Bordeaux 2023 En Primeur:
St-Julien

Over the last ten years or so, this has been one of the most consistent appellations in Bordeaux, but for the first time I can recall, I felt it was arguably the weakest of the key left-bank communes. Some of my favourite estates underperformed compared to expectations, although one or two I occasionally think could do better have exceeded expectations.

Château St-Pierre did very well in 2023, and Langoa-Barton and Léoville Barton have continued their recent run of good form. Château du Glana, which has some excellent terroir but perhaps doesn’t always deliver, has come up trumps, in my view, at a modest price for the key Médoc communes. Given the price, it should compete with Petit Ducru as my more affordable pick from St-Julien.