Bottle choices
10 brands over US$100
1. Troplong-Mondot (US$107)
This château in St.-Emilion has been on a roll for the past few years, The 2020 is so smooth and balanced — plump, savoury, pure and fresh.
2. Haut-Bailly (US$139)
This is a vintage that suits the suave, precise, complex style of its château in Pessac-Leognan but it also has wonderful polish, softness, and balance. Some 25% lower production than in 2019.
3. Smith Haut Lafitte (US$139)
Pure and silky, with stunning peony aromas and berry fruit and spice flavours, this biodynamically farmed wine is superior to the excellent 2019 and 2018.
4. Pichon Baron (US$159)
This round, ripe, exuberant wine is slightly ahead of the rich, dense and very good 2019 and 2018. It is intense, powerful, and concentrated with hints of cocoa powder and black fruits.
5. Cos d’Estournel (US$222)
Dense and rich with a sweet touch, this has a luminous quality. It will come in a special black bottle with gold design to celebrate 20 years of Michel Reybier’s ownership, but the price is high.
6. Ducru-Beaucaillou (US$239)
A truly grand wine, it is powerful but with lusciousness and freshness, incredibly polished tannins, rich berry fruit, and a lift in the finish. It will carry a special, one-off label to celebrate the 300th anniversary of the château.
7. Trotanoy (US$335)
My top Right Bank wine is this Pomerol, with aromas packed with minerals, red fruit, flowers, and incredibly complex flavours. I also love the sumptuous La Fleur-Petrus, a Pomerol from the family of Christian Moueix.
8. Angelus (US$375)
This brand is clearly aiming to live up to its St.-Emilion premier cru classé A status, both in the price and its new refined, pure, precise style with velvety tannins and notes of spices, violets and dried herbs.
9. La Mission Haut-Brion (US$360)
The combination of quality and price makes this a better buy than first growth Haut-Brion, also owned by the Dillon family. It is packed with fruit and richness, with lots of power and layers of spice and dark chocolate.
10. Château Margaux (US $620)
My top wine of the vintage is this almost perfect first growth. It positively shimmers with complex floral aromas and dark berry and cassis flavours; it is slightly better than the 2019, which stood out for its pure sensuality.