The 2020 Cos d'Estournel is composed of 62% Cabernet Sauvignon and 38% Merlot. The harvest took place September 10–24 with a yield of 39 hectoliters per hectare. The alcohol weighs in at 13.46% with a pH of 3.9 and an IPT (total phenolic index) of 80. It is being aged in French oak barrels, 55% new. Deep purple-black in color, it pops with explosive scents of ripe red and black currants, black cherry preserves and black raspberries, followed by sparks of violets, wild sage, pencil lead and clove oil, with emerging hints of iron ore and damp soil. The medium-bodied palate has amazing elegance and grace contrasted by jaw-dropping energy, featuring a firm frame of finely grained tannins and just enough freshness, finishing with a whole firework display of mineral nuances. I love the way this Cos d'Estournel shimmies and shines—a unique vintage signature expressed so beautifully at this estate! - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Wine Advocate

$221.98 ea. 750ml | OWC of 6 or 12 | Future | BUY NOW

The 2020 Cos d'Estournel Blanc is composed of 66% Sauvignon Blanc and 34% Semillon, with an alcohol of 14% and a pH of 3.15. The harvest took place August 31–September 10 with a yield of 24 hectoliters per hectare. It is aging in French oak barrels, 8% new. It bursts from the glass with vibrant notes of lime blossoms, fresh grapefruit and white peaches, plus hints of ripe pears and lemongrass with wafts of chalk dust and wet pebbles. The medium-bodied palate is charged with intense citrus and stony flavors, supported by a seriously racy line of acidity, finishing long and minerally. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Wine Advocate

$141.98 ea. 750ml | OWC of 6 or 12 | Future | BUY NOW

The 2020 Pavie Macquin has an opaque purple-black color, exploding from the glass with an intoxicating perfume of violets, Ceylon tea, forest floor and eucalyptus over a core of blackberry preserves, Morello cherries and stewed plum, plus wafts of crushed rocks and unsmoked cigars. The medium to full-bodied palate shimmers with energetic red and black fruit layers and loads of floral and earthy sparks, framed by exquisitely ripe, finely grained tannins and amazing tension, finishing with a long-lingering perfume of black fruits. A real head-turner! - Lisa Perrotti-Brown,  Wine Advocate

$85.68 ea. 750ml | OWC of 6 or 12 | Future | BUY NOW 

One of the biggest successes on the upper plateau is the 2020 Château Clos Fourtet, and it does everything right in the vintage. A magical, perfumed bouquet of red plums, black cherries, white truffle, and white flowers just screams Saint-Emilion, and it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, flawless overall balance, a dense mid-palate, and a liqueur of rocks-like minerality on the palate. Building incrementally with time in the glass, this is thrilling stuff that should offer some up-front appeal in its youth yet benefit from 7-8 years in the cellar and keep for 30 years or more. Bravo! The blend is 90% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 3% Cabernet Franc that’s still resting in 50% new French oak. - Jeb Dunnuck

$115.98 ea. 750ml | OWC of 6 or 12 | Future | BUY NOW

On another level, the flagship 2020 Château Les Carmes Haut-Brion is one heck of a dense, backward, concentrated wine that’s going to require bottle age. Coming in with the same technical analysis (acidity and alcohol) as the 2018, this full-bodied beauty offers a thrilling nose of blackcurrants, smoked tobacco, charcoal, and gravelly earth. Full-bodied on the palate, with a terrific mid-palate and wonderful purity, it holds things close to its vest yet has flawless balance, impeccable purity, and just a great, lengthy finish. Nevertheless, this is one big bruiser of a wine that’s going to demand bottle age. Do your best to hide bottles for 7-8 years, count yourself lucky, and enjoy over the following three to four decades. - Jeb Dunnuck

$139.98 ea. 750ml | OWC of 6 or 12 | Future | BUY NOW

GVWM Over-Achiever & Value Drinker

93-94 JS / 91-93 JD / 91 DE / 90-92 VM