Type of Wines

wines

This is linear and creamy with lovely, fine tannins and dark-berry, violet, stone and licorice character. Medium-to full-bodied, racy and fresh. Charming. Freshness at the end.James Suckling | 93-94 JSPerfumed and heady with blue fruits and bramble. Lean and straight, there’s a real austerity to this, serious liquorice on the palate, a touch dry, you get the feeling of heat and fruit. A little reserved right now; tense and serious, but has backbone and weight. It’s dark, savoury, coiled and tense, with drive and texture, displaying tobacco, graphite and an iron, mineral tang.Decanter | 92 DECThe 2020 Monbousquet is a blend of 70% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, coming in with an alcohol of 14.69% and a pH of 3.75. It is aging in French oak barriques, 50% new. With a deep purple-black color, it prances out of the glass with showy scents of crushed black plums, mulberries and Morello cherries, plus touches of dried Provence herbs, charcoal and forest floor. The medium to full-bodied palate delivers expressive black and red berry layers, framed by plush tannins and just enough freshness, finishing on a fragrant earth note.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91-93+ RPAlmost always a winner, the 2020 Château La Tour Carnet offers a terrific, medium-bodied, concentrated style as well as classic notes of ripe currants, darker cherries, spicy wood, and graphite. It has the vintage’s more focused, classic, structured style, with ripe tannins and outstanding length. It’s well worth seeking out and is going to evolve for at least a decade.Jeb Dunnuck | 91 JDThe 2020 Monbousquet is a heady, exotic wine. Blackberry jam, bittersweet chocolate, spice, new leather and espresso are all kicked up. Explosive and deep, the Monbousquet packs a serious punch. The tannins are pretty imposing today, but élevage should take care of that.Vinous Media | 90-92 VM

The fruit for Safrà is grown biodynamically at 600m on sandy soils in Finca Els Corrals, mainly from 20- to 40-year-old Mandó vines harvested before fully mature, with about 15% of Garnacha Tintorera in the blend. Produced by owner Pablo Calatayud and winemaker Javier Revert, the wine was vinified in stainless steel using indigenous yeasts, with one third of the fruit in whole bunches. This was followed by six months’ maturation in earthenware jars. Sarah Jane Evans MW: Earthy, winey aromas – a clear expression of the variety. Refreshing notes of dark plum and cherry, with light citrus. Long, intense finish. An original. Christine Allen: Redcurrant, fresh cherry and high-tone florals on the nose. Lingering spiced fruit and a floral finish. A stunning example of what Valencia can do. Beth Willard: Enticing chalky, creamy milk chocolate and raspberry aromas. Pretty floral character, with rose petal, sweet fruit and ripe tannins. Very fresh and drinkable.Decanter | 95 DECThey consider 2020 Safrà the more balanced vintage to date, with the help of the Arcos structure, which makes it longer and more complex. It’s 70% Mandó and 30% Arcos that fermented in stainless steel vats with 30% full clusters and indigenous yeasts and matured in 2,600-liter tinaja for six months. It has 13% alcohol and a pH of 3.45. It’s juicy, floral, tasty and fresh, with very fine tannins and a long, focused finish. The combination of Mandó and Arcos works quite well; the blend is serious, with structure keeping the brightness. All of these wines are incredible values. 20,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in July 2021.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94+ RP

The 2020 Pavie Macquin is sensational. Rich, dark and explosive, the 2020 balances the natural richness that is such a signature of the estate with a level of energy and vibrancy I have not seen here in the recent past. The result is a towering, imposing Pavie Macquin that hugely delivers. In this vintage, regisseur Nicolas Thienpont did not use the Cabernet Sauvignon, so the blend is 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc, with the Franc lending aromatic presence, energy and depth. What a total knock out!Vinous Media | 100 VMI have never had a Pavie Macquin like this. It’s so fresh and vivid with black cherry, currant and raspberry character, as well as citrus. Some mineral and spice. Salt, too. The palate is full and linear with a verticality that takes you so deep and long. Endless. Transparent. Drink after 2028.James Suckling | 98 JSVivid and vibrant nose, full of rose petals, lilac floral edges, strawberries and black cherries. Forward, expressive, perfumed, alive. Sensual on the palate, smooth, velvety soft, intense but well balanced with a gorgeous plush, mouthful of ripe tannins. Really very good with the right intensity, structure and push. Powerful but controlled, poised yet plush, wild and raw yet pretty too with tons of energy and St-Emilion glamour. Has a core of juicy, bright red fruits with a grainy, herbal edge to the strawberries, a lovely bitterness, and edges of liquorice, slate and wet stone - nuanced and aromatic. I love this, they haven’t pushed too far and the acidity is brilliant. Clean and precise.Decanter | 97 DECThe dense purple-hued 2020 Château Pavie Macquin checks in as a blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc from yields of 31 hectoliters per hectare and a selection of 85% of the production. Incredibly pure cassis and blueberry fruits as well as complex spring flowers, liquid violets, white truffle, and a liqueur of limestone-like minerality define the aromatics, and it’s medium to full-bodied on the palate, with ultra-fine tannins, the vintage’s pure, focused, structured profile, and a great finish. As in most vintages, this beauty is not for instant gratification and needs 7-8 years, if not a decade of cellaring to show its potential. It’s another true vin de garde from the team of Nicolas Thienpont (Stéphane Derenoncourt also consults) that readers will love to have in their cellar.Jeb Dunnuck | 96+ JDThis full wine’s ripe black fruits are velvety in texture and density. Inherently powerful, the wine keeps a great sense of proportion and balance. It has good acidity, with the freshness and balance coming together. Drink from 2027.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEThe 2020 Pavie Macquin is performing well in bottle, unwinding in the glass with aromas of sweet raspberries and cherries mingled with notions of orange zest, violets, spices, bay leaf and vine smoke. Medium to full-bodied, layered and concentrated, it’s deep and fleshy, its ample core of fruit framed by youthfully firm, chalky tannins. As usual, it’s more structured than Larcis Ducasse, and it remains a bottling that will demand some patience, even if the Thienpont team have subtly eased off on extraction over the last few vintages, a welcome trend that I hope will be pushed further.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95+ RPVery expressive, with a lovely violet and cassis set of aromas and flavors that spill forth, though this keeps focus and form, as subtle minerality and a very fine-grained structure allows this to flow gracefully through the finish. Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2028 through 2040. 4,800 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WS

A masterclass in purity and delicacy for this 2020 vintage which manages to convey the beauty and allure of Yquem in a toned down, subtle and beguiling way. Aromas of white blossom and honeysuckle, gently caramelised Mirabelle plums and fresh apricots with flecks of clementine and grapefruit pith abound on the nose - richly scented in their individual aspects but delivered quietly, almost sultry and shy. Immediately mouthfilling and unctuous, streamlined and fresh with a sugary hit hitting first before mouthwatering acidity follows giving sumptuous succulence and vibrancy. Apricot, peach, fleshy mango and sharp pineapple give the exotic fruit zing balanced by a salty, flintiness that adds faint angles to the expression. Juicy, bright, clean and complete with hints of cinnamon spice and just-toasted bread providing the frame and structure reminding you that this is built to last. It’s not as opulent as some vintages, much more understated and relaxed - and coincidentally one of the lowest in residual sugar at 135g/l - but this is a wonderful expression with control and confidence on show. It also has supreme drinkability even now with tension, clarity and energy so don’t be afraid to open and enjoy this in its joyful youth. The 2020 is the smallest production since 2000 with an equivalent of 35,000 bottles made. All stock will be released for sale on 23rd March with only a small number of bottles kept back for the estate’s library collection. 3.79pH. The vintage was challenging in terms of viticulture with tropical spring-like weather delivering early budburst and high mildew pressure, especially given it was the estate’s first year of official organic conversion. June was wet and cool followed by a hot, dry summer. Botrytis arrived in mid-October but there was only a small window of five days and two separate passes to harvest grapes with perfect noble rot.Decanter | 96 DECVery transparent and elegant with white peaches, lilacs, and light caramel. Medium-bodied, sweet and agile with salted caramel and dried orange character. Spicy botrytis at the end. Give this three or four years to come together.James Suckling | 96 JSThis has a broad and unctuous feel, with nectarine, apricot and mango notes creating an opulent feel, while racy bitter almond, orange blossom and elderberry accents add contrast and range. The lush finish is carried by notes of mango and piecrust. Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc. Best from 2028 through 2040.Wine Spectator | 95 WS

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

The 2020 Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru is more powerful, unwinding in the glass with aromas of pear, ripe citrus fruit, peach, buttery pastry and baking spices. Full-bodied, satiny and multidimensional, it’s a broad, muscular wine with racy acids and a long, saline finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPThe 2020 Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru is more backward on the nose compared to the Bienvenue at the moment despite rigorous coaxing. The palate has impressive weight and density, perhaps less finesse than the more approachable Bienvenue at the moment but with more aging potential. It feels long on the saline finish, but it’s surly at this early stage.Vinous Media | 96 VMMid lemon yellow. The bouquet also takes time to emerge, then shows a little more power than the Bienvenues. The oak is a fraction more present but still superbly integrated. The taffeta texture could not possibly have more tensile strength, with an exemplary purity of fruit. To have so much power (not in an alcoholic sense) and yet so much grape. Little light fresh apple notes to finish. Tasted: May 2022.Jasper Morris | 96-98 JMA sleek, lemon-infused version, with a linear profile and racy structure delineating the lemon, peach, green apple, mineral and spice flavors. Remains lean and steely, with a long, spicy finish. Best from 2026 through 2037. 500 cases made, 100 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 95 WSA wonderfully floral-suffused nose reflects additional notes of petrol, citrus, white orchard and a hint of oak toast. The bigger and richer flavors also possess a gorgeous mouthfeel that is almost delicate yet racy with excellent delineation on the youthfully austere and beautifully balanced finish that just goes on and on. This is potentially a magnificent Bâtard and it’s going to be interesting to compare this with the Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet in a decade’s or so time. In sum, I would offer the same advice - if you can find it, buy it.Burghound | 95-97 BH

The 2020 Gagliole, 100% Sangiovese from estate vineyards in Panzano, is fabulous. Rich and ample, the 2020 possesses remarkable breadth and textural intensity. All the elements are so well balanced. Cedar, pipe tobacco, mint, dried flowers and mocha all build as the 2020 shows off its class. Pretty floral and saline accents extend the finish.Vinous Media | 96 VMThis is a very special organic wine made exclusively with Sangiovese from Panzano in Chianti from 15- to 30-year-old vines. Compared to the other releases in this portfolio, the Gagliole 2020 Gagliole delivers the goods up front with immediate fruit intensity and aromas of ripe cherry and blackberry. This wine sports a bright and lively personality with a soft texture and pretty layers of sweet fruit. You get a lot of good food-pairing potential out of this bottle, whether it be with grilled meat or pasta. Exactly 5,748 bottles were made.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPThis is complex with aromas of ripe black cherries, blackberries, dried spicy herbs, cedar, graphite and seashells. Full-bodied, firm and structured with finely polished, well-integrated tannins that keep building on the palate, framing the deep dark fruit and pushing the length of the wine. An array of pure fruit, spices and minerals on the palate. Very attractive and pristine. Tense and balanced. From organically grown grapes. Better from 2026.James Suckling | 95 JS

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

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

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

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

(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

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

Deep purple-black colored, the 2020 La Gaffeliere gallops out of the glass with exuberant scents of crushed black plums, boysenberries and fresh blackberries, plus hints of eucalyptus, dark chocolate, crushed rocks and iron ore, with a waft of lavender. The medium to full-bodied palate shimmers with compelling energy, delivering layers of black and red berries with fantastic tension and finely grained tannins, finishing very long and wonderfully minerally.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96-98 RPThe 2020 La Gaffelière is simply magnificent. Soaring, regal aromatics are immediately alluring. Deep and beautifully layered in the glass, the 2020 is vibrant and packed to the core. In 2020, the tannins are especially fine and silky for a Saint-Émilion that often shows a bit more tension in its youth. Bright red cherry, blood orange, mocha, spice, dried herbs and leather envelop the palate effortlessly. I imagine the 2020 will provide readers with many decades of exceptional drinking. It is another superb effort from a property that continues to impress.Antonio Galloni | 96-98 AGBlackberry and black-olive aromas and flavors. Full-bodied with layers of fine tannins that fill the mouth. Expansive finish. The tannins are very fine, but abundant. Really impressive.James Suckling | 96-97 JS95–97. Barrel Sample. Incredibly perfumed from the rich Cabernet Franc that gives this wine its real identity. A fine smoky character shines through the firm tannins. This and the wine’s delicious fruits promise great things as it develops.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEAn run of successful vintages at La Gaffeliere, and this again proves why it is an estate to watch, striking an expert balance between power and finesse. Offers a ton of cassis, blackberry, black cherry and damson fruits, licorice root and crushed stone, just gorgeously juicy and stretches out across the palate. Austere tannins at this point, plenty of limestone character, a little tight on the finish but with a velvet texture and promises to age with grace. A yield of 42hl/ha. (Drink between 2028-2044)Decanter | 95 DEC

(Château L’Évangile, Pomerol, Bordeaux, France, Red) The sculpting of L’Evangile that began over the past few vintages continues, and the 2020 is a gorgeous wine. Pristine fruit, silky with a whoosh of menthol. It elevates over the palate, both dense and light, with blueberry and raspberry fruits, and pulses of bitter almond and honeysuckle on the finish that gives focus and spice. Juliette Couderc joined L’Evangile (from DBR Lafite’s Long Dai winery) in September 2020 so for the harvest of this wine, working alongside technical director Olivier Tregoat. 50% first wine, with no Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend this year because it was so over-concentrated that it made too much impact. Increased selective harvesting meant going through vineyard plots six times to bring in the grapes as they ripened. A yield of 32hl/ha. In the final year of organic conversion, so this next vintage 2021 will be certified. (Drink between 2028-2050)Decanter | 98 DECThis is so floral and pure, showing crushed-grape character with some walnut and crunchy seeds. It’s full-bodied, juicy and fresh. Purity of fruit. Juicy and long. 88% merlot and 12% cabernet franc.James Suckling | 98-99 JSDeep garnet-purple colored, the 2020 L’Evangile rolls effortlessly out of the glass with notions of mulberries, black raspberries and stewed red and black plums, plus suggestions of Indian spices, dusty soil and violets with a touch of iron ore. The medium to full-bodied palate possesses compelling freshness and a fine-grained texture to support the muscular black and red fruits, finishing long and earthy.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | (96-98)+ RPThe 2020 L’Évangile is fabulous. Aromatic, deep and fleshy, with magnificent purity of fruit, L’Évangile dazzles right out of the gate. Bright Franc aromatics add striking lift as well as vibrancy that carries through to the long, delineated finish. There is an energy to the 2020 that is palpable. Harvest for the Merlot began on September 3, ahead of a heat wave that was forecast, and wrapped up on the 14th for the Merlot and the 21st for the Franc. That approach worked so well here. In the past, L’Évangile and Lafite-Rothschild were very different stylistically, but that seems to be changing now that Saskia de Rothschild is spending a great deal of her time in Pomerol with the new winemaking team. The estate, certified biodynamic as of 2021, has been pursuing a more refined approach for a few years, but 2020 is the first recent vintage where the personality of the year seems to have aligned especially well with the current thinking here. The 2020 L’Évangile is easily the most Lafite-like L’Évangile I have ever tasted. Don’t miss it!Vinous Media | 95-97 VMDescribed as a new age for l’Evangile by the estate, their 2020 Château L’Evangile showed beautifully, with the pure, elegant yet still ripe, beautifully concentrated style of the estate these days. Rocking levels of crème de cassis, black cherries, blueberries, graphite, and violets all emerge from the glass, and it’s medium to full-bodied, with a terrific sense of purity, present, ripe yet firm tannins, and a great finish. It’s a promising, elegant yet at the same time powerful 2020 that’s going to benefit from 4-5 years of bottle age and keep for 20-25 years or more. The blend is 88% Merlot and 12% Cabernet Franc, all raised in 60% new French oak.Jeb Dunnuck | (95-97)+ JDA smoky, structured wine with a fine velvet mouthfeel. This is rich and generous while showing restraint in its bold fruits. It will age well with early pleasure and then lasting for many years.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WE

Blackcurrants, orange peel, flowers and tar with hints of graphite. Full-bodied with a creamy texture of exquisitely polished tannins. It goes on and on. Intense flavors at the end, too, with lead pencil and lots of blackberry. Very classic and precise.James Suckling | 98-99 JSBold black fruits and dense, textured tannins are very much in the style of the estate. What is new in this vintage is the extra precision that lifts the wine, bringing together the beautiful black currant flavors of ripe Cabernet Sauvignon with a refined texture of sophisticated tannins. This is an impressive wine, sure to age over many years. Wine Enthusiast | 97 WEThe lowest amount of Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend on recent record but the signature of Lynch Bages is very much in play here - tons of liquorice, grippy and charismatic cassis and blueberry fruit with a velvety texture layered with blackcurrant pastilles and rich dark chocolate. This is easily one of the best Pauillacs that I have tasted in the vintage, totally gorgeous. The 33hl/ha yield meant I was worried that it would be too concentrated, but it pulls it off, although you’ve got to assume that they will need to be careful over ageing. Lower alcohol than both 2018 and 2019, a more classical balance in fact. 4% Cabernet Franc completes the blend. 3.73pH, 75% new oak, 18 months in barrel.

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

This is integrated, with superb density and beauty, offering blackcurrant, mineral and some bark. Full-bodied, yet so polished and refined. Crushed stone. Lots of expression and texture to this wine. Creamy. Pure and precise. Elegant, yet layered. Slightly plusher than the 2019. Dense, yet agile. Fresh as always. 60% cabernet sauvignon, 32% merlot, 4% cabernet franc and 4% petit verdot. 50% new oak 15% old oak and 35% concrete amphorae.James Suckling | 98-99 JS96–98. Barrel Sample. Aromatic black currant and spice aromas give way to a wine that has richness while having impressive balance. The freshness shines with tannins that give a velvet character to the wine’s texture. The fruitiness should not deceive from its longevity, so age this wine for many years. Organic and biodynamic.Wine Enthusiast | 97 WEThe 2020 Pontet-Canet is a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petit Verdot, aging in 50% new French oak barriques, 35% concrete amphorae and 15% in one-year-old barrels. Harvest began on the 14th September for the Merlot, and the final lot of Cabernet Sauvignon was harvested on 30th September.Opaque purple-black in color, it needs significant aeration and swirling to coax out evocative notes of black cherry preserves, raspberry pie, blackcurrant pastilles and damp soil, before launching into gorgeous floral and spice notions of red roses, cinnamon stick, star anise and cardamom, with a waft of crushed rocks. The medium to full-bodied palate reveals a lot of depth and polish, delivering mouth-coating red and black fruits with loads of fragrant earth and floral sparks, framed by velvety tannins and seamless freshness, finishing long and mineral tinged. This is a singular, fascinating expression of the vintage and highly recommended!Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96-98+ RPPure black and red berry fruit, very primary as a barrel sample, as expected. At 13% alcohol, it comes across as rather opulent, with tannins somewhat foreboding at this very early stage, which is normal. What impresses is the pristine and pure fruit; a very juicy expression that exudes both density and finesse on the long finish. Bravo! (Drink between 2026-2070)Decanter | 96 DECThe 2020 Pontet-Canet is captivating effort from the Tesseron family. The intensely perfumed, savory bouquet is immediately alluring. Deep and substantial, the 2020 is luxuriously rich from start to finish. Swaths of incisive tannin wrap around a core of dark red cherry fruit, gravel, dried herbs and rose petal, and a whole range of floral and savory accents lend aromatic presence. The Pontet-Canet is often a charmer en primeur, but the 2020 comes across as quite serious. I can’t wait to see how it develops. As always, one of the signatures of Pontet-Canet is a high proportion of Merlot vis-à-vis its peers among top Left Bank châteaux that lends tremendous midpalate weight. In 2020 production is within historical norms. Mildew pressure was high, but not as severe as in 2018, when two-thirds of the crop was lost in a single day. Harvest took place September 14–30, a bit more of a compact time frame than normal, and a good 7–10 days earlier than is typically the case. Aged in 50% new oak, 35% amphora and 15% once-used barrels.Antonio Galloni | 95-97 AG

This is a great Talbot, a real success for the château. Subtle and deft touches throughout, from the smoked turmeric notes that lace the black fruits to the finessed aromatics that accompany the body of the wine. Balance and freshness, and a saline edge to the finish that is extremely moreish. Three years with Jean-Michel Laporte as director and he is doing great work. Drinking Window 2026 - 2040.Decanter | 95 DECA great success from this estate, the wine has bold tannins and richly, concentrated fruit. Its blackberry flavors mingle with the dry core, promising some serious aging.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEA tight, focused young red with blackcurrant, lead-pencil and chocolate character. It’s full-bodied and tense with a long, flavorful finish.James Suckling | 94-95 JSThe 2020 Talbot is a hugely promising wine. It offers up an exotic mélange of inky dark fruit, chocolate, licorice, gravel, lavender and menthol. Brooding in the glass, with broad shoulders and tons of intensity, the 2020 is a Talbot that marries power, breadth and savory intensity with notable stylishness and tons of personality. Impressive.Vinous Media | 92-95 VMThe 2020 Château Talbot is a winner and certainly an outstanding wine. Offering lots of blackcurrants, green tobacco, chocolate, and lead pencil notes, it’s a classic Saint-Julien, with medium to full body, velvety tannins, and a rounded, layered texture. It’s ripe, yet certainly plays in the fresher end of the pool and should have 15-20 years of longevity.Jeb Dunnuck | 91-93 JDDeep purple-black colored, the 2020 Talbot storms out of the glass with powerful blackcurrants, raspberry leaves and baked plums scents, followed by suggestions of dried Mediterranean herbs, tobacco leaf and graphite. The medium-bodied palate delivers lovely freshness and an approachable chewiness, nicely framing the herb-laced black fruits, finishing savory.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90-92 RP

The lightly hued 2020 Châteauneuf Du Pape Blanc checks in as 70% Grenache Blanc, 28% Roussanne, and tiny percentages of Bourboulenc and Clairette, brought up in equal parts demi-muid and tank. It has a beautiful bouquet of ripe white peach and melon that shows a touch of spice and hazelnut with air, and it’s medium-bodied, beautifully pure, textured, and balanced on the palate. It’s a stunning white that will shine on the dinner table.Jeb Dunnuck | 95 JD

The 2020 Chardonnay Belle Côte, matured for 12 months in about 40% new French oak, explodes with singular aromas of ginger, lemongrass and Meyer lemon with streaks of flint and dried herbs. The medium-bodied palate is just as intense, offering highly concentrated fruit, seamless acidity, expansive, spicy flavors and a finish that goes on and on. Ultra concentrated and perfumed, the Belle Côte is especially expressive this vintage. 2,782 cases were made.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98 RPThe aromas of the 2020 Chardonnay Belle-Côte are more herbaceous and move into bright green apple and a very pleasant smokiness. The texture is silky, with Corton-like richness, yet it has levity. Drink over the next 10 or more years.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDThis is an open and thoroughly satisfying young chardonnay, with sliced dried apple, pineapple, lemon zest and honey suckle. Full-bodied with plenty of chardonnay character that evolves on the palate to white-spice and gunpowder undertones. Pine needles, too. A fantastic Belle-Cote for the vintage. Drinkable now, but better in a few years.James Suckling | 97 JSThe 2020 Belle Cote was tasted as a barrel sample. It needs a little coaxing to reveal elegant scents of lemon tart, lime leaves, and fresh nectarines with hints of green guava, spice cake, and powdered ginger. Full-bodied, the palate is concentrated with pleasant oiliness and just enough freshness, finishing spicy. The grapes were harvested on 23 September.The Wine Independent | 94-96 TWIShows salted butterscotch, peach and tangerine flavors that are polished and focused, with lemon blossom, poached pear and candied ginger notes on a plush, elegant frame. Features a fresh edge of acidity. Drink now through 2032. 2,782 cases made. Wine Spectator | 93 WS

Looking at the 2020 Vatan, it comes from a single vineyard planted in 1900. Raised in barrel, this deep purple-hued beauty offers up a gorgeous array of cassis and darker berry fruits as well as integrated classy oak, roasted herb, graphite, and Asian spice-like nuances. It’s a rich, powerful wine yet stays light on its feet and balanced, with beautiful tannins and integrated acidity.Jeb Dunnuck | 95+ JDThe 2020 Vatan comes from exceptionally old vines in the Quemaos vineyard situated in the Villaester de Abajo area. Aged for 20 months in French oak barrels, it displays a dark purple color. The balsamic nose reveals plums, sour cherries and subtle blackberries over a cedar layer. Rich, creamy and juicy on the palate, the supple tannins and mild intensity lead to a nuanced, enduring finish. This is a vibrant interpretation of a successful year for Toro.Vinous Media | 94 VMLooking at the 2020 Vatan, it comes from a single vineyard planted in 1900. Raised in barrel, this deep purple-hued beauty offers up a gorgeous array of cassis and darker berry fruits as well as integrated classy oak, roasted herb, graphite, and Asian spice-like nuances. It’s a rich, powerful wine yet stays light on its feet and balanced, with beautiful tannins and integrated acidity.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WEAn elegant, medium- to full-bodied red that marries a pretty range of macerated black raspberry and boysenberry fruit, violet and bay leaf notes with supple tannins and lively orange peel acidity. Shows hints of spices, mineral and graphite that linger on the finish. Drink now through 2028. 3,500 cases made, 2,000 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 91 WSAn overlay of vanilla ice cream to the fresh blackberries and cherries with a hint of coffee and hibiscus flowers. Juicy and tight on the palate, with some fluidity in the center palate. The finish is crunchy and succulent, although it is quite tight and grippy. Come back in 2025.James Suckling | 91 JS

An exquisite wine, the nose is almost delicate, with ripe apple and floral notes, and the texture of the wine is astonishingly crisp and fine. There is nothing heavy here and the finish lingers seductively. Rich, typical Bâtard, but with uncommon elegance. Picked on the 24th of August, and the early picking date worked well here. The grapes were lightly crushed and then fermented in cask (40% new).Decanter | 96 DECAn overtly floral-suffused nose speaks of white orchard fruit, star anise, citrus confit and a subtle exotic tea nuance. The sleek and borderline painfully intense big-bodied flavors possess excellent mid-palate concentration before terminating in a very compact, tightly wound and hugely long finale. This is very backward and almost raw in how primary it is and as such, it would be largely pointless to open a bottle before at least 5 years of age. This beauty possess first-rate potential provided you have the patience.Burghound | 95 BHPale lemon and lime. The bouquet shows all the majesty of this vineyard without the over-ripeness which I have found in some past vintages. 29 hl/ha. Superb intensity with a measured ripeness of fruit from these 48 year old vines, which are ploughed by a horse named Croesus. Stretches out beautifully at the back, with some peachier notes at the finish. Really very persistent indeed. Excellent. Tasted Nov 2021.Jasper Morris | 95-98 JM

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

Cedar and floral with dried rose petals and plums with some cherries and fresh tobacco. Medium to full body. Linear and tight with fresh and fine tannins. Chocolate and hazelnut. 90% merlot and 10% cabernet franc. Second wine of Angelus. Give it four to five years. Try after 2026.James Suckling | 95 JSGorgeous purity on the nose, open and expressive, the florality - rose, iris and violets give a lovely scent. Cool blue fruits, ripe but well defined with a thrilling and vibrant acidity alongside a touch of sweetness giving things a lift. There’s an ease about this, still complex, but it’s smooth and supple with firm tannins, softly gripping and giving the structure. Feels confident but not showy with a wide structure and clear backbone. I love the liquorice and cola aspects and the subtle spice. Ripeness is clearly there, but there’s no excess - the tension and energy remain from the start. Structured and suave.Decanter Magazine | 93 DECAromas of sweet cherries, berries, mint and rose petals, framed by a deft touch of new oak, introduce the 2020 Le Carillon d’Angélus, a medium to full-bodied, supple and seamless wine that’s velvety and enveloping, with a suave, polished profile that will lend it a broad drinking window. Produced in a new, dedicated winery, where tanks are adapted to the size of parcels, it was matured in 45% new barriques, 30% used barrels and the rest in tank, making for a somewhat more controlled oak influence.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RPBased on 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc, raised in 60% new French oak (the balance is in stainless steel), the 2020 Le Carillon D’Angelus has a medium-bodied, vibrant, quite elegant profile that certainly brings a touch of the class and finesse that’s almost always found in the Grand Vin. Ripe cherries, black raspberries, spice box, sandalwood, and dried flower notes make up the aromatics, and this balanced, wonderfully complete second wine has fine tannins and a good spine of acidity. It will benefit from a few years in the cellar and keep for 10-15 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 92 JDA blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc, the 2020 Carillon d’Angelus is deep garnet-purple in color. Notes of Morello cherries, juicy blackberries, and raspberry leaves spring from the glass, followed by touches of lilacs, cedar chest, and sandalwood, with a waft of cumin seed. The medium to full-bodied palate is chock-full of bright, expressive blackberry and spicy layers, supported by nice, ripe, plush tannins and finishing with a refreshing lift.The Wine Independent | 92 TWI