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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 flagship from this great estate is the 2020 Châteauneuf Du Pape Boisrenard, which is based on 80% Grenache and small doses of 17 other varieties. This deeply hued beauty offers a stunning bouquet of blackberries, scorched earth, licorice, ground pepper, and sappy garrigue. I always find a Burgundian-like texture on this wine, and the 2020 is no exception – this is one to put into a blind tasting of Grand Cru Red Burgundies and shock your friends. Medium to full-bodied, ultra-pure, with grippy, sappy tannins, flawless balance, and a great finish, it’s pure class all the way. It’s going to need at least 4-6 years of bottle age, but this is a wine you don’t want to miss, and one of the finest wines I’ve tasted from this estate.Jeb Dunnuck | 99 JDFull and generous on the palate, no lack of fruit or depth here. Powerful and plentiful fine tannins and a great, rising sense of energy and freshness. Impressive, with real finesse and precision - no excess weight, but great surging intensity and freshness. Contains at least 1% of all the 18 possible varieties of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Grapes are grown across a variety of soil types in the lieux-dits Beau Renard, Cabrières and Coteau de l’Ange, vinified mostly in tronconic wooden vats, then aged in oak barrels of various sizes and ages, including 5% new oak. Drinking Window: 2023 - 2037Decanter | 96 DEC

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

A blend derived from lieux-dits Roche, Roilette, Garants and Moriers, Hoppenot’s 2020 Fleurie Origines bursts with aromas of cherries, raspberries, rose petals and spices. Medium to full-bodied, lively and layered, with a fleshy core of fruit, succulent acids and melting tannins, it was already showing well despite having been bottled just a few days before I tasted it.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RP

ean-Nicolas Méo’s 2020 Clos Vougeot is really, really refined this year. The wine delivers a complex and very pure aromatic constellation of red and black cherries, plums, dark chocolate, gamebird, violets, a touch of fresh nutmeg, complex soil tones and a nice foundation of new oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, focused and complex, with a lovely core of sappy fruit, excellent mineral undertow and grip, ripe, buried tannins and impeccable balance on the long, suave and classy finish. Fine, fine juice. (Drink between 2035 - 2095)John Gilman | 94+ JGApart from 2017, Jean-Nicolas Méo only makes one commercially available cuvée of his substantial holding of Clos de Vougeot. Even purple throughout. This is a sturdy, weighty, richly dark fruited, multi-layered wine, with great potential for the long term. Ripe but not exaggerated. Tasted: December 2021.Jasper Morris | 94-97 JMThe 2020 Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru is very promising, unfurling in the glass with aromas of wild berries, cherries, orange rind, potpourri and loamy soil. Full-bodied, velvety and concentrated, it’s seamless and complete, with superb depth at the core and a long, resonant finish. It will be fascinating to compare with the 2019 rendition in two decades’ time.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93-95 RPThe 2020 Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru had to shake off a little reduction before revealing its minerally blackberry, raspberry and cassis fruit. Wilted rose petal emerge with time. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, nicely focused yet surprisingly strict and linear at the moment. This will gain "shoulders" once in bottle.Vinous Media | 92-95 VMDiscreet but still perceptible wood-suffuses the ripe aromas of black cherry, currant, newly turned earth and a floral top note. There is a lovely sense of underlying tension to the palate coating and nicely detailed medium weight plus flavors that offers excellent depth and persistence on the relatively refined if youthfully austere finale. This is more structured than it usually is and is a wine that is going to require at least a decade of aging first.Burghound | 92-94 BH

Discreet but perceptible nuances of wood and menthol are present on the ripe and fresh red and dark raspberry, pepper and newly turned earth. The is fine mid-palate density to the utterly delicious middle weight flavors that possess much better than average depth and persistence for such a young Chassagne red. One to strongly consider as this is very good.Burghound | 90 BHPicked 28th August. Excellent pure purple and fresh pinot on the nose, with a delicious juicy red fruit on the palate, with a beautifully suave finish and just a touch of acidity to complete it. 13.8% but not exaggerated. Good length too.Jasper Morris | 89-91 JM

Glass-staining purple. Assertively perfumed cassis, cherry liqueur, fruitcake and floral aromas take on espresso, olive and smoky bacon accents with aeration. Juicy, chewy and energetic on the palate, offering densely packed, alluringly sweet black and blue fruit preserve, floral pastille, licorice and mocha flavors that become deeper and spicier as the wine slowly stretches out. The floral and mineral notes repeat emphatically on a wonderfully long, juicy and mineral-dominated finish that’s framed by building, well-wrought tannins.Vinous Media | 96-98 VMAt first this feels like you’re standing in front of a set of locked gates. Huge power and structure without that much weight, thanks to the wonderful freshness that’s intertwined with the tarry depths of this Hermitage masterpiece. As it aerates smoked bacon, menthol and licorice notes develop, but I’d need much more space to give you all the aromas! The huge tannins at the finish are finely chiseled, suggesting this has decades of life ahead of it. From 40 to 100-year-old syrah vines. From biodynamically grown grapes.James Suckling | 96-97 JSThe flagship 2020 Hermitage La Chapelle was bottled in June and, as usual, comes mostly from the Le Méal lieu-dit but also includes portions from Bessards as well. Deep purple-hued, with wonderful notes of crème de cassis, graphite, incense, and spice, it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, a supple, elegant texture, fine tannins, and a great finish. It doesn’t have the sheer density or power of, say, the 2010 or 2015, but it shines for its purity and balance and is a gorgeous Hermitage. While the Maison Bleue is more opulent and expansive, this is the long-distance runner. Give bottles 4-6 years at a minimum and enjoy over the following two decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 95+ JDAfter the past several vintages, the 2020 Hermitage La Chapelle will need to add significant richness and concentration if it is to compete at that level. That said, it is still an excellent wine, with classic aromas of crushed stone, cassis, espresso and black olives. It’s full-bodied, fine and silky, giving an impression of great elegance on the lingering finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93-95 RPMeasured, fresh and harmonious in 2020, this Chapelle is potent, fairly concentrated and quite savoury in style. Tannins are fine, plentiful, a touch dry, but they give plenty of support for medium- to long-term ageing. Drinking Window: 2028 - 2036Decanter | 93 DEC

The 2020 Chambertin from Trapet is sublime. It owns 1.85ha over three parcels in a variety of soils and 15% of the vines are trained high on stakes (’en echalas’). This diversity gives a complex fruit expression, from plum and black cherry to pomegranate and red currant, shot through with floral notes, spice and mineral. However, it is also a wine of power and depth, with the tannin and extract to live 80 years or more. One certainty: Trapet has mastered the art of Chambertin. Drinking Window: 2022 - 2035Decanter | 99 DEC(Chambertin- Domaine Trapet Père et Fils) The Trapet family’s 2020 Chambertin is a great young wine. The bouquet delivers beautiful precision and purity in its constellation of black cherries, sweet dark berries, cassis, black minerality, cigar wrapper, grilled meats, just a touch of mustard seed, cedar and a smoky topnote. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and utterly complete, with a rock solid core, superb soil signature, ripe, firm tannins and a long, vibrant and complex finish. Great juice in the making, but this will need plenty of cellaring time to unfurl. (Drink between 2037-2100)John Gilman | 98 JGThe king of the cellar is the 2020 Chambertin Grand Cru, a magical wine in the making that unwinds in the glass with aromas of cherries, blackberries, rich soil tones, espresso roast, rose petals, licorice, oyster sauce and dark chocolate. Full-bodied, layered and multidimensional, it’s seamless and complete, with huge concentration, lively acids and rich, velvety tannins, concluding with a long, resonant finish. Well-connected and well-heeled readers will derive immense pleasure in comparing the 2020 with the 2019 and 2018 renditions several decades from now.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96-98 RPThe 2020 Chambertin Grand Cru was picked on 7 September and a small plot around five days later. It has a beautiful, quite ethereal bouquet with a complex mélange of red and black fruit, the 80-90% whole bunch completely assimilated with wonderful delineation. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins, harmonious and smooth, immense depth and elegance as it fans out towards the finish with perfect sapidity. Sublime.Vinous Media | 95-97 VMAn even more restrained nose timidly expresses slightly riper aromas of plum, dark currant, rose petal and plenty of sauvage character. There is both excellent volume and mid-palate density to the bigger-bodied to the sappy and intensely mineral-driven flavors that are blessed with a taut muscularity on the moderately austere, serious and very firmly structured finale. This is expressly built-to-age and a wine that is definitely going to need at least a decade before could be reasonably approached.Burghound | 93-95 BH

The juicy, velvety and aromatic red 2020 Pícaro del Águila Tinto is fine-boned and quite faithfully represents what they want to express with this cuvée; it’s very tasty and has some chalkiness (perhaps through less ripeness than in years like 2018) with 14% alcohol and mellow acidity. The nose reveals some Côte-Rôtie-like notes of smoked meat and violets. 2020 delivered a good crop of healthy grapes that produced the finest wine to date for this bottling. This is superb, elegant and powerful, with everything in place (seems to be the signature of 2020) and perfectly integrated oak. 71,382 bottles and 1,979 magnums produced. It was bottled in September 2021.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RP

Aromas of blackcurrants, black cherries, hints of graphite, wet earth, and lavender. Sandalwood. Full-bodied with an impressive and refined structure that runs deep and vertical in the wine. Chewy. Hints of chocolate and hazelnut at the end. Needs five or six years to soften.James Suckling | 98 JSAn excellent wine, even if not a great Dominus, the 2020 Dominus delivers waves of dark fruit—think predominantly cassis. A blend of 95% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Cabernet Franc, it’s full-bodied and richly textured, perhaps a bit warm and open-knit because of the summer’s heat, but with a long, velvety finish attractively tinged with mocha and dark chocolate.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPThis throws off dense kirsch and linzer torte aromas and flavors, along with a mix of smoldering tobacco, leather, warm paving stone and licorice root hints that provide a brooding edge on the back end. Surprisingly backward for the vintage and impressively done. Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2026 through 2040. 1,600 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WS

Aromas of currants, blackberries, fresh mushrooms and flowers. Medium-bodied with compacted fruit and integrated, fine tannins. Ripe fruit with reserve. Attractive and alluring. Excellent structure. 88% cabernet sauvignon, 7% cabernet franc and 5% petit verdot. Give it at least five years to open and soften, but very attractive now.James Suckling | 95 JS

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

(Château Duhart-Milon, Pauillac, Bordeaux, France, Red) Restrained and sombre at first, but carefully constructed, with a rippling muscular texture, full of firm tannins with bright acidities underneath. Like the precision and the slightly austere cool blue fruits, pencil lead and liquorice root. Elegant, precise, feels very Pauillac in its density combined with fine tannins that have life and lift on the finish. Harvest September 9 to 29. First vintage in the new cellar. (Drink between 2028-2042)Decanter | 95 DECThis is so refined with beautiful currant, berry and some subtle chocolate and coffee. It’s full and very subtle with fine tannins that have a long finish. Such purity and finesse with structure. Fresh and savory. 72% cabernet sauvignon and 28% merlot.James Suckling | 95-96 JSLots of tobacco, damp earth, chocolate, and lead pencil notes define the 2020 Château Duhart-Milon. Medium to full-bodied, it has a beautifully balanced mouthfeel, loads of blue and black fruits, and ripe yet certainly present tannins. Its relatively plush, rounded style is not too dissimilar from the 2016, but it offers ample structure as well. The blend is 72% Cabernet Sauvignon and 28% Merlot, and it hit 13% natural alcohol. This is another classic, concentrated, impressive wine from this team.Jeb Dunnuck | 94-96 JDFine tannins are in suspension from this beautifully structured wine. Its rich fruit is balanced by the freshness of the vintage, the wine has the depth of flavor without too great a concentration. It is fruity certainly, but so structured that it will age well.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEDeep garnet-purple colored, the 2020 Duhart-Milon comes skipping out of the glass with vibrant notes of crushed black cherries, black raspberries and plum preserves, plus an exotic spice undercurrent of cumin seed, star anise and cardamom, with an earthy touch of black truffles. The medium-bodied palate delivers mouth-coating, juicy black fruits with a plush texture and just enough freshness, finishing long and spicy.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | (91-93)+ RPThe 2020 Duhart-Milon is soft, pliant and wonderfully seductive. Strong Cabernet aromatics open first, lending quite a bit of savory nuance. Bright red/purplish berry fruit, spice, cedar and earthy notes show the vibrant side of this Pauillac’s personality. The 2020 deftly balances ripeness with energy. It’s a terrific example of the year. Yields were 36.5 hectoliters per hectare, more or less in line with the recent past. The 2020 is the first vintage made in the new cellar.Vinous Media | 90-92 VM

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

I’m not sure the 2020 Côte Rôtie La Mouline will match the 2019, but it’s still early to be making any final conclusions, as these wines have an uncanny ability to gain in richness and depth over their élevage. Cassis, violets, spring flowers, and scorched earth define the bouquet, and it’s more reserved, focused, and elegant on the palate. This full-bodied, concentrated, pure, beautifully balanced effort is loaded with potential.Jeb Dunnuck | 96-98 JDSticky damson and plum fruit, just a little touch of prune in the mix. Medium-bodied with fresh, fine tannins; quite an ethereal style of La Mouline, with floral hints and plentiful spicy oak among the roses. A compact style of wine for the vintage that suits what this vineyard delivers - good expression of terroir. I would drink this young, though it will no doubt age fairly well. From lieu-dit Côte Blonde and at the beginning of its 40 months in new French oak barriques.Decanter | 95 DECDominated by dark notes of espresso, black olive and pumpernickel, the 2020 Cote Rotie La Mouline was missing the vineyard’s normally expressive floral aromas on this occasion. Full-bodied and rich, it’s an atypically muscular and closed vintage of La Mouline right now. It will be interesting to see how it evolves over the next few years of élevage.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93-95 RP

The 2020 Côte Rôtie La Turque reminds me of the 2018 with its pure, seamless, full-bodied, and elegant profile. Blueberries, smoked meat, scorched earth, graphite, and black cherry notes all show on the nose, and it’s full-bodied, has a concentrated, powerful mouthfeel, fine tannins, and a seriously good finish.Jeb Dunnuck | 97-99 JDThis feels like a classic, with the weight and tannins necessary to help this age, but it’s not as massive as some recent vintages. Star anise, cinnamon and nutmeg - very much about the spice this year - this is bold and sweetly fruited, with juicy, pliable tannins and a long finish. Vines are on the Côte Brune, planted by Marcel Guigal in 1980 (first vintage 1985) after being abandoned since 1935. La Turque is a central part of Côte Brune, less than 1ha. This is only at the beginning of its 40 months in new French oak barriques.Decanter | 96 DECNotes of espresso and barrel char ride above notes of purple raspberries in the 2020 Cote Rotie La Turque. It’s full-bodied, with ample concentration and length, but it seems to lack a bit of depth compared to other recent vintages. Let’s see what next year brings.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94-96

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

Now the flagship of this estate, the 2020 Châteauneuf Du Pape is 75% Grenache and the rest Cinsault, Mourvedre, and a little Syrah. Sporting a deep ruby/purple hue, it offers a beautiful array of black raspberry and darker cherry fruit as well as lots of graphite, chalky minerality, Provençal garrigue, and spice. Beautiful on the palate as well, this medium to full-bodied effort has a layered, multi-dimensional mouthfeel, rock-solid underlying structure and concentration, building tannins, and a gorgeous finish. It needs to be forgotten for 2-4 years (although it certainly offers incredible pleasure even today) and will keep for two decades. Tasted twice.Jeb Dunnuck | 98+ JDThis cuvée replaces the three historical red cuvées of the domaine (Classique, Auguste Favier and Charles Giraud). Quite introverted for now, seems to have everything required but needs time to knit together. Freshness, energy, fine and plentiful tannins with good acidity. While the alcohol is warming it is balanced. Could be very good in time, hard to judge now, but early signs are good and I’d like to see this again in bottle. From the galets roulés of lieu-dit Les Serres, fermented in concrete and then aged in concrete, old oak and amphora. Drinking Window: 2025 - 2036Decanter | 95 DECApproachable out of the gate, with gorgeous red fruit, wild strawberry, licorice root, dusty earth and lavender flavors joined by floral highlights. Beautifully textured and silky on the palate, with mineral intensity building on the palate, imparting nice persistence and length. A polished yet honest, characteristic wine. Grenache, Cinsault, Syrah and Mourvèdre. Drink now through 2032. 3,300 cases made, 1,007 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 94 WSIsabel Ferrando informed me during my visit that she planned to eliminate the Reserve Auguste Favier and Collection Charles Giraud bottlings, folding those lots and the "tradition" Saint-Prefert Châteauneuf into a single, combined wine under the Famille Isabel Ferrando label. The resulting blend she showed as the 2020 Famille Isabel Ferrando Chateauneuf du Pape is a fine effort, with layers of cola-like spice and hints of garrigue layered against a lush backdrop of cherries and raspberries. Medium to full-bodied and almost creamy in texture, it finishes long, silky and mouthwatering.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93-95 RP

Impressive aromas of fresh herbs from the Tuscan coast, such as sage, mint, rosemary and thyme. Blackcurrants, too. Full-bodied with fine, chewy tannins that show beautiful length and consistency. Racy and beautiful, with lots of subtle and refined character. Slightly more cabernet sauvignon this year, which adds class to the wine. 80% cabernet sauvignon, 10% merlot and 10% petit verdot. Give this about three or four years of bottle age. Try after 2027.James Suckling | 98 JSThe 2020 Saffredi is compelling. Deep yet quite structured, 2020 is unlike any Saffredi I can recall tasting because of its balance of intense dark fruit and vertical structure. Plum, blackberry, pencil shavings, lavender and spice saturate the palate. Readers will have to be patient, as the 2020 is not as showy as most vintages at the same stage.Vinous Media | 96+ VMThis was the newest vintage tasted as part of this retrospective at the estate. The Fattoria le Pupille 2020 Saffredi shows signs of the hot vintage, especially when tasted in context with the gorgeous 2019, the more candied 2018, the toasted 2017 and the classic 2016 vintages. The 2020 definitely shows a riper and fuller character with bold, big-picture terms and fewer tiny details as a result. Elisabetta Geppetti refers to this edition as a "return to the Taschis school," referring to the celebrated Tuscan consultant Giacomo Taschis, whose signature style embraced balanced ripeness. This wine offers end notes of savory tobacco and spice.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPSaffredi was first produced in 1987 and has rightfully forged its place in the pantheon of superTuscans. Elisabetta Geppetti’s son, Ettore now oversees the estate’s winemaking, and he told me that 2020 was ‘an Atlantic vintage’ with ‘left bank appeal’ – there’s not usually so much freshness evident in Saffredi. This could have something to do with the lower proportion of Merlot in the blend, down from the usual 20% to 10% since Merlot struggled in this vintage. Black fruit aromas are supplemented with violets and balsamic notes, while in the mouth plentiful tannins grip cassis and spiced plum. There’s a complexity of menthol, spice, chocolate and coffee, with a textured, woody mid-palate and a long, vibrant and youthful finish. Around 40,000 bottles produced.Decanter | 95 DECA rich, juicy nose presents handfuls of cherries and mulberries, along with slices of passion fruit, but a fresh savoriness keeps the sweetness in check. On the palate, dark chocolate brings depth, while tannins and acid attack in tandem. Bold and self-assured—a precise wine.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEThe 2020 Fattoria Le Pupille Saffredi has a much more directly fruity nose than the 2019, with leafy redcurrant and bramble aromas and a bit of spice. It is more fruit-focused and simple at the moment. Likewise on the palate the 2020 is much lighter, less concentrated than the 2019 but it is also not overly forced or extracted and it has a lovely weight and texture, great purity of fruit and very elegant and refined tannins. The 2020 has a slightly cooler, more green quality to the fruit but it is beautifully pure and transparent.The Wine Independent | 95 TWIWell-structured and linear, this red frames a core of black currant and black cherry fruit with accents of toasty oak, sweet spices, tobacco and iron. Refined and harmonious, with the stuffing to develop over the next decade. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Best from 2025 through 2035. 3,750 cases made, 1,000 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 94 WS

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 Chianti Classico Riserva Rancia shows beautiful minerality with dusty notes of crushed limestone or flint. This is the wine’s special signature, and it shines through in a warm vintage such as this. Rancia also offers an upfront quality of red and purple fruit tones. The 2020 vintage displays pretty concentration and richness with wild cherry and plum, but ultimately the wine leaves you with that elegant mineral sendoff. Rancia will require extra bottle age.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPIntense, with complex flavors of cherry, blackberry, violet, mineral and leafy underbrush, this red is silky and verges on racy. Harmonious and persistent, with a long, resonant aftertaste that echoes red fruit, mineral and savory elements. Best from 2025 through 2045. 4,100 cases made, 1,800 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 95 WSA polished and very refined Rancia with sweet berries, cedar and hints of chocolate. Medium body. Fresh and focused. A little reserved at the end. It needs two or three years to come around. Best in 2025.James Suckling | 95 JSThe nose is a garden, with aromas of potting soil, herbs, roses and violet, but also has undertones of flint and pepper that provide an edge. Cherries and tart blackberries headline the palate, but a chalky, iron-rich earthiness carries over from the nose and dominates the finish.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WEMade since 1983, Fèlsina’s historic Riserva is a selection from the estate’s sunbathed six-hectare Rancia site. As always, it matures in barriques, 50% of which are new. The just released 2020 is particularly oak-driven: cedar and vanilla mingle with sage and grilled thyme. There’s ample fruit depth and concentration to flesh out the wood frame; tangy cherries are accented with baked earth and smoke. Grainy tannins start firm yet smooth, though they dry out on the finish.Decanter | 90 DEC