Château Mouton-Rothschild 2020 / Ruby. Fruit driven, cassis, anise, some spices nose, blackberries, intensely scented, almost transparent yet such depth. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, dark fruits, smooth and detailed, layered, anise, liquorice, deep, long. Superb freshness to it. Such energy. Pauillac is not the place that shines the most in 2020, but this one does. 97-99

Château Climens 1921 / Crème bulée, molasses but still quite dominant acidity. Apple pectin, vanilla and plum compote. Long, elegant finish. 19 points

Some of the best wines tasted 2019-2021

2020 – the paradox vintage Part 4

The Único released in 2021, 10 years after the harvest, is the 2011 Único, selected from 40 of their 210 hectares of vineyards. 2011 is a concentrated and ripe vintage, and they selected 95% Tinto Fino (Tempranillo) and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon that were cooled in a cold room for 24 hours before being sorted; the bunches and grapes macerated at 9 to 10 degrees Celsius for three to four days, and then it was inoculated with a pied de cuve to ferment with pumping overs. Malolactic was in stainless steel, and the wine was put through a long aging, 10 years between oak and bottle, using new and used French and American oak barrels and 20,000-liter oak vats. For Vega Sicilia, 2011 was a fresher year than 2010, not the common idea about those vintages in Ribera del Duero. The wine has a developed nose with some notes of ripe black fruit, meat and underbrush, somewhat herbal and perfumed. There is something about the nose of the Únicos that I cannot quite describe but is quite distinct, and it's in this vintage and also in the Reserva Especial. 88,288 bottles, 3,505 magnums, 318 double magnums, 60 Imperial and 3 Salmanazar were produced. The wine was bottled in June 2017.

Vega Sicilia is also increasing their capacity to age wines in 40,000-liter oak vats to decrease the impact of the oak in the wines. Their 210 hectares of vineyards produce more than enough grapes to produce between 250,000 and 300,000 bottles.

Barolo DOCG Rocche di Castiglione 2017 / From one of the most important cru in Castiglione Falletto, a superb interpretation made by Vietti. From vines aged nearly 50 years, one month of maceration on the skins, followed by thirty months in large casks. Fragrances of small black fruits, blackberry and blueberry, mentholated touches, black pepper. The mouth is taut, dense with tasty tannins. Mentholated trace in the aftertaste. 100 points

Meerlust Rubicon 2017 / Pure Cabernet expression, with leafy spice interest from Cab F and Merlot. Super balance and purity here, with volume that unfolds with time in the glass. Very promising for future Rubicon. 95/100

Peay 2012 Pinot Noir Pomarium Sonoma Coast / Nick Peay said, “Our style is somewhere between Burgundy and California. The major difference is that we’re not on limestone. The second big factor is that it’s cold here in July and August, but it’s warm in Burgundy.” (Frankly, Burgundy’s warmth and chill factors vacillate a lot, even in mid- to late-summer.) As such, Peay doesn’t use whole cluster; the “jalapeño” of stems isn’t a character he, his brother and his sister-in-law like. This pale and crisp but dense and muscular wine delivers black plum skin, blackberries, licorice and forest floor.

Great lineup of wines with fascinating stories. The world's most expensive rosé, Garrus, was extremely sophisticated and charming. Valandraud 2015 left no place for an argument for its upgrading to premier cru. And the Ao Yun, the wine which is produced from the grapes grown in the highest altitude of 2,200 to 2,600 metres shows that there is a hidden potential in China! Despite all the great wines, the true charmer of the eve was afterall the last Caberlot 2017 (97p).      

Bouchard Père & Fils / 2019 Chambertin Grand Cru Domaine / Not so dark in colour as the Bèze, but then these are their own grapes. Near the forest and Latricières so this spot doesn’t get overheated. Sweetly oaked, massive at first sight, yet with a welcome strictness alongside, waves of fruit, not delicate, but with delicacy nonetheless. Amazing persistence really shows the quality of the terroir. Tasted: November 2020

The Rewards of Patience - from Cheval Blanc 1955 to Harlan Estate 2010.

My overall impression after tasting over 300 wines from across all appellations of Bordeaux is that it is generally an excellent vintage for red wines. The 2020 red wines have as much depth and concentration as the previous two vintages, 2018 and 2019, but tastes lighter, less denser on the palate. For example, the four first growths I tasted – Mouton, Lafite, Margaux and Haut-Brion were outstanding in their sculpted expression of their own individual terroirs. Anyone who really wants to understand the character and terroir of Lafite for example, should really seek out the 2020 vintage. What I loved about Margaux in this vintage is the sculpted, precise, detailed expression despite the immense concentration of flavors. Haut-Brion was incredibly layered and complex while Mouton was expressive and deep with amazing freshness.