Brane Cantenac, bordeaux 2023
Credit: Decanter
(Image credit: Decanter)

Brane-Cantenac 2023 joined the roster of Bordeaux 2023 en primeur releases on Wednesday afternoon (22 May), with other châteaux emerging onto the campaign stage on Thursday morning (23 May).

Four latest releases:

  • Brane-Cantenac 2023: 96pts (Decanter) | €44.50 per bottle ex-négociant, down 25.8% versus 2022 | UK price £534 per 12x75cl in bond (IB)
  • La Gaffelière | 95pts | €44.50 per bottle, down 20.5% | UK price £540 (12x75cl IB)
  • Grand-Puy-Lacoste 2023 | 95pts | €45.60 per bottle, down 22.4% | UK price £546 (12x75cl IB).
  • Lagrange 2023 | 95pts | €31.20 per bottle, down 21.1% | UK price £372 (12x75cl IB).
    Price data source: Liv-ex

Prices have continued to drop year-on-year, albeit the 2022 vintage was relatively expensive on release at some estates.

The latest releases emerge as Decanter publishes more than 550 tasting notes and ratings for a wide range of Bordeaux 2023 wines at all price-points.

All were tasted by Georgie Hindle and Panos Kakaviatos as part of this year’s comprehensive en primeur coverage, which has already seen the early publication of top-scoring Bordeaux 2023 wines.

See Decanter’s full verdict on the Bordeaux 2023 vintage, plus ratings and tasting notes on the top-scoring wines

Brane-Cantenac 2023

Decanter’s Bordeaux correspondent, Georgie Hindle, rated Brane-Cantenac 2023 at 96 points, equal to the in-bottle score for the estate’s 2019 vintage.

‘It’s a little less plush than Brane is normally…but there’s great potential here,’ said Hindle of the 2023 en primeur wine, also praising its ‘gorgeous florality on the nose’. 

Hindle rated Brane-Cantenac 2022 at 98 points last year, although the 2023 en primeur wine comes at a significant discount to the debut price of its immediate predecessor. This compares to 97 points for Brane-Cantenac 2020 in-bottle, tasted in January 2023.  

At £534 (12x75cl IB), UK merchant Farr Vintners praised the wine as demonstrating another second growth ‘on top form’ – following the release of Léoville Poyferré 2023 earlier in the day. 

Yet, Liv-ex added, ‘Buyers looking for value may want to consider the 2016, 2019 and 2020 vintages.’ 

La Gaffelière 2023

St-Emilion’s La Gaffelière 2023 made its debut today (23 May), dropping by a little more than 20% year-on-year on an ex-négociant basis. 

Hindle gave 95 points to La Gaffelière 2023, one point below the 2022 vintage, and described it as sophisticated and sculpted with a ‘lovely juiciness and a touch of dark chocolate, cedar and liquorice on the finish’.

Liv-ex data indicated that a UK merchant price of £540 (12x75cl IB) made the new wine cheaper than the 2022, 2018, 2016 and 2015 vintages, but broadly level with the 2019 and 2020 vintages. 

Precise prices can vary by merchant and market, however. Wine Lister said its data suggested the 2023 wine was around 10% cheaper than the current market price for La Gaffelière 2019, which was rated 95 points.

Grand-Puy-Lacoste 2023

Several other releases have also emerged in the past 24 hours, including Grand-Puy-Lacoste 2023. UK merchants offered the wine at around £546 (12x75cl IB).

Hindle gave the en primeur wine 95 points, compared to 96 points for the 2022 vintage, asserting that the wine exuded good ageing potential, if not quite hitting the heights of great vintages in previous years. ‘Very classy and classic,’ Hindle wrote. ‘Excellent quality.’

Grand-Puy-Lacoste is a favourite among some merchants. Wine Lister recently surveyed its founder members around the world, and it said in its release note today: ‘Grand-Puy-Lacoste was named by the international trade as the second most frequently purchased wine for their personal cellars.’ 

Other releases, including Lagrange 2023

St-Julien third growth Château Lagrange 2023 was also released today. 

‘Another great vintage from Lagrange,’ wrote Hindle after tasting the wine en primeur, giving it 95 points. ‘I like the plump, almost fleshy aspect, balancing the acidity with a hint of sweetness.’  

The 2022 vintage scored 96 points at the same point in its early life, although the 2023 wine is significantly cheaper, according to Liv-ex data. UK merchants offered the 2023 wine at £372 (12x75cl IB). 

Cantenac Brown 2023 was launched in the UK at £390, based on the offer by UK merchant Farr Vintners.

Panos Kakaviatos tasted the en primeur wine for Decanter this year, and gave it 94 points. ‘When you think of Margaux, you want floral – and you get that in spades here,’ he wrote. ‘This is the first vintage the estate made wine with its new cellar facilities, which have played a role in both selection and tannin extraction: very important in 2023.’

Larrivet Haut-Brion 2023 (93pts, Decanter) was released with a recommended onward selling price of £24.42 per bottle (IB) in the UK, according to Wine Lister, which noted the new wine was 23% cheaper than current prices for the 2019 vintage, and that the estate was also ‘one of the few to release the 2022 [vintage] below the 2021 (at a 5% discount)’.  

Mixed en primeur reception so far?

Several merchants have told Decanter in recent weeks that there is demand for the wines, albeit it varies by château and there are plenty of top wines still to be released.

Liv-ex said this week, however: ‘The ongoing en primeur 2023 campaign has had a lukewarm reception, according to Liv-ex members, despite significant price cuts.

‘Even with an average year-on-year price decrease of 21.3% [as of 20 May], buyers are looking to back-vintages to decide if the current releases offer value. Too often, they feel they do not.’

Chris Mercer
Chris Mercer

Chris Mercer is a Bristol-based freelance editor and journalist who spent nearly four years as digital editor of Decanter.com, having previously been Decanter’s news editor across online and print.

He has written about, and reported on, the wine and food sectors for more than 10 years for both consumer and trade media.

Chris first became interested in the wine world while living in Languedoc-Roussillon after completing a journalism Masters in the UK. These days, his love of wine commonly tests his budgeting skills.

Beyond wine, Chris also has an MSc in food policy and has a particular interest in sustainability issues. He has also been a food judge at the UK’s Great Taste Awards.