Loire 2023: First Taste
In this first collection of notes and scores for the 2023 vintage in the Loire Valley I present my thoughts having tasted more than 70 wines from this vintage.
There is no en primeur system in the Loire Valley, for which I suspect many are grateful. Having said that, for all their problems the primeur tastings in Bordeaux do at least facilitate the rapid acquisition of a broad understanding of the vintage, at all quality levels. Here in the Loire, however, wines presented this early are most likely to be wines the vignerons are keen to sell this at this moment, and do not really provide a complete view of the vintage.
Thus this report focuses largely on early-drinking styles, such as a variety of rosé appellations, simple white blends sold as IGP or Vin de France, and domaine-level Muscadet. Happily I can also add notes on wines from other regions and appellations more readily suited to the cellar, largely wines tasted as barrel samples, or brut de cuve samples (as they are often referred to in the Loire Valley). These other wines include Chinon, Vouvray, Sancerre, Saumur and Bourgueil, and I have even encountered a couple of sweet wines, notable as this is a vintage not destined to be remembered for this style.
As last year, I forego my age-old habit of dividing up my notes according to region and appellation, instead listing them here by style, so after a trio of sparkling wines I present notes on easy-drinking and largely blended whites, varietal white wines from Sauvignon Blanc and Chenin Blanc, some rosé wines, then all sorts of red wines and finally, as noted, a couple of sweeter cuvées.
