat stricter-than-usual tannins. Nevertheless, a handful of châteaux rose above the vintage, such as Château Angludet and Château Brane Cantenac.
Most especially, the superlative Château Palmer with plenty of excellent Merlot exhibited rare opulence, which proved more balanced and refined compared to the 2022 Palmer.
Estates with cooler microclimates such as Château Du Tertre, near a forest, or Château Giscours, with deep clay in parts of its vineyard, also crafted wines with pleasing mid-palate juiciness.
See the top-scoring Margaux en primeur 2023 wines
Search all 500+ Bordeaux 2023 en primeur ratings published
Related articles
- Bordeaux 2023: Our en primeur verdict and top-scoring wines
- Bordeaux 2023: What to expect from the wines stylistically
- Bordeaux 2023 market analysis: Lafite Rothschild released
Château Margaux, Margaux, 1er Cru Classé, Bordeaux, France, 2023
Quite a herbal nose, full of blackcurrant leaf and bramble fruit, dark chocolate, violets - subtle, not shouting, but interesting. Round and ripe, a nice...
2023
Château MargauxMargaux
Château Palmer, Margaux, 3ème Cru Classé, Bordeaux, France, 2023
What a Palmer in 2023! Crazy aromatics, full and bright, packed with intense scents of pink and purple flowers, damson fruit - clearly ripe no...
2023
Château PalmerMargaux
Château Rauzan-Ségla, Margaux, 2ème Cru Classé, Bordeaux, France, 2023
Blue fruits, wax crayon on the nose, some soft floral notes, a little quiet aromatically. Intense and forward, this is bright and focussed, a little...
2023
Château Rauzan-SéglaMargaux
Château Brane-Cantenac, Margaux, 2ème Cru Classé, Bordeaux, France, 2023
Very aromatic, gorgeous florality on the nose, so inviting and welcoming. Really open and generous - roses, violets, peonies, red cherries and strawberries. Supple and...
2023
Château Brane-CantenacMargaux
Château Angludet, Margaux, Bordeaux, France, 2023
A brilliant Angludet in 2023. Fresh aromas, smells clean and lively, blue fruit, minty aspects. Soft floral perfumed accent also, very Margaux. Soft and smooth,...
2023
Château AngludetMargaux
Château Durfort-Vivens, Margaux, 2ème Cru Classé, Bordeaux, France, 2023
Deep dark nose, vibrant and rich, gorgeous floral scents with dark chocolate, plum, black cherry and blackcurrant. Good vibrancy and energy to this. A little...
2023
Château Durfort-VivensMargaux
Château d'Issan, Margaux, 3ème Cru Classé, Bordeaux, France, 2023
Lovely fragrance, dried rose petals and raspberry fruit. Really scented and aromatic - quite inviting. Rich and juicy, a lovely weight with some chew to...
2023
Château d'IssanMargaux
Château Giscours, Margaux, 3ème Cru Classé, Bordeaux, France, 2023
Some clear Cabernet notes on the nose, herbal elements, blackcurrant leaf and cranberry fruit. Smells ripe and cool with gorgeous milk chocolate elements. Energy is...
2023
Château GiscoursMargaux
Château Malescot St Exupéry, Margaux, 3ème Cru Classé, Bordeaux, France, 2023
Here we have a wine that succeeds with aromatic refinement, including white flower, crushed herbs, blackberry, plum, cassis and raspberry with hints of fine dark...
2023
Château Malescot St ExupéryMargaux
Château Cantenac Brown, Margaux, 3ème Cru Classé, Bordeaux, France, 2023
Subtle floral aromatics which made me write - on both occasions that I tasted this 'pretty wine'. When you think of Margaux, you wants floral...
2023
Château Cantenac BrownMargaux
Château Lascombes, Margaux, 2ème Cru Classé, Bordeaux, France, 2023
Now under the guidance of ex-Ornellaia winemaker Axel Heinz and an impressive debut vintage. Dark scents on the nose, blackcurrants and black cherries with some...
2023
Château LascombesMargaux
Château Prieuré-Lichine, Margaux, 4ème Cru Classé, Bordeaux, France, 2023
Round and juicy, clean and clear, nice sense of bounce and persistence to this. Sleek and straight, a mineral firm core. Great length, really excellent...
2023
Château Prieuré-LichineMargaux
Château Marquis d'Alesme, Margaux, 3ème Cru Classé, Bordeaux, France, 2023
Beautiful fragrance, roses, strawberries, milk chocolate, freshly cut mint leaves with blueberries too. Smells cool and full of life. Super tart and high acidity, searing...
2023
Château Marquis d'AlesmeMargaux
Château Marquis de Terme, Margaux, 4ème Cru Classé, Bordeaux, France, 2023
Dark blackcurrants and black cherries on the nose. Smooth and succulent, juicy and really quite bright and focussed. Clean and pure, there’s good grip but...
2023
Château Marquis de TermeMargaux
Château Rauzan-Ségla, Segla, Margaux, Bordeaux, France, 2023
Gorgeous aromatics, purple flowers and deep, ripe and fresh blackcurrants and cherries. Gorgeous crispness and crunch - full of life - but with powdery softly...
2023
Château Rauzan-SéglaMargaux
Château Margaux, Pavillon Rouge, Margaux, Bordeaux, France, 2023
Subtle aromatics, dried flowers, pot pourri, rose, blackcurrant and raspberry. Deep purple colour to the rim, vibrant but intense, some graphite and herbal Cabernet notes...
2023
Château MargauxMargaux
Château Palmer, Alter Ego, Margaux, Bordeaux, France, 2023
Gorgeous nose, so full, voluptuous, intensely aromatic, violets, blackcurrants, damsons, cherries, plums, tobacco and liquorice and cedar spice. Deep pink purple rim too. Nice weight...
2023
Château PalmerMargaux
Château Giscours, Sirène de Giscours, Margaux, Bordeaux, France, 2023
Lovely floral elements on the nose. Raspberries, red cherries and some plum notes with touches of rose. Smooth and supple, a good energy and movement....
2023
Château GiscoursMargaux
Château Labégorce, Margaux, Bordeaux, France, 2023
Great aromatics, herbal raspberry leaf, plums and red cherries. Smooth and supple, nice tension and vibrancy to this, lovely juiciness but not too overt acidity...
2023
Château LabégorceMargaux
