2020 Bordeaux

The 2020 Les Grands Chênes exhibits aromas of rich berries, licorice and toasty oak, followed by a medium to full-bodied, rich and rather extracted palate.

A very fine and polished 2020 with tar, blackberry, stone and wet earth aromas and flavors. Full and reserved with beautiful tannins and a long, long finish. Classy. Extremely well done. From biodynamically grown grapes. Demeter... Read More

The classic 2020 Château Fontenil from this Fronsac château is a winner and well worth a case purchase. Giving up lots of spiced red and black fruits, smoked tobacco, and flowery incense notes, it's medium to full-bodied,... Read More

Aromas of currants and dark cherries with orange peel character. Medium-bodied with fine tannins and chocolate with hints of cedar. Crisp and vivid. 66% merlot, 24% cabernet sauvignon and 10% petit verdot. Drink or hold.... Read More

The 2020 Blason d'Issan is a tasty, juicy Margaux to drink now and over a handful of years, while the fruit remains vibrant.

This comes from the smaller portion of Château Peyrabon that is in Pauillac. The vineyard has produced a textured, firm wine, showing great black currant fruits from the Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine is properly structured... Read More

This vintage is marked by one of the rainiest winters in history followed by tropical spring which encouraged bud-burst to occur early. This tendency would persist during all the vegetative process. The frequency and the intensity... Read More

The 2020 Baron de Brane is a heady, exhuberant wine. Dark red/purplish fruit, mocha, chocolate, lavendar, spice and new leather are all beautifully delineated. Fine tannins, lifted aromatics and succulent fruit are all very nicely... Read More

I loved the 2020 Chateau De Sales from barrel, and it's showing beautifully from bottle. Sporting a deep purple hue as well as a ripe, sexy, medium to full-bodied style, it has ripe, supple tannins, a layered, balanced mouthfeel,... Read More

To celebrate the 2020 vintage, Goulée by Cos d’Estournel is renamed G d’Estournel. This wine displays a unique profile: the balance and aromatics of a fresh vintage are accompanied by an acidity and a quality... Read More

The 2020 Chateau Meyney is a solid step up, with more elegance and finesse, as well as structure. Giving up medium-bodied aromas and flavors of darker currants, black cherries, classy oak, tobacco leaf, and damp earth, it has... Read More

The 2020 Le Petit Haut Lafitte captures all the pedigree of the Grand Vin, but naturally in a more approachable style. Graphite, lavendar, spice, menthol, blackberry jam and chocolate all saturate the palate. Savory, deep and... Read More

A wine I continue to buy in every vintage, the 2020 Château Tour Saint-Christophe looks to be another no-brainer for the Saint-Emilion lovers out there. Coming from a gorgeous, terraced vineyard on the eastern side of the... Read More

The 2020 Lacoste-Borie, which comes from in a new label, has an attractive nose with black fruit, pencil shavings and light minty aromas that remain in the background. Fine delineation, though not powerful. The palate is medium-bodied... Read More

A pretty, floral, exotic 2020, the 2020 Château Franc Mayne has ample red and blue fruits as well as flowery incense, orange blossom, and sandalwood notes in a medium to full-bodied, silky, elegant, already irresistible... Read More

The inky-hued 2020 Château Fombrauge is another wonderful Saint-Emilion that shines on all accounts. Possessing terrific purity in its cassis-styled fruits as well as notes of violets, chocolate, and chalky minerality, this... Read More

The 2020 Latour-Martillac has an impressive, quite engaging bouquet with blackberry, incense, graphite and faint touches of black olive. This is very harmonious and well defined. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-grained tannins,... Read More

The 2020 Le Petit Ducru offers up aromas of sweet plums, cassis, raw cocoa, pencil shavings and creamy new oak, followed by a medium to full-bodied, fleshy and layered palate framed by powdery tannins that assert themselves on... Read More

I continue to love the wines from this estate in Margaux, and the 2020 Château Labegorce is no exception. Rock star crème de cassis, graphite, roasted herbs, iron, and loamy earth nuances all define the bouquet, and... Read More

Cherry and damson fruits come straight in on the attack with plenty of cedar and mocha smoke, a little brittle through the finish but with charm.

The 2020 La Tour Carnet was impressive from barrel. Now in bottle, it has a composed and understated bouquet that grows in stature with aeration. A second bottle had a more accentuated marine scent. The palate is medium-bodied... Read More

Coming from a gorgeous vineyard on the eastern, cooler side of Saint-Emilion, and 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc, the 2020 Château Barde-Haut has a bright, juicy, yet powerful bouquet of ripe blue fruits, scorched earth,... Read More

The 2020 Chateau Grand-Puy Ducasse is a brilliant, powerful, age-worthy Pauillac that will reward bottle age. Blackcurrants, tobacco, cedar pencil, and chocolate are just some of its nuances, and this beauty hits the palate with... Read More

The 2020 Fonbadet is a soft, succulent Pauillac. Fruit and forward, but with bright acids, the 2020 has a lot to offer. I admit, I wanted a bit more complexity here, but the 2020 is nicely done and very easy to like. Red fruit,... Read More

The 2020 Fleur Cardinale is packed with dark fruit, chocolate, new leather, menthol and generous sweet oak. The 2020 has gained body and complexity with elevage, exactly what it is supposed to happen over time. Moreover the 2020... Read More

The 2020 Prieure-Lichine is elegant and nuance, just as it was en primeur. Even so, I had hoped to see another step from this vintage, and it's just not there. For example, the aromatics aren't quite as focused as they... Read More

I loved the 2020 Château Grand Mayne. This medium to full-bodied, concentrated, incredibly satisfying Saint-Emilion offers up ample mulled red and black fruits, some loamy earth, iron, and dried flower nuances, ripe tannins,... Read More

Lots of mulled cherries, blueberries, iron, and bouquet garni emerge from the 2020 Château Faugeres, a rich, focused, yet fruit-loaded barrel sample that has a good sense of purity and elegance. I was able to taste two bottles,... Read More

The 2020 Gloria is a very pretty, lifted Saint-Julien. Blood orange, mint, sweet red berry fruit, white pepper and rose petal all grace the 2020. Gloria is a wine of energy and understatement. The 2020 is especially charming.... Read More

The 2020 Malartic-Lagraviere, which represents just 40% of the total production, was cropped at 26hL/ha. It has a very delineated nose with intense blackberry, raspberry, sous-bois and incense aromas that just sing of Pessac-Leognan.... Read More

The 2020 Echo de Lynch-Bages has certainly tightened up since I tasted it from barrel, now more black fruit coming through, graphite and pressed flowers. The palate is medium-bodied with succulent tannins, slightly grainy in texture,... Read More

The 2020 Ferriere is tremendous. Dark fruit, lavendar, gravel, incense and dark spice are some of the many notes taht develop. A wine of vertical, explosive energy, Ferriere is fabulous. The tannins are bruising today, so readers... Read More

The second wine of the estate is the 2020 La Croix Ducru-Beaucaillou, composed of 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 44% Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot brought up in 60% new French oak. It's a much more concentrated, structured wine... Read More

Les Griffons de Pichon Baron is one of the second wines of the property. Created since the 2012 vintage, it has a pure and direct character.
The grapes which make up this wine's blend come primarily from gravelly plots of... Read More

The 2020 Les Pagodes de Cos is dark, sumptuous and super-expressive. There is an element of mystery to the 2020, it's a wine that is not ready to show all of its charms just yet. Ripe dark cherry, plum, new leather, licorice,... Read More

The 2020 Château Branaire-Ducru is vivid purple in color, with a classy, slightly exotic nose of blueberries, plums, violets, and orange blossom, and a kiss of marine-like iron emerging with time in the glass. Medium to... Read More

The 2020 Berliquet is composed of 69% Merlot and 31% Cabernet Franc, weighing in at 14.5% alcohol. It is aging in French oak barrels, 50% new. Deep purple-black colored, it trots casually out of the glass with effortlessly flamboyant... Read More

A decade ago, a vintage like this would have produced a monster at this address, which is naturally blessed with old vines and low yields, but vinification at low temperature, without any saignée, has delivered a remarkably... Read More

The 2020 Clos de Sarpe is an exotic beauty. Blackberry jam, graphite, menthol, licorice, crushed rocks, incense and white truffle give Clos de Sarpe its exotic profile. The aromatics are mesmerizing, but everything about the 2020... Read More

The Grand Vin 2020 Château Haut-Batailley is a step up and checks in as 62% Cabernet Sauvignon and 38% Merlot. This medium to full-bodied, ripe, layered, elegant Pauillac has lots of classic Cabernet darker currant fruits,... Read More

The 2020 Saint Pierreis loaded with scents of blackberry jam, dried herbs, graphite, incense, espresso and licorice. This powerful, tannic Saint-Julien is going to need years to soften, but is incredibly impressive in the early... Read More

The Grand Vin 2020 Domaine De Chevalier ratchets everything up another notch and will be one of the legendary wines from this address. Notes of pure cassis, graphite, lead pencil, and scorched earth define its incredible aromatics,... Read More

The 2020 Lascombes is a deep, sensual wine. Blackberry fruit, lavendar, espresso and chocolate are all amplified in this exotic Margaux. Plush and racy, with soft tannins, Lascombes shows off the more opulent side of the appellation.... Read More

The 2020 Talbot is every bit as impressive as it was from barrel. Strong Cabernet Sauvignon inflections open first in the bouquet, leading into a rich palate laced with expressive dark cherry and plum fruit. A Saint-Julien of... Read More

The 2020 La Gaffeliere is superb. Rich, dense and explosive. Black cherry, gravel, licorice, grilled herbs and menthol race out of the glass. Deep, pliant and explosive, the 2020 is magnificent. At this stage, the 2020 is an infant,... Read More

This estate has been on a roll, and their 2020 Chateau Brane-Cantenac is another brilliant wine that readers will love. Largely in the mold of the 2019, it has a deep purple hue as well as an incredible bouquet of blackcurrants,... Read More

The 2020 Canon La Gaffeliere is heady, sumptuous and totally exotic. A wine of depth and striking intensity, the 2020 possesses tremendous right out of the gate. Ripe red plum, blood orange, pomegranate, spice and leather all... Read More

The 2020 Pape Clément is outrageously beautiful. Dark, virile and imposing, the 2020 is a rare vintage of Pape Clément that is vertical and statuesque in feel. Dark fruit, chocolate, new leather, licorice and cloves... Read More

The 2020 Duhart-Milon, the maiden vintage crafted in the new cellar, has a glorious, unashamedly seductive bouquet with pure blackberry, pressed violet and light vanilla pod aromas that are beautifully defined. You know, this... Read More

The 2020 Cleric Milon is a total knock-out. The 2020 has come together impressively with elevage. It offers up a heady mix of blueberry jam, creme de cassis, chocolate, new leather, spice and crushed rocks, with a ton of Cabernet... Read More

I continue to love the wines from this estate, and the 2020 Château Clinet is no exception. Straight-up sensational notes of blueberries, cassis, violets, tobacco, and earth all emerge from the glass, and this beauty is... Read More

The 2020 Rauzan-Segla is a huge explosive wine. Black cherry, plum, chocolate, licorice, smoke and incense are some of the many notes that infuse the 2020 with tremendous richness. With elevage, the 2020 has grown into a huge,... Read More

The 2020 Troplong Mondot is fabulous. Rich, dark and expansive, the 2020 is wonderfully exuberant right out of the gate. Black cherry, plum, gravel, incense and licorice are all dialed up. There's tremendous breadth and power,... Read More

The flagship from this estate, the 2020 Château Pontet-Canet is a beauty based on 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, and 4% each of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, brought up in 50% new oak, with 35% in amphora. Deep purple-hued... Read More

The 2020 Le Gay was an impressive Pomerol when tasted from barrel. Now, in bottle, it has a wonderful, exquisitively-defined bouquet with perfumed blackberry and briary, incense and light pencil lead aromas. It's quite understated... Read More

The 2020 Calon Segur is a powerhouse. A blast of dark cherry fruit, menthol, tar, licorice and gravel infuse the 2020 with remarkable depth. Sumptious and full bodied, the 2020 shows all the richness and textural depth of the... Read More

The 2020 Haut-Bailly has developed into an elegant, richly-textured wine with all its elements in balance. Classy and polished to the core, the 2020 is a Haut-Bailly that favors finesse over power. It's a wine of extreme precision... Read More

Absolutely pure gold and reminding me of the 2009 (or is it the 2010?), the 2020 Château Smith Haut Lafitte sports a dense purple hue to go with incredible aromatics of blackberries, blueberries, scorched earth, wood smoke,... Read More

The flagship 2020 Château Pichon-Longueville Baron is pure gold, a full-bodied, rich, powerful 2020 displaying the vintage's purity, focus, and structure front and center. A blend of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon and 24% Merlot,... Read More

The 2020 Pavillon Rouge is just as gorgeous from bottle as it was from barrel. Rich and sumptuous, with no hard edges, the Pavillon Rouge captures the combination of fruit richness and energy that is such a signature of the year.... Read More

The 2020 Chateau Lynch-Bages brings even more density and depth and is another vin de garde in the vintage. A blend of 61% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot, and the rest Cabernet Franc, aged in 75% new barrels,... Read More

Based on 62% Cabernet Sauvignon and 38% Merlot, the deep purple-hued 2020 Château Cos D'Estournel has, dare I say, an almost Lafite-like sense of elegance and class, offering gorgeous cassis and darker currants fruits... Read More

The 2020 L'Evangile is gorgeous. Rich, creamy and expansive in feel, the 2020 is a wine of succulence and textural richness. Black cherry, mocha, espresso, cloves, leather and licorice all meld together. Malolactic fermentation... Read More

The 2020 Léoville Las Cases has developed into a powerhouse. Then again, that is Las Cases. En primeur, I thought the 2020 was a bit shy, but its true personality has to emerge. Blackberry jam, gravel, spice, menthol, licorice,... Read More

I loved the 2020 Château Angélus, which has the fresh, pure, incredible style favored by the estate today yet still has beautiful concentration and depth. Lots of ripe black cherries, mulberries, and cassis as well... Read More

I finished my trip through Bordeaux with the 2020 Château Haut-Brion, and it was certainly a fitting cap to the trip. Revealing a deep ruby/plum hue, the 2020 exhibits extraordinary aromatics of ripe black fruits, scorched... Read More

The 2020 Margaux Grand Vin is ravishing. At once refined and exhuberant, Margaux beautifully captures the spirit of the vintage. Layers of dark fruit, spice, lavendar, crushed flowers and leather open graciously, revealing a wine... Read More

The 2020 Chateau Mouton Rothschild is in the running for the biggest, baddest, and most concentrated wine in the vintage. Based on 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Petite Verdot brought up in new barrels,... Read More