Following the release of the right bank big guns Figeac and La Conseillante this morning, the 2023 en primeur campaign is now virtually complete. It’s a very good vintage to be sure, released at significant discounts by most châteaux in difficult trading conditions. The prices of many wines are interesting, but simply not compelling enough to justify purchase en primeur.  

Here we highlight a dozen wines that we think offer the best value in this vintage at all price-points.
 
Montlandrie: £164 per dozen – this emerging star of the Castillon appellation could be the finest wine produced here since the Durantou family’s first vintage in 2009. A 92-94 rating from Neal Martin puts it firmly in the same league as wines that sell at two, three or even four times the price.
 
Tronquoy: £198 per dozen – this property sits next to Montrose and is under the same ownership. Quality has soared in the last decade and it has out-performed in blind tastings of recent vintages. Like Montrose, this is a big success in 2023, but at a very modest price. Neal Martin’s 93/95 point score ranks it the equal of, for example, Gruaud Larose. It’s easy to do the maths here.
 
De Fieuzal: £240 per dozen – a change of winemaking here has made de Fieuzal one of Bordeaux’s most improved châteaux, but the price remains extremely modest. With a 94-96 Wine Advocate score, it equals the rating of Mouton Rothschild at less than 6% of the price..
 
Batailley: £324 per dozen – a classed growth Pauillac at a lower price than any other vintage with excellent ratings. This has to be one of the bargains of 2023. Neal Martin gives Batailley the same score this year as La Mission Haut Brion.
 
Léoville Barton: £672 per dozen – this classic second growth is always a wine to buy en primeur thanks to the owners’ modest pricing policy. This year is no exception and, incredibly, it is £1,000 per dozen cheaper than neighbour Lascases with the same Wine Advocate rating (and it is rated even higher by our own Thomas Parker MW).  
 
Léoville Poyferré: £674 per dozen – this year Poyferré is “a contender for the best Saint-Julien in show” writes Neal Martin, yet the Cuvelier family have made a big effort on price to bring it to the market at less than half the price of its “super-second” rivals.
 
Lynch Bages: £840 per dozen – one of the classics of Bordeaux and a great Lynch once again. This is priced at below any other vintage of this château in the market today to make it a clearly attractive purchase to the en primeur buyer. “Excellent” is the judgement of both Neal Martin and James Suckling.   
 
Les Carmes Haut Brion: £912 per dozen – Bordeaux’s most exciting property right now and it outscores Haut Brion itself in the Wine Advocate with a 97/99 point rating.
 
Canon: £1,074 per dozen – fighting it out with the other big names for top spot in St Emilion but still priced way below its rivals. This has a potential 100 points from two of the leading critics and is one third the price of Angélus with equal or better ratings from everyone.
 
Pichon Lalande: £1,320 per dozen – huge ratings for Pichon Lalande rate it the equal of the first growths including 97/99 from the Wine Advocate. A magnificent Pauillac.
 
Montrose: £1,428 per dozen – rated a potential 100 points by three critics, this wine doesn’t just match the first growths, it beats them.
 
Eglise Clinet: £2,508 per dozen – Neal Martin’s clear “Wine of the Vintage” with the ultimate 98/100 point rating. A vintage-defying wine that the owners rate above their famous 2022. If you can’t find, or can’t afford, Lafleur or Pétrus, don’t worry, buy this.