Chateau Clos Saint Julien 2023

THE WINE CELLAR INSIDER: "Flowers, crushed stones, licorice, and bright, fresh, red fruit notes are all over the place, on the palate, and in the perfume. Medium-bodied, elegant, vibrant, and with finishing touches salted-chocolate-topped red fruits, this should age quite well. The wine blends 50% Cabernet Franc with 50% Merlot. Drink from 2029-2045."

JEB DUNNUCK: "The 2023 Clos Saint Julien is brilliant and juicy, offering a medium to full-bodied, ripe, incredibly pure profile that brings more richness and depth than most. Wild strawberries, blue fruits, graphite, and crushed stone-like minerality all define the aromatics, and it's concentrated, with nicely integrated background oak and fine-grained tannins. Count me impressed."

DECANTER: "Coming from a tiny, 1.2-ha vineyard, this wine exudes ripe plum and dark cherry, delivered in a rather fleshy palate with fine tannins although a bit open knit, lacking vigour on the mid palate, but showing off finesse and medium length. The oak is very well integrated, and I suspect that barrel ageing will fill out the palate: given all the ripe fruit and fine tannin, this is a nice wine in the making."

LISA PERROTTI-BROWN: "A blend of 50% Cabernet Franc and 50% Merlot, the 2023 Clos Saint-Julien has a deep garnet-purple color. It soars from the glass with notes of crushed red cherries, black raspberries, and fruit blueberries, plus nuances of violets, forest floor, and pencil lead. The medium-bodied palate is packed with crunchy red and black fruits, framed by al dente tannins and bold freshness, finishing with a skip in its step."

VINUM: "Erstaunlich reiffruchtig mit Pflaumen und dunklen Beeren; fleischiger Gaumen, markantes Tannin, satte Frucht, sehr gute Länge; wirkt aktuell noch etwas unruhig, der Ausbau dürfte es richten."

FALSTAFF: "Dunkles Rubingranat, opaker Kern, violette Reflexe, zarte Randaufhellung. Frische rote Kirschfrucht, zart nach Waldbeeren, zarte Kräuterwürze, Nuancen von Erdbeeren. Mittlere Komplexität, rotbeerig, frisch strukturiert, etwas weitmaschig, dezente Frische im Nachhall."