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The 2020 Baron de Brane is a heady, exuberant wine. Dark red/purplish fruit, mocha, chocolate, lavender, spice and new leather are all beautifully delineated. Fine tannins, lifted aromatics and succulent fruit are all very nicely balanced. The 2020 is quite flashy yet retains a good bit of energy, too, with floral top notes that lift the finish nicely. It’s a gorgeous second wine from Henri Lurton and Brane-Cantenac.Vinous Media | 92 VMAttractive aromas of dark and blue fruit, some violets, walnut and graphite. It’s medium-bodied with finely grained tannins and a delicate, vivid blue fruit character. Chalky finish. Try after 2024.James Suckling | 92 JSTight berry fruits from the first nose, blackberry and bilberry. An impressive Baron de Brane with concentration and poise, juice through the finish and careful extraction so that the plentiful tannins are not intrusive. Good stuff, if austere. Another wine where the word classic seems to work.Decanter | 91 DECThe second wine of the estate, the 2020 Baron De Brane is a softer, more rounded, mouth-filling Margaux offering plenty of ripe, dark fruits, velvety tannins, and medium to full-bodied richness. It doesn’t have the precision or length of the Grand Vin, but it offers lots of character.Jeb Dunnuck | 88-90 JD

The 2020 Beaumont is fabulous in the way it marries power and finesse. Crushed red berry fruit, charcoal, dried flowers, spice and tobacco lend notable complexity. The 2020 has lost some of its youthful fruitiness, but none of its charm or pedigree. This is beautifully done.Vinous Media | 92 VMEnticing, with a mix of boysenberry, mulberry and blackberry fruit moving along seamlessly, infused with black tea, anise and apple wood accents. Reveals a savory flicker that sparkles on the finish. Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Drink now through 2036.Wine Spectator | 92 WSAromas of ripe berries, licorice, cloves and nut shell with some earthy undertones. Medium body. It’s round and supple on the palate with dusty tannins and a dry, velvety finish. Try from 2025.James Suckling | 92 JSRipe, soft, revealing sumptuous black fruits, this wine shows an impressive side to this estate. Tannins and black fruits are coming together well, with ripe black currant flavors and fine density. The wine will be worth aging.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WEThe 2020 Château Beaumont is rock solid, with a great nose of ripe red and black fruits, spicy oak, and spring flowers. Medium-bodied, It has the pure, focused, structured style of the vintage as well as a great mid-palate and the balance to evolve for 10-12 years or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 91 JDJuicy and supple, there’s a nice softness here, with bright red cherry and some clear herbal tones - rosemary, mint and liquorice. Good persistency, not too heavy on the palate, with slightly grainy, grippy tannins giving the roundness. Still a little austere and tight but good potential. Decanter | 91 DEC

Based on 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot, and 4% Petit Verdot, the Grand Vin 2020 Château Beychevelle is a stunner that does everything right, offering a monster bouquet of black and blue fruits as well as candied violets, incense, flowers, and toasty oak. A ripe, full-bodied, incredibly sexy wine in every sense, it has a great mid-palate, ripe, velvety tannins, no hard edges, and a great finish. It’s one of the more up-front, exotic wines in the vintage and should be accessible with just short-term cellaring.Jeb Dunnuck | 95-97 JDThe wine’s structure and serious tannins are, happily, balanced by the rich generosity of the fruit flavors. Together, the two elements of this very fine wine will allow it to develop with weight and concentration.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEDeep purple-black colored, the 2020 Beychevelle offers up vibrant notes of black raspberries, fresh black cherries and cassis, plus hints of wild sage, chocolate mint, rose hip tea and fallen leaves, with an exotic hint of Indian spices. The medium to full-bodied palate offers layers of crunchy black fruits with a firm, grainy texture and just enough freshness, finishing long and perfumed.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94-96 RPThe 2020 Beychevelle opens with the most exotic bouquet imaginable. Wild flowers of all sorts, spice, lavender and inky dark fruit all saturate the palate. As always, Beychevelle is an overt, flamboyant wine, but all of the elements are so well out together. The 2020 is sexy, alluring and impossible to resist. Time in the glass brings out redder tonalities of fruit along with sweet floral notes that add striking inner perfume. Even as a barrel sample, I am so tempted to just drink it.Vinous Media | 94-96 VMSmoke, grilled almond on the nose, even a touch of rubber from an edge of reduction. This has depth to black chocolate and bilberry fruit, it is well balanced and seductive. Enjoyable, it’s pretty broad shouldered but it sits well within the successful run of vintages at Beychevelle. A yield of 47hl/ha. 18 months ageing. 55% first wine. Drinking Window 2029 - 2044.Decanter | 94 DECSweet-berry and tobacco character with blackberries and violets. It’s full-bodied with firm, polished tannins and a fresh finish. Very fine at the end.James Suckling | 94-95 JS

A return to form in my eyes for Calon Ségur after the atypical 2018, rippling with elegance, balance and savoury blue fruits of Cabernet, with rose and peony flowers. Concentrated, chiselled and juicy, this has clear personality and equals the great, classically balanced vintages of Calon like 2016. A yield of 33hl/ha, 3.85pH, 100% new oak. Vincent Millet is now overall director as well as technical director, since the departure of Laurent Dufau in 2020. Drinking Window 2029 - 2048.Decanter | 98 DECThe powerful tannins of this wine cannot mask the beautiful fruits and acidity. Rather the tannins enhance them, giving structure to the wine’s fine blackberry fruitiness that leaves a refreshing character at the end. With this structure the wine will take its time and will need to age for many years.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEThe 2020 Calon-Ségur is a blend of 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot. It is aging in 100% new French oak barrels for an anticipated 18 to 20 months. The alcohol is 13.8%. Displaying a deep purple-black color, it straight away springs up with bright scents of freshly picked black raspberries, kirsch and blackberries, needing considerable swirling to reveal a vast array of nuances—rose oil, cardamom, iron ore, graphite, lavender and aniseed. The medium-bodied palate has a solid structure of firm, ripe, grainy tannins and plenty of freshness supporting the tightly wound red and black fruit layers, accented by lots of mineral and floral sparks, finishing with impressive length and depth. Beautiful, beautiful wine!Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95-97+ RPThe flagship 2020 Château Calon Ségur is also brilliant and certainly brings up the intensity, depth, and richness, although it’s nowhere near the exotic, almost over-the-top style of the 2018. Gorgeous crème de cassis, tobacco, roasted coffee beans, lead pencil, and sappy herbs all define this beauty, which is full-bodied, beautifully balanced, and has incredible purity of fruit. It might have some up-front appeal as well, yet smart money will hide bottles for at least 7-8 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 95-97 JDTobacco and tea aromas with currants and wet earth. Full-bodied and chewy with blackcurrant flavor. Tannins build on the finish with lots of structure and intensity. Quite muscular.James Suckling | 95-96 JSThe 2020 Calon Ségur is a dark, brooding wine that is going to need a number of years to become approachable. Black fruit, gravel, smoke, chocolate, leather and licorice give the 2020 its distinctly virile feel. In two separate tastings, the 2020 has come across as quite potent and forbidding. This sample is more convincing than a sample I tasted this past spring, but I still don’t see Calon-Segur as having reached the level that has become customary over the last few vintages.Vinous Media | 91-93 VM

94–96. Barrel Sample. This fine estate has produced a powerful, rich wine that has fine potential. Solid, foursquare with dense tannins that will gracefully meld into the fruit, the wine should age well.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WE(Château Cantemerle, Haut-Médoc, Bordeaux, France, Red) This has the tight tannins of the vintage with damson and an edge of bitter dark chocolate, but it is a success all the same - confident, succulent, elegant and classic. Philippe Dambrine retires as director of the estate as of this vintage, replaced by Laure Canu from Château Angélus. A yield of 45hl/ha, 40% new oak, 6% Petit Verdot completes the blend. (Drink between 2028-2042)Decanter | 93 DECLots or richness and fruit for this winery, showing blackberry, blackcurrant and dark-chocolate character. It’s full and layered. Well done.James Suckling | 93-94 JSLots of darker currants, cedarwood, lead pencil, and tobacco-like notes emerge from the 2020 Château Cantemerle, and it’s medium-bodied, with lots of fruit and texture, building tannins, and a great finish. Drink this classic, nicely structured, balanced beauty over the coming 10-15 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 89-91 JDDeep purple-black in color, the 2020 Cantemerle reveals a great intensity and purity of blackcurrant cordial, stewed plums and black raspberry scents, plus hints of dried Provence herbs, Indian spices and woodsmoke. The medium-bodied palate delivers approachable chewy tannins and just enough freshness to support the savory-laced black fruit flavors, finishing with an herbal lift.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 88-90 RP

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

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

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

This has aromas of currants, blackberries, licorice, pine needles and peppercorns. It’s medium-bodied with refined, tightly knit tannins. Elegant and poised, with a fine finish. Second wine of Talbot. Drink from 2025.James Suckling | 92 JSThe 2020 Connétable Talbot is matured in 15% new oak. It has a fresh blackberry and briary scented nose with tobacco scents emerging with time. The palate is fresh and energetic, quite chiseled tannins, a little chalky in texture with a graphite-tinged finish. This punches above my expectations and is well worth seeking out.Vinous Media | 90 VM

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

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

This has enticing aromas of dried violets, chocolate, oyster shells, bark, blackcurrants, black plums and cloves. There’s plenty packed into a medium body, with ultra-fine, creamy tannins enveloping a perfumed core of black fruit. So creamy and caressing. 72% cabernet sauvignon and 28% merlot. Drink from 2025.James Suckling | 95 JShe southernmost of the Margaux vineyards has produced a bold, black fruit and structured wine. The potential of this ripe, juicy wine is there in the tannins, the vivid black currant fruits and the wine’s developing opulence. Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEExpressive and enticing, with a showy core of loganberry, mulberry and black currant fruit flavors that meld nicely, picking up singed alder, sanguine and tobacco notes along the way. Reveals warm earth that spills in on the finish, along with a violet echo. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Best from 2027 through 2037. Tasted twice, with consistent notes. 8,000 cases made, 1,500 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 93 WSA terrific effort from this Margaux château, the 2020 Château Dauzac has a plump, medium-bodied, rounded style that gives it plenty of accessibility even today. Ripe black cherries, currants, smoked tobacco, and chocolate notes define the aromatics, and it has supple tannins, plenty of mid-palate depth, and outstanding length. I’d happily drink a bottle today, but it will evolve for 15+ years or so.Jeb Dunnuck | 93 JDThe 2020 Dauzac has an impressive bouquet, very well defined, taut and linear, pure blackberry and blueberry fruit mixed with subtle pressed violet and incense aromas. The oak is deftly integrated here. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy black fruit, fine tannins, just a light herbaceous note towards the finish with a marine-infused aftertaste, black olive compote and brine. This is a well-crafted Margaux that should age very well in bottle.Vinous Media | 92 VMJuicy and upfront, this has nice energy and life with good acidity and clear texture. Nicely framed with a toasty touch balanced by a hint of sweetness to the blackcurrant and blackberry fruit with some floral accents. Oak and spice are to the fore, just taking over some of the fruit expression at this point with chalky, liquorice and black olive-laced tannins. On the broader, more opulent end of the scale with richness and lots of flavour nuance.Decanter | 92 DECThe 2020 Dauzac is a blend of 72% Cabernet Sauvignon and 28% Merlot, aging in French oak barriques, 66% new. The alcohol is 14%. Deep purple-black colored, it sashays out of the glass with lively, carefree scents of kirsch, black raspberries and blackcurrant pastilles with hints of dried Provence herbs, graphite and damp soil, plus a waft of tobacco. The medium-bodied palate maintains a bright crunchiness to the fruit with just enough acidity and well-managed, approachable tannins, finishing with an earthy lift.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90-92 RP

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

While I loved the red from this château, their white might be even better! Based on 75% Sauvignon Blanc and 25% Semillon, the 2020 Château De Fieuzal Blanc has a riveting bouquet of bright citrus, subtle grapefruit, leafy herbs, and obvious minerality. Beautifully textured, pure, medium-bodied, and flawlessly balanced on the palate, it’s a no-brainer purchase to enjoy over the coming two decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JDAlways a signature white wine for this appellation, the wine is tightly delineated with citrus and taut, mineral acidity. Its texture and freshness contrast with ripe white fruits and spicy acidity at the end.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEGooseberry and basil on the nose with grapefruit, sandalwood, nutmeg and salted almonds. Creamy and bright with vibrant acidity. Delicious marriage of fresh herb and pretty oak spice. Bitter lemon. Needs time to open and come more together. Better after 2025.James Suckling | 94 JSThe 2020 Blanc from de Fieuzal is performing very well in bottle, exhibiting aromas of peach and nectarine mingled with hints of mint, pastry cream and citrus zest. Medium to full-bodied, satiny and incisive, it’s a bright, elegantly fleshy wine that’s a touch finer-boned than the glossier, more textural 2019. Bottled under Diam 30, this cuvée continues to prove itself as one of the more interesting dry whites produced in contemporary Bordeaux.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPStone fruit aromas and flavours on the palate - peach, pear, green apple and gentle pineapple. Nicely balanced and textured with an appealing weight on the mid palate. Loses a touch of energy towards the finish, it’s not as bright and freshly acidic as some but this has appeal with bitter, zesty, lively and sharp nuances that all combine to give interest.Decanter | 92 DECThe 2020 Château de Fieuzal Blanc has a fresh nose with orange blossom, grapefruit and lime flower scents that are well-defined and energetic. The palate is quite concentrated on the opening, with fine depth and purity, white peach mixed with chamomile and vervain tea, leading to a pithy finish. This is a thoroughly enjoyable de Fieuzal that will be difficult to resist young.Vinous Media | 91 VM

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

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

(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

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

Tobacco, dark chocolate and scented flowers on the nose - beautiful aromatic display. Ripe and concentrated fruit but with clarity and precision alongside savoury elements of coffee, cola and creamy blackcurrants. Tannins are rich and grippy edged by liquorice and a salty minerality giving St-Julien typicity. Charming with energy and poise.Decanter | 94 DECThis is poised and elegant with notes of bitter chocolate, crushed walnuts, black peppercorns, blackberries and blackcurrants. It’s medium-bodied with silky tannins and layers of fresh black fruit. Classy. Try from 2026.James Suckling | 94 JSUnder the same ownership as neighboring Château Saint-Pierre, this estate produced a fine, stylish wine that will develop well. The outlines are already there with spice and black currant fruits underling the tannic structure. Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEThe 2020 Gloria is the last vintage before the estate moved completely towards organic farming. It has a lovely bouquet with blackberry, raspberry, orange rind and sous-bois aromas, precise and focused. The oak is nicely integrated here (40% new). The palate is medium-bodied with pliant tannins, harmonious and poised, just a little soy in the background, almost understated towards the finish that gently fans out. It might drink a little earlier than I estimated from barrel, but it’s going be a gem.Vinous Media | 93 VMYouthfully taut and well-structured, with singed apple wood and licorice root notes holding a core of red currant, dark plum and blackberry fruit in check for now. Reveals a nice racy graphite underpinning on the finish. One for the cellar. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2026 through 2038.Wine Spectator | 93 WSJust about a perennial must-buy, the 2020 Château Gloria is another terrific vintage for this Saint-Julien château, which always seems to turn out a fabulous wine that sells for a great price. Sporting a deep purple hue as well as impressive aromatics of ripe blackcurrants, plums, camphor, smoked tobacco, and gravelly earth, it’s a wine that blossoms with time in the glass. (I followed this bottle for multiple days.) Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it has beautifully polished tannins, outstanding balance, and the more focused style of the vintage. Tasted twice with consistent notes.Jeb Dunnuck | 93 JDRich, generous and demonstrative, the 2020 Gloria bursts with aromas of cherries, sweet berries, plum liqueur and cigar wrapper. Medium to full-bodied, fleshy and generous, it will offer a broad drinking window.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RP

Detailed and delicate, this has a seductive charm to it, slowly displaying scented blueberries and raspberries, before layers of salty minerality, liquorice, and cooling blue fruits come into play as well as tobacco and liquorice adding a savoury touch. It’s not immediately upfront - more calm and collected, slowly growing in stature and presence. Tannins are fine but mouthcoating, giving the structure, this isn’t a light wine, but it’s supremely elegant and excellently textured. Impressive complexity and drama here, still very serious but it’s sublime too. A luminous wine I’d love to own.Decanter | 98 DECA lovely softness and texture to this wine with a medium to full body, plenty of fruit and fine velvety tannins. It’s lovely to taste now and will age beautifully. Really seductive. Hard not to drink now but one for the cellar. Best to try after 2025.James Suckling | 96 JSThe 2020 Gruaud-Larose is a powerful, dense wine. Super-ripe dark cherry, kirsch, menthol, licorice, rose petal and espresso infuse the palate with tons of intensity. Unctuous and flamboyant, the 2020 also offers a good bit of energy to keep things in balance. The 2020 is very much an extrovert, a gorgeous extrovert at that. Sweet floral and spice accents, along with a kick of sweet French oak, linger.Vinous Media | 95 VMRock-solid, with a core of dark plum, boysenberry and blackberry compote flavors held together with cedar, savory, tobacco and monkeyd apple wood notes that add texture and energy through the finish. Built for the cellar. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2030 through 2040. 9,250 boxes made.Wine Spectator | 95 WS

Lots of smoky oak, ripe blackcurrants, blueberries, tobacco, and chocolaty notes emerge from the 2020 Château Kirwan, a richly textured, medium to full-bodied Margaux. A wine that blossoms with time in the glass, it’s a plush, sexy, yet brilliantly balanced 2020 offering velvety tannins and a great finish, and while the oak is preset right on opening, it integrated beautifully with air. This beauty is going to put a smile on your face any time over the coming 20-25 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDGorgeous nose, full of dark bramble fruits and dark chocolate and flowers. Round and energetic with a core of intensely concentration blackcurrants, plums and black cherries. Lovely refinement here, sleek, satisfying, clean, precise. Great drive from start to finish, this has both a satisfying wight and texture - plump but not too much, mineral and salty but not too much. Glamour and confidence. A lovely wine, still youthful but expertly delivered. Just so juicy and alive, refreshing, vibrant and concentrated. Really very stylish. Decanter | 94 DECAttractive nose of hazelnuts, chocolate, blueberries, blackcurrants, peach pits and sandalwood. Hints of olives and mushrooms, too. Complex, layered and integrated, with a medium to full body and powdery tannins. Long and savory at the end. Drink from 2025.James Suckling | 94 JSExhibiting aromas of sweet black fruits and licorice mingled with hints of creamy new oak, the 2020 Kirwan is medium to full-bodied, deep and fleshy, with polished tannins, notably tangy acids for the vintage, and a suave, seamless profile despite its creditable concentration. In terms of aromatic purity and managed extraction, this is the finest Kirwan for some time.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92+ RPThe 2020 Kirwan has quite an expressive nose with blackberry, mint, incense and touches of orange zest. It gains intensity with aeration, quite open and expressive. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy black fruit, fine delineation, balanced and poised with ample concentration on the finish. Fine precision here, a really quite excellent Kirwan.Vinous Media | 92 VMA velvety, seductive style, with warmed plum and black currant confiture laced with worn cedar, smoldering black tea and violet. Shows a subtle sanguine twinge at the very end that adds lift. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Best from 2026 through 2036. Tasted twice, with consistent notes. 8,333 cases made, 1,666 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 92 WS

You are immediately set at ease by the confidence and sheer easy appeal of this wine. A silky and seductive La Chapelle that rivals plenty of first wines in this vintage. The texture is rich and taut at first, then softens in the glass, with a charge of freshness that keeps the momentum and the energy high. Not many wines that rival the 2010 and 2016s, but here it very much does - exuberant with chocolate and cracked pepper but pulls back at the right moment. Harvests from 7th to 29th September. I love it.Decanter | 94 DECBlackberries, some crushed stones and iodine with a sandalwood undertone. It’s full and racy with firm tannins.James Suckling | 93-94 JSA blend of 44.7% Merlot and 55.3% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2020 La Chapelle de la Mission Haut-Brion has an alcohol of 14.3%. It rolls effortlessly out of the glass with seducing notes of warm black plums, black cherry compote and blackberry pie, plus suggestions of lavender, crushed rocks and underbrush with a hint of sassafras. The medium-bodied palate is delicately played and refreshing, offering lots of soft-spoken black fruit and earthy layers with a soft texture and seamless acidity, finishing with a spicy kick.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92-94 RPBlack cherries, currants, tobacco, and leafy herb notes all emerge from the 2020 La Chapelle De La Mission Haut-Brion. and it’s medium to full-bodied, with a round, layered mouthfeel, ripe tannins, and just a big, rich, yet concentrated vibe that’s very much in the style of the vintage. It’s going to have two decades of longevity.Jeb Dunnuck | 92-94 JDThe 2020 La Chapelle de La Mission Haut-Brion is rich, dense and so inviting, right from the very first taste. Ripe red purplish/berry fruit, rose petal, spice and gravel all meld together in the glass, but what impresses most about La Chappelle is its exceptional balance. Aromatics, fruit and structure are all so well-balanced. The 2020 is an especially fine La Chappelle.Vinous Media | 91-93 VM

The 2020 La Dame de Montrose is fabulous. Rich, dense and expansive, the 2020 offers notable vibrancy and a good bit of energy too. Bright acids cut through a core of red/purplish fruit in what is an intense, wonderfully saline Dame. The 2020 finishes with remarkable elegance and sophistication.Vinous Media | 94 VMSoft purple flowers on the nose, quite perfumed and seductive tones with ripe black fruit, peonies, blueberries and plums. Rich and supple, round with mouthwatering acidity - clean and crisp, steely and mineral with a core of crushed stones, pencil lead, slate and liquorice-edged black fruits. Power and concentration - it’s plush and potent, but also quite tight with the flavours expanding vertically. Not as generous and openly friendly at this point but so svelte and well worked with a sense of style to it.Decanter | 93 DECA very fresh and driven style, with a racy core of damson plum, red cherry and dried lilac laced with hints of black tea and iron, which nicely extend the finish. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2024 through 2034.Wine Spectator | 92 WSThe second wine of Château Montrose, the 2020 La Dame De Montrose is terrific, with a sunny, forward, medium-bodied style as well as lots of ripe red and black fruits, notes of sweet tobacco, sandalwood, and spice, supple tannins, and outstanding length. Open and complex, it’s going to shine for 15 years if well-stored. The blend is 49% Merlot, 44% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Petit Verdot, and the balance Cabernet Franc, checking in at the same alcohol as the Grand Vin, 13.4%.Jeb Dunnuck | 92 JD