Results for: "2020 Chateau Margaux"

This has grip and poise, it edges forward with slate textured tannins, not givin too much away at first, but sit with it, because the future brilliance of this Margaux is there to be seen if you take your time. It displays a seriousness of intent that sets it apart in expression from vintages like the 2018, and has dense and powerful red and black fruits along with supple and plentiful tannins that have no intention of relinquishing their hold for decades to come. Gingerbread, liqourice root, grilled sandalwood, red peppers, mint leaf and peony flowers add waves of complexity as it widens and softens through the mid palate, along with raspberry puree and edges of patisserie cream. A Margaux for the ages.

The 2020 Contrada Salandra Falanghina is a singular, artisanal white from volcanic, un-grafted vines. The nose is complex, mixing yellow wildflowers and white peach with a distinct smoky, flinty undertone. On the palate, it balances a lush texture with a sharp, sea-salt salinity and a "steely" mineral backbone. It is a savory, high-energy wine that beautifully reflects its coastal, volcanic terroir.

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. (AG)

Juicy and lively fragrance on the nose – so perfumed and alluring. Delicate and pure on the palate, crystalline yet with such intensity. A rush of creamy tangy strawberries, herbal-edged raspberries and plum fruit lined with salty minerality gives the nuance and detail. It’s lightly framed with well integrated tannins that are fine and firm, tense just giving some tightness on the mid-palate, a sense of compactness, but then it opens again towards the finish. Cool and ethereal, this exudes charm and confidence. Extremely well made and totally seductive. I love the juiciness and sense of joyfulness, but it’s also beguiling as it deepens and grows in layers of chalk, slate, bramble fruits, perfume and florality. Another excellent wine from Rauzan with delicacy, detall and drinkability. Stunning. (GH)

Juicy and lively fragrance on the nose – so perfumed and alluring. Delicate and pure on the palate, crystalline yet with such intensity. A rush of creamy tangy strawberries, herbal-edged raspberries and plum fruit lined with salty minerality gives the nuance and detail. It’s lightly framed with well integrated tannins that are fine and firm, tense just giving some tightness on the mid-palate, a sense of compactness, but then it opens again towards the finish. Cool and ethereal, this exudes charm and confidence. Extremely well made and totally seductive. I love the juiciness and sense of joyfulness, but it’s also beguiling as it deepens and grows in layers of chalk, slate, bramble fruits, perfume and florality. Another excellent wine from Rauzan with delicacy, detail and drinkability. Stunning. (GH)

A don't miss wine, this has wonderfully powerful fruits delivered with class and character. The abundant tannins have slate-edged grip and the black cassis and bilberry fruits sit alongside waves of oyster shell, liqourice, sage and black pepper. Delivers depth and personality and an effortless Margaux finesse. Harvest September 23 to October 2. Marjolaine de Coninck technical director, owner Nathalie Perrodo.

Black cherry and berry character with plenty of cedar and walnut aromas and flavors. It’s full and rather juicy with a solid backbone of tannins. Flavorful finish. Give it three or four years to soften and open. Muscular second wine. Try after 2025.

Gorgeous perfumes of plums, berries, light chocolate and walnut follow through to a medium body, fine tannins and crunchy finish. Bright and fresh. Precise tannins. Drinkable but better after 2027.

Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2020 La Tour de Mons delivers impactful, classic notes of cassis, cedar, and dried bay leaves with hints of cumin seed, fallen leaves, and fertile loam. Medium-bodied, the palate is elegant and refreshing with fine-grained tannins and a lifted finish. (LPB)

More dense and yet more soft than the Pavillon Rouge, fully anchored in place and yet rising through the palate, with rose petals, pomegranate, cassis and damson fruits, so juicy and full of character, slate and crushed rocks, peony and iris, with volume that is expansive and striking. These guys held on to harvest after the rains and have been rewarded for it - can't have been easy as everyone was picking around them, but this was a great decision that shows just what was capable in this vintage. 22hl/ha yield across the vineyard, harvest September 8 for young Merlot, then Cabernet Sauvignon began September 19 and finished September 29. 14% press wine, so a little less than usual because of the natural concentration. 22hl/ha yield across the vineyard, IPT81,3.76ph. 37% 1st wine. I dont give 100 points En Primeur, but if I did, this would get it. It's a slam dunk.

More dense and yet more soft than the Pavillon Rouge, fully anchored in place and yet rising through the palate, with rose petals, pomegranate, cassis and damson fruits, so juicy and full of character, slate and crushed rocks, peony and iris, with volume that is expansive and striking. These guys held on to harvest after the rains and have been rewarded for it - can't have been easy as everyone was picking around them, but this was a great decision that shows just what was capable in this vintage. 22hl/ha yield across the vineyard, harvest September 8 for young Merlot, then Cabernet Sauvignon began September 19 and finished September 29. 14% press wine, so a little less than usual because of the natural concentration. 22hl/ha yield across the vineyard, IPT81,3.76ph. 37% 1st wine. I dont give 100 points En Primeur, but if I did, this would get it. It's a slam dunk.

An elegant and classic wine with aromas of red currants, minerals, tea leaves and red berries. Medium-bodied with fine tannins and a tense, expressive finish. Good clarity and length. Already quite drinkable, but should hold well. (ZS)

One of the most refined and seamless wines of the vintage is the 2025 Palmer, a blend of 55% Merlot, 41% Cabernet Sauvignon and 4% Petit Verdot that wafts from the glass with aromas of sweet blackberries, plums and licorice complemented by floral accents of violet and wisteria (yes, the window of the tasting room was closed). Full-bodied, suave and layered, with a deep and concentrated core of fruit, bright acids and supple tannins, it's already harmonious and complete, concluding with a long, penetrating finish. At only 13.5% alcohol, this is quite a bit lower than most recent sunny vintages at Palmer. (WK)

Heady and evocative notes on the nose, really perfumed and aromatic fruit and flowers with quite toasted edges of clove, tobacco and cedar. Juicy, clean, fun and friendly - tannins have a powdery texture that coats the mouth just covering the red berry juiciness although the acidity adds a nice lift and this ends clean and crystalline. There's lots of concentration and ripeness here, a powerful base driving the wine, but it's also restrained and graceful giving so much charm and approachability. I like the soft mintiness throughout and the wet stone minerality on the finish. Calm and collected. Easy to like. (GH)

Bid on this 2-bottle lot of 2010 Chantelune Margaux.

Bid on this 4-bottle tasting lot; including 1-bottle of 2000 du Tertre, Margaux (92VN, 91JS, 91RP), 1-bottle of 2000 La Grange Neuve de Figeac, St-Emilion, 1-bottle of 2000 Le Cleméntin du Pape Clément, Pessac-Léognan, and 1-bottle of 2000 Meyney, St-Estèphe. Of the 2000 du Tertre, Margaux, Vinous writes: "Deep ruby to the rim; much darker than both the 2001 and the 2003. Notes of milk chocolate, underbrush and cedar complicate the ripe red cherry and dark plum aromas. Enters sweet, dense and tactile, displaying ripe dark fruit, tobacco, porcini and mineral flavors of noteworthy precision and cut thanks to harmonious acidity. Finishes sweet, spicy, smooth and very long; once again, du Tertre comes across as remarkably fresh and focused in a hot vintage. (ID)" (01/2012)

An undeniable star in Margaux, the 2022 Château Brane-Cantenac checks in as a blend of 74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, 1% each Cabernet Franc, Carménère, and Petit Verdot. This deep purple-hued beauty offers up a sensational perfume of darker currants and cassis that gives way to more floral, spicy oak and graphite nuances with air. With flawless overall balance, ripe, velvety tannins, terrific purity, and a great finish, this riveting Brane-Cantenac already offers pleasure, yet I wouldn't be surprised to see this firm up with 4-5 years of bottle age, only to reemerge later and drink beautifully for 30+ years. It's one of the truly greats in the appellation, and readers will love to have this beauty in the cellar.

Cassis, graphite, liquid violets, and tobacco all define the 2025 Château Brane-Cantenac, a blend of 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, and 1% each Cabernet Franc, Carménère, and Petit Verdot that's being raised in 100% new French oak. On the palate, it's medium to full-bodied, with a focused, elegant mouthfeel, beautiful concentration and depth, integrated acidity, and a great finish. Hitting 13.5% alcohol, it's a brilliant success in the vintage and should be snatched up by readers.

A tight and juicy red with blackberry, cherry, plum and spice aromas and flavors. It’s medium-bodied with a creamy texture and a crunchy finish. Refined for the vintage, with plenty of character and length.

Cassis, graphite, liquid violets, and tobacco all define the 2025 Château Brane-Cantenac, a blend of 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, and 1% each Cabernet Franc, Carménère, and Petit Verdot that's being raised in 100% new French oak. On the palate, it's medium to full-bodied, with a focused, elegant mouthfeel, beautiful concentration and depth, integrated acidity, and a great finish. Hitting 13.5% alcohol, it's a brilliant success in the vintage and should be snatched up by readers.

Cassis, assorted red and black fruits, spicy wood, tobacco, and graphite all emerge from the 2025 Château Rauzan-Ségla, a blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, 1.5% Petit Verdot, and 0.5% Cabernet Franc that's being raised 18 months in 60% new French oak. It's concentrated on the palate, has a pure, layered mouthfeel, flawless balance, and a great finish. Checking in at 13.5% alcohol with a pH of 3.7, it's rockingly good and clearly up with the finest wines in the appellation, as well as the vintage.

Cassis, graphite, liquid violets, and tobacco all define the 2025 Château Brane-Cantenac, a blend of 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, and 1% each Cabernet Franc, Carménère, and Petit Verdot that's being raised in 100% new French oak. On the palate, it's medium to full-bodied, with a focused, elegant mouthfeel, beautiful concentration and depth, integrated acidity, and a great finish. Hitting 13.5% alcohol, it's a brilliant success in the vintage and should be snatched up by readers.

This is really luxurious, showing blackcurrants and orange peel with cedar and dried-mushroom aromas following through to a medium to full body that grows on the palate. This has crunchy and lightly chewy tannins that are slightly austere but in an elegant, classical Bordeaux way. Chewy at the end. So much energy and vibe. So complex. Probably the greatest wine ever from here. A blend of 65% cabernet sauvignon, 30% merlot, 2% cabernet franc, 2% malbec and 1% petit verdot. Best after 2028 but already a joy to taste.

Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2025 Malescot St. Exupéry prances out with gregarious notes of juicy blueberries and black raspberries, leading to hints of violets, mossy tree bark, and camphor. The medium-bodied palate is intense with shimmery blue and red berry flavors, supported by ripe, fine-grained tannins and great tension, finishing long and perfumed. Stunning! (LPB)

A velvety and fresh wine with silky tannins that flow across the palate. It's medium-bodied with an impression of crunchiness. Creamy texture. Zesty, flavorful finish. Very approachable now but better in two or three years. Second wine of d'Issan. 44% cabernet sauvignon, 55% merlot and 1% petit verdot.

Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2025 Malescot St. Exupéry prances out with gregarious notes of juicy blueberries and black raspberries, leading to hints of violets, mossy tree bark, and camphor. The medium-bodied palate is intense with shimmery blue and red berry flavors, supported by ripe, fine-grained tannins and great tension, finishing long and perfumed. Stunning! (LPB)

A complete sauvignon blanc with sliced pear, apple and lemon aromas and flavors with a full body and a polished texture that is caressing and beautiful. It is crunchy and a bit richer than many Pavillon Blancs.

Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2025 Malescot St. Exupéry prances out with gregarious notes of juicy blueberries and black raspberries, leading to hints of violets, mossy tree bark, and camphor. The medium-bodied palate is intense with shimmery blue and red berry flavors, supported by ripe, fine-grained tannins and great tension, finishing long and perfumed. Stunning! (LPB)

The 2025 Alter Ego is bold, juicy and super expressive right out of the gate. A wine of total pleasure and seduction, this will drink beautifully with minimal cellaring. Soft, plush contours wrap around a core of red plum, mocha, cedar, espresso and cinnamon. All the elements are so well balanced. Floral top notes and a kick of blood orange perk up the brilliant finish. This is such a classy, polished wine—an especially fine Alter Ego. (AG)

The 2022 Château La Tour De Mons is a blend of 57% Merlot, 36% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Petit Verdot. It’s a beautifully ripe Margaux offering notes of red and blue fruits, rose petals, and background spicy oak. Medium to full-bodied, it’s beautifully balanced, with fine tannins and an elegant, seamless mouthfeel. Aged in 20% new oak for 12 months, it’s a classic, well-made Margaux that should evolve gracefully over the next 15+ years.

The 2025 Brane-Cantenac Blanc was picked between August 20 and 28. This has a little more precision and tension compared with the Baron de Brane Blanc despite the higher percentage of Sémillon (41%). The palate is lively on the entry with brief notes of pineapple and grapefruit, segueing into more tropical notes towards the slightly viscous finish. This should be a delight once in bottle. (NM)