2020: around the appellations

Médoc, Haut-Médoc, Listrac, Moulis

Concentrated flavours, some excellent structured wines, but you also see a few bitter flavours creeping in from either low yields or underripe Cabernets. Careful ageing will be needed. As with 2019, it’s a little disappointing that there are few standout wines in the cru bourgeois exceptionnel category in these areas.

St-Estèphe

The vintage has produced densely coloured, classic, spicy and rich wines.

Pauillac

As in St-Julien, 2020 is not a slam-dunk in Pauillac, but there are some brilliantly concentrated, super-impressive wines.

St-Julien

Whisper it, but is this the first year for ages when you might not be able to blanket-buy St-Julien? You’re not going to go far wrong with the main estate wines, but there are some strong tannins in the second wines that producers will need to handle carefully over ageing.

Margaux

Wines are tannic but packed with flavour, very classic – perhaps not as exuberant as the wines of 2018 or 2019, but there is structure and intensity.

Pessac-Léognan

A vintage with high tannins and high colours, giving many successful wines.

St-Emilion

A highly successful vintage in St-Emilion, with some of the wines of the vintage to be found in the region, particularly on clay-limestone soils.

Pomerol

The clays of Pomerol were able to conserve water, so there is plenty of freshness in most wines, but the three hot days in September meant evaporation, so you see early picking and concentration and even some raisin characters if producers waited too long. Because there is so much concentration, you get a more architectural construction than you usually do in the hedonism centre of Pomerol.

Other appellations

Some real charm in Graves this year, lots of good value that I recommend looking out for. In the Côtes also – as you would expect in a year where Merlot has done well – you will find some brilliant buys.

Sauternes & Barsac

Another tough year, with very low yields after the dry summer, and a difficult harvest where patience was required. Some producers decided not to make a first wine at all in the vintage; others have produced tiny yields, meaning you can expect a range of styles, with the best showing a knife-edge balance and aromatic intensity.

Dry whites

Some really successful whites, although things tend to be rounded with an emphasis on exotic fruits rather than the bright intensity of 2019. Overall, the early harvest meant the whites avoided the searing heat of September, so not only are the yields good on average, but the flavours are juicy and balanced.