Three weeks in Bordeaux tasting nearly 1,100 barrel samples of the 2023 vintage and meeting more than 100 wine producers faceto-face gives you a broad view of a young vintage whose wines are now lying in cellars. I still remember the smile on my face the first time I tasted a red 2023 during a meeting on April 4 with Olivier and Adrian Bernard of Domaine de Chevalier, the respected wine estate in the Pessac-Leognan appellation.
"This is going be fun and the wines should be excellent quality," I thought to myself, despite some negative publicity about high levels of mildew last June, which reduced grape yields for a number of vineyard owners but did not affect the quality for the best ones. In fact, many of the vineyard growers I talked to spoke of "large" or even "huge" grape yields, which could have had more of a negative effect on the quality for some winemakers.
"The 2023 is really classic," said Eric Kohler, the technical director of Château Lafite Rothschild. "I'm very confident. It really is Bordeaux."
Added Fabien Teitgen, the technical director of Château Smith Haut Lafitte: "We have the ripeness from a warm vintage, but you don't taste it. It remains fresh."
I've seen a lot of young vintages of Bordeaux in my time. This year was my 41st vintage of young Bordeaux tasting from barrel. The first vintage I reviewed as a young taster for The Wine Spectator was 1982 - and I've never missed a vintage from barrel in Bordeaux since.
This story is from the August 2024 edition of Prestige Singapore.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the August 2024 edition of Prestige Singapore.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
The Eutopia of Chateau Montrose
Not in it to buy and sell: Pierre Graffeuille, CEO of Chateau Montrose, shares on building legacies in wine as billionaire-backed Eutopia Estates ventures to Virginia and beyond.
LIGHTING THE WAY
Designer MICHAEL ANASTASSIADES shares about his creative process, his partnership with world-renowned Italian lighting company, Flos and why everything he puts out is 100 per cent authentic.
REDEFINING SOUTHEAST ASIA'S ART SCENE
As Art SG gears up for its third edition in January 2025, the art fair anchoring Singapore Art Week continues to elevate the region's profile and strengthen Singapore's emergence as a new hub of Southeast Asian art.
IN SPACE AND TIME
Parmigiani Fleurier CEOGUIDO TERRENI has swiftlytaken the high-horology brandto new heights by thinking aboutthe world beyond watches.
Symbols of Style
Elegance is one of the traits associated with the snake in the Chinese zodiac. The timepieces that have been created to celebrate the upcoming Year of the Snake embody this quality in spades.
THE SHINING HOUR
Ultra-premium British jeweller Graff recently opened its second boutique in Singapore. ARNAUD BASTIEN, president and CEO of Graff Asia, tells us why the time was right.
Modern Love
Cartier's Love bracelet remains a contemporary statement of one's adoration, now with new interpretations encompassing today's diverse relationships.
FROM SPACE TO SKY
Thanks to its Nasa-approved Speedmaster watches, Omega's affiliation with astronauts and space exploration is well established.
ELEVATING THE EVERYDAY
Today, Van Cleef & Arpels is best-known for its jaw-dropping jewellery creations.
High Five
Chanel head perfumer OLIVIER POLGE sheds light on how the house ensures the continuity of its celebrated fragrances.