Saintayme - Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 2023

Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux

92

byJane Ansonthe4/9/2026

This sings from the first moment, luscious tannins coupled with limestone lift, sappy raspberry and damson fruits and a swirl of cold ash and steel on the finish. Great stuff from the consistently impressive Durantou family. Tasted twice.

The Wine Palate

91

byLisa Perrotti-Brownthe4/9/2026

Saintayme 2023, 100% Merlot, has a deep garnet-purple color. It zooms out of the glass with ready-to-go notes of baked plums, black cherries, and boysenberries, followed by underlying hints of dark chocolate and cedar chest. The full-bodied palate delivers great intensity of black fruit and savory layers, with a solid backbone of velvety tannins and just enough acidity, finishing long and savory.

Jeb DUNNUCK

91

byJeb Dunnuckthe3/31/2026

Deep purple-hued and all Merlot, the 2023 Saintayme offers a beautiful nose of ripe red and black fruits, chalky minerality, leafy herbs, and flowers. It's medium-bodied, pure, and elegant, with nicely integrated acidity and outstanding length. Based on 100% Merlot and aged in 30% new oak, this is a beautiful vintage for this cuvée, delivering tons of charm, accessibility, and character. Drink bottles over the coming 15 years or so. Drink 2026-2041.

The Wine Cellar Insider

90

byJeff Levethe3/30/2026

Quite oaky in the nose, and on the palate, so it needs time to better come together so you can enjoy all of its sweet, red fruits, flowers and supple, round textures, this will be ready-to-go on release and age for about a decade after that. The wine is produced from 100% Merlot. Drink from 2026-2037.

Vinous

93

byAntonio Gallonithe3/16/2026

The 2023 Saintayme turned out beautifully. Aromatic, gracious and super expressive, Saintayme is total sensuality. Sweet, perfumed floral notes and a touch of citrus lift a core of brilliant red-toned fruit. Notable brightness and tension suggest that 2023 will enjoy a very positive evolution for the next decade or so.

Vinous

89

byNeal Martinthe2/1/2026

The 2023 Saint-Robert Blanc has a struck matchstick-scented bouquet that just feels a bit predetermined. The palate is rounded in texture with tropical tones, just a bit too "sunny" for my liking, though I admire the stem ginger nose on the honeyed finish.

Jamessuckling.com

94

byJames Sucklingthe1/27/2026

Very pretty and subtle aromas and flavors of plums, berries, light chocolate and some crushed stones. Medium-bodied with round and caressing tannins and a juicy, savory finish. Plush and delicious. 100% merlot. Drink or hold.

Yvesbeck.wine

92-93

byYves Beckthe5/14/2024

Die Merlots, aus denen der Saintem 2023 besteht, wurden zwischen dem 27. September und dem 4. Oktober geerntet. Sie befinden sich auf trockenerem Lehm und wurden daher als letzte geerntet. Das Bouquet ist strahlend mit einer präzisen fruchtigen Intensität. Letzteres wird auch am Gaumen unterstrichen. Die Symbiose zwischen den Tanninen und der Säurestruktur ist perfekt und der Wein wird dadurch mundwassernd, animierend!

Jeb DUNNUCK

89-91

byJeb Dunnuckthe5/13/2024

The 2023 Saintayme is all Merlot brought up in 30% new oak. It’s a beautiful, ripe, textured, mineral-driven effort that has classic darker cherry and berry fruit, chalky minerality, subtle tobacco and herbal notes, and ripe yet certainly present tannins. It should be an outstanding wine.

The Drinks Business

90-92

byColin Haythe5/7/2024

Saintayme (Saint Émilion; 100% Merlot; aging in oak barrels, 30% of them new; 14.6% alcohol; tasted with Noemie Durantou at L’Eglise-Clinet). A lovely intense and rather herb and heather inflected dark berry and stone fruit. Briary fruits, fruits of the forest, plums, damsons, brambles. Quite vertical aromatically. Pure and intense on the palate too with an impressively glassy texture. Quite a tight and narrow frame. But with a good volume of tannin too. Nice walnutty notes on the finish. Excellent. 

The Wine Cellar Insider

90-92

byJeff Levethe5/6/2024

On the floral side of the style range, the wine also displays cocoa, cherry, herbs, spices, and walnuts. The palate is medium-bodied, with soft, silky and vibrant, red plums, cherries, and chocolate in the finish. This will be ready-to-go on release and age for more than a decade after that. The wine is produced from 100% Merlot, 14.6% ABV. Drink from 2026-2037. 90-92 Pts.

Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux

92

byJane Ansonthe5/6/2024

Medium intensity ruby, austere tannins on the opening, this has lemongrass and slate, juicy raspberry and grilled spice notes, slow and steady unrolling through the palate. Plenty to love.

Vinous

91-93

byAntonio Gallonithe4/30/2024

The 2023 Saintayme, 100% Merlot, is a deep, serious wine. There's a real core of inner strength here. Dark red fruit, cedar, spice and dried flowers open with some coaxing, but the 2023 impresses most with its overall poise. Pretty floral overtones add brightness. The 2023 is a very fine Saintayme.

Vinous

89-91

byNeal Martinthe4/29/2024

The 2023 Saintayme is pure Merlot, as usual, picked between September 27 and October 4 and matured in 30% new oak. This is quite lush on the nose with black plum and light blueberry scents and fine purity. It clocks in at 14.6% alcohol, but that is nicely disguised. The palate is medium-bodied with a slightly powdery texture, moderate weight and good balance. There’s perhaps slightly less complexity on the finish compared to the 2022 at this stage last year.

Wine Advocate

88-90

byYohan Castaingthe4/26/2024

A 100% Merlot, the 2023 Saintayme evokes aromas of dark wild berries, mulberries, licorice and pencil lead, followed by a round, supple and juicy palate with a fleshy core of fruit and dense, rich tannins that assert themselves with a structured finish.

Jamessuckling.com

92-93

byJames Sucklingthe4/25/2024

Lovely freshness and balance with berries, orange peel and crushed stone. It's medium-bodied with nice, round tannins. Pure merlot.