2020
2020
Product Name | Region | Qty | Score | Price | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Bordeaux | 1 | 99 (DC) |
Inc. VAT
£732.20 |
|||||
Decanter (99)This is powerful and blows away much of the competition with its depth and layers. This needs you to pull up a chair, take a beat, and let the flavours unroll. There is so much density to the blueberry, bilberry and smoked raspberry fruits that they start out knitted down, then as the oxygen opens them up the body of the wine widens and becomes fleshier and creamier, adding chocolate and mocha notes. The limestone scrape is there in spades through the finish, and this is a cleverly constructed wine. As ever Ausone is just a masterclass in how to take apart and then put back together a terroir. Great stuff. First year of official conversion to organic farming. 100% new oak, some in 30hl oak casks. Could go up after tasting in bottle, a potential 100 points. |
|||||||||
|
Bordeaux | 1 | 96-97 (JS) |
Inc. VAT
£293.00 |
|||||
James Suckling (96-97)This is very classically structured with a palate that starts off slowly. Full-bodied and chewy with a soft, creamy texture and a long finish. Savory. A touch austere. 52% cabernet sauvignon, 42% merlot and 3% cabernet franc, the rest petit verdot. |
|||||||||
|
Bordeaux | 1 | 97+ (WI) |
Inc. VAT
£503.60 |
|||||
The Wine Independent (97+)The 2020 Château d'Yquem a blend of 75% Sémillon and 25% Sauvignon Blanc. It has 135 grams per liter of residual sugar and a pH of 3.79. Pale lemon-gold colored, citrus and baking spice notes emerge slowly from the glass, rising to offer well-defined scents of candied ginger, orange blossoms, allspice, and almond tart, leading to a flamboyant core of peach cobbler, ripe, juicy pineapple, jasmine tea, and apple butter with a waft of saffron. The palate is full-bodied and characteristically rich, yet possesses impressive tension and therefore stunning harmony. Layers of exotic spices and fragrant white flower accents fill the palate, leading to a long finish with lingering chalk and mineral nuances. It’s a showy Yquem that is gregarious in youth but is reserving that extra something for those with the patience to wait twenty years or more. |
|||||||||
|
Bordeaux | 15 | 100 (JS) |
Inc. VAT
£406.40 |
|||||
James Suckling (100)A mesmerizing nose here with flowers such as violets and red roses, then shows cherries and currants with some mineral and black truffles. Full-bodied yet so refined and harmonized with ultra-fine tannins that run the length of the wine. Flavors of perfectly ripened fruit (al dente) with a hazelnut character that comes from the seeds. Incredibly transparent young red. Breathtaking. 37% merlot, 32% cabernet franc and 31% cabernet sauvignon. Drink after 2028 and onwards. Magnificent. |
|||||||||
|
Bordeaux | 2 | 97-98 (JS) |
Inc. VAT
£914.65 |
|||||
James Suckling (97-98)Very perfumed with floral, citrus and stone aromas, as well as hints of grapefruit. It’s full-bodied and seamless in texture. Extremely long and fine-grained. 72% sauvignon and 28% semillon. Normally 50/50. |
|||||||||
|
Bordeaux | 1 | 99 (WA) |
Inc. VAT
£1,308.85 |
|||||
Wine Advocate (99)One of the wines of the vintage, but likely to prove slower evolving and more introverted than its 2019 counterpart, the 2020 Lafleur unwinds in the glass with aromas of cherries, raspberries, kirsch, black truffle, orange zest and vine smoke. Full-bodied, layered and multidimensional, it's deep and concentrated, with a tightly wound core of fruit framed by rich, powdery tannins, concluding with a long, saline finish. This is another magical bottle from an estate that just seems to do everything right. |
|||||||||
|
Bordeaux | 2 | 98-99 (JS) |
Inc. VAT
£206.00 |
|||||
James Suckling (98-99)This is a young red with great intensity and vision that starts off slowly and builds with energy and verve. It’s so minerally with salty, chalky and spice undertones to the cool and vibrant, purple and subtle-fruit flavors. The tannins are wonderfully toned and polished and build on the palate to deliver something very special. |
|||||||||
|
Bordeaux | 1 | 97-98 (JS) |
Inc. VAT
£461.60 |
|||||
James Suckling (97-98)This is very, very layered with gorgeous fruit and velvety tannins. Hints of chocolate. Full-bodied and chewy with soft, fine tannins. 72% cabernet sauvignon, 24% merlot and 4% cabernet franc. Gorgeous second wine. |
|||||||||
|
Bordeaux | 1 | 100 (JS) |
Inc. VAT
£3,264.20 |
|||||
James Suckling (100)The complexity of the wine shows incredible aromas of perfectly ripe tannins and fresh flowers such as lavender and rose stem. Mineral. Stone. Hints of wet earth and fresh bark. Subtle and complete. So much incredible character. Concentrated center palate. Weightless at the end. Perfect wine. You want to drink the bottle but it will age for decades. |
|||||||||
|
Bordeaux | 6 | 100 (VN (AG)) |
Inc. VAT
£324.80 |
|||||
Vinous - Antonio Galloni (100)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. |
|||||||||
|
Bordeaux | 1 | 95 (VN (NM)) |
Inc. VAT
£108.80 |
|||||
Vinous - Neal Martin (95)The 2020 Malartic-Lagravière, which represents just 40% of the total production, was cropped at 26hL/ha. It has a very delineated nose with intense blackberry, raspberry, sous-bois and incense aromas that just "sing" of Pessac-Léognan. The palate is medium-bodied, finely-knit tannins, fresh and vibrant with beguiling purity. Harmonious and silky smooth, it belies the depth and complexity of this marvelous Malartic. This is superb and it will mature beautifully in bottle. |
|||||||||
|
Bordeaux | 1 | 100 (JS) |
Inc. VAT
£1,212.20 |
|||||
James Suckling (100)Gorgeous aromas of dark plums and violets. Orange peel, too. Some crushed stone. Bark. Stems. Iron shavings. Full-bodied, but very tight and compacted. The tannins are all here making it very structured, yet they are polished and melted together. Needs years to show all of its greatness. Incredible polish and structure. More structured than the 2019. Try after 2030 and beyond. |
|||||||||
|
Bordeaux | 1 | 100 (JS) |
Inc. VAT
£713.60 |
|||||
James Suckling (100)The purity of blackcurrants, blueberries, creme de cassis, and flowers. Hints of subtle spearmint. Iron. Blood orange. Medium-bodied with a compacted palate, like a cylinder of perfectly ripe fruit and fine tannins. A million layers of tight-grained tannins. It goes on and on. Such freshness and weightlessness to it. Ethereal. New classicism. Modern take on the 1986. 12.79% alcohol. 84% cabernet sauvignon, 13% merlot, 2% cabernet franc and 1% petit verdot. Drink after 2030 but hard to not drink now. |
|||||||||
|
Bordeaux | 1 | 97-98 (JS) |
Inc. VAT
£154.40 |
|||||
James Suckling (97-98)This is from only the old vines in the clay and gravel soils on the plateau. Really fantastic. It’s medium-to full-bodied and the tannins just roll off the palate at the end. Dark fruit and spices. So long. One of the best modern wines from here? 68% merlot and 32% cabernet franc. |
|||||||||
|
Bordeaux | 4 | 100 (JS) |
Inc. VAT
£458.00 |
|||||
James Suckling (100)The clarity and focus of this white is phenomenal with honeysuckle, white peach, lavender, and melon aromas that follow through to a full body, yet it’s tight and focused with super fine phenolics that keep it together. Great balance between the opulence and freshness. It has great acidity. Incredible energy. pH 3.1. Drink or hold. |
|||||||||
|
Bordeaux | 1 | 100 (JS) |
Inc. VAT
£5,502.20 |
|||||
James Suckling (100)The transparency and complexity in the nose is wonderful, with so much floral character like violets and roses with some fresh spices. Dark berries, too. Sandalwood. It’s medium-bodied but then it just opens and unfolds with incredible depth of fine tannins and great length. It goes on for minutes. It opens like butterfly wings. What a wine. Superb. Drink after 2028. |
Product Name | Region | Qty | Score | Price | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Bordeaux | 1 | 99 (DC) |
In Bond
£607.50 |
|||||
Decanter (99)This is powerful and blows away much of the competition with its depth and layers. This needs you to pull up a chair, take a beat, and let the flavours unroll. There is so much density to the blueberry, bilberry and smoked raspberry fruits that they start out knitted down, then as the oxygen opens them up the body of the wine widens and becomes fleshier and creamier, adding chocolate and mocha notes. The limestone scrape is there in spades through the finish, and this is a cleverly constructed wine. As ever Ausone is just a masterclass in how to take apart and then put back together a terroir. Great stuff. First year of official conversion to organic farming. 100% new oak, some in 30hl oak casks. Could go up after tasting in bottle, a potential 100 points. |
|||||||||
|
Bordeaux | 1 | 96-97 (JS) |
In Bond
£241.50 |
|||||
James Suckling (96-97)This is very classically structured with a palate that starts off slowly. Full-bodied and chewy with a soft, creamy texture and a long finish. Savory. A touch austere. 52% cabernet sauvignon, 42% merlot and 3% cabernet franc, the rest petit verdot. |
|||||||||
|
Bordeaux | 1 | 97+ (WI) |
In Bond
£417.00 |
|||||
The Wine Independent (97+)The 2020 Château d'Yquem a blend of 75% Sémillon and 25% Sauvignon Blanc. It has 135 grams per liter of residual sugar and a pH of 3.79. Pale lemon-gold colored, citrus and baking spice notes emerge slowly from the glass, rising to offer well-defined scents of candied ginger, orange blossoms, allspice, and almond tart, leading to a flamboyant core of peach cobbler, ripe, juicy pineapple, jasmine tea, and apple butter with a waft of saffron. The palate is full-bodied and characteristically rich, yet possesses impressive tension and therefore stunning harmony. Layers of exotic spices and fragrant white flower accents fill the palate, leading to a long finish with lingering chalk and mineral nuances. It’s a showy Yquem that is gregarious in youth but is reserving that extra something for those with the patience to wait twenty years or more. |
|||||||||
|
Bordeaux | 15 | 100 (JS) |
In Bond
£336.00 |
|||||
James Suckling (100)A mesmerizing nose here with flowers such as violets and red roses, then shows cherries and currants with some mineral and black truffles. Full-bodied yet so refined and harmonized with ultra-fine tannins that run the length of the wine. Flavors of perfectly ripened fruit (al dente) with a hazelnut character that comes from the seeds. Incredibly transparent young red. Breathtaking. 37% merlot, 32% cabernet franc and 31% cabernet sauvignon. Drink after 2028 and onwards. Magnificent. |
|||||||||
|
Bordeaux | 2 | 97-98 (JS) |
In Bond
£759.00 |
|||||
James Suckling (97-98)Very perfumed with floral, citrus and stone aromas, as well as hints of grapefruit. It’s full-bodied and seamless in texture. Extremely long and fine-grained. 72% sauvignon and 28% semillon. Normally 50/50. |
|||||||||
|
Bordeaux | 1 | 99 (WA) |
In Bond
£1,087.50 |
|||||
Wine Advocate (99)One of the wines of the vintage, but likely to prove slower evolving and more introverted than its 2019 counterpart, the 2020 Lafleur unwinds in the glass with aromas of cherries, raspberries, kirsch, black truffle, orange zest and vine smoke. Full-bodied, layered and multidimensional, it's deep and concentrated, with a tightly wound core of fruit framed by rich, powdery tannins, concluding with a long, saline finish. This is another magical bottle from an estate that just seems to do everything right. |
|||||||||
|
Bordeaux | 2 | 98-99 (JS) |
In Bond
£169.00 |
|||||
James Suckling (98-99)This is a young red with great intensity and vision that starts off slowly and builds with energy and verve. It’s so minerally with salty, chalky and spice undertones to the cool and vibrant, purple and subtle-fruit flavors. The tannins are wonderfully toned and polished and build on the palate to deliver something very special. |
|||||||||
|
Bordeaux | 1 | 97-98 (JS) |
In Bond
£382.00 |
|||||
James Suckling (97-98)This is very, very layered with gorgeous fruit and velvety tannins. Hints of chocolate. Full-bodied and chewy with soft, fine tannins. 72% cabernet sauvignon, 24% merlot and 4% cabernet franc. Gorgeous second wine. |
|||||||||
|
Bordeaux | 1 | 100 (JS) |
In Bond
£2,717.50 |
|||||
James Suckling (100)The complexity of the wine shows incredible aromas of perfectly ripe tannins and fresh flowers such as lavender and rose stem. Mineral. Stone. Hints of wet earth and fresh bark. Subtle and complete. So much incredible character. Concentrated center palate. Weightless at the end. Perfect wine. You want to drink the bottle but it will age for decades. |
|||||||||
|
Bordeaux | 6 | 100 (VN (AG)) |
In Bond
£268.00 |
|||||
Vinous - Antonio Galloni (100)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. |
|||||||||
|
Bordeaux | 1 | 95 (VN (NM)) |
In Bond
£88.00 |
|||||
Vinous - Neal Martin (95)The 2020 Malartic-Lagravière, which represents just 40% of the total production, was cropped at 26hL/ha. It has a very delineated nose with intense blackberry, raspberry, sous-bois and incense aromas that just "sing" of Pessac-Léognan. The palate is medium-bodied, finely-knit tannins, fresh and vibrant with beguiling purity. Harmonious and silky smooth, it belies the depth and complexity of this marvelous Malartic. This is superb and it will mature beautifully in bottle. |
|||||||||
|
Bordeaux | 1 | 100 (JS) |
In Bond
£1,007.50 |
|||||
James Suckling (100)Gorgeous aromas of dark plums and violets. Orange peel, too. Some crushed stone. Bark. Stems. Iron shavings. Full-bodied, but very tight and compacted. The tannins are all here making it very structured, yet they are polished and melted together. Needs years to show all of its greatness. Incredible polish and structure. More structured than the 2019. Try after 2030 and beyond. |
|||||||||
|
Bordeaux | 1 | 100 (JS) |
In Bond
£592.00 |
|||||
James Suckling (100)The purity of blackcurrants, blueberries, creme de cassis, and flowers. Hints of subtle spearmint. Iron. Blood orange. Medium-bodied with a compacted palate, like a cylinder of perfectly ripe fruit and fine tannins. A million layers of tight-grained tannins. It goes on and on. Such freshness and weightlessness to it. Ethereal. New classicism. Modern take on the 1986. 12.79% alcohol. 84% cabernet sauvignon, 13% merlot, 2% cabernet franc and 1% petit verdot. Drink after 2030 but hard to not drink now. |
|||||||||
|
Bordeaux | 1 | 97-98 (JS) |
In Bond
£126.00 |
|||||
James Suckling (97-98)This is from only the old vines in the clay and gravel soils on the plateau. Really fantastic. It’s medium-to full-bodied and the tannins just roll off the palate at the end. Dark fruit and spices. So long. One of the best modern wines from here? 68% merlot and 32% cabernet franc. |
|||||||||
|
Bordeaux | 4 | 100 (JS) |
In Bond
£379.00 |
|||||
James Suckling (100)The clarity and focus of this white is phenomenal with honeysuckle, white peach, lavender, and melon aromas that follow through to a full body, yet it’s tight and focused with super fine phenolics that keep it together. Great balance between the opulence and freshness. It has great acidity. Incredible energy. pH 3.1. Drink or hold. |
|||||||||
|
Bordeaux | 1 | 100 (JS) |
In Bond
£4,582.50 |
|||||
James Suckling (100)The transparency and complexity in the nose is wonderful, with so much floral character like violets and roses with some fresh spices. Dark berries, too. Sandalwood. It’s medium-bodied but then it just opens and unfolds with incredible depth of fine tannins and great length. It goes on for minutes. It opens like butterfly wings. What a wine. Superb. Drink after 2028. |