2023 La Vieille Cure
Buying options
Tasting notes
Ripe black cherries, chocolaty herbs, damp earth, and graphite all shine in the 2023 Château De La Vieille Cure, a slightly darker, richer wine compared to the La Sacristie de La Vieille Cure cuvée. Based on 75% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon from clay and limestone soils and aged 12-15 months in 40% new French oak with a small percentage in amphora, it's medium to full-bodied on the palate, with a ripe, rounded mouthfeel, sweet tannins, and a great finish. Readers could do much worse than to have a case of this in the cellar. It's great today, yet I see no reason it shouldn't keep for 15-20 years if well stored. Drink 2026-2045.
Critic scores
Average Score
James Suckling
Neal Martin, Vinous
More reviews and scores
The 2023 La Vieille Cure has a perfumed and comparatively floral bouquet with blackberry, raspberry and peony scents, well-defined with well-integrated oak. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy red fruit. Gentle grip, fine tension with a sapid finish, this is a solid, well-made Fronsac that should mature well in bottle.
An excellent Fronsac showing good depth and complexity. Hints of peppery spices and savory herbs to the deep, dark cherries and plums. Pretty seamless and medium- to full-bodied with fine-grained tannins and a long and juicy finish. Drinkable now thanks to the balance, but better in two more years.
A year-in, year-out smoking good wine as well as a perennial value, the 2023 Château La Vieille Cure is deep purple and reveals a great nose of black and blue fruits, spicy oak, graphite, and a touch of earth. It brings medium to full-bodied richness on the palate, with ripe, polished, yet building tannins and a great finish. Clearly destined to be an outstanding wine, I suspect it will need 2-3 years of bottle age.