Noble stallions at Les Carmes Haut-Brion, which released its 2023 onto the market this week

Bordeaux’s 2023 en primeur campaign is nearing its end, with only a handful of key releases pending. In our latest blog we reflect on the past three weeks of entries, which has included the likes of Canon, L’Eglise Clinet, Margaux, Palmer, Pichon Baron, and Pichon Comtesse. Of the 61 wines that Wine Lister has covered during this period, the wines released have seen an average 20% discount on the 2022 release prices (£).

Following a French national holiday on Monday 20^th May, releases kicked off on Tuesday 21^st with 14 entries, including Beychevelle, Domaine de Chevalier, Durfort-Vivens, and the Moueix and Mitjavile stables. We were informed by four international trade members that Beychevelle worked well, coming onto the market well under all available back vintages (at £59.90) as a result of the wine’s strong post-release price performance.

A further flurry of releases continued on Wednesday 22^nd, with notable entries including Clos Fourtet, Léoville Poyferré, and the Niepperg stable. Several trade members informed us that Léoville Poyferré 2023 worked well, offering a 33% discount on the 2022 release price (at £56.20). Thursday 23^rd saw 11 releases, including Cantenac-Brown, Grand-Puy Lacoste, and Larrivet Haut-Brion – the latter entering the market below all previous back vintages (at £24.42). The week concluded with Friday’s release of Laroque 2023 at £20, offering excellent value for a brand that often sells through, according to one major Bordeaux courtier.

Coinciding with Vinexpo Asia, the week beginning Monday 27^th May (a UK bank holiday) was extremely quiet, with just five entries covered by Wine Lister, including de Ferrand, Grand Mayne, and Latour-Martillac. We are told by one major UK merchant that "De Ferrand got it spot on for price and quality vs back vintages".

The campaign picked up tempo again this week, with key releases from Palmer and Pichon Comtesse leading the charge on Monday 3rd June. We are told by five key members of the trade in the UK and Bordeaux that Pichon Comtesse worked well, having offered a 36% discount on the 2022 release price and entering the market below the majority of back vintages (at £110).

Tuesday 4th saw entries from L’Eglise Clinet, La Violette, Pavie, and Pichon Baron, while the Chanel stable was released alongside Les Carmes Haut-Brion and Pavie-Macquin on Wednesday 5^th. We are told by seven trade respondents (five key UK merchants and two major Bordeaux négociants) that Les Carmes Haut-Brion flew. Released at £76 (31% down on the 2022), Les Carmes Haut-Brion 2023 comes out below all available back vintages. Yesterday, Thursday 6^th, saw the release of first growth Margaux at £360. While offering a 30% discount on the 2022, the 2023 earns strong critic praise, appearing second in the list of top Quality scorers in 2023 (as featured in Part II of Wine Lister’s 2023 Bordeaux Study). 

Rounding out this week’s releases, Clinet 2023 entered the market at £57.50 (30% down on the 2022 and below all back vintages bar the 2017) alongside Lascombes 2023 (£49.60) – the first vintage overseen by Director and CEO Axel Heinz, former winemaker at Ornellaia and Masseto. The 2023 has the highest Wine Lister Quality score of any vintage of Lascombes, while appearing in Part II of our annual Bordeaux study as the estate seeing the greatest quality improvement since last year (read the study digest here to see the full list).

Also released during this period: Aiguilhe, Alter Ego, Beau-Séjour Bécot, Beauregard, Bélair-Monange, Berliquet, Branaire-Ducru, Brane-Cantenac, Calon-Ségur, Capbern, Certan de May Corbin, Dassault, de Pez, Domaine de l'Aurage, Faugères, Ferrière, Giscours, Gruaud Larose, Haut-Bages Libéral, La Gaffelière, La Pointe, Lagrange, Larcis-Ducasse, Le Gay, Monbousquet, Oliver Blanc, Olivier, Pavillon Blanc, Pavillon Rouge, Péby Faugères, Petit-Village, Phélan Ségur, Pibran, Rouget, Soutard, Troplong Mondot, and Villemaurine.