Bordeaux 2023 retasted in bottle: 30 of the finest wines from this excellent vintage

Short and long-term pleasure

Don’t sleep on the Bordeaux 2023 vintage – it’s brilliant.

The best wines display charm, finesse and a lively, juicy core.

It’s a vintage that, on the whole, delights from the very first sip – generous, approachable and so delicious that it feels like the first truly ‘modern’ Bordeaux vintage where the wines are ready to bring joy right now.

You won’t have to wait long, if at all, for most of them, yet ageing won’t be a problem either.

Bordeaux continues to demonstrate the value of variation between vintages.

This isn’t a blockbuster vintage like the powerhouse 2022, and it could be tempting to overlook 2023 in the shadow of its predecessor.

But in its freshness, suavity and elegance, 2023 can absolutely rival 2019 and 2020 – and in several instances, individual wines feel more balanced, more poised and more terroir-transparent than their 2022 counterparts.

You can taste the gravel of the Médoc, the limestone of St-Emilion, the rich clay of Pomerol.

This report reflects sentiments from tasting almost 600 wines now that they’re in the bottle, and showcases a small selection of my personal highlights from a vintage I adore.

Balance and restraint

The season was defined by two halves.

A wet, rainy spring delivered severe mildew pressure – particularly challenging for organic producers – and required rigorous selection and sorting that one winemaker described as having ‘never been more thorough’.

A dry summer, punctuated by a late heatwave, gave way to ideal September conditions that permitted precise, unhurried picking.

Had the weather not shifted decisively to dryness and warmth in the second half of the season, the vintage would have taken a markedly different course – likely leaner and less complete.

As it was, full phenolic maturity was achieved without excess and winemakers responded with restraint and sophistication.

Lessons learned from the preceding years are clearly visible in the gentle extractions, measured oak influence and increased use of concrete containers and amphorae in order to preserve fruit purity.

The result is a vintage in which the winemaker’s hand is present yet unobtrusive, allowing terroir and estate identity to shine with unusual clarity.

Immediate appeal

The reds are medium-bodied, frequently retaining the gloss and shine they showed en primeur.

Bright cassis, raspberry, plum, floral and mineral notes are lifted by mouthwatering acidity. Tannins are fine yet serious – some approaching the firmness of 2010 – yet the pronounced freshness ensures they never feel too austere or overwhelming.

Structure is in place for extended ageing, but the wines are so juicy and mouthwatering that many are already highly enjoyable.

Pomerol’s clay soils deliver flesh, ripeness and plush tannins – Vieux Château Certan and L’Eglise-Clinet (see recommendations) are outstanding.

St-Emilion’s limestone lends crystalline minerality and tension – Château Cheval Blanc is radiant; the Médoc’s gravel brings classic definition and poise – Château Palmer is seamless, Haut-Brion aristocratic and precise.

While there is much variation in style and character, time in barrel does seem to have levelled the playing field somewhat in terms of these wines’ drinkability.

Whites are frequently exceptional. Sauvignon Blanc excelled, producing vibrant, aromatic wines full of citrus, stone fruit, herbs and racy acidity.

On the sweet side, Sauternes and Barsac are bold yet finely balanced, with botrytis concentration offset by freshness.

Above all, the 2023 reds are wines of immediacy and pleasure. They are the kind of bottles that will, I think, be reached for repeatedly and finished without hesitation.

The traditional Bordeaux rule of a decade in the cellar simply doesn’t apply here.

Many are ready now, yet the combination of acidity and tannin ensures they will develop with grace over 15 to 25 years or more.

As one winemaker remarked: ‘In 10 or 20 to 30 years, these may be the wines people opt for in preference to 2022.’

The long-term verdict remains open, but the potential is evident.

A welcome boost

Bordeaux continues to navigate difficult commercial waters.

The broader wine world faces real challenges – market shifts, economic pressure, climatic uncertainty – and few estates have been untouched.

Yet the 2023s stand as a compelling reminder of Bordeaux’s capacity for excellence: thrilling quality, pure enjoyment and genuine excitement.

They offer a welcome note of optimism as we look towards the much-anticipated 2025 en primeur tastings in April.

No appellation claims outright supremacy in 2023, though Pomerol often shows particular generosity, St-Emilion limestone evokes crystalline tension, Margaux floral refinement, St-Julien and Pauillac classical structure, and Pessac-Léognan whites outstanding vibrancy.

Second wines and value-driven bottlings are also successful, especially from the Right Bank satellites.

Prices have moderated since the more exuberant 2022 campaign, so genuine opportunities exist in this year when being selective is critical.

The wines below represent outstanding quality and drinkability, some for near-term enjoyment, others built for the long term.

NB: We’ll be highlighting 10 outstanding ‘value’ wines from the 2023 vintage in this year’s annual Bordeaux guide, to be published alongside the May 2026 issue

The Hindle pick: An early taste of 30 Bordeaux 2023 reds

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