2020
2020
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James Suckling (95-96)
This is full-bodied with layers of fruit. Ripe and flavorful. Lots going on with a fleshy feel. No malolactic this year. Sweet peach, honeysuckle and citrus. Contrastive. 52% sauvignon blanc, 14% sauvignon gris and 34% semillon.د.إ2,480.00 -
Wine Advocate (91-93)
The 2020 Alcee has an opaque purple-black color and alluring scents of stewed black plums, black cherry preserves and raspberry pie, plus suggestions of star anise, rose hip tea, wild mushrooms and cinnamon toast. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is laden with densely packed black fruit and red berry accents, supported by firm, grainy tannins and seamless freshness, finishing long and fragrant.د.إ592.00 -
Jancis Robinson (17+)
50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 46% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot. Cask sample. Very much in the Alter Ego mould – lively, fruit-driven with that vineyard-fresh feel but with a little more structure than previous years. Pure and appetising but will age. (JL) 13.7%د.إ1,620.00 -
James Suckling (98-99)
This is wonderfully refined and balanced with such pretty depth. Full-bodied and so polished and pure. Subtle at first, then it takes off and keeps coming. Sophisticated. 60% merlot and 40% cabernet franc.د.إ7,750.00 -
James Suckling (98-99)
This is wonderfully refined and balanced with such pretty depth. Full-bodied and so polished and pure. Subtle at first, then it takes off and keeps coming. Sophisticated. 60% merlot and 40% cabernet franc.د.إ6,865.00 -
Vinous - Neal Martin (91)
The 2020 Château Angludet is the product of a crop that suffered frost damage earlier in the season with a reduced percentage of Merlot. It has a lovely nose, maybe not quite as "brisk" as I described out of barrel, yet harmonious with those appealing black fruit laced with iris flower and violet. The palate is medium-bodied, the 30% aging in amphora imparting the spiciness, the liberal dose of black pepper towards the still gritty finish. Lovely length, lovely Margaux, lovely d'Angludet.د.إ808.00 -
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.د.إ6,880.00 -
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.د.إ13,900.00 -
Vinous - Antonio Galloni (95)
The 2020 Barde-Haut is just as compelling it was from barrel. Blueberry jam, crème de cassis, hard candy, spice, new leather and lavender infuse the 2020 with exotic beauty. Soft contours and silky tannins add to its immediacy. Bright acids lend vibrancy to play off all the natural opulence. The 2020 is a fine vintage of Barde-Haut, one of the best in recent memory. The intensely saline finish alone is a thing of beauty.د.إ963.00 -
Vinous - Antonio Galloni (95)
The 2020 Barde-Haut is just as compelling it was from barrel. Blueberry jam, crème de cassis, hard candy, spice, new leather and lavender infuse the 2020 with exotic beauty. Soft contours and silky tannins add to its immediacy. Bright acids lend vibrancy to play off all the natural opulence. The 2020 is a fine vintage of Barde-Haut, one of the best in recent memory. The intensely saline finish alone is a thing of beauty.د.إ687.00 -
James Suckling (94-95)
This is classically structured with a wonderful finish of extremely polished tannins and an ultra long finish. So much blackcurrant, spice and cedar. Seamless. 70% cabernet sauvignon and 26% merlot, the rest cabernet franc and petit verdot.د.إ1,605.00 -
James Suckling (94-95)
This is classically structured with a wonderful finish of extremely polished tannins and an ultra long finish. So much blackcurrant, spice and cedar. Seamless. 70% cabernet sauvignon and 26% merlot, the rest cabernet franc and petit verdot.د.إ1,050.00 -
James Suckling (94-95)
This is classically structured with a wonderful finish of extremely polished tannins and an ultra long finish. So much blackcurrant, spice and cedar. Seamless. 70% cabernet sauvignon and 26% merlot, the rest cabernet franc and petit verdot.د.إ985.00 -
Vinous - Antonio Galloni (97)
The 2020 Beau-Sejour Becot is a dense, powerful wine. A rush of black cherry, plum, chocolate, new leather, licorice, spice and sweet oak builds as this towering, vertically explosive Saint-Émilion opens in the glass. This is an especially broad, expansive Saint-Émilion, much of that attributable to the clay in these soils. The 2020 is magnificent in its intensity and overall volume. Superb.د.إ1,315.00 -
Vinous - Antonio Galloni (97)
The 2020 Beau-Sejour Becot is a dense, powerful wine. A rush of black cherry, plum, chocolate, new leather, licorice, spice and sweet oak builds as this towering, vertically explosive Saint-Émilion opens in the glass. This is an especially broad, expansive Saint-Émilion, much of that attributable to the clay in these soils. The 2020 is magnificent in its intensity and overall volume. Superb.د.إ1,130.00 -
James Suckling (92-93)
A linear and polished young red with compact, silky tannins that are polished and beautiful. Lots of blackberry, blackcurrant, mushroom and spice character. Very solid wine from here.د.إ1,000.00 -
James Suckling (92-93)
A linear and polished young red with compact, silky tannins that are polished and beautiful. Lots of blackberry, blackcurrant, mushroom and spice character. Very solid wine from here.د.إ784.00 -
James Suckling (92-93)
A linear and polished young red with compact, silky tannins that are polished and beautiful. Lots of blackberry, blackcurrant, mushroom and spice character. Very solid wine from here.د.إ404.00 -
Decanter (99)
The gunsmoke character is immediately evident on the nose, as is richly expressed damson and raspberry fruit. This is pared back and held back right now, elegant, showing a seductive edge without trying too hard. The texture is softly-brushed velvet, these tannins are front and centre but so fine and so precise that they don't get in the way of the fruit. Salinity from the limestone is evident on the finish, bringing a moreish juiciness and you can scrape your tongue against the pumice stone texture. Austere in all the right ways, with just the most incredible depth and layers. I love it. Harvest September 15 to 23. 98-100.د.إ3,190.00 -
Jeb Dunnuck (98)
The finest wine I've tasted from this estate, the 2020 Château Bellefont-Belcier is an incredibly gorgeous blend of 70% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. Deep ruby/purple-hued, it offers a great nose of cassis, ripe black cherries, camphor, dried flowers, cedar, and forest floor. Bringing gorgeous richness, it nevertheless stays flawlessly balanced, with ultra-fine tannins and a great finish. The purity of fruit here is just about off the charts. While it already offers pleasure, it's going to benefit from short-term cellaring and have 20-25 years of prime drinking. This estate uses a five-day cold soak and fermentation, all in concrete, spanning 25 days. Malolactic fermentation occurs in barrel (four months on lees), and the wine spends 18 months in 30% new French oak, with the balance in once- and twice-used barrels. Yields in 2020 were also reasonable at 34 hectoliters per hectare.د.إ1,310.00 -
James Suckling (98-99)
This is a terrific wine that has everything, from seamless texture to great depth of fruit. Full-bodied, yet agile and energetic. Pure merlot. One of the best I have had from here.د.إ2,965.00 -
James Suckling (95-96)
Very soft and polished with beautiful tannins that are poised and beautiful. It’s medium-to full-bodied and gorgeously proportioned. Ready for even more polishing.د.إ1,215.00 -
Jeb Dunnuck (95-97)
Based on 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot, and 4% Petit Verdot, the Grand Vin 2020 Château Beychevelle is a stunner that does everything right, offering a monster bouquet of black and blue fruits as well as candied violets, incense, flowers, and toasty oak. A ripe, full-bodied, incredibly sexy wine in every sense, it has a great mid-palate, ripe, velvety tannins, no hard edges, and a great finish. It's one of the more up-front, exotic wines in the vintage and should be accessible with just short-term cellaring.د.إ2,030.00 -
James Suckling (95)
Really fresh and vivid with sliced grapefruit, lemon, green apple and white peach. Apricot, too. Medium to full body with phenolic texture and a long, vivid finish. 70% sauvignon, 20% semillon and 10% muscadelle. Drink or hold.د.إ1,690.00 -
One of our finest selections, Bordeaux Rive Droite Caisse Prestige No 2 2020, is an exquisite ode to French winemaking. Hailing from the renowned Rive Droite region of Bordeaux, this limited-edition wine is cultivated with meticulous care in lush vineyards, which imbibe an exceptional terroir character.
The wine is crafted under the skilful guidance of leading French vintners, who utilise a blend of time-honoured traditions and modern innovations to achieve its sublime array of flavours. At its heart is an elegant combination of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet Sauvignon, providing rich, opulent notes infused with ripe berries and a hint of spice.
Exuding an expressive bouquet, Bordeaux Rive Droite Caisse Prestige No 2 2020 showcases a complex palate with smooth, velvety tannins and a lingering finish. This wine is a perfect selection for those discerning connoisseurs seeking an authentic French Bordeaux experience.
د.إ24,410.00 -
Vinous - Antonio Galloni (95+)
The 2020 Branaire-Ducru was so alluring en primeur, but is very shy today. That said, some of that youthful exuberance has given way to the characteristic Brainaire finesse. Dark red cherry, spice, grilled herbs, menthol and licorice emerge, but only with great reluctance. Sweet floral and spice notes lift the finish nicely. The 2020 is going to need the better part of a decade to come around.د.إ1,050.00 -
James Suckling (96-97)
Extremely floral and beautiful with blackberry and blackcurrant aromas that follow through to a full body with a solid core of fruit and loads of dark fruit, sweet tobacco, bark and earth. Chewy, fine tannins. Perhaps the best of the trilogy years.د.إ1,590.00 -
Jeb Dunnuck (99)
The 2020 Château Calon Ségur is pure gold and another masterpiece from this estate. Harvested all in September and pulled from their 48 hectares of vines, the blend is 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Petit Verdot that spent 20 months all in new French oak, and it hit 13.2% natural alcohol. My notes started and ended with "wow," and this riveting Saint-Estèphe offers a heavenly bouquet of red and black currants, truffly earth, iron, espresso, and tobacco leaf. With incredible purity of fruit, full-bodied richness, and ultra-fine tannins, it's a deep, pure, layered 2020 that deserves at least 7-8 years of bottle age and will cruise for 40-50 years in cold cellars. Hats off to the team at Calon Ségur.د.إ2,410.00 -
Wine Advocate (100)
The brilliant 2020 Canon looks set to surpass both the 2019 and 2016 as this estate's finest wine since the post-war period, though like many of the best 2020s, it will require more patience than its 2019 counterpart. Unwinding in the glass with aromas of cherries and raspberries mingled with notions of exotic spices and iris, it's medium to full-bodied, deep and concentrated, with vibrant acids and beautifully polished, chalky tannins. Pure and precise, it concludes with a long, mouthwatering finish. This beautifully constructed wine communicates the essence of this superb limestone terroir, and it will be worth a special effort to track down and cellar.د.إ2,655.00 -
Wine Advocate (100)
The brilliant 2020 Canon looks set to surpass both the 2019 and 2016 as this estate's finest wine since the post-war period, though like many of the best 2020s, it will require more patience than its 2019 counterpart. Unwinding in the glass with aromas of cherries and raspberries mingled with notions of exotic spices and iris, it's medium to full-bodied, deep and concentrated, with vibrant acids and beautifully polished, chalky tannins. Pure and precise, it concludes with a long, mouthwatering finish. This beautifully constructed wine communicates the essence of this superb limestone terroir, and it will be worth a special effort to track down and cellar.د.إ3,300.00