2023 Vintage - Château Séraphine and Clos Cantenac
‘Impressively pure and deliciously balanced.’
The Bordeaux primeurs tasting is well underway now and the 2023 vintage promises some lovely wines. Although the general 2023 Bordeaux growing season was challenging with bouts of mildew, hot humid weather and other disease pressure, dry warm weather prevailed over late summer and early autumn leading to what is described as ‘a good vintage.’ This year, however, I decided not to attend the annual tastings; the launch of The Australian Ark has diverted my attention significantly.
Last week I was in London, however, and had lunch with vigneron Martin Krajewski (with the co-publishers of The Australian Ark). This was an opportunity to taste his 2023 vintages from Pomerol and St Emilion, which proved to be impressively pure and deliciously balanced. Under the scrupulous attention of rising-star winemaker (& daughter) Charlotte Krajewski, the wines highlight how personality, investment and technological advances (especially sorting) can overcome challenging growing seasons and make the most of individual terroirs. While outside the traditional Chateau-aristocracy of Bordeaux, both Chateau Seraphine (just 2.2 hectares) and Clos Cantenac (6 hectares) are making genuinely modern reference-style wines that can compete comfortably with many of its more famous and expensively priced neighbours.
A general reset of Bordeaux prices is expected for the 2023 vintage primeurs releases.
2023 Petit Cantenac, St Emilion Grand Cru
Medium deep colour. Intense blackcurrant, hint marzipan, roasted chestnut, with dark chocolate notes. Generous dark plum, blackcurrant elderberry fruits, some brambly notes, lovely mid palate volume, inky density, al dente/ firm tannins. and fresh long acidity. Attractive firm vigorous finish. 80% Merlot 15% Cabernet Sauvignon 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. 2026-2035+ 14% alc 94 points - Andrew Caillard MW
This 2023 St Emilion is bold yet balanced as it delivers even and poised aromas of mulberry, and blackberry with a strong undercurrent of dried herbs. Dense with a tannic frame and warming alcohol, this is a robust example of St Emilion that needs some time to settle. 2028-2042 92 points - Angus Hughson
2023 Clos Cantenac, St Emilion Grand Cru
Medium deep colour. Dark chocolate, roasted chestnut, dark plum, elderberry hint sesame aromas. Fresh inky wine with attractive voluminous dark plum, mulberry dark cherry flavours, fine persistent gravelly frame tannins, praline roasted chestnut notes. Finished firm and tight. Lovely purity and mineral length. Should develop very well although will need some years of bottle age for elements to integrate. 100% Merlot. 2028-2040+ 14% alc 96 points - Andrew Caillard MW
This 2023 St Emilion is significantly more refined than its stablemate with elevated detail and tighter shape with a strong seam of powdery tannins. Perfumed aromas of blackberry and violets offer up an enticing opening before dropping into a deep well of fleshy plum and blackberry flavour. There is excellent underlying fruit strength well balanced with an impressive core of tannins which work well together to deliver a lengthy finish. 2030-2040 93 points - Angus Hughson
2023 L’Innocence de Seraphine, Pomerol
Deep crimson. Intense plum, musky black cherry roasted chestnut, praline, with hints of aniseed. Generous glossy and pure with lovely dark plum, black cherry, fine looseknit grippy tannins, vanilla, roasted chestnut, salted chocolate flavours. Superb inky density, elderberry notes. Finishes chocolaty and minerally. Delicious wine with very good concentration and balance. Moderate term wine but impressively approachable. 75% Merlot 25% Cabernet Franc. Aged in new and seasoned French oak and clay amphora. Production 5000 bottles. 2028-2035+ 14% alc 95 points - Andrew Caillard MW
There is delicious finesse and poise to this 2023 Pomerol as it offers up refined aromas of blackberry and cedar with an attractive succulence. Finely tuned and mid-weight, ample fruit pastille flavours are well defined against a hearty serve of strong, yet fine tannins. Approachable although with time on its side. 2030-2042 93 points - Angus Hughson
2023 Château Séraphine, Pomerol
Deep colour. Beautiful dark cherry praline roasted chestnut, hint cigar box aromas with touch herb garden notes. Plushily concentrated palate with ample dark cherry pastille, dark plum, cedar, cigar box, roasted chestnut flavours, fine chocolaty tannins and well-integrated fresh minerally acidity. Finishes velvety and long with mineral notes. Lovely density and torque. Impressively balanced and buoyant wine with a great future and very much a style Australians will love. 100% Merlot, aged in new and seasoned French oak and clay amphora. Production 4400 bottles. Drink 2030- 2045 14.5% alc 97 points - Andrew Caillard MW
There is a beautiful purity and shapely quality to this 2023 Pomerol with strong and lifted aromas of fruit pastilles and dark cherry with a dusting of crushed graphite, oak quite prominent but balanced. Excellent tension to follow with gravelly textures beneath tightly coiled dark-fruited flavour while retaining an almost pretty edge. Young, vibrant and will be a handsome drink from around ten years of age. 2030-2045 95 Points - Angus Hughson