2020 French Wine

Based on the 2020 vintage, and incorporating some 5% still red wine, Renoir's debut NV Extra-Brut Rosé d'Assemblage Les 2 Terroirs bursts with notes of orange zest, cherries and plums. Medium to full-bodied, fleshy... Read More

Clearly more intensity and tannic power than the Brulieres there is a violet edging to the damson colour. The tannins are pretty big as I am finding in so many second wines in this vintage as estates make the choice to ensure... Read More

A brooding somber and relatively deeply pitched nose grudgingly reveals its aromas of various dark berries that display a top note of herbal tea. There is both excellent intensity and delineation to the solidly concentrated flavors... Read More

A distinctly cool and exuberantly fresh nose features reticent wonderfully spiced notes of various dark berries along with forest floor nuances that include humus and earth. The intensity of the imposingly broad-shouldered and... Read More

The 2020 Beauséjour (Duffau Lagarrosse) is showing well in bottle offering up aromas of dark berries plums licorice rose petals and spices framed by creamy new oak. Medium to full-bodied layered and fleshy with a rich core of... Read More

A brooding and reticent nose features liqueur-like aromas of poached plum cassis and cool earth. The delicious intense and overtly stony middle weight plus flavors flashed focused power on the firm compact and tightly wound finale.... Read More

A prospective blend assembled from several barrels for my tasting the 2020 Cote Rotie Amethyste—a blend of five lieux-dits—is dark fruited and plummy yet also vaguely herbal and wiry. In the mouth it's medium to full-bodied... Read More

Again a prospective sample blended from several barrels the 2020 Cote Rotie Les Journaries (labeled Maestria outside the United States) is a blend of fruit from La Landonne and Côte Brune. It's full-bodied rich and tannic... Read More

The 2020 Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru La Cardeuse opens in the glass with scents of peonies violets plums wild berries dark chocolate and baking spices. Medium to full-bodied lively and perfumed it's bright and fine-boned... Read More

The 2020 Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru La Maltroie is promising offering up aromas of pear crisp green apple lime zest freshly baked bread and wet stones. Medium to full-bodied satiny and elegant it's fleshy but precise with... Read More

Notions of sweet strawberries plums red berries and spices preface the 2020 Mercurey Le Châpitre a medium-bodied lively and refined wine with a bright core of fruit powdery tannins and a long mouthwateringly mineral finish. Checking... Read More

Chartogne-Taillet’s 2020 Blanc de Blancs Chemin de Reims disgorged in October 2024 with a dosage of 2.5 grams per liter is another success. It opens with vivid aromas of fresh apricot grapefruit zest and jasmine mingling with... Read More

Chartogne’s 2020 Blanc de Blancs Hors Série is showing superbly. It opens with a deep bouquet of orange zest ripe pear and white blossoms mingling with lemon confit. Full-bodied and concentrated the wine retains striking vitality... Read More

The 2020 Belair Monange has also turned out nicely in bottle wafting from the glass with aromas of rich cherries plums sweet spices rose petals and creamy new oak. Full-bodied rich and layered it remains fresh despite its ripe... Read More

A fine follow-up to the excellent 2019 the 2020 Cantenac Brown incorporates newly acquired holdings of Cabernet Sauvignon from the plateau of Margaux. Unwinding in the glass with aromas of cherries cassis burning embers and pencil... Read More

The 2020 Cos d'Estournel is a bold demonstrative wine bursting with aromas of cassis dark berries and plum liqueur mingled with exotic spices burning embers and petals framed by a generous application of creamy new oak. Full-bodied... Read More

Earthy savory and inviting with smoked meat bay leaf and singed wild herbs infusing a base of plum sauce and cherry. Gains support from fine-grained tannins but a spine of iron gives real form to this layered wine with black olive... Read More