Bordeaux 2020 four years on – left-bank reds

Includes some old-vine Malbec, apparently.
Tasted blind. Deep crimson. Ripe, sweet and spicy. Firm, dark yet elegant. Embryonically balanced, persistent. (JH)

Tasted blind. Deep crimson. Intense, fresh, peppery black fruit with a hint of leafiness and cedar. Juicy, fine-grained, layered tannins. A bit dry on the finish. (JH)

Tasted blind. Deep crimson. Lifted, ripe and oaky dark fruit. Juicy and refined on the palate, with real elegance and freshness. Not a blockbuster but harmonious and compelling in its refinement. (JH)

Tasted blind. Deep crimson. Sweet and ripe but not raisined. Firm, chewy, in balance to give the tannins time to settle. Very firm at the moment but juicy at the core. (JH)

Tasted blind. Black core with crimson rim. Smells ripe, sweet and seductive, lifted by a leafy cassis note. Firm, rich, finely dry texture, all juicy and fresh at the core. Bright and lively and yet big. All to play for. (JH)

Tasted blind. Deep crimson. Charry and toasty oak over rich black fruit. Really intense and juicy fruited, pure dark fruit but perhaps a little bit oaky, giving a sweetness overall. (JH)

Tasted blind. Deep crimson with purplish rim. Darkly fragrant and gently leafy. Deep, firm and well-built with lovely fruit. (JH)

Tasted blind. Deep crimson. Leafy black fruit. Fresh, the tannins a little bit firm on the palate, as you might expect now. The freshness and the tannins seem to give a slightly bitter aftertaste. (JH)

Tasted blind. Dark core. A touch oaky/charry and dark but with some red fruits hiding underneath. Very firm but finely built tannins. Firm, juicy and refined with lots of lovely dark fruit though the tannins are pretty dominant now, dark and chewy and needing time. (JH)

Tasted blind. Very deep greyish crimson. Sweet cassis and blackberry on the nose but less ripe on the palate. Open and inviting aroma but leads to a slightly odd flavour on the palate, rather dry and flat on the finish. (JH)

Tasted blind. Deep crimson. Lots of pure dark fruit and just slightly charry/spiced by the oak. Plush, fresh and polished, really smooth even though there is power underlying the fruit. (JH)

Tasted blind. Deep crimson. Perfumed with sweet black fruits. Really fragrant. Sweet, almost sweet-sour on the palate. Thick, firm, chewy tannins but lots of freshness at the end. Deep, rich, just balanced. A big beast. (JH)

Tasted blind. Very dark crimson. Pure, dark ripe black fruit with a nice stony quality. Dry, firm, but refined in both texture and flavour. (JH)

Tasted blind. Deep to mid crimson. Dark cassis fruit is intense and pure on the palate. Nicely framed by the tannins, with a long, elegant finish. (JH)

Tasted blind. Deep crimson. Leafy and open-hearted with fresh black fruit. Firm, chewy, fresh but slightly sinewy on the finish though the harmony is there. Just very slightly dry on the finish even though there is a lot of fruit at the core. (JH)

Tasted blind. Deep crimson. Scented and inviting. Black and dark-red fruits. A touch leafy on the palate – so elegant, with paper-fine tannins and a long, fresh finish. (JH)

Tasted blind. Inky crimson. Pure black fruit with a top note of cedary pencil. Pure, dark and elegant. On the palate, this is really refined, flowing across the palate even with so much tannin density. Elegant and embryonic with a lovely dark minerally character. (JH)

Tasted blind. Deep crimson. Rich and open with red and black fruits. Pretty tough tannins grip your mouth and smother the fruit. Enough freshness but a bit severe at the moment. (JH)

Tasted blind. Black core with crimson rim. Smells ripe, dark and sweet-fruited. Severely structured on the palate with not quite enough flesh in the middle. A big wine and really chewy. Very tannic and a bit tough. (JH)

Tasted blind. Very dark crimson. Intense, pure black fruit, like small wild berries, and just slightly charry-dark at that moment. Dense, chewy and balanced for the long term. Deep, harmonious and embryonic. (JH)

Tasted blind. Deepest crimson. Intensely aromatic with sweet, ripe fresh black fruits. Such pure cassis. Firmly encased in its compact and polished tannins. Concentrated and plush but somehow still elegant. Spicy, fresh finish. (JH)

Tasted blind. Black core with crimson rim. Pure, lightly spicy black fruit. Extremely fine tannins, particularly in a vintage like this. Harmonious, fresh, juicy finish. Beautiful now and for the future. Classic Margaux. (JH)

Tasted blind. Deep crimson. Lifted dark-red fruit. Seductive and open. Firm, deep, pure-fruited, really smooth and nicely balanced by freshness. Powerful and harmonious with great fruit. Long, too. Powerful style of Margaux? (JH)

Tasted blind. Black core with purplish rim. Dark and savoury, slightly charry, on the nose. Masses of pure black fruit. Sweeter in the mouth, a bit sweet-sour, flowingly gentle on the palate and scented. Gentle and fragrant at the same time. (JH)

Tasted blind. Deep crimson. Ripe, sweet damson and blackcurrant fruit with a nice hint of lead pencil. Juicy but firmly textured. Smooth tannins but it lacks a bit of energy on the finish. (JH)

Tasted blind. Deepest crimson. Fragrant with very slightly leafy black fruit. Dark and ripe yet fresh. Firm, chewy, well built and harmonious. Juicy finish. Nice freshness. (JH)

Tasted blind. Deep crimson. Fragrant, lightly leafy. Leafy/lead pencils on the palate, slightly chalky tannins, a bit stone-dusty. Light, dry, fine-boned. Scented on the finish. (JH)

Tasted blind. Very dark. Rich in black fruit. Really fragrant. Seductive yet serious. Dark, savoury, and yet perfumed too. Quite reticent on the palate, with beautifully smooth tannins. (JH)

Tasted blind. Black core with crimson rim. Black-fruited, intense, ripe cassis. Tighter and more elegant on the palate, tannins dry and fine, elegant rather than powerful. (JH)

Tasted blind. Deep crimson. Dark-fruited, open and floral plus a slight jamminess. Pretty oaky, especially on the finish. A bit dense and unyielding on the mid palate, the fruit currently dominated by the structure. Firm, dry finish. (JH)

Tasted blind. Darkest crimson. Sweetly fragrant with pure black fruits and a hint of violets. Great power in the tannins but they are deeply layered not massive. Chewy but not thick. Monumental without excess weight. Freshness from the tannins and the acidity. (JH)

Tasted blind. Very dark with black core. Dark, spicy black fruit. Deep and inviting. Firm and chewy, thickly textured but smooth, a bit flat on the finish but easy. And fresh enough overall. (JH)

Tasted blind. Black core. Dark, rich, ripe and really spicy, pretty oaky on the nose. A touch charry plus lots of fruit. Oaky, smooth and rich, chocolate flavour and texture. Could do with a little more lift on the finish but deep and generous. (JH)

Tasted blind. Deep crimson. Subdued and rather flat/dry on the palate. Lean and strangely salty on the finish, dry aftertaste. Can’t really give drink dates here. (JH)

Tasted blind. Black core with purplish rim. Fragrant with gorgeously pure black fruit and definite but not overdone oak. Firm, dry, elegant tannins allowing the fruit and fragrance to shine. Subtle in its power, persistent. (JH)

Tasted blind. Black core with crimson rim. Dark and ripe with a hint of damsons. Ripe black plum and gently floral, plus lead pencil. Complex aroma. Rich, deep, chewy, generous and powerful with finesse on the long finish. (JH)

Tasted blind. Deep crimson. Aromatic with small dark wild berries. Open, dry and finely textured tannins. Nicely balanced in a lighter-bodied style. (JH)

Tasted blind. Black core with purplish rim. Deep, dark fruit with lots of peppery spice. Really scented, too, with violets. Juicy core inside the firm, dry, subtle, smooth tannins. Lovely balance and nicely dry finish. (JH)

Tasted blind. Deep crimson. Sweet, fresh red and black fruits and a touch of spicy oak. Very oaky on the palate, lots of chocolate and thick texture. Smooth, thick tannins. (JH)

Tasted blind. Dark crimson. Spicy dark fruit while also fragrant and open. Dry tannic finesse. Not as quite as much intensity as there is in many in this vintage but really harmonious. (JH)

Tasted blind. Deep garnet. Fragrant and red-fruited, touch of tea leaf. Lively and fresh-smelling. Juicy, chewy-chocolatey tannins and nicely fresh on the finish. (JH)

Tasted blind. Deep crimson. Both sweet (oaky) and leafy on the nose. Ripe and a bit green at the same time. Very smooth, mild tannins, especially in this vintage. And succulent on the finish. Mild-mannered, balanced, juicy though the oak comes back rather strongly on the finish. (JH)

Tasted blind. Deep crimson. Smells dark, spicy and rich. Powerful and smooth tannins and just enough fruit to fill them out. Fresh, refreshing. (JH)

Tasted blind. Deep crimson. Dark-fruited and perfumed with violets. Open and fragrant but a little bit lean on the mid palate, though the fruit came back on the finish. (JH)

Tasted blind. Deeply coloured. Aromatic and lightly leafy. Some might describe it as ‘green’, which may be positive or negative depending on your taste. It is a bit lean for me, though it has freshness and balance in this leafy style. (JH)

Tasted blind. Deep crimson. Pure, dark cedary fruit. Firm, slightly thick but smooth tannins. Really smooth. Easy and approachable despite the depth of tannin, which is a bit of a block on the finish at the moment, all smooth chocolate at the end. (JH)

Tasted blind. Deeply coloured. Leafy black fruit. Pretty lightweight, tannins well judged not to overwhelm the fruit but could do with a little more substance. Should be approachable early. I went back to this to retaste it and upped my score by half a point as I felt I had been too hard. (JH)

Tasted blind. Deep crimson. Fragrant, a touch leafy, the tannins firm and chocolatey, not quite meshed between fruit and structure yet. Just enough freshness on the finish. (JH)

Tasted blind. Deep crimson. Fresh dark and dark-red fruit, very fine tannins, lightish and elegant, fresh finish. Perhaps just slightly leafy but it will be approachable much earlier than many 2020s. (JH)

Tasted blind. Very dark. Sweet and ripe, a bit like Ribena. Powerful, chewy and very primary in its fruit profile, with enough freshness, just needs time to mesh. (JH)

Tasted blind. Darkest crimson. Lightly cedary and intense black fruit on the nose. Big, smooth tannins, with juicy fruit at the core. Powerful, oaky on the mid palate and with everything in place to age well. (JH)

Tasted blind. Deep crimson. Toasty suggestion of oak over the black fruit. A bit green overall and the tannins dry on the finish. Chewy. (JH)

Tasted blind. Very dark. Smoky, spicy black fruit with a touch of cedar. Juicy, fine-grained tannins, lots of freshness and easy but not simple. Mouth-watering finish. (JH)

Tasted blind. Deep crimson. Dark, riper and still on the savoury side, then more cedary as it opens. Dry, fine tannins but a little dilute on the mid palate. (JH)

Tasted blind. Deep smudgy crimson. Open, lifted dark-red fruit. Really fragrant. Delicate, fine-boned, juicy. Not for the longest of ageing but balanced in this lighter style. (JH)

Tasted blind. Deepest crimson. Sweet, ripe and oaky on the nose though not overripe. Really grippy tannins and just enough flesh to balance – pretty demanding now. (JH)

Tasted blind. Deep crimson. Ripe yet fragrant. Finely dry, pretty tannic. Tight, fresh but not very generous. Straightforward. (JH)

Tasted blind. Black core with crimson rim. Intense aroma of pure black fruit. Pure cassis. Very deep, rich and oaky but the fruit is the power at the core of the wine. Big and harmonious. Maybe not classic St-Julien but perhaps it is in 2020? (JH)

Tasted blind. Deep crimson. Spicy, sweet yet fresh dark fruits. With a cedary fresh lift. That cedary flavour on the palate, too, but this is pretty severe in its tannic structure. Demanding on the palate even though it is aromatically open. (JH)

Tasted blind. Black core with crimson rim. Perfumed with dark-red fruits and tea leaf. Dry, lightish, and disappears rather quickly. A bit lean – shame because the aroma was lovely. (JH)

Tasted blind. Very dark crimson. Pencil lead and dark fruit. Firmly tannic, quite savoury. Chewy but fresh. Tight, dry and harmonious. (JH)

Tasted blind. Deep crimson. Intense aroma of pure dark fruits and a touch of oaky vanilla. Juicy, lots of freshness, finely dry tannins. On the lighter side on the palate but balanced. (JH)

Tasted blind. Deep crimson. Fragrant and slightly leafy aroma of black fruit. Leafy on the palate, too, just a little bit pinched in the middle but fresh. Tannins are a little dry given the amount of fruit in the middle. Slightly tart on the finish. (JH)

Tasted blind. Deep crimson. Fragrant, spicy dark fruit with a leafy lift. Very grippy tannins and a little bit too much tension on the palate. Tightly wound. Thickly textured and demanding. (JH)

Tasted blind. Deep crimson. Dark, pure and slightly leafy black fruit. Leafy on the palate, too, the tannins dry but finely textured. Good freshness and decent length. (JH)

Tasted blind. Black core with purplish rim. Smells rich, ripe and sweet yet still fresh-fruited. Darkly oaky and inviting. Powerful, dense tannins and enough fruit to fill them out but this needs a lot of time. Freshness on the finish. Precise and balanced even with all this tannic power, and very long. The tannins seem to add freshness. (JH)

Apparently, they are planning to drop Léoville from the name.
Tasted blind. Dark crimson. Lots of sweet fruit and sweet oak on the nose. And just a light leafy note. Dense, dry and refined in its tannic power, layered not massive. Long and refined even in embryo. Dark, savoury, sober on the palate, long. Lots of freshness in this powerful wine. (JH)

Tasted blind. Deep crimson. Ripe, dark and pretty oaky on the nose. Firm, thick, chewy, not much fruit impression on the palate and it’s all hiding at the moment. (JH)

Tasted blind. Black almost to the rim. Dark, savoury and oaky on the nose but with sweet, fresh damson fruit. Powerful, thick, dense. Not very obviously St-Julien in its infancy but has harmony within its powerful framework. Pretty dense and compact now. Moved this up half a point on retasting. (JH)

Tasted blind. Dark greyish crimson. Ripe, dark and spicy fruit. Thickly textured, smooth tannins. Rounded but could do with a little more energy on the finish amid all that tannin. (JH)

Tasted blind. Deepest crimson. Leafy and open with cassis fruit and bud. More refined than most of the St-Julien 2020s tasted today in terms of tannic texture, elegance, length and harmony. (JH)

Tasted blind. Deep greyish crimson. Very sweet aroma of red fruits. Raspberries! Light, juicy, idiosyncratic and a bit lean overall but very fresh, herbal. (JH)

Tasted blind. Deep greyish crimson. Lifted with red and black fruits and slightly volatile. Very leafy and a bit toasty. Lighter than some, pretty oaky and a bit dry on the finish even though the tannins are finely textured. Too oaky for me. (JH)

Tasted blind. Deep crimson. Intensely oaky aroma of sweet spice. And overpoweringly oaky on the palate. Mouth-gripping tannins hide everything else. Fresh enough but the fruit is hidden. This was rated more highly by many in the group so I retasted it but still couldn’t get past those tannins. (JH)

Tasted blind. Deep crimson. Lifted and leafy black fruit. Invitingly aromatic. Darker and more savoury on the palate, the fruit intense but not really sweet, the tannins fine. Dry tannic finesse and length but oaky and oaky-sweet on the finish. (JH)

Tasted blind. Deep crimson. Dark, rich and spicy on the nose but also a touch raisiny, as it is on the palate. Fruit lacks energy. Thick, firm tannins. It could be that it just needs a lot of time but the fruit did not seem fresh enough to take my score higher. (JH)

Tasted blind. Deep crimson. Open, black fruit, something biscuity on the nose. Firm but juicy on the palate but a bit drying on the finish. (JH)

Tasted blind. Black core with crimson rim. Dark-fruited and slightly charry aroma with lots of fresh black fruit underneath. Very firm, thickish tannins on the palate, chocolate-like, and could do with a little more freshness to balance. Firm and chewy yet with the dark-fruited classicism of Pauillac. Firm and embryonic. (JH)

Tasted blind. Deep crimson. Pure vibrant dark fruit on the nose. Powerfully dry and tannic but with finesse and great length. Lots of grip holding the fruit in check. Moderate length but nicely fresh. (JH)

Tasted blind. Deep crimson. Fragrant with fresh dark fruits. Tight, fine, elegant. Not very fleshy in the middle but nicely balanced. (JH)

Tasted blind. Very dark crimson. Pure, lightly spiced dark fruit. Powerfully built on the palate for the long term but the harmony is there for it to age well. Chewy, complete. For the moment at least, bit abrupt on the finish, tied up in the tannins. (JH)

Tasted blind. Deep crimson. Smells of rich and spicy black fruit. Open and aromatic. Deliciously aromatic on the palate, the tannins compact and very fine, giving an elegant framework for the pure fruit. A bit dry on the finish. (JH)

Tasted blind. Dark greyish crimson. Fragrant and refined. A whisper of oak and lovely dark fruit. Juicy, fresh, surprisingly approachable with lots of freshness and refinement in the texture. Sour-fresh finish, real freshness for 2020. Juicy, harmonious, long. (JH)

Tasted blind. Deep dark crimson. Gorgeously fragrant and pure black fruit. Open and aromatic. Lots of acidity here, just held in place by the other components but it is not fully meshed yet. Vibrant, juicy, finely tannic. (JH)

Tasted blind. Very dark crimson. Pure, fragrant dark fruit. Harmonious, succulent with beautifully fine tannins. Immense refinement and length without sheer mass. (JH)

Tasted blind. Black core with purplish rim. Very sweet and very oaky with a hint of vanilla. Thick, chewy and powerful, dense tannins with a streak of freshness through to the long finish. Extreme and not fully meshed so the acidity shows a little on the finish. Going back to it, I find more refinement and better integration. (JH)

Tasted blind. Deep crimson. Pure, fragrant black fruit, slightly leafy in a nice way. Savoury and less fragrant on the mid palate but with an attractive dark restraint. Tannins are refined. Dryish finish. (JH)

Tasted blind. Black core with purplish rim. Dark and closed on the nose. Savoury, oaky and dense, rather unyielding now. But the tannins are not thick just very much to the fore at the moment. Powerful. (JH)

Tasted blind. Deep crimson. Ripe and open, slightly evolved, complex aromas of bottle age even now, leathery on the palate, too, but pleasurable in that spicy, slightly rustic way. Juicy, tannins really quite resolved. (JH)

Tasted blind. Deep crimson. Dark, pure, savoury and smoky. Oaky, too. Smells so pure despite the oak sweetness. Really fine tannins, extremely pure with tannic finesse. Harmonious, the power hidden under an elegant exterior. (JH)

Tasted blind. Deep crimson. Lifted dark and dark-red fruits but also lots of sweet oak spice. Very oaky, very smooth, luscious and long. So rich. Chewy, massive, dense. (JH)

Tasted blind. Dark greyish crimson. Subdued aroma of slightly leafy dark fruits. Dry, firm tannins and marked acidity on the finish without a huge amount of fruit in the middle – could be a bit too leafy for some. (JH)

Tasted blind. Black core with purplish rim. Peppery dark fruit and perhaps a hint of smoky reduction. Smells pretty oaky. Tastes pretty oaky, too, but the tannins are fine grained and it’s fresh on the finish. Straightforward Pauillac. (JH)

Tasted blind. Deep crimson. Invitingly pure dark-fruit aroma with some oak sweetness. Pretty oaky and woody on the palate and could do with more fruit at the core, which may emerge with time. Chewy finish. Going back to retaste this wine, which was highly rated by the group, I felt I had underscored it and missed the lively Cabernet fruit under the dominant oak, especially on the finish. So I upped my score by half a point. (JH)

Tasted blind. Spicy dark fruit. Firmly textured, fresh and dry with the dark savour of Pauillac. Very tannic at the moment. (JH)

Tasted blind. Black core with purple rim. Rather charry and oaky on the nose, almost hiding seductively pure damson fruit. Deep-fruited, firmly tannic and serious rather than inviting on the palate. Savoury dark power. Very marked by the oak. (JH)

Tasted blind. Very dark greyish crimson with purplish rim. Fragrant, spicy dark fruit. Deep, chewy but with fruit at the core to hold the tannins apart. Tannins are firm and smooth. (JH)

Tasted blind. Black core with crimson rim. Sweetly fruited and toasty on the nose with masses of charry oak but also the pure, dark character of Pauillac underneath, hints of tea leaf. A big, dense, powerful but harmonious wine. (JH)

Tasted blind. Deepest crimson but more evolved than some. Very ripe pure Ribena aroma. Firm and rather dry tannins with a touch of dark chocolate on the finish but a bit stalky after the initial sweetness. (JH)

Tasted blind. Deep crimson. A touch stony and peppery, openly aromatic. Fresh, juicy, straightforward. Not very long but very smooth. (JH)

Tasted blind. Very dark with narrow rim. Really fragrant but subtle, fresh aroma of black fruit with a light leafy as well as riper damson note. Juicy, fresh, refined tannins. Elegant and harmonious with lots of freshness and length. (JH)

Tasted blind. Deep crimson. Open, dark-fruited and peppery with a lovely dark savoury character. Powerful, dry, elegant and all set for the long term. Really well integrated. (JH)

Tasted blind. Black core with crimson rim. Dark and leafily fragrant fruit. A little bit dense on the palate, tannins and acidity dominating the fruit but the tannins are polished and I think this just needs time. Gravelly finish. (JH)

Tasted blind. Deep crimson. Both floral and oaky black fruit. Big, thick tannins and a lack of fruit at the core, so the finish is a bit drying. (JH)

Tasted blind. Deep crimson. Darker-fruited and more savoury than the Marquis de Calon. Peppery/spicy oak. Lifted and very fresh on the palate, relatively light but balanced. Finely dry tannins, juicy finish. (JH)

Tasted blind. Very dark crimson. Lightly spicy dark fruit. Relatively light-bodied with super-fine tannins. Rather delicate for a 2020, but all in balance. The tannins supple and harmonious even though this needs time. (JH)

Tasted blind. Inky crimson. Black-fruited and oaky. Nicely judged tannins but the fruit is slightly stewed on the finish. (JH)

Tasted blind. Deepest crimson. Perfumed dark fruit. Highly floral. Dry texture, dry and drying on the finish. Firm and desperately needs a bit more flesh in the middle. (JH)

Basile Tesseron’s last vintage.
Tasted blind. Deep crimson. Rather reluctant on the nose. Dark and savoury impression. Lightly leafy. On the palate, this is lovely: smooth, refined tannins and a dark elegance overall. Lots of finesse and a long finish. (JH)

Tasted blind. Deep crimson. Fragrant with red and black fruits. Open and perfumed. Lightish, fine tannins, all balanced in a wine that may not age as long as some but won’t need to be cellared for too long either. Lightweight and straightforward. (JH)

Tasted blind. Deepest crimson, like damson skins. Sweet and dark-fruited at the same time. Savoury too. Not yet open but complex. Rich fruit filling out elegant dry tannins, dark-fruited and long. Power yet refined. (JH)

Tasted blind. Black core with purplish rim. Smells rich and warmly dark-fruited. Touch of rubbery reduction that should blow off. Big and juicy at the core, the tannins firm and smoothed. Doesn’t have the power of some. (JH)

Tasted blind. Deepest crimson. Pure, fragrant, dark and elegant. A touch floral and subtle in its intensity. Elegantly textured with super-fine tannins. Really refined, long. Pure. Bone dry and elegant. (JH)

Tasted blind. Deep crimson. Delicately fragrant with dark-red fruits then oak spice overlay. Big, chewy tannins but with all the fruit you could want to keep it in balance. Big yet balanced, the tannins nicely done to balance both power and finesse. I was more enthusiastic than some of the other tasters on the day. (JH)

Tasted blind. Deep crimson. Darkly fragrant and just slightly leafy. Powerful tannins, though the texture is fine and there is all to play for. Savoury, dark and long. For the long term. (JH)

Not yet released, apparently because the owners are ‘repositioning’ this wine. 2019 just released.
Tasted blind. Black core, crimson rim. Dark, intense and savoury aroma of pure black fruits. Thick tannins are a bit too dominant on the palate, obscuring the fruit for now. Firm and long but could do with a tad more freshness on the finish. (JH)