Chateau Sansonnet 2023

THE WINE CELLAR INSIDER: "I like the freshness here, which is exacerbated by its notes of citrus, red fruits, flowers, licorice, smoke, and cocoa. On the palate, the wine is equally complex with its opulent, lush, polished, silky-textures, and crush-rock accents. There is length, and purity here. The change in the in barrel aging program has allowed for more freshness, elegance, and purity to express itself in the wine. The wine blends 87% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. 14.5% ABV. Harvesting took place September 20 - October 3. Drink from 2028-2045."

JAMES SUCKLING: "A juicy and fruity red with blackberry and currant aromas and crunchy flavors on a medium body. Refined for the vintage."

JEB DUNNUCK: "Cassis, darker blackberries, spicy wood, and an undeniable sense of minerality all emerge from the 2023 Château Sansonnet, a medium to full-bodied 2023 that has terrific purity and elegance, as well as ample fruit and texture. It shines on all accounts and is unquestionably another beautiful wine from this team that has tons to love. The 2023 is 87% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon from a single parcel on the upper, limestone plateau that will spend 16 months in 70% new barrels, 22% in foudre, and 8% in amphora."

FALSTAFF: "Tiefdunkles Rubingranat, opaker Kern, violette Reflexe, zarte Randaufhellung. Dunkles Nugat, Preiselbeeren, schwarze Kirschen, Brombeerkonfitüre, tabakige Edelholznuancen sind unterlegt. Saftig, rotbeerig, frisch strukturiert, integrierte, tragende Tannine, moderner Stil, zeigt einige Länge, gutes Reifepotenzial."

LISA PERROTTI-BROWN: "The 2023 Sansonnet is deep garnet-purple in color. Plum preserves, red currant jelly, and mulberries scents pop from the glass with underlying charcoal and black olives hints. Medium-bodied, the palate is firm and grainy with a lively line and great length. The blend is 87% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon."

WEINWISSER: "Dicht verwobenes Bouquet, zarte blau- und schwarzbeerige Konturen, dunkles Edelholz, Brasiltabak und Graphit. Am kompakten sehr geradlinigen Gaumen mit cremiger Textur, feinkörnigem Extrakt, stützender Rasse und engmaschigem Körper, sehr dicht. Im konzentrierten langanhaltenden Finale mit Pflaumenhaut, Lakritze und mehliger Adstringenz. Die Anlagen passen, der kann noch zulegen."

VINUM: "Die Barrique dominiert den Duft, rauchige Noten, Lakritze, dunkler Tabak, reife Frucht; dicht gebaut, mit feinkörnigen Tanninen und einer delikaten Frucht, das Holz ist gut verpackt, die Gerbstoffe machen sich erst im Abgang bemerkbar. Lang, frisch, mit Blaubeeren im Rückaroma. Gefällt mit seiner frischen Art deutlich besser als im Vorjahr."

DECANTER: "Aromas of dark plum and vanilla toast denote the 70% new oak ageing, which comes to the fore on the palate. I appreciate the evident depth and power in this wine, along with red and dark ripe fruit, the style is too oak-ridden for its own good, blocking a purer expression of the magnificent limestone and clay terroir at this estate. Let's see after barrel ageing to be sure, but for now a score marked more by respect for the care taken to craft this wine, made from grapes harvested between 20 September and 3 October."