The 2023 Chateau de Ferrand Bordeaux Blend is a noteworthy offering from the Saint Emilion sub-region of Bordeaux, France. Produced by Chateau de Ferrand, this red wine presents a compelling mix of 65% Merlot and 35% Cabernet Franc, a composition that draws praise for its depth and character.
James Suckling rates this wine at an impressive 95 points, highlighting its "attractive depth of fruit with blackberry and black olive" and its "velvety but muscular" tannins. He attributes its verve to a pH of 3.52 and notes the saltiness imparted by the cabernet franc from limestone soils (jamessuckling.com, 4/15/2024).
Jeb Dunnuck also speaks highly of this vintage, giving it a score between 91-94 points. He describes it as "beautifully balanced, medium to full-bodied, and concentrated," with an impressive nose of ripe black and blue fruits accompanied by notes of iron, tobacco, and spicy wood (jebdunnuck.com, 5/8/2024). This wine's potential to improve with a few years of aging is also noted.
Decanter echoes this sentiment, offering a 94-point review and praising its "velvet smooth attack" and "tannic finesse." The reviewer points out that this vintage involved less extraction and pumping over, resulting in a long, supple finish marked by "limestone freshness" (Decanter, 4/20/2024).
Neal Martin from Vinous, while scoring it slightly lower at 92 points, appreciates its "understated" bouquet and "granular" texture, which he expects will gain more corpulence as it ages (Vinous, 4/29/2024).
Jane Anson gives it a 93, noting the wine's "spiced intensity" and "floral aromatics," commending the winemaking consistency that underscores the vintage's strengths (janeanson.com, 4/20/2024).
Overall, the 2023 Chateau de Ferrand is a well-regarded Bordeaux blend that promises to develop further complexity with age.