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A perfumed and exceptionally pretty nose combines notes of dark raspberry, exotic tea and a broad range of floral elements. The succulent, refined and admirably punchy medium weight plus flavors possess excellent delineation and a taut muscularity that becomes more prominent on the saline and bitter pit fruit-suffused finale. This well-balanced and very promising effort delivers first-rate length.Burghound | 92-94 BH

Richly structured, powered by dark tannins and rich blackberry fruits, this estate has produced a very fine wine this vintage. The structure is considerable while keeping fruitiness and fine acidity in focus. The wine will certainly age well.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEThe 2020 Lafon-Rochet is fabulous. The aromatics along are dazzling. Gracious and yet effusive, with tons of nuance, the 2020 dazzles from start to finish. Inky dark fruit, new leather, spice, lavender and menthol fill the room with soaring intensity. Silky, elegant and so pure, Lafon-Rochet is shaping up to be one of the real under the radar gems of 2020. It’s a terrific effort from Basile Tesseron. Don’t miss it.Vinous Media | 93-95 VMI loved the 2020 Château Lafon-Rochet, a rich, powerful, concentrated Saint-Estèphe that stays beautifully balanced and elegant. Lots of pure cassis and darker currant fruits as well as tobacco, chocolate, and damp herb notes define the nose, and it’s medium to full-bodied, with plenty of mid-palate depth, building tannins, and a great finish. It’s going to take 7-8 years to hit the early stages of maturity, but it’s a brilliant wine. The blend is 61% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, with an alcohol of 13.5 and a pH of 3.68. Tasted twice.Jeb Dunnuck | (93-95)+ JD(Château Lafon-Rochet, St-Estèphe, Bordeaux, France, Red) Attractive, well-paced fruits, plenty of clarity to the flavours, together with a feeling of linearity to the tannins. Austerity through the mid-palate constrains the brambled cassis fruit, but things build back up again and this is a measured, successful wine that will age well. 3% Petit Verdot completes the blend. First year with Eric Boissenot accompanying Jean-Claude Berrouet as consultants. (Drink between 2027-2042)Decanter | 93 DECBlackberry and spice with firm, chewy tannins that show polish and focus. It’s medium-to full-bodied with excellent energy. Blackberry and blackcurrant character on the finish with a touch of cedar and spice.James Suckling | 93-94 JS

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

The 2020 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Aluigi Campo ai Peri is 100% Sangiovese from a single vineyard in Panzano that faces Lamole. It spent two years in cask and a third year in a larger cask. Rich, sumptuous and beautifully layered, the 2020 is all class, all refinement. Silky tannins, expressive red-toned Sangiovese fruit and lifted, soaring aromatics give the 2020 tons of finesse. This sensual Gran Selezione is lights out.Vinous Media | 97 VMA vineyard selection from a southeast-facing parcel at an average altitude of 440m. With a slightly higher clay content giving cooler soil, the 2ha plot is typically the last to be picked at the estate. It yields wines with a mightier structure, and in 2020, the warmth of the vintage is on full display: macerated fruit aromas are accented by cinnamon and liquorice tea. That ripeness repeats on the palate, where redcurrant jelly meets fennel, broom and grilled meat. Fruit girth is thoroughly reined in by the strict, angular tannins, and stony minerality drives the finish.Decanter Magazine | 94 DECA focused, dense and well-built gran selezione. It shows notes of spiced cherries, sweet berries, dried herbs and dry earth with some spices. It’s full-bodied with fine, firm tannins. Lively and full of verve, with plenty of drive and texture. Lingering finish. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 93 JSThe Le Cinciole 2020 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Panzano Aluigi Campo ai Peri has a theme of sweet versus sour that runs throughout. You get tart cherry set against raspberry preserves. There is cinnamon contrasted by savory notes of tobacco. The wine ends with mid-weight concentration and a bright spot of acidity. The Gran Selezione goes into oak for two years followed by 12 months in cement. This is a 5,000-bottle release.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RP

The 2020 Petresco is 100% Sangiovese from the estate’s highest-elevation blocks facing Lamole, where soils are especially rocky and the vines are older. Wildflowers, herbs, rocks, menthol and licorice soar out of the glass. This is an especially savory, expressive Sangiovese that emphasizes mineral and floral notes more than primary fruit. Petresco spent two years in 60-70% cask and the rest in barrique, followed by a year in cement. It remains one of the most distinctive wines in all of Italy. Magnificent.Vinous Media | 97 VMThis is spicy and walnuty with aromas of plums, mulberries, nutshells and licorice. Full, broad and a little chewy, with a firm tannin structure and succulent fruit underneath. Shows good concentration and length and needs a bit of time to soften. Sangiovese. From organically grown grapes. Try from 2027.James Suckling | 93 JS

This is a young red with great intensity and vision that starts off slowly and builds with energy and verve. It’s so minerally with salty, chalky and spice undertones to the cool and vibrant, purple and subtle-fruit flavors. The tannins are wonderfully toned and polished and build on the palate to deliver something very special.James Suckling | 98-99 JSDeep purple-black colored, the 2020 Le Gay erupts from the glass with scents of molten licorice and dark chocolate, giving way to a tantalizing core of baked black cherries, prunes and blackberry preserves, plus a hint of cardamom. The full-bodied palate is rich and decadent, featuring layers of black fruits and exotic spices with a firm yet velvety texture and seamless freshness, finishing with epic length. A hedonic powerhouse!Robert Parker Wine Advocate | (94-96)+ RPOne of my favorite estates in Pomerol is Château Le Gay, and their 2020 looks to be a gem, offering a ripe, forward, medium to full-bodied style as well as classic cassis and assorted darker fruits intermixed with white flowers, tobacco, and violets. It has plenty of background oak, sweet tannins, beautiful overall balance, and outstanding length on the finish. I don’t think it has the density of the 2016, but it still shows plenty of concentration as well as the fresh, elegant, incredibly pure style of the vintage.Jeb Dunnuck | 94-96 JD(Château Le Gay, Pomerol, Bordeaux, France, Red) Careful and seductive oaking, this develops and builds in power and finesse over the palate, and is a seriously enjoyable Pomerol, just packed full of appellation typicity. A yield of 35hl/ha, vinified in new oak barrels, and will stay in barrel for 18 months. (Drink between 2028-2042)Decanter | 94 DECThe 2020 Le Gay offers up a heady concoction of blackberry jam, chocolate, spice, licorice and new oak. Inky and deep, with tremendous sheer textural opulence, this is one of the most explosive, intense Pomerols readers will come across. A delicious wine, but not subtle in any way.Vinous Media | 92-94 VM

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, espresso and plum all saturate the palate. Vivid and explosive, the 2020 is dizzyingly rich, with plenty of Las Cases tannins that will require patience. I am not sure when the 2020 will be ready to drink, but it won’t be anytime soon. Las Cases is one of the wines of the vintage in 2020, that much is pretty clear.Vinous Media | 98+ VMThis is incredibly classic in style with so much currant, lead pencil, crushed stone and sweet tobacco. It’s full-bodied with minerally, stoney and powerful tannins. It goes on and one. Real Las Cases here. Solid as a rock. Progresses to violet, graphite and licorice at the end.James Suckling | 98-99 JSPerfumed touches on the nose, quite high toned, blackcurrant but almost liqueur with rose petal and candy floss nuances. On the point of ripeness, still tense, not hugely expansive in the mouth or particularly weighty but juicy with a really confident energy to it - vibrant and compelling. Tannins are perfectly integrated, so fine, this has a silky overall texture with a hint of grip coming towards the mid palate. Driven and straight, not deviating from the core. Almost unfriendly, but you know this has been well made - it’s sleek, with sinewy muscles, just caged right now needing time to come around. I love the precision to the elements, there’s such a sharp attention to detail with a liquorice, slate and pencil lead tang. The flavours need coaxing a little; this is a sleeping beauty waiting to awaken, but when it does it will be delicious because of the precision. A wonderful wine that makes you really think about how it’s going to evolve.Decanter | 97 DECThe wine’s richness comes both from the dark tannins and the pure, classic black currant flavors. Acidity, yes, but surrounded by dense fruits and tannins that give the wine considerable structure and the potential to age for many years. An impressive wine.Wine Enthusiast | 97 WEThe 2020 Léoville Las Cases is a blend of 81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Cabernet Franc and 8% Merlot, aging in 80% new French oak barriques, weighing in with an alcohol of 13.68%, a pH of 3.8 and an IPT (tannins index) of 79. The Cabernet Sauvignon was harvested from the 21st to the 27th of September, the Merlot from the 12th to the 15th of September and the Cabernet Franc on the 18th and 19th of September. With an opaque purple-black color, it slowly unfurls to reveal beguiling notes of fresh blackcurrants, Morello cherries, candied violets and dark chocolate, giving way to an undercurrent of crushed rocks, unsmoked cigars, clove oil and fragrant earth. The medium-bodied palate is a powerhouse of energy, delivering tightly wound red and black fruits, mineral and floral layers, supported by fantastic tension and incredibly ripe, silt-like tannins. The finish has jaw-dropping fragrance and depth.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96-98 RPSleek and slightly austere in feel, with a cold cast iron note framing a core of tightly compressed cassis, plum and blackberry fruit flavors. Shows subtle flashes of tobacco and smoldering charcoal, as the finish lingers with verve. A stoic red. Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot. Best from 2030 through 2045.Wine Spectator | 96 WSThe flagship 2020 Château Léoville Las Cases checks in as 81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Cabernet Franc, and 8% Merlot, raised in 80% new French oak. Hitting 13.68% in alcohol with a Ph of 3.8 and an IPT of 79, it shows the dense, concentrated, focused style of the vintage and it’s going to be one of the longer-lived wines of the vintage. Deep purple-hued, with an incredible sense of minerality in its blackcurrant and black cherry fruits, it’s full-bodied, has a rich, layered mid-palate, lots of tannins, and a great finish. It’s a beautiful wine and holds onto the more inward, concentrated style of the vintage while still showing serious depth of fruit. It’s going to take a decade (or more) of bottle age to get anywhere close to the early stages of maturity but will keep for 30-40 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 95-97+ JD

Exotic 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 JSOn 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 JD(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 DECDeep 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

The 2020 Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru is very pure and harmonious on the nose with plush black cherry and cassis fruit, well-integrated oak and a floral aspect that becomes more prominent with time. The palate is well balanced with a fine bead of acidity, taut and fresh, lightly spiced with quite a vivacious, mineral-driven finish that retains superb definition. This is very impressive and bloomin’ delicious (already!)Vinous Media | 96-98 VMThe wine is massive, with grippy tannins, full body and an interminable finish. ’A great vintage to taste in 20 years,’ according to winemaker Frédéric Barnier. The 0.27ha Jadot parcel (owned by the house itself) is in a strip that goes from the top of the vineyard to the bottom, and thus includes both terres blanches (white marl) and terres rouges (red clay). The fruit character is black plum and cassis, with a firm, mineral and earthy element. Drinking Window 2025 - 2040.Decanter | 96 DECA wine with huge potential is the 2020 Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru (Domaine Louis Jadot). Unwinding in the glass with notes of raspberries, red cherries, vanilla pod, exotic spices and raw cocoa, it’s full-bodied, deep and multidimensional, with an immensely concentrated core, powdery tannins and a tightly wound profile. This will be among the slowest to evolve of all the wines in the cellar, and also among the most long-lived.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94-96+ RP(Maison Louis Jadot Bonnes Mares Grand Cru Red) Very generous wood and menthol nuances still allow the liqueur-like aromas of red currant, violet and range of spice elements to be appreciated. There is first-rate power and punch to the moderately dense and beautifully textured flavors that display superb length on the sappy finish where the only nit is a hint of warmth. (Drink starting 2037)Burghound | 93-96 BH

The 2020 Musigny Grand Cru has a well-defined bouquet with red cherries, blackcurrant, touches of animal fur and black truffle - very complex and intense. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, wonderful depth and cohesion, the acidity perfectly judged. The 30-40% stems here lends a discrete peppery note on the finish to what is one of the best Musigny that I have tasted from Jadot in recent years. Stunning.Vinous Media | 97-99 VMThere are two barrels of the magical 2020 Musigny Grand Cru (Domaine Louis Jadot), a striking wine that soars from the glass with scents of blood orange, rose petals, wild berries, sweet soil tones and musk. Full-bodied, ample and enveloping, it’s vibrant and multidimensional, with a deep, layered core and a long, resonant finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95-97 RP(Maison Louis Jadot Musigny Grand Cru Red) Much like the Amoureuses, the dazzling nose of plum, black raspberry and floral scents is super-spicy with its combination of anise, sandalwood, clove, hoisin and dried orange peel nuances. There is both outstanding volume and even better intensity to the more mineral-driven, concentrated and focused flavors that exude a touch of bitter pit fruit character on the hugely long, balanced and highly complex finale. This is very classy juice that should age gracefully for the better part of two decades. (Drink starting 2037)Burghound | 93-96 BH

Aromas of menthol, black spice, leather, rose hip and citrus lead the nose on the stunning 2020 Baudana from Luigi Baudana. It’s smooth and delicious, delivering wild raspberry, strawberry compote, blood orange, tobacco and star anise alongside a backbone of polished tannins. Crushed mint lingers on the close while fresh acidity keeps it beautifully balanced. Drink 2027–2035. Abv: 14% Kerin O’Keefe | 97 KOThe deep ruby-hued 2020 Barolo Baudana offers a sweet perfume of candied raspberries, cherry lozenge, crushed flowers, and sweet sage. Medium to full-bodied, it’s ripe and expansive with sweet tannins, it has a fantastic and weightless feel with a buoyant nature, and it’s floral and long on the palate, with a great apricot-noted finish. While it has a wide drinking window, it’s deserving of cellaring. Drink 2026-2040.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JDSubtle notes of cherries in their prime, thyme, star anise, incense, and warmed earth gradually emerge, over time, yielding a wine work the wait. On the palate, it is plush at first, but the tannins soon make their presence known, shaping the wine into a honed and chiseled example of classic Nebbiolo. The savory elements work in perfect harmony with the deep core of fruit and mouthwatering acidity, creating a Barolo that can be enjoyed now or cellared for decades. Drink Now - 2045Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEWith fruit from Serralunga d’Alba, the Luigi Baudana 2020 Barolo Baudana is a bold and ripe expression with dark currant, black cherry, sweet orange peel and crushed red rose. Soft, earthy layers appear on the mid-palate with hints of spicy licorice. All of that intensity, with soil, fruit and spice, swells over the palate, giving this wine an impactful character. It is almost ready to drink straight out of the gate.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPPacked with fruit, this red exudes cherry, strawberry, rose and iron notes, with a hint of wild herbs. Vibrant acidity and fine-grained tannins lend well-meshed support. Harmonious and surprisingly approachable already, but this will improve over the next two decades. Best from 2027 through 2045.Wine Spectator | 94 WSThe 2020 Barolo Baudana opens with a burst of plump, juicy, red-toned fruit. Bright acids and persistent tannins are a reminder we’re in Serralunga. The 2020 is going to need a few years to come together, but it is a relatively accessible wine for this part of the appellation. The purity of the fruit here is lovely. Pretty floral and spice overtones lift the finish effortlessly.Vinous Media | 93 VMAttractive notes of cherries, peaches, red plums and violets on the nose. Juicy and bright, with a medium body and delicious red berry fruit accompanied by fine-grained tannins. Drink after 2026.James Suckling | 92 JS

The wine displays a super beautiful color, with a translucent ruby hue. Aromas of very pretty wild red berries, licorice and sweet and savory spice captivate the senses. The palate is truly delightful, with the fruit shining through initially, followed by earthy notes, such as truffle. Superfine tannins contribute to its overall elegance. Enjoy from now–2040.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEAttractive aromas of raspberries and cherries with savory herbs, orange peel and forest wood undertones. Juicy and savory with medium body and crunchy tannins and a velvety mouthfeel. Attractive and lightly chewy at the end. Better from 2025.James Suckling | 93 JSHailing from the Bric Micca cru in Neive, the elegant, structured Poderi Einaudi 2020 Barbaresco has alluring aromas of eucalyptus, ground clove and violet. On the full-bodied palate, taut, refined tannins support juicy red cherry, blood orange, star anise and blood orange. Drink 2025–2035. Abv: 14.5% Kerin O’Keefe | 93 KO

In the same qualitative ballpark as the Pavillon, the 2020 Ermitage L’Ermite is even tighter and more chiseled. It too is perfectly proportioned and insanely pure, with notes of crème de cassis, burning embers, blueberries, camphor, charcoal, and crushed stone. While the soils here are less granitic than from the Bessards, this cuvée always seems to show even more minerality in every vintage I’ve tasted. Incredibly concentrated, full-bodied, and yet still flawlessly balanced and elegant, it needs to be hidden in the back of the cellar for 10-15 years and should have 50 years of overall longevity.Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDIf you ever wondered why Hermitage had such a special reputation then you need to taste this towering masterpiece of this appellation. Spectacular mountain freshness as well as enormous concentration and underplayed tannic power. The spicy complexity of this wine needs some time to unfold, but that is the best invested time I can imagine. Fabulous mineral freshness at the finish that you don’t ever want to let go of. From biodynamically grown grapes with Demeter certification. Drinkable now, but best from 2026.James Suckling | 100 JSCompelling scents of roasted meat, espresso and blueberries roar from the glass, joined by a hint of vanilla on the nose of the 2020 Ermitage l’Ermite. A huge behemoth of a wine in the mouth, it’s nevertheless an elegant beast that should easily be tamed by a few years in the cellar. Fans of all-out power might prefer this to the Le Pavillon in 2020, but for me, it’s a just a neck behind, nipped at the wire.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98+ RPThis densely packed red has it all, from a brooding base of smoked blackberry, ganache, plum puree and fig paste flavors to textural intrigue and a long finish. Offers muscular tannins that are nicely burnished to give this a substantial yet not too grippy frame, while notes of dark chocolate, black licorice and generous grilled garrigue cruise alongside a steely ballast of iron. Hints of dried flowers and savory orange peel acidity perk up the concentrated core. Best from 2025 through 2045. 317 cases made, 8 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 98 WSFresh, flinty aroma with blackcurrant underneath - an enlivening nose. Great harmony, incisive freshness and remarkable drive, the fruit is fresh, pure and concentrated. Totally seamless on the palate, with incredible textural finesse and length. A profound Hermitage in the making, perhaps not one of great weight and authority, but one of incredible tension, freshness and precision. If 2019 was Thor, 2020 is Loki. Like all of the 2020 reds, its fruitiness and approachable structure will make many want to drink this young. You can, but this has serious ageing potential.Decanter | 98 DECGlass-staining violet color. Intensely perfumed ripe black and blue fruits, exotic spices, potpourri, olive and incense aromas are sharpened by a smoky mineral flourish. Juicy and expansive in the mouth, displaying alluringly sweet blueberry, cherry preserve, fruitcake and mocha flavors, along with hints of licorice and candied flowers. The floral and spice notes reverberate on a fabulously long, penetrating finish that features mounting tannins and an insistent mineral note. For me, this looks to be the best (ever so slightly!) of a truly stellar group of single-site Hermitages here in this vintage. The 2011 version of this wine is showing exceptionally well right now, with eerily Burgundy-esque finesse and intense blue fruit, floral, spice and mineral character. I wish that I had some, or even just one!Vinous Media | 97-99 VM

I was blown away by the 2020 Ermitage Le Méal Blanc, which is certainly the finest vintage of this cuvée I’ve tasted. From the pure south-facing Méal lieu-dit (which is the warmest terroir on Hermitage), it was vinified and aged 70% demi-muids (10% new) and 30% in stainless steel. Straight-up heavenly notes of white currants, powdered rock, celery seed, honeysuckle, and toasted almonds all define the bouquet, and it’s full-bodied and concentrated on the palate, with that rare mix of richness and freshness. Hermitage Blanc doesn’t get any better. I love this today, yet it will certainly benefit from a year or two of bottle age, drink well for 3-5 years, at which point, it’s probably best to wait until a solid 15 years after the vintage.Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDThis relatively warm, early-ripening terroir has yielded a wine that’s full-bodied yet with an almost custard-like silky texture. Toasted grain, lemon custard, crushed stone, pear and melon notes mingle easily on the nose of Chapoutier’s 2020 Ermitage le Méal Blanc. The long, zesty finish is marked by a slight hint of bitterness that seems to come into this parcellaire from time to time.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPAlmond, quince and a touch of rhubarb at this early stage; you sense the ripeness, but it’s not exotically fruity in 2020. The silkiness and glycerol on the palate are quite present, this sample shows plentiful oak, lending matchstick and cashew to the finish. An elegant vintage of Le Méal. Well-balanced, far from massive, not as powerful or concentrated as the past few vintages, this will drink well young and age into the medium term. Not a hugely-long lived Méal I suspect, but a delightful one nonetheless. There is generous alcohol, but it’s not unbalanced. (Drink between 2023-2040)Decanter | 96 DEC

Crushed stone, mint, blackberries and cassis all appear upon the nose of the 2020 Ermitage le Pavillon. The great vintages of these wines soak up the oak, like this one has. Full-bodied, concentrated and massive in scale, it’s a mouthful of dark fruit flavors that gradually morph into something more savory on the long, silky-firm finish, adding notes of black olives and espresso. It’s really impressive, as it maintains a sense of elegance all along its path.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 100 RPThe 2020 Ermitage Le Pavillon is pure gold, and Hermitage doesn’t get any better. Incredible aromatics of cassis, graphite, burning embers, and crushed stone all emerge from this beauty. Stunningly proportioned and incredibly pure, it’s full-bodied, concentrated, and powerful, but as with all great vintages of this cuvée, it’s going to demand bottle age. While Les Greffieux and Le Méal bring much more opulence, this is the powerhouse, long-distance candidate in the lineup. It’s an incredible effort. Give bottles upwards of a decade in the cellar, and it should evolve effortlessly over the following 30-40 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDThis has that tell-tale touch of soy to the plum and blackcurrant fruit so reminiscent of this cuvée. Fluid and juicy on the palate, this has great intensity and salinity without feeling heavy or overripe. Plenty of sweet, ripe tannin and balanced acidity. Only medium-bodied, there’s a touch of pepperiness on the finish, great freshness, harmony and balance. Sometimes a wine seems a bit too easy, a bit too effortless, and it can lull you into a sense that it lacks seriousness; this wine tries to do that, but I’m not inclined to underestimate it.Decanter | 99 DECPatience, please, but in return for that you will be given the keys to Hermitage heaven. This is extremely concentrated, but also extremely refined. Incredible finesse for this level of power with extraordinary density of ripe black fruits. Somehow this manages to smell and taste unbelievably fresh. And that freshness just doesn’t want to stop at the finish. From biodynamically grown grapes with Demeter certification. Drinkable now, but best from 2026.James Suckling | 98 JSMassive and full-throttled, with beautiful delicacy to the tannins, which gives this a sleek, velvety feel. Packs generous fig, plum and mulled cherry fruit flavors, with great tension and mineral intensity, while a graphite edge drives the length. The subtly chewy, nicely defined close is graced with warm earth accents, harnessing ample energy in reserve. Drink now through 2040.Wine Spectator | 97 WSDark purple. Potent dark berry preserve, cherry-cola, exotic spice, potpourri and mineral aromas convey impressive energy and acquire smoked bacon and licorice nuances with air. Sappy, deeply concentrated blackberry, bitter cherry, fruitcake and salty olive paste flavors stain the palate and show almost shocking energy for their heft. Closes with superb, floral- and mineral-dominated persistence and chewy tannins adding final grip. I also had the chance to drink the still-youthful and mineral-driven 2011 rendition of this wine, made entirely from fruit grown in Bessards, and was blown away by its balance and freshness.Vinous Media | 96-98 VM

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 RPA 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 JSThe 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 VM

A consistent Purple Angel that really delivers the carmenere’s plushness when ripened well. Dark olives, blackberries and red chili chocolate with a splash of spice and cigar box. Fleshy and concentrated with plenty of fine-grained tannins that extend to a very creamy finish. 92% carmenere, around half from Marchigue and half from Apalta, with 8% petit verdot. Better from 2025.James Suckling | 98 JSThe 2020 Carménère Purple Angel contains an dash of Petit Verdot (8%), also from Apalta, Colchagua. It was aged for 18 months in French oak barrels, 70% of them new. Purple in hue. The sun-kissed nose delivers plum and blackberry jam notes over nuanced layers of ash and spice against a balsamic backdrop. Indulgent and broad in the mouth. The expansive, voluminous palate is full of plummy flavor with a juicy flow and a lasting finish of ripe, fruity aromas. The warm year dialed up the sweetness.Vinous Media | 94 VMOpens with an elegant array of fresh raspberry, pink peppercorn and river mint flavors before turning broad. Vanilla bean and cassis notes cling to a richly textured blackberry core that lingers around fine tannins, echoing back to the core flavors and adding notes of dark chocolate. Carmenère and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2034. 2,325 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

(Château Montrose, St-Estèphe, Bordeaux, France, Red) A serious wall of blueberry and blackberry compote, and a ton of savoury Cabernet sinew and freshness. This is a great Montrose, inky, broad-shouldered and structured. It needs time to aerate and open in the glass, then you see the precision, the heft, the chiselling of the fruits with a ton of graphite, cigar box and campfire smoke - huge persistency. This will need a long time and will reward patience. One of the few where a 1986, 2016 and 2010 comparison makes sense. A yield around 30hl/ha. 1% Petit Verdot, 3.86pH, IPT 80. 45% of the overall production. (Drink between 2029-2050)Decanter | 98 DECJust starting to open, it shows beautiful spices and dark fruit on the nose and palate. It’s full-bodied with ultra-fine, integrated tannins and an extremely complex, refined finish. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 96 JSWhile the wine is firm and with powerful tannins it has delicious fruitiness that is more forward than in many vintages of the wine. The fine black currant flavors are underlined by acidity while the Cabernet Sauvignon gives a fine, firm structure to this very direct wine.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WE

Torre Muga is the top wine among the current releases from this Haro-based bodega, right up there with the best bottlings of this avowedly modern blend of Tempranillo with 10% each of Mazuelo and Graciano. A Rioja with a French accent, as it were, it has coffee bean oak, violet and green herb aromas, granular tannins, blackberry and bramble fruit and the structure to age in bottle. 2026-42. Tim Atkin | 98 TALastly, the 2020 Torre Muga just about jumps out of the glass with its complex red and black fruits, savory flowers, tobacco, lead pencil shavings, and graphite-like aromatics. Plush, full-bodied, concentrated, and beautifully balanced, it shows the softer, more rounded style of the vintage and has ripe tannins and a great finish.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDTorre is a bolder, more concentrated expression of Rioja from Muga. Meaty and tarry nose with smoked bacon. Lots of grilled herbs and some dark sweet spices. Powerful, broad and full-bodied on the palate with lots of vertical, dusty tannins that lead you towards the long, juicy finish. Tempranillo, mazuelo and graciano. Better from 2025.James Suckling | 96 JSThe more modern wine in the portfolio is the 2020 Torre Muga, which has notes of toast, smoke, sesame seeds, smoky bacon, spices, herbs and ripe berries. It is a wine they started producing in 1991, and the change in style also influenced the quality approach and selection of vineyards, grapes and oak for the barrels that they later applied to other wines. It has a polished palate with very fine tannins, chalky and elegant. It’s a more approachable vintage, round, velvety and soft, though perhaps without the aging potential of 2021, but it’s very pleasant. It’s long. They didn’t bottle the 2020 from Aro, so some of those grapes might have finished in this bottle. It was bottled in December 2022.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPThe garnet-hued 2020 Torre Muga is a blend of Tempranillo, Mazuelo and Graciano sourced from Rioja Alta, aged for 18 months in new French oak barrels. Its ripe aromas reveal balsamic and clove notes, featuring a delicate core of plums with hints of cedar and vanilla. On the palate, it is dry and plush, with a lingering juicy sensation and a fairly chalky texture. This is a complex Rioja wine that nods to a riper Bordeaux style.Vinous Media | 94 VMA bold but poised red, with fine, chalky tannins. Lively acidity lends definition and tension to the panoply of flavors, which partners savory game, espresso, cured tobacco and iron notes with ripe boysenberry, crème de cassis, cocoa powder and licorice accents. This should age nicely, but why wait? Tempranillo, Mazuelo and Graciano. Drink now through 2034. 3,000 cases made, 600 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

This wine’s floral perfume is matched by generous tannins that surprise by their strength. The fruit flavors offer a mix of black and red berries. They are finely structured and concentrated, balanced by tightly woven acidity. Made from organic and biodynamic grapes.Wine Enthusiast | 98 WEVivid colours, and the aromatics grab hold straight away. This is intense and concentrated, elegant, balanced and classical, all about the texture which is velvety and seductive with softly-grained tannins. Moves oh so slowly through the palate with dozens of layers to get hold of. The overall feel is precise, slow and seductive, with appellation and estate signature at every turn. Sappy, hawthorn freshness, rosemary, redcurrant, tobacco, cigar box and dark chocolate shavings on the finish. 3.77pH, 78IPT, 55% of overall production, with 13% press wine. Drinking Window 2028 - 2044.Decanter | 97 DECThe 2020 Palmer, which was matured in 65% new oak, possesses one of the most perfumed bouquets of the vintage with entrancing, seductive scents of black cherries, wild strawberry, iodine and crushed violets, all beautifully delineated (as per usual). The palate is medium-bodied with fine but quite firm tannins, lending this Palmer more backbone than presupposed. Blackberry, graphite and touches of liquorice develop with aeration that build towards an assertive, pencil box-tinged finish that nods towards Pauillac. This is a Palmer destined for long-term ageing, so readers should have a cool damp cellar handy. It is a serious Palmer, very different from the previous two vintages, not a mix of the two, but content in just being itself. 14.1% alcohol.Vinous Media | 96-98 VM

Ranking with the top wines of the vintage, the dense purple-hued 2020 Château Pape Clement offers a sensational bouquet of pure crème de cassis interwoven with notes of liquid violets and classy oak. Possessing flawless balance, full-bodied richness, and ultra-fine tannins, it excels in this vintage and has a pretty, elegant, yet also layered and concentrated profile. It will drink well with just short-term cellaring yet evolve gracefully for 20-30 years. I was able to taste this on multiple occasions, and it always checked in near the upper end of the scale. This is a gorgeous wine in the making.Jeb Dunnuck | 97-99 JDSuperb aromas of blackberries, crushed stones, iodine and graphite. Full-bodied with ultra fine tannins and a balanced finish. Such length and beauty. Very close to the 2019 in quality.James Suckling | 97-98 JSDeep garnet-purple colored, the 2020 Pape Clement comes barreling out of the glass with bold notes of cassis, plum preserves and licorice, giving way to scents of cedar chest, crushed rocks, charcoal and pencil lead. The medium to full-bodied palate is tightly coiled with beautiful tension and a firm, finely grained texture locking in the layers of black fruits and minerals, finishing with great length and energy. The blend this year is 50% Cabernet Sauvignon and 50% Merlot, aging mainly in French oak barriques, 66% new, with about 10% aging in large oak foudres. The wine will spend approximately 18 months in barrels.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96-98 RPThe 2020 Pape Clément is so impressive. Red cherry, plum, cedar, mint, tobacco, blood orange and rose petal all build as the 2020 opens in the glass. Vibrant and beautifully delineated, the 2020 has a ton to offer. The 2020 exudes purity, energy and breathtaking balance. It is one of the finest recent vintages I can remember tasting.Vinous Media | 95-97 VMThis ancient estate, an oasis in the suburbs of Bordeaux city, offers a wine that is packed with promising tannins. The important and rich black fruits reveal concentration, density and the potential of the development of a fine balance and structure as it matures.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WE(Château Pape Clément, Pessac-Léognan, Bordeaux, France, Red) Powerful in colour, this has the glass staining red and purple colours that Pape Clément does so well. Touches of liquorice and cocoa beans, well handled, this gives power with one hand but takes it away with the other as the austerity and fresh mint leaf comes to the fore. Impressive, a really enjoyable, classically wrought but still full of concentration Pape Clément. Savoury, there is nothing too exuberant in the fruits but it exudes deft confidence. (Drink between 2028-2044)Decanter | 94 DEC

The 2020 Pauillac is superb. The aromatics alone are compelling. Lavender, sage, menthol, black pepper and licorice all jump from the glass. This just screams with Cabernet character. Dark, vibrant and super-expressive, the 2020 is an absolute delight. Its vibrancy and delineation are both admirable. What a gorgeous, gorgeous wine this is.Antonio Galloni, VInous Media | 94 VMThis is quite chunky and fruity, with plums, berries, ash and hot stones on the nose and palate. It’s full and flavorful. A juicy and intense red. Drink and enjoy.James Suckling | 93 JSLooking at the three releases from Château Latour, these are all powerful, concentrated, wines that are going to age gracefully. Starting with the 2020 Pauillac, it has ample cassis and darker fruits as well as attractively perfumed aromatics of violets, graphite, and some obvious minerality. Medium to full-bodied and beautifully balanced, with fine tannins, it’s a legit Pauillac to drink over the coming 15+ years.Jeb Dunnuck | 92 JDA fragrant and expressive nose, revealing layers of dried herbs, eucalyptus, thyme, and aniseed spice alongside blackcurrants and plums. The palate is vibrant and juicy, with softly fleshy tannins that expand beautifully, offering a cool graphite, cola, and liquorice edge. There’s a refreshing tanginess, with bitter grapefruit adding a lively tension. Less plush and round than the 2022 vintage, this is more direct and linear, with a bright, energetic character. Lovely persistence and vibrancy, making it an enjoyable expression of Pauillac. 3.63pH.Decanter Magazine | 92 DECThe estate’s second wine, produced from young vines, less optimally located parcels and any declassified lots, is the 2020 Le Pauillac de Château Latour, an attractive effort redolent of sweet berries, cassis, licorice and petals. Medium to full-bodied, with lively acids, sweet tannins and a penetrating finish, it combines immediate charm with aging potential.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90+ RPThe 2020 Le Pauillac de Chateau Latour is a blend of 53% Merlot, 43% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 4% Petit Verdot. Deep garnet-purple in color, it needs some coaxing to reveal delicate notes of redcurrants, wild blueberries, and crushed plums, plus hints of bay leaves, tree bark, and cracked black pepper. The medium-bodied palate is bright, lively, and energetic, with a grainy texture and minerally finish.The Wine Independent | 90 TWI

Shows salted butterscotch, peach and tangerine flavors that are polished and focused, with lemon blossom, poached pear and candied ginger notes on a plush, elegant frame. Features a fresh edge of acidity. Drink now through 2032. 2,782 cases made. Wine Spectator | 93 WS

The darkly alluring 2020 Cabernet Franc Poggio de’ Colli takes its time in the glass, slowly awakening with a dusty mix of red currants, pepper-tinged rose, exotic curries and the slightest touch of animal musk that adds gravitas. This is velvety smooth yet finessed. It’s cool-toned in feel with a potent wave of tart raspberry fruits that saturates the palate with savory spice and mineral tones. It leaves a coating of fine tannins and a staining of berry concentration through the finale, tapering off sapid and long, yet perfectly balanced. What a radiant vintage for the Poggio de’ Colli, Piaggia’s varietal Cabernet Franc. Revisit it in five years to see some real sparks fly.Vinous Media | 97 VMAromas of blackcurrants and fresh tarragon follow through to a medium to full body, with firm tannins and a tangy finish. Better in a couple of years. Try after 2025.James Suckling | 92 JS

An estate that has been on fire of late, the 2020 Château Pichon-Longueville Comtesse De Lalande is another brilliant wine in a succession of brilliant wines. Revealing a dense purple hue as well as full-bodied aromas and flavors of blac currants, scorched earth, tobacco leaf, and violets, it hits the palate with an expansive, rich, yet pure, precise texture that carries fabulous tannins, perfect balance, and a stacked mid-palate. Based on 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, and 6% Cabernet Franc, it’s an incredible wine that’s going to flirt with perfection and is unquestionably one of the finest, if not the finest, Left Banks in the vintage. Bravo. Tasted twice.Jeb Dunnuck | 98-100 JDThis is extremely structured, but with a level of polish and refinement that highlights the excellence of the terroir. Very long and expansive on the palate, showing class and beauty. Powerful, yet comes across refined and curated at the end. Lovely texture.James Suckling | 97-98 JSSofter and silkier than many Pauillacs in the vintage, this is a clear success. Hugely silky and seductive, with grip, power and finesse. One of the best of the appellation, with finessed tobacco, heather and plump blueberry and cassis fruit, expertly managing the low 30hl/ha yield. 60% new oak. Tasted twice. (Drink between 2030-2048)Decanter | 96 DECDeep purple-black in color, the 2020 Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande begins on a single, well-defined, wonderfully pure note of ripe blackcurrants, opening out to a melody of redcurrant jelly, kirsch, ripe blackberries and tar, with emerging suggestions of dark chocolate, cardamom, ground cloves and violets, with a waft of black truffles. Medium-bodied, tightly wound and with loads of fantastically nuanced black fruit layers, it has a rock-solid frame of finely grained tannins and bags of freshness, finishing long and mineral laced. The blend this year is 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot and 6% Cabernet Franc.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95-97 RPThe 2020 Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande is holding so much in reserve. Tightly wound and not fully expressive, the 2020 is going to need at least a few years to come out of its shell. Bright acids and persistent tannins give the 2020 a super classic, mid-weight feel. I very much like the wine’s persistence. Readers will have to be patient with the 2020. The exuberance of some recent vintages is not present today. The blend is 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot and 6% Cabernet Franc, which means a touch more Cabernet Sauvignon than in recent years, and quite a bit more than in the past. Harvest ran from September 7 to October 1, which is about ten days earlier than normal. In the cellar, Estate Manager Nicolas Glumineau opted for light extractions, with minimal pumpovers of just one volume of wine per day, at no more than 25 degrees Celsius. Time on the skins was 21 days, pretty much the norm these days. Tasted two times. (Drink between 2032-2060)Antonio Galloni | 95-97 AG