2023 Clos Puy Arnaud (Castillon)

This estate has consistently enhanced its quality over the years, and 2023 marks a peak vintage at this address. The 2023 Clos Puy Arnaud possesses a fresh, dense bouquet with aromas of blueberries, violet, spices, pencil lead and licorice, followed by a medium to full-bodied, rich and dense, deep and concentrated palate framed by perfectly ripe, velvety tannins alongside bright acids that segues into a long, powerful but elegant finish. This blend of 55% Merlot, 45% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon is a real success. 91-93 points

The 2023 Clos Puy Arnaud is a huge, powerful, intense wine with a ton of fruit density. This feels a bit heavy and overdone—unusually so. Dark fruit and mocha linger. We will see where this goes. 90-93 points