2023 Château Soutard

The 2023 Soutard makes its presence known right out of the gate. A blast of dark-fleshed fruit, licorice, gravel and chocolate give the 2023 its virile, backward personality. Hints of blood orange and pomegranate add vibrancy. This is an especially big vintage for Soutard, but it all works so well. Impressive.

- Antonio Galloni (04/2024)

Fresh and rich nose of ripe plums and cherries with touches of dark spices and graphite. Juicy and plummy, with fleshy fruit and round, fine tannins that are evenly packed on the center palate. Long finish. 57% merlot, 29% cabernet franc, 7% cabernet sauvignon and 7% malbec. Drinkable now, but better in two more years.

- Zekun Shuai (12/2025)

Very young and unevolved both times I was able to taste it, the inky hued 2023 Château Soutard offers a ripe, powerful nose of mineral-laced red and blue fruits as well as ample scorched earth, violets, graphite, and floral nuances. Medium to full-bodied, concentrated, and textured, with a brilliant sense of minerality, it has the concentration and structure to warrant a solid 4-5 years of bottle age. The quality at this château continues to skyrocket. (05/2024)

The 2023 Soutard is deep garnet-purple in color. It needs a lot of swirling to unlock notes of juicy plums and blackberry preserves, followed by nuances of Sichuan pepper, violets, and black olives. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is plush and juicy, with fantastic tension and a fragrant finish. (05/2024)

The 2023 Soutard is likely to rival or even surpass the brilliant 2022. Offering up aromas of mulberries, raspberries and plums mingled with hints of violet, licorice and spice, it's medium to full-bodied, fleshy and layered, with a dense and seamless core of vibrant, perfumed fruit and a long, mineral finish. As restructured parcels return to production, Soutard is increasingly emerging as one of Saint-Émilion's finest estates.

- William Kelley (04/2024)