2023 Bourgneuf
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Tasting notes
With an alluring, floral nose, this is delicate and refined. Suave and sensual on the palate, the fine and slightly dusty tannins frame a linear core of more floral and dark-fruit compote. Long and very lovely. Blend: 90% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc
Critic scores
Average Score
James Suckling
William Kelley, Wine Advocate
More reviews and scores
A classy 2023 Pomerol, the 2023 Château Bourgneuf offers ripe black cherries, melted chocolate, smoke, and roasted herbs on the nose. Based on 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc and aged 12 months in 35% new French oak, it's medium-bodied and concentrated on the palate, with solid tannins, a nicely balanced, layered mouthfeel, and outstanding length. Give it 2-3 years of bottle age and enjoy over the following 15 years or so. Drink 2028-2043.
The 2023 Bourgneuf is elegant and finessed, as it always is. Blood orange, pomegranate, sweet spice, mint and rose petal are all finely knit. Aeration brings out the wine's textural richness and resonance. This is beautifully done. Even so, the 2023 can lean into a richer style that I find less attractive than some of the more svelte wines of some prior vintages.
The 2023 Bourgneuf was a little gem from barrel. Now in bottle, it takes a few minutes to really settle aromatically, eventually delivering pretty black plum, raspberry and allspice scents, just a touch of tobacco in the background. The palate is medium-bodied with quite firm tannins, a little more savoury than I recall, due to that 10% Cabernet Franc. Funny how that can be so expressive, even as a bit-part player, lending an edgy spiciness toward the finish. I suspect this might close for a short while, and re-emerge later.