Our original Vineyard Partner of 1984 - Château La Clarière

The 2023 Vintage: La Clarière’s Bold New Chapter

A Vintage Arrives with Acclaim

As the rich and expressive 2023 vintage of Château La Clarière is delivered to Vineyard Partners, we bring you the latest on this exceptional wine and life at the vineyard. This spring’s Vineyard Partners magazine featured the grand celebration in Castillon — a coming-of-age moment for the appellation marked by fine dining and a powerful speech by Stéphane Derenoncourt, President of Les Castillon Caractères. He proudly declared Castillon as a leader in biodiversity and modern terroir. With global red wine consumption in decline, Castillon estates are standing firm — offering outstanding quality and remarkable value.

Behind the Scenes of the 2023 Harvest

It’s in this context that the 2023 La Clarière vintage arrives — a wine winemaker Jean-Marc Sauboua describes as “big, complex and beautifully balanced,” with more elegance than the powerful 2022. Tony, who was present during the vintage, noted that the white grapes were harvested early, by 25th August, while the final red grapes were picked on 3rd October — the latest in the appellation. Jean-Marc was thrilled with the results: “Amazing vintage, amazing quality, very ripe … very happy!” The wine has already been awarded a Gold medal in Paris and a Double Gold from Gilbert et Gaillard, confirming its exceptional character.

Weather Challenges, Expert Response

The 2023 growing season was the second warmest in 30 years, yet the wines remain fresh, balanced, and moderately alcoholic. This was no accident — it took intense vigilance in the vineyard, especially during the warm, damp spring months that brought high disease pressure and the threat of downy mildew. Estate manager Vincent Galineau and his team acted swiftly to protect the vines, while Bordeaux was blessed with ideal flowering conditions. Summer saw moderate weather with two short heatwaves in August and September, which concentrated flavours. Thanks to perfect harvest conditions and expert care, Château La Clarière 2023 delivers ripe fruit, freshness, and impressive drinkability — a vintage to enjoy now and for years to come.

The wine:

Jean-Marc likes to use around 80% Merlot in Château La Clarière, with a generous 10% of Cabernet Sauvignon — which now ripens beautifully in the cooler clay soils of the Right Bank, thanks to global warming. The remaining blend includes a small splash of both Cabernet Franc and Malbec.

Each grape variety is vinified separately, plot by plot, in individual vats. The process is carefully monitored, with regular plunging of the cap of skins into the juice. After around three weeks on the skins, the wine is pressed and transferred to barrel: one third into new oak barriques (225 litres), one third into one-year-old barrels, and the rest into either the large 5,000-litre foudres or the elegant clay amphorae Jean-Marc sourced specially for the estate. While the foudres give a softer oak influence, the amphorae enhance the wine’s purity of fruit. After a year of ageing, the final blend is created with input from Jean-Marc, Vincent, and Tony.

Following this, the wine has been resting in bottle in the cool cellar before being shipped to Vineyard Partners. Although already rich and expressive, the 2023 vintage will benefit from a few months of resting. Jean-Marc suggests waiting until late autumn or around Christmas to open a bottle — and don’t forget to decant it a few hours ahead to let it truly open up.

This luscious, well-structured claret promises great ageing potential over the next decade and beyond. It’s a perfect match for slow-roasted lamb shoulder, rare steak, rich casseroles, or a wedge of Comté or mature Cheddar.

Please come and visit … stay even

The team at Château La Clarière always enjoy welcoming Vineyard Partners — so do book a visit if you're planning to be near Bordeaux. You can take a guided tour, taste wines straight from the barrel, browse the wine library, and even buy older vintages or larger-format bottles on site. For the full experience, you can also book a few nights at the château itself. The beautifully appointed ensuite bedrooms are available exclusively for Partners, along with access to the Great Hall and a fully equipped kitchen. The surrounding area offers plenty to explore, making it a perfect getaway. For bookings, contact: bookings@domaineslaithwaite.com.