Izak Litwar

Bordeaux white and sweet wines 2023 vintage: Château Climens 2023: This is the second vintage under new ownership. It is a staggeringly stylish wine with great finesse and richness, a sophisticated touch, great sweetness, and remarkable acidity. 98p.

St. Emilion has been an astonishingly successful district in 2023, enjoying great consistency with several potential candidates to earn the title "wine of the vintage." And many other wines aren't bad, either!Here are the best wines:

Bordeaux 2023 from barrel /  Part I - POMEROL - The key to making successful wine in 2023 for a winemaker was careful maceration/extraction and using less oak than in the 2022 vintage to get the perfect expression of fruit and gentle tannin. The Right Bank, particularly Saint Emilion and Pomerol, produced some of the best wines in 2023. While there is more consistency among wines on the Right Bank, it does not mean that wines on the Left Bank are of inferior quality; they are just not as consistent in every commune/district.

Château Grand Puy Lacoste 2022 – is characterized by crunchy cherries and blackcurrants on the nose, with hints of leather and cigar box. It has a juicy and vibrant taste, firm structure, and strong backbone, leading to a great mid-palate. The wine offers subtle complexity and a meaty finish. It is excellent stuff and deserves a rating of 96 points.

Pingus 2022 (barrel sample) – intense dark berries and floral scents, perfect fruit ripeness, vibrant with silky tannin, seamless structure, sophisticated touch, multi-layered, awesome complexity, spectacular midpalate, long meaty finish. This is a beautifully crafted wine! 99p.

BORDEAUX 2022 TOP WINES / Château Smith Haut Lafitte 2022. Aromatic cherries, blackcurrants, tobacco leaves, great acidity, powerful on the palate with a strong backbone, big concentration, multilayered, and great length. Long, long finish. Impressive effort. 98p.

The tasting notes listed below, except 2021, 2020, 2018, 2017, 2011, and 1946, are from the vertical of 26 vintages from this property, which took place in Copenhagen in November 2022. Wines for the vertical were purchased in Danish wine shops and European auctions. 

Ducru Beaucaillou is a famous second growth on the Left Bank located in the commune of Saint-Julien and close to the banks of the Gironde river. This ideal location means a perfect micro-climate, which prevents incoming frost, hail, and other weather caprices from attacking the vineyard.

Bordeaux 2021 / Suduiraut - potent, acacia honey, melon, mango, great complexity, structure and length on the palate, striking acidity, and sweetness make a great pair. Vibrant, refined and sophisticated. Fabulous stuff. 96p.

Out of 24 vintages of Cos d’Estournel, I tasted that evening, I haven’t had the opportunity to taste 11 of these - 2012, 1998, 1996, 1995, 1988, 1982, 1981, 1977, 1973, 1926 and 1916. The “missing” vintages significantly extended my knowledge of Cos and my understanding of this property’s style. The mix of power and elegance is thrilling! This 2nd CC from St. Estephe is one of Bordeaux classiest and terroir-driven wines. 
The white Cos, 2013 and 2018, were purchased at the chateau, and the 2009 white Cos plus all the reds were purchased at different auctions/wine shops.
We tasted wines blind and knew which vintages we should taste but not in which order they appeared in wine glasses.

Château Leoville Barton 2021 - 84% C. Sauvignon, 11% Merlot and 3% C. Franc. 13.12% alcohol. Full, intense redcurrants. Tobacco leaves and leather. Sappy, strong structure and backbone, vibrant, great complexity and length. Refined and sophisticated touch. Lingering finish. Excellent one. 93-94p.