SJ de Saint-Julien 2023

Fine, hush-hush parcel of top-class claret from a second growth Saint-Julien estate
If you like drinking exceptional, classed growth Bordeaux, but don’t want to spend a fortune, this is a wine to snap up. It’s an exciting parcel from a second growth estate in Saint-Julien. From a classic vintage, this is a superb, elegant claret.

Bordeaux is having tough time at the moment. With global demand falling, even classed growth estates from appellations as fancy as Saint-Julien have too much wine in their cellar. Unheard of in all its history, but it does mean that there are some tremendous deals to be had.

That’s where our buyer, Bordeaux-born-and-bred Jean-Marc Sauboua plays his hand. He is hugely well connected, so is one of the first that fine châteaux call when they have some wine to move quickly.

This secret SJ de Saint-Julien 2023 was one of those, from a second growth property we are forbidden to name. However, you can be certain of very fine liquid in the bottle. 2023 is, in James Suckling’s words, “a year not to overlook … They are what the French call classic Bordeaux, with length and intensity delivered in a balanced and subtle way.” Cabernet dominated, this wine has rich, silky dark fruits, with a lift of violets and tobacco, smooth tannins and freshness.