2023 Bordeaux: A Classic Vintage at Sharp Pricing

Despite such a fast and furious start to the campaign, we've so far seen very impressive engagement from futures buyers, with sales coming in much more volume than 2022. The main reason, apart from a large crop of high-quality wines? Pricing. With many châteaux releasing at 25% to 40% below their 2022 prices, the 2023 vintage is set to put the Bordeaux market right, and our avid collectors are the biggest beneficiaries. In our annual Bordeaux Vintage Guide, you'll find summaries of all the top appellations that we tasted, along with comprehensive lists of currently available selections. Of course, this is just the tip of the iceberg, so be sure to stay tuned in the coming weeks as marquee names like Montrose, Canon, the Pichons, and many others release their 2023s to market. Check out the notes for these, and all of the wines below on our 2023 Bordeaux Vintage Report.

Fan-Favorite Champagne Launois Back In Stock

Our ship of Launois recently arrived, just before I shipped out to Mesnil to visit the property. I just tasted all of these wine with Séverine Launois and as usual, their range of estate-grown, Grand Cru Chardonnay–centered wines were amazing. There is a reason that these are the best-selling Champagnes at K&L; they refuse to use anything other than their own vineyards, and those vineyards are exclusively planted to massal selections from their own mother vines—they do not have any cloned plants at all here. The heart of the vineyard, the place where they have the most land, is none other than the legendary Mesnil Grand Cru—the most expensive and most sought-after in all of the Champagne region.

The Top Champagne Release of 2024?

I don’t know if I am ready for a better Champagne to be released in 2024 than the 2012 Billecart-Salmon "Cuvée Louis" Brut Blanc de Blancs Champagne $199.99. I have been lucky enough to have tasted it three times since its release this April, and to drink it once at home as well. This is a Champagne that epitomizes the elegance of this great house, and of Grand Cru Chardonnay from the region.

Long-Aged Grower Champagne from Fallet-Dart in the Marne

All of the big houses say that this part of the Marne is just for Meunier and only good for the shortest-aged blends. Fallet-Dart proves them wrong. They grow great quality Chardonnay and Pinot Noir here as well as fantastic Meunier and offer the longest-aged current release Champagne that we stock at 19 years old. Everything that they make is grown on their own estate. I should not have been surprised by how well the wines showed given how long we have worked together, but wow, these are world class, and the value from top to bottom is simply amazing.

Bordeaux 2023 Vintage: Highs and Lows

After returning from my fifth visit to Bordeaux to taste the new vintage (where’s my 5-timer robe??), I can say with confidence there is a lot to like about the 2023 vintage. This is a vintage like no other, where the best wines are exciting, vibrant, and emotionally thrilling, capturing the best of warm-vintage depth-of-fruit and the alluring qualities of cool-vintage freshness and minerality.

Pessac, Right Bank, and Some 2023 Revelations

I’ll have to admit, and have received feedback as such, that I’ve often been a bit too cynical about the vintage at hand, or the market conditions that challenge the primeur campaign. Perhaps I’m just trying to make sure producers share our stress and reduce their prices. It’s also a tough position to be in–we’re dropped into the middle of the action for a brief week, being pulled in many directions. Avoiding the stress of it is like landing in the middle of a storm and trying to ignore the wind. But today, we’re starting to slow down, and perhaps it is time to focus on some of the bright spots from the last few days.

Unlike the Others: 2023 Bordeaux

After tasting through the Médoc for two days straight, we have a few things that seem to be clear–this is a vintage with compelling wines that deserve collectors’ attention, but it is also one that comes with much less clarity and consensus as the easy-to-understand vintages of the past five years. While many reach for a recent vintage as a parallel, the 2023s have a character all their own–something that makes us love wine in the first place.

Bordeaux and a Bottle to Inspire

Yesterday was a day of exploring Bordeaux, discovering a vintage, tasting First Growths (and wines that rivaled them), and spending time with friends new and old. All in all, it was a great day to be part of the people, wines, and region of Bordeaux. Unfortunately, it has become clear that it will take a bit more than a day to figure out this sometimes confounding, sometimes profound, and very unique vintage that’s about to shape the market. Conclusions for these wines will come in a matter of days, weeks, and years, but I’ll not be able to draw anything today.

A Bordeaux Rollercoaster: The 2023 Vintage

Being one of the most elastic markets in the world of fine wine, Bordeaux can be a bit of a rollercoaster from year to year. But as opposed to waiting in line for the thrill ride, the U.S. consumer has recently had the luxury of getting on the ride whenever they want. The question now is whether Bordeaux has an experience that’s exciting enough for folks to line up for, if they can capture the attention of new thrill seekers, or if the ride itself is outdated and needs to be replaced.

First Sips: 2022 Burgundy Vintage Report

Wines from the record-breaking 2022 vintage have arrived, with classics and up-and-coming appellations ready to deliver excellent value.

Return to Rhône: Our Best Collectibles, Values, and More

We've been saying it for years, but it bears repeating—you'd be hard pressed to find any region in the world that offers more consistent and diverse value propositions than the Rhône Valley.

Do Not Miss These Southern Rhône Wines

The beautiful sun that ripens the grapes in France’s Southern Rhône Valley translates to fruity, delicious wines in your glass. With the help of the hearty Mistral wind that blows through the vineyards, these wines retain freshness and verve all while delivering complex, full-flavored wines. Do not miss these!

K&L Wine Merchants

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