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B-21 Top Recommendation Read More
A newly arriving container filled with top rated Bordeaux, these 2020 Bordeaux selections boast outstanding quality across the board at unparalleled value pricing, from a vintage of “brilliant wines” according to the Wine Advocate’s William Kelley and described by Vinous critic Antonio Galloni as “a year brimming with phenomenal wines at all levels, from the big names down to bottles the average consumer can still afford to purchase by the case.”
Although there were no significant heat spikes throughout the growing season, 2020 was a warm growing season overall in Bordeaux, with generally well-timed rain in the spring followed by extremely dry summer weather that prevented the development of mildew. While summer drought conditions led to smaller berries and yields for Cabernet Sauvignon, mid-August rains on the Right Bank plumped up Merlot and cool September evenings during the last phase of ripening preserved freshness in the wines. Inside Bordeaux’s Jane Anson noted that “clay-limestone soils did brilliantly against the heat of the summer, favoring the St Emilion plateau” with an impressive array of wines also coming from the gravel soils of Pauillac and St Julien. Describing the white wines of 2020, Anson declares there are “plenty of delicious bottles,” the earlier harvest delivering “exotic fruit flavors with grip and personality.” Describing 2020 as “an incredibly exciting vintage for Bordeaux,” Antonio Galloni of Vinous finds remarkable quality in each of the Left Bank appellations, while calling Saint Emilion “one of the sweet spots of 2020” and noting “readers will find a bevy of compelling wines from satellite appellations” including Haut-Medoc and Fronsac. Called “an incredible classic vintage” by Jeb Dunnuck producing “a solid swath of cellar-worthy buys in the $65-and-under range” according to the Wine Spectator’s James Molesworth, critic James Suckling summed up the vintage well, declaring “if you buy or drink a bottle of top-rated 2020 Bordeaux, you are going to be more than happy. In fact, you most likely will be elated” and noting “many of the wines give pleasure for a young wine but the best will age for decades ahead.”
Summing it up as “a great modern-day Bordeaux vintage,” Antonio Galloni notes the wines are “less extracted, more vibrant and, frankly, much more fun to drink,” this well priced, wide-ranging offer a terrific opportunity to stock up on an array of age worthy Bordeaux from an exceptional 2020 vintage that according to Neal Martin of Vinous “delivers the goods.” |
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The 2020 Clos du Marquis is a rich, explosive wine. Super-ripe dark cherry, red plum, dark spice and pomegranate give the 2020 its effusive, open-knit personality. There's terrific energy and tons of class here. The purity of the fruit is very fine, yet the tannins are a bit imposing at this stage. Give this a few years to come together.
93 points, Antonio Galloni, Vinous (Feb 2023)
This is pure St.-Julien through and through, with a core of cassis and plum fruit laced with a cool cast iron note, while cedar, anise and savory nuances chime in the background. An understated style. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2028 through 2038.
93 points, James Molesworth, Wine Spectator (Mar 2023)
The 2020 Clos du Marquis is composed of 61% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, and 6% Cabernet Franc. Deep garnet-purple in color, it skips out of the glass with vivacious notes of kirsch, black raspberries, and cassis, leading to suggestions of lavender, crushed rocks, and fragrant soil. The medium-bodied palate is energetic and refreshing, with grainy tannins and a good intensity of red and black berry layers on the finish.
92 points, Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Wine Independent (Mar 2023)