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Showing beautifully, with the polished, pure, elegant style of the vintage, the 2019 Château Gloria sports a deeper ruby/purple color as well as great aromatics of cassis and assorted blue fruits to go with smoked tobacco, cedar pencil, damp earth, and floral notes. I love its purity, and it’s just a quintessential, medium to full-bodied, layered Saint-Julien that can be drunk today or cellared for a solid two decades. It should be a no-brainer purchase for the wine lovers out there.Jeb Dunnuck | 95 JDThe 2019 Gloria personifies classic Saint-Julien, offering blackberry, wild hedgerow, cedar and tobacco scents, maybe a little conservative in style, but unashamed about that. The palate is medium-bodied with fine, quite firm tannins. Fresh and saline, this gets the saliva going with a precise, persistent finish and leaves hints of graphite on the aftertaste. Excellent.Vinous Media | 94 VMRock-solid, with a mouthwatering roasted apple wood and mesquite frame around a well-layered core of black currant, blackberry and plum fruit flavors. The finish features dots of tobacco and tar that add range, but the real driver is a long bolt of iron, which gives this a throwback feel. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Best from 2025 through 2038.Wine Spectator | 94 WSSuch a deep, concentrated nose, full of ripe blackcurrants and black cherries. Great intensity and concentration on the palate, some dark spicy notes, liquorice, black pepper and cinnamon around the edges alongside layers of juicy and succulent ripe fruit. A full, bold wine no doubt, real power here but stylish and energetic. If you like the gourmet style, this one is great. (Drink between 2024-2039)Decanter | 94 DECSweet berry and cherry aromas with violets, following through to a medium to full body with creamy, linear tannins and a long, flavorful finish. Tight and curated, in a structured way. Try after 2027.James Suckling | 94 JSThe 2019 Gloria has turned out very well, delivering aromas of blackcurrants, plums, burning embers and a deft framing of creamy new oak. Medium to full-bodied, deep and nicely concentrated, with a vibrant core of ripe and fleshy fruit, lively acids and powdery structuring tannins that assert themselves on the youthfully firm finish, this shows considerable promise.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93+ RP

The Merlots were so good this year that most have gone into the first wine, giving this a higher percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon than usual and making it a serious Dame de Montrose, with clear ageing potential. Elegant and balanced, with purity and juicy black fruits. It has that savoury Cabernet quality which is very Médocain, this is absolutely one to look out for, packed with estate signature. 30% new oak. 43% of total production. 4% Petit Verdot completes the blend. Lovely new label here also, with rose gold roses across it. (Drink between 2025-2040)Decanter | 94 DECThe second wine of Montrose is seriously structured with dark tannins. It has impressive weight and concentration, a big wine while polished appropriate for this estate. Drink from 2025. ROGER VOSSWine Enthusiast | 94 WEJuicy and pleasantly chewy with milk chocolate, walnut and currant aromas and flavors. Medium-bodied, creamy and flavorful. Second wine of Montrose. Drink after 2024.James Suckling | 93 JSVery solid, with a core of lightly steeped plum and blackberry fruit, supported by a streak of iron and framed by smoldering tobacco and dark earth notes. Good energy throughout as well, with a mouthwatering echo at the end. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2023 through 2032.Wine Spectator | 92 WSThe 2019 La Dame de Montrose, which I tasted in June and September 2021, has a fresh mulberry, black plum and granite-scented bouquet that is quite precocious; touches of morel appear in the background. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-grained tannins, quite structured and almost Pauillac-like, thanks to veins of graphite toward the finish provided by the 48% Cabernet Sauvignon. Saline on the aftertaste, though not tremendously long, this is a very promising Deuxième Vin. Vinous Media | 91 VMThe 2019 La Dame De Montrose is another impressive second wine and certainly worth seeking out. Ripe darker cherries, currants, leafy herbs, tobacco, and a hint of classic Saint-Estèphe damp earth all emerge on the nose, and it’s medium-bodied, with a silky, graceful texture, light tannins, and a great finish. It’s everything a second wine should be and will evolve nicely for 10-12 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 91 JD

At Boillot they normally make a single, 350-litre barrel of Montrachet, lightly crushing the fruit before pressing in a basket press. The results in 2019 were absolutely beautiful. Ripe pear and fresh flowers dominate the initial attack. On the palate there is a lovely intensity and richness, with a dense, creamy, buttery texture and huge reserves of substance that will keep this wine ageing for years to come. Drinking Window 2024 - 2039.Decanter | 97 DECInterestingly, here the nose resembles a grand cru Chablis with its oyster shell, iodine, quinine, lemon-lime and bee’s wax-scented nose. There is outstanding volume and concentration to the overtly powerful and muscular flavors that are supported by a citrus-tinged and markedly firm acid spine that also shapes the cuts-like-a-knife finale. As the length of my initial projected drinking window suggests, it would be pointless to open this beauty before it has at least a decade of aging as it should easily repay two of them. In sum, this is quite simply stunningly good. (Drink starting 2039)Burghound | 97 BHNotes of orange oil, pear, peach, yellow apples, fresh bread and nutmeg introduce Boillot’s 2019 Montrachet Grand Cru, a full-bodied, satiny and concentrated wine that’s textural and enveloping, with an ample core of fruit, lively acids and a long, expansive finish. More tightly wound than the demonstrative 2018, his is a superb effort that will reward bottle age.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96+ RP

The aromas to this are really amazing, with a potpourri of spices and dried flowers, as well as redcurrants, sweet plums and even some peaches. Full-bodied with layers of ripe fruit and ultra-fine tannins that spread across the palate in an encompassing yet always elegant and pure way. It’s succulent and unadulterated. Like crushed, perfectly ripened grapes. The length is rather endless. The tannins build. Fabulous young red. 35% in amphora and the rest in 50% new oak and 15% one-year oak. 65% cabernet sauvignon and 30% merlot, the rest cabernet franc and petit verdot. From biodynamically grown grapes. Try after 2028, but an absolute joy to taste now.James Suckling | 99 JSSuch gorgeous aromatics of freshly picked violets, cherries and bramble fruits - pretty and quite delicate. The texture is smooth and succulent, mouth coating but full of soft tannins which have the most delicious black cherry, blackcurrant flesh and liquorice tinge to them - so satisfying. Extremely well balanced and well integrated, this has restrained power, it’s not rich or particularly round but straight, direct and layered rather than wide. Really long finish with great freshness and touches of cool blueberries. This is just such a great wine, everything you want and you know there’s power there promising a long life. Great winemaking on show. 35% aged in concrete, 50% new oak, 15% in barrels of one year, for 16-18 months. This year there’s a new label, the drawing of the house has remained but the font is more elegant and modern. A blend of 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot. (Drink between 2027-2047)Decanter | 98 DEC97–99. Barrel Sample. This is a luscious, sumptuous wine, with layers of black fruits and wonderfully cushioned tannins. The structure of the wine is initially masked by the great fruits, but then finds balance from a dry edge of spice, smokiness and lifted acidity. It’s another great vintage from this biodynamic estate. Wine Enthusiast | 98 WEThe 2019 Pontet-Canet was so effusive and generous en primeur. Today, though, it is quite reticent. That won’t be an issue for those who can be patient, but patience indeed will be the key here. Dark red fleshed fruit, tobacco, cedar, spice, kirsch, mint and blood orange gradually open with a bit of coaxing. Imposing tannins wrap it all together. The 2019 is a drop-dead gorgeous beauty, but it needs time.Antonio Galloni | 96 AGVery lush out of the gate, with waves of gently mulled plum, blackberry and black currant fruit that roll through slowly, lined with alder, sweet tobacco, worn cedar and singed savory notes. Delivers a late tug of iron that’s well-buried on a finish marked by lingering perfume, resulting in an end impression of a rich wine that’s very light on its feet. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Best from 2023 through 2036.Wine Spectator | 94 WSThe 2019 Pontet-Canet offers up an expressive bouquet of plummy fruit, kirsch, dried herbs and peonies. On the palate, it’s full-bodied, ample and seamless, with melting tannins, succulent acids, and a long, liqueured finish. Tasted twice, it’s a wine I find somewhat perplexing: in a blind tasting, I might be more inclined to place it in Gigondas than Pauillac. I’m far from dogmatic when it comes to what the French call "typicité," and stylistic diversity surely enriches every appellation; but by the same token, I’m not convinced that this is the most compelling aesthetic that a Cabernet-based blend from this part of Bordeaux can realize. Checking in at 13.7% alcohol, some 35% of the production was matured in amphorae, which no doubt contributes to the wine’s idiosyncratic identity.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPThe 2019 Château Pontet Canet checks in as a blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot that was brought up in a mix of barrels and concrete tanks. It shows the new style of the estate with a more savory, exotic, medium to full-bodied style that’s a dramatically different beast than the benchmark 2009 and 2010 vintages, which to my mind, are the greatest vintages from this estate to date. The 2019 has a ruby/plum color as well as a perfumed nose of redcurrant and mulberry fruits as well as notes of brambly herbs, woodsmoke, peony, leather, and cedar pencil. It’s aromatic and complex, although certainly not classic Pauillac, and on the palate, it’s medium to full-bodied, with firm, savory, yet quality tannins, good balance, and outstanding length. It warrants 7-8 years of bottle age and will evolve for 30+ years. While the style of the estate has been gradually shifting with the winemaking moving to hand destemming and aging in concrete and amphora, this is the first time where the winemaking seems to dominate the wine, and the quality is unquestionably not at the same level.Jeb Dunnuck | 92 JD

From 0.17 hectares of vine worked by horse and including a large proportion of whole bunch, the 2019 Chambertin Grand Cru has a fragrant bouquet of pure dark cherry, boysenberry, crushed stone and pressed violet aromas. It reminds me of a Clos de la Roche in some ways. The palate is well balanced with fine and quite sturdy tannins. It does not possess the sophistication of the preceding Grands-Echézeaux, but there is good energy on the finish. Very fine. Vinous Media | 91-93 VM(Domaine du Clos Frantin (Nuits St. Georges) - Domaines Albert Bichot Chambertin Grand Cru Red) Here too there is enough wood to mention though not enough to be especially intrusive on the equally good and restrained nose that grudgingly offers up notes of red and dark cherry, sauvage, cool earth and a whiff of game. There is excellent intensity to the dense, powerful and muscular large-scaled flavors that exude an abundance of minerality on the austere, backward and sneaky long finish. This too needs to develop better depth, but the apogee of this wine is so far into the future that more is all but guaranteed to emerge with time. (Drink starting 2039).Burghound | 91-94 BH

Aromas of dried apples, pears and peaches with crushed stones. Fresh flowers, such as lilacs. Full-bodied with layers of fruit and a fresh, creamy palate that continues on for minutes. A refined, precise, and polished Smith. Tight at the end. Needs two or three years to open.James Suckling | 97 JSIn a line of great white wines from this estate, here is a superb vintage. It has all the richness of ripe fruit, but that has been channeled into structure, density as well as intense acidity and freshness. All the signs are this wine will age for a long, long time.Wine Enthusiast | 97 WEThe 2019 Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc is a total stunner. All the elements come together so gracefully. Silky and pliant, the Blanc has terrific depth, but it doesn’t feel at all like a wine from a warm vintage. Orchard fruit, mint, fig, lemon oil and white flowers flesh out in a silky, nuanced Blanc that is captivating and exquisite from the very first taste. The 2019 is simply fabulous. Tasted two times. Terrific.Antonio Galloni | 96 AGOne of my favorite whites from the region is the 2019 Château Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc, which is mostly Sauvignon Blanc blended with a splash of Sauvignon Gris and Semillon. Textbook notes of honeyed lemon, melon, caramelized grapefruit, and orange blossom give way to a medium to full-bodied, ripe, seamless white that brings solid richness as well as a lively, racy quality that keeps you coming back to the glass. Drink this beautiful white over the coming 15-20 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JD(Château Smith Haut Lafitte, Pessac-Léognan, Bordeaux, France, White) Subdued on the first nose but opens up to show the rich, citrus and rosemary-filled grown up glamour that Smith Haut Lafitte’s white does so well. Acidity feels lower than in vintages like 2017 but similar to last year, with an emphasis on slate texture that narrows and focuses the tension through the palate, and suggests this will age well. Tasted twice three weeks apart and gorgeous both times, perhaps a little more developed in terms of its nuances and depth the 2nd time around, giving plenty of confidence to what will happen over the rest of ageing. If you are planning to drink this soon I recommend a good few hours in a carafe first. 3.15pH. (Drink between 2021-2034)Decanter | 96 DECThe 2019 Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc has turned out very well in bottle, reflecting the estate’s volition to craft more structured, age-worthy whites. Offering up aromas of gooseberry, nectarine, mint and lemongrass mingled with hints of pastry cream, almond paste and smoke, it’s full-bodied, satiny and incisive, with a textural attack that segues into a fleshy but promisingly tightly wound mid-palate, concluding with a saline finish. As usual, the blend features a small percentage of Sauvignon Gris, which brings more dry extract to the ensemble.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPCompact but with solid range, as the salted butter, verbena and talc notes work well with lemon pith and curd, white peach and gooseberry flavors. Offers a talc hint that works underneath to extend the finish. Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon and Sauvignon Gris. Drink now through 2028. 2,400 cases made, 250 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

The 2019 Montrose is very clearly one of the wines of the vintage. Rich, inky and towering in concentration, the 2019 possesses off the charts intensity and tons of structure to back it up. Succulent black cherry, plum, tobacco, gravel and licorice infuse the 2019 with striking depth. The 2019 is not quite as opulent as some recent vintages, and that’s a good thing. Readers will find a regal wine that marries elegance with power. Unforgettable. Tasted two times.Antonio Galloni | 100 AGA generous and abundant nose full of fruit and aromatic intensity followed by a gorgeous mouthfeel showcasing fruit density and concentration wrapped up in soft, velvety-smooth tannins. Just so much depth but also refinement here, it feels well made with just the right amount of fruit, toasty spice, tannins, freshness and acidity. The overall structure is gently framing all the elements - big and bold but quietly confident. The tannin impact is also enjoyable giving a feeling of approachability despite the long life ahead. Just superb - one of the best in 2019. A blend of 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot. 12% press wine. 60% new oak. Drinking Window 2029 - 2046.Decanter | 99 DECThe 2019 Montrose has turned out very well in bottle, wafting from the glass with a dramatic, perfumed bouquet of wild berries and cassis mingled with notions of lilac, violets, pencil shavings and warm spices, framed by nicely integrated new oak. Full-bodied, layered and seamless, it’s deep and multidimensional, with lively acids, beautifully refined tannins and a long, resonant finish. Checking in at 14.4% alcohol (rather higher than, for example, the brilliant 2009’s 13.7% or the 2016’s 13.3%), this is an undeniably powerful, ripe Montrose, but for now everything appears to be kept in check.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPThe flagship 2019 Château Montrose is also brilliant, although it’s not going to match the all-time greats from this estate. Gorgeous cassis, graphite, damp earth, cedar pencil, and tobacco are just some of the nuances here, and it’s medium to full-bodied, with a pure, graceful, layered mouthfeel, building tannins, and a great finish. It doesn’t have the overall density or mid-palate of the 2018 or 2016, but it’s flawlessly balanced and just incredibly impressive. Showing more and more tannins with time in the glass, it will need a decade of bottle age and will evolve for 30+ years.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDBlueberries, cracked white and black pepper with dried flowers. Some crushed stone and slate, too. Full-bodied with tannins that grow on the palate and continue on. It’s polished and very fine with lovely length. Drink after 2027.James Suckling | 97 JSLush and lovely, showing a mix of creamed loganberry, plum, boysenberry and mulberry flavors that borders on exotic, but everything stays harnessed by sleek floral and iron notes through the finish. This has ample structure for balance that’s well-embedded in the fruit, making this seemingly approachable now but there’s absolutely no rush. A beauty. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Best from 2023 through 2040. Wine Spectator | 96 WS

A ripe and beautifully layered nose consists of notes of green fruit, citrus, iodine and mineral reduction. The powerful, rich and voluminous big-bodied flavors possess fine mid-palate density that coats the palate with sap before concluding in an austere, long and vaguely rustic finale. This is an imposing Bougros that should age effortlessly over the next decade plus.Burghound | 92-94 BHAromas of aniseed and lemon rind with dried apple and pear follow through to a full body. Yet, it’s tight and layered with a compact palate and plenty of fruit. Needs time to open. Try after 2023.James Suckling | 94 JSThis is not the legendary Côte de Bouguerots bottling, but the regular Bougros – which still stood out alongside its peers. The fruit shows grand cru weight and the sunshine quality of the vintage, juicy but well balanced, while the crystalline purity of the finish sets this wine apart.Jasper Morris | 94 JMAromas of crisp green orchard fruit, clear honey, peach, mint and buttery pastry introduce the 2019 Chablis Grand Cru Bougros, a full-bodied, ample and enveloping wine that’s one of the more textural, dramatic wines in the range. Unusually deep and concentrated, its immediate, charming profile belies considerable aging potential this year.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93+ RPVibrant, this white combines green apple and citrus flavors with an iodide element. This is lean and intense, with a lingering citrus and mineral aftertaste. Drink now through 2027. 70 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 92 WS

A highlight this year is the 2019 Chablis Grand Cru Valmur, a full-bodied, deep and layered wine evocative of citrus oil, clear honey, blanched almonds, beeswax and iodine. Satiny-textured and concentrated, with racy acids and a long, electric finish, it’s another immensely promising wine from Fèvre that should be forgotten in the cellar.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPA classic Chablis nose features notes of pear, green apple, iodine and sea breeze. The dense, serious and overtly powerful big-bodied flavors flash a sleek muscularity on the textured, sappy and youthfully austere finish that exhibits outstandingly length. This bad boy of a Valmur won’t win any awards for refinement but it is beautifully constructed and clearly built-to-age for a very long time.Burghound | 92-95 BHThey have the plot along the road that divides the steep slope from the crest, which plateaus out and gets E/SE/SW exposure. Pale lemon colour, rich sunny nose, chalky undertones. This has the backbone, it has the shoulders, and finishes on classical Chablis, with just an additional touch of all-spice. Back comes the acidity to complete the job. Tasted Jul 2020.Jasper Morris | 92-95 JM

The primacy of the citrus and green apple fruit is dramatic, but there is depth and nuance here as well, not to mention fresh acidity and enough extract to make the finish linger enticingly on the palate. Boillot’s Clos de la Mouchère is a monopole of nearly 4ha in the lieu-dit Les Perrières. The vines are more than 80 years of age, and each section is vinified and matured separately in cask (70% new). This wine has surprising volume, concentration and length – assuredly close to grand cru in quality. Drinking Window 2025 - 2040.Decanter | 96 DECThis is perhaps the most floral-suffused nose in the range with its aromas of essence of pear and plenitude of spice and citrus elements. Once again, the mid-palate mouthfeel of the medium-bodied flavors is absolutely gorgeous, which contrasts noticeably with the cuts-like-a-knife finish that remains ultra-refined, balanced and persistent. This is most impressive, particularly for the remarkably fine volume and power that is delivered with grace and class.Allen Meadows, Burghound | 96 BHClear pale lemon. This has a very high class nose, just a fraction of barrel toast too, very complex, the fruit is notably fresh. What an intensity, lots of fresh plum, good oak helping to whiten the finish. Tension throughout, picked at the right time. The four plots, vinified apart and now assembled, make a very complete wine.Jasper Morris | 95-97 JM

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

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

This is distinctly floral, with peach, lime blossom, citronella and mineral aromas and flavors. Sleek and elegant, offering intensity through the lingering aftertaste of lemon and orchard fruits. Shows terrific length and harmony. Best from 2026 through 2036. 30 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 97 WSA suggestion of the exotic is present on the aromas of citrus confit, white peach, passion fruit and pretty floral nuances. While the larger-scaled flavors possess a bit more size and weight, they’re actually slightly finer, though not denser, than those of the BBM while delivering outstanding length on the bone-dry, youthfully austere and decidedly built-to-age finale that exhibits first-rate length. This is a Ramonet Bâtard of relative finesse though to be sure, it does not lack for punch or potential longevity. I quite like this as it’s stylish and even classy, which isn’t an adjective always applied to Bâtard.Burghound | 96 BH

I continue to absolutely love the wines from this Pomerol château, and their Grand Vin always brings a richness and depth that makes it a joy to drink. Coming from a larger vineyard near Petrus, La Fleur Petrus, and Le Gay, the dense purple hue of the 2020 Château Gazin is followed by a rocking bouquet of ripe black cherries, currants, melted chocolate, roasted herbs, and earth. Full-bodied, deep, opulent, and concentrated, give this gorgeous 2020 4-6 years of bottle age and enjoy over the following 25+.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JDLovely texture to this Pomerol. Fine velvety tannins with plum, walnut and crushed stone character. Savory finish. Needs time to soften. Very classy and structured, yet so refined. 91.6% merlot and 8.4% cabernet sauvignon. Try after 2025.James Suckling | 96 JSThe 2020 Gazin has a very alluring bouquet with pure blackberry, bilberry and pressed flower scents, nicely focused with beautifully integrated new oak. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannins, ripe and tensile, gentle grip with quite a complex, lightly spiced and persistent finish. This is a wonderful Pomerol that has the substance to repay long-term cellaring.Vinous Media | 94 VMSupple and juicy, but still quite tight in terms of texture. A little reserved perhaps, the coiled and muscular mid-palate stops some of the push from the fruit which is really well defined with a crystalline aspect to it. Real purity and freshness, tannins have an appealing grip with a salty, cola, liquorice, dark chocolate and coffee powder edge to them. Lots of nuance and complexity.Decanter | 94 DECThis wine is dark with dense tannins and a solid texture. Along with the richness, there is the potential of massive black fruit weight that will give a wine of power and concentration.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEDeep purple-black colored, the 2020 Gazin rolls effortlessly out of the glass with upfront scents of baked black plums, stewed black cherries and mulberries, plus hints of spice cake, chocolate box and cracked black pepper. The medium to full-bodied palate has a solid backbone of firm, grainy tannins and plenty of freshness supporting the muscular black fruits, finishing savory.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92-94 RP

This is laden with cassis and bilberry - Cabernet dominant, with clearly defined muscles. Juicy and elegant, I love this, it is less approachable now than the Petit Haut de Smith, but hugely enjoyable, and has the precision that is the mark of the good wines in this vintage. A touch of austerity on the finish. 30% new oak.Decanter | 93 DECThis is a tight, more tannic Petit with a medium to full body and linear, racy phenolics. Blackberries, blueberries and some pine needles and stones. 60% cabernet sauvignon and 40% merlot.James Suckling | 93-94 JSComposed of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot, aging in 30% new barriques, the 2020 Le Petit Haut Lafitte has a deep garnet-purple color, rolling out of the glass with alluring scents of blackberry preserves, Black Forest cake and warm cassis, plus wafts of red roses and cinnamon toast with a hint of dried mint. The medium to full-bodied palate delivers plush tannins and soft acidity to support the generous, juicy black fruits, finishing on a lingering minty note.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91-93 RPThe 2020 Le Petit Haut Lafitte checks in as a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot. Blueberries, black cherries, tobacco, and earthy notes all define the bouquet, and it’s medium to full-bodied on the palate and dense, with plenty of richness and building tannins. This is another seriously delicious, satisfying Pessac-Léognan that does everything right.Jeb Dunnuck | 90-92 JD

A focused and savory red with sleek and tight tannins. Very precise. Medium-bodied with fresh herbs, currants, blackberries and oyster shells. Stones and dried flowers, too. Fine finish. Tannins are round and complete. Already approachable. From biodynamically grown grapes. Better after 2025.James Suckling | 95 JSThe 2020 La Lagune has turned out beautifully, offering up aromas of cassis, dark berries, loamy soil and sweet spices, followed by a medium to full-bodied, velvety, layered palate that exhibits excellent depth and concentration structured around powdery tannins, concluding with a perfumed, violet-inflected finish. This is a strong effort and a worthy, somewhat more muscular follow-up to the sensual, charming 2019.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPA generous, richly textured wine, this has density as well as layers of black currant fruits. Its power does not detract from its style and swagger—a wine that will develop well. Organic.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEThe 2020 La Lagune is terrific. Rich, bold and explosive in the glass, the 2020 offers up a wild array of aromas and flavors. Spice, dried red cherry, cedar, tobacco and white pepper abound. More than anything, I very much admire the vibrancy and overall energy here. A whole range of floral and savory accents punctuate the finish.Vinous Media | 93 VMSmoky black fruits, tobacco, gravelly earth, and spicy oak all emerge from the 2020 Château La Lagune, one of the most concentrated, structured Haut-Médocs out there. Medium-bodied on the palate, it has terrific overall balance, building tannins, and a great finish. It needs to be forgotten for 4-5 years and will evolve for two decades or more if well-stored.Jeb Dunnuck | 93 JDThis comes in strong with both grip and attitude. Some austerity that shows through in the abundant tannic frame, but there is a juiciness that runs through the palate, a sense that it is light on its feet. Liquorice, black chocolate and a spiced tomato leaf adds layers, but things close down on the finish. This is certified organic and in biodynamic conversion. A yield of 30hl/ha.Decanter | 93 DEC

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

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

The Grand Vin 2020 Château Léoville Poyferré, which is released in a stylish black bottle commemorating a century for the Cuvelier family, is reminiscent of the 2016 with its powerful, concentrated, yet vibrant and inward style. Pure crème de cassis, melted chocolate, loamy earth, graphite, and some spicy nuances all define the aromatics, and it’s full-bodied, with a stacked mid-palate, nicely integrated oak, ripe tannins, and one hell of a great finish. This is another utterly brilliant wine from this team, which has been producing First Growth quality wines for many years now. The blend of the 2020 is 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Petit Verdot, aged in 80% new barrels, hitting 13.58% natural alcohol and a pH of 3.81. It will benefit from just 5-7 years of bottle age and will evolve for 50 years or more if well stored. Bravo. Tasted multiple times with consistent results.Jeb Dunnuck | 98+ JDThe 2020 Léoville-Poyferré is every bit as impressive as it was from barrel. If anything, it has gained in freshness and vibrancy with élevage. Dark cherry, plum, mocha, graphite and a kiss of French oak are some of the many notes that infuse the 2020 with tons of character. I especially admire its vertical energy and buttoned up personality. In some recent vintages Léoville-Poyferré has been quite showy, but the 2020 also has a more nuanced side that is hugely appealing.Vinous Media | 97 VMSupple and generous with mouthwatering acidity, though really quite tannic at this point which does cover up some of the nuance. I like the texture, the frame and the weight, it’s clean, polished and well worked, not overdone at all, but this has a sense of potent seduction in the flavours, rich blackcurrant, perfumed and scented. Detailed with lots of stony, slate, and wet stone elements giving a wonderful terroir influence. It’s not as immediately charming as the 2019, the tension still prominent, but this will be brilliant in 5-10 years.Decanter | 96 DECThis is really floral on the nose with violets and roses, and some black berries and dark cherries. It’s medium- to full-bodied with firm and polished tannins, and plenty of hazelnut and milk chocolate. Structured, yet so finely textured. So attractive and enticing now but needs three or four years to show what it has. Try after 2026.James Suckling | 96 JSShowy and very hard to resist, this gushes with velvety plum and boysenberry reduction flavors, along with melted black licorice and violet hints along the way. This has a very cold cast iron note buried deeply on the finish, too, to keep it grounded. A very distinctive house style. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Best from 2030 through 2038.Wine Spectator | 95 WSOf course, this impressive classified growth wine is young. But it’s easy to discern its promise. Black fruits and layers of sophisticated tannins are balanced with the wood aging and smoky fruit flavors. This estate in the heart of Saint-Julien has produced a very fine wine, fresh and structured at the same time. Drink from 2026.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEA rich, powerful wine, the 2020 Léoville Poyferré offers up aromas of sweet berries, blueberry liqueur, exotic spices, incense and creamy new oak. Full-bodied, broad and layered, it’s deep and concentrated, its ample core of fruit only partially concealing a hefty payload of sweet, powdery, generously extracted tannin. Poyferré is generally the most flamboyant and demonstrative of the three Léovilles, but in 2020, it’s chunkier, broader shouldered and more brooding than usual.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94+ RP

The 2020 Mouton Rothschild is a striking wine and one that I regretted not purchasing en primeur as soon as it landed in my glass. Offering up complex aromas of minty cassis, pencil shavings, loamy soil, cigar wrapper, espresso roast and violets, it’s medium to full-bodied, broad and layered, with terrific concentrated, beautifully refined tannins and a long, penetrating finish. Checking in at 12.8% alcohol, its incipient complexity, ineffable sense of completeness and exquisite balance mark it out as the purists’ choice among the trio of 2018, 2019 and 2020. In this vintage, the lots that made it into the blend were largely confined to the core gravel terroirs that represent Mouton’s heart, meaning that there’s a little less to go around. This was the first vintage overseen by Mouton’s new technical director, Jean-Emmanuel Danjoy, and he has begun with a flying start.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 100 RPDark fruits on the nose, blackcurrants and cherries with savoury nuances of dark chocolate and tobacco. Fresh and forward on the palate, this hits you square on, still very lean and direct, almost piercing and severe in its intensity and drive, though wonderfully precise: it’s like an arrow. Serious and focussed yet full and layered, the texture is lovely, a slight graininess that lingers but it’s the acidity and the fruit purity that are so excellent - they give such a sense of vibrancy and make this wine so thrilling. You get a feeling of pent-up energy, but after a few minutes the slight density of the ripe fruit comes through, giving some plushness and weight. I love the Cabernet details and the mineral element that leaves the mouth cool and fresh. A well constructed, subtle beauty.Decanter | 100 DECThe purity of blackcurrants, blueberries, creme de cassis, and flowers. Hints of subtle spearmint. Iron. Blood orange. Medium-bodied with a compacted palate, like a cylinder of perfectly ripe fruit and fine tannins. A million layers of tight-grained tannins. It goes on and on. Such freshness and weightlessness to it. Ethereal. New classicism. Modern take on the 1986. 12.79% alcohol. 84% cabernet sauvignon, 13% merlot, 2% cabernet franc and 1% petit verdot. Drink after 2030 but hard to not drink now.James Suckling | 100 JSThe 2020 Mouton Rothschild is very clearly one of the great, great wines of the Left Bank in 2020. All the elements are in perfect balance. A wine of total sensuality and nuance, Mouton is all finesse in 2020, all elegance. An explosion of dark cherry fruit, plum, pomegranate, mint and cinnamon are all amplified. From barrel, the 2020 Mouton hinted at greatness. Today, that greatness is evident. The rich, vibrant finish is a thing of beauty.Vinous Media | 99 VMThis is a massive, impressive wine. Dense tannins and succulent black fruits are the outward manifestation of the hidden power of this concentrated wine. The fruit is opulent, full of possibility. Drink this wine from 2028.Wine Enthusiast | 99 WEThe 2020 Château Mouton Rothschild is in the running for the biggest, baddest, and most concentrated wine in the vintage. Based on 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Petite Verdot brought up in new barrels, this inky hued beast of wine offers up classic Mouton ripe black fruits, scorched earth, tobacco leaf, and freshly sharpened pencil-like aromatics. These carry to a full-bodied, concentrated, tannic, backward 2020 with terrific purity, building, mouth-coating tannins, terrific balance, and one gorgeous finish. Unfortunately, as with many of the top 2020s, this isn’t for those looking for instant gratification, and a decade (or more) of cellaring is advised. This hit 13.1% natural alcohol with a pH of 3.78. It will be a 50-, 60-, 70+-year wine.Jeb Dunnuck | 97+ JD

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 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

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

Pale lemon colour. Very little nose as yet, too early perhaps for a wine of this potential power – which it certainly has on the palate, and very good acidity as well. The immense square of fruit in the mouth doesn’t yet show specific flavours but everything hangs together impressively for what will be an imposing Bâtard. Tasted: November 2021.Jasper Morris | 97-99 JMIt is classic Bâtard, rich and almost honeyed. The wine avoids heaviness, however, and simply tends toward the richer side of the spectrum. This is made from fruit purchased from the Puligny side, most of it from very old vines. It is done in large, double-sized casks to reduce the influence of the wood.Decanter | 94 DECAromas of buttery orchard fruit, citrus zest and stone fruit mingle with hints of white flowers and freshly baked bread to introduce the 2020 Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru (Maison Louis Jadot), a full-bodied, ample and layered wine that’s taut and structured, with racy acids and fine depth at the core. This, too, shows plenty of promise.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93-95 RPHere too there is a subtle application of wood framing the beautifully layered nose of white peach, carnation, citrus confit and a plethora of spice wisps. There is a bit more size, weight and volume to the solid concentrated flavors that brim with dry extract on the palate staining, powerful and impressively persistent finish. This is also quite tightly wound and packed with development potential. (Drink starting 2032)Burghound | 92-95 BHThe 2020 Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru has more attack and penetration compared to the Bienvenue, greater mineralité and terroir expression. The palate is finely balanced with plenty of ripe citrus fruit laced with stem ginger and dried orange rind. Perhaps it just cuts away a little swiftly on the finish, but otherwise this is a decent 2020 white. Closure: DiamVinous Media | 91-93 VM

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