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This estate makes a brilliant white, and their 2020 Château Couhins Blanc is pure gold, offering a bright citrus and lemon zest core as well as lots of white flowers and honeyed mineral-like nuances. Medium-bodied, bright, racy, yet also concentrated, it’s going to benefit from 3-5 years of bottle age and keep for two decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JDFreshly shelled peas on the nose with green apple aromas. Zingy and full of life straight away, vibrant yet so well controlled. A beautiful glass of wine with excellent acidity, weight and texture. It has a lovely salty, iodine tang to the lemon, lime, orange rind, pineapple, grapefruit pith and green apple. Thrilling and vibrant but clean and crisp. So well worked, focused so give this a year or two for it to settle and expand but this is a great white from 2020. A wine to buy, and more importantly drink and enjoy.Decanter | 95 DECThe 2020 Couhins Blanc, 100% Sauvignon Blanc, is bright, crisp and super-expressive. White pepper, sage, mint and tomato leaf play off a core of citrus-infused fruit. I very much like the energy here.Vinous Media | 93 VMExtremely perfumed and vivid with sliced lime, lemon and hints of grapefruit. Full-bodied, yet linear and racy. Always nicely done.James Suckling | 92-93 JSThe insider’s choice among dry white Bordeaux, the 2020 Couhins Blanc unwinds in the glass with aromas of nectarine, mint, white flowers, lemongrass and pastry cream, followed by a medium to full-bodied, satiny and incisive palate, with racy acids and a chalky, passion fruit-inflected finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RP

Aromas of sliced apples and lime zest with citrus blossom and crushed stones. Polished and round-textured on the palate with a full body and tangy acidity. Creamy finish. 60% sauvignon blanc and 40% semillon. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 93 JSThe 2020 Cuvee Caroline leaps from the glass with notes of lemon drops, fresh grapefruit and lime cordial, plus wafts of yuzu and honeysuckle. Medium-bodied, the palate has a seriously racy backbone cutting through the intense citrus and savory layers, finishing with great length and a skip in its step.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90-92 RPWood aged, this balanced wine is poised between ripe citrus and spice. It offers a hint of pineapple along with lively acidity.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WEZesty and creamy and softly mouthwatering, a combination of lemon juice and orange rind giving a touch of bitterness with clear fragrance and oaky tones adding to the density on the palate but just detracting from some of the bright energy. Feels a touch heavy, though will be nice with food. I do like the weighty creaminess and this delivers a lot of flavour.Decanter | 92 DECThe 2020 Chantegrive Cuvée Caroline has a perfumed nose with pressed white flowers, jasmine, chai and light pear scents, quite complex and full of vigor. The palate has a citric edge on the entry, taut and fresh, not a powerful dry white Graves yet with energy and tension. The sliced pear notes come through nicely on the finish. Very fine.Vinous Media | 90 VM

Lime, sliced-apple and stone aromas and flavors. Medium-bodied. Attractive fruit and freshness at the end.James Suckling | 91-92 JSThe 2020 Ferran Blanc is a blend of 70% Sauvignon Blanc and 30% Sémillon, weighing in at around 13% alcohol. It skips out of the glass with cheery notes of fresh pineapple, white peaches and lemon tart, plus touches of lime leaves and grapefruit peel. The light to medium-bodied palate is elegantly styled and refreshing, delivery bags of bright citrusy flavors and a chalky finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90-92 RPFresh citrus and tropical fruit aromas with sweet spices. Good delineation of tangy citrus and fleshy peach on the palate. (Drink between 2021-2026)Decanter | 91 DEC

A blend of 81% Cabernet Sauvignon and 19% Merlot, brought up in new oak, the 2020 Château Ducru-Beaucaillou offers a gorgeously pure nose of crème de cassis, graphite, crushed stone, toasty oak, and lead pencil shavings. Full-bodied, concentrated, and structured, it reminds me of a hypothetical mix of the 2010 and 2016, offering serious concentration paired with a gorgeous sense of precision and purity. It’s going to take a decade of cellaring to hit the early stages of maturity (it will have some up-front appeal if you’re interested) yet evolve for 50 years or more. Along with the Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande, it might be the wine of the vintage from the Médoc.Jeb Dunnuck | 97-99 JDReally perfumed and complex with blackberries, blackcurrants and flowers. Gorgeous cabernet sauvignon character. Full-bodied with really fine, polished tannins. Superb length and intensity. Very compact and seamless. Ethereal. Just goes on and on.James Suckling | 98-99 JSThe 2020 Ducru Beaucaillou was picked from 11-30 September, matured entirely in new oak for an expected 18 months. It has a very succinct bouquet, not one that leaps from the glass and demands attention, but it unfolds slowly, at its own pace, revealing enticing scents of blackberry, cedar, iris petals and crushed stone. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy black fruit. There is a saline spine that runs through this Saint-Julien from start to finish, a quite enormous structure that exerts grip towards the finish. It is not a Ducru-Beaucaillou that goes out to deliver finesse or understatement, but one that you will have to cellar for a few years, pull out and have the superlatives ready. This is an immense and cerebral Ducru-Beaucaillou from Bruno Borie and his team.Vinous Media | 96-98 VMAn amazing Ducru, one of the wines of the vintage. Hugely persistent, chiselled and precise, yet succulent in its berry and cassis fruit character. The slate and pencil lead finish slows things down and grabs hold of you, I love the push-and-pull of the tannins. Always a confident and well-finessed wine, really flexing its muscles in 2020. 100% new oak barrels. 3.83pH. (Drink between 2029-2045)Decanter | 98 DECThe 2020 Ducru-Beaucaillou is a blend of 81% Cabernet Sauvignon and 19% Merlot, aging for approximately 18 months in 100% new barriques. It has a pH of 3.83, 13.5% alcohol and an IPT (total polyphenol index) of 90. Opaque purple-black colored, the nose slowly unfurls to reveal tantalizing scents of crushed blackcurrants, wild blueberries and boysenberries, leading to suggestions of chocolate mint, star anise, red roses and unsmoked cigars with a waft of cedar chest. The medium-bodied palate delivers impactful, muscular black fruits with a firm frame of ripe, fine-grained tannins and seamless freshness, finishing long and fragrant.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95-97 RP96–98. Barrel Sample. The tannins are dense while the texture shows a dusty suspended character that gives the wine great charm. Yet, having said that, the concentration will give this wine long term aging both from the acidity and the structure.Wine Enthusiast | 97 WE

The 2020 Haut-Brion is a blend of 42.8% Merlot, 39.7% Cabernet Sauvignon and 17.5% Cabernet Franc, harvested from 7th to 29th September, with an estimated alcohol of 15% and a pH of 3.8. Opaque purple-black colored, it leaps from the glass with a first wave of vibrant black raspberries, ripe blackberries and mulberries scents, followed by a powerful core of warm cassis, dark chocolate and violets, before bursting into an array of crushed rocks, iron ore, tree bark and black truffles notes. The concentrated, densely packed, full-bodied palate is not in the least bit heavy, delivering a refreshing backbone of red berry and dried herbs suggestions, framed by seamless acidity and very finely grained tannins, finishing on an epically long, fragrant earth note. Simply stunning.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98-100 RPUnquestionably one of the top wines in this impressive vintage, the 2020 Château Haut-Brion checks in as 42.8% Merlot, 39.7% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the balance Cabernet Franc, all of which will spend 15-18 months in 77% new French oak. Its deep purple color is followed by a thrilling nose of mineral-laced blackcurrants, black raspberries, toast, spice, scorched earth, and graphite. Possessing an almost Lafite-like elegance on the palate, it nevertheless has huge dry extract, full-bodied richness, flawless balance, and beautiful tannins. Per the spec sheet, the alcohol is an estimated 15% with a pH of 3.78, so it’s no shrinking violet, yet it never shows a hint of headiness or being over the top. I finished my note with “Where can I buy some?” I suspect this wine will require a solid decade to hit the early stages of maturity and will be a 30-, 40-, or possibly a 50-year wine.Jeb Dunnuck | 98-100 JDThis is a superb Haut-Brion with incredible tannins that are wonderfully fine-grained. It’s really powerful. This is very primary with so much grape-generated tannin structure. Very, very long, going on for minutes. Seductive and friendly at the start and then takes you on at the finish with so much structure. Wine of the vintage?James Suckling | 100 JSThe 2020 Haut-Brion is shaping up to be one of the wines of the year. Substance, depth and textural intensity elevate Haut-Brion into the realm of the sublime in 2020. All the elements are so wonderfully balanced. Inky dark fruit, gravel, lavender, violet and dark spice build as the 2020 gradually opens with some aeration. Wow.Vinous Media | 97-99 VMTightly textured, this is a wine whose future is assured. With intense white fruits, spice and touches of toast from the wood aging, the wine’s concentration and taut character combine richness and structure.Wine Enthusiast | 97 WE(Château Haut-Brion, Pessac-Léognan, Bordeaux, France, Red) Concentrated, powerful and precise; this takes a grip and holds on, layers of liquorice, grilled coffee bean, chocolate, blackcurrant pastille, cassis bud and a more steely wet stone edge that gives a much needed balance to the richness of the overall feel of this wine. Gunsmoke curls out of the glass after half an hour - this is going to need serious ageing, impressive and powerful stuff. Harvest from 7th to 29th September. (Drink between 2030-2050)Decanter | 96 DEC

Rather ethereal and so refined with finesse, focus and brightness that provides incredible energy and pedigree. It’s full-bodied with ultra fine tannins that go on and on. Superb presence with tannins that melt into the wine. This is 12.8%. I love the wine. Lots of dark fruit and fresh tobacco. Lead pencil, too. 92% cabernet sauvignon, 7% merlot and 1% petit verdot.James Suckling | 99-100 JSThe 2020 Château Lafite-Rothschild checks in as 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot, and 1% Petit Verdot brought up in roughly 90% or more of new French oak. It’s a deep, inky-hued Lafite boasting incredible notes of crème de cassis, lead pencil shavings, graphite, crushed stone, and gravelly earth-like minerality. Full-bodied and beautifully balanced, with terrific purity of fruit, it has ripe tannins, a layered, seamless mouthfeel, and a great, great finish. It should surpass the 2015 and 2017 and be in the same realm as the 2018 and 2019. Despite its richness and depth, it hit just 12.8% alcohol, with an IPT of 72 and a pH of 3.5. It’s going to be just about immortal.Jeb Dunnuck | 97-99 JDDisplaying a deep purple-black color, the 2020 Lafite Rothschild takes a little swirling and coaxing to unlock scents of freshly crushed blackcurrants, boysenberries and spiced plums, followed by emerging nuances of red roses, raspberry preserves, underbrush and unsmoked cigars, with a waft of cedar chest. The medium-bodied palate is an exercise in elegance and finesse, featuring tightly wound layers of red and black berries and loads of mineral sparks, framed by finely grained tannins and well-poised tension, finishing with fantastic length and the most stunning perfume. Magnificent achievement. This 2020 is a blend of 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot and 1% Petit Verdot, coming in at 12.8% alcohol and a pH of 3.9.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96-98 RPThis is a complete wine, with its layers of fruit and tannin in total harmony. Concentration comes easily backed by a palate that shows salinity, as well as impressive black currant fruits. The wine is certainly destined for long-term aging.Wine Enthusiast | 98 WEThe 2020 is a super-classic Lafite-Rothschild of grace and finesse. A reticent introvert, Lafite impresses with its vertical lift and palpable energy. It is a wine of regal bearing that does not feel the need to say much, and yet everything is very clearly there. Bright acids and strong, saline notes come alive in the glass as the long, persistent finish unfolds with remarkable grace. The 2020 is simply exquisite. It’s a fabulous showing from the team led by Technical Director Eric Kohler.Vinous Media | 95-97 VM(Château Lafite Rothschild, Pauillac, Bordeaux, France, Red) This is pretty much as close to entirely Cabernet Sauvignon as Bordeaux gets (92%) and yet it has an incredibly fine, gentle richness to the tannins. They build up pretty quickly though, so that by the end of the palate you start to feel the closing in and tightening, deftly underscoring how well this will age. The kaleidoscope of flavours and aromatics that Lafite does so well is fully on display, nothing trying too hard, a velvet texture to the tannins where the cassis fruit, earth, crushed stone and graphite is held in from beginning to end. Impressive that even in dry vintages like 2020 with the real concerns over global warming, the top Bordeaux estates can still produce wines of this quality. (Drink between 2028-2046)Decanter | 97 DEC

I love the dry whites from the Sauternes area, and this is a good example - and of why Sémillon is such an interesting grape to work with in crafting dry whites with personality. A little less round in mouthfeel from some in the area (not appellation - this is Bordeaux Blanc), but still with slate texture and minerality showing how well the soils here can work for dry whites, and an excellent juicy delivery of citrus and white pear. Drinking Window 2021 - 2026.Decanter | 93 DECThis is a beautiful, layered white with solid structure and intensity. Full-bodied. Lots of grapefruit and dried green-mango character. 54% semillon, the rest sauvignon. Best ever. Beautiful to drink now.James Suckling | 93 JSComposed of 54% Semillon and 46% Sauvignon Blanc, the 2020 Le Blanc Sec de Suduiraut is being aged for six months in vats (75%) and the rest in oak barrels, 30% of which are new. It hits the ground running with vibrant notions of freshly squeezed limes, lemon meringue pie and Granny Smith apples, plus hints of dillseed and white pepper. The medium-bodied palate delivers an impressive satiny texture along with a racy line cutting through the citrus and apple-inspired flavors, finishing long and steely.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 89-91 RP

On another level, the flagship 2020 Château Les Carmes Haut-Brion is one heck of a dense, backward, concentrated wine that’s going to require bottle age. Coming in with the same technical analysis (acidity and alcohol) as the 2018, this full-bodied beauty offers a thrilling nose of blackcurrants, smoked tobacco, charcoal, and gravelly earth. Full-bodied on the palate, with a terrific mid-palate and wonderful purity, it holds things close to its vest yet has flawless balance, impeccable purity, and just a great, lengthy finish. Nevertheless, this is one big bruiser of a wine that’s going to demand bottle age. Do your best to hide bottles for 7-8 years, count yourself lucky, and enjoy over the following three to four decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 96-98 JDExotic fruit aromas of blackberry, blueberry, peach and orange peel. It’s full-bodied with a vertical flow of layered, chewy tannins that are integrated and intense. Extremely polished and focused. Crushed stone to the fruit in the aftertaste. Some bark and forest flowers, too. Great potential.James Suckling | 97-98 JSDeep garnet-purple colored, the 2020 Les Carmes Haut-Brion issues forth a beguiling array of savory scents—black olives, charcuterie, bouquet garni and Sichuan pepper—over a core of bright redcurrant jelly, black cherries and cassis scents, plus fragrant hints of rose petals and preserved mandarin peel. The medium-bodied palate is refreshing and elegantly styled yet with a rock-solid backbone of firm, finely grained tannins and bags of freshness, finishing long and perfumed. This is a stunning expression of the vintage that should be long lived and age with fantastic grace.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | (95-97)+ RPThe 2020 Les Carmes Haut-Brion is dazzling, but it is also a wine of reserve and understatement. I image it will be some years, at the very least, be fore the 2020 is ready to show all it has to offer. Today, it is not particularly expressive. The aromatics, which are usually so penetrating are quite shy, although the significant presence of Cabernet Franc that distinguishes this wine comes through in its energy and sense of drive. I can’t wait to taste the 2020 from bottle, and won’t be at all surprised if it turns out even better than this note suggests.Vinous Media | (95-97)+ VM(Château Les Carmes Haut-Brion, Pessac-Léognan, Bordeaux, France, Red) Clear violet edging to the colour, vibrant and enticing. This is elegant and full of personality, with high floral aromatics, a ton of dark fruits, and a blueberry dominance that gives a classic Carmes Haut Brion feel. Slightly austere, slightly bitter, both in the best possible expression of those terms, where it is mouthwatering and moreish. A juicy salinity ensures this is a wine that doesn’t overpower, its flavours are revealed slowly and carefully, tugging backwards, with a texture that heads towards linen rather than silk - meaning that you don’t glide through, you carefully step through well-placed tannins and fruits. There is clear delicacy here, and with 55% whole bunch fermentation - the highest level that they have done to date. 3.62pH (they harvested this at almost 1% ABV higher), fermented with their own natural yeasts. Highest percentage of the two Cabernets on recent record (before 2010 Carmes was regularly at 50% Merlot). Strong candidate for the score moving upwards when in bottle. (Drink between 2028-2048)Decanter | 96 DEC

Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2020 Marjosse comes barreling out of the glass with rambunctious scents of cassis, crushed blackberries and black plum preserves, followed by hints of dark chocolate, anise and tar, plus a fragrant waft of lavender. The medium-bodied palate is soft, juicy and wonderfully refreshing, delivering wonderful poise and expression with a fun burst of pure black fruit on the finish. Delicious!Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91-93 RPThe 2020 Marjosse sports a nicely defined nose of blackberry, undergrowth and light mushroom-like aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins, a crisp line of acidity and a precise, focused finish. There is pleasing salinity here, and it feels tender from start to finish. Promising.Vinous Media | 89-91 VMA touch of reduction on the nose which clears as it relaxes in the glass. This is well put together, has definition and finesse, and is punching above its weight in the appellation. Ambitious, well managed tannins and juicy red fruits; 2% Malbec completes the plantings. I don’t have the 2020 blend.Decanter | 91 DECThis shows notes of ripe berries, vanilla, licorice, crushed walnut and cocoa. Medium-bodied with ripe, supple tannins and a creamy texture. Fruit-forward and flavorful. Drink now, but better give a year or two.James Suckling | 90 JS

One of the whites of the vintage, the 2020 Château Pape Clément Blanc is based on 62% Sauvignon Blanc, 33% Semillon, 4% Sauvignon Gris, and the remaining 1% Muscadelle, all of which was raised in a mix of new and used oak. This beauty stopped me in my tracks and offers a massive nose of honeyed limes, white flowers, tropical fruit, crushed stone, and orange marmalade. With the vintage’s vibrant sense of freshness, full-bodied richness, a stacked mid-palate, and a fabulous mouthfeel, this truly sensational white is an incredible achievement, and hats off to the team at Pape Clement! Give bottles 2-3 years and enjoy over the following two decades or so.Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDI like the richness and focus to this with sliced cooked apple, lemon and light toffee character. Candied pineapple. Hints of meringue. Full-bodied and layered. Really delicious and flavorful now with a solid balance of phenolic structure. Classy. Agile. Drink after 2025 but hard to stay away.James Suckling | 97 JSThis is a step up, as it’s larger in scale, brighter and more defined than most of its brethren, featuring long tarragon and thyme threads that pull gooseberry, star fruit and white peach notes along. Offers lots of energy through the finish, which ripples with sel gris and oyster shell echoes offset by a hint of salted butter. Really gorgeous. Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon and Sauvignon Gris. Best from 2024 through 2032.Wine Spectator | 96 WSThe 2020 Pape Clément Blanc has a bright nose with scents of orchard fruit, orange pith and lime cordial scents, well defined and focused. The palate is fresh and mineral-driven, quite taut, much less oaky than other vintages and displaying more terroir towards the finish. One of the best whites from this estate that I have tasted. Tasted three times with consistent notes.Vinous Media | 94 VMA delicious Pape Clément blanc, this has flesh, power, depth, character and a ton of juicy minerality with white pear, peach, and a slate-filled texture that adds grip and saline freshness. Well balanced and easy to recommend. Tasted three times.Decanter | 94 DEC

This is integrated, with superb density and beauty, offering blackcurrant, mineral and some bark. Full-bodied, yet so polished and refined. Crushed stone. Lots of expression and texture to this wine. Creamy. Pure and precise. Elegant, yet layered. Slightly plusher than the 2019. Dense, yet agile. Fresh as always. 60% cabernet sauvignon, 32% merlot, 4% cabernet franc and 4% petit verdot. 50% new oak 15% old oak and 35% concrete amphorae.James Suckling | 98-99 JSThe 2020 Pontet-Canet is a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petit Verdot, aging in 50% new French oak barriques, 35% concrete amphorae and 15% in one-year-old barrels. Harvest began on the 14th September for the Merlot, and the final lot of Cabernet Sauvignon was harvested on 30th September.Opaque purple-black in color, it needs significant aeration and swirling to coax out evocative notes of black cherry preserves, raspberry pie, blackcurrant pastilles and damp soil, before launching into gorgeous floral and spice notions of red roses, cinnamon stick, star anise and cardamom, with a waft of crushed rocks. The medium to full-bodied palate reveals a lot of depth and polish, delivering mouth-coating red and black fruits with loads of fragrant earth and floral sparks, framed by velvety tannins and seamless freshness, finishing long and mineral tinged. This is a singular, fascinating expression of the vintage and highly recommended!Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96-98+ RPThe 2020 Pontet-Canet is captivating effort from the Tesseron family. The intensely perfumed, savory bouquet is immediately alluring. Deep and substantial, the 2020 is luxuriously rich from start to finish. Swaths of incisive tannin wrap around a core of dark red cherry fruit, gravel, dried herbs and rose petal, and a whole range of floral and savory accents lend aromatic presence. The Pontet-Canet is often a charmer en primeur, but the 2020 comes across as quite serious. I can’t wait to see how it develops. As always, one of the signatures of Pontet-Canet is a high proportion of Merlot vis-à-vis its peers among top Left Bank châteaux that lends tremendous midpalate weight. In 2020 production is within historical norms. Mildew pressure was high, but not as severe as in 2018, when two-thirds of the crop was lost in a single day. Harvest took place September 14–30, a bit more of a compact time frame than normal, and a good 7–10 days earlier than is typically the case. Aged in 50% new oak, 35% amphora and 15% once-used barrels.Antonio Galloni | 95-97 AG96–98. Barrel Sample. Aromatic black currant and spice aromas give way to a wine that has richness while having impressive balance. The freshness shines with tannins that give a velvet character to the wine’s texture. The fruitiness should not deceive from its longevity, so age this wine for many years. Organic and biodynamic.Wine Enthusiast | 97 WEPure black and red berry fruit, very primary as a barrel sample, as expected. At 13% alcohol, it comes across as rather opulent, with tannins somewhat foreboding at this very early stage, which is normal. What impresses is the pristine and pure fruit; a very juicy expression that exudes both density and finesse on the long finish. Bravo! (Drink between 2026-2070)Decanter | 96 DEC