To call a vintage good, like 2020 Bordeaux, I am saying that wine lovers can buy find great wines to buy at all price levels, from top to bottom. It is not just the First Growths, or the top Right Bank wines and appellations that produced good wine, consumers should be able to purchase wines from all over Bordeaux.
That is what savvy shoppers can find in 2020. In the Left Bank, fans of Cabernet Sauvignon wines are going to find a lot to like from vineyards located in the cooler terroirs found in the Medoc. For details on the growing season and harvest, as well as producer quotes 2020 Bordeaux Growing Season and Harvest Report
2020 Medoc wines at their best offer character, style, the ability to age and they are often available for a song!
The following 2020 Medoc wines were all tasted in my home office in non-blind conditions.
2020 Bellerive – Tobacco leaf and dark red fruits come together in the core of this medium-bodied, soft, chewy wine. The finish shows a strong savory, herbal note with its crunchy red fruits. 86-88 Pts
2020 Blaignan – Bright, fresh, crisp and tangy, the wine is medium-bodied, savory, and finishes with a crunchy, earthy, red berry note. 87-89 Pts
2020 Bournac – Medium-bodied, the wine is deeply colored with ripe, dark red berries on the nose and palate. Round in texture with fleshy fruits on the palate, this will be easy to enjoy on release. 87-89 Pts
2020 Castera – Medium-bodied, forward, ripe, polished, soft and easy to drink, the currant-dominated finish is kept lively with a nice touch of spice and mint in the endnote. This will drink well on release and should improve for a decade with ease. 87-89 Pts
2020 Clavis Orea – Savory red fruits with a touch of cedar and tobacco accompany the red berries and cassis. Medium-bodied, fresh, energetic and sweet with a nice purity to the red pit fruits on the palate and in the finish. Give this a few years in the cellar and if it fills out, it will be a better wine. 89-91 Pts
2020 Clos Manou – Deeply colored, the fragrant wine opens with peppery cassis, earth, spice and savory herbs on the nose. Full-bodied, dense and chewy with an herb and pepper note to accompany its blast of powerful dark fruit. Give this 5 years or so to soften and develop. 89-91 Pts
2020 de La Croix – Medium-bodied, fruity, fresh, round, savory and a chewy, red currant, herb and cedar finish. 86-88 Pts
2020 Escot – Tobacco, cedar and currants with cigar box and blackberries open the nose. The medium-bodied wine is soft, fruity and forward, with no hard edges and a touch of olives in the endnote. This should be able to offer pleasure early in its life, if not on release. 89-91 Pts
2020 Fleur la Mothe – Medium-bodied, fruity and with a hint of chocolate overtones to the ripe, sweet, black and red currants, the finish is spicy, sweet, fresh and juicy. This is a solid value from the Medoc that can be enjoyed early. 89-91 Pts
2020 Goulee – Medium-bodied, forward and fruity, the wine blends flowers, tobacco leaf and plums on the nose and palate. Soft, juicy and already a pleasure to drink, you can enjoy this on release and in a casual bistro or cafe with ease. 89-91 Pts
2020 Granges d’Or – On the savory side of the style range, the bright red fruits are accompanied by leaf, herbs and olives on the nose and palate. Medium-bodied, bright and fresh, with a red currant filled finish, you can drink this early and over the next 12 years or so. 87-89 Pts
2020 Greysac – Medium-bodied, round, soft, forward and fruity, with the accents of tobacco and cigar box adding to the polished character. You can enjoy it on release or age it for a few more years to gain more of its Left Bank character. 87-89 Pts
2020 Griviere – Already easy to drink, this soft, round, forward, polished fruity wine, with its licorice and savory accents will be perfect for early drinking, juicy, fruity pleasure. 88-90 Pts
2020 Haut Condissas – Deep in color, the wine is soft, round, forward and fruity. The red fruits and spice are surrounded by toasty oak on the nose and palate. There is a nice sweetness to the fruit and lift in the finish. Give it a few years before pulling a cork. 89-91 Pts
2020 La Branne – Dark in color, the wine is loaded with tobacco, herbs, pepper and currants. Medium-bodied, with a sweet and tart character, finishing with crisp, bright, chewy red fruits. 86-88 Pts
2020 La Cardonne – Soft textured, chewy, fresh, round and showing a lot of ripe, juicy, lifted currants on the nose, palate and in the fruit-filled finish, you can easily enjoy this on release. 89-91 Pts
2020 La Chandellière – Medium-bodied, soft, vibrant and fresh currant-filled wine. Round, creamy and sweet, with a touch of espresso that rides along with the juicy cassis in the finish, this is going to offer great, value-priced drinking over the next 12 years or so. 88-90 Pts
2020 La Clare – Fresh, bright and fruity with touches of tobacco, flowers and spearmint, the wine is soft, round and polished with sweet red fruits that carry through from the mid-palate to the finish. 90-92 Pts
2020 La France Delhomme – Medium-bodied, round, lush and fruity with soft, creamy texture and a shot of chocolate-covered black cherries in the plush finish. This is one of the few Left Bank wines made from 100% Merlot. This should be easy to drink on release. 87-89 Pts
2020 La Gorce – Medium-bodied, with a strong olive and herbal character, the wine is beefy, chewy and tangy on the palate, as well as in the savory finish. 84-86 Pts
2020 La-Tour-de-By – Floral, with fresh dark red fruits, espresso and chocolate raspberry cake notes, the wine is soft, round and polished, with ample, sweet raspberries and plums in the juicy finish. You can enjoy this in its youth. 89-91 Pts
2020 Les-Ormes-Sorbet – Peppery herbs, chewy red fruits, tobacco, cedar and touches of cocoa with mint leaf come together nicely in this forward, round, early-drinking, charming-filled Medoc. 87-89 Pts
2020 Lestruelle – Quite savory with a strong touch of herbs, leaf, olives and currants on the nose. The wine is medium-bodied, soft and forward, finishing with a savory endnote. 86-88 Pts
2020 Loudenne – Medium-bodied and showing tobacco leaf, herb, wet earth, cedar and currant profile. The sweet and tart palate with its chewy tannins and dark currants will be ready to go on release. 86-89 Ots
2020 Noaillac – Fresh, juicy, bright, savory red berries on the nose and on the medium-bodied, tangy, berry-filled palate. Vibrant and crisp, you can enjoy this with just a year or two of age. 88-90 Pts
2020 Poitevin – With a touch of oak, smoked herbs and red berries, the wine is medium-bodied, bright, fresh and tangy with a soft, easy-drinking, forward character. You should be able to enjoy this on release. 86-88 Pts
2020 Potensac – Dark in color, the wine opens with persuasive notes of cedar, creme de cassis, tobacco and forest leaf in the perfume. Full-bodied, ripe, rich and packed with crisp, juicy currants, the wine finishes with a big mouthful of firm, chewy blackberries, currants and a refreshing sprig of mint on the backend. 91-93 Pts
2020 Preuillac – Lots of tobacco and cigar box to accompany the peppery red berries. Medium-bodied, fresh and vigorous, the finish is sweet, round and fruity. 89-91 Pts
2020 Prieure de Blaignan – Bright, juicy, fresh and earthy, the wine is medium-bodied, chewy, and focused on its ripe, red currant, olive and plum core of fruits. This should provide pleasure on release. Drink it over the next decade or so. 87-89 Pts
2020 Ramafort – Floral with loads of red plums and red currants, the wine is medium-bodied, bright and fresh, with a juicy red berry and savory herb-filled finish. You can enjoy this on the young side. 87-89 Pts
2020 Rollan de By – Medium-bodied, soft, forward, bright and polished, the wine offers an espresso, herb and red berry core on the palate and in the finish. You can drink this on release. 85-87 Pts
2020 Tour Seran – Firm, bright, fresh and chewy, the red berries are crisp and vibrant with additional nuances of tobacco, cedar, spice and herbs. Give it a few years in the cellar before pulling a cork. 87-89 Pts
2020 Tour-Haut-Caussan – Earthy and round, this currant-filled charmer is medium-bodied, forward and fruity, with a soft, fresh, spiced berry and savory, crisp finish. 88-90
2020 Villa Carmin – Medium-bodied, chewy, bright, red berry-filled, fruity wine for early drinking, uncomplicated consumption. 85-87 Pts
Up next, we will return to the Right Bank for a look at all the best 2020 Bordeaux Superieur wines.
