As we commented in our 2022 report, vintages in Napa are, it seems increasingly defined by extreme conditions. The 2023 harvest, however, was – as Neil Bernardi MW, COO at Colgin described it – “remarkably unremarkable”.  “It was a calm and collected vintage,” said winemaker Cathy Corison, who has been making wine under her eponymous label since 1987. “There was nothing that forced your hand. It wasn’t too cold, it wasn’t too hot, it wasn’t rainy. We had the luxury of time.” For Corison, it was an exemplary vintage, easily one of her favourites – although she’s not quite ready to declare it the best vintage of her career (yet, at least). Corison is not alone in such praise: throughout the valley, whispers about 2023 have been growing louder, with the vintage felt by many to be one of the best in recent history.   Weather during the year was unusually cool at times, but largely uneventful. Looking back to the months before the growing season kicked off, however, Northern California received historic levels of rainfall. With a classic Mediterranean climate, the winegrowing regions of California experience warm, dry summers, with most rain falling between October and April.  In the drought years of 2020 and 2021, Napa received a scant eight and 10 inches of rain respectively. The 2022 vintage brought welcome relief, with 26 inches of rain measured in Oakville – just about average as measured against the past 10 years. Records were smashed in 2023, however, with an astounding 58 inches of rain measured between the close of the 2022 and start of the 2023 harvest. Local reservoirs were filled to the point of overflowing, and many vineyards in lower-lying areas were under water at points during the winter.   The rain stretched into May, punctuated by heavy fog and, with soaked soils and overcast skies, budburst was delayed by about two weeks. Although most winemakers on the valley floor reported excellent fruit set, resulting in higher-than-average crop loads, this was not the case everywhere. Up on Spring Mountain at Philip Togni Vineyard, winemaker Lisa Togni explained that incoming rainstorms reach this part of Napa first, and heavy cloud cover often lingers at peak level. Humidity and wind can hinder pollination, lowering the number of berries on each cluster. Yields at Togni, while not historically low, were much lighter than average in 2023. In stark comparison, Sam Kaplan, winemaker for Arkenstone and Memento Mori, reported having to thin “aggressively” during the growing season, with higher-than-normal potential yields thanks to large, perfectly formed clusters.   Springtime temperatures were cooler than average, a trend which would continue through the summer. In June and July, temperatures never exceeded 90°F (32°C) – highly unusual compared to every vintage in the past decade, and, while August warmed up slightly, there were zero major heat events. “Bad things can happen in the first week of September,” noted winemaker and viticulturalist Steve Matthiasson. Most Napa winemakers collectively hold their breath around Labour Day weekend, now notorious for heatwaves and wildfires. In 2023, however, extreme weather never materialised. Moderate, slightly lower-than-average temperatures persisted throughout September, and as the weeks ticked by, the fruit remained on the vine, slowly and steadily accumulating sugar and flavours.   For many producers, the biggest challenge of 2023 was being patient. Given the heat spikes in recent years, Togni said she was fully prepared for harvest by 15th August. Twice she scheduled pick dates only to call them off at the last moment when additional sampling showed that the ripeness was still not at the desired level. Finally, harvest began at Togni on 2nd October – a huge difference from 2022, when harvest started on 23rd August.   As the harvest season stretched on and temperatures remained steady, the potential for rain became worrisome. With fruit projected to be hanging in mid-October and even later depending on site, the chance of rainfall increased. This also did not happen. “Everything was just perfect,” said Myriad winemaker Mike Smith, noting that while the vintage conditions were certainly unusual for recent history, in many ways, they were a return to an earlier version of normal. “No one under 40 has probably ever seen a vintage like this. They’re more used to heat and drought,” he explains.  Smith started harvesting for Myriad on 5th October, which is about three weeks later than recent vintages. He wonders, though, if perhaps other winemakers kicked off harvest too early, which is something Kaplan pondered as well, citing a lack of mid-palate density in some of the wines he’s tasted – perhaps a result of looking at the calendar too intently, especially given recent harvest trends in Napa. Picking was still underway in early November at some addresses. At Colgin, Bernardi says that their patience paid off. “When we harvested, we felt like each vine was at the absolute apex of what it could give,” he said. “The alignment of sugars and phenolics was phenomenal.” He added that, at Colgin, the vine leaves started yellowing almost immediately after harvest, confirming their hunch that the fruit was fully developed and the vines ready to go dormant.   There were no concerns over yield – the plentiful water and cooler growing season not reducing crop size, and most brought in an above-average yield, especially on the valley floor. The quality of the fruit once harvested was uniformly reported as healthy, with multiple winemakers citing fresh, natural acidity levels and ample tannins. Smith loves the colour and density of 2023, noting that extraction was quick and easy, and the fermentation smooth. For Kaplan, a challenge was maintaining the body of the wine – handling the ferments in the winery to extract enough fruit to match the structure of the wine.   Many winemakers also praised the aromatics of 2023. In a hotter vintage like 2022, many of the delicate notes can be “baked out” of the wines, explained winemaker Tony Biagi of Patria and Hourglass. In 2023, Biagi said, the combination of red and black fruit, along with floral notes, has created highly perfumed wines. In his view, the 2023s offer “spectacular power and finesse”, with all “the stuffing” to be “a superlative vintage” – producing wines that will age for at least 30 years.  What may set the 2023 wines apart is the high level of “finesse and elegance,” as described by Andy Erickson of Favia. While he believes that 2023 may not be the most Californian vintage — at least by modern standards – the wines have a lithesome quality on the palate, balancing power and grace. This was a sentiment echoed by Bernardi, who praised the “sense of weightlessness” of the wines produced at Colgin, something he says only the greatest vintages can achieve.  Comparing the vintage to any other proves challenging. More than a few, including Matthiasson, said the weather during the growing season was reminiscent of 2011 – that is, without the October rains that ultimately caused a difficult harvest that year. Lisa Togni feels 2023 is more of a classic Napa vintage with moderate conditions, seemingly cool perhaps only because of the severity of the heat in recent years. Kaplan believes that the purity of fruit in 2023 is comparable to 2018, but even more pronounced. “The wines just jump out of the glass,” he said, “They’re so perfumed and aromatic.” For Corison, the very high level of quality of 2023 is reminiscent of 2001, which she said was similarly elegant and continues to evolve gracefully.  But is 2023 the vintage of the century, as the rumours might have it? Overall, the quality in 2023 is very high. After tasting through dozens of barrel samples, it’s clear that 2023 is a vintage where it was likely more challenging to make bad wine than good wine.  While we’re already looking ahead to 2023, more than a few winemakers lamented the quick dismissal of other vintages – perhaps overlooked in a rush of quick generalisations and soundbites. Quintessa’s Wineburg believes 2023 is undeniably a great vintage, however 2022 was also great – each year has its own personality that will appeal to different palates. For Erickson, the nascent 2024 wines (a vintage he’s particularly excited about) are more typically Californian in style with density and power, while 2023 will be defined by its finesse and restraint.  The 2023 vintage is outstanding – and the wines will appeal particularly to those with a classic palate. Given the late and long, cool growing season, many – if not most – of the wines have a distinct Bordelais quality, balancing pure Californian fruit with fresh acidity and elegant, nimble body – with “a sense of weightlessness” as Bernardi put it. The tannins seem poised to integrate well into the finished wines, and there’s a sense of restraint to many of the wines that is reminiscent of older Napa. The quality in 2023 is far more homogenous – in a positive way – than in recent challenging vintages, where site specificity and the ability to make quick decisions widened the field between those that faltered and those that excelled. “We’ve seen so much awfulness,” said Togni, referencing the challenges of 2020 and 2022, “but this was a nice reminder that not every year will be difficult: 2023 was a classic, great vintage – a storybook vintage.”   Napa 2023: the vintage in brief   Heavy rain over winter and through to spring replenished water reserves, with a long, cool growing season and late harvest  Yields were generally higher than average, especially on the valley floor  Quality largely consistent across the region  Cooler season with extended hangtime produced wines of elegance and finesse  Wines combine perfumed aromatics, fresh acidity and fine tannins, with a classic style reminiscent of the Napa of yesteryear  A top vintage – one of, if not the best in recent history  Keep your eye out for the first releases of Napa’s 2023 vintage. In the meantime, read more about California or browse all current Napa listings 

Since the fruit came into the winery, Napa’s winemakers have been quietly confident about the 2023 vintage – with murmurs of greatness. Now, as the first wines from the year are released, we find out whether the vintage is as good as the rumours suggest 

Is 2023 the vintage of the century in Napa? We talk to Corison, Colgin, Arkenstone, Tony Biagi, Steve Matthiasson and more about the year and its wines 

Discover the wines of the 2023 vintage in Napa, California 

Napa 2023: vintage report 

What is Premiere Napa Valley?  Inspired in part by the Hospices de Beaune, Premiere Napa Valley (PNV) is a wine auction that takes place every February in Napa. The week around the auction is filled with tastings and events relating to PNV. The auction is only open to members of the wine trade, most often merchants or restaurants who will then sell the wine exclusively to their clients. Today, Sotheby’s runs the actual auction. It first took place in 1997.  Which wines are auctioned off at Premiere Napa Valley?  The lots are all made specifically for the auction, one-of-a-kind wines that otherwise wouldn’t exist. Only members of the Napa Valley Vintners can make wines for the auction, and sometimes producers will collaborate on a lot. The lots normally comprise 240, 120 or 60 bottles, coming from AVAs across the region. These limited bottlings are often of a variety or vineyard not normally bottled separately, or a special blend or collaboration. The wines all come from the same vintage – harvest just under a year and a half prior to the auction (so the 2023 vintage is being offered in 2025), and tastings of these lots offer the first comprehensive view of a vintage to the trade.  Who organises Premiere Napa Valley and where does the money raised go?  The event is organised by Napa Valley Vintners. Napa Valley Vintners is an association of producers established in 1943 and formalised in 1944, a forum to exchange ideas and work as a group to overcome challenges as well as elevate the reputation of the valley’s wines. Napa Valley Vintners also organises Auction Napa Valley (previously knowns as the Napa Valley wine Auction) which was created in 1981 and takes place every summer.  Alongside its efforts to champion the region and its wines, investing in the local community is a huge focus: since 1981, the group has raised over $230 million for local non-profits – supporting healthcare and education, as well as environmental work. Today, 539 wineries are members of the organisation. The 29th iteration of Premiere Napa Valley, held in 2025, raised $3.3 million, a new record for sales. You can find out more about Napa Valley Vintners’ philanthropic work, which operates under Collective Napa Valley, and their current initiatives on their website.  Read more about Napa or browse all current Napa listings Photography: Alexander Rubin, courtesy of Premiere Napa Valley

Created by Napa Valley Vintners, the Premiere Napa Valley wine auction takes place every February. Here’s everything you need to know about the event and the lots on offer 

Everything you need to know about Premiere Napa Valley – California’s famous charity wine auction, organised by Napa Valley Vintners 

What is Premiere Napa Valley? About the famous wine auction

What is Premiere Napa Valley? 

There’s been no shortage of hype about the 2021 vintage – a year that producers and pundits have been praising as one of the best in modern history, frequently comparing it to 2016 or 2019. But does it meet those very high expectations?  The preceding winter was key – mild and wet, replenishing water reserves in the soils, an essential resource for the vines to draw on later in the season. The growing season didn’t start too early, and although there was a drop in temperatures in early April (a risk to the early-budding Nebbiolo), frost damage was limited. Reports suggest that lower-altitude sites were hit hardest, but losses were only around 10% – and some producers considered it a form of natural green harvest.  After this early threat to the crop, late April and May were cool and wet, but then the weather was largely warm and dry until harvest. Temperatures weren’t excessive, apart from a brief heatwave in early August, but the water reserves were key to allowing the vines to survive in the dry conditions. Vietti winemaker Eugenio Palumbo explained that they received around 400mm rain across the season, versus the 600-700mm of a normal year.  Storms hit the region in early July, with some hail – although this was localised and impacted Roero, Monferrato and a handful of sites in Barolo. The dry conditions meant disease pressure was minimal. Come September, there was a little rain, helping the vines over the finish line, while the temperatures at night dropped – providing a high diurnal range that helped preserve aromatics and freshness while the fruit developed phenolic maturity.  Harvest got underway at the very end of September (Philine Isabelle Dienger was one of the first out on 29th), running through to the middle of October, with all the Nebbiolo in by the third week of the month.  Aldo Vacca of Produttori del Barbaresco and the Gaja team both compared the vintage to 2016 – emphasising its classic style. The long growing season allowed for structured wines with ripe tannins, yet the cool nights in the run-up to harvest preserved tension and aromatics.  Not everyone agrees on its classicism, however; for Dave Fletcher (Fletcher Wines) it is a vintage with amazing structure, depth and density, but it’s far from typical. Valentina Grasso at Ca’ del Baio explained how tight and dark-fruited the wines are in comparison to those of 2016, needing time to reveal their complexity.  Similarly, Nicola Oberto at Trediberri emphasised how – although many Monforte d’Alba producers thought it was a perfect vintage for the commune – the powerful style of the year didn’t necessarily fit them, preferring the purity of a year like 2022.  Philine Isabelle Dienger noted how the warm, dry conditions were a shock to the vines after 2018, 2019 and 2020, and the ferments were tricky to handle, sluggish. Some noted it was a difficult year to use native yeast, and more opted for cultured yeasts to ensure clean ferments. The Philine Isabelle wines were typically low in alcohol, at around 13.5% with their early-picking philosophy, but most tended to be around and above the 14.5% mark in 2021.  For Burlotto’s Fabio Alessandria, the dry, warm conditions provided just the right amount of stress for the plants and he’s very happy with the quality of the 2021 wines – structured with good density and concentration, yet maintaining balance, akin perhaps to 2019 Burgundy. The wines will undoubtedly need time, he says, but the vintage will reward those who wait.  Most critics are yet to offer their full thoughts on the vintage, although Kerin O’Keefe wrote in an early look at the year that, although it was “a difficult vintage”, the best wines are “stunning, age-worthy wines”, combining “the austerity of 2019 with the elegance of 2016”. Echoing Alessandria, she feels the wines will need a decade to drink at their best. Reporting for jancisrobinson.com, Walter Speller was initially cautious of the “enigmatic” year, wondering if it was as good as people suggested, however now feels it is “an excellent vintage”, offering “more heft and depth than the utterly beguiling and readily accessible 2019”.  Antonio Galloni (Vinous) has published his report and – although it doesn’t quite have “the stratospheric peaks of the most exceptional years”, there are “a bevy of outstanding wines”. The 2021s are “finessed, elegant wines that will delight Piedmont fans”, with “open aromatics, pliant fruit and finessed, ripe tannins” – and the best, he says, are “profoundly expressive”.  Keep your eyes peeled for additional reports on the vintage; we’ll add to this feature as and when we have more information. In the meantime, read more about Italy  Browse all current listings of 2021 Barolo 

Ever since the fruit came into the winery, the Piedmont’s producers have been talking about the 2021 vintage in hallowed terms. As the first Barolos from the year are released, we dive into the revered vintage, looking at what both producers and critics are saying about the year

Diving into the 2021 vintage in Piedmont – the growing season and wines from Barolo and Barbaresco according to producers and critics 

Piedmont 2021: vintage focus 

Bordeaux’s white wines don’t often make it into the limelight and Ch. Margaux is one of the few top estates – beyond the borders of Graves and Pessac-Léognan – to make a white that is as highly rated, and collected, as its red.  Last year, lovers of its famous Pavillon Blanc were rewarded with the news of an addition to the First Growth’s range: a second white wine, known as Pavillon Blanc Second Vin.  From the 2004 vintage, the team became increasingly selective with the fruit that made it into Pavillon Blanc, and from 2008 only a third or maximum half of the Sauvignon Blanc they harvest was being bottled. The team started occasionally bottling a barrel or two of a possible second wine, with the final result often poured for the harvest team. They rapidly realised, however, that the quality was good enough to deserve much more than internal consumption.  The wine is a true second selection and therefore sees exactly the same winemaking and attention as Pavillon Blanc proper. Pure Sauvignon Blanc, it spends around nine months in barrel, with circa 25% new wood, and half the barrels larger demi-muids, and some bâtonnage at the start of the wine’s maturation. One of the most important stages is the pressing, which is done extremely gently, stopping as soon as the pH rises by 0.10, and meaning they only manage to get around 50cl of juice per kilo of grapes.  While the first release came from the smallest white vintage on record for the property (2022), the new release – set for Thursday 16th January – comes from the 2023 vintage, the highest yield on record since 1988 (although still an extremely modest 37hl/ha at Ch. Margaux).  We covered the conditions of 2023 extensively in our report on the year, but – as with 2023 in Burgundy – there was a heatwave as the harvest arrived. The team at Ch. Margaux stops picking as soon as the mercury hits 32°C – meaning that the pickers would start work as soon as it was light enough, but have to stop as early as 10.30am on some days. With the hot weather, the sugar levels started to creep up rapidly; but the Sauvignon Blanc was all picked between 23rd and 30th August – early enough to retain plenty of freshness.  More approachable than its big sibling Pavillon Blanc, Pavillon Blanc Second Vin is nevertheless a wine with serious ageing capacity – and one that offers a taste of the property’s masterful expression of Sauvignon Blanc at a very appealing price. It’s a stunning wine – a unique expression of Bordeaux Blanc from this top estate – and one that we can’t recommend highly enough. 2023 Pavillon Blanc Second Vin  The nose is beautifully expressive, with fresh pear, chalk, lime juice and grapefruit pith. On the palate, the wine is long and taut – yet with a waxy texture that might lead you to believe there’s some Semillon in the blend. This is pure Sauvignon Blanc, however – pure and vibrant, green-fruited yet not at all green. Forget cat’s pea and any grassy, herbaceous tones: this is a wine about tension and freshness, with hints of jasmine and honeysuckle. It’s vibrant and bright, with a satisfying bitterness to the long, mouth-watering finish. Already stunning now, this will only get better in bottle – with everything in place to allow it to evolve for 10-15 years. Sensational.  With 13% alcohol and a pH of 3.15, the wine was matured in around 25% new oak. Around 10,000 bottles were produced (versus just 8,000 in 2022).   The 2023 vintage of Pavillon Blanc Second Vin was released on Thursday 16th January 2025 and is available now

Last year saw Ch. Margaux launch the first vintage of a new wine in the First Growth’s line-up: Pavillon Blanc Second Vin. Ahead of the second release, here’s everything you need to know about the wine 

Everything you need to know about the second wine to Pavillon Blanc, Bordeaux First Growth Ch. Margaux’s new white wine, made for the first time in 2022 

Ch. Margaux’s Pavillon Blanc Second Vin 

The new release of Pavillon Blanc Second Vin

Each November, the wine world looks to Burgundy for the Hospices de Beaune auction. We dive into the history of this philanthropic institution, the domaine and the wines it produces

Explore the history of Burgundy’s Hotel-Dieu and Hospices de Beaune, its wine estate and the famous annual auction, the Vente des Vins

Your guide to the wines of the Hospices de Beaune

Everything you need to know about the Hospices de Beaune

Inside Burgundy – Jasper Morris MW  Published just in time for Christmas, Jasper Morris MW’s first instalment highlights how 2023 is “not like anything [he has] seen before” – with the largest crop on record, and the hottest year but the wines are not those of a hot vintage. He notes that “the white wines in 2023 are delicious”, accessible early and largely will be best drunk before the 2022s, with some notable exceptions with “the tension and tenacity to become really interesting”. It is, for him, “a very good white wine vintage, but probably not a great one”.  He deems the Pinot Noir more mixed, with “some absolutely lovely wines and some which just miss” – but most are “absolutely charming in an agreeably juicy style”. He has found a mysterious fault in some of the reds of the Côte de Beaune, lending an earthy taste and texture on the finish of the wines – and he has not rated these wines at this stage, choosing to revisit them in bottle. But, he emphasises, “don’t let that […] spoil your appreciation of all the other wines from this vintage” – with “delicious, fruit forward wines for medium term ageing”.   As for his early look at Chablis, he acknowledges that the region has changed – with the modern climate producing softer-styled wines that are “more fruit forward at least in their youth”, although “the best examples will absolutely still have the core character beneath”. While the generous yields of 2023 might be reminiscent of 2018, the wines show none of the dilution sometimes found in that vintage. The vintage is “more about pleasure than long term classicism”, he says, with the wines “charming, open and mostly well-balanced”, but the best will keep.  Read all Jasper Morris MW’s coverage and explore his notes and scores on his site (subscribers only)   Burghound – Allen Meadows  Allen Meadows started with his report on Chablis, the Mâconnais and the Chalonnaise. He highlights how the 2023 growing season was drastically different to that of 2022, and yet produced wines that are not a million miles away in style. He feels 2022 is better than 2023, “but not drastically so” – and states that when it comes to terroir transparency, “2023 might well have the edge”. The vintage is “a mixed bag”, he argues, with the reds more consistent than the whites, but with some excellent wines of both colours. For Chablis, he highlights “on the one hand, 2022 is a better vintage from a quality standpoint but 2023 is more interesting from a terroir standpoint”. He notes that the wines will be approachable young, and their natural balance will allow them to age well over the short and medium term. And, as Meadows says, “while there are certainly indifferent wines in both colours but when they’re good, they’re more than deserving of a spot in your cellars”.  For the Côte de Nuits, he acknowledges that the quality is “really variable”, with yield management the main driver in quality. There are, however, “many aromatically elegant, charming, and seductive wines” in 2023. The style, with “pliant tannins, good terroir transparency, and genuine depth of character”, is one that appeals to Meadows. Although the year is not consistent – and there are “plenty of disappointments” – there are also “good quantities of really lovely wines that should provide for delicious drinking early on yet be capable of amply rewarding mid-term cellaring”. The wines are not as concentrated as the likes of 2005, 2010 or 2020, he notes, but that doesn’t mean they’re dilute. He is one of many to emphasise 2023’s “charming” character – but without drifting into “banality”. The wines “belong in any serious Burgundy collector’s cellar” and the best are “genuinely wonderful for their sheer exuberance”.  Explore Allen Meadows’ reports, notes and scores on the Burghound site (subscribers only)    Decanter – Charles Curtis MW  For Charles Curtis MW, the 2023 vintage in Chablis is clearly good – just a touch behind 2022, earning a four-star rating (out of a possible five, versus 4.5 for 2022). He emphasises how important the harvest date was this year with the heatwave, key to preserving acidity, and this alongside yield control defined success. He emphasises that the Grands Crus delivered excellent quality, while Montée de Tonnerre and Vaulourent were stand-outs among the Premiers Crus on the Right Bank, while Montmains (especially Butteaux) and Vaillons delivered on the Left. The best wines, he says, sit alongside 2018, 2020 and 2022, “with ripe orchard and stone fruit, a lush texture, balanced acidity and plenty of extract”. They may not be as racy as the Chablis of yesteryear, but Curtis suggests that the best will age similarly to the 1999, and it is “a vintage that’s eminently worth stocking up on”.  Following on from his pre-Christmas Chablis focus, Curtis has published his full report on Burgundy 2023 – rating it four (out of five) stars for both red and white. With the challenges the year posed, he feels it’s less consistent than 2022, but still “a very good vintage”, with rare occasions where it’s “truly superb”. The wines are generally “very ripe” and approachable, with a “lush, drinkable style”, although he doesn’t feel they have the structure for long ageing, sitting just behind the 2022s qualitatively. More detailed coverage of individual villages is set to follow.  Explore Charles Curtis MW’s full report, notes and scores on the Decanter site (subscribers only)   Jancis Robinson – Matthew Hayes  For Matthew Hayes, 2023 offers a “near-repetition of the fine, balanced wines of 2022” – with wines that “will offer sustenance and satisfaction for lovers of (modern) classic, Burgundian Pinot Noir”. The fruit is “remarkably fresh and red-fruited”, with the wines fuller-bodied than the 2021s – although they are, he notes, not homogenous. The wines are those “vignerons wanted to make, rather than what nature made them make”, Hayes notes. He describes the whites as “generally lively, with a racy style matching ripe, mature fruit”. For him, the 2023 is a good vintage – one that sits alongside 2022 in terms of quality, with “deceptively open” wines that can be drunk while waiting for the 2019 and 2020s.  Explore Matthew Hayes’ report, as well as the entire team’s notes and scores on jancisrobinson.com (subscribers only)  Vinous – Neal Martin  “I adore the 2023 vintage,” declares Neal Martin. “I am hard pushed to think of another vintage so pleasurable from barrel,” he says. He emphasises how important it was to manage yields to avoid excess, with the year undoubtedly a “vignerons’ vintage” defined by actions in the vineyard. He finds the whites rounder in style, although not as richly fruity as those from 2018 or 2020. They are, he says, more traditionally styled, with good acidity levels that balance the richness of the year’s late summer heat. He notes that wines from limestone terroirs benefited from additional freshness, while Chassagne-Montrachet “continues to impress thanks to the cluster of talent that has emerged there in recent years”.  As for the reds, he considers them a combination of 2020 and 2017, feeling the wines are better than those of the latter year. It’s not a year to choose by appellation, but by producer – although he highlights Gevrey-Chambertin in particular as “a wellspring of great Pinot Noirs”, as well as the rising quality and value found in Marsannay. Some wines, he warns, lack concentration and can be a little lean, and it is less consistent than 2022. But, in general, “the reds convey a sense of transparency, more weightless than weighty,” he says, with wines that are fresh and crunchy, even if the acidity levels aren’t that high. While clearly set to be approachable early, he says, “they also have the balance and energy to reward the dwindling numbers who uphold the lost art of cellaring”. Among the best producers, 2023 offers “a veritable trove of white and reds that will drink earlier than their 2022 counterparts” – wines that are defined by their charm.  Explore Neal Martin’s full report, notes and scores on the Vinous site (subscribers only)  Wine Advocate – William Kelley Last out of the gate, William Kelley has finally proffered his judgement on the 2023 vintage – a year that is defined by its “abundance”. He finds the best to offer “demonstrative charm and immediacy”, but is clear that it “is not a vintage to buy blind”. Some reds show “dilution, elevated levels of volatile acidity and earthy, vegetal flavors”, and although the whites are more consistent, they can be “deficient in structure and cut”. The style of the wines varies significantly, he notes, and “whether growers picked before, during or after the September heat wave could deliver very different wines, ranging from light and vegetal to brooding and muscular”. He is clearly charmed by the best, however: “velvety, fleshy wines that are suave and sensual”, sweeter and often more structured than the 2017s, and not as ripe as the 2018s. As for the whites, he finds them generally “rich and flamboyant, with unctuous textures and sweet fruit” – and, “when they are united with good freshness and enlivening structuring dry extract, the results can be compelling”. He compares them to “a broader, more open-knit version of 2015”. Explore William Kelley’s full report, notes and scores on the Wine Advocate (subscribers only) Explore a selection of the critics’ favourite 2023 Burgundies  or Find all our coverage of Burgundy 2023 here.  

The critics have been busy in recent months, tasting up and down the Côte d’Or – and are now declaring their verdict on the 2023 vintage. Here’s your crib-sheet to what these leading names are saying so far about the latest Burgundy vintage

The leading Burgundy critics’ views on the 2023 wines – with a summary of what Neal Martin, Jasper Morris, Allen Meadows and William Kelley are saying

Burgundy 2023 – what the critics are saying 

Burgundy 2023: the critics’ verdict 

This year sees the release of the 20th vintage of Cheval des Andes – Cheval Blanc’s operation in Mendoza. Since the team from the legendary Saint-Emilion estate embarked on the venture with Terrazas de los Andes, 25 years ago, much has changed – and this is the start of a new era for the property. What was once a working concept has taken root.  “This is the beginning of our adult life,” says Technical Director Pierre-Olivier Clouet. “We have a real identity today.” It’s taken a quarter-century for the property to shake off the uncertainty of youth and find firm footing – something that hasn’t necessarily been easy.  “We made mistakes,” Clouet confesses. Not having a historic reputation to rely on, the team at Cheval des Andes had sought out high scores, chasing points to prove their worth. But, in a still Parker-dominant era, that meant making wines with “ripe grapes, a lot of extraction, a high level of alcohol – you [had] to show the muscle to explain that you are a great wine”, explains Clouet. “For a long time, the recipe was in the cellar; nobody cared where the vines were.” Now, however, that’s all changed.  From 2011, the team started shifting focus to the vineyard, working more closely with their French counterparts and vice-versa. The arrival of Lorenzo Pasquini (now the man at the helm of Ch. d’Yquem) in 2015 was key to the transition, as Cheval des Andes started to focus on a shared vision of fine wine – one that is about freshness, balance and ageing potential, and one that defines Cheval Blanc.  Only with a few wrong turns, however, can you be sure you’re on the right path – and Clouet is clear that those first 16 years, figuring out what Cheval des Andes should and could be, has been “super important” in helping them build “something with real sincerity, real authenticity”. Most importantly, Cheval des Andes is not intended to be, nor is a copy of Cheval Blanc: “It is, in our mind, absolutely an Argentine wine,” says Clouet.  The original 31-hectare vineyard is in Las Compuertas in Luján de Cuyo, a subregion of Mendoza. It is on these clay-dominant soils at around 1,000 metres’ altitude that Pierre Lurton discovered a plot of ungrafted Malbec in 1998. Planted in 1929, the vine material pre-dates phylloxera, descended from a selection imported to Argentina in 1852 – back when the grape dominated Bordeaux. This selection is key to the DNA of Cheval des Andes and, along with the huge diurnal shift, produces Malbec that is fresh, precise, perfumed and delicately structured. For Clouet, the “true” Malbec is closer to Pinot Noir in style – more floral than fruit-led, vibrant and even ethereal.  In 2001, the team purchased an additional parcel in La Consulta in the Uco Valley, at higher altitude and with more gravel-driven soils, a cooler site that has an even more significant diurnal swing in temperature. While they once might have used only a fraction of the estate to produce the flagship wine, they have moved to using as much as they can – to create a pure expression of the entire property, declassifying only plots that don’t fit in the blend or meet their stringent quality standards.  All 50 hectares are farmed with the same philosophy as their vines in Saint-Emilion – employing extensive cover crops, trees scattered throughout the vineyard, and with the same incredible attention to detail and focus on sustainability. “We work with the same vision and the same conviction,” says Clouet. One key difference, of course, is that irrigation is essential in this part of Argentina – but, here again, they’ve changed tack over the last decade or so. Rather than traditional modern drip irrigation where necessary water would be eked out drop by drop over the season as needed (“too artificial”, Clouet tells me), they irrigate extensively over the winter to ensure the soils are replenished fully between seasons (as well as help protect ungrafted vines against phylloxera), then – on a plot by plot basis – when the vines are starting to suffer, they give the vines around 40mm of water (still via drip irrigation), over 24-48 hours, replicating a day or two of steady rainfall.  They’ve reduced the height of the canopy (the engine of the vine for sugar production), while using trees, cover crops and minimal leaf-pulling to avoid sunburn. They’ve started pruning each vine according to its vigour, and are now picking significantly earlier – as much as two months earlier than 15 years ago. With this detail in the vineyard, the challenge is simply to guide the fruit through the winery: “No mistakes is enough in the cellar,” says Clouet.  In some ways, the wine echoes Cheval Blanc. While the Saint-Emilion property blends Cabernet Franc and Merlot, Cheval des Andes focuses on Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon – the Malbec bringing freshness and silkiness that complements the backbone of powerful Cabernet. And the Cheval Blanc style, one of restraint and precision, shines through in recent vintages of the wine – and especially the soon-to-be-released 2021. As Clouet tells me, “Our vision is absolutely delicacy, freshness, balance, ageing potential, complexity.” Unlike Cheval Blanc, however, which needs 10 years in bottle to start even hinting at its potential, Cheval des Andes offers an immediacy – something that Clouet is clear doesn’t inhibit its ability to last; the 2021, for example, can be drunk now, but will evolve over the next 25 years at least, he tells me.  Even the association with the Cheval Blanc name doesn’t make Cheval des Andes an easy sell to fine wine lovers; but that, says Clouet, is part of what makes it fun – a challenge for the team to be pushed. Even better, his team gets the chance to learn and make wine not just once a year, but twice, as well as gaining additional insight on how Cheval Blanc might adapt to climate change. But Cheval des Andes isn’t just an intellectual exercise (that is merely an added bonus), Clouet firmly believes in the potential of this site – something they’re now finally beginning to realise. Browse all current Cheval des Andes listings or read more Editorial 

For 25 years, Cheval Blanc – one of Saint-Emilion’s leading names – has been crafting wine in Argentina. We sat down with Pierre-Olivier Clouet to find out more about the project today, and why the 2021 vintage is the most exciting to date

Technical Director Pierre-Olivier Clouet on the start of a new chapter at Cheval des Andes, the Argentinian wine project from Saint-Emilion’s Cheval Blanc

Turning the page at Cheval des Andes

Matthew Fioretti is not everyone’s cup of tea. The man at the helm of Cerbaiona doesn’t mince his words – and he’s got firm views on, well, I suspect pretty much everything. But he’s also unwaveringly honest, with a frank approach that is enjoyably refreshing – and rather unusual in the fine wine arena. He’s got a vision and story, one that he wants to tell, but it’s not one that’s been spun by a PR agency; it’s his. Fioretti has long been involved in the world of wine, running an import business in the US (Summa Vitis), which focused largely on Italian wine. He moved to Italy in 2004, and shut down the Summa Vitis operation in 2009 as he set his sights on making wine himself. After a few false starts, he heard that Diego Molinari – the longtime owner of Cerbaiona – was looking to retire. Along with a group of investors (the most significant of which is the American collector Gary Rieschel), Fioretti purchased the property in 2015, reportedly for €5.8 million. Molinari was in his 80s and it was clear that – while the site itself was exceptional – the property was run down and needed work. As we reported a few years ago, he promptly embarked on a radical project to restore the property and unexpectedly decided to declassify the 2014 and 2015 vintages to Rosso di Montalcino, only releasing the first Fioretti-era Brunello in 2021, with the 2016 vintage – the first to be made entirely by the new team.  Now, almost a decade later, he’s starting to be able to realise his vision for the estate – as we discovered on a visit earlier this year, with problems that “aren’t easy to solve”. The challenge, he explains, has been evolving from an “artisan” to an “atelier”. Under Molinari, the property developed a legendary reputation, but the operation was rudimentary – a traditional, family business, doing things the way they had always been done. Fioretti wants to bring the estate into the modern era, elevating the terroir with technical precision to craft wines that continue the Cerbaiona legacy. It is, he says, “a transition I wasn’t expecting to make”, but one that he feels is essential to safeguard Cerbaiona’s future. The distinction between artisan and atelier is a nuanced one – but one that comes down to an emphasis on craft rather than art, with a commitment to consistency, for which precision and hygiene in the winery are key, as well as a high level of technical knowledge. He confesses that he had envisaged having a more hands-off approach in the winery, having imported a lot of natural wines in his previous career, but has rapidly realised that top-level winemaking is full of “necessary compromises” (diving into issues like the fault quercetin). As a craft, winemaking can’t just be subject to the “whims of the producer”, as he suggests is the artisanal way. “I prefer to work more meticulously,” he explains. The American talks at pace, flitting from TS Eliot and the concept of “the pure critic” to Albertolli and neoclassicism, in amongst technical detail about fining and filtering. The estate is closed to visitors, deliberately to avoid distraction from what Fioretti wants to be spending his time on – making wine. As he whizzes us round the winery, our heads spinning as we try to absorb every detail, he talks us through exactly how he’s bringing new exactitude to the operation. The vineyards have all been replanted and a steep-sloped olive grove replaced with vines, all with selected rootstocks and clones sourced from France’s Guillaume nursery, to give them the best possible raw material. Once seen as too labour-intensive to farm, he’s convinced the ex-olive grove might just be the best site on the property. The rustic old stables and granary that acted as the cellar and winery have been carefully renovated, with water and drainage installed throughout, and the equipment all updated. Importantly, Fioretti has added a full in-house laboratory – something that is exceedingly rare for a property of this size, let alone Italy where the high-tech approach is far from the norm. The fruit is now all chilled after harvest, de-stemmed and cold-soaked, using inert gas to protect the must. While he used upright wooden tanks for fermentation for his first five vintages, Fioretti switched to stainless steel to allow for better hygiene and temperature control (preferring a maximum 26̊C), as well as allowing him to programme them for automated punch-downs and pump-overs. He’s started co-inoculating for primary and malolactic fermentation, meaning the wines go into barrel very clean – and can be sulphured right away. These are tweaks, minor modernisations, but one of the most significant changes Foretti is making is the time the wine spends in wood. While Molinari favoured four-plus years in 500-litre tonneaux, Fioretti has gradually started bottling the wine earlier and uses a combination of 350-litre barrels and 15-hectolitre casks. “Even two years [the appellation minimum] in wood is too long,” he says – before quickly acknowledging that such a view is far from accepted, and he cannot legally reduce it any further. The various consorzios may not like it, but it’s a view that is increasingly common among younger producers in Italy, who are frustrated by minimum oak-ageing requirements and their contrast with the wines today’s consumers want to drink. As Fioretti says, however, “The notion of wood is very delicate.” And while he’d rather be able to age his wine in other vessels during their first two years of life, he acknowledges that élevage in oak has a beneficial impact on the chemistry of wine – aiding stability. With such a beloved wine, it might seem controversial to change anything – especially the way it’s made, but that hasn’t stopped Fioretti. Looking back at older vintages from the estate, even the legendary 100-point 2010, he is sometimes underwhelmed, feeling that there’s much greater potential. Part of his plan to reflect that potential is bottling earlier, allowing the fruit to shine through and give the wine better balance – something he feels is key for ageing potential. He’s also keen to make sure the wine is moderate in alcohol with maximum 14 or 14.2%, even in the warmest years. And most importantly, he says, good wine has to be delicious. Having tasted the 2019 and 2021 with Fioretti – the results so far really are. There’s a vibrancy and purity that makes them irresistible, while not sacrificing the structure that will allow these wines to go the distance. Alongside Cerbaiona, Fioretti has also created the M.L. Fioretti label, one he describes as “part garagiste, part petit château”. He was keen to explore indigenous grapes, which “are part of the family – but not all thoroughbreds”, as well as plots of Bordeaux varietals (grapes with undeniable pedigree) – provided they’re planted in the right place. The Casaglia Colorino is bright and spicy, while the San Vito (sadly the last vintage of which is 2021) is a beautifully lush and vibrant Merlot. These are fascinating wines that allow Fioretti to experiment more – outside the constrictions of the Brunello di Montalcino appellation. Controversially, Fioretti has declared Cerbaiona a “No Scores Zone”, echoing the sentiment of Teobaldo Cappellano that numerical ratings are divisive, at best – and don’t do justice to the craft of winemaking. In his notes on the 2018 vintage, Fioretti wrote: “This is another vintage for the connoisseur, that true lover of wine and the vine. So be it if the ‘collector’ misses out.” Feathers might be ruffled by such remarks, but the motivation here is clear: an earnest passion for wine. It’s something that shines through in our conversation – and in the wines he’s making. You won’t find ratings online for new vintages of Cerbaiona, but one thing’s for sure: you’ll want them in your cellar. Explore all current Cerbaiona and M.L. Fioretti listings, or read more about Italy

You won’t have seen any reviews for Cerbaiona since Matthew Fioretti took over the cult Montalcino address – and that’s for good reason. We caught up with the notorious American taking charge, and leading change, at the estate

It’s all change at the cult Brunello di Montalcino winery Cerbaiona since Matthew Fioretti took over in 2015. We sat down with him to find out more.

Neyen

2016 Espiritu de Apalta Malbec