Brane, Chevalier, Durfort, Gaffelière, GPL, Poyferré
This week's releases on the Place de Bordeaux have read like a hitlist of all-time Uncorked favourites - and all of them at welcome discounts on last year's release price. Sara Lecompte Cuvelier has been making a name for herself with a succession of brilliant performances at Léoville Poyferré; her 2023 is beguilingly aromatic, tense and supple, with that signature explosion of Asian spice on the finish. 'This', writes Neal Martin, 'is a contender for the best Saint-Julien in show.' In Margaux, we loved Brane-Cantenac and its intoxicating floral aromas. It is lusciously silky, but also with a real tense, coiled energy. And Gonzague Lurton has made another pure, polished vintage at Durfort-Vivens. He now raises 30% of the wine in amphorae (against 70% in new oak), which has imparted a real sense of lift and freshness to the wine.
In Pauillac, at perennial success Grand-Puy-Lacoste, Emmeline Borie struggles to think of another vintage like 2023. 'When the fruit came into the winery we couldn't believe it, the Cabernet and the Merlot felt like they were products of a different growing season. But the blending was very easy. They came together like they were made for each other.' At Haut-Bages Liberal, Claire Villars-Lurton has brought biodynamics to the vineyard and a low-sulphur regime to the winery. And in Pessac, Olivier Bernard couldn't contain his pride when he showed off Domaine de Chevalier. The rouge opens on cherry and plum, and closes on a gravelly note that seems to snapshot Pessac character. The blanc is sheer class, a high-wire blend of fresh blossom, oranges and waxy lemons.
The action wasn't only on the left-bank. We loved dark, classy St-Émilion La Gaffelière. It opens evoking blackberry and rose petal, and finishes with that moreish, mineral sense of sapidity that we found very characteristic of 2023 St-Émilion. Sales Director Thomas Soubes noted, 'we weren't so popular in the Parker era because everyone wanted big wines. We never changed the way we made wine, but now fashion has returned to us.' /NT
Read the full vintage report here
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