Vinous - Neal Martin (96)

The 2020 Phélan Ségur has a very well-defined and seductive bouquet. There's real complexity here, with ebullient red fruit, crushed stone and dried rose petal scents, revealing more graphite aromas with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied, harmonious and poised, with very fine tannins, a keen line of acidity and a very svelte and persistent finish. This is a wine that seems unaware of just how good it is. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting.

James Suckling (97-98)

This young Bordeaux is totally seamless with fine, velvet-like tannins that are integrated and refined. Underlying freshness and verve. It’s full-bodied, linear and long with a compact palate.

Vinous - Neal Martin (99)

The 2020 Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande has one of the more opulent aromatic profiles amongst the flight of Pauillac wines, displaying black cherries, cassis, graphite and cedar. The palate is medium-bodied with svelte tannins and a silver bead of acidity. Silky smooth in texture, this retains impressive composure toward the finish, handling the weight of fruit with class. It improves with each swirl, though the bottle I tasted just after bottling had a touch more precision. Nevertheless, this a fabulous Pauillac that flirts with perfection. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting.

Vinous - Neal Martin (99)

The 2020 Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande has one of the more opulent aromatic profiles amongst the flight of Pauillac wines, displaying black cherries, cassis, graphite and cedar. The palate is medium-bodied with svelte tannins and a silver bead of acidity. Silky smooth in texture, this retains impressive composure toward the finish, handling the weight of fruit with class. It improves with each swirl, though the bottle I tasted just after bottling had a touch more precision. Nevertheless, this a fabulous Pauillac that flirts with perfection. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting.

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.

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.

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.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (89-91)

The 2020 Puygueraud Blanc is full of lemon peel, almond, dried flowers, apricot and chamomile. Light and gracious, with pretty tropical overtones, it is impeccably rendered and all the elements are nicely balanced.

James Suckling (97-98)

Wow. This is very chalky and salty with lots of mineral character. It shows lots of purple fruit and firm tannins. Racy and bright. Chewy yet fine tannins. Gorgeous. Gets better and better.

Wine Advocate (98)

The 2020 Rauzan-S�gla is showing brilliantly in bottle. Wafting from the glass with aromas of cassis and minty blackberries mingled with violets and licorice, it's medium to full-bodied, suave and seamless, with a deep core of vibrant fruit, beautifully refined tannins and a harmonious, integrated profile that exudes elegance. A wine of immense character and refinement, it's the best vintage from this estate in recent times.

James Suckling (98)

Super complexity of bright fruit with bark, spice, orange peel and minerals. Medium to full body. Racy and fine tannins. Mushroom, cedar and black tea undertones. 80% merlot and 20% cabernet franc. From organically grown grapes. Hard not to drink now but better in three to five years and will age beautifully.

James Suckling (95-96)

A firm, very structured wine from here, with intense tannins that are very polished and long. Pure fruit. One of the best in a long time.

James Suckling (94-95)

A gorgeous red with so much black fruit and salty, mineral character. It’s medium-to full-bodied with creamy, polished tannins and a long finish. The precision and fine texture is impressive. One of the best I have had for a while.

James Suckling (95-96)

A powerful and intense red with blackberry, blueberry and ultra fine chewy tannins. It’s so long and energetic. Dense center palate.

Jeb Dunnuck (100)

Absolutely pure gold and reminding me of the 2009 (or is it the 2010?), the 2020 Château Smith Haut Lafitte sports a dense purple hue to go with incredible aromatics of blackberries, blueberries, scorched earth, wood smoke, and acacia flowers. One of the most concentrated, rich, and sexy wines in the vintage, this massive and extraordinarily opulent 2020 shows the vintage's pure, elegant profile yet backs it up with sensational levels of fruit and texture. Based on 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, and the balance Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, it already offers pleasure given its wealth of fruit, but it deserves 7-8 years of bottle age and will evolve for 40-50 years. Not enough can be said about the quality of these wines. Bravo to Florence and Daniel Cathiard, as well as to director Fabien Teitgen, for another incredible achievement.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (93)

The 2020 Les Hauts de Smith, 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, is plump, juicy and quite forward. Succulent red cherry, cedar, cinnamon and dried flowers are front and center. Bright acids play off the ripe, racy fruit very nicely. Plush tannins wrap it all together in style.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (93)

The 2020 Les Hauts de Smith, 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, is plump, juicy and quite forward. Succulent red cherry, cedar, cinnamon and dried flowers are front and center. Bright acids play off the ripe, racy fruit very nicely. Plush tannins wrap it all together in style.

Decanter (95)

This is a great Talbot, a real success for the château. Subtle and deft touches throughout, from the smoked turmeric notes that lace the black fruits to the finessed aromatics that accompany the body of the wine. Balance and freshness, and a saline edge to the finish that is extremely moreish. Three years with Jean-Michel Laporte as director and he is doing great work.

Indulge in the celestial brilliance of Tour Marbuzet 2020, a delicate but lavish expression from Saint-Estèphe in France. Known for its prestige and consistent superiority, Château Tour Marbuzet meticulously selects its grapes from mature vines, cultivated on garonne gravel-soil. Embodying a dexterous blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot, Tour Marbuzet 2020 radiates a beautiful deep garnet colour, evoking notes of smoky oak and dark berries.

Produced under the experienced hands of Hervé Duboscq, this vintage wine's well-structured tannins and robust body gracefully integrate with its generous fruit character and spicy undertones, leaving an impressively long and savory finish. Behind each bottle of Tour Marbuzet 2020 is a testimony to Duboscq's dedicated winemaking technique, ensuring every sip is a symphony of balanced intensity and aromatic complexity.

Marvel at Tour Marbuzet 2020, an epitome of Saint-Estèphe's class, precision and craft. A delight for the seasoned connoisseur, adding elegant charm to any fine wine collection.

The Wine Cellar Insider (95-97)

Deep, and dark in color, and equally dark and deep in its fruit, the nose pops with perfectly ripe dark red and black fruits, licorice, smoke, cherry blossoms, crushed rocks and stones. The wine has depth, sensuality, luscious textures and layers of ripe,opulent fruits. The finish lingers with layers of black and red fruits with dark chocolate that feel as good as they taste. This could be the finest vintage of Tour Sant Christophe ever produced, and that is really saying something. The wine is made from blending 80% Merlot with 20% Cabernet Franc. You can age for 20-25 years. Or if you like,you can also enjoy this on the young side.

Decanter (100)

A sensational Troplong. Vibrant and vivid, this makes you smile from the first smell: milk chocolate, floral notes of roses and lavender, wet stones, liquorice, cinnamon and ripe bramble fruits. Round and thrilling on the palate, tannins are abundant with a chalky blueberry coolness while a salty tang settles around the mouth. Lovely precision and purity of fruit; you feel the sharp definition - still linear which makes it less immediately charming than the 2019 but giving undeniable complexity. Deep but not heady, this remains pure and detailed, with a leanness from the terroir really setting this apart. After a few minutes, the glamour starts to appear giving a salivating, succulent and moreish aspect to the finish. An absolute beauty.

James Suckling (100)

Love the perfume and finesse here with fresh flowers, blackberries, crushed stones and cement. Cedar. Full and very long with tight and muscular tannins that go on for minutes. Tight and thoughtful. Soulful. Try after 2030.

James Suckling (99)

Very opulent and expressive aromas of black fruit and pine needles. So floral. Full-bodied with plush, velvety tannins and lots of fruit and texture. It goes on for minutes. Rich at the finish, but remains fresh and vivid. Superb. One of the great Valandrauds. Drink after 2027.

Jeb Dunnuck (100)

The 2020 Vieux Château Certan is killer stuff and unquestionably one of the wines of the vintage. Deep and rich, it offers an incredible array of red, blue, and black fruits along with floral nuances and subtle spice. Full-bodied and concentrated on the palate, it displays a gorgeous, structured profile with firm yet perfectly ripe tannins and a focused, balanced mouthfeel. This pure, brilliant Pomerol deserves 8-10 years of bottle age and will have 40-50 years of longevity. Hats off to the Thienpont family for another magical wine.

Jeb Dunnuck (100)

The 2020 Vieux Château Certan is killer stuff and unquestionably one of the wines of the vintage. Deep and rich, it offers an incredible array of red, blue, and black fruits along with floral nuances and subtle spice. Full-bodied and concentrated on the palate, it displays a gorgeous, structured profile with firm yet perfectly ripe tannins and a focused, balanced mouthfeel. This pure, brilliant Pomerol deserves 8-10 years of bottle age and will have 40-50 years of longevity. Hats off to the Thienpont family for another magical wine.

Jane Anson Inside Bordeaux (94)

Exceptionally good, there is such heart to this wine, with rugged-textured tannins, edges of slate and salted black chocolate, sculpted blueberry fruits, touch of sage and fresh earth. Great stuff from owners and winemakers Jean-Claude and Jeff Berrouet. Will soften over next few years, but no need to wait too long to get going on this lovely wine. 20% new oak.

Jane Anson Inside Bordeaux (97)

Give this 5 or 10 minutes to open in the glass because it has a pretty serious structure, deftly weighted, full of white pear, quince and apricot pit, balanced by savoury rosemary, straw and fennel notes, successful and totally moreish. A vintage that had the freshness necessary for great white wines in Bordeaux, and Y pulls away from the pack with this wine.

Jane Anson Inside Bordeaux (97)

Give this 5 or 10 minutes to open in the glass because it has a pretty serious structure, deftly weighted, full of white pear, quince and apricot pit, balanced by savoury rosemary, straw and fennel notes, successful and totally moreish. A vintage that had the freshness necessary for great white wines in Bordeaux, and Y pulls away from the pack with this wine.