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Search Flickinger Wine Inventory
Inventory updated: Wed, Aug 12, 2026 04:02 PM cst
Your search criteria:
Regions: Bordeaux Red
Vintages: Between 2020 and 2020
| Producer |
Vint. |
Wine |
Price |
Qty |
Order |
| | Bordeaux Red |
| Ch. Angelus |
2020 |
St. Emilion (3x1.5L) 
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$3,031.97 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 98 (3/2023): The flagship from this great estate, the 2020 Château Angelus checks in as 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Franc that spent 22 months in new barrels. It’s darker and more concentrated compared to the 2019, offering beautiful, medium to full-bodied aromas and flavors of redcurrants, black raspberries, sandalwood, spring flowers, and smoked tobacco. With just about flawless balance, it's not the blockbuster style of a decade ago, but it has gorgeous purity, ultra-fine tannins, a round, seamless mouthfeel, and a great, great finish. It's very much in the classic, balanced, structured style of the vintage, and a solid 7-8 years of bottle age are recommended. It will have 30+ years of prime drinking.
WA 98-100 (5/2021): The 2020 Angelus has an opaque purple-black color, pulling you in with a captivating perfume of kirsch, Black Forest cake, ripe plums, violets and molten licorice, followed by wafts of underbrush, raspberry leaves and graphite, plus a hint of clove oil. The medium to full-bodied palate already offers beautiful balance and expression at this nascent stage, featuring bright, crunchy red and black fruits with remarkable energy and tension. Its amazingly plush, silken texture carries all these shimmering flavors to a very long and fragrant finish. This jaw-dropping expression of 2020 is simply stunning.
VM 95-97 (5/2021): The 2020 Angelus was given 30–40 minutes to open. It has a very intense nose of multilayered blackberry, blueberry and wild strawberry scents, crushed violet and hints of iodine. It is quintessential Angelus in many ways, sleek and smooth, harmonious and seductive. Those qualities also come through on the palate. This is framed by fine tannins, the Cabernet components coming through strongly on the midpalate. Quite ferrous in some ways, allspice and subtle minty notes lending complexity toward the finish. It is not quite as persistent as the recently tasted 2018 from bottle, but it comes across a little more chiseled and intellectual. Neal Martin.
JS 98-99 (4/2021): This is wonderfully refined and balanced with such pretty depth. Full-bodied and so polished and pure. Subtle at first, then it takes off and keeps coming. Sophisticated. 60% merlot and 40% cabernet franc. |
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|
2020 |
St. Emilion Hommage a Elisabeth Bouchet
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,721.99 |
6 |
|
| |
|
| Ch. d' Armailhac |
2020 |
Pauillac (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$351.99 |
5 |
|
| |
JD 91+ (3/2023): The 2020 Château D'Armailhac is a blockbuster that's going to reward patience. Based on 59% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Petit Verdot, its inky purple hue is followed by a deep, concentrated, mouth-filling Pauillac offering classic darker currant fruits, notes of graphite and lead pencil, building tannins, and outstanding length. This chewy, tannic, backward wine will need 5-7 years of bottle age and will evolve for two decades.
WA 90-92 (5/2021): Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, the 2020 D'Armailhac strides confidently out of the glass with classic scents of cassis, warm plums and cedar chest, plus wafts of pencil lead, bay leaves and kirsch. The medium-bodied palate has a sturdy frame of chewy tannins and plenty of freshness to support the crunchy black and red fruits, finishing savory. The blend this year is 59% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot, with an alcohol of 13.3%.
VM 92-94 (5/2021): The 2020 d’Armailhac, raised in 50% new oak with a planned 17-month barrel maturation, is a little deeper in color compared to the Clerc Milon. I find more complexity on the nose of blackberry, briar, cedar and pencil box aromas, less extravagant than previous vintages and more terroir-driven, perhaps. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins that have a little more edge than the Clerc Milon, p us there is slightly more mineralite and depth. In particular, the finish is very harmonious and fans out wonderfully. This Château d’Armailhac is a splendid wine in the making, and one of the best examples from the estate that I have tasted out of barrel. Neal Martin. |
|
| Ch. Ausone |
2020 |
St. Emilion (6.0 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$7,196.97 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2020 |
St. Emilion (3x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,606.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Ch. Batailley |
2020 |
Pauillac (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$587.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Ch. La Croix de Beaucaillou |
2020 |
St. Julien (6.0 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$728.97 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 89-91 (5/2021): The 2020 La Croix de Beaucaillou is composed of 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 44% Merlot and 3% Petit Verdot. It has 13.75% alcohol and a pH of 3.78 with an IPT of 91. It is set to age for 12 months in French oak barrels, 60% new. Deep garnet-purple in color, it leaps from the glass with vibrant scents of crushed redcurrants, black raspberries and fresh black berries, plus hints of bay leaves, lavender and damp soil. The medium-bodied palate is full of energetic red and black berry layers with a grainy texture and just enough freshness, finishing with an herbal lift.
JD 92-95 (5/2021): The second wine of the estate is the 2020 La Croix Ducru-Beaucaillou, composed of 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 44% Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot brought up in 60% new French oak. It's a much more concentrated, structured wine offering classic cassis and blackberry fruits intermixed with notes of scorched earth, tobacco, graphite, and chocolate. Playing in the medium to full-bodied end of the spectrum, it has a great mid-palate as well as the vintage's rich, deep, powerful style. It's going to have some up-front appeal given its balance as well as the quality of the tannins, but this is a serious wine for reserving 2-4 years in the cellar, and it should easily have 15-20 years of prime drinking.
JS 94-95 (4/2021): This is really serious. It’s full-bodied, tight and linear with fantastic length. Racy, so fine and intense. Very fine tannins. One of the best Croix Ducru. 53% cabernet sauvignon, 44% merlot, and 3% petit verdot. |
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|
2020 |
St. Julien (12x375ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$437.97 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 89-91 (5/2021): The 2020 La Croix de Beaucaillou is composed of 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 44% Merlot and 3% Petit Verdot. It has 13.75% alcohol and a pH of 3.78 with an IPT of 91. It is set to age for 12 months in French oak barrels, 60% new. Deep garnet-purple in color, it leaps from the glass with vibrant scents of crushed redcurrants, black raspberries and fresh black berries, plus hints of bay leaves, lavender and damp soil. The medium-bodied palate is full of energetic red and black berry layers with a grainy texture and just enough freshness, finishing with an herbal lift.
JD 92-95 (5/2021): The second wine of the estate is the 2020 La Croix Ducru-Beaucaillou, composed of 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 44% Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot brought up in 60% new French oak. It's a much more concentrated, structured wine offering classic cassis and blackberry fruits intermixed with notes of scorched earth, tobacco, graphite, and chocolate. Playing in the medium to full-bodied end of the spectrum, it has a great mid-palate as well as the vintage's rich, deep, powerful style. It's going to have some up-front appeal given its balance as well as the quality of the tannins, but this is a serious wine for reserving 2-4 years in the cellar, and it should easily have 15-20 years of prime drinking.
JS 94-95 (4/2021): This is really serious. It’s full-bodied, tight and linear with fantastic length. Racy, so fine and intense. Very fine tannins. One of the best Croix Ducru. 53% cabernet sauvignon, 44% merlot, and 3% petit verdot. |
|
| Ch. Beaumont |
2020 |
Haut-Medoc (24x375ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$357.98 |
7 |
|
| |
WA 87-89 (5/2021): Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, the 2020 Beaumont opens with expressive notions of baked red cherries, mulberries and redcurrant jelly, plus hints of dried mint, pencil shavings and charcoal. The medium-bodied palate delivers a good amount of crunchy red fruits with soft tannins and just enough freshness, finishing with an herbal lift.
JS 92-93 (4/2021): A linear and polished young red with compact, silky tannins that are polished and beautiful. Lots of blackberry, blackcurrant, mushroom and spice character. Very solid wine from here. |
|
| Ch. Belgrave |
2020 |
Haut Medoc (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$499.99 |
14 |
|
| |
|
| Ch. Bellefont Belcier |
2020 |
St. Emilion (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$333.99 |
10 |
|
| |
JD 98 (3/2023): The finest wine I've tasted from this estate, the 2020 Château Bellefont-Belcier is an incredibly gorgeous blend of 70% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. Deep ruby/purple-hued, it offers a great nose of cassis, ripe black cherries, camphor, dried flowers, cedar, and forest floor. Bringing gorgeous richness, it nevertheless stays flawlessly balanced, with ultra-fine tannins and a great finish. The purity of fruit here is just about off the charts. While it already offers pleasure, it's going to benefit from short-term cellaring and have 20-25 years of prime drinking. This estate uses a five-day cold soak and fermentation, all in concrete, spanning 25 days. Malolactic fermentation occurs in barrel (four months on lees), and the wine spends 18 months in 30% new French oak, with the balance in once- and twice-used barrels. Yields in 2020 were also reasonable at 34 hectoliters per hectare.
JS 97 (2/2023): Fascinating aromas of plums, pelaches, lavender, violets, and other flowers. Hints of fresh herbs, too. So complex. Full-bodied yet so elegant and polished with a curated and focused palate. Hints of chocolate at the end. It's so subtle and complex. Weightless on the palate. About 30% was aged in 30 hectoliter casks. 72% merlot, 18% cabernet franc and 10% cabernet sauvignon
WA 94+ (4/2023): The 2020 Bellefont Belcier is a terrific follow up to the excellent 2019. Wafting from the glass with aromas of dark berries, licorice, bay leaf and spices, it's medium to full-bodied, seamless and refined, with lovely depth at the core, vibrant acids and a long, chalky finish. It's great to see one of Saint-Émilion's sleeping giants awakening.
VM 94 (2/2023): The 2020 Bellefont-Belcier signals a major move away from the potent, brooding style of years past towards an expression of this site that seeks greater finesse. That is immediately apparent in the wine's feel and tannin profile. Dark plum, lavender, espresso, menthol, licorice and spice are all laced together. I would give the 2020 a few years to soften. It is super-promising, that much is clear. Antonio Galloni. |
|
| Ch. Bellegrave |
2020 |
Pomerol (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$328.99 |
16 |
|
| |
|
| Ch. Bellevue |
2020 |
St. Emilion |
$59 |
1 |
|
| |
| JD 94 (6/2025): An incredible showing, the 2020 Château Bellevue is still youthfully ruby/plum-hued and has a classic Saint-Emilion nose of ripe red and black fruits, white truffles, loamy earth, and smoky, tobacco-like nuances. It's beautifully textured, medium to full-bodied, has a great mid-palate, and ripe yet mostly resolved tannins. It's drinking at point, yet it's not tired in the least and should have another decade or more of prime drinking. Drink 2025-2040. |
|
| Ch. Beychevelle |
2020 |
St. Julien (6.0 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$946.99 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 97 (3/2023): The Grand Vin 2020 Château Beychevelle is a tiny selection representing just 55% of the total production of the estate. The blend is 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot, and 4% Petit Verdot which spent 18 months in 70% new French oak, hitting 13.5% natural alcohol. Surpassing both the 2016 and 2018, this inky-hued Saint-Julien offers a round, lush, full-bodied style as well as gorgeous aromatics of black cherries, blueberries, loamy earth, chocolate, and spring flowers. The vintage doesn't get any sexier, and this has sweet tannins, an opulent mouthfeel, and riveting purity and finesse. While it already offers pleasure, it's going to benefit from 4-6 years of bottle age and keep for 25+.
VM 96 (2/2023): The 2020 Beychevelle is a wild, exotic beauty. Blackberry jam, gravel, crushed rocks menthol and espresso ristretto give Beychevelle its flamboyant personality. All the elements are so well balanced in this full-throttle, hugely enjoyable Saint-Julien. The 2020 is lights out. Antonio Galloni.
JS 94 (12/2022): A very polished and refined 2020 with a medium body, integrated tannins and a pretty texture. Nice currant, light chocolate and cedar undertones. Fresh finish. Drink after 2026.
WA 94-96 (5/2021): Deep 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. |
|
|
2020 |
St. Julien (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$692.99 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 97 (3/2023): The Grand Vin 2020 Château Beychevelle is a tiny selection representing just 55% of the total production of the estate. The blend is 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot, and 4% Petit Verdot which spent 18 months in 70% new French oak, hitting 13.5% natural alcohol. Surpassing both the 2016 and 2018, this inky-hued Saint-Julien offers a round, lush, full-bodied style as well as gorgeous aromatics of black cherries, blueberries, loamy earth, chocolate, and spring flowers. The vintage doesn't get any sexier, and this has sweet tannins, an opulent mouthfeel, and riveting purity and finesse. While it already offers pleasure, it's going to benefit from 4-6 years of bottle age and keep for 25+.
VM 96 (2/2023): The 2020 Beychevelle is a wild, exotic beauty. Blackberry jam, gravel, crushed rocks menthol and espresso ristretto give Beychevelle its flamboyant personality. All the elements are so well balanced in this full-throttle, hugely enjoyable Saint-Julien. The 2020 is lights out. Antonio Galloni.
JS 94 (12/2022): A very polished and refined 2020 with a medium body, integrated tannins and a pretty texture. Nice currant, light chocolate and cedar undertones. Fresh finish. Drink after 2026.
WA 94-96 (5/2021): Deep 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. |
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|
2020 |
St. Julien (3x1.5L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$848.97 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 97 (3/2023): The Grand Vin 2020 Château Beychevelle is a tiny selection representing just 55% of the total production of the estate. The blend is 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot, and 4% Petit Verdot which spent 18 months in 70% new French oak, hitting 13.5% natural alcohol. Surpassing both the 2016 and 2018, this inky-hued Saint-Julien offers a round, lush, full-bodied style as well as gorgeous aromatics of black cherries, blueberries, loamy earth, chocolate, and spring flowers. The vintage doesn't get any sexier, and this has sweet tannins, an opulent mouthfeel, and riveting purity and finesse. While it already offers pleasure, it's going to benefit from 4-6 years of bottle age and keep for 25+.
VM 96 (2/2023): The 2020 Beychevelle is a wild, exotic beauty. Blackberry jam, gravel, crushed rocks menthol and espresso ristretto give Beychevelle its flamboyant personality. All the elements are so well balanced in this full-throttle, hugely enjoyable Saint-Julien. The 2020 is lights out. Antonio Galloni.
JS 94 (12/2022): A very polished and refined 2020 with a medium body, integrated tannins and a pretty texture. Nice currant, light chocolate and cedar undertones. Fresh finish. Drink after 2026.
WA 94-96 (5/2021): Deep 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. |
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| Ch. Boyd-Cantenac |
2020 |
Margaux |
$49 |
60 |
|
| |
| JA 95 (11/2025): Inky purple in colour with a fist of toasted oak on the aromatics, but here it is skilfully coupled with a punch of cassis and blueberry fruits, and a lift of violet flowers, and creamy smoked caramel. It's exceptionally good, for me the best of the lineup, with clear precision on show. One to look out for, easy to recommend. 80% new oak. Lucien Guillemet owner and winemaker. No external consultant. |
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| Ch. Branaire-Ducru |
2020 |
St. Julien (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$659.99 |
1 |
|
| |
| JD 93+ (3/2023): Showing beautifully, the deeper purple/ruby-hued 2020 Château Branaire-Ducru offers a deep, masculine bouquet of blackcurrants, plums, smoked tobacco, and iron. This carries to a medium to full-bodied, concentrated, nicely balanced Saint-Julien with plenty of mid-palate depth, ripe, integrated tannins, and a great finish. Give bottles 4-5 years and enjoy over the following two decades or more. |
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|
2020 |
St. Julien (3x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$199.97 |
1 |
|
| |
| JD 93+ (3/2023): Showing beautifully, the deeper purple/ruby-hued 2020 Château Branaire-Ducru offers a deep, masculine bouquet of blackcurrants, plums, smoked tobacco, and iron. This carries to a medium to full-bodied, concentrated, nicely balanced Saint-Julien with plenty of mid-palate depth, ripe, integrated tannins, and a great finish. Give bottles 4-5 years and enjoy over the following two decades or more. |
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| Baron de Brane |
2020 |
Margaux (24x375ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$494.98 |
5 |
|
| |
|
| Ch. Brane-Cantenac |
2020 |
Margaux (3.0 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$318.99 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 97 (3/2023): This estate has been on a roll, and their 2020 Château Brane-Cantenac is another brilliant wine that readers will love. Largely in the mold of the 2019, it has a deep purple hue as well as an incredible bouquet of blackcurrants, black cherries, freshly sharpened pencils, tobacco, and flowers. This medium to full-bodied, richly textured, concentrated, yet remarkably elegant 2020 has the vintage's fresher, focused, elegant profile but still brings plenty of flesh and opulence. Beautifully done, it’s going to evolve for a solid 30 years in cold cellars and offer incredible pleasure all its life.
VM 96 (2/2023): The 2020 Brane-Cantenac screams with Cabernet Sauvignon character, concentrated by the natural richness of the year. Super-ripe dark blue/black fruit, blueberry jam, crème de cassis, lavender, sage and menthol meld together, giving the Brane-Cantenac an exotic quality that is impossible to miss. The oak imprint remains quite present, but at the same time, it is well balanced. Time in the glass brings out a whole range of floral and savory notes that add character and a feeling of updated classicism. Yields were 31 hectoliters per hectare as opposed to the more typical 40 or so. Antonio Galloni. |
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| Ch. Cantemerle |
2020 |
Haut Medoc (6x1.5L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$482.97 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 88-90 (5/2021): Deep purple-black in color, the 2020 Cantemerle reveals a great intensity and purity of blackcurrant cordial, stewed plums and black raspberry scents, plus hints of dried Provence herbs, Indian spices and woodsmoke. The medium-bodied palate delivers approachable chewy tannins and just enough freshness to support the savory-laced black fruit flavors, finishing with an herbal lift.
JS 93-94 (4/2021): Lots or richness and fruit for this winery, showing blackberry, blackcurrant and dark-chocolate character. It’s full and layered. Well done. |
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| Ch. Cantenac-Brown |
2020 |
Margaux (6x1.5L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$795.97 |
1 |
|
| |
VM 97 (2/2023): The 2020 Cantenac Brown is a knock-out. A Margaux of towering intensity, the 2020 is dense and vertical at the same time. It’s a combination that works so well. Dark cherry, plum, chocolate, new leather, licorice and cloves all saturate the palate. There's real depth and concentration here from the summer heat and small size of the berries, but at the same time the 2020 has more freshness and energy than some recent years. There have been quite a few changes here in recent years, starting with a new parcel on the Margaux plateau that entered the blend in 2019 and move towards lower toast levels in the barrels. Cantenac Brown remains a potent, opulent Margaux, but 2020 has a measure of classicism as well. Superb. Antonio Galloni.
JD 96 (3/2023): The 2020 Château Cantenac Brown showed beautifully and is a serious, concentrated, powerful Margaux that's going to need bottle age. Ripe blackcurrants, toasty oak, ripe tobacco, and dried flower notes all define the aromatics, and it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, a layered, balanced mouthfeel, beautiful tannins, and a great finish. It shows the more focused, slightly understated style of the vintage, yet everything is in the right place, it has terrific purity, and it’s just a brilliant Margaux. I followed this bottle for multiple days, and it never put a foot wrong. It will hit its prime drinking window in 7-8 years and evolve for two decades.
JS 95 (12/2022): Plenty of blackberry, spice, iron and crushed lead pencil aromas follow through to a full body with chewy, velvety tannins and a rather cool side to it. Crushed stone and slate undertones. Try after 2026. |
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| Ch. Capbern |
2020 |
St. Estephe (24x375ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$494.98 |
6 |
|
| |
|
| Ch. Les Carmes Haut Brion |
2020 |
Pessac Leognan (3x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$444.97 |
8 |
|
| |
VM 100 (2/2023): The 2020 Les Carmes Haut-Brion is a total stunner. For the first time I can remember, Les Carmes Haut-Brion marries all of its elements so well that nothing stands out. In the past, the high percentage of Franc and/or the whole clusters were evident. The 2020 is the first modern vintage in which all the elements are so well balanced. Dark red/purplish fruit, rose petal, mint, lavender, dried herbs and incense all build in a ravishing Pessac-Léognan that will take your breath away. Antonio Galloni.
JS 97-98 (4/2021):  Exotic fruit aromas of blackberry, blueberry, peach and orange peel. It’s full-bodied with a vertical flow of layered, chewy tannins that are integrated and intense. Extremely polished and focused. Crushed stone to the fruit in the aftertaste. Some bark and forest flowers, too. Great potential.
JD 96-98 (5/2021): On another level, the flagship 2020 Château Les Carmes Haut-Brion is one heck of a dense, backward, concentrated wine that’s going to require bottle age. Coming in with the same technical analysis (acidity and alcohol) as the 2018, this full-bodied beauty offers a thrilling nose of blackcurrants, smoked tobacco, charcoal, and gravelly earth. Full-bodied on the palate, with a terrific mid-palate and wonderful purity, it holds things close to its vest yet has flawless balance, impeccable purity, and just a great, lengthy finish. Nevertheless, this is one big bruiser of a wine that’s going to demand bottle age. Do your best to hide bottles for 7-8 years, count yourself lucky, and enjoy over the following three to four decades.
WA 95-97+ (5/2021): Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2020 Les Carmes Haut-Brion issues forth a beguiling array of savory scents—black olives, charcuterie, bouquet garni and Sichuan pepper—over a core of bright redcurrant jelly, black cherries and cassis scents, plus fragrant hints of rose petals and preserved mandarin peel. The medium-bodied palate is refreshing and elegantly styled yet with a rock-solid backbone of firm, finely grained tannins and bags of freshness, finishing long and perfumed. This is a stunning expression of the vintage that should be long lived and age with fantastic grace. |
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| Ch. Chasse Spleen |
2020 |
Moulis (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$278.98 |
36 |
|
| |
| JS 94-95 (4/2021): A beautifully constructed young Bordeaux with blackberry, walnut, nutmeg, dried herb and bark. Full-bodied with round, creamy tannins and a flavorful finish. |
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| Ch. Cheval-Blanc |
2020 |
St. Emilion (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$3,008.97 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 100 (3/2023): The Grand Vin 2020 Château Cheval Blanc checks in as a blend of 65% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon that was raised, as always, in 100% new French oak. As usual with Cheval Blanc, it's primarily about finesse and elegance, as well as complexity, and exhibits a deep purple hue as well as a kaleidoscopic bouquet of sweet red and black fruits, spring flowers, spicy incense, loamy earth, and smoke tobacco. Absolutely flawless on the palate, it's full-bodied, has perfectly integrated oak, ripe, silky tannins, and a gorgeous finish that keeps you coming back to the glass. This powerful, concentrated Cheval Blanc offers pleasure even today but warrants 7-8 years of bottle age and will see its 40th birthday in fine form.
VM 99 (2/2023): The 2020 Cheval Blanc is eternal, seamless and exceptionally beautiful. All the elements are so well put together. Rose petal, blood orange, raspberry jam and cinnamon all take shape in the glass. Above all else, the 2020 Cheval Blanc is a wine of mind-blowing balance. Hints of mocha, raspberry jam, pomegranate and spice emerge with time in the glass. Cheval is quite simply one of the truly great wines of the vintage. Antonio Galloni.
JA 99 (5/2021): Spice, anis, rosemary, blackcurrant leaf, redcurrants, mint and peonies - the full array of aromatics are on display here, and there is an enveloping aspect to the fruit once you get to the body of the wine. The tannins are compact and powerful but they are wrapped in plump raspberry and blackberry brambled fruits. The wine feels full of life, with acidity that pulls the palate forward from the first moment, before austerity kicks in on the finish and closes things in, suggesting an extremely long life ahead. Hard to argue with this. 71% of overall production. The driest year at Cheval Blanc for 50 years (since 1959). Could go up after tasting in bottle, a potential 100 points.
WA 96 (4/2023): The 2020 Cheval Blanc wafts from the glass with aromas of mulberries, plums and cherries mingled with hints of rose petals, licorice, sweet spices and lilac. Full-bodied, broad and voluptuous, it's layered and fleshy, with a ripe core of fruit, sweet tannins and a long, expansive finish. While purists will gravitate toward the purer and more precise and perfumed 2019, the 2020 will appeal to readers who love the richest, most powerful expressions of Cheval Blanc. |
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|
2020 |
St. Emilion (6X750ML) 6-Bottle OWC |
$3,500 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 100 (3/2023): The Grand Vin 2020 Château Cheval Blanc checks in as a blend of 65% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon that was raised, as always, in 100% new French oak. As usual with Cheval Blanc, it's primarily about finesse and elegance, as well as complexity, and exhibits a deep purple hue as well as a kaleidoscopic bouquet of sweet red and black fruits, spring flowers, spicy incense, loamy earth, and smoke tobacco. Absolutely flawless on the palate, it's full-bodied, has perfectly integrated oak, ripe, silky tannins, and a gorgeous finish that keeps you coming back to the glass. This powerful, concentrated Cheval Blanc offers pleasure even today but warrants 7-8 years of bottle age and will see its 40th birthday in fine form.
VM 99 (2/2023): The 2020 Cheval Blanc is eternal, seamless and exceptionally beautiful. All the elements are so well put together. Rose petal, blood orange, raspberry jam and cinnamon all take shape in the glass. Above all else, the 2020 Cheval Blanc is a wine of mind-blowing balance. Hints of mocha, raspberry jam, pomegranate and spice emerge with time in the glass. Cheval is quite simply one of the truly great wines of the vintage. Antonio Galloni.
JA 99 (5/2021): Spice, anis, rosemary, blackcurrant leaf, redcurrants, mint and peonies - the full array of aromatics are on display here, and there is an enveloping aspect to the fruit once you get to the body of the wine. The tannins are compact and powerful but they are wrapped in plump raspberry and blackberry brambled fruits. The wine feels full of life, with acidity that pulls the palate forward from the first moment, before austerity kicks in on the finish and closes things in, suggesting an extremely long life ahead. Hard to argue with this. 71% of overall production. The driest year at Cheval Blanc for 50 years (since 1959). Could go up after tasting in bottle, a potential 100 points.
WA 96 (4/2023): The 2020 Cheval Blanc wafts from the glass with aromas of mulberries, plums and cherries mingled with hints of rose petals, licorice, sweet spices and lilac. Full-bodied, broad and voluptuous, it's layered and fleshy, with a ripe core of fruit, sweet tannins and a long, expansive finish. While purists will gravitate toward the purer and more precise and perfumed 2019, the 2020 will appeal to readers who love the richest, most powerful expressions of Cheval Blanc. |
|
| Domaine de Chevalier |
2020 |
Pessac Leognan (6.0 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$779.98 |
2 |
|
| |
JD 98+ (3/2023): The Grand Vin 2020 Domaine De Chevalier ratchets everything up another notch and will be one of the legendary wines from this address. Notes of pure cassis, graphite, lead pencil, and scorched earth define its incredible aromatics, and it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, ultra-fine tannins, no hard edges, and a great, great finish. This is pure, classic, regal Pessac-Léognan is as good as anything in the vintage. Give bottles 4-6 years and it will evolve for 50, 60, 70+ years. I absolutely love this wine. The blend is 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot, and the rest Cabernet Franc.
VM 96 (2/2023): The 2020 Domaine de Chevalier is brilliant. Bright, poised and wonderfully pure, the 2020 Domaine de Chevalier marries the radiance of the year with tremendous freshness. Red cherry fruit, blood orange, mint, star anise and cinnamon all meld together. The 2020 is a wine built on aromatic presence and persistence, more so than heft, with all the elements very nicely balanced. What a wine! Tasted two times. Antonio Galloni.
WA 95-97+ (5/2021): Medium to deep garnet-purple in color, the 2020 Domaine de Chevalier comes skipping out of the glass with energetic scents of ripe red and black currants, fresh blackberries and boysenberries, plus nuances of wild sage, cloves and cedar with a waft of lavender. The medium to full-bodied palate surprises and delights with an unexpected richness and depth that remains locked away on the nose, revealing layers of fragrant earth and floral notions framed by fantastic freshness and firm, finely grained tannins, finishing with the most gorgeous, long-lingering perfume.
JS 96-97 (4/2021): Iron, black mushroom and dark berry with some burnt orange peel. Flowers, too. It’s full-bodied with round tannins that turn linear and tight at the end. Excellent energy. Brightness and purity. |
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|
2020 |
Pessac Leognan (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$800.98 |
3 |
|
| |
JD 98+ (3/2023): The Grand Vin 2020 Domaine De Chevalier ratchets everything up another notch and will be one of the legendary wines from this address. Notes of pure cassis, graphite, lead pencil, and scorched earth define its incredible aromatics, and it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, ultra-fine tannins, no hard edges, and a great, great finish. This is pure, classic, regal Pessac-Léognan is as good as anything in the vintage. Give bottles 4-6 years and it will evolve for 50, 60, 70+ years. I absolutely love this wine. The blend is 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot, and the rest Cabernet Franc.
VM 96 (2/2023): The 2020 Domaine de Chevalier is brilliant. Bright, poised and wonderfully pure, the 2020 Domaine de Chevalier marries the radiance of the year with tremendous freshness. Red cherry fruit, blood orange, mint, star anise and cinnamon all meld together. The 2020 is a wine built on aromatic presence and persistence, more so than heft, with all the elements very nicely balanced. What a wine! Tasted two times. Antonio Galloni.
WA 95-97+ (5/2021): Medium to deep garnet-purple in color, the 2020 Domaine de Chevalier comes skipping out of the glass with energetic scents of ripe red and black currants, fresh blackberries and boysenberries, plus nuances of wild sage, cloves and cedar with a waft of lavender. The medium to full-bodied palate surprises and delights with an unexpected richness and depth that remains locked away on the nose, revealing layers of fragrant earth and floral notions framed by fantastic freshness and firm, finely grained tannins, finishing with the most gorgeous, long-lingering perfume.
JS 96-97 (4/2021): Iron, black mushroom and dark berry with some burnt orange peel. Flowers, too. It’s full-bodied with round tannins that turn linear and tight at the end. Excellent energy. Brightness and purity. |
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| Esprit de Chevalier |
2020 |
Pessac Leognan ex-Negociant |
$28.99 |
26 |
|
| |
VM 92 (11/2024): The 2020 L'Esprit de Chevalier has a tad too much wood influence on the nose, but there is sufficient fruit to absorb it. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins, fleshy, lively and detailed, with a dash of white pepper toward the finish. This is another delicious, classically styled Pessac-Léognan. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting. (Drink between 2026-2042). Neal Martin.
JD 91 (3/2023): The 2020 L'Esprit De Chevalier is more restrained aromatically, yet has outstanding purity in its red and black fruits as well as notes of dried herbs, tobacco, chocolate, and damp earth. It's a medium-bodied, elegant, balanced, and certainly delicious second wine that will benefit from just a year or two of bottle age and shine for a decade. (Drink between 2023-2033)
WA 90 (4/2023): Fleshy and demonstrative, the 2020 L'Esprit de Chevalier bursts with aromas of sweet berries, plums and petals. Medium to full-bodied, rich and layered, with polished tannins and an expansive finish, it will drink well young. |
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|
2020 |
Pessac Leognan (6x1.5L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$446.98 |
1 |
|
| |
VM 92 (11/2024): The 2020 L'Esprit de Chevalier has a tad too much wood influence on the nose, but there is sufficient fruit to absorb it. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins, fleshy, lively and detailed, with a dash of white pepper toward the finish. This is another delicious, classically styled Pessac-Léognan. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting. (Drink between 2026-2042). Neal Martin.
JD 91 (3/2023): The 2020 L'Esprit De Chevalier is more restrained aromatically, yet has outstanding purity in its red and black fruits as well as notes of dried herbs, tobacco, chocolate, and damp earth. It's a medium-bodied, elegant, balanced, and certainly delicious second wine that will benefit from just a year or two of bottle age and shine for a decade. (Drink between 2023-2033)
WA 90 (4/2023): Fleshy and demonstrative, the 2020 L'Esprit de Chevalier bursts with aromas of sweet berries, plums and petals. Medium to full-bodied, rich and layered, with polished tannins and an expansive finish, it will drink well young. |
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| Ch. Clinet |
2020 |
Pomerol (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$517.99 |
1 |
|
| |
JS 98 (12/2022): What a beautiful young wine, showing so much finesse and tension, with ultra-fine tannins and subtle and long flavors and character. It’s medium-bodied with extremely silky tannins that grow on the palate to a seamless finish. Harmonious. Another fine Pomerol for the cellar. Drink after 2027.
VM 95 (2/2023): The 2020 Clinet is hugely impressive, as it was from barrel. Dark and imposing, with notable vibrancy, the 2020 offers up an exotic mélange of black cherry, gravel, incense, plum, game and licorice. I would give this a few years in bottle, as the tannins are pretty imposing. Cabernet Sauvignon is so distinctive here. Antonio Galloni.
JD 96-98+ (5/2021): I continue to love the wines from this estate, and the 2020 Château Clinet is no exception. Straight-up sensational notes of blueberries, cassis, violets, tobacco, and earth all emerge from the glass, and this beauty is full-bodied, with a rich, concentrated mid-palate, flawless balance, and a great finish. It shows the tighter, fresher, more focused style of the vintage, yet it still brings plenty of mid-palate depth as well as an expansive texture. It has enough oak to warrant short-term bottle age but will have 25-30 years of overall longevity. This is a gorgeous wine.
WA 96-98 (5/2021): The 2020 Clinet (a blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon) has an opaque purple-black color, needing a little coaxing to unleash bold, powerful notes of plum preserves, blueberry compote and black raspberries, followed by suggestions of cracked black pepper, menthol, cedar chest and rose oil with a hint of licorice. The big, rich, full-bodied palate is a powerhouse, bursting with impactful black and blue fruit preserves flavors, supported by ripe, rounded tannins and seamless freshness, finishing very long and fantastically perfumed. |
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| Ch. Clos Beausejour |
2020 |
Pomerol |
$150 |
3 |
|
| |
| JD 90 (3/2023): The deep ruby/purple-hued 2020 Château Clos Beausejour has lots of up-front vanilla oak that gives way to more caramelized cherry, strawberry, and blueberry fruits as well as notes of spice, candied violets, and flowers. The rock-solid palate is medium-bodied, with a supple, elegant profile, fine tannins, and terrific length on the finish. An attractive, elegant wine, it will benefit from 4-5 years of bottle age and evolve gracefully for a decade. (Drink between 2027-2037). |
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| La Commanderie |
2020 |
St. Emilion |
$31 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 92 (3/2023): Rock-solid aromatics of red and black fruits, spice, flowers, and subtle background oak all emerge from the 2020 Château La Commanderie, a medium to full-bodied, beautifully balanced, elegant Saint-Emilion that has ripe tannins and a great finish. A complete, incredibly satisfying, impressive 2020 to enjoy over the coming 10-15 years, it's easily the finest wine I've tasted from this château. (Drink between 2023-2038).
VM 90 (2/2023): The 2020 La Commanderie is packed with black fruit, cloves, licorice, menthol and chocolate. Although not especially complex, the 2020 is succulent and easy to like. It will drink well right out of the gate. (Drink between 2023-2030). Antonio Galloni. |
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| Ch. Conseillante |
2020 |
Pomerol (3.0 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,269.98 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2020 |
Pomerol (6.0 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$2,343.98 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Ch. Cos d'Estournel |
2020 |
St. Estephe (3.0 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$710.99 |
4 |
|
| |
WA 96-98 (5/2021): The 2020 Cos d'Estournel is composed of 62% Cabernet Sauvignon and 38% Merlot. The harvest took place September 10–24 with a yield of 39 hectoliters per hectare. The alcohol weighs in at 13.46% with a pH of 3.9 and an IPT (total phenolic index) of 80. It is being aged in French oak barrels, 55% new. Deep purple-black in color, it pops with explosive scents of ripe red and black currants, black cherry preserves and black raspberries, followed by sparks of violets, wild sage, pencil lead and clove oil, with emerging hints of iron ore and damp soil. The medium-bodied palate has amazing elegance and grace contrasted by jaw-dropping energy, featuring a firm frame of finely grained tannins and just enough freshness, finishing with a whole firework display of mineral nuances. I love the way this Cos d'Estournel shimmies and shines—a unique vintage signature expressed so beautifully at this estate!
VM 95-97 (5/2021): The 2020 Cos d’Estournel is a very different proposition to the Les Pagodes, more so than in other years. Much more intense on the nose of intense black fruit, it is beautifully defined, with enticing scents of blackberry, Dorset plum and topnotes of blueberry and briar. After 30 minutes in the glass, it develops more Saint-Estèphe-like traits: freshly tilled soil, cigar box and touches of warm gravel. There is an openness to these inviting aromatics. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins (so different from the "iron girders" of yore). There is freshness and a sense of light in this Cos d’Estournel, though the backbone remains in situ on the cedar and mint finish (a nod to neighboring Pauillac, perhaps), then a lingering marine/seaweed note on the aftertaste. This is a finely crafted, very succinct Cos d’Estournel that may well be hiding something up its sleeve for after bottling, and I suspect it will gain more spine during its barrel aging. Neal Martin.
JD 95-97+ (5/2021): The Grand Vin 2020 Château Cos D'Estournel is based on 62% Cabernet Sauvignon and 38% Merlot that was brought up in 55% new French oak. An inky-hued, concentrated, yet flawlessly balanced wine, it has gorgeous cassis and dark currant fruits, medium to full-bodied richness, ripe, building tannins, and just a wonderful sense of purity and elegance backed up by ample concentration. It stays tight, focused, and seamless, and is a brilliant example of the vintage. The 2020 hit 13.4% natural alcohol with a pH of 3.9 and an IPT of 80.
JS 97-98 (4/2021): This is a very refined, polished Cos with superb finesse and length. Medium-to full-bodied, very fine and persistent. Really long with beautiful tannins. Rich, but fresh and linear. Yet, the alcohol is around 13.5%. 62% cabernet and 38% merlot |
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| Ch. Croix de Labrie |
2020 |
St. Emilion |
$94 |
1 |
|
| |
VM 91-93 (5/2021): The 2020 Croix de Labrie has an intense bouquet of blueberry, cassis and light violet aromas, showing a little more delineation compared to the 2018 that I recently re-tasted. The palate is medium-bodied with a satin-like texture, very plush but not exotic thanks to the counterbalancing acidity. This is a little spicier than previous vintages and it shows commendable harmony on the finish. One of the best vintages I have tasted in recent years. Neal Martin.
JD 95-97 (5/2021): Wow. Awesome crème de cassis and black raspberry fruits as well as classic Saint-Emilion chalky minerality and floral notes emerge from the 2020 Château Croix De Labrie, and it's medium to full-bodied, with stunning purity, ripe, building tannins, and a great finish. It's slightly more vibrant and fresher than the 2018, yet is certainly in the same ballpark, if not better, qualitatively. This gem will be well worth seeking out.
JS 98-99 (4/2021): The focus and texture of this wine is really something. It’s totally transparent with blackberries, blueberries, earth, stone and mushrooms. Flowers too. Full-bodied with firm tannins that give super form and length to this. Freshness. Almost all merlot with a tiny dash of cabernet franc and cabernet sauvignon. Perhaps the best ever? Certainly at the same level as the 2019. About 14,000 bottles made. |
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| Ch. La Croizille |
2020 |
St. Emilion |
$80 |
1 |
|
| |
VM 93 (2/2023): The 2020 La Croizille is a very pretty and expressive Saint-Émilion. Open and expressive in its aromatics, the 2020 opens beautifully in the glass. Scents of tobacco, cedar, menthol, licorice, dried flowers and mint open first. Pliant and nicely layered, this mid-weight Saint-Émilion offers a very attractive combination of ripe, dark fruit and energy. (Drink between 2023-2030). Antonio Galloni.
JD 89 (3/2023): Red plums, flowery incense, spice, and chocolate notes all emerge from the 2020 Château La Croizille, a more medium-bodied, straightforward effort that has good fruit, some firmer tannins, and a good finish. |
|
| Ch. Les Cruzelles |
2020 |
Lalande de Pomerol (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$250.98 |
5 |
|
| |
WA 91-93 (5/2021): The 2020 Les Cruzelles is a blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc, coming from gravelly clay soil. The Merlot was picked from the 10th to the 15th September, and the Cabernet Franc was picked on the 16th of September. It has an alcohol of 14.5% and is aging in French oak barrels, 50% new. Deep garnet-purple in color, it bursts with impactful notes of plum preserves, blueberry compote and kirsch, plus suggestions of violets, mocha and pencil lead. The medium to full-bodied palate explodes with vibrant black fruits and fantastic freshness, framed by ripe, velvety tannins, finishing long and fragrant. 18,000 bottles are expected to be made.
JS 92-93 (4/2021): Black earth and clay with dark-berry and violet character. It’s medium-to full- bodied with creamy tannins and a fresh finish. More opulent than the 2019. |
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|
2020 |
Lalande de Pomerol (6x1.5L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$481.98 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 91-93 (5/2021): The 2020 Les Cruzelles is a blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc, coming from gravelly clay soil. The Merlot was picked from the 10th to the 15th September, and the Cabernet Franc was picked on the 16th of September. It has an alcohol of 14.5% and is aging in French oak barrels, 50% new. Deep garnet-purple in color, it bursts with impactful notes of plum preserves, blueberry compote and kirsch, plus suggestions of violets, mocha and pencil lead. The medium to full-bodied palate explodes with vibrant black fruits and fantastic freshness, framed by ripe, velvety tannins, finishing long and fragrant. 18,000 bottles are expected to be made.
JS 92-93 (4/2021): Black earth and clay with dark-berry and violet character. It’s medium-to full- bodied with creamy tannins and a fresh finish. More opulent than the 2019. |
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| Ch. Ducru-Beaucaillou |
2020 |
St. Julien (6.0 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$2,225.97 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 100 (3/2023): Lastly, the 2020 Château Ducru-Beaucaillou is another legendary wine from this château that has been on an incredible run over the past decade. A blend of 81% Cabernet Sauvignon and 19% Merlot that was brought up all in new French oak, it has a saturated purple hue to go with an incredible, mineral-laced bouquet of crème de cassis, liquid violets, graphite, and tobacco leaf. More structured and concentrated than any of the Léovilles, this blockbuster, deep, concentrated, full-bodied Saint-Julien has off-the-charts purity, ultra-fine tannins, and a great, great finish. I wrote in my notes, "Like the 2010, only better." You won't find a more concentrated yet flawlessly balanced and elegant wine out there. It's going to need a decade of cellaring and will have 40, 50, if not 60 years of longevity.
JS 98-99 (4/2021): Really perfumed and complex with blackberries, blackcurrants and flowers. Gorgeous cabernet sauvignon character. Full-bodied with really fine, polished tannins. Superb length and intensity. Very compact and seamless. Ethereal. Just goes on and on.
VM 96-98 (5/2021): The 2020 Ducru Beaucaillou was picked from 11-30 September, matured entirely in new oak for an expected 18 months. It has a very succinct bouquet, not one that leaps from the glass and demands attention, but it unfolds slowly, at its own pace, revealing enticing scents of blackberry, cedar, iris petals and crushed stone. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy black fruit. There is a saline spine that runs through this Saint-Julien from start to finish, a quite enormous structure that exerts grip towards the finish. It is not a Ducru-Beaucaillou that goes out to deliver finesse or understatement, but one that you will have to cellar for a few years, pull out and have the superlatives ready. This is an immense and cerebral Ducru-Beaucaillou from Bruno Borie and his team. Neal Martin.
WA 95-97 (5/2021): The 2020 Ducru-Beaucaillou is a blend of 81% Cabernet Sauvignon and 19% Merlot, aging for approximately 18 months in 100% new barriques. It has a pH of 3.83, 13.5% alcohol and an IPT (total polyphenol index) of 90. Opaque purple-black colored, the nose slowly unfurls to reveal tantalizing scents of crushed blackcurrants, wild blueberries and boysenberries, leading to suggestions of chocolate mint, star anise, red roses and unsmoked cigars with a waft of cedar chest. The medium-bodied palate delivers impactful, muscular black fruits with a firm frame of ripe, fine-grained tannins and seamless freshness, finishing long and fragrant. |
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|
2020 |
St. Julien (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,208.97 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 100 (3/2023): Lastly, the 2020 Château Ducru-Beaucaillou is another legendary wine from this château that has been on an incredible run over the past decade. A blend of 81% Cabernet Sauvignon and 19% Merlot that was brought up all in new French oak, it has a saturated purple hue to go with an incredible, mineral-laced bouquet of crème de cassis, liquid violets, graphite, and tobacco leaf. More structured and concentrated than any of the Léovilles, this blockbuster, deep, concentrated, full-bodied Saint-Julien has off-the-charts purity, ultra-fine tannins, and a great, great finish. I wrote in my notes, "Like the 2010, only better." You won't find a more concentrated yet flawlessly balanced and elegant wine out there. It's going to need a decade of cellaring and will have 40, 50, if not 60 years of longevity.
JS 98-99 (4/2021): Really perfumed and complex with blackberries, blackcurrants and flowers. Gorgeous cabernet sauvignon character. Full-bodied with really fine, polished tannins. Superb length and intensity. Very compact and seamless. Ethereal. Just goes on and on.
VM 96-98 (5/2021): The 2020 Ducru Beaucaillou was picked from 11-30 September, matured entirely in new oak for an expected 18 months. It has a very succinct bouquet, not one that leaps from the glass and demands attention, but it unfolds slowly, at its own pace, revealing enticing scents of blackberry, cedar, iris petals and crushed stone. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy black fruit. There is a saline spine that runs through this Saint-Julien from start to finish, a quite enormous structure that exerts grip towards the finish. It is not a Ducru-Beaucaillou that goes out to deliver finesse or understatement, but one that you will have to cellar for a few years, pull out and have the superlatives ready. This is an immense and cerebral Ducru-Beaucaillou from Bruno Borie and his team. Neal Martin.
WA 95-97 (5/2021): The 2020 Ducru-Beaucaillou is a blend of 81% Cabernet Sauvignon and 19% Merlot, aging for approximately 18 months in 100% new barriques. It has a pH of 3.83, 13.5% alcohol and an IPT (total polyphenol index) of 90. Opaque purple-black colored, the nose slowly unfurls to reveal tantalizing scents of crushed blackcurrants, wild blueberries and boysenberries, leading to suggestions of chocolate mint, star anise, red roses and unsmoked cigars with a waft of cedar chest. The medium-bodied palate delivers impactful, muscular black fruits with a firm frame of ripe, fine-grained tannins and seamless freshness, finishing long and fragrant. |
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| Ch. Duhart Milon |
2020 |
Pauillac (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$492.97 |
2 |
|
| |
|
| Ch. L' Eglise Clinet |
2020 |
Pomerol (3.0 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,269.98 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 97+ (3/2023): There's a clear jump from the second wine to the 2020 Château L'Eglise Clinet, a riveting Pomerol that checks in as 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc that spent 18 months in 80% new French oak. Offering a restrained, yet concentrated, structured style, it reveals classic notes of red and black currants, leafy tobacco, loamy earth, and chocolate. This carries to a full-bodied, powerful, tannic 2020 that needs a solid 7-8 years of bottle age. It's going to be long-lived but is not for those seeking instant gratification.
WA 97-99 (5/2021): The 2020 L'Eglise Clinet is a blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc. The Merlot was picked between the 11th and the 14th of September, and the Cabernet Franc was picked on the 16th of September. It has an alcohol of 14.4% and is aging in French oak barrels, 80% new. Displaying and opaque purple-black color, it needs a bit of swirling to reveal a fascinating array of earthy notes—black truffles, charcoal, mossy tree bark and fallen leaves—over a profound core of preserved plums, blackberry preserves and violets, with a waft of tapenade. The medium to full-bodied palate has exquisitely ripe tannins and bold freshness supporting the seductively ripe, black fruit layers, finishing on a lingering fragrant earth note.
VM 96-98 (5/2021): The 2020 l’Eglise-Clinet is very deep in color. It has an intense nose featuring blackberry, wild strawberry, touches of Japanese nori and light basalt aromas, gaining in intensity and clarity over the 60 minutes I spent analyzing the sample. The palate has exquisite balance and a silver bead of acidity that slices through the pure black fruit with effortless ease. This is a very harmonious and focused L’Eglise-Clinet, and as always, it is not an immediately crowd-pleasing Pomerol. You have to sit with it and examine its facets, including those that require unlocking with aeration. There is wonderful salinity on the finish, and awe-inspiring persistence. A magnificent testament to a great winemaker. Neal Martin.
JS 98-99 (4/2021): Wonderfully bright, floral aromas with so much violet character. Such purity and focus. Ethereal on the nose already. Full-bodied, but very polished and deep with finesse and beauty. Incredible structure that fills the mouth. |
|
|
2020 |
Pomerol (6.0 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$3,223.97 |
2 |
|
| |
JD 97+ (3/2023): There's a clear jump from the second wine to the 2020 Château L'Eglise Clinet, a riveting Pomerol that checks in as 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc that spent 18 months in 80% new French oak. Offering a restrained, yet concentrated, structured style, it reveals classic notes of red and black currants, leafy tobacco, loamy earth, and chocolate. This carries to a full-bodied, powerful, tannic 2020 that needs a solid 7-8 years of bottle age. It's going to be long-lived but is not for those seeking instant gratification.
WA 97-99 (5/2021): The 2020 L'Eglise Clinet is a blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc. The Merlot was picked between the 11th and the 14th of September, and the Cabernet Franc was picked on the 16th of September. It has an alcohol of 14.4% and is aging in French oak barrels, 80% new. Displaying and opaque purple-black color, it needs a bit of swirling to reveal a fascinating array of earthy notes—black truffles, charcoal, mossy tree bark and fallen leaves—over a profound core of preserved plums, blackberry preserves and violets, with a waft of tapenade. The medium to full-bodied palate has exquisitely ripe tannins and bold freshness supporting the seductively ripe, black fruit layers, finishing on a lingering fragrant earth note.
VM 96-98 (5/2021): The 2020 l’Eglise-Clinet is very deep in color. It has an intense nose featuring blackberry, wild strawberry, touches of Japanese nori and light basalt aromas, gaining in intensity and clarity over the 60 minutes I spent analyzing the sample. The palate has exquisite balance and a silver bead of acidity that slices through the pure black fruit with effortless ease. This is a very harmonious and focused L’Eglise-Clinet, and as always, it is not an immediately crowd-pleasing Pomerol. You have to sit with it and examine its facets, including those that require unlocking with aeration. There is wonderful salinity on the finish, and awe-inspiring persistence. A magnificent testament to a great winemaker. Neal Martin.
JS 98-99 (4/2021): Wonderfully bright, floral aromas with so much violet character. Such purity and focus. Ethereal on the nose already. Full-bodied, but very polished and deep with finesse and beauty. Incredible structure that fills the mouth. |
|
|
2020 |
Pomerol (3x1.5L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$3,145.97 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 97+ (3/2023): There's a clear jump from the second wine to the 2020 Château L'Eglise Clinet, a riveting Pomerol that checks in as 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc that spent 18 months in 80% new French oak. Offering a restrained, yet concentrated, structured style, it reveals classic notes of red and black currants, leafy tobacco, loamy earth, and chocolate. This carries to a full-bodied, powerful, tannic 2020 that needs a solid 7-8 years of bottle age. It's going to be long-lived but is not for those seeking instant gratification.
WA 97-99 (5/2021): The 2020 L'Eglise Clinet is a blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc. The Merlot was picked between the 11th and the 14th of September, and the Cabernet Franc was picked on the 16th of September. It has an alcohol of 14.4% and is aging in French oak barrels, 80% new. Displaying and opaque purple-black color, it needs a bit of swirling to reveal a fascinating array of earthy notes—black truffles, charcoal, mossy tree bark and fallen leaves—over a profound core of preserved plums, blackberry preserves and violets, with a waft of tapenade. The medium to full-bodied palate has exquisitely ripe tannins and bold freshness supporting the seductively ripe, black fruit layers, finishing on a lingering fragrant earth note.
VM 96-98 (5/2021): The 2020 l’Eglise-Clinet is very deep in color. It has an intense nose featuring blackberry, wild strawberry, touches of Japanese nori and light basalt aromas, gaining in intensity and clarity over the 60 minutes I spent analyzing the sample. The palate has exquisite balance and a silver bead of acidity that slices through the pure black fruit with effortless ease. This is a very harmonious and focused L’Eglise-Clinet, and as always, it is not an immediately crowd-pleasing Pomerol. You have to sit with it and examine its facets, including those that require unlocking with aeration. There is wonderful salinity on the finish, and awe-inspiring persistence. A magnificent testament to a great winemaker. Neal Martin.
JS 98-99 (4/2021): Wonderfully bright, floral aromas with so much violet character. Such purity and focus. Ethereal on the nose already. Full-bodied, but very polished and deep with finesse and beauty. Incredible structure that fills the mouth. |
|
| G. d' Estournel |
2020 |
Medoc ex-Negociant |
$32.99 |
39 |
|
| |
JA 92 (1/2023): So interesting tasting this against a wide range of AOC Médoc wines. It's a more expensive bottle than many of them, but it is confident, crafted and full of personality. Cocoa bean, espresso, plentiful berry fruit, touches of mandarin peel and lemongrass to lift things on the finish, slate texture tannins, good stuff.
JD 89 (2/2023): A terrific wine, the 2020 Goulee By Cos D'Estournel sports a healthy ruby/purple hue as well as ripe aromatics of currants, sandalwood, damp earth, and leafy tobacco. This medium-bodied, silky, juicy, ready-to-go Médoc is perfect for enjoying over the coming 7-8 years. (Drink between 2023-2031)
VM 89 (2/2023): The 2020 Goulée by Cos d'Estournel is very pretty and aromatic. Élevage has filled out the layers nicely, but this remains a decidedly aromatic, mid-weight vintage for the château's Médoc. Sweet pipe tobacco, leather, mint, cinnamon and dried cherry build nicely in the glass. The 2020 has come together nicely. (Drink between 2024-2035). Antonio Galloni. |
|
| Ch. L' Evangile |
2020 |
Pomerol (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$982.99 |
4 |
|
| |
WA 96-98+ (5/2021): Deep 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. This 2020 blend of 88% Merlot and 12% Cabernet Franc has an alcohol of 14.5% and a pH of 3.8.
VM 95-97 (5/2021): The 2020 L'evangile is fabulous. Aromatic, deep and fleshy, with magnificent purity of fruit, L'evangile 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'evangile 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'evangile is easily the most Lafite-like L'evangile I have ever tasted. Don't miss it! Antonio Galloni.
JD 95-97+ (5/2021): Described 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.
JS 98-99 (4/2021): This 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. |
|
| Ch. Ferran |
2020 |
Pessac Leognan (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$303.99 |
1 |
|
| |
| JS 91-92 (4/2021): Walnut, dark berry and crushed stone with some iron undertones. Medium-bodied with firm tannins and a polished finish. Refined. |
|
| Ch. de Ferrand |
2020 |
St. Emilion (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$487.99 |
50 |
|
| |
|
|
2020 |
St. Emilion (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$251.99 |
4 |
|
| |
|
|
2020 |
St. Emilion (6x1.5L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$486.99 |
6 |
|
| |
|
| Ch. Figeac |
2020 |
St. Emilion (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,321.99 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 98+ (3/2023): The Grand Vin 2020 Château Figeac checks in as 37% Merlot, 32% Cabernet Franc, and 31% Cabernet Sauvignon that spent 18 months in new barrels. They also utilize plenty of press wine, and the 2020 has 8% in the blend. Straight-up awesome aromatics of crème de cassis, ripe black cherries, iron, spring flowers, and an almost bloody, salty character emerge from the glass, and it's full-bodied, with a seamless mouthfeel, gorgeous tannins, plenty of mid-palate depth, and absolutely perfectly integrated oak. It's still tight and reserved, which is certainly the vintage, so do your best to hide these in the cellar. It should hit the early stages of its prime drinking window in 8-10 years and will have 30+ of overall longevity. It will unquestionably flirt with perfection at maturity.
JS 97 (1/2023): Very subtle and classy aromas of blackberries, hazelnuts and chocolate with some wet bark. It’s so subtle on the nose. Full-bodied, yet so fine and polished with an inner strength to this. Ultra-fine and polished tannins that run the length of the wine. This goes on for minutes. Classy. Sophisticated. 37% merlot, 32% cabernet franc and 31% cabernet sauvignon. Try after 2027, but it’s one for the cellar.
VM 96 (2/2023): The 2020 Figeac is incredibly polished and refined. Bright saline underpinnings and lively acids shape the 2020 beautifully, lending notable energy throughout. This is the last vintage made in the transitional cellar before the new winery became operational with the 2021 vintage. My only question mark is a slightly gritty quality in the tannins that lurks beneath. There's terrific purity and drive, though. Figeac is a wine of saline tension and energy more than size. The 2020 will need a number of years in bottle to be at its best. Antonio Galloni.
WA 96-98+ (5/2021): The 2020 Figeac is a blend of 37% Merlot, 32% Cabernet Franc and 31% Cabernet Sauvignon, weighing in with an alcohol of 13.9% and a pH of 3.7. Opaque purple-black colored, it bursts from the glass with a beautifully vibrant initial wave of pure, pristine black fruits: fresh black cherries, juicy black plums and ripe blackcurrants. With swirling, a whole array of floral and spice notes is unleashed: lavender, ground cloves, cumin seed, cardamom and rose oil. The medium-bodied palate is surprisingly graceful for the intensity of aromas, featuring ethereal, perfumed black berry notes, framed by a seamless line of freshness and ripe, grainy tannins, finishing on a lingering fragrant earth note. Far more cerebral and quietly introspective than it is hedonic, this could only be Figeac. |
|
| Petit Figeac |
2020 |
St. Emilion (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$432.97 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 94 (3/2023): I loved the 2020 Petit-Figeac, the second wine from Château Figeac. Based on 71% Merlot, 19% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Cabernet Sauvignon, aged 14-15 months in 40% new oak, it offers up a plump, floral, medium to full-bodied style displaying the vintage's purity and freshness. Offering plenty of ripe red and black fruits, as well as leafy herbs and flowers, this forward, sexy, seamless 2020 is perfect for drinking over the coming 10-12 years or more.
VM 89 (2/2023): The 2020 Petit Figeac is a good wine, but one that clearly reflects the challenges of the year. It possesses good depth, with the large-grained, chocolaty tannins that suggest some stress in the vineyard. I would cellar the 2020 for a few years, as it is a bit aggressive today. Antonio Galloni. |
|
|
2020 |
St. Emilion (3x1.5L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$432.98 |
4 |
|
| |
JD 94 (3/2023): I loved the 2020 Petit-Figeac, the second wine from Château Figeac. Based on 71% Merlot, 19% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Cabernet Sauvignon, aged 14-15 months in 40% new oak, it offers up a plump, floral, medium to full-bodied style displaying the vintage's purity and freshness. Offering plenty of ripe red and black fruits, as well as leafy herbs and flowers, this forward, sexy, seamless 2020 is perfect for drinking over the coming 10-12 years or more.
VM 89 (2/2023): The 2020 Petit Figeac is a good wine, but one that clearly reflects the challenges of the year. It possesses good depth, with the large-grained, chocolaty tannins that suggest some stress in the vineyard. I would cellar the 2020 for a few years, as it is a bit aggressive today. Antonio Galloni. |
|
| Ch. La Fleur Morange |
2020 |
St. Emilion (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$427.99 |
8 |
|
| |
|
| Ch. La Fleur Petrus |
2020 |
Pomerol
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$295.99 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 100 (3/2023): The finest vintage from this address I've ever tasted, as well as a perfect wine, the 2020 Château La Fleur-Petrus reveals a dense purple hue to go with a deep, layered, full-bodied, yet flawlessly balanced style carrying a smorgasbord-like array of red and black fruits, chocolate, dried flowers, spicy oak, and damp earth. It's not a powerhouse in the style of Trotanoy, Vieux Château Certain, or say, Clinet, but is all about finesse, elegance, and complexity. This magical Pomerol will benefit from 4-6 years of bottle age and cruise for 20-30 years in cold cellars. (Drink between 2027-2057)
WA 96 (4/2023): Unwinding in the glass with aromas of minty blackberries, loamy soil, black truffles and petroleum jelly, the 2020 La Fleur-Pétrus is full-bodied, ample and enveloping, with a rich, layered core of fruit framed by supple, polished tannins, concluding with a broad, licorice-inflected finish. As in 2019, it outshines Trotanoy as the star of the Mouiex Pomerol portfolio.
VM 95 (2/2023): The 2020 La Fleur-Pétrus is a gorgeous, polished wine. Super-ripe red cherry, plum, blood orange and pomegranate lend tons of immediacy and primary fruit character. Suave on the palate, with exquisite length, La Fleur-Pétrus is a wine of total sensuality. In 2020, ripeness is pushed to the edge, while the new oak is a bit present. Bright acids and sweet floral notes linger on the long, beautifully delineated finish. This is a bit more extroverted than I remember en primeur, but superb just the same. (Drink between 2030-2060) |
|
|
2020 |
Pomerol (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,493.99 |
2 |
|
| |
JD 100 (3/2023): The finest vintage from this address I've ever tasted, as well as a perfect wine, the 2020 Château La Fleur-Petrus reveals a dense purple hue to go with a deep, layered, full-bodied, yet flawlessly balanced style carrying a smorgasbord-like array of red and black fruits, chocolate, dried flowers, spicy oak, and damp earth. It's not a powerhouse in the style of Trotanoy, Vieux Château Certain, or say, Clinet, but is all about finesse, elegance, and complexity. This magical Pomerol will benefit from 4-6 years of bottle age and cruise for 20-30 years in cold cellars. (Drink between 2027-2057)
WA 96 (4/2023): Unwinding in the glass with aromas of minty blackberries, loamy soil, black truffles and petroleum jelly, the 2020 La Fleur-Pétrus is full-bodied, ample and enveloping, with a rich, layered core of fruit framed by supple, polished tannins, concluding with a broad, licorice-inflected finish. As in 2019, it outshines Trotanoy as the star of the Mouiex Pomerol portfolio.
VM 95 (2/2023): The 2020 La Fleur-Pétrus is a gorgeous, polished wine. Super-ripe red cherry, plum, blood orange and pomegranate lend tons of immediacy and primary fruit character. Suave on the palate, with exquisite length, La Fleur-Pétrus is a wine of total sensuality. In 2020, ripeness is pushed to the edge, while the new oak is a bit present. Bright acids and sweet floral notes linger on the long, beautifully delineated finish. This is a bit more extroverted than I remember en primeur, but superb just the same. (Drink between 2030-2060) |
|
| Ch. Fombrauge |
2020 |
St. Emilion |
$36 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 94 (3/2023): Cassis, black raspberries, graphite, spicy oak, and floral notes all emerge from the 2020 Château Fombrauge, a wonderfully textured, medium to full-bodied, concentrated, yet elegant Saint-Emilion. A wine that builds beautifully with time in the glass, it complex, has ripe, silky tannins, and a great finish. Tasted on more than one occasion, it never failed to impress. Drink this richly textured, sexy, beautiful 2020 over the coming 15+ years.
JS 94 (12/2022): This has aromas of cigar box, cedar, blueberries and pine cones. Firm, polished tannins provide sturdy support, yet remain silky. Medium to full body. Very fine and classy. Better from 2025.
VM 92 (2/2023): The 2020 Fombrauge is enticing right out of the gate. Cherries in liqueur, spice, rose petal, menthol, licorice and chocolate make a strong first impression. Racy and deep, with notable textural resonance, Fombrauge is terrific in 2020. There's plenty of opulence and yet the 2020 is nicely balanced. Antonio Galloni.
WA 91-93 (5/2021): The 2020 Fombrauge has a deep garnet-purple color and expressive notes of chocolate-covered cherries, mulberries and baked plums, plus hints of espresso, graphite and cedar chest with a waft of Sichuan pepper. The medium to full-bodied palate is elegantly crafted with lovely freshness and a well-tamed, grainy texture, finishing long and earthy. |
|
| Les Forts de Latour |
2020 |
Pauillac (3.0 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,018.97 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 96 (3/2026): A blockbuster of a Les Forts, the 2020 Les Forts de Latour is based on 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26.5% Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot and aged 18 months in 60% new French oak. Its deep ruby/plum hue is followed by textbook Latour notes of currants, melted crayon, graphite, and lead pencil shavings. Medium to full-bodied, dense, and concentrated on the palate, it has a powerful, structured mouthfeel, remarkable purity, perfectly ripe tannins, and a great, great finish. It might be the finest Les Forts I've tasted. Hitting 13.1% alcohol, it's approachable today yet has another 30 years of longevity. Drink 2026-2056.
VM 95 (1/2026): The 2020 Les Forts de Latour is superb. Hints of gravel, dried herbs,game and licorice weave through a core of dark red/purplish fruit.Spice, cedar and sweet pipe tobacco follow. The purity of the flavors is just striking. Initially a touch reticent, the 2020 fleshes out beautifully with a bit of air. I would give this at least another year or two in bottle. A magnificent Forts de Latour. Antonio Galloni.
JA 95 (1/2026): Love the texture and depth on display from the first momebt, a brilliant vintage to track down a bottle of Les Forts de Latour. This is packed with delicious and sappy blackberry, damson and cassis fruit, coupling concentration and elegance.
WA 94 (4/2023): The 2020 Les Forts de Latour is composed of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26.5% Merlot and 3.5% Petit Verdot, incorporating a 64-hectoliter tank of Merlot that would normally have been included in the Grand Vin but which didn't fit with this year's blend. Unwinding in the glass with aromas of minty cassis, plums, licorice, pipe tobacco and vanilla pod, it's medium to full-bodied, rich and velvety, with terrific depth at the core and a somewhat more textural, granular profile than the suave 2019. |
|
|
2020 |
Pauillac (6.0 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,951.98 |
2 |
|
| |
JD 96 (3/2026): A blockbuster of a Les Forts, the 2020 Les Forts de Latour is based on 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26.5% Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot and aged 18 months in 60% new French oak. Its deep ruby/plum hue is followed by textbook Latour notes of currants, melted crayon, graphite, and lead pencil shavings. Medium to full-bodied, dense, and concentrated on the palate, it has a powerful, structured mouthfeel, remarkable purity, perfectly ripe tannins, and a great, great finish. It might be the finest Les Forts I've tasted. Hitting 13.1% alcohol, it's approachable today yet has another 30 years of longevity. Drink 2026-2056.
VM 95 (1/2026): The 2020 Les Forts de Latour is superb. Hints of gravel, dried herbs,game and licorice weave through a core of dark red/purplish fruit.Spice, cedar and sweet pipe tobacco follow. The purity of the flavors is just striking. Initially a touch reticent, the 2020 fleshes out beautifully with a bit of air. I would give this at least another year or two in bottle. A magnificent Forts de Latour. Antonio Galloni.
JA 95 (1/2026): Love the texture and depth on display from the first momebt, a brilliant vintage to track down a bottle of Les Forts de Latour. This is packed with delicious and sappy blackberry, damson and cassis fruit, coupling concentration and elegance.
WA 94 (4/2023): The 2020 Les Forts de Latour is composed of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26.5% Merlot and 3.5% Petit Verdot, incorporating a 64-hectoliter tank of Merlot that would normally have been included in the Grand Vin but which didn't fit with this year's blend. Unwinding in the glass with aromas of minty cassis, plums, licorice, pipe tobacco and vanilla pod, it's medium to full-bodied, rich and velvety, with terrific depth at the core and a somewhat more textural, granular profile than the suave 2019. |
|
|
2020 |
Pauillac (12x375ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,366.98 |
9 |
|
| |
JD 96 (3/2026): A blockbuster of a Les Forts, the 2020 Les Forts de Latour is based on 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26.5% Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot and aged 18 months in 60% new French oak. Its deep ruby/plum hue is followed by textbook Latour notes of currants, melted crayon, graphite, and lead pencil shavings. Medium to full-bodied, dense, and concentrated on the palate, it has a powerful, structured mouthfeel, remarkable purity, perfectly ripe tannins, and a great, great finish. It might be the finest Les Forts I've tasted. Hitting 13.1% alcohol, it's approachable today yet has another 30 years of longevity. Drink 2026-2056.
VM 95 (1/2026): The 2020 Les Forts de Latour is superb. Hints of gravel, dried herbs,game and licorice weave through a core of dark red/purplish fruit.Spice, cedar and sweet pipe tobacco follow. The purity of the flavors is just striking. Initially a touch reticent, the 2020 fleshes out beautifully with a bit of air. I would give this at least another year or two in bottle. A magnificent Forts de Latour. Antonio Galloni.
JA 95 (1/2026): Love the texture and depth on display from the first momebt, a brilliant vintage to track down a bottle of Les Forts de Latour. This is packed with delicious and sappy blackberry, damson and cassis fruit, coupling concentration and elegance.
WA 94 (4/2023): The 2020 Les Forts de Latour is composed of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26.5% Merlot and 3.5% Petit Verdot, incorporating a 64-hectoliter tank of Merlot that would normally have been included in the Grand Vin but which didn't fit with this year's blend. Unwinding in the glass with aromas of minty cassis, plums, licorice, pipe tobacco and vanilla pod, it's medium to full-bodied, rich and velvety, with terrific depth at the core and a somewhat more textural, granular profile than the suave 2019. |
|
|
2020 |
Pauillac (3x1.5L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,432.98 |
3 |
|
| |
JD 96 (3/2026): A blockbuster of a Les Forts, the 2020 Les Forts de Latour is based on 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26.5% Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot and aged 18 months in 60% new French oak. Its deep ruby/plum hue is followed by textbook Latour notes of currants, melted crayon, graphite, and lead pencil shavings. Medium to full-bodied, dense, and concentrated on the palate, it has a powerful, structured mouthfeel, remarkable purity, perfectly ripe tannins, and a great, great finish. It might be the finest Les Forts I've tasted. Hitting 13.1% alcohol, it's approachable today yet has another 30 years of longevity. Drink 2026-2056.
VM 95 (1/2026): The 2020 Les Forts de Latour is superb. Hints of gravel, dried herbs,game and licorice weave through a core of dark red/purplish fruit.Spice, cedar and sweet pipe tobacco follow. The purity of the flavors is just striking. Initially a touch reticent, the 2020 fleshes out beautifully with a bit of air. I would give this at least another year or two in bottle. A magnificent Forts de Latour. Antonio Galloni.
JA 95 (1/2026): Love the texture and depth on display from the first momebt, a brilliant vintage to track down a bottle of Les Forts de Latour. This is packed with delicious and sappy blackberry, damson and cassis fruit, coupling concentration and elegance.
WA 94 (4/2023): The 2020 Les Forts de Latour is composed of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26.5% Merlot and 3.5% Petit Verdot, incorporating a 64-hectoliter tank of Merlot that would normally have been included in the Grand Vin but which didn't fit with this year's blend. Unwinding in the glass with aromas of minty cassis, plums, licorice, pipe tobacco and vanilla pod, it's medium to full-bodied, rich and velvety, with terrific depth at the core and a somewhat more textural, granular profile than the suave 2019. |
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|
2020 |
Pauillac (3x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$692.98 |
6 |
|
| |
JD 96 (3/2026): A blockbuster of a Les Forts, the 2020 Les Forts de Latour is based on 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26.5% Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot and aged 18 months in 60% new French oak. Its deep ruby/plum hue is followed by textbook Latour notes of currants, melted crayon, graphite, and lead pencil shavings. Medium to full-bodied, dense, and concentrated on the palate, it has a powerful, structured mouthfeel, remarkable purity, perfectly ripe tannins, and a great, great finish. It might be the finest Les Forts I've tasted. Hitting 13.1% alcohol, it's approachable today yet has another 30 years of longevity. Drink 2026-2056.
VM 95 (1/2026): The 2020 Les Forts de Latour is superb. Hints of gravel, dried herbs,game and licorice weave through a core of dark red/purplish fruit.Spice, cedar and sweet pipe tobacco follow. The purity of the flavors is just striking. Initially a touch reticent, the 2020 fleshes out beautifully with a bit of air. I would give this at least another year or two in bottle. A magnificent Forts de Latour. Antonio Galloni.
JA 95 (1/2026): Love the texture and depth on display from the first momebt, a brilliant vintage to track down a bottle of Les Forts de Latour. This is packed with delicious and sappy blackberry, damson and cassis fruit, coupling concentration and elegance.
WA 94 (4/2023): The 2020 Les Forts de Latour is composed of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26.5% Merlot and 3.5% Petit Verdot, incorporating a 64-hectoliter tank of Merlot that would normally have been included in the Grand Vin but which didn't fit with this year's blend. Unwinding in the glass with aromas of minty cassis, plums, licorice, pipe tobacco and vanilla pod, it's medium to full-bodied, rich and velvety, with terrific depth at the core and a somewhat more textural, granular profile than the suave 2019. |
|
| Ch. La Gaffeliere |
2020 |
St. Emilion (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$405.99 |
8 |
|
| |
WA 96-98 (5/2021): 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.
VM 96-98 (5/2021): The 2020 La Gaffelière has an intriguing, complex nose, a melange of red and black fruit, cigar box, undergrowth and mint, quite mercurial in the glass as it opens with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with lithe tannins, a beautiful seam of acidity and perhaps the most satin-like texture I have encountered on a young La Gaffelière. It sashays to a harmonious and precise finish and lingers with wonderful mineralite. This is a magnificent prospect. Neal Martin.
JD 95-97 (5/2021): Lots of blue fruits, leafy herbs, chocolate, and earthy goodness emerge from the 2020 Château Canon-La-Gaffeliere, a medium to full-bodied, dense, focused, elegant Saint-Emilion that needs plenty of air to show at its best. The purity of fruit is remarkable, and while it starts out tight and focused, it blossoms with air, showing a more expansive, layered, rich yet still fresh texture that keeps you coming back to the glass. It’s a thrilling Saint-Emilion readers should snatch up.
JS 96-97 (4/2021): Blackberry 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. |
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|
2020 |
St. Emilion (12x375ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$475.97 |
1 |
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| |
WA 96-98 (5/2021): 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.
VM 96-98 (5/2021): The 2020 La Gaffelière has an intriguing, complex nose, a melange of red and black fruit, cigar box, undergrowth and mint, quite mercurial in the glass as it opens with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with lithe tannins, a beautiful seam of acidity and perhaps the most satin-like texture I have encountered on a young La Gaffelière. It sashays to a harmonious and precise finish and lingers with wonderful mineralite. This is a magnificent prospect. Neal Martin.
JD 95-97 (5/2021): Lots of blue fruits, leafy herbs, chocolate, and earthy goodness emerge from the 2020 Château Canon-La-Gaffeliere, a medium to full-bodied, dense, focused, elegant Saint-Emilion that needs plenty of air to show at its best. The purity of fruit is remarkable, and while it starts out tight and focused, it blossoms with air, showing a more expansive, layered, rich yet still fresh texture that keeps you coming back to the glass. It’s a thrilling Saint-Emilion readers should snatch up.
JS 96-97 (4/2021): Blackberry 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. |
|
| Ch. Le Gay |
2020 |
Pomerol (1.5 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$202.99 |
3 |
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| |
JS 98 (12/2022): So much black mushroom to the dark fruit, such as blackberries and brambleberries. Extremely aromatic. Full-bodied, yet refined and polished, with lovely tannins and fantastic typicity and complexity. It’s so multidimensional and structured, yet there’s a weightless character and personality to it. Thought-provoking and sophisticated. Real Pomerol. Drink after 2028, but a great experience already.
JD 94 (3/2023): A surprisingly up-front, soft, almost mid-weight effort from this château, the 2020 Château Le Gay offers a pretty perfume of both red and black fruits as well as loads of flowers, spice, leafy herbs, and incense. Medium-bodied, balanced, and elegant on the palate, it has polished tannins, terrific balance, sweet oak, and outstanding length. This exceedingly elegant, seamless beauty lacks the density and concentration of the top wines in the vintage but is nevertheless a gorgeous, classic Pomerol that will evolve for two decades.
VM 94 (2/2023): The 2020 Le Gay is rich and expansive on the palate. Gorgeous, savory notes add complexity to a core of black cherry fruit. This lush, extravagantly ripe Pomerol is not at all subtle, and yet all the elements are very well put together. Hints of chocolate, new leather and licorice linger on the potent finish. Antonio Galloni.
WA 94-96+ (5/2021): Deep purple-black colored, the 2020 Le Gay erupts from the glass with scents of molten licorice and dark chocolate, giving way to a tantalizing core of baked black cherries, prunes and blackberry preserves, plus a hint of cardamom. The full-bodied palate is rich and decadent, featuring layers of black fruits and exotic spices with a firm yet velvety texture and seamless freshness, finishing with epic length. A hedonic powerhouse! |
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|
2020 |
Pomerol (6x1.5L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,640.97 |
2 |
|
| |
JS 98 (12/2022): So much black mushroom to the dark fruit, such as blackberries and brambleberries. Extremely aromatic. Full-bodied, yet refined and polished, with lovely tannins and fantastic typicity and complexity. It’s so multidimensional and structured, yet there’s a weightless character and personality to it. Thought-provoking and sophisticated. Real Pomerol. Drink after 2028, but a great experience already.
JD 94 (3/2023): A surprisingly up-front, soft, almost mid-weight effort from this château, the 2020 Château Le Gay offers a pretty perfume of both red and black fruits as well as loads of flowers, spice, leafy herbs, and incense. Medium-bodied, balanced, and elegant on the palate, it has polished tannins, terrific balance, sweet oak, and outstanding length. This exceedingly elegant, seamless beauty lacks the density and concentration of the top wines in the vintage but is nevertheless a gorgeous, classic Pomerol that will evolve for two decades.
VM 94 (2/2023): The 2020 Le Gay is rich and expansive on the palate. Gorgeous, savory notes add complexity to a core of black cherry fruit. This lush, extravagantly ripe Pomerol is not at all subtle, and yet all the elements are very well put together. Hints of chocolate, new leather and licorice linger on the potent finish. Antonio Galloni.
WA 94-96+ (5/2021): Deep purple-black colored, the 2020 Le Gay erupts from the glass with scents of molten licorice and dark chocolate, giving way to a tantalizing core of baked black cherries, prunes and blackberry preserves, plus a hint of cardamom. The full-bodied palate is rich and decadent, featuring layers of black fruits and exotic spices with a firm yet velvety texture and seamless freshness, finishing with epic length. A hedonic powerhouse! |
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| Manoir de Gay |
2020 |
Pomerol (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$597.97 |
2 |
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| |
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2020 |
Pomerol (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$300.99 |
5 |
|
| |
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| Ch. Gazin |
2020 |
Pomerol (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$477.99 |
4 |
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| |
WA 92-94 (5/2021): Deep 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.
VM 94-94 (5/2021): The 2020 Gazin, which contains no Cabernet Franc this year, has a wonderful bouquet of blackberry, raspberry, crushed stone and pressed iris petal scents, very focused and precise, that really whisks you down to Pomerol. The medium-bodied palate displays fine-grained tannins and a silver bead of acidity. Very sapid with a little more dryness on the finish than its peers, which gets the saliva flowing. Classic Pomerol through and through. Neal Martin.
JD 94-96 (5/2021): A quintessential Pomerol with its beautiful red and blue fruits as well as floral, earth, and sappy herb aromas and flavors, the 2020 Château Gazin is medium to full-bodied and has wonderful purity, ultra-fine tannins, and no hard edges. It shines for its purity and elegance and is just a classy, thrilling wine.
JS 96-97 (4/2021):  This is really fantastic with so much intensity and focus. Firm, linear tannins frame the wine beautifully. Polished and fine. It’s full-bodied, yet tight and posed. Complex flavors of blackberry, black olive, mushroom and bark. Persistent finish. Best of the trilogy? |
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| Sirene Giscours |
2020 |
Margaux (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$499.99 |
13 |
|
| |
|
| Ch. Gloria |
2020 |
St. Julien (6.0 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$507.98 |
3 |
|
| |
WA 92-94 (5/2021): Opaque purple-black colored, the 2020 Gloria comes soaring out of the glass with notes of blackcurrant cordial, preserved plums and blueberry compote, followed by suggestions of powdered cinnamon, cedar chest and menthol, plus a waft of graphite. The medium to full-bodied palate is completely coated with juicy black fruits, framed by grainy tannins and just enough freshness, finishing long and spicy. The blend is 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 11% Petit Verdot, aging for approximately 14 months in French oak barrels, 40% new. The alcohol is 13.3%.
VM 93-95 (5/2021): The 2020 Gloria has an intense nose of penetrating blackberry, raspberry, crushed violet and crushed stone aromas. After 20 minutes, this just blossoms in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy black fruit, fine acidity and just a touch of espresso and orange peel toward the finish, which remains taught and focused. What a wonderful Gloria! This might actually surpass its sibling, Château St. Pierre, this year. Neal Martin
JD 93-95 (5/2021): Playing in the same class as the 2016, 2018, and 2019, the 2020 Château Gloria reveals a vivid purple hue as well beautiful blue fruits intermixed with gravelly earth, graphite, and crushed stone. I was able to taste this on two separate occasions and it was brilliant both times, offering medium to full-bodied richness and a powerful yet weightless mouthfeel as well as silky tannins. It also has a terrific sense of freshness. It will drink well relatively young yet keep for two decades.
JS 94-95 (4/2021): Very focused and poised with blackberry, blackcurrant and graphite character. It’s full-to medium-bodied with racy tannins and a long, dynamic finish. Will be interesting to see if 2020 is better than 2019. |
|
|
2020 |
St. Julien (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$300.99 |
6 |
|
| |
WA 92-94 (5/2021): Opaque purple-black colored, the 2020 Gloria comes soaring out of the glass with notes of blackcurrant cordial, preserved plums and blueberry compote, followed by suggestions of powdered cinnamon, cedar chest and menthol, plus a waft of graphite. The medium to full-bodied palate is completely coated with juicy black fruits, framed by grainy tannins and just enough freshness, finishing long and spicy. The blend is 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 11% Petit Verdot, aging for approximately 14 months in French oak barrels, 40% new. The alcohol is 13.3%.
VM 93-95 (5/2021): The 2020 Gloria has an intense nose of penetrating blackberry, raspberry, crushed violet and crushed stone aromas. After 20 minutes, this just blossoms in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy black fruit, fine acidity and just a touch of espresso and orange peel toward the finish, which remains taught and focused. What a wonderful Gloria! This might actually surpass its sibling, Château St. Pierre, this year. Neal Martin
JD 93-95 (5/2021): Playing in the same class as the 2016, 2018, and 2019, the 2020 Château Gloria reveals a vivid purple hue as well beautiful blue fruits intermixed with gravelly earth, graphite, and crushed stone. I was able to taste this on two separate occasions and it was brilliant both times, offering medium to full-bodied richness and a powerful yet weightless mouthfeel as well as silky tannins. It also has a terrific sense of freshness. It will drink well relatively young yet keep for two decades.
JS 94-95 (4/2021): Very focused and poised with blackberry, blackcurrant and graphite character. It’s full-to medium-bodied with racy tannins and a long, dynamic finish. Will be interesting to see if 2020 is better than 2019. |
|
| Ch. Grand Corbin Despagne |
2020 |
St. Emilion (6X750ML) 6-Bottle OWC |
$210 |
2 |
|
| |
WA 92-94+ (5/2021): The 2020 Grand Corbin-Despagne has a deep purple-black color and pronounced plum preserves, blackberry pie and cedar chest notes, with underlying hints of sandalwood, pencil lead and garrigue, with a waft of tobacco leaf. The medium to full-bodied palate is wearing a lot of oak at this stage, lending a chewiness to the tannins and somewhat swamping the pretty black fruit flavors, finishing long and spicy. It may take a little longer to come around than some other 2020s, but it should be worth the wait.
JD 92-94 (5/2021): A terrific showing on multiple occasions, the 2020 Château Grand Corbin-Despagne boasts a deep purple hue as well as a rich, fresh, yet powerful style in its earthy red and black fruits as well as notes of graphite, chocolate, and background oak. It starts out rich and decadent, yet like a lot of 2020s, it shows more and more freshness and vibrancy as it sets in the glass. Along with the 2019, I suspect it’s one of the top wines from this estate.
JS 93-94 (4/2021): Attractive black-olive and spice aromas and flavors. Medium body. Medium chewy tannins. Fine-grained texture at the end with lots of black pepper, white pepper and iron. |
|
| Ch. Grand Pontet |
2020 |
St. Emilion (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$278.99 |
51 |
|
| |
|
| Ch. Grand Puy Lacoste |
2020 |
Pauillac (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$456.99 |
1 |
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| |
VM 95-97 (5/2021): The 2020 Grand-Puy-Lacoste has a very refined, almost understated bouquet at first, but it opens in glorious fashion to offer precise blackberry and wild strawberry fruit, crushed stone and wild mint, gaining intensity at its own pace. The palate is beautifully balanced with fine-grained tannins, a keen thread of acidity, layers of intense black fruit and quite a spicy, vibrant and certainly persistent finish. This is a brilliant GPL from the Borie family. Neal Martin.
WA 91-93 (5/2021): Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, the 2020 Grand-Puy-Lacoste offers notes of freshly crushed black and red currants, fresh blackberries and mulberries, plus hints of pencil lead, damp soil and black olives. The medium-bodied palate is delicately styled and refreshing, delivering soft, skillfully managed tannins and just enough freshness to frame the juicy black fruits, finishing savory.
JD 92-95 (5/2021): The 2020 Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste is a more fleshy, textured Pauillac that still plays in the concentrated, focused, structured style of the vintage. Ripe black cherries, currants, toasty oak, chocolate, and tobacco leaf notes give way to a medium to full-bodied, richly textured 2020 that has velvety tannins, good mid-palate depth, and a great finish. Do your best to hide bottles for 4-5 years and enjoy over the following 20-25 years or so.
JS 96-97 (4/2021): This full-bodied red builds on the palate in a fantastic way with tight, compact tannins that grow and grow on the finish. Plenty of blackcurrant and graphite character and a flavorful finish. Same level as the excellent 2016. |
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| Ch. Les Grands Chenes |
2020 |
Medoc (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$324.99 |
17 |
|
| |
| JS 92-93 (4/2021): Â Blackberry, sweet-tobacco and redcurrant aromas follow through to a medium body with firm, silky tannins and a creamy finish. Very fine texture. |
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|
2020 |
Medoc (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$199.99 |
10 |
|
| |
| JS 92-93 (4/2021): Â Blackberry, sweet-tobacco and redcurrant aromas follow through to a medium body with firm, silky tannins and a creamy finish. Very fine texture. |
|
| Ch. Gruaud Larose |
2020 |
St. Julien (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,125.99 |
2 |
|
| |
JD 96 (3/2023): Coming from the talented Virginie Salette (the head winemaker since 2017) and tiny yields of 32 hectoliters per hectare, the 2020 Château Gruaud Larose is 79% Cabernet, 14% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc, which continues the trend at this estate toward more and more Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend. Beautifully done, with a terrific sense of finesse, it offers a great nose of both red and black fruit as well as leafy tobacco, spring flowers, licorice, and spicy oak. Pure, medium to full-bodied, and wonderfully balanced, with fine tannins, it shows the focused, inward, almost understated style of the vintage without any rusticity or austerity. It needs a solid 7-8 years of bottle age, if not a decade, and is going to be very long-lived. Bravo.
VM 95 (2/2023): The 2020 Gruaud-Larose is a powerful, dense wine. Super-ripe dark cherry, kirsch, menthol, licorice, rose petal and espresso infuse the palate with tons of intensity. Unctuous and flamboyant, the 2020 also offers a good bit of energy to keep things in balance. The 2020 is very much an extrovert, a gorgeous extrovert at that. Sweet floral and spice accents, along with a kick of sweet French oak, linger. Antonio Galloni. |
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|
2020 |
St. Julien (6x1.5L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,204.99 |
7 |
|
| |
JD 96 (3/2023): Coming from the talented Virginie Salette (the head winemaker since 2017) and tiny yields of 32 hectoliters per hectare, the 2020 Château Gruaud Larose is 79% Cabernet, 14% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc, which continues the trend at this estate toward more and more Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend. Beautifully done, with a terrific sense of finesse, it offers a great nose of both red and black fruit as well as leafy tobacco, spring flowers, licorice, and spicy oak. Pure, medium to full-bodied, and wonderfully balanced, with fine tannins, it shows the focused, inward, almost understated style of the vintage without any rusticity or austerity. It needs a solid 7-8 years of bottle age, if not a decade, and is going to be very long-lived. Bravo.
VM 95 (2/2023): The 2020 Gruaud-Larose is a powerful, dense wine. Super-ripe dark cherry, kirsch, menthol, licorice, rose petal and espresso infuse the palate with tons of intensity. Unctuous and flamboyant, the 2020 also offers a good bit of energy to keep things in balance. The 2020 is very much an extrovert, a gorgeous extrovert at that. Sweet floral and spice accents, along with a kick of sweet French oak, linger. Antonio Galloni. |
|
| Ch. Haut Batailley |
2020 |
Pauillac (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$659.99 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 94 (3/2023): The Grand Vin 2020 Château Haut-Batailley is a step up and checks in as 62% Cabernet Sauvignon and 38% Merlot. This medium to full-bodied, ripe, layered, elegant Pauillac has lots of classic Cabernet darker currant fruits, some chocolate, leafy herb, and damp earth nuances, a great mid-palate, ripe tannins, and a great finish. It already offers pleasure yet will evolve for 15-20 years.
VM 94 (2/2023): The 2020 Haut-Batailley, matured in 60% new oak for 14 months, has a vivacious nose with mint-infused blackberry and raspberry fruit, a light pencil lead note underneath. Certainly one of the more intense aromatics in Pauillac with disarming purity. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins and a wonderful bead of acidity keeping it tensile throughout. There's a sweet core of plummy fruit, hints of orange rind towards the finish that contains plenty of energy. Excellent. Neal Martin.
JA 93 (11/2023): Great balance and depth, beautiful character of cassis, crayon, cruhed rock, slate and ink with juicy bleuberry underneath, great quality wine with real Pauillac character, brushed with a softer edge. Julien Galland technical director as of this vintage. 60% new oak. Harvest September 14 to 29, with fruit from 22ha of vines. |
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|
2020 |
Pauillac (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$364.98 |
20 |
|
| |
JD 94 (3/2023): The Grand Vin 2020 Château Haut-Batailley is a step up and checks in as 62% Cabernet Sauvignon and 38% Merlot. This medium to full-bodied, ripe, layered, elegant Pauillac has lots of classic Cabernet darker currant fruits, some chocolate, leafy herb, and damp earth nuances, a great mid-palate, ripe tannins, and a great finish. It already offers pleasure yet will evolve for 15-20 years.
VM 94 (2/2023): The 2020 Haut-Batailley, matured in 60% new oak for 14 months, has a vivacious nose with mint-infused blackberry and raspberry fruit, a light pencil lead note underneath. Certainly one of the more intense aromatics in Pauillac with disarming purity. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins and a wonderful bead of acidity keeping it tensile throughout. There's a sweet core of plummy fruit, hints of orange rind towards the finish that contains plenty of energy. Excellent. Neal Martin.
JA 93 (11/2023): Great balance and depth, beautiful character of cassis, crayon, cruhed rock, slate and ink with juicy bleuberry underneath, great quality wine with real Pauillac character, brushed with a softer edge. Julien Galland technical director as of this vintage. 60% new oak. Harvest September 14 to 29, with fruit from 22ha of vines. |
|
| Ch. Haut Brisson |
2020 |
St. Emilion (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$261.99 |
16 |
|
| |
|
| Ch. Haut-Brion |
2020 |
Pessac Leognan (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$2,766.97 |
2 |
|
| |
JD 100 (3/2023): I finished my trip through Bordeaux with the 2020 Château Haut-Brion, and it was certainly a fitting cap to the trip. Revealing a deep ruby/plum hue, the 2020 exhibits extraordinary aromatics of ripe black fruits, scorched earth, cold fireplace, and acacia flowers. An absolute blockbuster on the palate, this structured, full-bodied, massively concentrated Pessac builds incrementally, with ultra-fine tannins, a deep, layered mid-palate, and a great, great finish. Richer and more concentrated than both the 2018 and 2019 (there are some similarities to 2010), this is a legend in the making. The blend is 42.8% Merlot, 39.7% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the balance Cabernet Franc, all of which will spend 15-18 months in 77% new French oak. Hide bottles for a decade, and it should evolve for 50-75 years.
JS 100 (4/2021): This is a superb Haut-Brion with incredible tannins that are wonderfully fine-grained. It’s really powerful. This is very primary with so much grape-generated tannin structure. Very, very long, going on for minutes. Seductive and friendly at the start and then takes you on at the finish with so much structure. Wine of the vintage?
VM 96 (2/2023): The 2020 Haut-Brion is shaping up to be one of the wines of the year. Substance, depth and textural intensity elevate Haut-Brion into the realm of the sublime in 2020. All the elements are so wonderfully balanced. Inky dark fruit, gravel, lavender, violet and dark spice build as the 2020 gradually opens with some aeration. Wow. Neal Martin.
WA 98-100 (5/2021): The 2020 Haut-Brion is a blend of 42.8% Merlot, 39.7% Cabernet Sauvignon and 17.5% Cabernet Franc, harvested from 7th to 29th September, with an estimated alcohol of 15% and a pH of 3.8. Opaque purple-black colored, it leaps from the glass with a first wave of vibrant black raspberries, ripe blackberries and mulberries scents, followed by a powerful core of warm cassis, dark chocolate and violets, before bursting into an array of crushed rocks, iron ore, tree bark and black truffles notes. The concentrated, densely packed, full-bodied palate is not in the least bit heavy, delivering a refreshing backbone of red berry and dried herbs suggestions, framed by seamless acidity and very finely grained tannins, finishing on an epically long, fragrant earth note. Simply stunning. |
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|
2020 |
Pessac Leognan (3x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,463.99 |
2 |
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| |
JD 100 (3/2023): I finished my trip through Bordeaux with the 2020 Château Haut-Brion, and it was certainly a fitting cap to the trip. Revealing a deep ruby/plum hue, the 2020 exhibits extraordinary aromatics of ripe black fruits, scorched earth, cold fireplace, and acacia flowers. An absolute blockbuster on the palate, this structured, full-bodied, massively concentrated Pessac builds incrementally, with ultra-fine tannins, a deep, layered mid-palate, and a great, great finish. Richer and more concentrated than both the 2018 and 2019 (there are some similarities to 2010), this is a legend in the making. The blend is 42.8% Merlot, 39.7% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the balance Cabernet Franc, all of which will spend 15-18 months in 77% new French oak. Hide bottles for a decade, and it should evolve for 50-75 years.
JS 100 (4/2021): This is a superb Haut-Brion with incredible tannins that are wonderfully fine-grained. It’s really powerful. This is very primary with so much grape-generated tannin structure. Very, very long, going on for minutes. Seductive and friendly at the start and then takes you on at the finish with so much structure. Wine of the vintage?
VM 96 (2/2023): The 2020 Haut-Brion is shaping up to be one of the wines of the year. Substance, depth and textural intensity elevate Haut-Brion into the realm of the sublime in 2020. All the elements are so wonderfully balanced. Inky dark fruit, gravel, lavender, violet and dark spice build as the 2020 gradually opens with some aeration. Wow. Neal Martin.
WA 98-100 (5/2021): The 2020 Haut-Brion is a blend of 42.8% Merlot, 39.7% Cabernet Sauvignon and 17.5% Cabernet Franc, harvested from 7th to 29th September, with an estimated alcohol of 15% and a pH of 3.8. Opaque purple-black colored, it leaps from the glass with a first wave of vibrant black raspberries, ripe blackberries and mulberries scents, followed by a powerful core of warm cassis, dark chocolate and violets, before bursting into an array of crushed rocks, iron ore, tree bark and black truffles notes. The concentrated, densely packed, full-bodied palate is not in the least bit heavy, delivering a refreshing backbone of red berry and dried herbs suggestions, framed by seamless acidity and very finely grained tannins, finishing on an epically long, fragrant earth note. Simply stunning. |
|
| Ch. d' Issan |
2020 |
Margaux |
$62 |
12 |
|
| |
VM 95 (2/2023): The 2020 d'Issan is a gorgeous, wonderfully complete wine. Blueberry, sage, dried herbs, menthol, lavender and licorice are all beautifully knit together. Medium in body, with notable depth and freshness, Issan is all class. Silky tannins round out the long, vibrant finish. The 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. Antonio Galloni.
JS 97-98 (4/2021): 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.
WA 93-95 (5/2021): The 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.
VM 93-95 (5/2021): The 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. Antonio Galloni.
JD 93-95+ (5/2021): More 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. |
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|
2020 |
Margaux (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$728.99 |
4 |
|
| |
VM 95 (2/2023): The 2020 d'Issan is a gorgeous, wonderfully complete wine. Blueberry, sage, dried herbs, menthol, lavender and licorice are all beautifully knit together. Medium in body, with notable depth and freshness, Issan is all class. Silky tannins round out the long, vibrant finish. The 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. Antonio Galloni.
JS 97-98 (4/2021): 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.
WA 93-95 (5/2021): The 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.
VM 93-95 (5/2021): The 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. Antonio Galloni.
JD 93-95+ (5/2021): More 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. |
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| Ch. Joanin Becot |
2020 |
Castillon Cotes de Bordeaux Ex-Negociant |
$24.95 |
31 |
|
| |
WA 93 (4/2023): The 2020 Joanin Bécot offers up notes of cherries, dark berries, violet and flower aromas with delicate hints of peony flowers. On the palate, the wine is medium to full-bodied, precise and fresh, with bright acidity and a delicate, crystalline and fine texture; in a word: exquisite.
JD 91 (3/2023): I always love this cuvée, and the 2020 Château Joanin Bécot shows the class of the vintage with its limestone-driven aromatics of black raspberries, framboise, rose petals, iris, and exotic flower-driven aromatics. With medium-bodied richness on the palate, it has silky tannins, a pure, elegant mouthfeel, ripe tannins, and a great finish. This is just pure, classic Right Bank goodness to enjoy over the coming decade or so. (Drink between 2023-2033).
VM 89 (11/2024): The 2020 Joanin Bécot has a ripe and bold bouquet with blackberry, cedar and tobacco scents. It is strangely reminiscent of say, a Saint-Julien, with just a touch of morels. The palate is medium-bodied with soft tannins, a light-styled Right Bank. It's fleshy and generous toward the finish but without the same complexity and grip as its peers. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting. (Drink between 2026-2039). Neal Martin. |
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| Ch. Lafite Rothschild |
2020 |
Pauillac
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$652.99 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 100 (3/2023): Looking at the Grand Vin, the 2020 Château Lafite-Rothschild is a sensational effort checking in as 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot that hit 12.8% natural alcohol and a pH of 3.94. As Lafite as Lafite gets, this ultra-classic reveals a dense ruby/plum hue as well as a tight, yet layered bouquet of ripe blackcurrants, smoked tobacco, freshly sharpened pencils, graphite, and subtle spice. Flawlessly balanced, deep, concentrated, and layered, it has an incredible mid-palate, building, perfect tannins, and a finish that leaves you salivating. Refined, elegant, and perfection are the buzz words here. Unfortunately, it's not for the instant gratification crowd, and I wouldn't be surprised to see this require 15 years to hit the early stages of its prime drinking window. It will probably hit its 100th birthday in fine form.
VM 98 (2/2023): The 2020 Lafite-Rothschild, which contains the highest proportion of Merlot since the 2016, hit the bull's eye from barrel. Revisiting the wine in the bottle since July, it still bursts from the glass with copious blackberries, touches of blueberry and juniper, pencil lead and a hint of crushed stone. Wonderful delineation. The palate is medium-bodied with finely-chiseled tannins, quite linear and "correct" - a quintessential Lafite-Rothschild in many ways. It gently builds in the mouth while keeping a restraint on things, finishing with fine sapidity yet a little more juiciness than you would have found a decade or two earlier. This has the potential to evolve beautifully over several decades. Neal Martin.
JS 99-100 (4/2021):  Rather ethereal and so refined with finesse, focus and brightness that provides incredible energy and pedigree. It’s full-bodied with ultra fine tannins that go on and on. Superb presence with tannins that melt into the wine. This is 12.8%. I love the wine. Lots of dark fruit and fresh tobacco. Lead pencil, too. 92% cabernet sauvignon, 7% merlot and 1% petit verdot.
WA 96-98 (5/2021): Displaying a deep purple-black color, the 2020 Lafite Rothschild takes a little swirling and coaxing to unlock scents of freshly crushed blackcurrants, boysenberries and spiced plums, followed by emerging nuances of red roses, raspberry preserves, underbrush and unsmoked cigars, with a waft of cedar chest. The medium-bodied palate is an exercise in elegance and finesse, featuring tightly wound layers of red and black berries and loads of mineral sparks, framed by finely grained tannins and well-poised tension, finishing with fantastic length and the most stunning perfume. Magnificent achievement. This 2020 is a blend of 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot and 1% Petit Verdot, coming in at 12.8% alcohol and a pH of 3.9. |
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| Ch. Lafleur |
2020 |
Pomerol (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$5,164.98 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2020 |
Pomerol (3x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$2,700.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Pensees de Lafleur |
2020 |
Pomerol (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,267.97 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2020 |
Pomerol (3x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$709.97 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Ch. Lagrange |
2020 |
St. Julien |
$49 |
3 |
|
| |
JD 95+ (3/2023): Coming from depressingly low yields of just 26 hectoliters per hectare (the lowest since 1991), the 2020 Château Lagrange checks in as 74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, and 2% Petit Verdot that was raised in 60% new French oak. It's a gorgeous, complete Saint-Julien offering remarkable purity in its cassis, violets, chocolate, and leafy tobacco-like aromas and flavors. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, with terrific balance, a pure, focused mouthfeel, ripe tannins, and beautifully integrated oak, it's going to benefit from 4-6 years of bottle age and cruise over the following 2+ decades in cold cellar.
VM 94 (2/2023): The 2020 Lagrange is fabulous, just as it was from barrel. Super-ripe dark cherry, plum, mocha, licorice, cedar and new leather are all amplified in this gorgeous, striking Saint-Julien. Soft and racy, with no hard edges and exceptional balance, Lagrange is a winner. Antonio Galloni.
JS 94 (12/2022): Attractive nose of blackberries, blackcurrants, walnuts, ink and kaffir leaves. It’s medium- to full-bodied, firm and structured, with chewy and tight tannins. Dark and intense, with a long and persistent finish. Turns to graphite and cedar. Needs time to open and soften. Try from 2026.
WA 94-96 (5/2021): Deep purple-black in color, the 2020 Lagrange leaps from the glass with vibrant notes of redcurrant jelly, ripe blackcurrants and minted blackberries, followed by nuances of dark chocolate, star anise and mossy tree bark. The medium-bodied palate is both super intense and super elegant, featuring exquisitely ripe, fine-grained tannins and seamless freshness to frame the bright, crunchy black and red fruits, finishing long and mineral laced. |
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|
2020 |
St. Julien |
$54 |
24 |
|
| |
JD 95+ (3/2023): Coming from depressingly low yields of just 26 hectoliters per hectare (the lowest since 1991), the 2020 Château Lagrange checks in as 74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, and 2% Petit Verdot that was raised in 60% new French oak. It's a gorgeous, complete Saint-Julien offering remarkable purity in its cassis, violets, chocolate, and leafy tobacco-like aromas and flavors. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, with terrific balance, a pure, focused mouthfeel, ripe tannins, and beautifully integrated oak, it's going to benefit from 4-6 years of bottle age and cruise over the following 2+ decades in cold cellar.
VM 94 (2/2023): The 2020 Lagrange is fabulous, just as it was from barrel. Super-ripe dark cherry, plum, mocha, licorice, cedar and new leather are all amplified in this gorgeous, striking Saint-Julien. Soft and racy, with no hard edges and exceptional balance, Lagrange is a winner. Antonio Galloni.
JS 94 (12/2022): Attractive nose of blackberries, blackcurrants, walnuts, ink and kaffir leaves. It’s medium- to full-bodied, firm and structured, with chewy and tight tannins. Dark and intense, with a long and persistent finish. Turns to graphite and cedar. Needs time to open and soften. Try from 2026.
WA 94-96 (5/2021): Deep purple-black in color, the 2020 Lagrange leaps from the glass with vibrant notes of redcurrant jelly, ripe blackcurrants and minted blackberries, followed by nuances of dark chocolate, star anise and mossy tree bark. The medium-bodied palate is both super intense and super elegant, featuring exquisitely ripe, fine-grained tannins and seamless freshness to frame the bright, crunchy black and red fruits, finishing long and mineral laced. |
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|
2020 |
St. Julien (12X750ML) 12-bottle OWC |
$648 |
2 |
|
| |
JD 95+ (3/2023): Coming from depressingly low yields of just 26 hectoliters per hectare (the lowest since 1991), the 2020 Château Lagrange checks in as 74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, and 2% Petit Verdot that was raised in 60% new French oak. It's a gorgeous, complete Saint-Julien offering remarkable purity in its cassis, violets, chocolate, and leafy tobacco-like aromas and flavors. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, with terrific balance, a pure, focused mouthfeel, ripe tannins, and beautifully integrated oak, it's going to benefit from 4-6 years of bottle age and cruise over the following 2+ decades in cold cellar.
VM 94 (2/2023): The 2020 Lagrange is fabulous, just as it was from barrel. Super-ripe dark cherry, plum, mocha, licorice, cedar and new leather are all amplified in this gorgeous, striking Saint-Julien. Soft and racy, with no hard edges and exceptional balance, Lagrange is a winner. Antonio Galloni.
JS 94 (12/2022): Attractive nose of blackberries, blackcurrants, walnuts, ink and kaffir leaves. It’s medium- to full-bodied, firm and structured, with chewy and tight tannins. Dark and intense, with a long and persistent finish. Turns to graphite and cedar. Needs time to open and soften. Try from 2026.
WA 94-96 (5/2021): Deep purple-black in color, the 2020 Lagrange leaps from the glass with vibrant notes of redcurrant jelly, ripe blackcurrants and minted blackberries, followed by nuances of dark chocolate, star anise and mossy tree bark. The medium-bodied palate is both super intense and super elegant, featuring exquisitely ripe, fine-grained tannins and seamless freshness to frame the bright, crunchy black and red fruits, finishing long and mineral laced. |
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| Ch. La Lagune |
2020 |
Haut Medoc (24x375ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$700.98 |
5 |
|
| |
WA 92-94 (5/2021): Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2020 La Lagune strides confidently out of the glass with bold, fantastically pure black fruit notes of crushed black plums, ripe blackcurrants and juicy blackberries, plus hints of tar, dried Provence herbs, star anise and smoked meats, with a hint of black truffles. The medium-bodied palate delivers tightly wound, bright, crunchy black fruits with plenty of freshness and an approachable, grainy texture, finishing long with loads of earthy and herbal sparks.
VM 91-93 (5/2021): The 2020 La Lagune offers intense Cabernet scents on the nose, the black fruit, tobacco, humidor and light cedar scents bursting from the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with firm tannins that frame the crisp black fruit. This is a classic Medoc with just the right amount of structure and dryness, partnered with assiduous sapidity that gets the saliva flowing. It should gain a little flesh during its elevage. You might call this "proper Claret." Neal Martin.
JS 93-94 (4/2021): A firm, polished red with tight, focused tannins that flow across the palate. It’s medium-to full-bodied with good length and a gorgeous finish. From organically grown grapes. |
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| Ch. Langoa Barton |
2020 |
St. Julien (6.0 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$567.98 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 95 (3/2023): Tasted on multiple occasions, the 2020 Château Langoa Barton comes from a mix of different sites in Saint-Julien, which makes it a great representation of the vintage and appellation. The blend is 53.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc. It exhibits a deep ruby/purple hue to go with a beautiful bouquet of red and black cherries, currants, leafy tobacco, and cedar pencil, with a touch of damp earth that emerges with time in the glass. Medium to full-bodied, balanced, and elegant on the palate, it has plenty of mid-palate depth and richness, velvety tannins, and a great finish. This plush, up-front, expansive, wonderfully textured Saint-Julien will benefit from just a few years of bottle age and cruise for two decades. It's the finest example from this château I've tasted. Bravo!
VM 93 (2/2023): The 2020 Langoa Barton has quite a plush, violet-tinged bouquet, higher-toned than the Léoville Barton, though without the same unerring complexity. This just wants to go out and have fun. The palate has an irresistible rondeur, velvety smooth with black plum, hints of cassis and a sweet and persistent finish. Joyful. Neal Martin.
JS 93-94 (4/2021): Very pretty blackberry and blueberry character with blackcurrants and mint. It’s medium-to full-bodied with linear, tight tannins that are polished and fine. |
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| Ch. Larcis-Ducasse |
2020 |
St. Emilion (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$556.99 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 99 (3/2023): The Grand Vin comes from a tiny 11.15-hectare vineyard that has been in the Gratiot family since 1893. Located on the south-facing Côte Pavie, between Château Pavie and Château Bellefont-Belcier and consisting of clay on top of limestone soils, the vineyard has recently been going through a replanted phase using a selection massale and a higher density planting. The grapes are hand-sorted, vinification occurs all in concrete and spans four weeks, with the élevage in 50% new French oak. A normal blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc, the 2020 Château Larcis Ducasse reminds me of the 2005 and is up with the top handful of wines on the Right Bank. It has a brilliant perfume of red and black fruits, white truffle, leafy tobacco, and Asian spices. This carries to a full-bodied, concentrated, powerful Larcis-Ducasse with ultra-fine yet building tannins, perfect balance, a stacked mid-palate, and one heck of a great finish. It's going to flirt with perfection in 7-8 years (I'm probably underrating it a point) and have 30 years of overall longevity. Tasted numerous times with consistent results.
VM 98 (2/2023): The 2020 Larcis Ducasse is a real showstopper. Bright and vertical in feel, the 2020 possesses tremendous energy to match its super-classic build. Beams of tannin and acid give the wine its shape. Dark cherry and pomegranate fruit are pushed forward, with a kick of blood orange acidity that lends freshness. Graphite, dried herbs, menthol, spice and cedar emerge with some coaxing, but the 2020 is very young and very primary. That of course bodes so well for its future. The 2020 is quite simply a thrilling Larcis and one of the very finest values in all of Bordeaux. Antonio Galloni.
JS 97-98 (4/2021): Blackberry and asphalt with cool minerals and a hint of mint. It’s full-bodied and chewy with intense flavors and a long, flavorful finish. Lots of chalk and an almost salty undertone.
WA 96-98 (5/2021): The 2020 Larcis Ducasse has a deep purple-black color, leaping from the glass with bold notions of redcurrant jelly, plum preserves, kirsch and red roses, followed by hints of licorice, fragrant earth and spice cake, with a touch of woodsmoke. The medium to full-bodied palate is laden with fragrant red berries and profound black fruit preserves, supported by ripe, rounded tannins and lovely tension, finishing very long and fantastically layered. Absolutely, stunningly singular. |
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| Ch. Laroque |
2020 |
St. Emilion (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$234.99 |
2 |
|
| |
|
|
2020 |
St. Emilion (12x375ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$364.97 |
2 |
|
| |
|
| Ch. Larrivet Haut Brion |
2020 |
Pessac-Leognan
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$71.99 |
5 |
|
| |
WA 91-93 (5/2021): The 2020 Larrivet Haut-Brion displays a deep garnet-purple color and exuberant scents of kirsch, black cherry preserves, stewed plums and warm cassis, plus hints of cinnamon stick and ground cloves with a waft of wilted roses. The medium to full-bodied palate is chock-full of red and black fruit preserves, framed by plush tannins and just enough freshness, finishing long and spicy.
VM 89-91 (5/2021): The 2020 Larrivet Haut-Brion was cropped at 29hl/ha and aged in new oak barrels, the Merlot component mostly aged in clay amphorae. It has an intense and powerful nose, but without quite the same precision as, say, the La Louvière that I tasted alongside. The palate is medium-bodied with a minty opening, supple and most pastille-like, revealing veins of blood orange toward the finish. Good length, but I am seeking more complexity. Neal Martin.
JD 93-95 (5/2021): Lots of blue fruits, spring flowers, candied orange, and exotic fruit notes emerge from the 2020 Château Larrivet Haut-Brion, a medium to full-bodied, floral, exotic, incredibly pure wine that opens up nicely with time in the glass. Possessing bright tannins, good overall concentration, and exceptional balance, this beautiful Pessac-Leognan will require just 4-5 years of bottle age to be drinkable and cruise for two decades.
JS 92-93 (4/2021): A firm, silky red with blackberry, walnut and a hint of iron. Medium body. Fine tannins. Nice energy to this. |
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|
2020 |
Pessac-Leognan (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$310.99 |
17 |
|
| |
WA 91-93 (5/2021): The 2020 Larrivet Haut-Brion displays a deep garnet-purple color and exuberant scents of kirsch, black cherry preserves, stewed plums and warm cassis, plus hints of cinnamon stick and ground cloves with a waft of wilted roses. The medium to full-bodied palate is chock-full of red and black fruit preserves, framed by plush tannins and just enough freshness, finishing long and spicy.
VM 89-91 (5/2021): The 2020 Larrivet Haut-Brion was cropped at 29hl/ha and aged in new oak barrels, the Merlot component mostly aged in clay amphorae. It has an intense and powerful nose, but without quite the same precision as, say, the La Louvière that I tasted alongside. The palate is medium-bodied with a minty opening, supple and most pastille-like, revealing veins of blood orange toward the finish. Good length, but I am seeking more complexity. Neal Martin.
JD 93-95 (5/2021): Lots of blue fruits, spring flowers, candied orange, and exotic fruit notes emerge from the 2020 Château Larrivet Haut-Brion, a medium to full-bodied, floral, exotic, incredibly pure wine that opens up nicely with time in the glass. Possessing bright tannins, good overall concentration, and exceptional balance, this beautiful Pessac-Leognan will require just 4-5 years of bottle age to be drinkable and cruise for two decades.
JS 92-93 (4/2021): A firm, silky red with blackberry, walnut and a hint of iron. Medium body. Fine tannins. Nice energy to this. |
|
| Ch. Leoville Barton |
2020 |
St. Julien |
$94 |
31 |
|
| |
JD 97+ (3/2023): The flagship from this great château, the 2020 Château Léoville Barton checks in as 85.5% Cabernet Sauvignon and 14.5% Merlot that saw 60% new French oak. It has fabulous aromatics of crème de cassis, graphite, liquid violets, spring flowers, and background oak. Full-bodied and concentrated on the palate, its purity of fruit is just about off the chart, it has a great mid-palate, and enough tannins to warrant 7-8 years of bottle age. This is another sensational wine from this team that will have 30-40 years of overall longevity.
VM 96 (2/2023): The 2020 Léoville Barton is compelling. It offers up a gorgeous mix of vintage 2020 intensity married to the classicism Léoville-Barton have come to expect. Blackberry, graphite, dried herbs, menthol and dark spice abound. Whereas so many Saint-Juliens are exuberant in 2020, Léoville-Barton is very much buttoned up, showing just a twinkle of mischief that lets you know the best is yet to come. Antonio Galloni.
JS 96 (12/2022): Aromas of dark berries, ash, tar, blackcurrants and lead pencil, following through to a medium to full body, with firm and integrated tannins and a medium, chewy finish. Needs four to six years to soften and come together. Very tight and nicely structured. Try in 2027 and onwards. |
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|
2020 |
St. Julien (1.5 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$280.97 |
1 |
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| |
JD 97+ (3/2023): The flagship from this great château, the 2020 Château Léoville Barton checks in as 85.5% Cabernet Sauvignon and 14.5% Merlot that saw 60% new French oak. It has fabulous aromatics of crème de cassis, graphite, liquid violets, spring flowers, and background oak. Full-bodied and concentrated on the palate, its purity of fruit is just about off the chart, it has a great mid-palate, and enough tannins to warrant 7-8 years of bottle age. This is another sensational wine from this team that will have 30-40 years of overall longevity.
VM 96 (2/2023): The 2020 Léoville Barton is compelling. It offers up a gorgeous mix of vintage 2020 intensity married to the classicism Léoville-Barton have come to expect. Blackberry, graphite, dried herbs, menthol and dark spice abound. Whereas so many Saint-Juliens are exuberant in 2020, Léoville-Barton is very much buttoned up, showing just a twinkle of mischief that lets you know the best is yet to come. Antonio Galloni.
JS 96 (12/2022): Aromas of dark berries, ash, tar, blackcurrants and lead pencil, following through to a medium to full body, with firm and integrated tannins and a medium, chewy finish. Needs four to six years to soften and come together. Very tight and nicely structured. Try in 2027 and onwards. |
|
|
2020 |
St. Julien (6.0 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$879.97 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 97+ (3/2023): The flagship from this great château, the 2020 Château Léoville Barton checks in as 85.5% Cabernet Sauvignon and 14.5% Merlot that saw 60% new French oak. It has fabulous aromatics of crème de cassis, graphite, liquid violets, spring flowers, and background oak. Full-bodied and concentrated on the palate, its purity of fruit is just about off the chart, it has a great mid-palate, and enough tannins to warrant 7-8 years of bottle age. This is another sensational wine from this team that will have 30-40 years of overall longevity.
VM 96 (2/2023): The 2020 Léoville Barton is compelling. It offers up a gorgeous mix of vintage 2020 intensity married to the classicism Léoville-Barton have come to expect. Blackberry, graphite, dried herbs, menthol and dark spice abound. Whereas so many Saint-Juliens are exuberant in 2020, Léoville-Barton is very much buttoned up, showing just a twinkle of mischief that lets you know the best is yet to come. Antonio Galloni.
JS 96 (12/2022): Aromas of dark berries, ash, tar, blackcurrants and lead pencil, following through to a medium to full body, with firm and integrated tannins and a medium, chewy finish. Needs four to six years to soften and come together. Very tight and nicely structured. Try in 2027 and onwards. |
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|
2020 |
St. Julien (12X750ML) 12-bottle OWC |
$1,128 |
2 |
|
| |
JD 97+ (3/2023): The flagship from this great château, the 2020 Château Léoville Barton checks in as 85.5% Cabernet Sauvignon and 14.5% Merlot that saw 60% new French oak. It has fabulous aromatics of crème de cassis, graphite, liquid violets, spring flowers, and background oak. Full-bodied and concentrated on the palate, its purity of fruit is just about off the chart, it has a great mid-palate, and enough tannins to warrant 7-8 years of bottle age. This is another sensational wine from this team that will have 30-40 years of overall longevity.
VM 96 (2/2023): The 2020 Léoville Barton is compelling. It offers up a gorgeous mix of vintage 2020 intensity married to the classicism Léoville-Barton have come to expect. Blackberry, graphite, dried herbs, menthol and dark spice abound. Whereas so many Saint-Juliens are exuberant in 2020, Léoville-Barton is very much buttoned up, showing just a twinkle of mischief that lets you know the best is yet to come. Antonio Galloni.
JS 96 (12/2022): Aromas of dark berries, ash, tar, blackcurrants and lead pencil, following through to a medium to full body, with firm and integrated tannins and a medium, chewy finish. Needs four to six years to soften and come together. Very tight and nicely structured. Try in 2027 and onwards. |
|
|
2020 |
St. Julien (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$544.97 |
2 |
|
| |
JD 97+ (3/2023): The flagship from this great château, the 2020 Château Léoville Barton checks in as 85.5% Cabernet Sauvignon and 14.5% Merlot that saw 60% new French oak. It has fabulous aromatics of crème de cassis, graphite, liquid violets, spring flowers, and background oak. Full-bodied and concentrated on the palate, its purity of fruit is just about off the chart, it has a great mid-palate, and enough tannins to warrant 7-8 years of bottle age. This is another sensational wine from this team that will have 30-40 years of overall longevity.
VM 96 (2/2023): The 2020 Léoville Barton is compelling. It offers up a gorgeous mix of vintage 2020 intensity married to the classicism Léoville-Barton have come to expect. Blackberry, graphite, dried herbs, menthol and dark spice abound. Whereas so many Saint-Juliens are exuberant in 2020, Léoville-Barton is very much buttoned up, showing just a twinkle of mischief that lets you know the best is yet to come. Antonio Galloni.
JS 96 (12/2022): Aromas of dark berries, ash, tar, blackcurrants and lead pencil, following through to a medium to full body, with firm and integrated tannins and a medium, chewy finish. Needs four to six years to soften and come together. Very tight and nicely structured. Try in 2027 and onwards. |
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| Reserve de Leoville Barton |
2020 |
St. Julien (6x1.5L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$676.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Ch. Leoville Las Cases |
2020 |
St. Julien (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,310.99 |
4 |
|
| |
VM 98+ (2/2023): 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. Antonio Galloni.
JD 98 (3/2023): Another 2020 that's going to demand patience, the 2020 Château Léoville Las Cases is a Cabernet Sauvignon-dominated blend that includes 11% Cabernet Franc and 8% Merlot that was raised in 80% new French oak. It's a regal, medium to full-bodied, concentrated, flawlessly balanced 2020 with a pure core of cassis and darker currant fruits, a layered, seamless mouthfeel that carries substantial tannins, perfectly integrated oak, and subtle floral, mineral, and leafy herb nuances. Playing in the concentrated yet focused and structured style of the vintage, it's going to need a decade to hit the early phases of its prime drinking window and will have 50-75 years of longevity.
JS 98-99 (4/2021): This 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.
WA 96-98 (5/2021): The 2020 Leoville 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. |
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| Ch. Leoville Poyferre |
2020 |
St. Julien |
$94 |
12 |
|
| |
VM 97 (2/2023): The 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. Antonio Galloni.
JS 96 (12/2022): This 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.
JD 95-97+ (5/2021): Cut from the same cloth as the 2016 with its focused, pure, yet concentrated style, the 2020 Château Léoville Poyferré reveals a dense purple color as well as ultra-classic notes of crème de cassis, graphite, toasted spice, and unsmoked tobacco. Rich and medium to full-bodied, it has brilliant mid-palate depth and ripe, velvety tannins, all making for a beautiful Saint-Julien that will benefit from 4-6 years of bottle age and shine for 30-40 years or more. Tasted three times.
WA 95-97 (5/2021): Deep purple-black colored, the 2020 Léoville Poyferré comes bounding out of the glass like an energetic young pup, delivering exuberant scents of crushed black cherries, juicy blackberries and warm cassis, with hints of ground cloves, dark chocolate, lilacs and tilled soil. The medium to full-bodied palate is wonderfully plush, delivering bags of ripe black fruits with a seamless backbone of acidity, finishing long and spicy. |
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|
2020 |
St. Julien (12X750ML) 12-bottle OWC |
$1,128 |
1 |
|
| |
VM 97 (2/2023): The 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. Antonio Galloni.
JS 96 (12/2022): This 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.
JD 95-97+ (5/2021): Cut from the same cloth as the 2016 with its focused, pure, yet concentrated style, the 2020 Château Léoville Poyferré reveals a dense purple color as well as ultra-classic notes of crème de cassis, graphite, toasted spice, and unsmoked tobacco. Rich and medium to full-bodied, it has brilliant mid-palate depth and ripe, velvety tannins, all making for a beautiful Saint-Julien that will benefit from 4-6 years of bottle age and shine for 30-40 years or more. Tasted three times.
WA 95-97 (5/2021): Deep purple-black colored, the 2020 Léoville Poyferré comes bounding out of the glass like an energetic young pup, delivering exuberant scents of crushed black cherries, juicy blackberries and warm cassis, with hints of ground cloves, dark chocolate, lilacs and tilled soil. The medium to full-bodied palate is wonderfully plush, delivering bags of ripe black fruits with a seamless backbone of acidity, finishing long and spicy. |
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|
2020 |
St. Julien (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$613.97 |
2 |
|
| |
VM 97 (2/2023): The 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. Antonio Galloni.
JS 96 (12/2022): This 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.
JD 95-97+ (5/2021): Cut from the same cloth as the 2016 with its focused, pure, yet concentrated style, the 2020 Château Léoville Poyferré reveals a dense purple color as well as ultra-classic notes of crème de cassis, graphite, toasted spice, and unsmoked tobacco. Rich and medium to full-bodied, it has brilliant mid-palate depth and ripe, velvety tannins, all making for a beautiful Saint-Julien that will benefit from 4-6 years of bottle age and shine for 30-40 years or more. Tasted three times.
WA 95-97 (5/2021): Deep purple-black colored, the 2020 Léoville Poyferré comes bounding out of the glass like an energetic young pup, delivering exuberant scents of crushed black cherries, juicy blackberries and warm cassis, with hints of ground cloves, dark chocolate, lilacs and tilled soil. The medium to full-bodied palate is wonderfully plush, delivering bags of ripe black fruits with a seamless backbone of acidity, finishing long and spicy. |
|
| Ch. Malartic Lagraviere |
2020 |
Pessac Leognan (6x1.5L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$571.98 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 95 (3/2023): Coming in at close to equal parts Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, the 2020 Château Malartic-Lagravière is another brilliant 2020 Pessac-Léognan with loads to offer. Expressive notes of red and black fruit, sweet tobacco, lead pencil, and camphor all emerge on the nose, and it's medium to full-bodied on the palate, with a forward, seamless, sexy profile that already offers pleasure. The tannins are present yet integrated and perfectly ripe, it's balanced, and I suspect it will evolve for a solid two decades or more. Tasted twice. The blend is 50.4% Cabernet Sauvignon, 47.8% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc that hit 14.2% natural alcohol.
JS 95 (12/2022): Blackberries and licorice with blackcurrants. Mushroom, too. Medium to full body. Creamy and soft tannins that are fine textured. Delicious finish. Racy, polished and sophisticated. Drink after 2026.
VM 95 (2/2023): The 2020 Malartic Lagravière is fabulous. Dark, ample and explosive, the 2020 offers an exciting mélange of dark fruit, lavender, spice and licorice. Even with all of its obvious size, the 2020 retains terrific freshness and plenty of delineation. Antonio Galloni.
WA 92-94 (5/2021): The deep purple-black 2020 Malartic Lagraviere leaps from the glass with vibrant notes of Bing cherries, black raspberries, ripe plums and boysenberries, plus suggestions of pencil lead, wild sage and crushed rocks. Medium-bodied, the palate has lovely energy and freshness, offering a solid backbone of grainy tannins to support the lively red and black fruit layers, finishing savory. |
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| Ch. Malescot St. Exupery |
2020 |
Margaux |
$60 |
47 |
|
| |
JS 97 (12/2022): Lots of blackcurrants and blueberries on the nose, together with walnuts and chocolate. Full-bodied and very layered, with super depth and plushness, offering currant, crushed-stone and bitter-chocolate flavors. Very lush for this wine, but velvety and structured at the same time. Needs four to six years of bottle age. Try after 2027.
VM 95 (2/2023): The 2020 Malescot Saint Exupéry is absolutely gorgeous. Deep and silky (that is not a typo) Malescot shows a level of finesse that is truly remarkable. There is still plenty of textural intensity, but also greater elegance than in the recent past. Succulent dark cherry, plum, licorice, incense and blood orange all run through this wonderfully sumptuous, expressive Margaux. Give this a few years in bottle. Superb. Antonio Galloni.
JD 94+ (3/2023): Beautiful cassis, smoky oak, graphite, blackberries, and scorched earth notes emerge from the 2020 Château Malescot Saint Exupéry, another incredibly impressive wine from Margaux in the vintage. With medium to full-bodied richness, it has plenty of mid-palate depth, the building, firmer tannins of the vintage, fabulous purity of fruit, and a great finish. Hide bottles for 4-5 years and enjoy over the following 15-20 years.
WA 95-97 (5/2021): Sporting a deep purple-black color, the 2020 Malescot St. Exupery prances out of the glass with showy scents of ripe black and red currants, black cherries, raspberry leaves and ground cloves, plus wafts of lilacs and tilled soil. Medium to full-bodied, the palate delivers mouth-coating black and red fruit layers with a firm, grainy texture and well-balanced acidity, finishing on a lingering fragrant-earth note. |
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|
2020 |
Margaux (3.0 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$256.99 |
1 |
|
| |
JS 97 (12/2022): Lots of blackcurrants and blueberries on the nose, together with walnuts and chocolate. Full-bodied and very layered, with super depth and plushness, offering currant, crushed-stone and bitter-chocolate flavors. Very lush for this wine, but velvety and structured at the same time. Needs four to six years of bottle age. Try after 2027.
VM 95 (2/2023): The 2020 Malescot Saint Exupéry is absolutely gorgeous. Deep and silky (that is not a typo) Malescot shows a level of finesse that is truly remarkable. There is still plenty of textural intensity, but also greater elegance than in the recent past. Succulent dark cherry, plum, licorice, incense and blood orange all run through this wonderfully sumptuous, expressive Margaux. Give this a few years in bottle. Superb. Antonio Galloni.
JD 94+ (3/2023): Beautiful cassis, smoky oak, graphite, blackberries, and scorched earth notes emerge from the 2020 Château Malescot Saint Exupéry, another incredibly impressive wine from Margaux in the vintage. With medium to full-bodied richness, it has plenty of mid-palate depth, the building, firmer tannins of the vintage, fabulous purity of fruit, and a great finish. Hide bottles for 4-5 years and enjoy over the following 15-20 years.
WA 95-97 (5/2021): Sporting a deep purple-black color, the 2020 Malescot St. Exupery prances out of the glass with showy scents of ripe black and red currants, black cherries, raspberry leaves and ground cloves, plus wafts of lilacs and tilled soil. Medium to full-bodied, the palate delivers mouth-coating black and red fruit layers with a firm, grainy texture and well-balanced acidity, finishing on a lingering fragrant-earth note. |
|
| Ch. Margaux |
2020 |
Margaux (6.0 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$8,593.97 |
1 |
|
| |
VM 98 (2/2023): The 2020 Margaux Grand Vin is ravishing. At once refined and exuberant, Margaux beautifully captures the spirit of the vintage. Layers of dark fruit, spice, lavender, crushed flowers and leather open graciously, revealing a wine of uncommon depth and finesse. The 100% new oak is not at all perceptible. Enveloping on the palate, with striking resonance and exceptional balance, the 2020 is very clearly a great modern Margaux. It's a brilliant effort from Margaux and the team led by Managing Director Philippe Bascaules. Antonio Galloni.
JD 97+ (3/2023): As to the Grand Vin, the 2020 Château Margaux is 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, pulled from a tiny 36% of the total production, that spent 20 months in new barrels. It has that classic Château Margaux sense of elegance and complexity and offers full-bodied aromas and flavors of ripe currants, blueberries, acacia flowers, crushed stone, and sandalwood that develop with time in the glass. With remarkable purity as well as flawless balance, it's a seriously concentrated, powerful 2020 that still just glides across the palate with no hard edges, silky tannins, and a great finish. I love everything about this wine. It's going to flirt with perfection in 7-8 years and evolve for 50-75 years. It actually reminds me slightly of the 2016.
JS 99-100 (4/2021): So floral and perfumed with blackcurrants, blackberries and some asphalt. Full-bodied with super, fine tannins. Extremely refined with great length and intensity. The wonderful combination of refinement and power is already evident. Superb finish. Another great Margaux.
WA 97-99 (5/2021): The 2020 Château Margaux is composed of 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, 1% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot, accounting for 36% of the harvest. The alcohol weighs in at 13.5%, the IPT is 80 and the pH is 3.67. Displaying an opaque purple-black color, it needs a lot of air, time and patience to coax out the youthfully reticent nose of blueberry preserves, blackcurrant pastilles and Black Forest cake, followed by suggestions of lavender, clove oil, iron ore and menthol with wafts of star anise and candied violets. The medium to full-bodied palate is wonderfully opulent, featuring tightly wound yet beautifully pure layers of black fruits and earthy nuances within a solid structure of firm yet velvety tannins and exhilarating freshness, finishing with very long-lingering earth and mineral notes. Another stunning expression of the vintage by Philippe Bascaules and his team—bravo!
VM 97-99 (5/2021): Much like the Deuxième Vin, the 2020 Château Margaux has a discreet nose; it is not interested in fireworks or in dazzling the taster. At first unassuming, it unfolds with black cherries, blueberry and signature crushed violet aromas, all delivered with the delineation and purity expected from an estate of this standing. Looking deeper, one finds touches of potpourri and India ink. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-grained tannins and crisp acidity, perhaps more noticeable on the 2020 compared to the previous two vintages. This Margaux is surfeit with tension and coiled-up, nascent energy, then it tightens up toward a linear finish that strangely recalls a Pauillac, thanks to a subtle graphite note that lingers on the saline aftertaste. This is a classically styled Château Margaux that will gain weight and depth during its elevage. Cerebral and sophisticated, and one of the wines of the Left Bank in 2020. Neal Martin. |
|
|
2020 |
Margaux (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$3,258.99 |
1 |
|
| |
VM 98 (2/2023): The 2020 Margaux Grand Vin is ravishing. At once refined and exuberant, Margaux beautifully captures the spirit of the vintage. Layers of dark fruit, spice, lavender, crushed flowers and leather open graciously, revealing a wine of uncommon depth and finesse. The 100% new oak is not at all perceptible. Enveloping on the palate, with striking resonance and exceptional balance, the 2020 is very clearly a great modern Margaux. It's a brilliant effort from Margaux and the team led by Managing Director Philippe Bascaules. Antonio Galloni.
JD 97+ (3/2023): As to the Grand Vin, the 2020 Château Margaux is 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, pulled from a tiny 36% of the total production, that spent 20 months in new barrels. It has that classic Château Margaux sense of elegance and complexity and offers full-bodied aromas and flavors of ripe currants, blueberries, acacia flowers, crushed stone, and sandalwood that develop with time in the glass. With remarkable purity as well as flawless balance, it's a seriously concentrated, powerful 2020 that still just glides across the palate with no hard edges, silky tannins, and a great finish. I love everything about this wine. It's going to flirt with perfection in 7-8 years and evolve for 50-75 years. It actually reminds me slightly of the 2016.
JS 99-100 (4/2021): So floral and perfumed with blackcurrants, blackberries and some asphalt. Full-bodied with super, fine tannins. Extremely refined with great length and intensity. The wonderful combination of refinement and power is already evident. Superb finish. Another great Margaux.
WA 97-99 (5/2021): The 2020 Château Margaux is composed of 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, 1% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot, accounting for 36% of the harvest. The alcohol weighs in at 13.5%, the IPT is 80 and the pH is 3.67. Displaying an opaque purple-black color, it needs a lot of air, time and patience to coax out the youthfully reticent nose of blueberry preserves, blackcurrant pastilles and Black Forest cake, followed by suggestions of lavender, clove oil, iron ore and menthol with wafts of star anise and candied violets. The medium to full-bodied palate is wonderfully opulent, featuring tightly wound yet beautifully pure layers of black fruits and earthy nuances within a solid structure of firm yet velvety tannins and exhilarating freshness, finishing with very long-lingering earth and mineral notes. Another stunning expression of the vintage by Philippe Bascaules and his team—bravo!
VM 97-99 (5/2021): Much like the Deuxième Vin, the 2020 Château Margaux has a discreet nose; it is not interested in fireworks or in dazzling the taster. At first unassuming, it unfolds with black cherries, blueberry and signature crushed violet aromas, all delivered with the delineation and purity expected from an estate of this standing. Looking deeper, one finds touches of potpourri and India ink. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-grained tannins and crisp acidity, perhaps more noticeable on the 2020 compared to the previous two vintages. This Margaux is surfeit with tension and coiled-up, nascent energy, then it tightens up toward a linear finish that strangely recalls a Pauillac, thanks to a subtle graphite note that lingers on the saline aftertaste. This is a classically styled Château Margaux that will gain weight and depth during its elevage. Cerebral and sophisticated, and one of the wines of the Left Bank in 2020. Neal Martin. |
|
|
2020 |
Margaux (3x1.5L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$3,273.99 |
1 |
|
| |
VM 98 (2/2023): The 2020 Margaux Grand Vin is ravishing. At once refined and exuberant, Margaux beautifully captures the spirit of the vintage. Layers of dark fruit, spice, lavender, crushed flowers and leather open graciously, revealing a wine of uncommon depth and finesse. The 100% new oak is not at all perceptible. Enveloping on the palate, with striking resonance and exceptional balance, the 2020 is very clearly a great modern Margaux. It's a brilliant effort from Margaux and the team led by Managing Director Philippe Bascaules. Antonio Galloni.
JD 97+ (3/2023): As to the Grand Vin, the 2020 Château Margaux is 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, pulled from a tiny 36% of the total production, that spent 20 months in new barrels. It has that classic Château Margaux sense of elegance and complexity and offers full-bodied aromas and flavors of ripe currants, blueberries, acacia flowers, crushed stone, and sandalwood that develop with time in the glass. With remarkable purity as well as flawless balance, it's a seriously concentrated, powerful 2020 that still just glides across the palate with no hard edges, silky tannins, and a great finish. I love everything about this wine. It's going to flirt with perfection in 7-8 years and evolve for 50-75 years. It actually reminds me slightly of the 2016.
JS 99-100 (4/2021): So floral and perfumed with blackcurrants, blackberries and some asphalt. Full-bodied with super, fine tannins. Extremely refined with great length and intensity. The wonderful combination of refinement and power is already evident. Superb finish. Another great Margaux.
WA 97-99 (5/2021): The 2020 Château Margaux is composed of 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, 1% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot, accounting for 36% of the harvest. The alcohol weighs in at 13.5%, the IPT is 80 and the pH is 3.67. Displaying an opaque purple-black color, it needs a lot of air, time and patience to coax out the youthfully reticent nose of blueberry preserves, blackcurrant pastilles and Black Forest cake, followed by suggestions of lavender, clove oil, iron ore and menthol with wafts of star anise and candied violets. The medium to full-bodied palate is wonderfully opulent, featuring tightly wound yet beautifully pure layers of black fruits and earthy nuances within a solid structure of firm yet velvety tannins and exhilarating freshness, finishing with very long-lingering earth and mineral notes. Another stunning expression of the vintage by Philippe Bascaules and his team—bravo!
VM 97-99 (5/2021): Much like the Deuxième Vin, the 2020 Château Margaux has a discreet nose; it is not interested in fireworks or in dazzling the taster. At first unassuming, it unfolds with black cherries, blueberry and signature crushed violet aromas, all delivered with the delineation and purity expected from an estate of this standing. Looking deeper, one finds touches of potpourri and India ink. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-grained tannins and crisp acidity, perhaps more noticeable on the 2020 compared to the previous two vintages. This Margaux is surfeit with tension and coiled-up, nascent energy, then it tightens up toward a linear finish that strangely recalls a Pauillac, thanks to a subtle graphite note that lingers on the saline aftertaste. This is a classically styled Château Margaux that will gain weight and depth during its elevage. Cerebral and sophisticated, and one of the wines of the Left Bank in 2020. Neal Martin. |
|
| Clos du Marquis |
2020 |
St. Julien Ex-Negociant |
$59 |
7 |
|
| |
JD 94 (3/2023): I always love this wine. While it never has the regal elegance of the Leoville Las Case, it always brings beautiful depth and richness. The 2020 Clos Du Marquis is no exception and is a concentrated, medium to full-bodied Saint-Julien delivering lots of ripe tobacco, graphite, and crushed stone aromatics, a great mid-palate, fine tannins, and a terrific core of bright cherry and darker currant fruits. A terrific wine, it will benefit from 4-6 years of bottle age and cruise over the following two decades. (Drink between 2027-2047).
WA 93+ (4/2023): The 2020 Clos du Marquis wafts from the glass with aromas of rich berries, cherries, orange zest, pencil shavings and crushed mint. Medium to full-bodied, rich and velvety, with a sweet core of fruit, lively acids and powdery tannins that assert themselves on the youthfully firm finish, it's a serious wine that will require and reward patience.
VM 93 (2/2023): The 2020 Clos du Marquis is a rich, explosive wine. Super-ripe dark cherry, red plum, dark spice and pomegranate give the 2020 its effusive, open-knit personality. There's terrific energy and tons of class here. The purity of the fruit is very fine, yet the tannins are a bit imposing at this stage. Give this a few years to come together. (Drink between 2025-2035). Antonio Galloni. |
|
| Ch. Marsau |
2020 |
Francs Cotes de Bordeaux |
$29.99 |
5 |
|
| |
WA 93 (4/2023): The 2020 Marsau tastes like the very essence of Francs Côtes de Bordeaux, with aromas of violet, cassis, flowers, blueberry, graphite and a touch of menthol. It’s medium to full-bodied, broad, vibrant and vinous, with terrific freshness and a long, sapid, saline finish. I admit to having a weakness for the wines from this small estate owned by Anne-Laurence and Mathieu Chadronnier. One of the best vintages ever produced here.
Decanter 93 (2/2023): Smooth and supple, a lovely core of juicy red fruits. Scented with herbal touches, rosemary, cinnamon and clove giving this a touch of piquance on the mid-palate which is gentle and supportive. Stylish, perfumed and nuanced, still sleek with tension causing a certain linearity at this point; certainly not super-ripe and plush. Lovely, gentle, delicate freshness and lift on the finish. Red fruits with some medicinal edges, then a clean, salty, wet stone and slate element that lingers. A shining wine in 2020
JS 94 (5/2023): This pure merlot is really spicy with cloves to the blackberry, black-olive and wet-earth character. Full-bodied and refined with beautiful energy and focus. Salty and minerally. Aged mostly in casks with some amphora and new-oak barrels. From organically grown grapes. |
|
| La Chapelle de La Mission Haut Brion |
2020 |
Pessac Leognan (6.0 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$938.97 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Ch. Monbousquet |
2020 |
St. Emilion (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$380.99 |
10 |
|
| |
JD 92-94 (5/2021): Seemingly a perpetual smoking wine as well as a great value, the 2020 Château Monbousquet is no exception and has a deep, inky hue to go with pure, rich, powerful notes of smoky black fruits, chocolate, scorched earth, and subtle floral nuances. It’s a medium to full-bodied, concentrated, even tannic, yet pleasure-bent beauty I’d be thrilled to drink any time over the coming 15+ years. The blend is 70% Merlot and 15% each of Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon, and the alcohol is 14.6% with a pH of 3.75.
JS 93-94 (4/2021): 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. |
|
| Mondot |
2020 |
St. Emilion (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$571.98 |
4 |
|
| |
| WA 93 (4/2023): Unwinding in the glass with aromas of sweet blackberries and raspberries mingled with hints of rose petal and spices, the 2020 Mondot is medium to full-bodied, ample and fleshy, with a pure, seamless core of vibrant fruit and a long, succulent finish. Derived from Merlot growing on recently acquired vineyards on Saint-Émilion's limestone plateau, some 40% of the blend is matured in tank, with the rest in once-used barriques. |
|
| Ch. La Mondotte |
2020 |
St. Emilion |
$150 |
12 |
|
| |
JD 99 (3/2023): Just about pure perfection, the 2020 La Mondotte comes from a tiny parcel of limestone soils on the upper plateau, not far from Troplong Mondot. Mostly Merlot with a small amount of Cabernet Franc, its deep purple hue is followed by a brilliant bouquet of crème de cassis, crushed stone, graphite, mulled black cherries, and hints of truffle. Full-bodied, incredibly elegant yet also concentrated and flawlessly balanced, it's as good as anything in the vintage. Give bottles 4-6 years in the cellar, count yourself lucky, and enjoy over the following 2-3 decades. (Drink between 2027-2052).
WA 96+ (4/2023): I typically have a weakness for Canon-la-Gaffelière, with its high percentage of Cabernet Franc, in the Von Neipperg portfolio. But this year, it's the 2020 La Mondotte that takes center stage, offering up aromas of dark berries, plums, licorice, incense and vine smoke, followed by a medium to full-bodied, layered and vibrant palate of striking harmony and concentration. It's the most seamless, complete wine I've ever tasted from this brilliant clay-limestone terroir.
VM 93 (11/2024): The 2020 La Mondotte has another concentrated, ripe and opulent bouquet with lavish kirsch and blueberry scents. It's a bit ferrous in style but gains coherence and complexity in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with a pliant entry, fine acidity and a savory finish. It's not amazingly complex, and it needs a bit more length. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting. (Drink between 2027-2040). Neal Martin. |
|
| Ch. Montlandrie |
2020 |
Cotes de Castillon (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$410.98 |
60 |
|
| |
WA 92-94 (5/2021): The 2020 Montlandrie is a blend of 75% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. The Merlot was picked between the 18th and the 22nd of September, and the Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon were picked from the 23rd to the 25th of September. It has an alcohol of 14.5% and is aging in French oak barrels, 40% new. Deep garnet-purple colored, it bursts from the glass with vibrant notes of crushed blackberries, fresh, juicy black plums and mulberries, plus hints of bay leaves, cardamom, ground black pepper and black truffles. The medium to full-bodied palate possesses impressive freshness with a solid backbone of soft, rounded tannins and bags of ripe black fruits, finishing long with a peppery kick. 53,000 bottles are expected to be made.
JS 92-93 (4/2021): Very salty and tangy with some white pepper, too, as well as lots of blackberries and blueberries. Medium body with delicate yet firm tannins that show intensity. Firm finish. |
|
|
2020 |
Cotes de Castillon (6x1.5L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$410.98 |
7 |
|
| |
WA 92-94 (5/2021): The 2020 Montlandrie is a blend of 75% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. The Merlot was picked between the 18th and the 22nd of September, and the Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon were picked from the 23rd to the 25th of September. It has an alcohol of 14.5% and is aging in French oak barrels, 40% new. Deep garnet-purple colored, it bursts from the glass with vibrant notes of crushed blackberries, fresh, juicy black plums and mulberries, plus hints of bay leaves, cardamom, ground black pepper and black truffles. The medium to full-bodied palate possesses impressive freshness with a solid backbone of soft, rounded tannins and bags of ripe black fruits, finishing long with a peppery kick. 53,000 bottles are expected to be made.
JS 92-93 (4/2021): Very salty and tangy with some white pepper, too, as well as lots of blackberries and blueberries. Medium body with delicate yet firm tannins that show intensity. Firm finish. |
|
| Ch. Montrose |
2020 |
St. Estephe |
$205 |
10 |
|
| |
WA 100 (12/2023): Surpassing the 2019 and rivaling the 2016 as this estate's finest vintage of the last few decades, the 2020 Montrose is a monument in the making. Wafting from the glass with aromas of violets, dark berries, licorice, loamy soil, black truffle and subtle spices, it's full-bodied, deep and layered, with a seamless, elegantly muscular profile, terrific purity and energy, beautifully powdery tannins and a long, resonant finish. It checks in at 13.7% alcohol, the same as the superb 2009, but it is even deeper, more vibrant and more complex than the 2009.
JD 98+ (3/2023): The Grand Vin 2020 Château Montrose is brilliant and unquestionably in the lineup of the truly greats from this château, including the 1989, 1990, 2009, 2010, 2015, 2018, and 2019. With an IPT of 80 and a natural alcohol of 13.4%, its deep, saturated purple hue is followed by quintessential Saint-Estèphe notes of pure cassis, graphite, tobacco leaf, acacia flowers, and loamy earth. Full-bodied, concentrated, and powerful, it nevertheless stays incredibly pure, elegant, and seamless, with perfectly ripe tannins. A blend of 71% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Petit Verdot, is shines even today for its purity and balance, and it should be in the early stages of its prime drink window within a decade. (Drink between 2031-2081).
VM 97 (11/2024): The 2020 Montrose has a gorgeous bouquet with black cherries, raspberry coulis, crushed stone and floral scents. It's quite decadent yet nicely controlled. The palate is very structured with layers of blackberry and bilberry fruit and a touch of white pepper, building toward a spicy and very persistent, almost burly finish. This will need serious cellaring. Outstanding. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting. (Drink between 2032-2065). Neal Martin. |
|
| La Dame de Montrose |
2020 |
St. Estephe (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$546.97 |
1 |
|
| |
| VM 94 (2/2023): 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. |
|
|
2020 |
St. Estephe (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$315.99 |
10 |
|
| |
| VM 94 (2/2023): 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. |
|
| Ch. Mouton-Rothschild |
2020 |
Pauillac (6.0 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$7,180.97 |
1 |
|
| |
VM 99 (2/2023): The 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. Antonio Galloni.
JD 97_ (3/2023): The 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.
JS 99-100 (4/2021): This is a great and impressive Mouton with plushness and precision. A million layers of tannins. It’s full and very friendly, even seductive, in a rich and opulent way, yet it always remains fresh. Balanced and refined. Nothing sticks out here. Every so fine-grained tannins provide flesh. Looking forward to seeing its evolution. 84% cabernet sauvignon, 13% merlot, 2% cabernet franc and 1% petit verdot.
WA 97-99 (5/2021): The 2020 Mouton Rothschild is composed of 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot, with an alcohol of 13.1% and a pH of around 3.78. Deep purple-black colored, it starts off with subtle notions of fresh raspberries and blackberries, needing considerable swirling and patience to unlock its intense core of blackcurrant pastilles, rose oil, licorice and cardamom, plus touches of cedar chest, black truffles and crushed rocks. The medium-bodied palate is like a tightly coiled spring, possessing exhilarating tension and very firm, ripe, multi-grained tannins to frame the layer upon layer of black and red fruits intertwined with earthy and mineral accents, finishing very long and very fragrant. It is certainly the most coy, reticent and elegant grand vin of this trio of vintages (2018, 2019 and 2020), bearing Mouton's signature perfume, opulence and stylishness with great grace and sophistication as opposed to devil-may-care flamboyance. It's this gently teasing, achingly beautiful restraint that collectors are not going to want to miss. |
|
| Ch. Nenin |
2020 |
Pomerol (3.0 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$312.99 |
2 |
|
| |
|
|
2020 |
Pomerol (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$922.97 |
2 |
|
| |
|
|
2020 |
Pomerol (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$423.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Fugue de Nenin |
2020 |
Pomerol (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$272.99 |
10 |
|
| |
|
| Ch. Ormes de Pez |
2020 |
St. Estephe (6.0 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$406.97 |
1 |
|
| |
VM 92 (11/2024): The 2020 Ormes de Pez has a more open nose than its peers, leaning more toward red fruit as hints of potpourri and rosemary lend complexity. The palate is medium-bodied with saturated tannins. There's quite a lot of extraction noticeable in this Saint-Estèphe, as well as a grippy, saline finish. It will require cellaring for several years before it entertains drinkability. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting. (Drink between 2030-2055). Neal Martin.
JD 92 (3/2023): A blend of 54% Merlot, 38% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, the 2020 Château Ormes De Pez offers up a great perfume of red and black currants, sweet tobacco, sandalwood, and spice. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, with ripe tannins and good overall balance, it's another terrific 2020 that offers pleasure even today yet will evolve for 15+ years if well stored. (Drink between 2023-2038). |
|
| Les Pagodes de Cos |
2020 |
St. Estephe (6.0 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$490.97 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 94 (3/2023): Showing even better from bottle than barrel, the 2020 Pagodes De Cos checks in as 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34 % Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Remarkably elegant and balanced, it has a great nose of red and black fruits, sandalwood, tobacco leaf, and spice as well as medium to full-bodied richness on the palate. It's shockingly good and up with the top second wines out there. It will evolve for at least two decades. (Drink between 2024-2044).
JA 93 (1/2023): Silky, velvety texture, with lovely bright acidities that lift and carry the raspberry and damson fruits. Great stuff, spiced turmeric and saffron notes, black tea and liqourice root. Fine tannins but there are plenty of them, and this will continue to improve over the next few years in bottle. |
|
| Ch. Pape-Clement |
2020 |
Pessac Leognan (3.0 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$402.98 |
27 |
|
| |
VM 98 (2/2023): The 2020 Pape Clément is outrageously beautiful. Dark, virile and imposing, the 2020 is a rare vintage of Pape Clément that is vertical and statuesque in feel. Dark fruit, chocolate, new leather, licorice and cloves infuse the palate with tremendous depth. In a word: magnificent. Antonio Galloni.
JS 98 (12/2022): Lots of blackberry, iodine and crushed stone here. Some black pepper and graphite, too. Full body and medium, fine tannins that have a powdery texture and open in the mouth. So much going on. Iodine and iron undertones with some raw mushroom bring you back for more. Muscular. This is for the cellar. Drink after 2027.
JD 97+ (3/2023): I loved the 2020 Château Pape Clément, and this beauty is up there with the top wines in Pessac. Checking in as equal parts Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, aged 18 months in 90% barrels and 10% in foudre, it offers a deep purple hue to go with a powerful, concentrated profile displaying both red and black fruits, lots of spicy, chocolate, flowery incense nuances, full-bodied richness, and an almost salty, bloody character on the finish. This beauty shows the concentrated yet utterly classic, focused, elegant style of the vintage and has so much to love. It's going to be even better with 4-6 years of bottle age and will see its 30th birthday in fine form.
WA 96-98 (5/2021): Deep 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. |
|
|
2020 |
Pessac Leognan (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$959.97 |
1 |
|
| |
VM 98 (2/2023): The 2020 Pape Clément is outrageously beautiful. Dark, virile and imposing, the 2020 is a rare vintage of Pape Clément that is vertical and statuesque in feel. Dark fruit, chocolate, new leather, licorice and cloves infuse the palate with tremendous depth. In a word: magnificent. Antonio Galloni.
JS 98 (12/2022): Lots of blackberry, iodine and crushed stone here. Some black pepper and graphite, too. Full body and medium, fine tannins that have a powdery texture and open in the mouth. So much going on. Iodine and iron undertones with some raw mushroom bring you back for more. Muscular. This is for the cellar. Drink after 2027.
JD 97+ (3/2023): I loved the 2020 Château Pape Clément, and this beauty is up there with the top wines in Pessac. Checking in as equal parts Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, aged 18 months in 90% barrels and 10% in foudre, it offers a deep purple hue to go with a powerful, concentrated profile displaying both red and black fruits, lots of spicy, chocolate, flowery incense nuances, full-bodied richness, and an almost salty, bloody character on the finish. This beauty shows the concentrated yet utterly classic, focused, elegant style of the vintage and has so much to love. It's going to be even better with 4-6 years of bottle age and will see its 30th birthday in fine form.
WA 96-98 (5/2021): Deep 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. |
|
|
2020 |
Pessac Leognan (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$482.99 |
4 |
|
| |
VM 98 (2/2023): The 2020 Pape Clément is outrageously beautiful. Dark, virile and imposing, the 2020 is a rare vintage of Pape Clément that is vertical and statuesque in feel. Dark fruit, chocolate, new leather, licorice and cloves infuse the palate with tremendous depth. In a word: magnificent. Antonio Galloni.
JS 98 (12/2022): Lots of blackberry, iodine and crushed stone here. Some black pepper and graphite, too. Full body and medium, fine tannins that have a powdery texture and open in the mouth. So much going on. Iodine and iron undertones with some raw mushroom bring you back for more. Muscular. This is for the cellar. Drink after 2027.
JD 97+ (3/2023): I loved the 2020 Château Pape Clément, and this beauty is up there with the top wines in Pessac. Checking in as equal parts Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, aged 18 months in 90% barrels and 10% in foudre, it offers a deep purple hue to go with a powerful, concentrated profile displaying both red and black fruits, lots of spicy, chocolate, flowery incense nuances, full-bodied richness, and an almost salty, bloody character on the finish. This beauty shows the concentrated yet utterly classic, focused, elegant style of the vintage and has so much to love. It's going to be even better with 4-6 years of bottle age and will see its 30th birthday in fine form.
WA 96-98 (5/2021): Deep 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. |
|
| Pauillac de Latour |
2020 |
Pauillac (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$540.97 |
3 |
|
| |
|
| Les Aromes de Pavie |
2020 |
St. Emilion (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$494.99 |
5 |
|
| |
WA 91-93 (5/2021): Composed of 50% Merlot and 50% Cabernet Franc, the 2020 Arômes de Pavie has an alcohol of 14.78% and a pH of 3.57. It is aging in French oak barriques, 70% new. Deep purple-black in color, it needs a little swirling to unleash its exuberant scents of stewed black plums, black cherry compote and boysenberries, plus hints of tar, sauteed herbs and chargrill. The full-bodied palate packs in the black fruit layers, framed by soft tannins and tons of freshness, finishing long and earthy.
VM 90-92 (5/2021): The 2020 Arômes de Pavie, which comes from specific parcels, contains a much higher percentage of Cabernet Franc, half the blend instead of the 18% in the 2018. It was vatted for 31 days and matured in 70% new oak. Deep in color, it has an intense bouquet of blackberry, pencil lead and a faint touch of tobacco, the new oak conspicuous but in sync with the fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-grained tannins, plenty of black plummy fruit laced with bilberry, and a saline undercurrent. A stocky Deuxième Vin, but it manages to maintain decent balance and freshness. I hope we see the Cabernet Franc at this level in the blend going forward. Neal Martin.
JD 92-94 (5/2021): Always in the running for the best second wine in Bordeaux, the 2020 Aromes De Pavie is brilliant and surpasses any number of estates’ Grand Vins. The blend of the 2020 is equal parts Merlot and Cabernet Franc, and it has solid tech numbers, with an alcohol of 14.7% and a pH of 3.57. Dense purple-hued with a great nose of jammy black cherries, cassis, flowers, and chalky minerality, it’s medium to full-bodied and has a supple, up-front texture, ripe tannins, and brilliant balance. It tastes just like a second wine should, like a mini-Grand Vin that will drink beautifully while you give the top wine bottle age.
JS 95-96 (4/2021): Second wine of Pavie with wonderful blackberry, black olive and dark chocolate. Full and chewy with a powerful finish. Lots of structure and intensity. |
|
| Pavillon Rouge du Chateau Margaux |
2020 |
Margaux (6.0 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$2,424.97 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 94 (3/2023): As to the reds, the 2020 Château Margaux Pavillon Rouge is classic Château Margaux with its finesse, elegance, and purity. A blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot, and 5% Petit Verdot aged in 50% new French oak, it has a great perfume of cassis and darker cherries as well as notes of dried flowers, sandalwood, and graphite. Beautifully balanced, layered, and concentrated, it's a gem of a second wine with plenty of Grand Vin character. It will benefit from just a few years of bottle age and keep for two decades.
VM 94 (2/2023): The 2020 Pavillon Rouge is just as gorgeous from bottle as it was from barrel. Rich and sumptuous, with no hard edges, the Pavillon Rouge captures the combination of fruit richness and energy that is such a signature of the year. Bright red-toned fruit, blood orange, cinnamon and mint are all beautifully delineated. Lively acids, sweet floral and vibrant saline notes extend the effortless finish. The 2020 is a gorgeous Pavillon Rouge. Antonio Galloni.
JS 96-97 (4/2021): Blackberry and graphite with dark fruit and violets on the nose. Very complex. Full-bodied with lovely, fine tannins that are lightly chewy. Extremely long and polished. Really refined. Integrated tannins. Wonderful length.
WA 92-94 (5/2021): The 2020 Pavillon Rouge is composed of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot. The alcohol weighs in at 13.6%. Deep purple-black in color, the nose slowly unfurls to reveal gorgeous floral notes of lilacs and red roses, leading to a core of blackcurrant cordial, Morello cherries and minted blackberries, plus wafts of crushed rocks, forest floor and tilled loam. The medium to full-bodied palate is a mouthful of pure vinous seduction, slowly releasing layers of perfumed black fruits and mineral accents within a frame of achingly plush tannins and seamless freshness, finishing with epic length and a whole array of fragrant earth sparks. |
|
|
2020 |
Margaux (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,064.99 |
3 |
|
| |
JD 94 (3/2023): As to the reds, the 2020 Château Margaux Pavillon Rouge is classic Château Margaux with its finesse, elegance, and purity. A blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot, and 5% Petit Verdot aged in 50% new French oak, it has a great perfume of cassis and darker cherries as well as notes of dried flowers, sandalwood, and graphite. Beautifully balanced, layered, and concentrated, it's a gem of a second wine with plenty of Grand Vin character. It will benefit from just a few years of bottle age and keep for two decades.
VM 94 (2/2023): The 2020 Pavillon Rouge is just as gorgeous from bottle as it was from barrel. Rich and sumptuous, with no hard edges, the Pavillon Rouge captures the combination of fruit richness and energy that is such a signature of the year. Bright red-toned fruit, blood orange, cinnamon and mint are all beautifully delineated. Lively acids, sweet floral and vibrant saline notes extend the effortless finish. The 2020 is a gorgeous Pavillon Rouge. Antonio Galloni.
JS 96-97 (4/2021): Blackberry and graphite with dark fruit and violets on the nose. Very complex. Full-bodied with lovely, fine tannins that are lightly chewy. Extremely long and polished. Really refined. Integrated tannins. Wonderful length.
WA 92-94 (5/2021): The 2020 Pavillon Rouge is composed of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot. The alcohol weighs in at 13.6%. Deep purple-black in color, the nose slowly unfurls to reveal gorgeous floral notes of lilacs and red roses, leading to a core of blackcurrant cordial, Morello cherries and minted blackberries, plus wafts of crushed rocks, forest floor and tilled loam. The medium to full-bodied palate is a mouthful of pure vinous seduction, slowly releasing layers of perfumed black fruits and mineral accents within a frame of achingly plush tannins and seamless freshness, finishing with epic length and a whole array of fragrant earth sparks. |
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|
2020 |
Margaux (12x375ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,437.97 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 94 (3/2023): As to the reds, the 2020 Château Margaux Pavillon Rouge is classic Château Margaux with its finesse, elegance, and purity. A blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot, and 5% Petit Verdot aged in 50% new French oak, it has a great perfume of cassis and darker cherries as well as notes of dried flowers, sandalwood, and graphite. Beautifully balanced, layered, and concentrated, it's a gem of a second wine with plenty of Grand Vin character. It will benefit from just a few years of bottle age and keep for two decades.
VM 94 (2/2023): The 2020 Pavillon Rouge is just as gorgeous from bottle as it was from barrel. Rich and sumptuous, with no hard edges, the Pavillon Rouge captures the combination of fruit richness and energy that is such a signature of the year. Bright red-toned fruit, blood orange, cinnamon and mint are all beautifully delineated. Lively acids, sweet floral and vibrant saline notes extend the effortless finish. The 2020 is a gorgeous Pavillon Rouge. Antonio Galloni.
JS 96-97 (4/2021): Blackberry and graphite with dark fruit and violets on the nose. Very complex. Full-bodied with lovely, fine tannins that are lightly chewy. Extremely long and polished. Really refined. Integrated tannins. Wonderful length.
WA 92-94 (5/2021): The 2020 Pavillon Rouge is composed of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot. The alcohol weighs in at 13.6%. Deep purple-black in color, the nose slowly unfurls to reveal gorgeous floral notes of lilacs and red roses, leading to a core of blackcurrant cordial, Morello cherries and minted blackberries, plus wafts of crushed rocks, forest floor and tilled loam. The medium to full-bodied palate is a mouthful of pure vinous seduction, slowly releasing layers of perfumed black fruits and mineral accents within a frame of achingly plush tannins and seamless freshness, finishing with epic length and a whole array of fragrant earth sparks. |
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| Le Petit Lion du Marquis de Las Cases |
2020 |
St. Julien (6.0 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$812.97 |
1 |
|
| |
VM 90 (2/2023): Representing around one-third of the total production, the 2020 Le Petit Lion sees 30% new oak. It has an attractive nose with blackberry, raspberry coulis, hints of iodine and pressed iris flowers. Not intense, but nicely focused. The palate is medium-bodied with pliant tannins that frame the red berry fruit laced with white pepper and touches of thyme. This is a very capable Deuxième Vin. Neal Martin.
WA 92-94 (5/2021): The 2020 Le Petit Lion (the second wine of Leoville Las Cases, mainly from younger vines) is a blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Cabernet Franc and 44% Merlot, aging in 30% new French oak barriques, weighing in with an alcohol of 13.61%, a pH of 3.69 and an IPT (tannins index) of 75. The Cabernet Sauvignon was harvested from the 17th to the 29th of September, the Merlot from the 10th to the 15th of September and the Cabernet Franc from the 15th to the 17th of September. Sporting a medium to deep purple-black color, it springs from the glass with vibrant notes of black cherries, redcurrant jelly and cassis, plus touches of lavender, fallen leaves and cinnamon stick, with a waft of black truffles. The medium-bodied palate has bright, bold black and red berry layers with a grainy texture and loads of freshness, finishing long with a spicy kick. A very impressive second wine!
JD 92-94 (5/2021): The second wine of this great estate, the 2020 Le Petit Lion checks in as 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 44% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc. It has the class of the Grand Vin yet is made in a slightly softer, more forward style and offers lots of black cherry and dark currants fruits as well as notes of lead pencil, dried tobacco, and loamy earth. Playing in the medium to full-bodied end of the spectrum, it's balanced, has ripe tannins, the hallmark purity of fruit of the vintage, and a great finish. I’d be thrilled to drink a bottle any time over the coming 10-15 years or more.
JS 96-97 (4/2021): This is very deep and rich with ripe tannins that take your down and through the palate. Full and layered. This is really plush and intense. Could be the best ever for the second wine. Goes deep. |
|
| Ch. Petit Village |
2020 |
Pomerol Ex-Negociant |
$139 |
11 |
|
| |
JD 97 (3/2023): A rockstar of a wine, the 2020 Château Petit-Village is even better from bottle than barrel, offering a deep ruby/plum color as well as a powerful, masculine style in its iron-laced red and black fruits, roasted tobacco, chocolate, and spring flower-like aromas and flavors. A wine that builds beautifully with time in the glass, it's full-bodied, has a plump, layered mid-palate, sweet tannins, and a hell of a finish. This ripe, concentrated, powerful Pomerol is easily the finest I've tasted from this château. It should hit maturity with 7-8 years of bottle age and cruise in cold cellars over the following 20-25 years or more. (Drink between 2030-2050).
WA 93+ (4/2023): The 2020 Petit Village was much talked about on the place de Bordeaux, so I was curious to taste it. On first encounter last summer, it appeared to be rather chunky and extracted, but while waiting for the delivery of a new novelty shape bottle, the wine was obliged to spend a prolonged period in tank, and it seems to have acquired some additional polish and integration in the process. Exhibiting aromas of minty blackberries, cassis, spices and creamy new oak, it's full-bodied, rich and layered, with a creamy, textural profile and good depth at the core. This is still a big-boned vision of Pomerol, but it has turned out better than I anticipated last summer.
VM 89 (11/2024): The 2020 Petit Village has an airy nose with aromas of pressed flowers, well defined, though in need of a little more cohesion. The palate is balanced and quite savory compared to its peers, with good depth. It's a little rustic in style, with a dash of cracked black pepper on the finish. It could use a bit more length. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting. (Drink between 2026-2039). Neal Martin. |
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|
2020 |
Pomerol (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,088.97 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 97 (3/2023): A rockstar of a wine, the 2020 Château Petit-Village is even better from bottle than barrel, offering a deep ruby/plum color as well as a powerful, masculine style in its iron-laced red and black fruits, roasted tobacco, chocolate, and spring flower-like aromas and flavors. A wine that builds beautifully with time in the glass, it's full-bodied, has a plump, layered mid-palate, sweet tannins, and a hell of a finish. This ripe, concentrated, powerful Pomerol is easily the finest I've tasted from this château. It should hit maturity with 7-8 years of bottle age and cruise in cold cellars over the following 20-25 years or more. (Drink between 2030-2050).
WA 93+ (4/2023): The 2020 Petit Village was much talked about on the place de Bordeaux, so I was curious to taste it. On first encounter last summer, it appeared to be rather chunky and extracted, but while waiting for the delivery of a new novelty shape bottle, the wine was obliged to spend a prolonged period in tank, and it seems to have acquired some additional polish and integration in the process. Exhibiting aromas of minty blackberries, cassis, spices and creamy new oak, it's full-bodied, rich and layered, with a creamy, textural profile and good depth at the core. This is still a big-boned vision of Pomerol, but it has turned out better than I anticipated last summer.
VM 89 (11/2024): The 2020 Petit Village has an airy nose with aromas of pressed flowers, well defined, though in need of a little more cohesion. The palate is balanced and quite savory compared to its peers, with good depth. It's a little rustic in style, with a dash of cracked black pepper on the finish. It could use a bit more length. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting. (Drink between 2026-2039). Neal Martin. |
|
| Ch. de Pez |
2020 |
St. Estephe (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$364.98 |
17 |
|
| |
|
| Ch. Pibran |
2020 |
Pauillac Ex-Negociant |
$39 |
18 |
|
| |
JD 93 (3/2023): Based on 55% Merlot and 45% Cabernet Sauvignon that saw 50% new oak, the 2020 Château Pibran is a classic wine in the vintage that has a pure, layered, medium to full-bodied style as well as textbook notes of darker berries, cassis, irone, and tobacco. With ripe tannins, a good spine of acidity, and plenty of texture, it's going to evolve for 15-20 years in cold cellars. (Drink between 2023-2043).
VM 93 (2/2023): The 2020 Pibran is a potent wine. Black cherry, plum, mocha, licorice and chocolate are nicely dialed up in this rich, heady Pauillac. Soft, plush and exuberant, Pibran is a total charmer. Best of all, it will be ready to drink with minimal cellaring. Bright acids and floral notes lift the finish. (Drink between 2025-2035). Antonio Galloni.
WA 90+ (4/2023): Aromas of cassis, raw cocoa, licorice and loamy soil introduce the 2020 Pibran, a medium to full-bodied, layered and velvety wine framed by powdery tannins that assert themselves on the finish. |
|
| Pichon Comtesse Reserve |
2020 |
Pauillac (375 ML) Ex-Negociant |
$28 |
15 |
|
| |
JD 93 (3/2023): The second wine from this talented team, the 2020 Pichon Comtesse Reserve is worth seeking out. I always find this wine to offer loads of pleasure. Possessing the elegance and purity of the vintage (as well as this estate), it has a pretty perfume of red and blue fruits , some spring flowers and graphite on the nose, ultra-fine tannins, and an already accessible, delicious profile. It's perfect for drinking over the coming 10-12 years. (Drink between 2023-2035).
VM 92 (11/2024): The 2020 Reserve de Pichon Comtesse has quite a concentrated bouquet—blackberry and raspberry fruit, a touch of cassis, just a soupçon of exoticism. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy black fruit, fine balance, plenty of freshness and a breezy, well-defined finish. Delightful. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting. (Drink between 2028-2050). Neal Martin.
WA 91 (4/2023): Much like the grand vin, the 2020 Resèrve de la Comtesse is charming and polished, bursting with aromas of dark berries, plums, rose petals and mint. Medium to full-bodied, suave and enveloping, it will drink well on release. |
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| Ch. Pichon-Longueville Baron |
2020 |
Pauillac |
$155 |
12 |
|
| |
JS 99 (12/2022): Fabulous aromas of blackcurrant, blueberry, crushed stone, graphite and lead pencil. Some violets and other flowers, too. Full-bodied with incredibly encompassing tannins that are like the finest velvet in texture. The structure is superb, with so much tension and focus. Seamless. This could be the new 1990 or better. Try after 2028.
VM 98 (2/2023): The 2020 Pichon Baron is every bit as magnificent as it was en primeur. A wine of vertical intensity and explosive power, the 2020 offers up an exotic mix of dark red/black fruit, espresso, licorice, menthol, gravel and dried herbs. This potent, driving Pauillac needs time to come together. It marries the fruit intensity of a warm year with the driving energy of a cool year. The 2020 is a gorgeous Pichon Baron. Antonio Galloni.
WA 95-97+ (5/2021): The 2020 Pichon-Longueville Baron is a blend of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon and 24% Merlot aging for an estimated 18 months in French oak barrels, 70% new. The production of the grand vin represents 48% of the harvest this year. Opaque purple-black in color, it comes bounding out of the glass with exuberant notions of blackberry pie, preserved plums and crème de cassis, plus suggestions of Chinese five spice, chocolate mint, graphite and cedar chest with a touch of violets. The medium-bodied palate is built like a brick house, featuring firm, ripe, grainy tannins and bold freshness to support the taut, muscular black fruits, finishing long and spicy.
JD 96-98 (5/2021): The inky hued 2020 Château Pichon-Longueville Baron checks in as a blend of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon and 24% Merlot that spent 18 months in 70% new barrels. It's a dense, rich, powerful 2020 offering loads of pure cassis and almost blue fruits as well as full-bodied richness, a round, lush, incredibly sexy texture, sweet tannins, and ample classic Pauillac lead pencil, tobacco, and violet aromas and flavors. It's unquestionably in the same ballpark as the 2015, 2016, and 2018, and given its sweet tannins and beautifully integrated acidity, it should have some up-front appeal as well, yet still age at a glacier pace. |
|
|
2020 |
Pauillac (12X750ML) 12-bottle OWC |
$1,860 |
1 |
|
| |
JS 99 (12/2022): Fabulous aromas of blackcurrant, blueberry, crushed stone, graphite and lead pencil. Some violets and other flowers, too. Full-bodied with incredibly encompassing tannins that are like the finest velvet in texture. The structure is superb, with so much tension and focus. Seamless. This could be the new 1990 or better. Try after 2028.
VM 98 (2/2023): The 2020 Pichon Baron is every bit as magnificent as it was en primeur. A wine of vertical intensity and explosive power, the 2020 offers up an exotic mix of dark red/black fruit, espresso, licorice, menthol, gravel and dried herbs. This potent, driving Pauillac needs time to come together. It marries the fruit intensity of a warm year with the driving energy of a cool year. The 2020 is a gorgeous Pichon Baron. Antonio Galloni.
WA 95-97+ (5/2021): The 2020 Pichon-Longueville Baron is a blend of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon and 24% Merlot aging for an estimated 18 months in French oak barrels, 70% new. The production of the grand vin represents 48% of the harvest this year. Opaque purple-black in color, it comes bounding out of the glass with exuberant notions of blackberry pie, preserved plums and crème de cassis, plus suggestions of Chinese five spice, chocolate mint, graphite and cedar chest with a touch of violets. The medium-bodied palate is built like a brick house, featuring firm, ripe, grainy tannins and bold freshness to support the taut, muscular black fruits, finishing long and spicy.
JD 96-98 (5/2021): The inky hued 2020 Château Pichon-Longueville Baron checks in as a blend of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon and 24% Merlot that spent 18 months in 70% new barrels. It's a dense, rich, powerful 2020 offering loads of pure cassis and almost blue fruits as well as full-bodied richness, a round, lush, incredibly sexy texture, sweet tannins, and ample classic Pauillac lead pencil, tobacco, and violet aromas and flavors. It's unquestionably in the same ballpark as the 2015, 2016, and 2018, and given its sweet tannins and beautifully integrated acidity, it should have some up-front appeal as well, yet still age at a glacier pace. |
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|
2020 |
Pauillac (3X1.5L) 3-magnum OWC |
$975 |
1 |
|
| |
JS 99 (12/2022): Fabulous aromas of blackcurrant, blueberry, crushed stone, graphite and lead pencil. Some violets and other flowers, too. Full-bodied with incredibly encompassing tannins that are like the finest velvet in texture. The structure is superb, with so much tension and focus. Seamless. This could be the new 1990 or better. Try after 2028.
VM 98 (2/2023): The 2020 Pichon Baron is every bit as magnificent as it was en primeur. A wine of vertical intensity and explosive power, the 2020 offers up an exotic mix of dark red/black fruit, espresso, licorice, menthol, gravel and dried herbs. This potent, driving Pauillac needs time to come together. It marries the fruit intensity of a warm year with the driving energy of a cool year. The 2020 is a gorgeous Pichon Baron. Antonio Galloni.
WA 95-97+ (5/2021): The 2020 Pichon-Longueville Baron is a blend of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon and 24% Merlot aging for an estimated 18 months in French oak barrels, 70% new. The production of the grand vin represents 48% of the harvest this year. Opaque purple-black in color, it comes bounding out of the glass with exuberant notions of blackberry pie, preserved plums and crème de cassis, plus suggestions of Chinese five spice, chocolate mint, graphite and cedar chest with a touch of violets. The medium-bodied palate is built like a brick house, featuring firm, ripe, grainy tannins and bold freshness to support the taut, muscular black fruits, finishing long and spicy.
JD 96-98 (5/2021): The inky hued 2020 Château Pichon-Longueville Baron checks in as a blend of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon and 24% Merlot that spent 18 months in 70% new barrels. It's a dense, rich, powerful 2020 offering loads of pure cassis and almost blue fruits as well as full-bodied richness, a round, lush, incredibly sexy texture, sweet tannins, and ample classic Pauillac lead pencil, tobacco, and violet aromas and flavors. It's unquestionably in the same ballpark as the 2015, 2016, and 2018, and given its sweet tannins and beautifully integrated acidity, it should have some up-front appeal as well, yet still age at a glacier pace. |
|
| Ch. Pichon-Longueville Lalande |
2020 |
Pauillac (3.0 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$951.98 |
4 |
|
| |
WA 95-97 (5/2021): Deep purple-black in color, the 2020 Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande begins on a single, well-defined, wonderfully pure note of ripe blackcurrants, opening out to a melody of redcurrant jelly, kirsch, ripe blackberries and tar, with emerging suggestions of dark chocolate, cardamom, ground cloves and violets, with a waft of black truffles. Medium-bodied, tightly wound and with loads of fantastically nuanced black fruit layers, it has a rock-solid frame of finely grained tannins and bags of freshness, finishing long and mineral laced. The blend this year is 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot and 6% Cabernet Franc.
VM 96-98 (5/2021): The 2020 Pichon-Lalande has a backward nose similar to that of its neighbor Pichon-Baron, and so I decanted the bottle for 45 minutes. It then revealed gorgeous scents of blackberry, wild hedgerow, seaweed (Japanese nori) and wild mint. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy black fruit and gentle but insistent grip. Very intense but not ripe; there is a coolness about this Pauillac that I like, while the finish is very classically styled and leaves behind a persistent, slightly briny aftertaste. This is a magnificent, cerebral Pichon-Lalande that will deserve serious aging and the patience of anyone still waiting for The Cure's new album. Tasted three times, including directly from the château. Neal Martin.
JD 98-100 (5/2021): An estate that has been on fire of late, the 2020 Château Pichon-Longueville Comtesse De Lalande is another brilliant wine in a succession of brilliant wines. Revealing a dense purple hue as well as full-bodied aromas and flavors of blac currants, scorched earth, tobacco leaf, and violets, it hits the palate with an expansive, rich, yet pure, precise texture that carries fabulous tannins, perfect balance, and a stacked mid-palate. Based on 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, and 6% Cabernet Franc, it's an incredible wine that's going to flirt with perfection and is unquestionably one of the finest, if not the finest, Left Banks in the vintage. Bravo. Tasted twice.
JS 97-98 (4/2021): This is extremely structured, but with a level of polish and refinement that highlights the excellence of the terroir. Very long and expansive on the palate, showing class and beauty. Powerful, yet comes across refined and curated at the end. Lovely texture. |
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|
2020 |
Pauillac (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,966.99 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 95-97 (5/2021): Deep purple-black in color, the 2020 Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande begins on a single, well-defined, wonderfully pure note of ripe blackcurrants, opening out to a melody of redcurrant jelly, kirsch, ripe blackberries and tar, with emerging suggestions of dark chocolate, cardamom, ground cloves and violets, with a waft of black truffles. Medium-bodied, tightly wound and with loads of fantastically nuanced black fruit layers, it has a rock-solid frame of finely grained tannins and bags of freshness, finishing long and mineral laced. The blend this year is 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot and 6% Cabernet Franc.
VM 96-98 (5/2021): The 2020 Pichon-Lalande has a backward nose similar to that of its neighbor Pichon-Baron, and so I decanted the bottle for 45 minutes. It then revealed gorgeous scents of blackberry, wild hedgerow, seaweed (Japanese nori) and wild mint. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy black fruit and gentle but insistent grip. Very intense but not ripe; there is a coolness about this Pauillac that I like, while the finish is very classically styled and leaves behind a persistent, slightly briny aftertaste. This is a magnificent, cerebral Pichon-Lalande that will deserve serious aging and the patience of anyone still waiting for The Cure's new album. Tasted three times, including directly from the château. Neal Martin.
JD 98-100 (5/2021): An estate that has been on fire of late, the 2020 Château Pichon-Longueville Comtesse De Lalande is another brilliant wine in a succession of brilliant wines. Revealing a dense purple hue as well as full-bodied aromas and flavors of blac currants, scorched earth, tobacco leaf, and violets, it hits the palate with an expansive, rich, yet pure, precise texture that carries fabulous tannins, perfect balance, and a stacked mid-palate. Based on 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, and 6% Cabernet Franc, it's an incredible wine that's going to flirt with perfection and is unquestionably one of the finest, if not the finest, Left Banks in the vintage. Bravo. Tasted twice.
JS 97-98 (4/2021): This is extremely structured, but with a level of polish and refinement that highlights the excellence of the terroir. Very long and expansive on the palate, showing class and beauty. Powerful, yet comes across refined and curated at the end. Lovely texture. |
|
| Le Pin |
2020 |
Pomerol (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$26,433.97 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2020 |
Pomerol (3x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$8,559.97 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Ch. Plince |
2020 |
Pomerol (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$247.98 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Ch. Pontet Canet |
2020 |
Pauillac |
$95 |
12 |
|
| |
JS 98 (1/2023): Aromas of blackcurrants and black cherries with hints of crushed walnuts, grilled thyme, cocoa powder and graphite. It’s full-bodied with layers of ultra-fine, silky tannins that elegantly coat your palate, allowing the juicy and vibrant fruit to shine. Delicate and pristine, yet compact with lots of energy and power to uncover in the coming years. It lasts for minutes and is delicious now. The purity of fruit is really impressive. 60% cabernet sauvignon, 32% merlot, 4% cabernet franc and 4% petit verdot. 50% new oak 15% old oak and 35% concrete amphorae. Try after 2027.
JD 97+ (3/2023): The flagship from this estate, the 2020 Château Pontet-Canet is a beauty based on 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, and 4% each of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, brought up in 50% new oak, with 35% in amphora. Deep purple-hued with a great nose of dark currants, plums, tobacco leaf, and truffly earth, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a layered, seamless mouthfeel and a great finish. The higher Merlot content here really shows in its overall sexy, supple, seamless style, and while this already offers pleasure, it's going to be one for the ages as well.
VM 94+ (2/2023): The 2020 Pontet-Canet is a potent, brooding wine that really seems to reflect the richness of the year in its flavor profile and overall feel. Today, the 2020 is quite dark and somber, although aeration gradually brings out floral top notes that convey freshness. The 2020 is an exotic Pontet-Canet that that will require time. The 2020 spent 14-16 months in the cellar, in the combination of 50% new oak, 35% amphora and 15% once-used barrels. Antonio Galloni.
WA 96-98+ (5/2021): The 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. |
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|
2020 |
Pauillac (12X750ML) 12-bottle OWC |
$1,140 |
1 |
|
| |
JS 98 (1/2023): Aromas of blackcurrants and black cherries with hints of crushed walnuts, grilled thyme, cocoa powder and graphite. It’s full-bodied with layers of ultra-fine, silky tannins that elegantly coat your palate, allowing the juicy and vibrant fruit to shine. Delicate and pristine, yet compact with lots of energy and power to uncover in the coming years. It lasts for minutes and is delicious now. The purity of fruit is really impressive. 60% cabernet sauvignon, 32% merlot, 4% cabernet franc and 4% petit verdot. 50% new oak 15% old oak and 35% concrete amphorae. Try after 2027.
JD 97+ (3/2023): The flagship from this estate, the 2020 Château Pontet-Canet is a beauty based on 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, and 4% each of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, brought up in 50% new oak, with 35% in amphora. Deep purple-hued with a great nose of dark currants, plums, tobacco leaf, and truffly earth, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a layered, seamless mouthfeel and a great finish. The higher Merlot content here really shows in its overall sexy, supple, seamless style, and while this already offers pleasure, it's going to be one for the ages as well.
VM 94+ (2/2023): The 2020 Pontet-Canet is a potent, brooding wine that really seems to reflect the richness of the year in its flavor profile and overall feel. Today, the 2020 is quite dark and somber, although aeration gradually brings out floral top notes that convey freshness. The 2020 is an exotic Pontet-Canet that that will require time. The 2020 spent 14-16 months in the cellar, in the combination of 50% new oak, 35% amphora and 15% once-used barrels. Antonio Galloni.
WA 96-98+ (5/2021): The 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. |
|
| Ch. Rauzan-Segla |
2020 |
Margaux (3x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$435.97 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 96-98+ (5/2021): Composed of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot and 1% Cabernet Franc, the 2020 Rauzan-Segla is aging for 18 months in French oak barrels, 60% new. It has an alcohol of 13.5% and a pH of 3.74. Deep purple-black colored, aromas of blackcurrant cordial, stewed red and black plums, chocolate-covered cherries and raspberry coulis erupt from the glass, leading to an undercurrent of tar, licorice, red roses and menthol, plus a hint of unsmoked cigars. The medium-bodied palate is elegant and yet manages seriously impressive intensity, which is well-sustained throughout the mid-palate and finish. Refined and refreshing, delivering beautifully soft, silt-like tannins and bags of bright red and black fruits, it finishes with amazing length and a stunning perfume. Between this and Château Canon, Nicolas Audebert and his team have knocked it out of the park this vintage.
VM 95-97 (5/2021): The 2020 Rauzan-Segla is all reserve and nowhere near as showy as the last few vintages. Don't be fooled though, this tightly-coiled, brilliant wine has the potential to be magnificent, but it needs time. Sweet floral, spice and cedar nuances open with a bit of coaxing, but the 2020 is in no mood to show all its cards yet. The 2020 is a super-classic Rauzan-Segla that will delight readers in search of restrained elegance, something that is not so easy to find in Bordeaux these days. Antonio Galloni.
JD 95-97+ (5/2021): The 2020 Château Rauzan-Segla checks in as 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot, and the balance Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. It's one of the more inky, backward wines I can recall from this address and has brooding notes of blackcurrants, spring flowers, tobacco, graphite, and crushed stone. A big, rich, concentrated 2020, it's medium to full-bodied, has ripe, building tannins, fabulous purity, and a great finish. There's a certain austerity here that makes me think this will be one for the cellar.
JS 97-98 (4/2021): Full-bodied and layered with velvety layers of tannins that are beautifully interspersed with ripe fruit and dark-chocolate notes. Silky and lightly chewy texture. Very long, solid finish. |
|
| Clos Rene |
2020 |
Pomerol (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$287.98 |
35 |
|
| |
VM 91-93 (5/2021): The 2020 Clos Rene is compelling from the very first taste. A burst of ripe dark cherry, plum, mocha, spice, chocolate and lavender gives the 2020 so much allure, while soft curves and silky tannins add to its immeasurable appeal. Expressive, but most importantly, flat-out delicious. Antonio Galloni.
JD 92-94 (5/2021): The 2020 Clos Rene showed beautifully, with a pure, elegant style offering lots of cassis and black cherry fruits as well as notes of Christmas spice, flowers, and cedar. Medium to full-bodied and concentrated, with ripe, present tannins, it's very much in the style of this ripe yet fresh, lively vintage.
JS 91-92 (4/2021): A firm, silky red with blackberry character and hints of dark chocolate. It’s medium-bodied with polish and finesse. |
|
| Reserve de la Comtesse |
2020 |
Pauillac (6.0 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$585.97 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Saintayme |
2020 |
St. Emilion (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$377.99 |
22 |
|
| |
WA 90-92 (5/2021): The 2020 Saintayme is 100% Merlot, harvested between the 28th and the 30th of September. It has an alcohol of 14.5% and is aging in French oak barrels, 30% new. Deep purple-black colored, it needs a little coaxing to unlock scents of tar, forest floor and aniseed, over a core of baked black plums, blackberry pie and chocolate-covered cherries, plus a touch of dried mint. The full-bodied palate is densely packed with muscular black fruits and loads of earthy accents, framed by firm, rounded tannins and just enough freshness, finishing on a lingering minty note. 63,000 bottles are expected to be made.
JD 91-93 (5/2021): Another gem from Denis Durantou, the 2020 Saintayme should be snatched up by savvy readers, as it’s a year-in, year-out value, and in a vintage where Merlot excelled, it’s a real standout. Black cherries, mulberries, camphor, chocolate, and subtle oak notes all emerge from the glass, and it’s medium to full-bodied, balanced, and has a great mix of richness and freshness. Drink bottles over the coming 10-12 years.
JS 94-95 (4/2021): A gorgeous red with so much black fruit and salty, mineral character. It’s medium-to full-bodied with creamy, polished tannins and a long finish. The precision and fine texture is impressive. One of the best I have had for a while. |
|
|
2020 |
St. Emilion (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$210.99 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 90-92 (5/2021): The 2020 Saintayme is 100% Merlot, harvested between the 28th and the 30th of September. It has an alcohol of 14.5% and is aging in French oak barrels, 30% new. Deep purple-black colored, it needs a little coaxing to unlock scents of tar, forest floor and aniseed, over a core of baked black plums, blackberry pie and chocolate-covered cherries, plus a touch of dried mint. The full-bodied palate is densely packed with muscular black fruits and loads of earthy accents, framed by firm, rounded tannins and just enough freshness, finishing on a lingering minty note. 63,000 bottles are expected to be made.
JD 91-93 (5/2021): Another gem from Denis Durantou, the 2020 Saintayme should be snatched up by savvy readers, as it’s a year-in, year-out value, and in a vintage where Merlot excelled, it’s a real standout. Black cherries, mulberries, camphor, chocolate, and subtle oak notes all emerge from the glass, and it’s medium to full-bodied, balanced, and has a great mix of richness and freshness. Drink bottles over the coming 10-12 years.
JS 94-95 (4/2021): A gorgeous red with so much black fruit and salty, mineral character. It’s medium-to full-bodied with creamy, polished tannins and a long finish. The precision and fine texture is impressive. One of the best I have had for a while. |
|
| Ch. La Serre |
2020 |
St. Emilion |
$63 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 94+ (3/2023): Including 15% Cabernet Franc, the Merlot-dominated 2020 Château La Serre comes from a 7-hectare vineyard of clay over limestone soils. It's another powerful, concentrated 2020 that has a load of fruit (black cherries, currants) as well as complex notes of loamy earth, spice box, and tobacco, with nicely integrated background oak. It has enough fruit and texture to offer pleasure today yet is going to evolve nicely for 20 years if well-stored. (Drink between 2025-2045).
VM 92 (2/2023): The 2020 La Serre is a brooding, potent Saint-Émilion. Blackberry jam, cloves, licorice, leather, incense, tobacco and gravel add to an impression of gravitas and virile intensity that builds as it opens gradually in the glass. There's real weight and substance here. (Drink between 2025-2035). Antonio Galloni. |
|
| Les Hauts de Smith |
2020 |
Pessac Leognan (24x375ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$520.98 |
21 |
|
| |
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| Ch. Smith Haut Lafitte |
2020 |
Pessac Leognan (1.5 L) |
$309 |
2 |
|
| |
JD 100 (3/2023): Absolutely pure gold and reminding me of the 2009 (or is it the 2010?), the 2020 Château Smith Haut Lafitte sports a dense purple hue to go with incredible aromatics of blackberries, blueberries, scorched earth, wood smoke, and acacia flowers. One of the most concentrated, rich, and sexy wines in the vintage, this massive and extraordinarily opulent 2020 shows the vintage's pure, elegant profile yet backs it up with sensational levels of fruit and texture. Based on 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, and the balance Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, it already offers pleasure given its wealth of fruit, but it deserves 7-8 years of bottle age and will evolve for 40-50 years. Not enough can be said about the quality of these wines. Bravo to Florence and Daniel Cathiard, as well as to director Fabien Teitgen, for another incredible achievement.
VM 97 (2/2023): The 2020 Smith Haut Lafitte is every bit as captivating as it was from barrel. Ample, rich and explosive, the 2020 offers up an exciting mélange of dark fruit, chocolate, spice, gravel, leather and dried herbs, with a touch of new oak that adds raciness. This towering, vertical Smith Haut-Lafitte won't be ready to drink for a number of years, but it is super impressive. Even with all of its intensity, the 2020 retains terrific freshness and energy. Antonio Galloni.
JS 99-100 (4/2021): So much blackcurrant, graphite and iodine character. Full-bodied. Incredible quality to the tannins. They are polished yet powerful. It’s so long and complete with such depth and toned muscles. Vertical. Very fresh and energetic. Will it be better than the famous 2015? Maybe the best ever. From organically grown grapes. 65% cabernet sauvignon, 30% merlot, 4% cabernet franc and 1% petit verdot.
WA 98-100 (5/2021): A blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot aging in 60% new barriques, the very deep purple-black colored 2020 Smith Haut Lafitte makes an impactful entrance, opening with flamboyant notes of blackcurrant pastilles, chocolate-covered cherries and molten licorice, leading to nuances of ground cloves, woodsmoke, crushed rocks and dusty soil. The medium to full-bodied palate bursts with opulent black fruit preserves and shimmering mineral sparks, framed by exquisitely ripe and fantastically firm tannins and seamless freshness, finishing with epically long-lasting earthy and savory layers. This is the singular voice of Smith Haut Lafitte at its finest, and wow-oh-wow is it worth a listen. This 2020 has an alcohol of 14.5% with a pH of 3.65. The tannins this year were a little higher than 2018 and 2019. A little less than a third of production went into this grand vin. |
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|
2020 |
Pessac Leognan (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$764.97 |
2 |
|
| |
JD 100 (3/2023): Absolutely pure gold and reminding me of the 2009 (or is it the 2010?), the 2020 Château Smith Haut Lafitte sports a dense purple hue to go with incredible aromatics of blackberries, blueberries, scorched earth, wood smoke, and acacia flowers. One of the most concentrated, rich, and sexy wines in the vintage, this massive and extraordinarily opulent 2020 shows the vintage's pure, elegant profile yet backs it up with sensational levels of fruit and texture. Based on 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, and the balance Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, it already offers pleasure given its wealth of fruit, but it deserves 7-8 years of bottle age and will evolve for 40-50 years. Not enough can be said about the quality of these wines. Bravo to Florence and Daniel Cathiard, as well as to director Fabien Teitgen, for another incredible achievement.
VM 97 (2/2023): The 2020 Smith Haut Lafitte is every bit as captivating as it was from barrel. Ample, rich and explosive, the 2020 offers up an exciting mélange of dark fruit, chocolate, spice, gravel, leather and dried herbs, with a touch of new oak that adds raciness. This towering, vertical Smith Haut-Lafitte won't be ready to drink for a number of years, but it is super impressive. Even with all of its intensity, the 2020 retains terrific freshness and energy. Antonio Galloni.
JS 99-100 (4/2021): So much blackcurrant, graphite and iodine character. Full-bodied. Incredible quality to the tannins. They are polished yet powerful. It’s so long and complete with such depth and toned muscles. Vertical. Very fresh and energetic. Will it be better than the famous 2015? Maybe the best ever. From organically grown grapes. 65% cabernet sauvignon, 30% merlot, 4% cabernet franc and 1% petit verdot.
WA 98-100 (5/2021): A blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot aging in 60% new barriques, the very deep purple-black colored 2020 Smith Haut Lafitte makes an impactful entrance, opening with flamboyant notes of blackcurrant pastilles, chocolate-covered cherries and molten licorice, leading to nuances of ground cloves, woodsmoke, crushed rocks and dusty soil. The medium to full-bodied palate bursts with opulent black fruit preserves and shimmering mineral sparks, framed by exquisitely ripe and fantastically firm tannins and seamless freshness, finishing with epically long-lasting earthy and savory layers. This is the singular voice of Smith Haut Lafitte at its finest, and wow-oh-wow is it worth a listen. This 2020 has an alcohol of 14.5% with a pH of 3.65. The tannins this year were a little higher than 2018 and 2019. A little less than a third of production went into this grand vin. |
|
|
2020 |
Pessac Leognan (3x1.5L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,150.97 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 100 (3/2023): Absolutely pure gold and reminding me of the 2009 (or is it the 2010?), the 2020 Château Smith Haut Lafitte sports a dense purple hue to go with incredible aromatics of blackberries, blueberries, scorched earth, wood smoke, and acacia flowers. One of the most concentrated, rich, and sexy wines in the vintage, this massive and extraordinarily opulent 2020 shows the vintage's pure, elegant profile yet backs it up with sensational levels of fruit and texture. Based on 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, and the balance Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, it already offers pleasure given its wealth of fruit, but it deserves 7-8 years of bottle age and will evolve for 40-50 years. Not enough can be said about the quality of these wines. Bravo to Florence and Daniel Cathiard, as well as to director Fabien Teitgen, for another incredible achievement.
VM 97 (2/2023): The 2020 Smith Haut Lafitte is every bit as captivating as it was from barrel. Ample, rich and explosive, the 2020 offers up an exciting mélange of dark fruit, chocolate, spice, gravel, leather and dried herbs, with a touch of new oak that adds raciness. This towering, vertical Smith Haut-Lafitte won't be ready to drink for a number of years, but it is super impressive. Even with all of its intensity, the 2020 retains terrific freshness and energy. Antonio Galloni.
JS 99-100 (4/2021): So much blackcurrant, graphite and iodine character. Full-bodied. Incredible quality to the tannins. They are polished yet powerful. It’s so long and complete with such depth and toned muscles. Vertical. Very fresh and energetic. Will it be better than the famous 2015? Maybe the best ever. From organically grown grapes. 65% cabernet sauvignon, 30% merlot, 4% cabernet franc and 1% petit verdot.
WA 98-100 (5/2021): A blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot aging in 60% new barriques, the very deep purple-black colored 2020 Smith Haut Lafitte makes an impactful entrance, opening with flamboyant notes of blackcurrant pastilles, chocolate-covered cherries and molten licorice, leading to nuances of ground cloves, woodsmoke, crushed rocks and dusty soil. The medium to full-bodied palate bursts with opulent black fruit preserves and shimmering mineral sparks, framed by exquisitely ripe and fantastically firm tannins and seamless freshness, finishing with epically long-lasting earthy and savory layers. This is the singular voice of Smith Haut Lafitte at its finest, and wow-oh-wow is it worth a listen. This 2020 has an alcohol of 14.5% with a pH of 3.65. The tannins this year were a little higher than 2018 and 2019. A little less than a third of production went into this grand vin. |
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| Ch. Sociando Mallet |
2020 |
Haut Medoc |
$38 |
48 |
|
| |
JS 94 (12/2022): This has a pretty nose with dark spices, nut shell and cedar notes with a dark fruit backbone, following through to a medium body with firm and finely polished tannins that go on and on. Refined and nicely balanced with velvety texture. Lingering and chalky finish. Try after 2026.
VM 93 (2/2023): The 2020 Sociando Mallet has retained its impressive aromatics from its showing in barrel with beautifully defined blackberry and raspberry fruit, pressed violet and light cedar aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with firm backbone, a little powdery in texture, fine backbone with ample freshness and tension towards its graphite-infused finish. Bravo! Neal Martin. |
|
|
2020 |
Haut Medoc (24x375ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$640.98 |
6 |
|
| |
JS 94 (12/2022): This has a pretty nose with dark spices, nut shell and cedar notes with a dark fruit backbone, following through to a medium body with firm and finely polished tannins that go on and on. Refined and nicely balanced with velvety texture. Lingering and chalky finish. Try after 2026.
VM 93 (2/2023): The 2020 Sociando Mallet has retained its impressive aromatics from its showing in barrel with beautifully defined blackberry and raspberry fruit, pressed violet and light cedar aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with firm backbone, a little powdery in texture, fine backbone with ample freshness and tension towards its graphite-infused finish. Bravo! Neal Martin. |
|
| Ch. La Tour Carnet |
2020 |
Haut Medoc (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$481.97 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 91-93 (5/2021): The 2020 la Tour Carnet sports a deep purple-black color and notes of crushed red and black currants, Morello cherries and fresh blackberries, plus hints of lavender, pencil lead and tobacco leaf with a touch of bay leaves. The medium to full-bodied palate delivers a great intensity of crunchy black fruits with a lively backbone and fine-grained tannins, finishing with great length and a skip in its step. Nicely done!
VM 91-93 (5/2021): The 2020 La Tour Carnet has a wonderful bouquet of finely honed blackberry and briar scents plus touches of crushed rock and cedar, one of the most sophisticated that I have encountered from Bernard Magrez’s Haut-Medoc at this stage. The palate is medium-bodied with crisp, slightly chalky tannins, fine balance and good weight and focus on the finish. This is well worth seeking out as it is often released at a consumer-friendly price. Neal Martin.
JS 92-93 (4/2021): Blackberry, blackcurrant and some licorice aromas follow through to a medium body with a nice center palate and fine, focused tannins. |
|
| Ch. La Tour Figeac |
2020 |
St. Emilion (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$732.99 |
20 |
|
| |
|
|
2020 |
St. Emilion (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$346.99 |
40 |
|
| |
|
| Ch. Tour Saint-Christophe |
2020 |
St. Emilion (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$291.99 |
5 |
|
| |
JD 96 (3/2023): The 2020 Château Tour Saint Christophe showed spectacularly well, and based off past vintages, this shouldn't surprise anyone. Based on 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc raised in 40% new barrels (the balance is in second- and third-fill oak), it offers a full-bodied, incredibly pure, balanced style revealing subtle oak, terrific darker, almost blue fruits, lots of chocolate, leafy herb and mineral nuances, and gorgeous tannins. It's worth pointing out that this will be the last vintage made by the talented Jérôme Aguirre. This terrific Saint-Emilion will evolve for two decades. (Drink between 2024-2044).
VM 94 (11/2024): The 2020 Tour Saint Christophe has a more classically styled, well-defined bouquet, perhaps with Cabernet Franc imparting attractive bell pepper and meaty notes. The palate is medium-bodied with pliant tannins. It's fleshy, velvety and cohesive, with a persistent finish that lingers in the mouth. Excellent. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting. (Drink between 2027-2052). Neal Martin. |
|
|
2020 |
St. Emilion (6x1.5L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$520.99 |
2 |
|
| |
JD 96 (3/2023): The 2020 Château Tour Saint Christophe showed spectacularly well, and based off past vintages, this shouldn't surprise anyone. Based on 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc raised in 40% new barrels (the balance is in second- and third-fill oak), it offers a full-bodied, incredibly pure, balanced style revealing subtle oak, terrific darker, almost blue fruits, lots of chocolate, leafy herb and mineral nuances, and gorgeous tannins. It's worth pointing out that this will be the last vintage made by the talented Jérôme Aguirre. This terrific Saint-Emilion will evolve for two decades. (Drink between 2024-2044).
VM 94 (11/2024): The 2020 Tour Saint Christophe has a more classically styled, well-defined bouquet, perhaps with Cabernet Franc imparting attractive bell pepper and meaty notes. The palate is medium-bodied with pliant tannins. It's fleshy, velvety and cohesive, with a persistent finish that lingers in the mouth. Excellent. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting. (Drink between 2027-2052). Neal Martin. |
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| Ch. Tronquoy |
2020 |
St. Estephe (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$308.98 |
36 |
|
| |
|
| Ch. Troplong Mondot |
2020 |
St. Emilion |
$99 |
30 |
|
| |
VM 98 (2/2023): The 2020 Troplong Mondot is fabulous. Rich, dark and expansive, the 2020 is wonderfully exuberant right out of the gate. Black cherry, plum, gravel, incense and licorice are all dialed up. There's tremendous breadth and power, but without the excess weight of the past. Even so, the 2020 is a big, big wine that needs the better part of a decade to soften. All the classic Troplong structure is there, but buffered by vibrant acids and tons of supporting minerality. Harvest started on September 5 and finished on October 8, a very wide window for the Right Bank, and a reminder of how different the parcels are. The 2020 was done in 60% new oak, 12% foudres, 28% once-used barrels. Antonio Galloni.
JS 98-99 (4/2021): Â This has superb depth and intensity with very fine tannins that draw you down. So much black fruit, together with black pepper and salt. Extremely well crafted. Vertical and deep. Chalky and salty with black chocolate.
JD 96-98 (5/2021): I’d wager the finest vintage here since the 2015, then the 2009, the 2020 Château Troplong Mondot is a blend of 85% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the balance Cabernet Franc. It offers a dense purple hue as well as powerful, unevolved aromas and flavors of pure crème de cassis, black cherries, graphite, gravelly earth, and tobacco. Coming from the highest elevation vineyard in the appellation and deeper, clay soils (which excelled in 2020), it’s medium to full-bodied and has a dense, thick mid-palate, building tannins, and a great finish. It’s not for the instant gratification crowd out there, but it’s going to be incredibly long-lived. Hats off to the team at Troplong Mondot as well as oenologist Thomas Duclos.
WA 95-97+ (5/2021): The 2020 Troplong Mondot is composed of 85% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Cabernet Franc, harvested from 4th September and lasting for about three weeks. The pH is 3.53, the IPT (tannin index) is 75 and the alcohol is 14.5%. Opaque purple-black colored, it opens with a vivacious burst of black fruits—stewed plums, baked blackberries and boysenberries—giving way to a fragrant undercurrent of licorice, ground cloves, cinnamon stick and lilacs, with a touch of bouquet garni. The full-bodied palate is chock-full of plump, juicy black fruits and savory sparks, framed by fantastically ripe, fine-grained tannins and bold freshness, finishing long and opulent. |
|
|
2020 |
St. Emilion (3.0 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$520.98 |
12 |
|
| |
VM 98 (2/2023): The 2020 Troplong Mondot is fabulous. Rich, dark and expansive, the 2020 is wonderfully exuberant right out of the gate. Black cherry, plum, gravel, incense and licorice are all dialed up. There's tremendous breadth and power, but without the excess weight of the past. Even so, the 2020 is a big, big wine that needs the better part of a decade to soften. All the classic Troplong structure is there, but buffered by vibrant acids and tons of supporting minerality. Harvest started on September 5 and finished on October 8, a very wide window for the Right Bank, and a reminder of how different the parcels are. The 2020 was done in 60% new oak, 12% foudres, 28% once-used barrels. Antonio Galloni.
JS 98-99 (4/2021): Â This has superb depth and intensity with very fine tannins that draw you down. So much black fruit, together with black pepper and salt. Extremely well crafted. Vertical and deep. Chalky and salty with black chocolate.
JD 96-98 (5/2021): I’d wager the finest vintage here since the 2015, then the 2009, the 2020 Château Troplong Mondot is a blend of 85% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the balance Cabernet Franc. It offers a dense purple hue as well as powerful, unevolved aromas and flavors of pure crème de cassis, black cherries, graphite, gravelly earth, and tobacco. Coming from the highest elevation vineyard in the appellation and deeper, clay soils (which excelled in 2020), it’s medium to full-bodied and has a dense, thick mid-palate, building tannins, and a great finish. It’s not for the instant gratification crowd out there, but it’s going to be incredibly long-lived. Hats off to the team at Troplong Mondot as well as oenologist Thomas Duclos.
WA 95-97+ (5/2021): The 2020 Troplong Mondot is composed of 85% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Cabernet Franc, harvested from 4th September and lasting for about three weeks. The pH is 3.53, the IPT (tannin index) is 75 and the alcohol is 14.5%. Opaque purple-black colored, it opens with a vivacious burst of black fruits—stewed plums, baked blackberries and boysenberries—giving way to a fragrant undercurrent of licorice, ground cloves, cinnamon stick and lilacs, with a touch of bouquet garni. The full-bodied palate is chock-full of plump, juicy black fruits and savory sparks, framed by fantastically ripe, fine-grained tannins and bold freshness, finishing long and opulent. |
|
| Vieux Chateau Certan |
2020 |
Pomerol (3x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$901.98 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 100 (3/2023): Moving to the Grand Vin, the 2020 Vieux Château Certan is another legendary wine from this vintage, ranking with the best Bordeaux ever produced. Based on 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc that spent 18 months in 65% new French oak, it has a deep, powerful, full-bodied style as well as incredible purity and precision in its darker cassis, graphite, gravelly earth, and tobacco-driven aromatics. With perfectly integrated oak, again, incredible purity, and perfect, ultra-fine tannins, it deserves 8-10 years of bottle age and will be a 40- to 50-year wine.
VM 99 (2/2023): The 2020 Vieux Château Certan is a wine of total harmony and finesse. Absolutely nothing is out of place. Supple and seamless, the 2020 is an infant, but it is so impressive. Crème de cassis, lavender, mocha and licorice are some of the many notes that emerge from the glass, but more than anything else, the 2020 is a majestic Pomerol that will thrill those lucky enough to own it. There's not much else to say. The 2020 spent 18 months in barrel, 65% new. Antonio Galloni.
WA 98-100 (5/2021): The 2020 Vieux Château Certan is a blend of 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc, picked on the 14th to the 24th of September for the Merlot, then on the 28th and 29th of September for the Cabernet Franc. The pH is 3.77 and the alcohol is 14.5%. Deep purple-black colored, it needs considerable coaxing, swirling and a lot of patience before it finally lets rip an intoxicating perfume of ripe, juicy black plums, Morello cherries, candied violets, black truffles and crushed rocks, giving way to hints of black tea, molten licorice and Sichuan pepper, plus a waft of dusty red soil. The medium to full-bodied palate delivers achingly ripe, silt-like tannins and shimmering freshness that melds with the black fruits and earthy layers with jaw-dropping seamlessness, finishing with layer upon layer of mineral and savory suggestions and, finally, a gorgeous floral whisper. There are going to be two ways to approach this: 1) Just let the remarkably sensual, inexplicable beauty of it wash over you or 2) Try to unravel all those intricate layers and have it blow you mind. Either way, this is simply an incredible achievement—bravo Alexandre and Guillaume Thienpont!
JS 98-99 (5/2021): Extraordinary clarity and brilliance on the nose with ink and iodine, blackberry and blueberry. Really perfumed already. Full-bodied with fine tannins and superb depth and length. I love the complexity and the great texture. Energetic finish. |
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