Saint-Émilion wine estates report 2023 harvest results

The 2023 wine harvest in the Saint-Émilion region of France is characterized by significant climatic challenges and varying results across prestigious estates.

Château Le Prieuré, now managed by the technical team from Château Calon Ségur, has released its 2023 vintage. The estate, located on 12.5 hectares of clay-limestone slopes, produced a blend of 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc. Despite a warm spring and a humid August, the harvest was completed in late September, with the wine undergoing 18 months of aging.

At Château Cheval Blanc, director Pierre-Olivier Clouet reported record-breaking early harvesting, with Merlot picked by September 1st. While yields are on the lower side at approximately 26 hectoliters per hectare, the quality is noted for its freshness and soft tannins. Clouet emphasized that climate change remains a critical issue, noting that extreme heat waves, rather than just drought, pose the greatest challenge to viticulture, with recorded peak temperatures reaching 41.9°C.