VM-96-98
2020 Chateau Angelus Premier Grand Cru Classe A, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 6x75cl
The wine displays a brilliant, dense, very dark, almost black colour with dark purple tones, mirroring the perfect ripeness of the grapes and their optimal pH level. The nose exhibits intense aromas... of juicy black fruits, such as wild cherries and blackberries. Elegant floral notes then come through, such as peony and violets. Refined tannins underpin a long-lasting, spherical, voluptuous structure on the palate, while the flavours linger long, bringing a sensation of freshness and harmony. This vintage displays a seldom-achieved degree of elegance, while the highest levels of purity and precision are reached with this blend of extraordinary Merlot and characterful Cabernet Franc.
£1,524 / Case£254 / BottleDuty Status: In BondAvailability: Immediate
2020 Ducru-Beaucaillou 2eme Cru Classe, Saint-Julien 6x75cl
The en primeur release of Château Ducru-Beaucaillou today marks nearly twenty flourishing years of expertise and excellence under the stewardship of Bruno Borie, and a 2020 vintage of remarkable... purity and elegance. Supple and concentrated, it is somewhat lighter on its feet than the 2019 yet possesses a length, refinement and grace reaffirming why Ducru-Beaucaillou, has remained over these twenty years such an attractive proposition for collectors. Though not all critics were able to sample the 2020, plaudits from the The Wine Advocate suggest a similar attraction with 95-97 points awarded.
Collectors will also note this year’s special label design to mark this estate’s tercentenary vintage, which Borie describes as ‘an event in itself’ and one ‘capturing the brilliance, perspectives and energy of the 2020 vintage’.
£960 / Case£160 / BottleDuty Status: In BondAvailability: En Primeur
2020 Chateau Palmer 3eme Cru Classe, Margaux 6x75cl
"The 2020 Palmer, which was matured in 65% new oak, possesses one of the most perfumed bouquets of the vintage with entrancing, seductive scents of black cherries, wild strawberry, iodine and crushed... violets, all beautifully delineated (as per usual). The palate is medium-bodied with fine but quite firm tannins, lending this Palmer more backbone than presupposed. Blackberry, graphite and touches of liquorice develop with aeration that build towards an assertive, pencil box-tinged finish that nods towards Pauillac. This is a Palmer destined for long-term ageing, so readers should have a cool damp cellar handy. It is a serious Palmer, very different from the previous two vintages, not a mix of the two, but content in just being itself." 96-98 pts. Neal Martin, www.vinous.com
£1,440 / Case£240 / BottleDuty Status: In BondAvailability: En Primeur