Robert Parker Wine Advocate publishes its review of Bordeaux’ Primeurs tastings 2023

• Robert Parker Wine Advocate’s reviewers have published their article on the tastings from Bordeaux en Primeurs
• These Primeurs are marked by significant changes in vineyard management, and by the accelerated impacts of climate change, which are creating a revolution in the Bordeaux region
• The two reviewers specifically on site for the Primeurs highlight the birth of a new Bordeaux style: a “contemporary classicism”

The Bordeaux Primeurs tastings, an event eagerly awaited both by the press and wine professionals alike, and during which winemakers had the opportunity to offer a preview of their 2022 vintage, was held this week, from 24 to 27 April.

Since the 1970s, the Bordeaux region, its estates and chateaux, use this important week to present their latest vintage, still maturing in barrel, in order to launch “primeurs” sales, and showcase the region and its producers.

On the final day of the tasting sessions, the Robert Parker Wine Advocate’s team published, on their website, their complete analysis of the Primeurs, to guide subscribers in their discovery of the 2022 vintage, which already seems to have acquired a strong personality.

“This year, and for the first time since the creation of Robert Parker Wine Advocate, in order to be particularly timely, we dispatched two of our wine reviewers for what we might call an annual ‘tasting marathon’. The fascinating revolution currently under way in Bordeaux deserves this singular commitment from our team, always desirous of offering its expertise to our community. As usual, our tastings are made independently, to produce a relevant, rigorous and reliable view of these wines which are soon to be launched on the market.” explains Mickael Moiroud, General Director of Robert Parker Wine Advocate.

For these 2023 Primeurs tastings, Robert Parker Wine Advocate strengthens its strategy by involving two Bordeaux specialist reviewers, William Kelley and Yohan Castaing. These experts, particularly sensitive to an ‘boots-on-the-ground’ approach, visit the vineyards regularly throughout the year rather than simply once a year, to follow their development and evolution as closely as possible.

Despite tough climatic conditions with temperatures reaching new records, the Bordeaux region is more fascinating than ever, producing great wines thanks to progressive farming and winemaking innovations. The extreme conditions of the vintage are reflected in the small quantity of bottles produced, and prices are likely to be higher than usual. Nevertheless, this vintage is the perfect opportunity for wine-lovers to discover the “Other Bordeaux”, the less well-known estates, such as Mangot or Clos Manou, that Robert Parker Wine Advocate’s reviewers take such pains to seek out and highlight all year long in their work.

Co-signing the article published on the Robert Parker Wine Advocate website, William Kelley and Yohan Casting underline the special traits which make this Bordeaux 2022 vintage unique:

“The best estates have produced wines that exhibit energy and freshness, like Carmes Haut-Brion or Montrose, qualities that many would have thought impossible given the conditions. Pure, precise and expressive, without any excess of ripeness of extraction, these wines perfectly illustrate Bordeaux's new contemporary stylistic classicism."

The complete article from the two experts about the Bordeaux Primeurs tastings 2023 is available for subscribers on Robert Parker Wine Advocate’s website.