2020 Bordeaux is the third in a trio of fabulous vintages, 2018, 2019, and 2020. The wines are ripe, round, soft, and filled with layers of fruit with freshness. And best of all, because 2020 Bordeaux is one of the rare vintages that ripened in every appellation, it is easy to find great wine at very fair prices, if you know where to look.
AOC Bordeaux wines cover a myriad of styles and blends and include red and white Bordeaux wines. Many of these wines are going to be perfect to enjoy on release and most sell for a song. Savvy wine lovers looking for real value should pay close attention to the wines in this report. For details on the 2020 Bordeaux growing season and harvest, as well as exclusive producer quotes 2020 Bordeaux Growing Season and Harvest Report
We tasted close to 1,000 wines from the 2020 Bordeaux vintage to find you not only the best wines but the top value wines as well. You do not have to be rich to drink well, you only need to be selective.
The following wines were all tasted in my home office in non-blind conditions.
2020 dAiguilhe Blanc – Green apple, lime, flowers, honeysuckle and stone open the wine. Crisp and energetic, the wine shows freshness, sweet, yellow citrus and crisp Granny Smith apples in the juicy, lifted, finish. The wine is produced from 100% Sauvignon Blanc. 92 Pts
2020 Alba Mauvinon – Bright, refreshing, yellow and orange citrus-oriented wine that is ready for uncomplicated consumption. 87 Pts
2020 Bad Boy – Deep in color, this forward, plum, round, sweet, lush, early-drinking charmer is packed with ripe dark plums, licorice, chocolate, showing a luscious opulent texture. This is going to be delicious on release. This is by far the best vintage of Bad Boy ever produced. 90-92 Pts
2020 Bastor-Lamontagne B – Limes, green apples and crisp lemons with a refreshing zesty character and lift, and a sweet, juicy, spicy, bright, citrus finish that is ready to go. 88 Pts
2020 Bastor-Lamontagne Confidence – Bright, fresh and energetic on the nose, with its display of pomelo, white peach, spice and mango. The wine finishes with creamy green apples and lemon peels. This will be best in its vibrant youth. 89 Pts
2020 Bel-Air-Cuvée-Divine – Medium-bodied, fruity, forward, soft, round, plum and chocolate-filled wine that will be ready for tasting on release. 87-89 Pts
2020 Belle-Vue (Haut-Médoc) Petit Verdot – Inky in color with purple accents, the wine offers a jammy, peppery, savory core of dark red and blue fruits. Full-bodied, spicy, intense, dark and rich, with a palate-staining, and peppery, crisp, dense, black and blue fruit finish, it is an interesting wine. In fact, it is one of the few 100% Petit Verdot wines produced in Bordeaux today. 89-91 Pts
2020 Boutillot Révélations d’Hubert de Boüard – Forward, early drinking, soft, round, medium-bodied, fruity charmer. 85-87 Pts
2020 Domaine de Cambes – A light touch of creamy espresso, cedar, tobacco leaf, spice and earthy red fruits starts off the wine. On the medium-bodied palate the wine is soft, open and fresh with spicy, earthen red fruits and herbs that continue through to the finish. 88-90 Pts
2020 Clarendelle – Plummy, with chocolate overtones, black cherry and licorice on the nose. The wine is medium-bodied, forward, soft and already delicious to taste, finishing with chocolate-covered cherries that stay through the endnote. You can enjoy this fruit-filled, round wine on release and over the following decade. 89-91 Pts
2020 Clarendelle Blanc – White peach and pomelo share the spotlight here in this fresh, sweet and open, delicious and refreshing white Bordeaux wine. 89 Pts
2020 Clos de La Molenie Blanc – White peaches, honeysuckle, candied orange rind and yellow citrus on the nose, the finish is creamy, fresh, sweet and fruity. 89 Pts
2020 Clos des Lunes Lune d’Argent – Lemon, pomelo, white peach and flowers open this fresh, sweet, ripe, juicy, creamy, citrus-filled wine. You can drink this with pleasure on release and over the next 3-5 years. 91 Pts
2020 Clos des Lunes Lune d’Or – White peach, orange rind, grapefruit, flowers, green apples and honeysuckle open the wine on the nose. Creamy, fresh and fruity, the endnotes are balanced and crisp. 93 Pts
2020 Cos d’Estournel Blanc – Vivacious, bright, yellow citrus, lime, green apple, tangerine and honeysuckle notes are there for the taking on the nose and palate. Crisp and energetic, with a long blast of zesty green apples, lemon peel and a hint of vanilla in the finish. This is among the best vintages of Cos d’Estournel Blanc ever produced. The wine blends 66% Sauvignon Blanc and 34% Semillon. 96 Pts
2020 Cos d’Estournel Pagodes de Cos Blanc – Crisp pomelo, lemon, lime and green apple notes on the nose and palate work well here. The wine is vibrant, sweet, juicy and fresh with a core of white peach and creamy yellow citrus in the finish. 92 Pts
2020 Curton La Perriere – Floral and fruity, medium-bodied, soft, sweet and with a juicy note of spicy kirsch on the palate and in the finish, this is going to be delicious on release and perfect for easygoing, near-term drinking. Value seekers should be all over wines like this. 88 -90 Pts
2020 Cote Montpezat Cuvée Compostelle Blanc – Bright, juicy, crisp lemons with a drop of honey and a refreshing, apple and citrus character in the finish. 90 Pts
2020 des Mille Anges Cuvee Royale – Bright, tart, creamy apples with a lemon peel finish that is best consumed young. 84 Pts
2020 Girolate Blanc – Pomelo and fresh green apples with lemon peel on the nose and crispy zesty palate. This is ready to go for near-term drinking. 88 Pts
2020 Haut L’Abeille Les Robins – Blending Chardonnay and Semillon produced a bright, tart, yellow citrus and apple-dominated wine for early drinking consumption. Drink this over the next year or two. 85 Pts
2020 Hubert de Boüard Cabernet Sauvignon – Ready to go on release, the wine is loaded with ripe, red, fresh fruits, hints of tobacco, earth, oak and cedar. 88 Pts
2020 Hubert de Boüard Le Sauvignon Blanc – Crisp, fresh, bright lemons and green apple stand out right off the bat. Juicy and lifted with freshness and bracing acidity, this is refreshing and ready to go. 90 Pts
2020 Hubert de Boüard Le Sémillon – Honeyed yellow citrus with sweet pineapple accents, apples and juicy pears in a creamy, fresh, sweet, already delicious style. 89 Pts
2020 Hubert de Boüard Merlot – Soft, fruity, forward and charming, this easy to like and easy-to-drink crowd pleasure is loaded with sweet, ripe, round plums, cherry and a hint of cocoa. 88-90 Pts
2020 Jean Faux Sainte-Radegonde – Lighter-bodied, citrusy, zest wine with a lean to the fresh yellow and bright orange side of the style range. This will be best over the next few years. 89 Pts
2020 L’Eperon Blanc – Bright and crisp lemons, green apple and sweet limes with freshness on the palate are ready to go for current consumption. Drink this over the next year or two. 88 Pts
2020 La Fleur Morange Blanc – The debut vintage blends 50% Sauvignon Blanc with 50% Sauvignon Gris to produce an almost golden, yellow-colored wine. Very floral in its nature, the wine offers sweet, honeyed grapefruit and peach notes. Rich and creamy, this will be best in its youth. 88 Pts
2020 La Fontaine de Genin – Straightforward, early-drinking, round, polished and oaky, with olives and herbs in the spicy finish. 84-86 Pts
2020 La Grande Clotte Blanc – Creamy grapefruit and lemon with a strong floral character, freshness is crisp and fruity in the citrusy finish. 91 Pts
2020 La Rose Perriere Blanc – Yellow citrus, flowers and spice on the nose and palate, finishing with fresh green and yellow apples with pink grapefruit in the background. 87 Pts
2020 Lamothe-Vincent Heritage – Medium-bodied, with a strong herb and olive accent to the spicy plums. Round, forward and fruity with some oak remaining to resolve, you can enjoy this in its youth. 87-89 Pts
2020 Laurence – Produced and bottled without the use of sulfites, the medium-bodied wine shows a good depth of color and focuses on its fresh red fruits. Soft, polished, fruity and round, the wine is forward, lush and already easy to drink with all its layers of ripe sweet berries. Give it a bit of time in the bottle to allow the oak to integrate. 89-91 Pts
2020 Laurence Blanc Sec – Grapefruit, yellow apples and honeysuckle form the perfume. The wine is refreshing, crisp and packed with creamy, sweet, zesty fruit on the palate. 90 Pts
2020 Laurence Petite Laurence – Medium-bodied, soft, forward, approachable, the wine is sweet, fruity, oaky and already easy to drink. 87-89 Pts
2020 Laurence Petite Laurence – Honeysuckle, apples, lime and lemon on the nose, and juicy, refreshing, crisp palate for early drinking consumption. 89 Pts
2020 Nardian Blanc – Flowers, yellow and orange citrus and tangerine skin come alive with freshness, tension and racy acidity. 93 Pts
2020 Leroy-Beauval Blanc – Lemons and green apples are all over the place here on the nose and palate. Fresh, sweet, ripe and fruity, enjoy this over the next few years for its fruits and freshness. 88 Pts
2020 Leroy-Beauval – Fruity, juicy, medium-bodied wine with chocolate overtones to its plummy fruit. Plush on the palate the wine finishes with loads of deep dark polished fruits. This is already quite a lot of fun to taste, and it is only going to get better. Drink it over the following decade. 90 Pts
2020 MagrezFombrauge Blanc – Waxy lemons, green apples, herbs, white peach, mango and a touch of vanilla hit your nose, while a blast of fresh, bright, juicy, yellow citrus and green apples with refreshing, crisp acidity sing in the finish. 92 Pts
2020 Malleret Blanc – Lemon zest, pear and grapefruit rind combine to give you a forward, early-drinking, lighter-styled, sweet, citrusy wine. Drink this over the next year or two. 87 Pts
2020 Monbousquet Blanc – Blending 62% Sauvignon Blanc with 38% Sauvignon Gris starts right off the bat with white peach, lemon oil, cut grass and honeysuckle. Rich, supple and creamy with bright, fresh citrus and a touch of mango, you find lift, freshness and loads of fruit in the finish. 92 Pts
2020 Mongiron Blanc – Green apple, lemon and hay on the nose and palate with a bright quality in the lemony finish for early drinking consumption. 87 Pts
2020 Mongiron Prior Blanc – Green apples, grapefruit rind and lemon chiffon come together nicely on the nose and fresh, juicy, crispy palate. 89 Pts
2020 Mongiron – Sweet, chocolate-infused black cherries, licorice and plums on the nose, and soft, fresh, sweet, ripe silky fruits on the palate. Even better, this early drinking, medium-bodied, pleasure-filled wine sells for a song. 89-91 Pts
2020 Mont Perat Blanc – Bright, fresh, forward and ready to go with its crisp green apples and sweet, creamy, yellow and orange citrus fruits. Enjoy it over the next few years. 90 Pts
2020 Mouton Rothschild Aile D’Argent Blanc – Squeeze fresh lemons over rocks and you get the picture. The wine is bright, zesty, crisp and juicy. With creamy texture, lift and length, the wine offer purity and compelling freshness. 95 Pt Pts
2020 Naujan Blanc – With honeysuckle, lemons, pears and green apple, the wine is bright, crisp and juicy with a refreshing vibrant yellow citrus finish. This is going to be easy to drink on release. 90 Pts
2020 Pabus – Dark, juicy, fruity, rich and plush, the wine is forward, ripe and already quite easy and fun to drink. 88-90 Pts
2020 Peyredon Lagravette Chardonneret – Flowers with crisp, waxy lemons and green apple skins are on the nose and on the fresh, bright, sweet, juicy and creamy palate. Drink this in its fresh and fruity youth. 88 Pts
2020 Plain-Point Blanc – Light, bright, fresh, juicy, creamy yellow citrus with sweet lemons and a spicy and green apple finish. 88 Pts
2020 Puygueraud Blanc – Bright, crisp, juicy, sweet lemons and green apple with a touch of honeysuckle and peach hit all the right notes. The finish is fresh and a bit spicy. It is impossible to find a better value in white Bordeaux wine than you have here. 91 Pts
2020 La Riviere Blanc – Juicy, fresh, creamy, vibrant green apples, lemon and orange all come together easily in this ready-to-go summer charmer. 87 Pts
2020 Suduiraut Le Blanc Sec de Suduiraut – A fresh, crisp, lively shot of lemon, grapefruit, flowers, spice and white peach that is delivered in a creamy, zesty style, making this perfect for early drinking pleasure. 91 Pts
2020 Talbot Caillou Blanc – Floral with white peach, tangerine, pineapple and lemon rind on the nose, the wine is fresh, bright, lifted with rich, lush, creamy sweet finish and balancing acidity. 92 Pts
2020 Tour Saint Christophe Angela – Straw yellow in color, the wine quickly serves up its grapefruit, flower, lemon peel, green apple and orange character. Sweet, vivacious and creamy with a nice shot of oily lemons in the finish, the wine was made from 100% Sauvignon Blanc. Not much was made. In fact, the production was only 175 cases in total. You can enjoy this on release. 92 Pts
2020 Tour de Bellegarde Blanc – Golden Delicious apples and citrus in a creamy, forward, fresh, early-drinking style for consumption over the next year or two. 86 Pts
2020 Valandraud Blanc de Valandraud – The array of yellow and green apples is impressive. Next, you find waxy lemons, honeysuckle and spice on the nose. The finish balances its creamy texture with bright citrus, juicy apples and crisp acidity. 95 Pts
Up next, we will finish our reports on the Right Bank and 2020 Red Bordeaux wine with a complete look at all the best 2020 Lalande de Pomerol wines.