2023 En Primeur: Castel Family Estates rewarded with excellent scores.
The 2023 vintage presented a series of challenges, resulting in wines that uniquely reflect their terroir, as well as the decisions and interventions of our winemakers. We invite you to explore the scores and tasting notes attributed to Castel Family Estates, showcasing our team’s dedication and expertise.
Château Montlabert (Grand Cru Classé de Saint-Emilion)
96 - Forbes (Tom Mullen)
“80/20 blend of Merlot/Cabernet Franc. Lush and integrated aromas of red fruit and slight pine. Flavors include black cherries, mint, blueberries, red and dark plums. Crisp acidity; hearty but restrained tannins. Delicious and ready to drink now.”
92-93 - James Suckling
“A very fine and pretty red with currant and blackberry character and very fine tannins. Medium-bodied, vivid and polished, yet subtle overall.”
92-94 - The Drinks Business (Colin Hay)
“It is – excellent, in fact. Subtle, elegant and refined with that lovely leafy blueberry Cabernet Franc note wafting from the glass even without coaxing. Wisteria. An intimate wine aromatically, with lovely but again subtle black cherry fruit. The sense of cool, calm intimacy continues on the palate where the beguilingly soft tannins trick you at first into overlooking quite how dense and compact it is. Long, sapid, juicy to the core and with a long and distinguished life ahead of it.”
93 - Markus del Monego
“Dark purple colour with violet hue and almost black core. Dark berries and black cherries, hints of red currant jelly and rose hips, hints of balmy spices in the background. On the palate well structured with good aromatic depth and length, good mid palate and ripe fruit.”
92 - Bettane & Desseauve (Denis Hervier)
“Belle harmonie dans ce vin déjà délicieux, avec un tannin bien en place qui tapisse tout le palais. Comme constaté ces derniers millésimes, la propriété est sur la bonne voie et avance rapidement”
92 - Tim Aktin (Rod Smith)
"Tight and richly oaky aromas with cocoa and some coffee. Brooding black fruit underneath. Juicy and with a cool (maybe clay/amphora?) touch of freshness to the voluptuous fruit extract. This is already delicious and concentrated wine with great depth of fruit flavours, complexity suppleness of texture and depth. Fine balancing raspberry acidity and well extracted and refined tannins define a long finish. Lovely wine indeed and likely to be delicious in relative youth."
92-93 - Alexandre Ma
92-93 - Vert de Vin
Château Magnan La Gaffelière (Saint-Emilion Grand Cru)
92-93 - James Suckling
“A creamy textured red with plums and a hint of milk chocolate. Medium-bodied, subtle and attractive. Pretty.”
Château Ferrande blanc (AOC Graves)
91-92 - James Suckling
“Racy and citrusy white with medium body and notes of pears and lemons. Some crushed stone too. Tense and vivid. Flavorful finish.”
90-93 - Yves Beck
"Ferrande 2023 signale d’entrée son axe orienté vers l’exactitude, vers les détails, avec des nuances de fruits à chair blanche et d’agrumes complétées par une touche d’anis. Légèrement crémeux, le vin est plébiscité par sa structure acide et sa finale fruitée. Un vin sapide à savourer dans sa jeunesse. 2025-2031”
94 - Forbes
“The Sauvignon Gris is particular to this estate and contributes to opulent and fresh light green grass aromas as well as mint and lemons. Energetic but precise aromas that include tropicals, lemongrass and a slight amount of bouquet of herbs. In the mouth, textured salinity and fresh mid palate flavors that include gooseberries and lemon tart. Lovely and decadent oily mouth feel; long finish with a slight hit of caramel. Less precision and salinity than the 2022, but richly attractive.”
Château Ferrande rouge (AOC Graves)
91-92 - James Suckling
“Juicy and crunchy with good tension and beautiful fruit. Hints of orange peel and savory herbs, too. Medium body. Firm tannins. Bright finish.”
90-92 - Yves Beck
“Vignes plantées à 9500 pieds/ha sur des sols de graves günziennes. Belle intensité fruitée dans le bouquet de Ferrande menée par des parfums de fraises et de baies noires mûres puis une touche mentholée. Le caractère élancé et élégant en bouche annonce un vin harmonieux et frais porté par une structure veloutée. Un vin linéaire et sapide, à la finale fruitée également. La boucle est bouclée et le résultat réjouissant ! 2026-2033."
93 - Forbes
Château d’Arcins (Haut-Médoc Cru Bourgeois)
16/20 - Jancis Robinson
“Owned by the Castel family. Terra Vitis and HVE certified. 59% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 1% Petit Verdot. Cask sample. Deep purplish crimson. Pure, dark cassis fruit with refined tannins. Less concentrated than some but balanced and almost drinkable now. Juicy, fresh finish. (JH).”
90 - Markus del Monego
“Dark purple colour with violet hue and almost black core. Elegant nose with fine fruit, blackcurrants and blackcurrant spurs, elegant spiciness, subtle oak. On the palate rich with ripe tannins and very convincing length, juicy and sweet fruit, discreet spiciness.”
90 - Rod Smith
“Closed and a little spicy oaky aroma. Some coffee and powdered cocoa. Rich sweet liquorice and red cherry flavours. The alcohol is commendably low, but the fruit is warm and round. Really rather delicious and well put together with fine rounded tannins and juicy acidity. Long smooth finish. This is really lovely this year. ”
90 - Vert de Vin
Château de Haut Coulon (AOC Cadillac Côtes de Bordeaux)
91 - Falstaff
“Tiefdunkles Rubingranat, opaker Kern, violette Reflexe, zarte Randaufhellung. Reife dunkle Herzkirschen, etwas Nugat, ein Hauch von Feigen, einladendes Bukett. Saftig, frische Waldbeeren, feine Tannine, lebendig strukturiert, mineralischsalziger Abgang. ”
90 - Rod Smith
