Red Bordeaux Blend Wines

wines

Fantastic depth of fruit with layers of firm, chewy tannins that are medium-grained and long in the mouth. Full and dynamic. One of the best ever.James Suckling | 96-97 JSThis grand estate that recently changed hands has produced a seriously promising wine. Bold black fruits and dark tannins are just beginning a fine interplay, reinforced by the wine’s acidity. Expect a good future for the wine. Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEThe 2020 Cantenac Brown is an outrageously beautiful wine. Ample, vertical and soaring in its intensity, the 2020 is shaping up to be a jewel of a wine. Punchy red berry fruit, lavender, spice, mint and rose petal abound. What I like most about the 2020 is the way it balances fruit intensity with vibrancy and energy. Cantenac Brown is shaping up to be one of the wines of the vintage.Vinous Media | 94-97 VMSilky with touches of caramel, chocolate, blueberry, raspberries and boysenberries - all those autumnal fruits that have texture and acidity to them, with the signature gloss of Cantenac Brown. Clear peony, violet notes also. A linen texture that slows the passage of the wine through the mouth. Retasted at UGC and this is again good quality, the austerity on the tannins is marked right now, but there is plenty of life ahead here. New owner Tristan le Lous as of 2019, and this wine also includes the new 9.5ha vines of vines from Château Charmant and la Galiane (bought in July 2020). The fermentation was conducted at temperatures 4-5 °C lower than average to preserve fruit. 60% new oak. Harvest 10 to 30 September. Drinking Window 2028 - 2044.Decanter | 93 DECI loved the 2020 Château Cantenac Brown, a pure, medium to full-bodied, beautifully textured Margaux that shines in the vintage. Offering up lots of classy cassis fruits as well as spicy oak, violets, and flowers, it has plenty of mid-palate depth, outstanding balance, and a great finish. There’s no trace of the often firm chewy tannins found in this appellation in 2020, and it’s unquestionably a beautiful wine.Jeb Dunnuck | 92-94 JDDeep garnet-purple in color, the 2020 Cantenac Brown slides effortlessly out of the glass with pronounced notes of licorice, tar, tapenade and fertile loam over a core of warm cassis and plum preserves, with a waft of charcuterie. The medium-bodied palate is refreshing, bursting with crunchy black fruit and herbal sparks with a well-managed, grainy texture, finishing long and earthy.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91-93+ RP

Readers looking for an off-the-charts value should snatch up the 2020 Château Capbern, which emerges from the same team as Calon Ségur. Offering a vivid bouquet of cassis, leafy tobacco, violets, damp earth, and chocolate, it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, perfectly ripe fruit (not overripe, not underripe), ultra-fine, integrated tannins, and the mix of freshness and richness that’s part of all great wines. It’s a hidden gem in Saint-Estèphe.Jeb Dunnuck | 94-96 JDRipe and smoky, this is a wine with some serious tannins. The wine’s power is mitigated by its acidity and bright freshness. The wine presents stunning Cabernet Sauvignon black fruits that will allow it to age.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEThis is really solid and powerful with lots of tannins and blue fruit. Spicy. Full and chewy. A little coarse now, but will improve with barrel aging.James Suckling | 92-93 JSFragrant with fresh lilac and peonies on the aromatics, fairly high acidities overall with sculpted blackcurrant fruits. A higher level of Cabernet Sauvignon than in recent years after the replanting in the vineyard. 1% Cabernet Franc completes the blend, 3.85pH, 60% new oak. A yield of 33hl/ha. Drinking Window 2026 - 2042.Decanter | 91 DECThe 2020 Capbern is composed of 69% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot, 1% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot, weighing in with 14.1% alcohol. It is due to be aged for around 18 months in French oak barrels, 60% new. Deep purple-black in color, the 2020 Capbern sings of black cherries, mulberries and redcurrant jelly, with hints of candied violets, wild sage and fertile loam. The medium-bodied palate has impressive verve and freshness, featuring soft, well-managed tannins, red and black berry layers and a mineral-tinged finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 89-91+ RP

The 2020 Le Prieuré is fabulous. Inky and deep, with tremendous vibrancy, it dazzles from start to finish. Blueberry jam, graphite, menthol and lavender build as the 2020 gradually shows off its pedigree. Bright saline and mineral notes punctuate the mouthwatering finish. Technical Director Pénélope Godefroy has taken the farming and winemaking principles she learned at Latour and the other Artemis Group properties and applied them at Siaurac, Vray Croix de Gay, and the crown jewel Le Prieuré, all of which are now owned by French insurance company Suravenir. The results have been nothing short of remarkable. Le Prieuré is quite simply one of the most beautiful, striking wines being made in Saint-Émilion today.Vinous Media | 95-97 VMTextured with depth to the hawthorn, raspberry and blackberry fruit that travels down several layers. The frame is drenched with juicy and taut limestone minerality, with almost a juniper and saline sting. Hard to argue with the quality here. First year with new owners, Suravenir of Calon-Ségur, Penelope Godefroy is still the winemaker. A yield of 30hl/ha, organic winemaking. Drinking Window 2027 - 2040.Decanter | 94 DECThe 2020 Le Prieure is a blend of 83% Merlot and 17% Cabernet Franc, with 14.3% alcohol. It is aging for an anticipated 16 months in French oak barriques, 35% new. Deep purple-black colored, it needs a little swirling and coaxing to reveal fragrant notes of lilacs, underbrush and sandalwood over a core of Morello cherries and plum preserves, plus a waft of woodsmoke. The medium to full-bodied palate has beautiful energy and tension, featuring layers of juicy red and black fruits with a plush texture, finishing long and perfumed. What a stunner!Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93-95 RPA medium-bodied red with blackberry, raspberry with and orange peel. It’s polished with fine tannins. Rather creamy texture.James Suckling | 92-93 JSA rich, ripe, opulent wine that shows more and more freshness and elegance with time in the glass, the 2020 Château Le Prieuré offers an outstanding array of black raspberry and mulled cherry fruits as well as background leafy herbs and chocolate. With high-quality tannins, good overall balance, and a great finish, it should easily be an outstanding wine and keep for 15+ years. It’s every bit as good as the 2016, 2017, and 2018.Jeb Dunnuck | 91-93 JD

Another brilliant Pomerol in the vintage, the 2020 Château Montviel has a pure, medium to full-bodied, vibrant profile carrying darker, almost blue, iron-tinged fruits, lots of violet, floral, and chocolate nuances, fine tannins, and outstanding length. This classic 2020 brings lots of ripe, sexy fruit and texture yet stays balanced and seamless, with a real sense of elegance. Drink bottles over the coming 10-15 years. It’s every bit as good as the 2019.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDThe 2020 Montviel is exuberant and flashy to the core. A rush of back fruit, spice, leather, chocolate, tobacco, incense and sweet French oak races across the palate. This full-bodied Pomerol is not exactly subtle, but it sure is delicious.Vinous Media | 93 VMJuicy red with dark berry, chocolate, hazelnut, walnut and berry. Full and rather chunky. It’s a little old-school, but impressive. Needs time to soften and relax. Try after 2026.James Suckling | 93 JSRipe and fleshy, lots of tannins, salty with blackcurrant and black cherry and lots of mint and liquorice. A bold, savoury style, darkly fruited, clearly concentrated and intense but reigned in enough so that it’s not too much in any one direction. Has a certain streamlined finesse to it. Young still, this needs time as most Pomerols on clay will, but good energy and styling. Lashings of liquorice, slate and toast with a lifted finish.Decanter | 92 DECDeep purple-black colored, the 2020 Montviel needs a little swirling to unlock scents of stewed plums and baked blackberries, plus hints of garrigue, tilled soil and tobacco leaf with a hint of crushed rocks. The medium to full-bodied palate delivers pure, juicy black and blue fruits, supported by soft, rounded tannins and plenty of freshness, finishing with a red berry lift.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 89-91+ RP

The 2020 Château Chauvin offers up a vivid purple hue as well as a meaty, powerful nose of ripe black cherries, roasted herbs, jus de viande, graphite, and a terrific sense of minerality. Showing more floral nuances with time in the glass, it’s medium to full-bodied, has a concentrated, layered mouthfeel, the building tannins of the vintage, and outstanding length. Give it 2-4 years and enjoy over the following two decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 94+ JDChocolate, bay leaves, oregano and blackcurrants. Full-bodied, with firm yet nicely ripe and polished tannins. Broad and seamless. Caressing and velvety at the end. Try from 2026.James Suckling | 93 JSThe 2020 Chauvin has a clean and precise bouquet with dark berry fruit, cedar and crushed stone, becoming more floral with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy black fruit, again, as it showed from barrel, overtly peppery in style but not excessively so. Fine delineation on the saline Valrona chocolate-tinged finish, this is a very capable Saint Émilion Grand Cru.Vinous Media | 92 VMBeautiful aromatics on the nose which is fragrant and full. Bright acidity and a lively red fruit profile on the palate, more strawberry and redcurrant than black fruits, with searing acidity that does come across as a touch drying right now, along with some salty, wet stone notes and lashings of dark chocolate, cedar, cocoa and liquorice. The grainy tannins and woody elements linger on the cheeks and stop the fruit progression a little early, but this has good potential.Decanter | 92 DECThe wine has richness that imbues the tannins with generosity. The juicy berry flavors and acidity are already succulent. It is the core of dryness that promises the agingWine Enthusiast | 92 WEComposed of 70% Merlot, 28% Cabernet Franc and 2% Cabernet Sauvignon, aging in French oak barrels, 60% new, for 15-18 months, the 2020 Chauvin has a deep purple-black color and vibrant scents of crushed black cherries, black raspberries and juicy blackberries, plus hints of violets, clove oil and dusty soil. The medium to full-bodied palate is densely packed with muscular black and red berry layers, framed by firm, fine-grained tannins and bags of freshness, finishing long and fragrant.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91-93 RP

The Grand Vin 2020 Château Cheval Blanc checks in as a blend of 65% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon that was raised, as always, in 100% new French oak. As usual with Cheval Blanc, it’s primarily about finesse and elegance, as well as complexity, and exhibits a deep purple hue as well as a kaleidoscopic bouquet of sweet red and black fruits, spring flowers, spicy incense, loamy earth, and smoke tobacco. Absolutely flawless on the palate, it’s full-bodied, has perfectly integrated oak, ripe, silky tannins, and a gorgeous finish that keeps you coming back to the glass. This powerful, concentrated Cheval Blanc offers pleasure even today (needs lots of air) but warrants 7-8 years of bottle age and will see its 40th birthday in fine form.Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDThe 2020 Cheval Blanc is eternal, seamless and exceptionally beautiful. All the elements are so well put together. Rose petal, blood orange, raspberry jam and cinnamon all take shape in the glass. Above all else, the 2020 Cheval Blanc is a wine of mind-blowing balance. Hints of mocha, raspberry jam, pomegranate and spice emerge with time in the glass. Cheval is quite simply one of the truly great wines of the vintage.Vinous Media | 99 VMSatisfying, edgy and seductive. The 2019 was perhaps more openly charming at this point, but there is lovely attention to detail here with delicate floral aromas, blue fruit and liquorice aspects on the nose followed by a patina of flavours and textures on the palate. Rich and powerful, clearly concentrated but delivered subtly and carefully, not pushed too far. There’s a clarity, precision and purity to the blackcurrant and black cherry fruit, with crushed stone saltiness, clove, aniseed and liquorice root. I loved the 2019 more at this stage but this has excellent potential for long ageing and will no doubt deliver unbridled enjoyment when it’s ready.Decanter | 98 DECLots of blueberries and flowers such as violets and crushed stone. This is very structured and muscular with minerally tannins that run the length of the wine. Very closed. Polished texture that gives it class and presence. This is one for the cellar. 65% merlot, 30% cabernet franc and 5% cabernet sauvignon. Try after 2030.James Suckling | 98 JSThis wine has power and density. It also offers a perfumed intensity of black fruits and ripe tannins. The shape of the wine is already there even if it is still very young. Ripe and sweet, the fruit is delicious and open, bringing great freshness behind the structure. Drink this wine from 2027.Wine Enthusiast | 97 WEThe 2020 Cheval Blanc wafts from the glass with aromas of mulberries, plums and cherries mingled with hints of rose petals, licorice, sweet spices and lilac. Full-bodied, broad and voluptuous, it’s layered and fleshy, with a ripe core of fruit, sweet tannins and a long, expansive finish. While purists will gravitate toward the purer and more precise and perfumed 2019, the 2020 will appeal to readers who love the richest, most powerful expressions of Cheval Blanc.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPVery alluring, with a well of dark currant, fig and mulberry fruit flavors that have melded nicely, laced with black licorice, black tea and sweet tobacco notes. Well-defined, with a subtle flash of warm earth at the very end. Remarkably polished for the vintage. Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Best from 2029 through 2040.Wine Spectator | 96 WS

The 2020 Château Clinet checks in as a blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, brought up in 80% new French oak. It’s a rich, yet gorgeous wine with a wonderful sense of freshness in its ripe blue and black fruits as well as tobacco, chocolate, and damp earth. Full-bodied, beautifully balanced, and elegant on the palate, it has perfect tannins, a layered, elegant mouthfeel, and one hell of an impressive finish. One of the finest Pomerols in the vintage, it will benefit from just 3-5 years of bottle age and keep for two decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 98 JDWhat a beautiful young wine, showing so much finesse and tension, with ultra-fine tannins and subtle and long flavors and character. It’s medium-bodied with extremely silky tannins that grow on the palate to a seamless finish. Harmonious. Another fine Pomerol for the cellar. Drink after 2027.James Suckling | 98 JSThe 2020 Clinet is hugely impressive, as it was from barrel. Dark and imposing, with notable vibrancy, the 2020 offers up an exotic mélange of black cherry, gravel, incense, plum, game and licorice. I would give this a few years in bottle, as the tannins are pretty imposing. Cabernet Sauvignon is so distinctive here.Vinous Media | 95 VMDark and heady, smooth but still lean with a sense of seriousness with firm tannins that fill the mouth. Lovely high acidity offsets the powdery, chalky texture with perfumed blackberries and cherries alongside liquorice and cola touches. Rich and quite dense but with lovely persistence and energy.Decanter | 95 DECThe 2020 Clinet offers up aromas of minty cherries, blackberries and cassis mingled with hints of licorice, loamy soil and rose petals. Full-bodied, broad and rich, with a layered mid-palate underpinned by powdery tannins that assert themselves on the youthfully firm finish, it’s impressively balanced for a wine at 15% alcohol, but it remains a rather burly, powerful Clinet.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPThis wine’s dense tannins and bold black fruits are balanced by its fine acidity and a fresh element that cuts through the dark chocolate and black plum flavors to give a fine lift to what will be an impressive wine as it matures. Wine Enthusiast | 94 WESports spicy toast and warmed fruitcake out front, backed by a solid core of steeped cherry and blackberry notes to match. This is all wrapped up with singed vanilla and sweet tobacco on the finish, along with a tug of warm earth. Shows solid range, if a bit reliant on the toast. A strong effort for the vintage. Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Best from 2026 through 2036. 3,833 cases made, 594 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

The 2020 Clos de l’Oratoire is a powerhouse. Blackberry, gravel, smoke, incense, crushed rocks and dried herbs hit the palate as this potent, structured Saint-Émilion opens up. This is an especially virile, tannic wine that is going to need time to settle down. The balance of fruit intensity and structure is compelling, to say the least. But this needs time.Vinous Media | 94+ VMAnother head-turningly good Right Bank is the 2020 Clos De L’Oratoire, which comes from the team of Stephan von Neipperg. This medium to full-bodied, focused, elegant 2020 has good concentration, the vintage’s pure, layered profile, classic aromas of black raspberry, cassis, graphite, and flowers, and plenty of chalky minerality on the finish. A quintessential 2020, give bottles 2-4 years and enjoy over the following decade or so.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDA rather mineral and spicy red with medium to full body, showing blackberries and black walnuts. There’s a deep, polished tannin backbone to this. Racy and fine.James Suckling | 94-95 JSThe 2020 Clos de l’Oratoire is seamless and charming, offering up aromas of sweet cherries, blackberries, violets and licorice, followed by a medium to full-bodied, velvety and harmonious palate. This gourmand, Merlot-dominant bottling will offer a wide drinking window.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RPConfident and grippy with liquorice, cherry, rosemary, dried herbs and chocolate. It lifts and tightens through the plate, good tension, broad-shouldered, powerful and intense. 40% new oak. A yield of 32.5hl/ha.Decanter | 92 DECReveals ripe plum and blackberry fruit that meld nicely with hints of anise, black tea and singed alder. The focused and fine-grained finish has a late savory sparkle for range. Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Drink now through 2034. 3,500 cases made, 400 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 91 WS

Pure crème de cassis, tobacco, black cherries, lead pencil, and a wonderful sense of minerality emerge from the 2020 Clos Du Marquis, and it’s medium to full-bodied, with a pure, elegant texture, plenty of ripe tannins, and the vibrant, focused, lengthy style of the vintage front and center. It’s going to need 4-6 years of bottle age, possibly more, but the balance, purity, and precision are all brilliant. The blend is 61% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc, raised in 40% new French oak. The technical information checks in with the alcohol at 13.57%, pH of 3.76, and an IPT of 84. This will be a long-lived Saint-Julien!Jeb Dunnuck | 94-96 JDA tighter, more linear red with blackcurrant, olive and floral character. It’s medium-to full-bodied with a firm, racy finish. Tight. Sweet tobacco. 61% cabernet sauvignon, 6% cabernet franc and 33% merlot.James Suckling | 94-95 JSFragrant black currants give a classic wine that shines with the Cabernet Sauvignon. Its density comes from concentration, offering the potential of density without weight. The wine will age well.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEThe 2020 Clos du Marquis is composed of 61% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot and 6% Cabernet Franc, weighing in with an alcohol of 13.57%, a pH of 3.76 and an IPT (tannins index) of 84. The Cabernet Sauvignon was harvested from the 26th to 29th of September, the Merlot from the 11th to the 16th of September and the Cabernet Franc from the 18th to the 29th of September. Deep purple-black in color, it bursts from the glass with flamboyant notes of crushed blackberries, ripe, juicy plums and blackcurrant pastilles, with suggestions of licorice, red roses and espresso. The medium-bodied palate is completely coated with perfumed black fruits, framed by firm, grainy tannins and bold freshness, finishing long and fragrant. Simply gorgeous.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93-95 RPThis has the most gorgeous savoury fruit edge, a brilliant Marquis with a sappy chalky quality, concentrated and intense but still keeps the St-Julien balance. 40% new oak. Drinking Window 2024 - 2036.Decanter | 92 DECThe 2020 Clos du Marquis is plush, sensual and inviting, with soft contours that make it a real pleasure to taste today. Inky red/purplish fruit, lavender, spice, rose petal, mint and cedar all take shape as this sexy Saint-Julien shows off its allure. All the elements are so nicely balanced. In 2020, only 25 of the 46 hectares of the property were used for the Grand Vin.Vinous Media | 91-93+ VM

One of the biggest successes on the upper plateau is the 2020 Château Clos Fourtet, and it does everything right in the vintage. A magical, perfumed bouquet of red plums, black cherries, white truffle, and white flowers just screams Saint-Emilion, and it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, flawless overall balance, a dense mid-palate, and a liqueur of rocks-like minerality on the palate. Building incrementally with time in the glass, this is thrilling stuff that should offer some up-front appeal in its youth yet benefit from 7-8 years in the cellar and keep for 30 years or more. Bravo! The blend is 90% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 3% Cabernet Franc that’s still resting in 50% new French oak.Jeb Dunnuck | 97-99 JDThe 2020 Clos Fourtet is a blend of 90% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Cabernet Franc, harvested from 15th to 30th September and weighing in with an alcohol of 14.5% and a pH of 3.6. It is being aged for 14-18 months in 50% new oak barrels, 48% second-fill barrels and 2% amphora. Deep garnet-purple in color, it comes bounding out of the glass with ripe, expressive notes of crushed black plums, juicy black berries and black cherry preserves, followed by hints of ground cloves, cinnamon stick, camphor and cedar chest. The medium to full-bodied palate is jam-packed with bright, vivacious black fruits, framed by velvety tannins and bags of freshness, finishing with great length.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96-98 RPA wine of stature and breeding, the 2020 Clos Fourtet is absolutely breathtaking from barrel. A rush of lavender, graphite, spice, licorice and espresso hits the senses. Vibrant and powerful, yet also remarkably light on its feet, the 2020 has so much of offer. All the elements are so crisp, so beautifully defined. The 2020 is all class. It is one of the most promising wines of this young vintage and a fabulous effort from the Cuvelier family. Don’t miss it.Vinous Media | 96-98 VMPlush damson and blueberry on the nose, there is juice and a tightrope walking concentration of fruits. An excellent Clos Fourtet, with a juicy edge where the magic of limestone in dry summers is very much showing through. A yield of 40 hl/ha. 14 to 18 months ageing in underground limestone cellars. 2021 sees 20 years of the Cuvelier family at Clos Fourtet and this is an excellent wine to showcase what a brilliant job they have done here. Score could go higher after barrel ageing. Drinking Window 2028 - 2044.Decanter | 96 DECThis is really something with so much tension and focus and a persistent, long finish that lasts for minutes. It’s full-bodied, yet tight and so long. Such polish and finesse. Elegance with power.James Suckling | 95-96 JSThe renaissance of Clos Fourtet continues, even in this difficult vintage. This wine has great fruit, layering black currant with berries. It’s a precise wine, pointing up the structured tannins while leaving room for a juicy, fruity aftertaste. Drink from 2020.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WE

You need to take a little time to let the concentrated flavours seep out, this is a long hauler. The tannins build slowly but surely through the palate, sombre and serious right now, particularly for an estate that is known for its exuberance. The opulence is there if you give it time, and as the tannins elongate and relax, richer notes of bilberry fruits, toasted cedar, salted chocolate, turmeric and black pepper spice arrives. Harvest September 10 to 24. A 3.9pH is the highest since 2003, but any threat of low acidity is balanced by high tannins, and relatively low alcohol. A yield of 39hl/ha (43hl/ha in 2019). Drinking Window 2027 - 2044.Decanter | 97 DECThis is a very refined, polished Cos with superb finesse and length. Medium-to full-bodied, very fine and persistent. Really long with beautiful tannins. Rich, but fresh and linear. Yet, the alcohol is around 13.5%. 62% cabernet and 38% merlot.James Suckling | 97-98 JSPowerful, ripe fruits show exceptional quality and a velvety character that’s allied to a ripe structure. With the freshness so typical of the vintage, the wine seems open and fruity but surprises with its density.Wine Enthusiast | 97 WEThe 2020 Cos d’Estournel is composed of 62% Cabernet Sauvignon and 38% Merlot. The harvest took place September 10–24 with a yield of 39 hectoliters per hectare. The alcohol weighs in at 13.46% with a pH of 3.9 and an IPT (total phenolic index) of 80. It is being aged in French oak barrels, 55% new.Deep purple-black in color, it pops with explosive scents of ripe red and black currants, black cherry preserves and black raspberries, followed by sparks of violets, wild sage, pencil lead and clove oil, with emerging hints of iron ore and damp soil. The medium-bodied palate has amazing elegance and grace contrasted by jaw-dropping energy, featuring a firm frame of finely grained tannins and just enough freshness, finishing with a whole firework display of mineral nuances. I love the way this Cos d’Estournel shimmies and shines—a unique vintage signature expressed so beautifully at this estate!Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96-98 RPThe Grand Vin 2020 Château Cos D’Estournel is based on 62% Cabernet Sauvignon and 38% Merlot that was brought up in 55% new French oak. An inky-hued, concentrated, yet flawlessly balanced wine, it has gorgeous cassis and dark currant fruits, medium to full-bodied richness, ripe, building tannins, and just a wonderful sense of purity and elegance backed up by ample concentration. It stays tight, focused, and seamless, and is a brilliant example of the vintage. The 2020 hit 13.4% natural alcohol with a pH of 3.9 and an IPT of 80.Jeb Dunnuck | 95-97+ JDThe 2020 is a gorgeous wine from a very unusual year in which the Merlot is a bit more prominent in the blend than usual because of dehydration in the Cabernet. Even so, the 2020 is a wine of mid-weight finesse more than opulence. All the elements are impeccably balanced throughout.Vinous Media | 94-96 VM

Neighbor of Cos d’Estournel, this estate has produced a densely textured, firm wine. Its big tannins and tight structure promise considerable aging and a wine of great richness.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEThe 2020 Cos Labory turned out beautifully. Dark, rich and quintessentially Saint-Estèphe, Cos Labory offers up an exciting mélange of black fruit, gravel, incense, dried herbs, spice, licorice, mocha and espresso. Cos Labory can at times be a bit diffuse, the 2020 has a great core of fruit and tons of inner strength. Give the tannins a few years to soften.Vinous Media | 92 VMDarker cherries, fresh plums, damp earth, and leafy tobacco notes all emerge from the 2020 Château Cos Labory, a quintessential Saint-Estèphe that’s medium-bodied and has a supple, elegant mouthfeel, fine tannins, and a great finish. Another brilliant Northern Médoc with so much to love, it will keep for 15-20 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 92 JDDisplaying a deep purple-black color, the 2020 Cos Labory offers classic cassis, ripe plums and kirsch notes, followed by hints of pencil shavings, red roses and damp soil. The medium-bodied palate has great tension and nice, ripe, grainy tannins supporting the tightly wound red and black fruits, finishing on a lingering mineral note.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91-93 RPDark, brooding nose, tobacco and dark chocolate with black bramble fruits, dried herbs and soft floral scents. Clean and clear, this has such an inviting texture, smooth but round and driven, really persistent - a true force but with the most gorgeous sweetness. Bright and vivid, countering the clear concentration underneath. Bold but confident, it’s fairly unfussy with gorgeous fruit purity, crystalline minerality and integrated oak. Friendly, approachable. One to drink sooner. Good winemaking on show.Decanter | 91 DECSubtle aromas of redcurrants, orange peel and some stone follow through to a medium body with fine tannins and a fresh and crisp finish. Better in two or three years.James Suckling | 91 JS

Another killer wine in the vintage is the 2020 Château Côte De Baleau, which comes from a cooler, north-facing vineyard on the eastern side of the appellation. Almost all Merlot, it offers a medium to full-bodied, mouth-filling, layered style that carries plenty of ripe tannins, terrific mid-palate depth, and textbook Right Bank Merlot notes of red and black cherries, leather, dried flowers, and chalky minerality. It picks up more and more minerality with time in the glass and is a bonafide mineral bomb. Give it just a few years in the cellar and enjoy it over the coming 15-20 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDAromas of currants and blackberries with spiced chocolate, dried herbs and wet stones. Medium- to full-bodied with fine tannins and vivid acidity. Structured and meaty. Shows freshness and juiciness to its deep, dark-fruited character. Toned, firm finish. Drink from 2025.James Suckling | 93 JSThe 2020 Côte de Baleau has an attractive bouquet with blackberry, raspberry, dried blood and cedar. Lovely focus here, real class and delineation. The palate is medium-bodied with blackberry, tobacco and graphite, again, very well-focused with an engaging, mineral-driven finish that lingers in the mouth. This a very well-crafted Saint-Émilion that will age with style.Vinous Media | 92 VMLashings of liquorice and dark chocolate combine with ripe blackcurrant and plums, giving a serious tone to this wine. It’s well built, with good support from gently chewy and present tannins, with a long, minty, salty finish. There are touches of dried fruits to this, raisins and prunes, but the acidity is well balanced and this has a nice weight in the mouth. A little drying by the finish. Heft and power, but not brutish.Decanter | 90 DECA ripe, full-bodied wine, this has rich tannins and plenty of spicy character from the wood aging. It is dense, structured with powerful black fruits and a generous, velvet texture. The wine has enough structure to age well. Drink from 2026 Wine Enthusiast | 90 WE

From the up-and-coming Castillon region, just east of Saint-Emilion, the 2020 Château D’Aiguilhe has a floral, cassis, and black raspberry-driven style that shows more tobacco and classic limestone minerality with time in the glass. It’s medium to full-bodied, has fine tannins, and the balance and class to evolve for 10-15 years. It’s a seriously good Castillon, even better than the brilliant 2019.Jeb Dunnuck | 93 JDViolet reflections, great clarity of colour and immediate whoosh of salinity through the redcurrant fruits. Powerful and focused with bright berry flavours, it practically defines the term crunchy fruit, then softens to show creamier black cherry purée as it relaxes in the glass. Really a very tasty d’Aiguilhe from Vignobles Comtes von Neipperg. Extremely moreish. Harvest September 17 – 28, 30% new oak.Decanter | 93 DECAromas of cassis, dark berries and cherries mingle with subtle hints of incense and spices in an inviting bouquet to introduce the 2020 d’Aiguilhe, a medium to full-bodied, fleshy and layered wine with powdery tannins and the lively acids that are typical of this later-ripening, limestone-rich sector. Always a notable value, this age-worthy cuvée has turned out very well this year.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RPThe 2020 d’Aiguilhe captures all of the exuberance of the vintage. Jammy and explosive, the 2020 offers up a heady mélange of raspberry preserves, mocha, spice and rose petal. This lush, extravagantly rich wine is a real beauty, but the style is definitely pushed in the direction of ripeness and textural intensity. Give the tannins a few years to soften.Vinous Media | 92 VMNicely rendered, with a very pure beam of cassis and cherry puree leading the way, gently infused with violet and savory accents. The fresh, focused finish is sneaky long. Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Drink now through 2034. 20,000 cases made, 2,200 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 92 WSBlack cherry, black berry and orange peel with some cedar aromas, follow through to a medium body with fine and chalky tannins. Dried herb and bark undertones. Some salt, too. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 92 JS

Shows a core of lovely mulberry, cassis and plum reduction flavors that stretch out over a racy graphite note, in turn revealing flashes of anise, apple wood and sweet tobacco. Offers a late tug of warm earth, too. Rock-solid, with an old-school hint. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Best from 2026 through 2038.Wine Spectator | 94 WSDried flowers, lots of pot pourri scents on the nose, very aromatic in a floral sense with some rich Cabernet blackcurrant flavours at the back. Smooth and lively, excellent acidity from the get go, this has a nice bounce and push but also a creaminess and a touch of spice so you’re getting a lot of complexity in the mouth. A touch little rustic with clove, green pepper and cinnamon spice but I love the slightly textured grainy tannins and the freshness is there. Definitely learner than I was expecting, with a saline finish and wonderful crystalline aspect to the fruit. Clear, detailed, precise with a sense of classicism.Decanter | 94 DECThe 2020 d’Armailhac is excellent, bursting with aromas of blackberries, violets, burning embers and licorice, followed by a medium to full-bodied, rich and fleshy palate that’s broad but precise, with powdery tannins and a lively core of fruit. It’s a blend of 59% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPThe 2020 d’Armailhac has a very pure bouquet with blackberry, bilberry, crushed iris flowers and hints of potpourri, tightly-wound at first but opening nicely in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with slightly angular tannins at first, fine acidity, pure blackberry and graphite notes becoming more accentuated towards the finish. That could only come from Pauillac. A classy d’Armailhac that bestows great terroir expression and sense of classicism.Vinous Media | 93 VMA fresh, layered red with blackberry and chocolate. It’s full and beautiful. Cool finish. Soft tannins spread across the finish. Savory.James Suckling | 93-94 JSRipe and juicy fruits go along with intense background tannins, giving this wine richness as well as structure. Open and full of fruit, the wine still needs time. Drink the wine from 2026.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEThe 2020 Château D’Armailhac is a blockbuster that’s going to reward patience. Based on 59% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Petit Verdot, its inky purple hue is followed by a deep, concentrated, mouth-filling Pauillac offering classic darker currant fruits, notes of graphite and lead pencil, building tannins, and outstanding length. This chewy, tannic, backward wine will need 5-7 years of bottle age and will evolve for two decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 91+ JD

Extremely floral and fruity with currants and blackberries. It’s full-bodied and very layered with delicious, dense character. Full-bodied with dusty, layered tannins. Rich, but not heavy. Long and chewy on the finish. 55% cabernet sauvignon, 39% merlot, 3% cabernet franc, 2% petit verdot and 1% malbec.James Suckling | 97-98 JSThis is a sinewy, powerful and forward-moving wine with a sense of momentum. Moreish, with the elegance and plump damson fruits that Issan delivers so well, but more muscular than some years with the impact of both Petit Verdot and Malbec that are in the blend for the first time in this vintage. These add layers of spice and the overall architecture is clear. Peony and violet notes add a kick upwards on the finish, this has a delicacy even though it is intense. Less Cabernet in the blend in 2020 than in 2019, as is often the case in the Médoc due to low yields. This new blend in Issan will be seen going forward after the addition of plots from the purchase of Château Pontac-Lynch. Drinking Window 2028 - 2045.Decanter | 96 DECThe walled vineyard of Issan has produced a beautifully elegant wine. It has structure while bringing out bright berry fruits and already integrated acidity. The wine has all the elements for long-term aging.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEThe 2020 D’Issan is a blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 39% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 1% Malbec, aging in French oak barriques, 50% new. It has an alcohol of 13.29%, a pH of 3.71 and an IPT (tannin index) of 73. Displaying an opaque purple-black color, it has vibrant notes of Bing cherries, boysenberries, ripe redcurrants and juicy black plums, plus hints of pencil shavings, wild thyme, lavender and forest floor. The medium-bodied palate has impressive energy with crunchy red and black fruits and compelling tension, framed by fine-grained tannins, finishing long and mineral laced.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93-95 RPThe 2020 d’Issan is the first vintage that incorporates Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec to complement the traditional Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot in the blend. Pretty floral and savory accents complement a core of ripe red/purplish berry fruit. Medium in body and vibrant, with superb persistence, Issan is shaping up to be a jewel of a wine. The purity of the flavors is striking. Harvest took place over three weeks between September 17 through October 2, which is only about a week earlier than normal, so not that displaced relative to what was the norm in much of Bordeaux. Tasted three times.Vinous Media | 93-95 VMMore backward, dense, and concentrated, the Grand Vin 2020 Château D’Issan offers darker currant and cassis notes as well as gorgeous floral, sandalwood, graphite, and chocolate nuances. Medium to full-bodied, voluptuous, and layered on the palate, with sweet yet building tannins, this is a gorgeous Margaux that brings ample depth and richness while still showing the classic elegance of the appellation. The blend is 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 39% Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc, and Malbec, raised in 50% new oak, and it’s a selection of only 45% of the total production. It’s going to have some up-front appeal and a broad, lengthy drink window over the following 2-3 decades. Tasted twice.Jeb Dunnuck | 93-95+ JD

A powerful wine that is full of dark black fruits as well as hints of dark chocolate. The tannins and the clear black currant are two fine elements of a wine that will have density and richness as it develops.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEOffering up aromas of sweet mulberries and blackberries mingled with hints of licorice, violets and red fruit compote, the 2020 de Fieuzal is medium to full-bodied, rich and gourmand, its broad attack segueing into a supple, layered mid-palate that’s framed by ripe acids and sweet, powdery tannins. This is a deeper, more powerful Fieuzal than its 2019 counterpart.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPFrom a château that deserves more recognition in the market, the 2020 Château De Fieuzal is a brilliant Pessac- Léognan based on 65% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the rest Petit Verdot raised in 60% new barrels. It has a gorgeously pure nose of cassis, ripe black cherries, violets, spice, and scorched earth. This carries to a medium to full-bodied, seamless, layered wine with ripe tannins, plenty of mid-palate depth, and a great mix of richness and elegance. It deserves 4-5 years in the cellar and will drinking incredibly well over the following two decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDRuby red, plenty of red fruit aromatics also, savoury redcurrant and raspberry, not as concentrated as some, this has sinew and juice, a little austere, but I like the floral aromatics as it opens. A fairly subdued Fieuzal, structured with excellent juicy tension but not generous at this point. Tasted twice. 14 months ageing.Decanter | 94 DECAttractive aromas of ripe dark berries, sweet spices, nut shell, fine herbs and graphite. Full and opulent palate with an array of plush, fine-polished tannins which coat the mouth. Succulent dark fruit character beneath. Fresh, long-lasting and flavorful with a firm finish. Try after 2025.James Suckling | 93 JS

A juicy intensity with bright red fruits, delicate and alive in the glass - friendly but with a salty liquorice kick that gives it some seriousness. Lean and direct but polished and clean on the finish. A touch of lingering heat at the end but this has vibrancy and is well structured with clear bite and power.Decanter | 94 DECA full and juicy red with blackberry, black olive, dark chocolate, and hazelnut aromas and flavors. Creamy, round and deliciously textured. Not a big and powerful wine but very attractive now and for the future. Seductive in so many way. Merlot, cabernet franc and cabernet sauvignon. Best after 2026.James Suckling | 94 JSDominant Merlot in the blend gives this wine both its richness and its smooth texture. Black fruits and generous acidity are sure to develop well. Drink this fine wine from 2026.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEI loved the 2020 Château 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, and classic aromatics of ripe black cherries, plums, licorice, spring flowers, and damp earth. It’s another beautiful, layered, elegant Pomerol in the vintage that will benefit from 3-4 years of bottle age and drink brilliantly through 2040.Jeb Dunnuck | 92 JDAn attractive, elegantly fruit-driven Pomerol, the 2020 De Sales offers up aromas of sweet berries, dried herbs and spices, followed by a medium to full-bodied, supple and seamless palate. With a core of vibrant fruit and melting tannins, this is a success for this large estate, where Jean-Claude Berrouet consults.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91 RP

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, and it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, ultra-fine tannins, no hard edges, and a great, great finish. This is pure, classic, regal Pessac-Léognan is as good as anything in the vintage. Give bottles 4-6 years and it will evolve for 50, 60, 70+ years. I absolutely love this wine. The blend is 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot, and the rest Cabernet Franc.Jeb Dunnuck | 98+ JDThe 2020 Domaine de Chevalier is brilliant. Bright, poised and wonderfully pure, the 2020 Domaine de Chevalier marries the radiance of the year with tremendous freshness. Red cherry fruit, blood orange, mint, star anise and cinnamon all meld together. The 2020 is a wine built on aromatic presence and persistence, more so than heft, with all the elements very nicely balanced. What a wine! Tasted two times.Vinous Media | 96 VMBright red fruits, creamy and deliciously textured - full, ripe and round but so well controlled. Vibrant and vivid yet balanced and sleek, you want to drink this now with great acidity and cool blue fruit touches and stony minerality. Tannins are present and mouthfilling but grippy and supportive not overwhelming. Feels stylish and really so drinkable. A great effort!Decanter | 96 DECIron, black mushroom and dark berry with some burnt orange peel. Flowers, too. It’s full-bodied with round tannins that turn linear and tight at the end. Excellent energy. Brightness and purity.James Suckling | 96-97 JSThis impressively rich wine is centered on great swathes of black fruits. The tannins, with their stylish swagger, are a fine complement to the fruit, giving the wine structure and the potential for elegant aging.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEThe 2020 Domaine de Chevalier is a touch more tightly wound than the brilliant 2019 out of the gates, but it seems likely to equal that vintage with a bit of time. Unwinding in the glass with aromas of minty blackberries and cassis mingled with notions of burning embers, spices, rose petals and orange rind, it’s medium to full-bodied, fleshy and concentrated, with a deep core of fruit, powdery structuring tannins and a long, saline finish. As I wrote last year, this estate in recent vintages has arrived at a sort of stylistic contemporary classicism that evokes the great wines of yesteryear from this address, and the 2020 continues that trend.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95+ RPWell-built, pulling ample and weighty waves of cassis, plum reduction and blackberry preserves along, atop a broad spine of warm loam, smoldering tobacco and singed alder. Long and deep through the fine-grained finish, with a warm paving stone note that won’t quit, thanks to well-buried acidity—not an easy feat in this vintage. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2028 through 2038.Wine Spectator | 95 WS

The black fruits and the juiciness of the wine are deceptive—they are just a front for the impressive structure, the rich tannins and the spice. This is a wine that already shows great potential while also bringing something of the softer side of a grand Margaux.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEBlackberry, graphite and blueberry character. It’s full-bodied, layered and chewy with fine-grained tannins and a punchy finish.James Suckling | 94-95 JSWafting from the glass with aromas of sweet berries, pencil shavings, warm spices and cocoa powder, the 2020 du Tertre is medium to full-bodied, supple and seamless, with an elegant, suave profile that belies good depth and concentration. This terroir is never going to produce the most powerful wine in Margaux, and it’s the prime example of an estate that gets lost in a mass tasting, but the restructuring of its vineyards, almost complete, is clearly quietly bearing its fruit.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPSpicy on the nose, with cinnamon, exotic spices, paprika and clove more than fruit at the moment. The palate is more lightly framed than some Margaux, more delicate with less overt texture and weight, but still quite high acidity so it comes across as a little less impactful, with a creamy milk chocolate, salty undercurrent. A little closed right now, although overall there’s balance. Feels delicate and well worked, just not hugely forward and expressive at this stage.Decanter | 93 DECThis throws a noticeable savory note out front, along with flashes of lilac and bay leaf in the mix, while the core of gently mulled red and black cherry fruit catches up. The silky finish has a light sanguine echo. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Best from 2025 through 2035. 6,000 cases made, 900 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 92 WSThe 2020 Château Du Tertre is fresh and lively, with pretty red and blue fruits as well as lots of sappy herbal and floral nuances. It’s nicely balanced and concentrated on the palate, with ripe tannins, a solid spine of acidity, and beautiful overall balance. The Margaux appellation was one of the more challenging places in the Médoc in 2020, but this looks to be terrific.Jeb Dunnuck | 91-93+ JD

An 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 DECReally 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 JSA 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 JD96–98. 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 WEThe 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 VMThe 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 RP

In this wine, the tannins are velvety, with black fruits that are immensely concentrated. The texture and powerful tannins provide superb foils for the fruit. Drink from 2027. Organic and biodynamic.Wine Enthusiast | 97 WEAromas of blackberries, black olives, lead pencil and blueberries. Full-bodied with very velvety tannins. It’s big and rich for Margaux, but then it tightens at the finish. It will come around with bottle age. One for the cellar. 88% cabernet sauvignon and 12% merlot. From biodynamically grown grapes. Try after 2026.James Suckling | 96 JSBlueberries, plums, black cherries - dark bramble fruits with herbal, medicinal nuances on the nose. Ripe and juicy, this is calm and supremely controlled on the palate - harmonious but you can feel the construction and winemaking. Fruit forward, round and generous but still with clear direction and precision alongside taught salinity and minerality. Tannins are slightly granular with edges of liquorice, clove, aniseed and cola giving a sense that this still needs time to soften a bit more. Two thirds barrel aged, one third in amphora.Decanter | 94 DECThe 2020 Durfort-Vivens is aged in two-thirds new barrel and one-third amphora. It has a fresh and lively bouquet, black cherries intermixed with veins of blue fruit, very pure and oddly Burgundy-like. The oak is nicely integrated. The palate is well balanced with grainy tannins, quite strict and saline, lightly spiced and then easing down with a pliant, graphite-tinged, almost Pauillac-like finish. Give this 4-6 years in bottle.Vinous Media | 92 VM

Intense graphite and violet character with lead pencil. It’s full and firm with chewy and balanced tannins. Iodine coming through. So intense. Super second wine. Like the grand vin of Lynch from the 1980s. 60% cabernet sauvignon and 40% merlot.James Suckling | 95-96 JSOffering classic Pauillac notes of blackcurrants, scorched earth, violets, and lead pencil, the 2020 Echo De Lynch Bages is a big, rich, nicely concentrated wine that shows the fresh yet powerful style of the vintage beautifully. It’s a terrific second wine, yet one that’s going to benefit from a few years of bottle age. The blend is 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot.Jeb Dunnuck | 92-94 JDA serious Echo, one that has walls and depths to its tannins, and will take time to open up. Black pepper, cassis, cassis bud and liquorice, I would give this four or five years before opening. 3.8pH. Yields were down to around 22hl/ha. First harvest in the new gravity-fed cellars. (Drink between 2025-2040)Decanter | 92 DECThe 2020 Echo de Lynch Bages is fabulous. A compelling second wine, Echo offers all the aromatic sensuality, red fruit and silkiness of the Grand Vin, but in an open-knit style that can be enjoyed upon release. All the elements are so impeccably balanced. Everything about the 2020 speaks to class and refinement.Antonio Galloni | 90-92 AG

A ripe, rich red that delivers loads of crushed-berry, chocolate and walnut character, as well as fine tannins through the center palate. Layered texture.James Suckling | 94-95 JSLots 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, both showing medium to full-bodied richness, with one having slightly more precision. Both showed great mid-palates, and this is certainly a beautiful wine in the making. Two to four years should do it well and it’s going to have two decades of longevity.Jeb Dunnuck | 93-95 JDDeep purple-black colored, the 2020 Faugères stampedes out of the glass with a herd of powerful black fruit notes: blackberry pie, baked black plums and ripe, juicy black cherries, plus hints of wild mushrooms, damp soil, tar and star anise with a waft of tobacco. The full-bodied palate is chock-full of black fruit preserves, framed by ripe, rounded tannins and oodles of freshness, finishing long and earthy.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91-93 RPThe 2020 Faugeres offers ripe black plum and boysenberry fruit on the nose, which is extravagant and verging on ostentatious, though somehow it maintains focus and delineation. The palate is medium-bodied with red cherries, boysenberry, cola and light allspice notes on the entry. Well balanced with impressive depth toward the fleshy finish, leaving a lick of dark chocolate on the aftertaste. This is a fine Faugeres that should be afforded 4–5 years in bottle.Vinous Media | 91-93 VMAlways a concentrated wine and with low 23hl/ha yields it is expectedly so. This translates as intense charred oak on the nose, but they have done a good job of balancing it with ripe berry fruit alongside liquorice and black chocolate. Sleek and confident with clear depth. Another wine that shows the success of Cabernet Sauvignon in the right places of St-Emilion.Decanter | 91 DEC

The 2020 Ferrière is tremendous. Dark fruit, lavender, gravel, incense and dark spice are some of the many notes that develop. A wine of vertical, explosive energy, Ferrière is fabulous. The tannins are bruising today, so readers will have to be patient, but all the ingredients are there for the 2020 to be superb. There is a feeling of unrestrained wildness in the Ferrière that is hugely appealing.Vinous Media | 95+ VMComplex aromas of crushed berries, walnuts, wet earth and spice follow through to a full to medium body, chewy yet juicy tannins and a savory finish. This needs time to soften but I like the character and intensity. 68% cabernet, 27% merlot, 3% petit verdot and 2% cabernet franc. From biodynamically grown grapes with Demeter certification. Drink after 2025.James Suckling | 95 JSThis wine has a dense character, with rich fruits and blackberry flavors heightened by the tannins. Because of the heat of Margaux, the wine is rich while always elegant. Drink from 2027. Organic and biodynamic.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WESeductive fragrance on the nose, perfumed, clean and pure. Rich yet direct too, I like the sleekness with clarity, energy and a vibrancy to the dark fruits edged with clove and liquorice. Tannins are firm and grippy, taking hold of the palate, showing off the muscular side. Feels well made with a full body and persistence from start to finish. Nicely approachable.Decanter | 94 DECA serious, structured vintage, the 2020 Ferrière unwinds in the glass with aromas of sweet cherries, berries and plums mingled with raw cocoa and violets. On the palate, it’s medium to full-bodied, with excellent concentration and plenty of powdery tannin that asserts itself on the youthfully firm finish. This blend of 68% Cabernet Sauvignon and 27% Merlot, derived from a very high proportion of old vines, is a real success, but it will require patience.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93+ RP