Matthew Jukes (18.5+)

Drawn from McLaren Vale, Barossa Valley, Coonawarra, Padthaway and Wrattonbully, this is a seriously focussed and complete Bin 407 with impressive length, and it manages to retain control to the very end. There was no Bin 169 or Bin 707 made in 2020, so this wine (and Bin 389 below) has scooped up the very best Cabernet from the estate, and there is no doubt it is a very special creature indeed. Delicious and savoury, the tannins pinch the palate, and it remains reassuringly dry and firm while on the finish, allowing the palate to open up beautifully on the nose. This is a huge success in 2020.

Matthew Jukes (19.5+)

Peter Gago explained that on 20th December, the temperature peaked at 45.6C, yet these vines dealt perfectly with this extreme challenge. In fact, I think it emboldened these vines, giving them a serious depth of flavour and darkness that opens onto a phenomenal array of black fruit and density, and it is packed with awesome power, and yet it is so refreshing and lifted on the finish it defies belief! Compact yet massive, overwhelmingly grand and delicately perfumed, this is an incredible RWT with a very long life ahead of it. This is an unmissable wine for serious collectors in this release.

Vinous (98)

The 2020 Galatrona is stunning. In fact, the 2020 is one of the best vintages of the Galatrona I can remember tasting. I am especially impressed by its vertical intensity and explosive energy. All the elements are so impeccably woven together. Dark-toned fruit, crushed rocks, menthol, licorice and spice build into the intense, palate-staining finish. The 2018 spent 18-20 months in French oak, about 25% new, with some larger barrels thrown into the mix. Magnificent.

Wine Advocate (100)

The 1990 Petrus remains incredibly young, one of the least evolved wines of the vintage (along with Montrose and Beausejour-Duffau). This dense ruby/purple-colored effort is beginning to hint at the massive richness and full-bodied intensity lurking beneath its wall of tannin. The vintage’s sweetness, low acidity, and velvety tannins are present in abundance, and the wine is massive in the mouth as well as incredibly pure and well-delineated. I thought it would be drinkable by now, but it appears another 5-10 years will pass before it begins to reach its plateau of maturity. This wine is capable of lasting at least four more decades. An incredible achievement! Release price: ($5000.00/case)

James Suckling (96)

Attractive bath powder and lemon blossom as well as white peach, grapefruit and some flint. The palate has a super fleshy feel with a blaze of acidity and long, fresh lemon, grapefruit and white-peach flavors. Good acidity and concentration. Drink or hold. Screw cap.

Vinous (92-94)

The 2020 Chassagne-Montrachet Les Chenevottes 1er Cru is very attractive on the nose with scents of mirabelle, almond, white chocolate and Granny Smiths, complex and involving. The palate is very well balanced with a fine bead of acidity. Plenty of tension and energy in situ, quite saline on the finish with superb persistence. This is one of the best 2020s from Philippe Colin this vintage.

Immerse yourself in the regal taste of Philippe Colin Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Maltroie Blanc 2020. This distinguished white burgundy hails from the acclaimed Chassagne-Montrachet region of Burgundy, esteemed for its remarkable vineyards. It embodies the precision and artistry of renowned winemaker, Philippe Colin, whose devotion to traditional, sustainable viticulture is manifest in every bottle.

This pristine wine is made from 100% Chardonnay grapes, hand-picked from old vines and aged exquisitely in French oak barrels, bestowing a unique complexity of flavour. Expect a harmonious blend of apple, peach, and citrus notes on the palate, interwoven with subtleties of vanilla and butter, a characteristic mineral undertone and a lingering finish that testifies to its pedigree. Philippe Colin Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Maltroie Blanc 2020 is a truly unmissable gem for enthusiasts of fine white Burgundy wines. Delicate yet expressive, it offers a superb reflection of its terroir and the Colin legacy in every glass.

Wine Advocate (95)

Jorge Monzón considers 2020 to be an almost prefect vintage—cool and fresh, reminiscent of the great 2016. The pink 2020 Pícaro del Águila Clarete was produced with 35% Tempranillo, 35% Albillo Mayor and the rest other local grape varieties (Garnacha, Bobal, Bruñal, Monastrell, Tempranillo Gris, other Albillos, Garnacha Blanca, Pirules, Jaén, Moscatel, Malvasías...) found in the old vineyards. This is very different from your average rosé, more like a serious light red or powerful white that slowly fermented during 11 months and matured in barrel for 18 months. The orange-ish/pink wine is still young and lively, with some notes of toasted sesame seeds and a faint flinty reduction a little à la Coche-Dury, reminiscent of some vintages of their superb white. This was bottled without being racked, and perhaps that's why it has this nice reduction and could be the finest vintage to date. It has a strong chalky aftertaste from the limestone-rich soils, which makes it a terroir white, but it's also very marked by the style (which they updated from the traditional wines in Aranda in the old times) of a unique wine. It's balanced and mellow but not a shy wine, with 14% alcohol and a pH of 3.26. I've tasted 15+-year-old bottles of wines of this style, and they were still lively, so this one should not be shorter lived. Unique. Given my experience with past vintages, I'd wait a little before pulling the cork here. 8,358 bottles and 151 magnums produced. It was bottled in February 2022.

Wine Advocate (95)

The juicy, velvety and aromatic red 2020 Pícaro del Águila Tinto is fine-boned and quite faithfully represents what they want to express with this cuvée; it's very tasty and has some chalkiness (perhaps through less ripeness than in years like 2018) with 14% alcohol and mellow acidity. The nose reveals some Côte-Rôtie-like notes of smoked meat and violets. 2020 delivered a good crop of healthy grapes that produced the finest wine to date for this bottling. This is superb, elegant and powerful, with everything in place (seems to be the signature of 2020) and perfectly integrated oak. 71,382 bottles and 1,979 magnums produced. It was bottled in September 2021.

The Wine Independent (98+)

The 2020 Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande is made from 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, and 6% Cabernet Franc. Deep garnet-purple in color, it needs considerable swirling to bring out fragrant scents of lilacs, tilled soil, rosehip tea, and Sichuan pepper, giving way to a core of cassis, black raspberries, and cedar chest with emerging iron ore and charcoal scents. The medium-bodied palate is so tightly knit, with firm, grainy tannins and lovely tension, finishing long and minerally.

Discover the splendour of the renowned Pierre Girardin Meursault Les Casse-Têtes 2020. This Burgundy white, carefully crafted in Côte de Beaune, France, is a testament to Pierre Girardin's impeccable precision and detail. Pierre, a 13th generation winemaker, focuses on producing minimal intervention wines. Each bottle reflects the unique terroir through biodynamically-farmed, hand-harvested Chardonnay grapes.

This extraordinary bottle showcases the unmistakable identity of Meursault's Les Casse-Têtes vineyard. Undergoing 18 months of 228-litre French oak barrel maturation, where 10% is renewed yearly, this wine develops its complex and well-integrated oak profile. On tasting, expect a balanced blend of fresh orchard fruits, floral notes, rounded out by a bright, mineral backbone and persistent finish.

Whether enjoyed now or cellared for future pleasure, each sip of Pierre Girardin Meursault Les Casse-Têtes 2020 signifies an encounter with French winemaking at its finest. Beerens are proud to present this exceptional addition to our collection.

Exuding the distinct elegance of elite French wines, the Pierre Girardin Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru Aux Boudots 2020 is unparalleled in its class. Produced in the prestigious Nuits-Saint-Georges region of Burgundy, the Aux Boudots vineyard boasts unrivalled Pinot Noir grapes that flourish in limestone-clay soil.

Pierre Girardin, the latest in a lengthy lineage of passionate viticulturists, has endowed this wine with his devoted expertise. Crafted using traditional vinification methods with organic practices, the wine is characterised by its depth and complexity. Layers of vibrant red fruit seamlessly blend with subtle spicy notes, the full-bodied richness beautifully tempered by refined tannins and an everlasting finish.

This splendid expression of a Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru brings endless pleasure to those who appreciate the noble art of winemaking, making Pierre Girardin Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru Aux Boudots 2020 a cornerstone in any discerning wine collector's cellar.

Indulge in the luxury of the Pierre Girardin Vosne-Romanee 2020, a splendid Burgundian masterpiece from the acclaimed French winemaker, Pierre Girardin. This Pinot Noir, born from a historic vineyard in the heart of Vosne-Romanée, is truly emblematic of the region's terroir. Pierre Girardin uses meticulous biodynamic practices, harnessing the uniqueness of the ancient soils, capturing the quality of the vintage year.

Pierre Girardin, son of renowned winemaker Vincent Girardin, meticulously curates each barrel, ensuring the purity of the wine is maintained. With Pierre Girardin Vosne-Romanee 2020, he brings forth an elegant, full-bodied, red wine with a remarkable balance of fruits and subtle tannins, harmoniously combined with oak's slight notes. Concocted with care and precision, it's a sophisticated addition to any collection.

Opening a bottle of Pierre Girardin Vosne-Romanee 2020 is like uncovering the soul of Burgundy, revealing an orchestration of opulence, vibrancy, and finesse exclusive to the Girardin name.

James Suckling (98)

St. Joseph is often declared to be a second tier appellation in the Northern Rhone, but here’s proof that it can play in the first league of the region. This has an incredibly deep nose of ripe blackberries, other forest berries and smoke. On the barely full-bodied palate it is simultaneously rich, focused and extremely complex with very graceful fine tannins and stacks of stony minerality at the breathtakingly fresh finish. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold.

Jasper Morris Inside Burgundy (90-93)

Full lemon and light lime. Not so much nose but a classic pure St-Aubin white fruit in the mouth, a light grapefruit touch at the finish, fresh, with energy and persistence. Actually, very long indeed for this level. Tasted: October 2021

Jasper Morris Inside Burgundy (90-93)

A blend from three vineyards, Perrières, Combes, Créot. Mid lemon not clear, more fruit weight on the nose, into ripe apples here, less citrus, a little tension, matching the opulence of the fruit. Good length again. Tasted: October 2021

The Pierrick Bouley Aloxe-Corton 2020 flaunts impeccable Burgundian pedigree, hailing from the famed terroirs of Aloxe-Corton, nestled in the Côte de Beaune. Pierrick Bouley, esteemed for his hands-off winemaking approach, allows nature to illustrate its story. Year 2020 was marked by significant weather challenges, thereby demanding meticulous winemaking finesse. This resulted in a wine that sings with expressions of ripe plum, tart cherry, and layered spice. Expertly cultivated Pinot Noir vines, aged between 40 and 80 years, offer intensity and old-vine complexity.

Reverently applying organic and bio-dynamic farming methods, Bouley ensures the vines' resilience and longevity, preserving the estate's illustrious heritage. Mastered maturation achieved through 18 months in French oak, with minimal intervention, enhances the terroir's voice, manifesting a wine of supreme elegance and harmony. An indisputable testament to Boutley's prowess, the Pierrick Bouley Aloxe-Corton 2020 has elegantly embodied the classic character of Burgundy wine.

Halliday Wine Companion (98)

Named after the family matriarch. Selection of the best parcels of fruit from the Polish Hill River estate. pH 2.93, TA 8.23 g/L, RS 3.1 g/L. Pikes' flagship, but also a Clare Valley flagship. It's not often a 6-month-old riesling can be described as luscious, but that's the impact of this wine. It's citrus focused, of course, and it also has keynote acidity, but it's the honeyed mouthfeel and flavour that hits the jackpot.

James Suckling (98-99)

This is integrated, with superb density and beauty, offering blackcurrant, mineral and some bark. Full-bodied, yet so polished and refined. Crushed stone. Lots of expression and texture to this wine. Creamy. Pure and precise. Elegant, yet layered. Slightly plusher than the 2019. Dense, yet agile. Fresh as always. 60% cabernet sauvignon, 32% merlot, 4% cabernet franc and 4% petit verdot. 50% new oak 15% old oak and 35% concrete amphorae.

Tim Atkin MW (98)

"We pick the vintage," says Callie Louw, whose 2020 Porseleinberg is the second lightest in alcohol he's ever made at 13.6%. Fermented with 100% whole bunches using the submerged cap technique that transformed the wine in 2018, this is another scented, seamless stunner from Callie Louw. Aged in large foudres and 5% concrete eggs, it's a spicy, sappy, hauntingly elegant Syrah from a brutal site, with kelp, rose petal and fynbos aromas, juicy bramble and red berry fruit, fine tannins and a wonderful sense of energy. 2024-32

James Suckling (95)

An extremely subtle gruner veltliner with so much herbal complexity and mountain freshness. Ripe and racy, with so much mineral energy. Very long and precise finish that's neatly supported by the very fine tannins. From a high-altitude vineyard planted in 1979 with more than 100 clones. Drink or hold.

James Suckling (97)

Superbly cool, restrained and refined, this austere, beautiful dry riesling is a slow-burn masterpiece that's only just beginning to reveal its complex white-peach, white-tea, wild-herb and dark-berry character. Super-long and mineral finish. Drink or hold.

Wine Advocate (95)

The 2020 Barbaresco boasts an ample set of aromas with wild cherry, blue flower, sweet spice and crushed limestone. As always, the wine paints an exciting and authentic portrait of Nebbiolo, albeit with a little more richness and texture in this vintage. This is especially true in terms of the palate, where the wine offers mid-weight intensity with melting tannins. This ambitious release of 300,000 bottles is slated to hit the market in fall 2023.

Greg Sherwood MW (92+)

Produttori del Barbaresco makes its Langhe Nebbiolo with declassified Barbaresco fruit (often from parcels on lower slopes) so production volumes are notably reduced in the better vintages when more of the prime fruit finds its way into their delicious village Barbaresco DOCG or indeed one of the classy nine Cru Riservas. This young 2020 Nebbiolo certainly shows great promise with an immediately attractive array of aromatics that boast dark cherry, damson plum, sweet herbs, blood orange and a slight menthol top note. Always wonderfully intense and potent, the palate displays a medium bodied weight of red and black berry fruits, macerated strawberries and sweet cherries with an underlying cool, suave elegance and a fresh acid vitality. The finish is creamy and plush with soft plump tannins, subtle piquant black liquorice notes and a pure, weightless length. Delightfully streamlined and accessible, this 2020 continues a fine run of vintages for Produttori del Barbaresco. Drink from release and over 5 to 8 years.

Greg Sherwood MW (98)

Never made with exactly the same blend in any two vintages, the 2020 is a classic Cape Bordeaux assemblage of 30% Cabernet Franc, 28% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Malbec, 16% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot with a total production of only 1,000 x 6. The wine displays a real intensity in the glass with a ruby red rim and a red / black plum heart. The aromatics are vibrant and fabulously perfumed, bursting from the glass with expressive notes of red and black berry fruits, black currant, raspberry, red and black cherry, before notes of earthy blueberry emerge with suggestions of pressed violets, lavender, sweet sandalwood, star anise and graphite spice. On the palate, the vintage’s regal elegance emerges with exhilarating acids framing the plush opulent red and back berry fruits, saline cassis, tart red cherry and a blueberry confectionary generosity. Tasting the wine with Bruwer Raats, inevitable comparisons were made to the iconic 2017 MR, with both wines sharing a beautifully bright acid freshness and a weightless concentration of pure berry fruits with only the slightest suggestion of vanilla oak spice. This really is a wine with a mixed palette of colours, flavours and fruits and the most seamlessly elegant, finessed velvety tannins. Following on from the 2018 blockbuster, with no 2019 MR produced, this 2020 is a bold, enchanting, characterful wine full of precision that trumpets the return of this incredible benchmark Cape classic. A breathtaking wine on so many levels. Drink from 2024 to 2045+.

Tim Atkin MW (94)

Sold as a Coastal red because it includes fruit from the Swartland as well as Darling - the vineyards are only two kilometres apart - this is a delicate, yet focused red with some whole bunch spices and sap, black cherry and raspberry fruit, nuanced tannins and a floral, tapering finish. 2022-27

Tim Atkin MW (95)

Donovan Rall only used the first pick for this stunning Piekenierskloof Grenache Blanc in 2020, fermenting and ageing it in a combination of concrete eggs and amphoras. It's a salty, complex, dialled back white with notes of gunflint, wild herbs and greengage and high-altitude minerality and precision.