P52. Château La Mission Haut‑Brion, Pessac‑Léognan “The 2020 La Mission Haut‑Brion is a brilliant effort that exhibits a level of balance and integration that are impressive in such a powerful young Bordeaux. Unwinding in the glass with aromas of dark berries and plums mingled with burning embers, pencil shavings, violets and smoked black tea, it's full‑bodied, deep and concentrated, with a layered, elegantly muscular profile, its brooding core of fruit framed by a generous endowment of powdery tannin that tempers the ripeness of the vintage. Checking in at 14.7% alcohol, it's nonetheless more classically styled than the more flamboyant 2019 vintage or even the slowly maturing 2010 which I re‑tasted alongside for context. Drink Date: 2035 ‑ 2065.” 100 pts, Wine Advocate 371565 6 bottle limit $800 P53. Château La Mondotte, St‑Émilion Grand Cru “Blackberries, blueberries and flowers such as lavender and dark roses on the nose. Dried flowers as well. Feels medium‑bodied with seamless tannins that spread across the palate. Savory and agile with a weightless feel. Hints of white pepper and salt. Makes you want to taste it. Better after 2026.” 99 pts, James Suckling 381833 4 bottle limit $500 P54. Château Montrose, St‑Estèphe “Surpassing the 2019 and rivaling the 2016 as this estate's finest vintage of the last few decades, the 2020 Montrose is a monument in the making. Wafting from the glass with aromas of violets, dark berries, licorice, loamy soil, black truffle and subtle spices, it's full‑bodied, deep and layered, with a seamless, elegantly muscular profile, terrific purity and energy, beautifully powdery tannins and a long, resonant finish. It checks in at 13.7% alcohol, the same as the superb 9, but it is even deeper, more vibrant and more complex than the 9. This will be worth a special effort to seek out and only confirms Montrose's status as one of the contemporary Médoc's leading estates and a de facto first growth. Drink Date: 2030 ‑ 2065.” 100 pts, Wine Advocate 347375, 347705 6 bottle limit $400
2020 BORDEAUX
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