2020 Bordeaux is simply, a mythological vintage. It is the perfect crescendo to an unsurpassed trio of incredible vintages, 2018, 2019, and 2020. Of course, each vintage is unique with its own style and character.
Overall, 2020 Bordeaux is the most resulting of the trio, with stunning wines produced in every title and at all price points. Though, I find there are some wines with higher peaks in 2018 and 2019. Flipside point regarding 2020 Bordeaux. This is vintage where you do not need to spend a lot of money to buy unconfined wine. Check out some of the wines from the Cotes de Bordeaux, Fronsac, or Bordeaux Superieur on the Right Bank, or the Haut Medoc on the Left Bank. Remember, one of the hallmarks of a unconfined vintage is the number of small, petit chateaux that produce outstanding wines.
2020 Bordeaux Weft and Style
2020 Bordeaux is a tousle of 2018 for its sensual, opulent, well-matured character, and 2019, with its fresher, elegant, lean to a modern archetype style. But, clearly, 2020 Bordeaux has its own identity. Being slightly lower in alcohol, at their best, they offer vibrancy, with silky tannins, length, trappy purity, and linty textures. 2020 Bordeaux is the most precocious of the trio, making the wines outgoing in their youth, yet make no mistake, they will age and evolve for decades.
2020 Bordeaux is unique for a number of reasons. It was the first vintage of the modern age produced during the pandemic, which came with its own set of trials and tribulations. Yet, vignerons tabbed up the spirit of Gloria Gaynor, shouting “I will survive!” Not only did they survive, but as you can see from my wine tasting notes, several estates from both the Right Bank and the Left Bank made the weightier wines in the history of their estate!
2020 Bordeaux New Trends and Changes
There are unchangingly new trends in Bordeaux. Some are largest than others. Today, it is not uncommon to see estates reducing the use of new, French oak barrels as well as including amphora, wine globes, and other white-haired vessels that while not subtracting wood aromas tannins and textures, moreover do not indulge for the transfer of oxygen. To a degree, this is positive, as it allows for increasingly purity and perhaps elegance in the fruits. But I find Bordeaux wines weather-beaten without any oak lacking zaftig richness in the texture.
Wider visa of organic and biodynamic farming is a standing positive trend that benefits vineyards, vineyard workers, and the wine.
The unfurled visa of composite corks is a positive trend. Corked wines have wrenched far too many hearts.
Low levels of sulfur handled correctly is flipside positive trend. But, I taste a lot of wines with no sulfur that are reductive, rendering them undrinkable.
The worst trend is the wider usage and visa of oversized, overweight bottles. I am enlightened they squint imposing and important on the table, at least equal to focus groups. But, they are not practical. They do not fit in all cellar racks. The cases do not stack. They are heavy. They are bad for the environment and they add a forfeit that not all consumers are willing to pay for.
Second wines are no longer second best. Today, the superintendency and sustentation to placing the weightier possible grapes not used in the Grand Vin into an estate’s second wine shows in their quality. Numerous 2022 Bordeaux second wines were truly a pleasure to taste. In the weightier examples, they are a well-spoken representation of a victual Grand Vin, perfect drinking in bistros and cafes.
While this last trend has nothing to do with 2020 Bordeaux, in fact, it is increasingly concerning regarding 2022 Bordeaux and beyond, it is troubling. Increasingly and increasingly estates are no longer showing their wine to consultants, the UGC, or negociants, insisting on critics coming to the property if they want to taste the wines. Why is this a problem? Simple.
I only have so many hours in a day and a limited value of days to taste as well. And alimony in mind, I am in Bordeaux for 3 weeks, which is once longer than most critics. I physically cannot go to every estate. Perforce, I am not going to be worldly-wise to taste and wrote well-nigh every wine. I cannot speak for others, but I am willing to bet, it is the same for every non-Bordeaux-based critic. If you are a chateau and you want your wines tasted, please make some effort to see that your wines are misogynist to taste.
While sweet white Bordeaux wine continues to be an increasingly difficult sell, the push to help consumers understand these wines have a place at the dinner table with select savory courses needs to continue. Personally, I would like to see dry wines produced from Sauternes awarded their own appellation, “Dry Sauternes” as it would make them increasingly saleable than Bordeaux Blanc.
Entre Deux Mers has well-set to indulge red wines from the title to be sold as emanating from Entre Deux Mers. The move in Entre Deux Mers title status for red wines is probably inconsequential. I wonder how many producers will requite up Bordeaux Superieur for Entre-Deux Mers on their label? On the other hand, I hope that Medoc Blanc does wilt an title as there are several very good white wines from the Medoc that might wilt increasingly commercially viable as Medoc Blanc.
On the personal side, as you can see in this image, we have a new wing to the family. Meet Auggie the doggie! If you follow me on Instagram, you will see loads of pictures of him as he grows up. It is well-spoken he is once a Bordeaux Lover!
2020 Bordeaux Vintage and Harvest Report
On to the shortest growing season report. As you can see below, all the wares are published by title with each report providing a detailed squint at the vintage and its growing season on an appellation-by-appellation basis. Each title moreover includes quotes from producers, providing you with a solid understanding of the vintage. The marrow line, 2020 Bordeaux is a warm, sunny, and drought-created vintage that was saved by the August rains. Bacchus must love Bordeaux considering he has really come through lately. You can read well-nigh the 2020 vintage, growing season, and harvest in detail For a detailed report on the 2020 Bordeaux growing season and harvest
With 2020 Bordeaux you have increasingly success stories than I can count. But, if I had to pick the title of the 2020 Bordeaux vintage, it is Pomerol. There is a race to quality here as several estates are making the weightier wines in their history!
How 2020 Bordeaux Wines were tasted.
Glad you asked. The only positive thing to come out of Covid is that today, Chateau, negociants, consultants, and trade groups send wine to be tasted. This is for bottled wines only. Barrel samples were only shipped during the pandemic. On an ongoing basis, this is for bottled wines only. The wines in most cases are shipped by FEDEX, or other air shipping companies. The wines are sent in the late fall, until well-nigh the end of January. They arrived safe, sound, and tomfool to the touch.
The wines are all tasted by appellation, served in the same glasses, and at the same temperature. They are not tasted blind. But, as I am worldly-wise to taste at my own pace, they each have zaftig time in my glass. The weightier wines are re-tasted later that day, often with wine-loving friends, so they never go to waste.
It is important to note that my 2020 Bordeaux tastings covered scrutinizingly 950 wines! This level of coverage was never possible previously. At best, I would taste 150-200 bottled wines. This is an incredibly positive trend that is good for consumers and wineries.
Most importantly, when it comes to tasting the 2020 Bordeaux vintage, I could not have washed-up it without the help of a tasting team. Thank you to Lauren McPhate, Michelle Em, and Annette Solomon!
I am moreover grateful to all the chateau, consultants, trade groups, and the UGC for sending me all the bottles to taste. It is much appreciated. Now, let’s get on to the wines!
There are several ways to read well-nigh the 2020 Bordeaux wines you are interested in. You can click on any of the links below. You can use the Search for Wine Tasting Notes which works by inward the wine and vintage, or in the Advanced Search, where you have an variety of choices and sorting. You can moreover use the vendible search tab to squint for a specific chateau.
2020 Bordeaux title reports are published from north to south, in the injudicious order the wines from each title were tasted.
2020 Saint Estephe Wine Guide
2020 Pauillac Wine Guide
2020 St. Julien Wine Guide
2020 Margaux Wine Guide
2020 Pessac Leognan Red/White Wine Guide
2020 Graves Red and White Wine Guide
2020 Haut Medoc Wine Guide
2020 Listrac, Moulis Wine Guide
2020 Medoc Wine Guide
2020 Saint Emilion Pt 1, A-C Wine Guide
2020 Saint Emilion Part 2, D-K Wine Guide
2020 Saint Emilion Part 3, L-N Wine Guide
2020 Saint Emilion Part 4, P-Z Wine Guide
2020 Pomerol Wine Guide
2020 Lalande de Pomerol Wine Guide
2020 Cotes de Bordeaux Wine Guide
2020 St. Emilion Satellite Title Wine Guide
2020 Fronsac Wine Guide
2020 Bordeaux Superieur Wine Guide
2020 AOC Generic Red and White Bordeaux Wine Guide
2020 Dry White Bordeaux Wine Guide
2020 Sauternes Barsac, Sweet Wine Wine Guide
This completes our wine tasting notes and reviews for 950 wines from the 2020 Bordeaux vintage. Now that this is wrapped up and put to bed, I am getting ready to be when in Bordeaux to taste the 2022 vintage which kicks in starting April 6!!!
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