2020 Bordeaux

 2020 Bordeaux Primeur

Some very lovely wines in the Bordeaux appelation in 2020, Girolate and Reignac especially, but there are a few more recommendations here. 

2020 Château Auguste

MAY 21 Ruby. Anise, herbs, blackberries and vanilla nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, dark fruits, anise, some spices, liquorice, good length. 86-88

2020 Château Auguste Rosé 

MAY 21 Pink. Light red fruit driven nose and palate, fruit driven if light, good length. 83

2020 Bad Boy

MAY 21 Ruby. Blackberries, anise, some spices nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruit driven, dark fruits, good length. 85-87

2020 Balthus

MAY 21 Ruby. Blackberries and blueberries, fruit driven and scented nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, blackberries and spices, juicy, some coffee, good length. 88-90

2020 Château Bel-Air

MAY 21 Ruby. Blackberries, vanilla, spices nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, dark fruits, anise, light bodied. 84-86

2020 Château Bel-Air Cuvée Divine

MAY 21 Ruby. Blackberries, anise, fruit driven nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, dark fruits, anise, leaner bodied. 86-88

2020 Château de Birazel Auguste

MAY 21 Ruby. Blackberries, cassis, some vanilla and spices nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, dark fruits, anise, spices, liquorice, good length. Quite woody. 86-88

2020 Château de Birazel Romane blanc

MAY 21 Pale straw yellow. Vanilla, spices, some grapefruits nose. Fresh acidity, apples, pears, fruit driven if leaner. 86-88

2020 Château du Bois Chantant

MAY 21 Ruby. Blackberries, anise, some herbs nose, anise. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, leaner bodied, anise, some herbs, bit thin. 84-86

2020 Château Bois Pertuis

MAY 21 Ruby. Blackberries, anise, fruit driven nose, some spices. Herbs. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, dark fruits, anise, some spices, leaner finish. 85-87

2020 Château Boutillon Luigi

APR 21 100M Ruby. Scented, red fruits, anise, light and pleasing nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, dark fruits, some vanilla, light bodied, bit short. 86

2020 Château Boutillot

MAY 21 Ruby. Blackberries, anise, lighter nose, lean even. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, dark fruits, leaner bodied, elegant texture. 85-87

2020 Chardonneret

MAY 21 Pale lemon yellow. Some citrus, grapefruits and canned pears nose. Light. Fresh acidity, lighter, leaner, refreshing. 84-86

2020 Clarendelle Rouge

APR 21 59M 27CS 14CF Ruby. Blackberries, blueberries, dark fruits and anise, some alcohol high notes on the nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, dark fruits, anise, sweet liquorice, alcohol warmth. 87-89

2020 Château Curton la Perriere

MAY 21 Ruby. Blackberries, anise, fruit driven nose, scented. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, dark fruits, anise, juicy with some texture, good length. 87-89

2020 Château L’Eperon

MAY 21 Ruby. Blackberries, anise, fruit driven nose, spices. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, dark fruits, vanilla and chocolate, good length. 84-86

2020 Château L’Eperon blanc

MAY 21 Pale lemon yellow. Yellow apples and pears nose. Fresh acidity, rounded, fruit driven, easy going. 83-85

2020 L’Exception 1600

MAY 21 Ruby. Dark fruits, anise, blackberries nose, spices. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, dark fruits, anise, spices, liquorice, good length. 86-88

2020 Château Fleur Haut Gaussens

APR 21 Ruby. Blackberries, anise, fruit driven nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, dark fruits, anise, spices, leaner. 85-87

2020 Château La Fontaine de Genin

MAY 21 Ruby. Blackberries, anise, spices, some vanilla nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, dark fruits, anise, some coffee, good length. 86-88

2020 Girolate 

MAY 21 Ruby. Anise, liquorice, blackberries and vanilla nose, some coffee. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, dark fruits, anise, juicy, spices, vanilla, good long. 90-92

2020 Girolate blanc

MAY 21 Pale lemon yellow. Pears, fruit driven, leaner nose, some peach notes nose. Fresh acidity, fruit driven, elegant texture, peach, pears and apples, rounded, fairly detailed, long. 89-91

2020 Château Haut L’Abeille Les Robins

MAY 21 Ruby. Herbs, blackberries and vanilla nose, light. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, red fruits, anise, light bodied, herbs. 83-85

2020 Château Haut L’Abeille Les Robins blanc

MAY 21 Pale straw yellow. Pears and leach nose, vanilla. Medium acidity, soft, fruit driven and light. 84-86

2020 Château Haut-Fontenelle Rosé 

MAY 21 Light apples and red fruits nose. Fresh acidity, apples, lighter body and texture, good length. 83

2020 Hubert de Boüard Rosé 

MAY 21 Watery pink. Light red fruits nose. Fresh acidity, apples, red fruits, elegant texture, good length. 84

2020 Hubert de Boüard Sauvignon 

MAY 21 Pale lemon yellow. Some vanilla, citrus and gooseberries nose. Fresh acidity, apples, pears, fruit driven, elegant texture, good length. 86-88

2020 Hubert de Boüard Semillon

MAY 21 Pale lemon yellow. Apples, lemons, fruit driven, light vanilla note nose. Fresh acidity, apples, rounded, some grapefruits, faint smokiness, good length. 87-89

2020 Hubert de Boüard Chardonnay 

MAY 21 Pale lemon yellow. Apples, lemons, fruit driven, pears and peach nose. Fresh acidity, fruit driven, pears, apples, lemons, elegant texture, good length. 87-89

2020 Hubert de Boüard Merlot

MAY 21 Ruby. Blackberries, anise, fruit driven, some spices nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, dark fruits, anise, spices, juicy, good length. 86-88

2020 Hubert de Boüard Cabernet Sauvignon 

Ruby. Blackberries, cassis, anise, light vanilla and spices nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, dark fruits, anise, spices, blackberries, detailed, good length. 87-89

2020 Hubert de Boüard Cabernet Franc

Ruby. Blackberries, dark fruits, anise, spices, floral high notes. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, dark fruits, anise, spices, liquorice, good length. 87-89

2020 Château Lamothe Vincent

APR 21 Ruby. Blackberries, anise, lighter nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, dark fruits, anise, some spices, good length. 86-88

2020 Château Laurence

MAY 21 Ruby. Blackberries, anise, fruit driven nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, dark fruits, anise, spices, good length. Bit structured finish. 86-88

2020 Petite Laurence 

MAY 21 Ruby. Red fruits, anise, darker berries nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, red fruits, blackberries, some anise, leaner bodied, good length. 85-87

2020 Laurence

MAY 21 Ruby. Blackberries, fruit driven nose, blueberries. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, darkfruits, anise, some spices, leaner finish, elegant texture. 86-88

2020 Château Laurence blanc sec

MAY 21 Pale lemon yellow. Pears, some citrus and vanilla nose, lighter. Fresh acidity, apples, lemons, fruit driven, elegant texture, good length. 87-89

2020 Petite Laurence blanc sec

MAY 21 Pale lemon yellow. Apples, lemons, light smoky gooseberries nose. Fresh acidity, apples, lemons, light bodied. 83-85

2020 Château Leroy-Beauval

MAY 21 Ruby. Blackberries and anise, fruit driven nose, spices and light vanilla. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, dark fruits, vanilla, rounded even if leaner, good length. 86-88

2020 Château Leroy-Beauval blanc

MAY 21 Pale lemon yellow. Some grapefruits, apples, lemons nose, lighter. Fresh acidity, rounded, lighter bodied, touch bitter, grapefruits finish. 85-87

2020 Château Mont-Pérat

MAY 21 Ruby. Anise, fruit driven nose, lighter, some vanilla. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, dark fruits, anise, juicy with some texture, elegant. 86-88

2020 Château Mont-Pérat blanc

MAY 21 Pale lemon yellow. Apples, fruit driven, lighter nose. Fresh acidity, pears, peach, some vanilla, good length. Elegant texture but lacks some lift. 86-88

2020 Château Moya

MAY 21 Ruby. Blackberries and cassis, fruit driven nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, dark fruits and liquorice, a little bit hollow, good length. 86-88

2020 Naujan

MAY 21 Ruby. Blackberries, anise, liquorice, dark fruits nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, dark fruits, anise, spices, juicy, good length. 89-91

2020 Naujan blanc

MAY 21 Pale lemon yellow. Apples, citrus and grapefruits nose. Fresh acidity, apples, pears, fruit driven, good length. 87-89

2020 Château Pabus

MAY 21 Ruby. Scented, blackberries and anise nose, some vanilla. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, dark fruits, anise, juicy, lovely texture, good length. 87-89

2020 Château Penin Les Cailloux

MAY 21 Ruby. Blackberries, cassis, dark fruits and vanilla nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, dark fruits, anise, light bodied, elegant texture. 86-88

2020 Château Penin blanc

MAY 21 Pale lemon yellow. Apples, leaner nose, light vanilla. Fresh acidity, apples, pears, peach, leaner bodied, good length. 85-87

2020 Château Pey La Tour

MAY 21 Ruby. Blackberries, anise, raspberries nose, lighter. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, dark fruits, anise, some spices, liquorice, good length. 86-88

2020 Puy Redon Chardonnay

MAY 21 Pale lemon yellow. Lemons, apples, some vanilla, lighter nose. Fresh acidity, apples, rounded, elegant texture, bit lean. Touch buttery finish. 86-88

2020 Reignac

MAY 21 Ruby. Blackberries, blueberries, fruit driven nose, some vanilla and spices, truffles and chocolate. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, dark fruits, anise, spices, blackberries, juicy, structured, detailed and long. 90-92

2020 Château Sainte Barbe

MAY 21 Ruby. Blackberries, anise, fruit driven nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, leaner bodied, anise, some spices, juicy. 86-88

2020 Château Sainte-Marie VV

MAY 21 Ruby. Blackberries, anise, fruit driven nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, lots of wood and wood spices, already drying on the palate. 82-84

2020 Château des Songes Song

MAY 21 Ruby. Blackberries, anise, dark fruits nose, spices. Not that intense. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, dark fruits, anise, leaner finish, some herbs. 83-85

2020 Château Talmont

MAY 21 Ruby. Cassis, anise, some faint minerals nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, red fruits, dark berries, anise and vanilla, good length. 86-88

2020 Château Talmont Cuvée Divine

MAY 21 Ruby. Blackberries, anise, blueberries nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, anise, spices, leaner bodied, good length. 86-88

2020 Château Thenac

MAY 21 Ruby. Blackberries, anise, fruit driven nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, dark fruits, anise, liquorice, good length. 87-89

2020 Château Thenac blanc

MAY 21 Pale lemon yellow. Apples, peach, pears and vanilla nose. Fresh acidity, apples, pears, nuanced, elegant texture, candied lemons, good length. 88-90

2020 Château Timberlay Cuvée Marie Paule Prestige

MAY 21 Ruby. Herbs, vanilla and some dark fruits nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, dark fruits, anise, some herbs, lighter. 84-86

2020 Château Tour de Bellegarde

MAY 21 Ruby. Blackberries, anise, blueberries nose, leaner, herbs. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, leaner bodied, refreshing, elegant texture, bright fruit. 85-87

2020 Château Tour de Bellegarde blanc

MAY 21 Pale lemon yellow. Apples, lighter nose, fruit driven. Medium acidity, rounded, yellow apples and pears, bit short. 83-85

2020 Château au Vignoble

MAY 21 Ruby. Blackberries, anise, leaner nose, some vanilla. Fresh acidity, ripte tannins, anise, light bodied, leaner. 83-85