How are Bordeaux wines, in general, in 2020?
First of all, let me say that 2020 is a great vintage! One of the greatest, in my opinion of the last 20 years.
When reading my tasting comments, you shouldn’t be surprised to see a number of atypical term associations, sometimes even oxymorons. The wines are often puzzles to describe, they are so complex, they are often the symbiosis of contradictory terms… This is a vintage full of contradictions and richness.
In general, we have wines that are rich but without heaviness, with beautiful balances, powerful but with a certain lightness (not in the sense of thinness) or even with an aerial side (“aerial power”?), density and finesse, without heaviness (and dare I say ”density in freshness”), quite ripe fruit/offering a beautiful flesh, a small juiciness but still without heaviness, richness… in finesse, an acidity and a freshness that carries…
The matters are regularly creamy but with an aerial character (again!) And not the heavy side of creaminess. We often find beau-tiful fleshy mouths. Tannins are often numerous, massive, present but at the same time subtle and polished… even silky. To summarize, we find beautiful tannic structures, powerful but melted/polished. Haut-Médoc
HAUT-MÉDOC
Château La Lagune 2020
Haut-Médoc, Grand Cru Classé
(Organic) The nose is fruity, deep and offers a certain intensity (in deepness and precision), beautiful touch of dry gravels as well as flowery hints. It reveals notes of blackberry, wild raspberry and small notes of small blue fruits associated with touches of cornflower, hints of Cubeb pepper, nutmeg, cumin, grill as well as a subtle hint of saffron and toast. The palate is fruity, balanced, racy, elegant, beautifully balanced and offers juiciness, freshness, a beautiful definition, a tangy/fresh frame, a beautiful tension, precision, intensity, soft texture, a fresh silky touch fresh as well as a certain depth in precision. On the palate this wine expresses notes of juicy/pulpy blackberry, raspberry and small notes of small blue pulpy/juicy fruits associated with touches of cornflower as well as hints of nutmeg and an imperceptible sappy hint in the background (which lengthens the finish). A subtle chew and sapidity in the background.
Score: 16.75/20 (93-94/100)
MARGAUX
Château Desmirail 2020
Margaux, grand Cru Classé
The nose is spicy and offers a fine and relatively intense grain. It reveals notes of fresh pepper, nutmeg and small notes of blackberry associated with touches of fleshy raspberry as well as a hint of crushed redcurrants, liquorice stick and discreet hints of sweet blond tobacco (in the background). The palate is fruity and offers juiciness, minerality, some freshness, a certain tension, fatness, fullness, acidity as well as a fine straightness. On the palate this wine expresses notes of pulpy cassis, blackberry and small notes of violet associated with touches of tangy redcurrants as well as a subtle hint almost crunchy cherry, lily and clove. Presence of a subtle varietal hint in the background.
Score: 15.25/20 (90/100)
Château Lascombes 2020
Margaux, Grand Cru Classé
The nose is fruity and offers elegance, a certain power, intensity as well as a fine and powerful grain. It reveals notes of blackberry, pulpy cassis and small notes of quite ripe raspberry (almost roasted) associated with touches almost blue fruits, liquorice/zan as well as slight hints of almost colas, lily and pepper. The palate is mineral, balanced and offers freshness, harmony, juiciness, a small fatness, a tangy frame, energy as well as fullness. On the palate this wine expresses notes of pulpy blackberry, crushed redcurrants and small notes of pulpy cherry associated with an almost roasted touch as well as hints of violet/lily and liquorice. Solar notes are affirmed but controlled.
Score: 16+/20 (92-93/100)
Château Dauzac 2020
Margaux, Grand Cru Classé
Beautiful elegant, gourmand, fresh and complete nose that offers deepness and darkness, a bit austere (but with elegance), It reveals notes of crushed strawberry, crushed blackberry and small notes of small roasted-fresh fruits associated with touches of liquorice/badian, violet, hints of crushed small crushed fruits as well as delicate hints of cornflower, liquorice stick as well as discreet almost saline/iodine hint (in the background). The palate is beautifully mineral, fresh and offers a good definition, elegance, purity, a beautiful density, tension as well as a certain precision in concentration. On the palate this wine expresses notes of Bigarreau cherry, bright blackberry and small notes of small bright
