2020 Bordeaux in the Satellite Appellations of St. Emilion are as you might expect, variable, but with a lot of very good wines that offer great value for wines with character, style, and drinkability. With a diverse array of terroirs and owners, that is as you should expect. But the best wines, which are all Merlot and Cabernet Franc blends are simply delicious. They are forward, character-filled, soft, supple, and fruity. Everything will be easy to enjoy on release and the best of these Right Bank estates also have the ability to age, evolve and develop into much more complex wines.
All of the following 2020 Bordeaux wines from Lussac St. Emilion, Montagne St. Emilion, Puisseguin St. Emilion, and St. Georges St. Emilion were tasted in non-blind conditions.
2020 Barbe Blanche – Lussac-St. Émilion – Spearmint, peppery spice, cocoa, and black cherries come through on the nose. On the palate, the wine is medium-bodied, round, and chewy with a gritty cherry-filled finish. Drink from 2023-2032. 88 Pts
2020 Cap St. George – St. Georges-St. Émilion – Flowers, herbs, smoke, espresso, and red fruits line the perfume. On the palate. the wine is medium-bodied, with a silky, fresh, polished, fresh, round, red berry finish. Drink from 2023-2032. 90 Pts
2020 Clarisse – Puisseguin-St. Émilion – Medium-bodied, soft, silky, and fresh, there is a nice vibrancy to the core of sweet, polished, lifted red fruits on the nose, and palate, leaving you with an olive-tinted, savory finish. This charmer will be easy to enjoy on release. Drink from 2023-2033. 90 Pts
2020 Clarisse Vieille Vignes – Puisseguin-St. Émilion – With alluring plum, and floral aromatics, the wine is soft, polished, fresh, sweet, and vibrant with a solid core of ripe, lifted, cherries, and red plums, finishing with silky tannins, and freshness. Drink from 2023-2036. 91 Pts
2020 Clos Bertineau – Montagne-St. Émilion – Medium-bodied, fresh, vibrant, lively, floral, and herbal, with a core of sweet, ripe, crisp cherries on the nose, the palate, and in the finish. Produced with 100% Merlot, they can be enjoyed on release. Drink from 2023-2037. 88 Pts
2020 Clos de Bouard – Montagne-St. Émilion – The complicated nose, packed with licorice, smoke, espresso, black cherry, plum, and dark chocolate let you know, this is going to rock! The richness, opulent textures, freshness, and chocolate-coated cherries taste, and feel great on your palate as they linger, build, and expand. This is the best vintage of Clos de Bouard produced yet! Drink from 2023-2040. 93 Pts
2020 Courlat Cuvée Jean Baptiste – Lussac-St. Émilion – Medium-bodied with an energetic edge to its flowers, espresso, dark red fruit, and floral profile, the wine is already open, and accessible, leaving you with a soft, polished, fruit, chalk, and chocolate finish. Drink from 2023-2035. 90 Pts
2020 Croix de Rambeau – Lussac-St. Émilion – Medium-bodied, salty, chewy, and fresh, with a bit of a rustic edge to the tannins that you taste in the savory, leafy herb, and earthy red berry finish. Drink from 2023-2028. 87 Pts
2020 Dame de Bouard – Montagne-St. Émilion – Flowers, licorice, cocoa, and plum aromatics come through with little effort. On the palate, the wine is soft, fresh, and fruity, with a polished, sweet, chocolate, and cherry finish. Drink from 2023-2034. 90 Pts
2020 de Bellevue – Lussac-St. Émilion – Medium-bodied, fresh, bright, crisp, forward, peppery red fruits with a touch of citrus, and black pepper on the nose, and palate. Drink from 2023-2028. 85 Pts
2020 de Malengin Eve – Montagne-St. Émilion – Black cherries, flowers, and leafy herbs show in the nose. On the palate, the wine offers a spicy, savory blend of red fruits with a fresh, peppery edge in the finish. Produced from 100% Merlot, the wine is aged in 50% oak, and Amphora. Drink from 2023-2035. 90 Pts
2020 des Laurets – Puisseguin-St. Émilion – Medium-bodied, fresh, floral, forward, dark chocolate, and plum-filled wine with a nice, chewy gulp of fruit that comes in on the endnote. Drink from 2023-2033. 88 Pts
2020 des Laurets Baron Edmond Selection Parcellaire – Puisseguin-St. Émilion – Flowers, chocolate, smoke, licorice, and ripe plum aromatics open the wine. Here you find a round-textured, supple, lush, sweet with a charming, generous, chocolate, and plum finish. Drink from 2024-2035. 91 Pts
2020 Emmanuelle de Bouard – Lussac-St. Émilion – Medium-bodied, soft, polished, forward, and ready-to-go, which is a god thing, as you do not need to wait, before you can enjoy all the ripe, earthy red berries with their espresso-tinted accent. Drink from 2023-2030. 90 Pts
2020 Faizeau – Montagne-St. Émilion – Lush, ripe, round, and polished, the wine delivers ample, sweet, juicy, plums, accented by chocolate, licorice, smoke, and espresso. You can drink this with pleasure on release, or age it for a few years for less fruit, and more earthy characteristics. Drink from 2023-2035. 91 Pts
2020 Flaunys – Montagne-St. Émilion – Flowers, black raspberries, and black cherries come through easily on the nose, and on the medium-bodied, soft-textured, easy-to-like palate. This is perfect for easy-going, near-term pleasure. Drink from 2023-2028. 88 Pts
2020 Franck Despagne L’Envie – Montagne-St. Émilion – Deeply colored, the wine is round, lush, and fresh, with a nice vibrancy to the fruits, a chocolate accent, and a supple, creamy, dark red, pit fruit, espresso, and cocoa-packed finish. Drink from 2023-2036. 92 Pts
2020 Haut Bernat – Puisseguin-St. Émilion – Flowers, herbs, and a hint of tobacco leaf accompany the red fruits in the nose. On the palate, the wine is forward, soft, short, and sweet with a pleasant, but uncomplicated character that will show its best on release, and over the next few years. Drink from 2023-2028. 87 Pts
2020 Heritage de Negrit – Montagne-St. Émilion – Medium-bodied, soft, and bright, with a strong, oaky edging to the licorice, black cherries, and black raspberries in the vibrant finish. Drink from 2023-2033. 89 Pts
2020 La Claymore – Lussac-St. Émilion – Medium-bodied, soft, silky, fresh, energetic, red berry-filled wine with soft textures, and loads of sweet, easy-to-like red pit fruits in the finish. This is going to be best in its youth. Drink from 2023-2030. 89 Pts
2020 La Greniere Cuvee de la Chartreuse – Lussac-St. Émilion – Cigar-box, forest herbs, and spicy, earthy, red fruits show in the nose, and on the medium-bodied, earthy, palate. The wine is on the earthy, herbal side with a chewy, green olive, and salt-packed, firm, chewy, finish. Drink from 2023-2032. 88 Pts
2020 La Papeterie – Montagne-St. Émilion – Licorice, savory herbs, plums, and jammy aromas pack the perfume. On the palate, the wine is soft, round, and fruity with a nice sweetness to the berries on the mid-palate that carries through to the finish. Drink from 2023-2032. 90 Pts
2020 La Rose Perriere – Lussac-St. Émilion – Smoke, cocoa, flowers, and red fruits create the aromatic profile here. On the palate, the wine is soft, silky, and fresh with loads of sweet, supple-textured, vibrant, ripe, red fruits. As I mentioned in my barrel tasting notes, this is a big step up from previous vintages. It is really nice to see. Drink from 2023-2035. 91 Pts
2020 La Vaisinerie – Puisseguin-St. Émilion – With flowers, cherries, and dark, fresh plums in the nose, this medium-bodied, soft, polished wine delivers a sweet, chewy, and fresh mouthful of ripe plums, espresso, cocoa, and a hint of salt on the palate, and in the finish. Drink from 2023-2030. 90 Pts
2020 Lafaurie – Puisseguin-St. Émilion – Medium-bodied, with a light bright, strawberry, and red pit fruit character that is vinified for early drinking pleasure. Drink from 2023-2028. 85 Pts
2020 Le Bernat – Puisseguin-St. Émilion – Medium-bodied, fresh, crisp, and chewy with a strong, savory accent to the chalky, red fruits with their olive accent. Drink from 2023-2029. 87 Pts
2020 Les Combes – Lussac-St. Émilion – Medium-bodied, simple, bright, fresh, forward, early drinking, uncomplicated red berry oriented wine that will be at its best over the next few years. Drink from 2023-2027. 84 Pts
2020 Lyonnat – Lussac-St. Émilion – Flowers, cherries, flint, and cocoa create the nose. On the palate, the wine is medium-bodied, soft, polished, and fruity with a silky-edged, plummy, cocoa, and vanilla-tinted finish. Drink from 2023-2035. 90 Pts
2020 Mayne Blanc Cuvee Speciale – Lussac-St. Émilion – Earthy, savory, herb accented, red fruits, with touches of olives, and red fruits in the nose, and on the palate. Round in texture, and already easy to drink, this will be quite enjoyable on release. Drink from 2023-2030. 88 Pts
2020 Messile-Aubert – Montagne-St. Émilion – Espresso, incense, licorice, and smoke add to all of the layers of ripe, red berries in the nose, and in the medium-bodied, round-textured, fruity palate. You can enjoy this with pleasure on release. Drink from 2023-2032. 89 Pts
2020 Montaiguillon – Montagne-St. Émilion – Much better in the bottle than in the barrel, the wine is plush, supple, and creamy with ample cherry, chocolate, and licorice notes in the nose, and on the palate along with a touch of espresso that you find in the finish. This will be quite easy to enjoy on release. Drink from 2023-2034. 90 Pts
2020 Reclos de la Couronne – Montagne-St. Émilion – Deep in color, the wine, produced from 100% Merlot is round, lush, fruity, and sweet, with touches of chocolate, smoke, incense, and licorice. The polished is all about its sweet, ripe, dark red berries. Drink from 2023-2034. 90 Pts
2020 Roc de Calon – Montagne-St. Émilion – Medium-bodied, bright, fresh red berries with a touch of spice showing in the nose, on the palate, and in the crunchy, red cherry, vibrant finish. Drink from 2023-2030. 88 Pts
2020 Rocher Corbin – Montagne-St. Émilion – With a strong, green olive, and herbal edge to the bright, tart, crisp red fruits, the wine has a clipped, chalky finish. Drink from 2023-2027. 83 Pts
2020 St. Georges – St. Georges-St. Émilion – Medium-bodied, fresh, vibrant, soft, and silky, there is a nice floral essence that accompanies all sweet, red cherries with their nuances of cocoa, licorice, and espresso. Drink from 2023-2032. 89 Pts
2020 Tour Bayard – Montagne-St. Émilion – Soft, supple, creamy, and sweet, with a touch of savory herbs on the back end, you also find plenty of black raspberries, olives, cherries, and coffee bean to keep you busy. This is going to be easy to enjoy in its youth, yet it should age easily for 10-12 years as well. Drink from 2023-2037. 91 Pts
2020 Tour Bayard L’Angelot – Montagne-St. Émilion – Meaty, chewy, rich, and fleshy, the wine offers a big blast of dark, spicy fruits, espresso, cocoa, black plums, and cherries with a salty edge in the finish. This is best thought of as rustically charming. Drink from 2025-2040. 92 Pts
2020 Tour Perruchon – Lussac-St. Émilion – Forward, soft, round, fruity, oaky, easy-to-drink charmer with a chocolate, cherry, and espresso filled finish. Drink from 2023-2029. 87 Pts
2020 Tour Perruchon L’Exception 1600 – Lussac-St. Émilion – Medium-bodied, cherry, and plum-filled early-drinking, fruity wine with a strong, oak character, leaving you with herbs, plums ad cocoa in the finish. Drink from 2023-2029. 89 Pts
2020 Treytins – Montagne-St. Émilion – Licorice, espresso, bay leaves, and red plums come through in the nose. The wine is medium-bodied, fresh, crisp, and fruity with a polish to the cherries and a touch of spice in the finish. Drink from 2023-2035. 88 Pts
2020 Vieux Chateau des Rochers Cuvée Prestige – Montagne-St. Émilion – With a floral edge to the fresh, red fruits, the wine is medium-bodied, open, and vibrant, with a sweet, black raspberry finish. Drink from 2023-2033. 91 Pts
2020 Vieux Château des Rochers – Montagne-St. Émilion – Forward, fresh, bright, soft, already open, and easy to like, the red fruits offer a cocoa edge, and lift in the medium-bodied finish. Drink from 2023-2032. 90 Pts
2020 Vieux-Chateau-Palon – Montagne-St. Émilion – The oak is quite on top at the moment, you can sense it in the mouth, and on the palate, plus, there is a touch of volatile acidity which will hopefully better integrate with a few years of age. Medium-bodied, fresh, and silky, the red fruits are ripe, but the oak is fairly dominant, so give it a few years of age before pulling a cork. Drink from 2023-2038. 91 Pts
Up next, we will take a look at all the best 2020 White Bordeaux Wines 2020 Bordeaux White Wine Guide
