Top Collectible Wines

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The 2020 Canon is a blend of 68% Merlot and 32% Cabernet Franc, aging for 18 months in French oak, 50% new. It weighs in with 14.5% alcohol and a pH of 3.53. Deep garnet-purple colored, it bursts from the glass with vivacious notes of Morello cherries, redcurrant jelly, wild blueberries and black raspberries, plus hints of powdered cinnamon, clove oil, star anise and dusty red soil. The medium to full-bodied palate is an exercise in grace, delivering exquisitely ripe, finely pixilated tannins and bold freshness to support the tight-knit black, red and blue fruit layers, finishing long with loads of exotic spices and mineral sparks. An exhilarating triumph!Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98-100 RPThis is intense, structured and concentrated yet with an abundance of violet and peony notes that curl up through the tannins, combining halfway through the palate with blueberry, raspberry, tobacco, gunsmoke and sculpted, precise pulses of chalk minerality. There is just so much to talk about with this wine, but the overall impression is of dozens of carefully crafted elements that steal up on you. It’s hard not to be convinced by its success - and as ever with Canon you are in no doubt as to how well it will age. Gorgeous. 50% new barrels. 3.53pH. Harvest 4 September to 23 September. 50% new oak. A yield of 40hl/ha. Could go up after tasting in bottle, a potential 100 points. 98-100. (Drink between 2027-2050)Decanter | 99 DECWow. This is really exceptional with super density of fruit that remains clear and agile. Blackberries, currants, violets and spice, as well as some chalk and salt. It really goes on for minutes. Best of the trilogy?James Suckling | 98-99 JSThe 2020 Château Canon is another brilliant wine in a long line of brilliant wines from this incredible team and consistent estate. Coming from the upper plateau (unquestionably one of the finest terroirs on the upper plateau) and 68% Merlot and 32% Cabernet Franc, it offers a perfumed, ethereal nose of red and blue fruits, violets, white flowers, and unsmoked tobacco. With riveting purity, full-bodied richness, flawless balance, and a great, great finish, it’s going to push the upper limits of my scale. The tannins here are incredible as well, and this beauty should drink well for 20-30 years. Hats off to technical director Nicolas Audebert and his team for another insanely good wine.Jeb Dunnuck | 96-98 JDThe 2020 Canon is a gorgeous, sophisticated wine. Silky and soaring, Canon is vertical in build, with a real sense of explosive energy that give the wine its shape. Rose petal, lavender, mint, spice and ripe red/purplish berry fruit all meld together effortlessly. The 2020 is an especially airy, understated Canon. I can’t wait to see how it ages.Antonio Galloni | 95-97 AG

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

A blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot aging in 60% new barriques, the very deep purple-black colored 2020 Smith Haut Lafitte makes an impactful entrance, opening with flamboyant notes of blackcurrant pastilles, chocolate-covered cherries and molten licorice, leading to nuances of ground cloves, woodsmoke, crushed rocks and dusty soil. The medium to full-bodied palate bursts with opulent black fruit preserves and shimmering mineral sparks, framed by exquisitely ripe and fantastically firm tannins and seamless freshness, finishing with epically long-lasting earthy and savory layers. This is the singular voice of Smith Haut Lafitte at its finest, and wow-oh-wow is it worth a listen. This 2020 has an alcohol of 14.5% with a pH of 3.65. The tannins this year were a little higher than 2018 and 2019. A little less than a third of production went into this grand vin.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98-100 RPPossibly ranking with the top two or three wines of the vintage, the 2020 Smith Haut Lafitte is a blockbuster that reminds me of a hypothetical mix of the 2009 and 2010. Based on a blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, its dense purple hue is followed by a monster bouquet of ripe black fruits, scorched earth, charcoal, and graphite. All of these carry to a full-bodied Pessac-Léognan with flawless balance, loads of ripe, polished tannins, a dense mid-palate, and a great, great finish. It’s one of the gems in the vintage and should be snatched up by readers. Give bottles just 4-6 years in the cellar, count yourself lucky, and enjoy over the following 20-30 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 97-100 JDSo much blackcurrant, graphite and iodine character. Full-bodied. Incredible quality to the tannins. They are polished yet powerful. It’s so long and complete with such depth and toned muscles. Vertical. Very fresh and energetic. Will it be better than the famous 2015? Maybe the best ever. From organically grown grapes. 65% cabernet sauvignon, 30% merlot, 4% cabernet franc and 1% petit verdot.James Suckling | 99-100 JSThe 2020 Smith Haut Lafitte is a thrilling wine of grandeur and spellbinding beauty. The aromatics literally soar out of the glass, perhaps driven by a touch more Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend. A vertical, explosive wine, the 2020 possesses tremendous energy. It is a rapturous wine that will delight readers for years to come. A move towards gentler extractions, with less oak impact, allows the purity of the fruit to come through loud and clear. Inky dark cherry, plum, mocha, dried herbs and lavender are all amplified in the 2020, but what I admire most is a total sense of harmony. I can’t wait to see how it ages, as evolution has at times been the sole Achilles heel here.Antonio Galloni | 95-97 AGPowerful on the attack, dense and concentrated at first then brighter on the retro-olfaction with layers of spice, liquorice and flowers. Intense but beautifully precise, with iris and peony aromatics coming in strongly as it opens in the glass. A ton of nuance and complexity, really takes its time, delivering a masterclass in restrained Pessac glamour. Average yields 30hl/ha for the reds. 1% Petit Verdot completes the blend. 60% new oak. Harvest started on September 9 - 30. (Drink between 2030-2050)Decanter | 97 DEC96–98. Barrel Sample. This is a very fine wine, packed with tannins that are rich and suspended in the wine with its smoky edge and ripe blackberry fruits. The wine is direct in its fine, fragrant freshness and in its texture that gives power and concentration. Obviously for long-term aging.Wine Enthusiast | 97 WE

This has superb depth and intensity with very fine tannins that draw you down. So much black fruit, together with black pepper and salt. Extremely well crafted. Vertical and deep. Chalky and salty with black chocolate.James Suckling | 98-99 JSI’d wager the finest vintage here since the 2015, then the 2009, the 2020 Château Troplong Mondot is a blend of 85% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the balance Cabernet Franc. It offers a dense purple hue as well as powerful, unevolved aromas and flavors of pure crème de cassis, black cherries, graphite, gravelly earth, and tobacco. Coming from the highest elevation vineyard in the appellation and deeper, clay soils (which excelled in 2020), it’s medium to full-bodied and has a dense, thick mid-palate, building tannins, and a great finish. It’s not for the instant gratification crowd out there, but it’s going to be incredibly long-lived. Hats off to the team at Troplong Mondot as well as oenologist Thomas Duclos.Jeb Dunnuck | 96-98 JDThe 2020 Troplong Mondot is composed of 85% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Cabernet Franc, harvested from 4th September and lasting for about three weeks. The pH is 3.53, the IPT (tannin index) is 75 and the alcohol is 14.5%. Opaque purple-black colored, it opens with a vivacious burst of black fruits—stewed plums, baked blackberries and boysenberries—giving way to a fragrant undercurrent of licorice, ground cloves, cinnamon stick and lilacs, with a touch of bouquet garni. The full-bodied palate is chock-full of plump, juicy black fruits and savory sparks, framed by fantastically ripe, fine-grained tannins and bold freshness, finishing long and opulent.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95-97+ RPInky in colour, this is utterly gorgeous, so much purity and definition on the nose. Things start out intense, with crushing tannins, then it steps up and back, with a delicate but juicy slate and crushed rock minerality flooding in. Great physicality, with a push and pull that goes from power to lightness of touch. I assume it will gain a little more weight over ageing, but this is exceptionally well controlled. Crushed blackcurrant and blackberry fruits, with chalky tannins and savoury Cabernet florals. 60% new oak. 3.53pH. The new cellar will be used for vinification from the 2021 vintage, with this vintage aged in the new barrel cellars. No malolactic fermentation in barrel since the 2019 vintage. Just 2mm of rain in July and 30mm in August but the deep clay-limestones at Troplong kept their freshness, and there were no blockages in ripening. Thomas Duclos consultant. (Drink between 2028-2044)Decanter | 97 DEC95–97. Barrel Sample. Rich and powerful, dense and compact, with a mineral edge, this is a ripe wine with layers of dark tannins. It does have fresh acidity to balance the black currant fruits. Tannins burst through the fruit, offering a huge long-term structure. An impressive wine.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEThe 2020 Troplong Mondot is another strong showing from the estate under the direction of Aymeric de Gironde. Exotic and voluptuous, the 2020 is endowed with terrific depth and plenty of layers that unfold over time. Raspberry jam, cloves, kirsch and lavender all flesh out beautifully in the glass. Troplong Mondot has been exceptionally fine since 2017, when the new team headed by de Gironde took over and began to focus on giving the Grand Vin more energy. In the 2020, though, I see less of the vibrancy and brilliance that has defined the new style at Troplong. Tasted two times.Antonio Galloni | 93-95 AG

Has any Bordeaux château realized a more wholesale stylistic revolution in so short a time than Troplong Mondot? Since Aymeric de Gironde arrived at the estate in late 2017, the ultra powerful "shock and awe" style of the 2000s is out, and a new refinement is in. Of course, the deep clays that define the core vineyards around the château itself are never likely to produce light or ephemeral wines, but de Gironde has astutely understood that (to develop an analogy), when driving down hill, one can ease off on the accelerator. The 2019 Troplong Mondot is a ringing endorsement of the new direction, wafting from the glass with complex aromas of wild berries, violets, coniferous forest floor, licorice, raw cocoa and subtle spices, followed by a full-bodied, velvety and layered palate that’s seamless and perfumed, its enveloping core of succulent fruit framed by rich, powdery tannins and lively acids. Harmonious and penetrating, I never thought I’d taste a wine like this from Troplong Mondot.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98 RPThe purity of fruit is pretty phenomenal here with blackcurrants, cherries and crushed-stone undertones. Floral notes of roses and violets, too. Full-bodied, yet this is a linear style with super fine tannins and great length and beauty. You really want to drink it. It grows on the palate and shows real power, with breadth and depth. Remains fresh throughout. Really something. Try after 2026.James Suckling | 98 JSThe 2019 Troplong Mondot is without question one of the wines of the vintage. Vertical and explosive in feel, the 2019 dazzles with its magnificent balance. Inky red/purplish fruit, cinnamon, chocolate, dried flowers and lavender open with a bit of time, but Troplong is not a wine for the here and now, but rather a wine for readers who can be patient. The 2019 is all class and refinement. Those qualities become increasingly apparent over time, once some of the initial power and density subsides with air. This is the first time the Grand Vin was blended before the malolactic fermentation. Antonio Galloni | 97 AG96–98. Barrel Sample. With its rich tannins and serious, concentrated structure, the wine is obviously set for a great future. The Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend offers structure as well as the fine line of blackberry flavors. Filled out with ripe Merlot, the wine shows richness with everything in balance.Wine Enthusiast | 97 WE

So much sweet tobacco, Spanish cedar, dried flowers, dark mushrooms and roses. Really aromatic. This is so polished and very powerful, yet ethereal and refined at the same time. The finish goes on for minutes. Tight and harmonious. You want to drink it! So balanced, yet it will age beautifully. It will be this good forever. 94% cabernet sauvignon, 5% merlot and 1% petit verdot. Better after 2031.James Suckling | 100 JSOne of the greatest wines produced in Bordeaux this year is the 2019 Lafite Rothschild, an impeccably balanced classic of immense charm and grace. Wafting from the glass with arresting aromas of cassis, blackberries and cherries mingled with violets, cigar box and warm spices, it’s medium to full-bodied, deep and seamless, its velvety attack segueing into a layered, concentrated mid-palate framed by exquisitely powdery tannins and ripe acids, and concluding with a long, perfumed finish. This rivals the 2010 and 2016 as the greatest Lafite of the decade, and of those three vintages, it’s clearly the most sensual and demonstrative out of the gates. The blend contains fully 94% Cabernet Sauvignon and attained a modest 13.4% alcohol.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 100 RPAn opulent and fruit-forward vintage for Lafite in 2019. Vivid purple colour in the glass with blackcurrant, cherry and milk chocolate notes. Gorgeous weight on the palate with such fine tannins and depth of flavour - not so much rich but driven, refined, elegant, almost refrained. Feels compact at first, settling to reveal layers of vibrant spiced fruit and and cooling menthol hints alongside clear graphite and wet stone that comes through clearly. Supremely balanced with an underlying mouth filling juiciness that offers finessed creamy fruit. Structured and well framed with a long life ahead. (Drink between 2028-2050)Decanter | 98 DECA very energetic wine, with wild loganberry, mulberry and black currant fruit flavors that bristle with mouthwatering bay leaf, licorice root and savory notes. The finish is tight now, with charcoal shadings and a smoldering cast iron note, but there’s additional black tea, incense and floral hints for contrast. Dense and driven, with more than enough elements to match its energy, meaning this can cruise in the cellar for a long time. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Best from 2026 through 2045. Wine Spectator | 98 WSThe 2019 Lafite-Rothschild is a mesmerizing wine that shows how compelling the vintage is on the Left Bank. Elegant, creamy and exquisitely layered, the 2019 Lafite conquers all the senses. There is tremendous density and power that belies the 12.8% alcohol, but then again, that can be the magic of Bordeaux. Classic Lafite red plum fruit, spice, cedar, licorice and rose petal linger on the striking, persistent finish.Antonio Galloni | 98 AGThe Grand Vin 2019 Château Lafite Rothschild is based on 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot, and 1% Petit Verdot that hit 13.4% natural alcohol with a pH of 3.9. It’s a pure, seamless, incredibly accessible Lafite offering a beautiful, classic array of ripe currants, spice box, tobacco, and classic Lafite sandalwood and lead pencil nuances. Medium to full-bodied and beautifully balanced on the palate, it has a seamless, layered mouthfeel, just about perfect tannins, and a finish that just keeps you coming back to the glass. Despite the high pH, it remains fresh, lively, and a perfect example of the class this estate is known for. It’s up-front and accessible (and I’d gladly drink a bottle), but smart money will hide bottles for just 5-7 years and enjoy them over the coming 30-40 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 98 JD

Composed of 48.6% Merlot, 43.2% Cabernet Sauvignon and 8.2% Cabernet Franc, harvested from 7th to 29th September, the 2020 La Mission Haut-Brion has an alcohol of 14.7%. It needs considerable swirling and coaxing to reveal slowly emerging scents of freshly crushed blackcurrants, Morello cherries, wild blueberries and forest floor, leading to suggestions of violets, baker’s chocolate and cardamom with wafts of dusty soil and oolong tea. The medium to full-bodied palate bursts with impactful, fresh red, black and blue fruit layers, supported by impressive freshness and fantastically ripe, fine-grained tannins, finishing very long and fragrant. A stunning expression of this vintage!Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97-99 RPThe 2020 La Mission Haut-Brion has a detailed bouquet with a mixture of red and black fruit, black olive, terracotta and a light wet clayey scent (I sometimes think of a potter’s wheel.) It gains complexity in the glass and becomes increasingly refined. The palate is beautifully balanced and caters for the 14.7% alcohol with ease. Very fine tannins, perfectly matched with the acidity, beguiling in terms of its cohesive and velvety smooth finish that lingers long in the mouth. The greatest La Missions are the effortless ones and the 2020 is just that. Beautiful.Vinous Media | 98 VMAnother sensational wine, the 2020 Château La Mission Haut-Brion boasts a deep ruby/purple color to go with a rocking perfume of ripe black cherries, tobacco, damp earth, chocolate, and exotic spices. Rich, medium to full-bodied, and concentrated, it has a ripe, expansive texture, building tannins, and just an opulent texture. The vintage doesn’t get any sexier than this beauty.Jeb Dunnuck | 96-98 JDThis really builds on the palate. Loads of blackberry and iodine with asphalt undertones. It’s full-bodied with tannins that steamroll at the end and keep going. Classic blend.James Suckling | 97-98 JSThe wine’s roundness comes from the ripe fruit. The warm 2020 vintage has produced a wine that is generous, poised between crisp citrus and hints of yellow fruits. The subtle use of wood aging will sustain this wine for its long-term future.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEDark chocolate, bramble fruits, some perfumed notes, exotic spices, liquorice, cedar and clove, but floral too. Supple and charming on the palate, not so lively and openly expressive at this point, a bit more knitted down, quiet and calm but a lovely texture. Tannis are fine but just chalky giving the grip and width while the dark fruit has both a red and black tang to it, just restricted a little by the oaky edges, subtle as they are in terms of flavour, it just narrows the expression a little. You can feel the concentration in the lingering flavour on the cheeks and again a touch of heat and wood spice on the finish. Good acidity with a lightness of touch despite the depth of flavour. Well worked with a long finish.Decanter | 95 DEC

A tight, phenolic white with light tannins that give the wine form and balance. It’s full-bodied and lightly chewy with dried apple, lemon and peach. Minerally and chewy. Flavorful. From organic grapes. 90 sauvignon blanc, 5% sauvignon gris and 5% semillon.Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDA tight, phenolic white with light tannins that give the wine form and balance. It’s full-bodied and lightly chewy with dried apple, lemon and peach. Minerally and chewy. Flavorful. From organic grapes. 90 sauvignon blanc, 5% sauvignon gris and 5% semillon.James Suckling | 95-96 JSButterscotch, vanilla, a soft honeyed caramel, lemon and orange notes with green apple. Quite bitter straight away, the lemon and orange rind and grapefruit juice elements all to the fore alongside a hit of bright, lemon juice acidity. Then it settles, almost closes, or narrows into a funnel, quite tight and sleek, definite tension there, but there’s power and structure still with elegance. It’s not giving, generous and approachable right now but this has been well made - really focused and polished. Body, freshness and structure with lovely hints of minerality and such a wide aerial, aerated finish. It’s serious - this is bold but with something so special about it. Ageing 50% new oak, 50% one year old barrels, 12 months with three months in vats before bottling.Decanter | 96 DECSuave and caressing in feel, this drapes beautifully, with creamed yellow apple, gooseberry and lemon curd notes on the flattering side, offset by hints of tarragon, blanched almond and salted butter on the racier side. The finish is enhanced with paraffin and smoke hints. Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon and Sauvignon Gris. Drink now through 2030. 2,400 cases made, 250 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 95 WSThe 2020 Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc is superb. Élevage has done wonders in lending energy and brilliance. The 2020 shows the soft curves of the warm vintage, but it has tons of energy, too. That makes for an absolutely brilliant, compelling white that delivers on so many levels. The 2020 offers enough approachability to drink well now, but also the energy to develop well in bottle for many years to come.Vinous Media | 95 VMA strong effort, the 2020 Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc wafts from the glass with aromas of nectarine, pear, lemongrass, Sauvignon botanicals, toasted bread and baking spices. Medium to full-bodied, satiny and layered, it’s rich and concentrated, with ripe acids and chalky structuring extract. It’s not quite as vibrant and precise as the 2019, but it’s a success nonetheless.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RP

Pure perfection in red wine, the 2020 Château Pavie checks in as 50% Merlot, 34% Cabernet Franc and the rest Cabernet Sauvignon, all raised in 75% new French oak. Absolutely incredible in every way, it has a sensational bouquet of crème de cassis, smoked tobacco, chocolaty oak, graphite, white truffle, and hints of flowers. Pure, full-bodied, and concentrated, with perfect integration of its fruit, oak, and tannins, it’s one of those wines that needs to be tasted to be believed. Hats off to the Perse team for not following trends and for continuing to make a truly Grand Vin that offers a rare mix of power and elegance. Give bottles just 4-5 years and enjoy over the following three decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDThis opens up on your palate like a butterfly. It takes your breath away. Purity of blackberry, raspberry and black cherry. Lavender. Very, very impressive. Full and chewy with tight and polished tannins that go on and on. Energetic and structured. Crisp and vivid. Superb finish. Better after 2029 but a joy to taste.James Suckling | 100 JS...Opaque purple-black colored, notes of plum pudding, blueberry pie and dark chocolate-covered cherries charge out of the gate, followed closely by hints of eucalyptus, star anise, unsmoked cigars and fertile loam with a hint of cedar chest. The full-bodied palate is built like a brick house, offering very firm yet wonderfully ripe, velvety tannins and seamless freshness to support the densely laden, muscular black and blue fruits, finishing very long and with loads of mineral-laced layers. As hedonic as it is cerebral this year, it is a beautiful paradox.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97-99 RPThe 2020 Pavie is very clearly one of the wines of the year. Rich, inky and wonderfully vibrant, it pulses with energy from start to finish. All the elements are well balanced. Soaring Cabernet Franc aromatics lead into a core of finely knit yet deep fruit in a wine that feels endless. Harvest for the reds started on September 17, paused briefly during some rain on the 25th and 26th, and then wrapped up by the end of the month. The blend is 50% Merlot, 34% Cabernet Franc and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, so more Cabernets than in the past, the result of a large replanting program that began in the early 2000s. A real head-turner. Magnificent!Vinous Media | 97-99 VMSmooth from the get go, still tense as you’d expect with a straight backbone, but the creamy texture is lovely with a beautiful balancing acidity and suaveness overall. More calm and quiet than I was expecting, certainly not shouting but with clear depth and length to the chocolate, blackcurrant, liquorice and graphite. Detailed and nuanced, not trying too hard with energy and plumpness yet retaining a serious, savouriness that brings you back to Pavie and to the terroir with clear minerality in the lick of wet stone on the finish. Well constructed with care.Decanter | 97 DECBig, bold and rich with solid black fruits and dense tannins that are definitely not shy. This solid wine is packed with structure. The fruit and freshness of the year are almost overwhelmed by the wine’s richness. The wine is redeemed by the perfumed, balanced finish.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WE

A seriously impressive Petrus in 2020. Less hedonistic and instantly emotional than 2019, more sultry, almost shy and reserved but with definition, weight, succulence and suppleness that shines through. It has a silky tannic tension and clear power but not heft, only a soft muscular expansion that comes with a grip and chew to the black fruits with medicinal, liquorice edges and mouthwatering acidity. Understated yet utterly captivating, it takes its time to come out of its shell - a little serious right now but at the same time it’s stylish with a bright, lifted finish reminding you of the juicy freshness that’s possible even in such warm vintages. A shining star that will be magnificent in time.Decanter | 100 DECAs I observed to Olivier Berrouet, it’s hardly very original to find a wine critic extolling the virtues of this Pomerol reference point; and yet, whether one likes it or not, there’s no denying that the 2020 Pétrus is a brilliant achievement and indeed one of the very finest vintages at this address over the last two decades. Unwinding in the glass with a deep bouquet of dark berries, cherries and cassis mingled with hints of exotic spices, violets and vine smoke, it’s full-bodied, layered and concentrated, with huge depth at the core, exquisitely refined tannins and a youthfully reserved, even restrained profile despite its power and size. This serious, classically proportioned Pétrus is a monument in the making.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 100 RPThe transparency and complexity in the nose is wonderful, with so much floral character like violets and roses with some fresh spices. Dark berries, too. Sandalwood. It’s medium-bodied but then it just opens and unfolds with incredible depth of fine tannins and great length. It goes on for minutes. It opens like butterfly wings. What a wine. Superb. Drink after 2028.James Suckling | 100 JSThe 2020 Pétrus is a wine of pure and total sensuality. Silky, creamy tannins wrap around a core of dark red and black fruit. A wine with explosive depth but no hard edges and mind-blowing balance, the 2020 is so alluring, even in the early going. Time in the glass brings out lifted floral top notes that add freshness. What strikes most is the elegance of the tannins. I don’t think I have ever tasted a young Pétrus like the 2020. Technical Director Olivier Berrouet gave the 2020 a bit more time on the skins than is normal. Aging was 17-18 months in oak. Let’s cut to the chase. The 2020 Pétrus is profoundly great.Vinous Media | 99 VMWonderfully aromatic, this wine offers ripe tannins that give the appearance of softness. That’s deceptive because the wine’s structure is massive and concentrated. Velvet black fruits are embedded in the texture, superripe without losing freshness. Drink from 2027.Wine Enthusiast | 98 WEDelivers a fairly gorgeous beam of ripe, lush, unadulterated raspberry fruit flecked with light anise, apple wood and sweet tobacco hints along the way, but this is driven from start to finish primarily by the fruit. Showing a subtle mineral edge that adds detail on the finish, this has impressive poise for the vintage. Finishes with a burnish leather feel rather than succulence, but that’s the vintage’s fault in the end. Best from 2026 through 2040.Wine Spectator | 96 WS

Here it is: A quintessential Sassicaia that represents the excellence of the vintage and also respects the unique taste profile of this distinguished Tuscan blend of Cabernets Sauvignon and Franc. The Tenuta San Guido 2021 Bolgheri Sassicaia offers impeccable balance, excellent freshness and absolutely no signs of over-ripeness. The fruit balance is ideal with a hint of crunch and lasting tension from pulp and skins. The tannins are deftly managed with firm grip and enough velvetiness to add volume and length. There is no greenness on the bouquet that instead offers mulled herbs and spice, with cinnamon and clove, layered delicately between mostly red and some purple berry fruits. Redcurrant, blueberry, sweet pomegranate and Rainier cherry run strong in this vintage. A fragrant hint of heritage rose emerges with time. The oak tones are geared toward gingerbread, hazelnut, cigar, sandalwood and something like a grilled sweet red pepper. To the palate, it offers nice weight with no heavy glycerin, and a rinse of acidity that adds to the wine’s natural energy, brightness and viscosity. That marked freshness opens the wine up to long aging potential, but you still need to give it more time in bottle.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 100 RPIn 2021, ‘we had a nicely paced harvest... surely a very fortunate vintage for us, for Bolgheri,’ said Priscilla Incisa della Rocchetta at the launch in London of the 2021 vintage of Sassicaia. Welcome rain in mid-August came at just the right time to save the harvest, and production ended up being slightly higher than in 2020. Around eight to 10 separate vinifications were made, fermented in stainless steel with indigenous yeasts and spontaneous malo. The wines were racked to second- and third-use barriques in December 2021, then racked into a mixture of new and used barriques in March 2022. The last step was to make the final blend in stainless tanks, where the wine underwent micro-oxygenation before bottling and further maturation in bottle. Rich dark fruit and herb aromatics are pockmarked by blueberry and petrichor, leading into an intense and vertical palate that’s super-fresh with a delightful breezy, saline character. Textured, integrated tannins emphasise the refinement of Sassicaia, showing just a touch of youthful dustiness. Tangy, bright black, blue and red berry fruits overlay underlying hints of dark chocolate and forest undergrowth in a remarkably precise fashion, with pomegranate and a stony minerality surfacing on the mid-palate. 2021 demonstrates lovely sapidity of fruit along with that characteristic freshness and lightness of step, finishing long and poised. Superb. 99-100.Decanter | 99 DECThe gorgeous 2021 Sassicaia stuns with its class, extreme elegance, energy and depth. It’s remarkably fragrant, featuring enticing aromas of cassis, cedar blue flower, exotic spice and a whiff of sea breeze. The delicious palate is focused and loaded with finesse, delivering ripe raspberry, black currant, blood orange, star anise a hint of coffee bean accompanied by taut, fine-grained tannins. Bright acidity gives it racy tension and provides impeccable balance and serious aging potential. Drink 2029–2041. Abv: 14% Kerin O’Keefe | 99 KOThe 2021 Sassicaia is one of the best young Sassicaias I can remember tasting, certainly on par with anything in recent memory. The preference here is picking on the earlier side relative to many neighboring properties, which is one of the reasons Sassicaia is always a wine of refinement more than opulence. At the same time, Sassicaia can be light. Not in 2021. All the elements came together during a long growing season to produce a rich, deep wine that marries textural intensity with classicism. Dark cherry/plum fruit, spice, new leather, menthol, licorice and spice all race across the palate. Time in the glass brings out the wine’s textural intensity and sheer power. The 2021 is one of the most concentrated Sassicaias on record. That allowed for long macerations, as long as 20 days for some Cabernets. Aging was 25 months in French oak barrels (95% French, 5% a mix of Hungarian and Slavonian wood), 40% new, 40% once-used barrels and 20% in twice-used barrels. One of the recent developments here is some bâtonnage in aging, which is used to build texture. That approach worked well in 2021. In a word: magnificent.Vinous Media | 98+ VMVery classy and typical of Sassicaia with currant, tobacco, chocolate, sage and lavender on the nose and palate. Medium- to full-bodied with very integrated and refined tannins that are caressing and pretty with a lovely length and beauty. Such finesse and structure at the same time. Best in 2028 and beyond but already joy to taste.James Suckling | 98 JS

Another absolutely perfect wine in this incredible vintage, the 2020 Château Tertre Roteboeuf comes from a tiny hillside vineyard (5.6 hectares) and is 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc raised all in new Radoux barrels. This show-stopping wine has everything and reveals a dense purple hue, incredible aromatics of cassis, vanilla bean, burning embers, graphite, and smoke tobacco, full-bodied richness, flawless integration of its tannins and acidity, and a massive finish. The finest wine I’ve ever tasted from this address, it’s not going to hit maturity for another 7-8 years and will be a 30+-year wine. Hats off to the team of François Mitjavile for another singular, sexy, absolutely off-the-charts wine.Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDThe 2020 Tertre-Rôteboeuf is stunning. It’s not quite the 2016, but it comes awfully close. Who knows in time where this will go? A vibrant, explosive Saint-Émilion, the 2020 Tertre-Rôteboeuf sizzles with tension and energy. Black cherry, gravel, spice, espresso and chocolate stain the palate with tremendous intensity and sheer nuance. Tightly wound and full of energy, the 2020 is simply magnificent. What a wine!Vinous Media | 98 VMThe 2020 Le Tertre Roteboeuf will delight admirers of Mitjaville’s singular style. Unfurling in the glass with aromas of rich dark berries and plums mingled with black truffles, exotic spices, espresso roast, cedar, vine smoke and toasty new oak, it’s full-bodied, layered and velvety, with an ample core of ripe, heady fruit framed by sweet, powdery tannins, concluding with a long, sapid finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96+ RPThis is a powerful, deeply focused and intense. Plenty of spice, cassis pastille, intense muscular tannins, fairly closed and austere right now, but a real sense of lift and juice becomes clear after 10 minutes of opening in the glass. Harvest began on September 21st, the earliest since Mitjavile arrived at the estate. Recently had the beautiful 1998 of Tertre Roteboeuf, and it is easy to see that this vintage also will allow the limestone terroir to become clearer with bottle age.Decanter | 95 DEC

Reminding me slightly of the 1998, the dense ruby/purple-hued 2020 Château Trotanoy offers a classic, concentrated, structured, regal style that this terroir seems to deliver with ease. Giving up a layered, primordial bouquet of smoked tobacco, black cherries, iron, graphite, and gravelly earth, it hits the palate with a massive array of fruit and tannins that somehow stays flawlessly balanced, offering ripe, silky, yet building tannins, flawless balance, and a gorgeous finish. It’s going to need a decade of bottle age to hit the early stages of maturity, but this is pure Pomerol brilliance. Is there a better performing Château on the Right Bank today? Not in my opinion.Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDA sure fire hit in 2020 and one of my absolute favourites of the vintage. Perfumed black cherries, roses and dark chocolate on the nose: ripe and fresh aromas. The crystalline fruit purity and finesse is wonderful while still filling the mouth with a density to the crushed velvet-textured tannins that give the structure and cushioning. Seriously appealing and charming, it’s big and clearly powerful with layers of black fruit, but it has a sense of restraint where nothing feels overworked. Perfectly weighted with balance, poise and persistence – you know you’re drinking something special here.Decanter | 100 DECLove the perfume and finesse here with fresh flowers, blackberries, crushed stones and cement. Cedar. Full and very long with tight and muscular tannins that go on for minutes. Tight and thoughtful. Soulful. Try after 2030.James Suckling | 100 JSThe 2020 Trotanoy is 100% Merlot and has a deep garnet-purple color. It is shut down tight to begin, needing a lot of patience and vigorous shaking to unlock notes of tar, fertile loam, licorice, and black truffles, leading to a core of preserved plums and fruitcake, with emerging wafts of iron ore and unsmoked cigars. The full-bodied palate is almost impenetrable - densely laden with taut black fruits and earthy accents, supported by very ripe, grainy tannins and just enough freshness, finishing long and profound. Give it 10-15 years at least and then prepare to be dazzled.The Wine Independent | 100 TWIThe 2020 Trotanoy is tremendous. Even better, it might not take forever to come around! Vertical in build, with tons of explosive energy, Trotanoy offers a beguiling mix of black cherry, plum, licorice, incense, dried herbs, menthol and graphite. There is a ton of energy and structure, along with the signature Trotanoy tannins, but all the elements are so well-balanced.Vinous Media | 98 VMDelivers a beam of alluring and lush mulberry, raspberry and black currant puree flavors while maintaining form and focus, with an underpinning of warm paving stone and humus for spine as well as focusing tobacco and alder accents along the edges. Clearly marked by the vintage, but with density and definition that differentiate this from the pack. Best from 2026 through 2040. 1,600 cases made, 163 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 96 WSThe wine is floral as well as rich, perfumed black currant fruits that show strongly on the dense palate. It is structured, and concentrated; promising aging as well as juicy fruits now. Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEThe 2020 Trotanoy is the most powerful wine in the Mouiex portfolio this year, delivering a rich bouquet of cherries, dark berries, fruitcakes, licorice, anise and brown sugar. Full-bodied, rich and muscular, with a ripe, heady core of sun-kissed fruit and considerable structuring extract, it concludes with a broad, expansive finish that largely conceals the wine’s 15% alcohol. Given its structure and substance, it will certainly require some patience.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94+ RP

Incredible nose of currants and blueberries. Flowers too. Licorice. Such purity on the nose of Cabernet Franc. Full body, incredible structure, with fabulous tannins and a long, long finish. Built out of stone. The prefect Ausone. Try after 2022.James Suckling | 100 JSSuch a dreamy, perfumed aroma to this wine. Full-bodied, but wonderfully polished and integrated. It touches every millimeter of your palate and the texture makes you want to cry. It touches your soul. Goes on for minutes. Another perfect red?Wine Spectator | 97-100 WSA masterpiece in the making, proprietor Alain Vauthier’s 2009 Ausone boasts a dense purple color along with notes of powdered chalk, crushed rocks and wild blue, red and black fruits. Extravagantly rich with great minerality, precision and freshness as well as a voluptuous texture (unusual for a baby Ausone), this is an extraordinary wine. Sadly, there are fewer than 1,200 cases ... for the world. Anticipated maturity: 2020-2060+Robert Parker | 98+ RPIt may be 14.5% alcohol, but with its huge freshness, the wine almost sings with elegance. The texture is opulent, with intense black fruits and a core of solid tannins. Impressive balance.Wine Enthusiast | 98 WEThe 2009 Ausone has a sumptuous bouquet with pure blackberry, raspberry, rose petal and orange blossom aromas. The wine is beautifully defined blossoms with aeration. It becomes very liquorice and menthol-like after 10 minutes’ aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin. It is not a powerful 2009 and it feels sleek and quite tensile. Pure red fruit linger in the mouth with a very deft, almost understated finish. So elegant, so Ausone. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners’ 2009 Bordeaux tasting.Vinous Media | 97 VM(Château Ausone) Oddly, at least at our tasting at the estate at the end of March, the second label was showing decidedly more interesting than the grand vin. I am sure that this is just a momentary occurrence and the ship will be righted soon enough, but the 2009 Ausone is a remarkably closed wine that is bound up in its substantial structure and digitally precise elevage and vinification. The rim of this wine is neon purple, and the nose offers up a very primary and sappy mélange of black cherries, chocolate, some reticent minerality and beautifully-integrated new oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and very tight, with a rock solid core of fruit, impeccable focus and balance and great length and grip on the ripely tannic and shockingly un-nuanced finish. Oddly, the sum of all these flawlessly crafted components does not add up to a wine of magical beauty, and today there is a slightly stillborn sense to the wine. The ’09 Ausone will need a lot of time to unfold, and perhaps the profound terroir of the estate is simply lurking behind the wall of digitally perfect cellar technique and will emerge in the fullness of time. Perhaps. I am not completely sold on this being the case and look forward to being corrected way down the road. I will be happy to admit I was wrong if this does indeed come to pass, but today this is no slam dunk for future greatness. My impression is that this wine has been made in a slightly uncertain style, as part of it wants to ape the luxury cuvée style on display at Cheval Blanc or Lafite-Rothschild, and part of it wants to just embrace this magical terroir. The result is a beautifully crafted wine that does not seem to pull off either attempt with style at the present time. It will be very interesting to watch this wine unfold in over the coming decades. (Drink between 2020-2050).John Gilman | 87-93+ JG