Vinous (93)

Produced from a flint site that needed to be blown up to make the terroir and made from relatively young vines, this is initially a tender and supple style with a whiff of gunsmoke/flint, a taut line of precision that runs through its core, a mere hint of green herbs reminding you that Pouilly is a Sauvignon producer and even a hint of white pepper. It's a powerful style that has an attractive sense of bitterness holding it together. At just 13%, this is wonderfully balanced, aromatic and driven in this vintage. You may even feel this sense of spice that warms the palate, almost like you've had a warming Indian curry - it's not the alcohol but something else - maybe it's the lint. Unique and intriguing.

Greg Sherwood MW (96)

A 100% pure Syrah red, the 2020 once again reveals a piercing black berry fruit aromatic profile that shares so much with the greatest Syrah examples from the Northern Rhone and Cote Rotie in particular. With the complex melange of black berry fruits come nuances of dried violets, potpourri and lavender together with dried herbs, garrigue, peppercorns and pithy cherry spice. The palate shows wonderful poise and precision, real intensity of fruit together with purity, minerality and telltale coastal salinity expressed with a kelpy, oyster shell reductive hint. Still tightly coiled and full of tension, this will be a fine Syrah to bury in the cellar for 5+ years but can be coaxed to display some of its finery with an hour or so in a decanter. A truly splendid wine that builds on the successes of the previous two drought affected vintages.

Wine Advocate (92-94)

The 2020 Montlandrie is a blend of 75% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. The Merlot was picked between the 18th and the 22nd of September, and the Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon were picked from the 23rd to the 25th of September. It has an alcohol of 14.5% and is aging in French oak barrels, 40% new. Deep garnet-purple colored, it bursts from the glass with vibrant notes of crushed blackberries, fresh, juicy black plums and mulberries, plus hints of bay leaves, cardamom, ground black pepper and black truffles. The medium to full-bodied palate possesses impressive freshness with a solid backbone of soft, rounded tannins and bags of ripe black fruits, finishing long with a peppery kick. 53,000 bottles are expected to be made.

Matthew Jukes (20+)

An long-forgotten image flashed into my mind when I first tasted this wine. It took me back to a visit, as a child, to a stately home. Goodness knows where this place was, but I remember walking down a long corridor when a huge door opened to my left. As I walked past, I caught a glimpse of the most glamorous and beautifully decorated room beyond the person holding the door ajar. The door closed, and I passed by, but this image has stuck with me ever since. This momentary glimpse of incredible splendour is echoed in this magnificent wine. It starts midnight black in the glass, then as one focuses on the surface, can one see stars? Interestingly, it finishes black, too, in the form of ultra-fine sooty tannins that caress the taste buds as the flavour senesces. Between these two moments of perfect calm, there is layer upon layer of splendour and magnificence. The keyword for this vintage is ‘proportion’, as I found out half an hour through the presentation. It is an inspired choice because every element of 2020 Ornellaia is in scintillating proportion. 2020 Ornellaia represents more than harmony or balance and more than composure and equilibrium – it is truly in perfect proportion. In fact, I have never tasted a vintage of Ornellaia like it. There is a sense of greatness here, both in the intensity of the fruit and also its freshness and lift on the nose and palate – it is astonishing. The Cabernet theme (the blend is 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot) is dominant both in the primary fruit notes but also in the signature flavours. Merlot adds glossiness and also traction, while Cabernet Franc appears to add grace and also crispness and aromatic flourishes. Petit Verdot acts as the invisible welds that pin this magnificent structure together – a complete three-dimensional flavour with no apparent flaws whatsoever. This wine will undoubtedly drink early in its life, given the silkiness and generosity on display, but it will not genuinely get into its stride for a decade, and I feel it will take another decade for it to blossom fully. My childlike fascination with today’s glimpse into the glass will no doubt grow into a full-blown stroll around this wine with the door flung open wide in years to come. This wine will prove to those with the good fortune to own it that its best is yet to come, so be patient in spite of its early allure. Until then, I do not doubt that it is a work of perfect proportion, so I am delighted to award it my first-ever perfect score for Ornellaia.

Vinous (94)

Glistening orange-pink. Vibrant, mineral-accented cherry, peach, and honeydew scents, along with orange pith and floral nuances. Stains the palate with juicy red berry, citrus fruit and lavender flavors that show very good depth as well as liveliness. Shows firm tension and dusty mineral character on the long, penetrating finish, which leaves melon and blood orange notes behind. - Josh Raynolds

Matthew Jukes (19+)

While there are faint roasted coffee bean notes here, which hint at the warm summer, and exotic rose and musk characters that only ever emerge in concentrated vintages, this is a masterclass in restraint and self-awareness. While this 2020 perhaps lacks the overall gravitas and high-rise tannins of the majestic 2019 vintage, this is a very seductive La Chapelle and one that will appeal to lovers of textural, velvety Syrahs. I am certain that everyone who drinks this wine will fall for its charms.

Vinous (92)

The 2020 Syrah North Coast is an absolute delight. It offers up a whole range of floral and savory notes intermingled with red/purplish berry fruit. Fresh and vibrant, the North Coast Syrah is another gorgeous entry-level wine in this range. The North Coast Syrah is a blend taken from various sites, and is made with 100% whole clusters. Aging is done in concrete and neutral oak.

Matthew Jukes (19)

Drawn from McLaren Vale, Barossa Valley and Padthaway, this is nothing short of an awesome Bin 389 and the Cabernet fruit that would have made it into both Bin 707 and Bin 169 had it been imperceptibly finer is shining like a beacon in this wine. The glorious flavours are so perfect and balanced, and there is spectacular refinement here. I have long since stopped looking for the weld between these two noble red grapes in this legendary The Great Australian Red blend because it is second nature for these two varieties to fuse perfectly in this wine.

Wine Advocate (95)

The 2020 Inseparable comes from a warm and dry year, when they picked earlier and achieved a wine with lower alcohol than the 2019 that I tasted next to it, 14% here versus 14.5% in 2019—half a degree that was noticeable. It's juicier and more approachable too, and it feels fine-boned and balanced, with good acidity. Since 2019, the wine is kept unoaked, fermented and matured in concrete for 12 months. It's a more approachable vintage with fine-grained tannins. 6,000 bottles were filled in February 2021, as it was a lower-yielding year.

The Wine Independent (98+)

The 2020 Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande is made from 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, and 6% Cabernet Franc. Deep garnet-purple in color, it needs considerable swirling to bring out fragrant scents of lilacs, tilled soil, rosehip tea, and Sichuan pepper, giving way to a core of cassis, black raspberries, and cedar chest with emerging iron ore and charcoal scents. The medium-bodied palate is so tightly knit, with firm, grainy tannins and lovely tension, finishing long and minerally.

Decanter (98)

Best in Show 70% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Noir With fourteen years' ageing under its belt, this Champagne has had time to gather and marshal all its resources - which it does with great style and assurance. It's a pale, glowing lemon yellow, with a fine mousse and ample wealth of billowing vanilla, cream and plump hazels. The palate has dramatic intensity and drive, delivering a wealth of chalky lemon; its athleticism and vigour almost come as a surprise after that floating veil of seductive scent. A fresh, mouth-cleansing finish completes the appeal of this skilful, sagely judged blend from a hugely likeable vintage.

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.

Wine Advocate (95)

The white 2020 Anteportalatina is a village white from Laguardia produced with Viura at 600 meters in altitude. It fermented in stainless steel and matured in French barriques and concrete egg for one year. It has 14.02% alcohol and a pH of 3.05 with 6.8 grams of acidity. I love the nose here; I find the restraint of cooler years. And the palate is powerful with great freshness. The wine is tasty and showcases the profile of Viura, a bit neutral and austere but with a lot of freshness and great aging potential. I liked this better than the 2019 Añadas Frías. 2,030 bottles.

Tim Atkin MW (94)

"We've gone more focused" says Nuschka de Vos of this complex, amphora, foudre and old wood-aged Chenin, inspired by the wines of Vouvray. Beeswax, lanolin and fennel aromas lead into a palate with good texture and structure and a pithy, mouth-watering finish.

Wine Advocate (96)

Vinified in stück and doppelstück (1,200- and 2,400-liter barrels, respectively) and aged on the full lees until the end of July, the 2020 Kiedrich Turmberg Riesling Trocken shows a fascinating, deep, intense and generous as well as complex and aristocratic bouquet of ripe yellow fruits and crushed dark stones. The Turmberg is darker-toned and deeper than the Klosterberg, maybe also even more complex and provided with substantial but elegant fruit. Full-bodied, refined and elegant on the palate, this is a lush, intense and expressive, seriously structured, very long, complex and tensioned Turmberg with a spectacularly long, multilayered and persistently salty finish. Seriously, the Turmberg has never been better than in 2020. For the first time since its re-activation in 2005, the Turmberg premier cru is on grand cru level. Its aftertaste is incredibly dense and compact but also salivating and provided with the energy and expression of a great wine. A Must Buy of the vintage and a Best Buy as well! Magnums preferred. Tasted at the domain in August 2021.

James Suckling (96)

Focused nose, showing fresh red chili chocolate with cigar, truffle, mint, olive and grilled meat. This is a medium-to full-bodied red with incredibly juicy and bright fruit and fine, caressing tannins that linger in the long, creamy but precise finish. Elegant and extremely drinkable with complexity. on top of 38% malbec, 25% syrah, 15% cabernet sauvignon, 14% grenache and 8% petit verdot. The real deal. Second wine of Seña. Drink or hold.

Wine Advocate (94)

The 2006 Barolo Big ‘d Big, from the south-facing Mosconi vineyard in Monforte, impresses for its massive richness and the sheer purity of its fruit. Personally, I am not a huge fan of the overt, in-your-face Baroli that emerge from this warm site, but there is not denying the Big – and what a great name that is – for its sensual, exuberant personality. This will be a fascinating wine to follow in the coming years. Anticipated maturity: 2016-2031.

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.

Decanter (95)

Guidalberto 2020 is a blend of 50% Merlot and 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, matured for 15 months in oak (20% new), including a small percentage of American oak. The aromas are a little heavier, with ripe dark fruit and a fragrant, floral note. It's a little less finely detailed aromatically than the 2021, with some smoke, spice and green herb qualities. The palate is round, medium-full bodied with juicy, bright acidity. It's a very friendly wine with very fine tannins and there's a little more grip and silty texture to the tannins.

Decanter (99)

To be honest I gave the Sassicaia 1985 a 100 points at the same tasting, but those notes have already been published, and it’s a vintage that has been celebrated plenty of times. Both bottles were from one of the standout tastings of the year – in Rome, a vertical of Sassicaia dating back over five decades. This 2006 has guts and glory, there is stuffing here. The exotic heat comes through like a pan-seared filet steak, nothing more than a flash fire that gives way to succulence. More exoticism with the dancing array of flavours, from plums, damson and spices to forest fruits and heather then the menthol kicks comes in. You just want to linger over this glass, pick apart the individual flavours and get to understand what it is saying.

James Suckling (97)

A very perfumed Sassicaia on the nose with forest floor, citrus and deep dark fruits. Blackcurrants. Cedar and black tea. Some balsamic. Pine needles. Full and very succulent. Really long, structured and complete. Tangy and energetic with a linear line of fresh tannins and acidity. Very Sassicaia throughout. 85% cabernet sauvignon and the rest is cabernet franc. Very attractive now in a youthful and vibrant way, but this will be better in three to four years. Try after 2027.

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 (92)

The 2020 Gevrey-Chambertin Village has the audacity to surpass the En Pallud this year. It has a potent nose that seems to jump out of the glass. Quite floral with hints of lavender intertwined with the vivacious red fruit. So much energy! That comes across on the palate too. Fine tannins, sapid and tensile, there is a brightness to this Village Cru that is quite thrilling. Superb.

Jasper Morris Inside Burgundy (89-92)

Black centre, purple rim. 50% whole bunch with two new barrels in seven. The alcohol shows through a bit on the nose. Racked and assembled. Impressive density here, even with some intense red fruit backing the blacker notes. The power takes it out of a classical Volnay but is still a good wine for those who are OK with the extra intensity. Tasted: November 2021

Wine Orbit (100)

This is solidly built yet fine and flawless with cassis, scented floral, olive, cake spice and stylish oak aromas on the nose. The powerfully concentrated palate offers dazzling clarity of fruit purity as well as astonishing complexity, brilliantly structured by perfectly pitched chalky tannins. Beautifully layered with formidable depth and seductive texture, making this rendition of Coleraine undeniably spellbinding.

James Suckling (97)

Violets and lavender with dark fruit and hints of dark chocolate. Sophisticated nose. Medium-bodied with fine tannin structure that gives this finesse and beauty. It’s very long and goes on for minutes. Precision. 68% sangiovese with the rest in cabernet franc and cabernet sauvignon. Drinkable but better in three or four years.

James Suckling (99)

This is a wine we have not yet seen from Tolpuddle. It has such well-curated complexity and whole-bunch influence (40%) sits in the sweet spot. It is concentrated, yet so elegant and the vivid freshness that pervades every aspect of the nose and palate is striking. Aromas of red fruit, such as raspberry, strawberry, red cherry and red plum are framed in spice and fragrance. The palate has such impressive definition and clarity and the tannins are so detailed, fine and clear-cut. Concentrated red and darker cherries are fleshy, yet elegantly focused, and the acidity laces it all up so clearly. So drinkable now and for a decade at least. Screw cap.