Success for Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc? Sometimes – let James be your guide. For his notes on 2023 reds, see right-bank reds and left-bank reds.
In 2023, the harvest for Bordeaux’s burgeoning production of sparkling Crémant de Bordeaux started on 16 August and for the earliest-ripening Sauvignon Blanc (for dry whites) the week of 21 August. Sémillon followed a little later. The freshness of the vintage is there but the ultimate quality of the dry whites seems to depend more on picking dates and soil type than appellation. Sauvignon Blanc harvested too early or cultivated on particularly dry soils...