2020 Haut Medoc wines are perfect for readers who prefer value wines that don’t require big names seeking a true, Left Bank tasting experience. While not every wine is a winner, there are so many good wines here, it is hard to pick a favorite.
One of the few benefits of Covid was a change in being able to have wines shipped to me, making it possible to taste a vast array of new wines. At least, new to me. Previously, I would taste bottled wines from the most recent vintage when I was in Bordeaux, or with the UGC. While I was able to taste over 600 barrel samples every year, perhaps I managed to sample 150-200 bottled wines from recent vintages every year. But now, as producers are used to sending us wines, as you can see, I am able to taste over 900 2020 Bordeaux wines!
Because of this, now I am exposed to hundreds of wines I would never have been able to taste before. The results of this are clearly visible in this 2020 Haut-Medoc wine report, as well as those from 2020 in Medoc, Listrac, and Moulis. In total, you can read wine tasting notes on almost 150 wines from that region alone exposing you to numerous Cru Bourgeois and non-classified wines, many of which are worth taking a look at.
The Haut Medoc appellation is massive. As you would expect, there is a diverse array of terroirs providing wines at various levels of quality. Of course, that means some wines are clearly much better than others. That being said, 2020 Haut Medoc wines at their best have a lot to offer, which is what happens when the Cabernet Sauvignon grapes ripen, along with the Merlot. And it gets even better at the estates where the owners have the financial ability and drive to make the best wines possible by utilizing selection.
So, if you are not looking to spend a fortune on a bottle of wine, and if you’re not needing a famous label, check out some of the wines below, as I am positive you will find something you like at a price you are happy to pay.
All of the following 2020 Haut Medoc wines were tasted in non-blind conditions.
2020 Agassac – Haut-Médoc – Black cherries, smoke, cocoa, espresso, and licorice aromatics fill the perfume. hit the nose. On the palate, you find sweet, black currants, cherries, and creamy tannins, with accents of espresso, and chocolate, and a touch of chalk on the backend. The estate was recently sold, making this the final vintage for the previous owner. Drink from 2023-2035. 90 Pts
2020 Andron – Haut-Médoc – Forward, medium-bodied, soft, and fresh, with a streak of dusty currants, spearmint, and cocoa running down the middle of the wine, you can enjoy this with pleasure for at least a decade or longer. Drink from 2023-2032. 89 Pts
2020 Arnauld – Haut-Médoc – Earthy, dark red fruits, and cigar wrapper give the wine a nice, savory character. Medium-bodied, soft, and just about ready to go, the wine leaves you with crisp red fruits and dusty tannins. Drink from 2023-2035. 90 Pts
2020 Beaumont – Haut-Médoc – Tobacco, cigar box, cedar, and peppery red currants pop with no effort in the nose. The fresh, sweet, vibrant, round palate is even better with its layers of sweet, earthy, tobacco-stained fruit, and fresh mint. This is already a delight to taste, and it will be even better with a few years of age. This is clearly a big step up here in quality, and character, and is easily the best vintage of Beaumont I have ever tasted. Drink from 2024-2038. 90 Pts
2020 Bel Air-Gloria – Haut-Médoc – Sharing the same owners as Chateau Gloria, hence the name, the wine is medium-bodied with ample red fruits, herbs, spices, and a hint of espresso in the nose. Polished, creamy, sweet, fresh fruits seal the deal on the palate, and in the finish. This is truly quite nice in your glass today. Drink from 2023-2035. 90 Pts
2020 Bel Orme Tronquoy de Lalande – Haut-Médoc – With a floral edge to the soft-textured, sweet, ripe, creamy, red fruits, this is already delicious in your glass, and should deliver ample pleasure for up to a decade. Drink from 2023-2030. 89 Pts
2020 Belgrave – Haut-Médoc – Round, supple, fresh, and chewy, the core here is focused on its center of sweet cassis, chocolate, freshness, and vibrant finish. Drink from 2024-2038. 91 Pts
2020 Belle-Vue – Haut-Médoc – The nose with its flowers, cherries, and herbs gets things going. The palate is medium-bodied, with ample fruit, along with a strong, savory, herbal, and chalky, green olive character in the finish. It is interesting to note that Belle-Vue is one of the few Bordeaux wines produced using 5 allowable grape varieties. Drink from 2024-2038. 89 Pts
2020 Bernadotte – Haut-Médoc – With a bit of oak to resolve, the wine is soft, round, and creamy on the mid-palate, and in the finish, which is perfect here, as it allows the sweet, black currants to come through easily from the start to finish. Drink from 2023-2038. 90 Pts
2020 Bibian – Haut-Médoc – Medium-bodied, soft, and savory, the wine is so fresh and easy to drink today, there is no reason to wait before diving into all of its sweet, ripe currants, coffee bean, and cherry notes. Drink from 2023-2032. Drink from 2023-2032. 88 Pts
2020 Camensac – Haut-Médoc – Cedar, tobacco, spice, herbs, and peppery, red currants combine on the nose and chewy palate. The palate, with its savory edge, tobacco, and chewy fruit offers a lot of lift, and vibrancy in the finish. Drink from 2025-2040. 90 Pts
2020 Cantemerle – Haut-Médoc – Flowers, spice, black cherries, bitter chocolate, and a background note of espresso crowd into the nose. The wine is medium-bodied, vibrant, fresh, and savory, with a core of sweet, ripe red fruits, and touches of citrus, and menthol that comes in on the herbal-edged endnote. Drink from 2025-2043. 92 Pts
2020 Caronne Ste. Gemme – Haut-Médoc – Dried herbs, tobacco leaf, cedar, and peppery currants are easy to spot in the perfume, and on the palate. Medium-bodied, chewy, and savory, the wine leaves you with an herb-infused, minty, red currant finish. Drink from 2024-2039. 88 Pts
2020 Charmail – Haut-Médoc – Forest floor, earthy red fruits, flowers, and spice come through easily on the nose, and on the medium-bodied, lifted, savory, soft, round, earthy currant-filled palate. Drink from 2023-2040. 91 Pts
2020 Christine Nadalie Clos La Bohème – Haut-Médoc – Dried flowers, cocoa, cherries, and currants open the nose. On the palate, the wine is fresh, fruity, creamy, and lively, with a sweet, red pit fruit finish that is frankly, already delicious. Drink from 2023-2032. 90 Pts
2020 Cissac – Haut-Médoc – Medium-bodied, vibrant, and chewy with a core of ripe, earthy currants, cedar, and tobacco leaf in the perfume, and on the palate. Drink from 2023-2035. 87 Pts
2020 Citran – Haut-Médoc – Bright, crisp, sweet, and tart red fruits with a strong savory, herbal edge, and a medium-bodied, dusty, menthol-packed finish are what you are going to find here. Drink from 2023-2034. 88 Pts
2020 Clement Pichon – Haut-Médoc – Tobacco leaf, dark cherries, espresso, and wet earth nuances create the core of this wine. On the palate, the wine opens with ease, allowing you to discover its soft, polished, charming black cherry, mocha, and blackberry finish. Drink from 2023-2035. 90 Pts
2020 Corconnac – Haut-Médoc – Medium-bodied, soft, supple, fruity, and creamy with a floral edge to the nose, and a sweet, center of ripe, red pit fruits in the finish. Drink from 2023-2030. 87 Pts
2020 Coufran – Haut-Médoc – Chocolate, currants, peppery spices, and dried flowers come to the front of the perfume. Soft, round, medium-bodied, and fruity with a focus on its drinkability, red polished fruits, and the hint of chocolate overtones in the finish. Drink from 2023-2036. 89 Pts
2020 Croix du Trale – Haut-Médoc – Medium-bodied, round, accessible, black, and red fruity wine with accents of espresso, smoke, and chocolate. Drink from 2023-2033. 89 Pts
2020 d’Arcins – Haut-Médoc – Forward, fruity, medium-bodied, with a touch of espresso that rides along with the currants, cedar, and green olives on the nose, and round, juicy, fruity palate. This will be easy to taste on release, and it can age for a few years as well. Drink from 2023-2038. 90 Pts
2020 de Casanna – Haut-Médoc – Light, bright, crisp, crunchy red berry-oriented wine for early drinking. Drink from 2023-2027. 84 Pts
2020 de Lauga – Haut-Médoc – Medium-bodied, forward wine with an early-drinking, strawberry, and bright, red currant character, this, soft, fruity wine will be at its best over the next few years. Drink from 2023-2027. 84 Pts
2020 du Cartillon – Haut-Médoc – Medium-bodied, fresh, fruity, forward, and with a nice lift, and energy in the red fruits with their cinnamon edge, this will be easy to enjoy on release, and over the next 12 years or so. Drink from 2023-2035. 90 Pts
2020 du Mont – Haut-Médoc – Medium-bodied with a nose of coffee beans, tobacco leaf, cedar, and spicy cherries, the wine is forward, round, polished, and already quite easy to taste. Drink from 2023-2030. 89 Pts
2020 Doyac – Haut-Médoc – Savory, peppery herbs, dried flowers, currants, and minty herbs on the nose, and palate are showcased here in this fresh, medium-bodied, easy-going, Left Bank charmer. Drink from 2023-2030. 88 Pts
2020 Fontesteau – Haut-Médoc – Roses, herbs, cooking spices, and red fruits show nicely on the nose. On the palate, the wine kicks off nicely, with its sweet, berries, savory edge, and drying finish. Still, this is quite nice, and it is fully, ready-to-go. Drink from 2023-2030. 87 Pts
2020 Gironville – Haut-Médoc – Roasted red fruits, plums, and flowers create the perfume. On the palate, the wine is medium-bodied, fresh, and savory with loads of sweet, ripe, salty, currants, and fresh, spicy plums with a nice hit of spearmint on the backend. Drink from 2023-2040. 91 Pts
2020 Giscours Haut-Medoc – Haut-Médoc – Medium-bodied, crisp, crunchy, earthy red fruits are in the nose, and all over the classic palate. The wine blends equal amounts of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Drink from 2023-2030. 89 Pts
2020 Haut-Logat – Haut-Médoc – Smoke, espresso, caramel, and sweet cherries pop in the nose. On the palate, the wine is soft, polished, fresh, and fruity, with ample sweetness in the fruity finish. Drink from 2024-2034. 90 Pts
2020 L’Orme de Rauzan Gassies – Haut-Médoc – Flowers, orange citrus, cherries, and herbs form the bouquet. On the palate, the wine is supple, soft, and fruity, with plenty of sweet, ripe, creamy cherries, and currants, along with a touch of chocolate, and chalk in the finish. Drink from 2023-2034. 89 Pts
2020 La Fon du Berger – Haut-Médoc – Spearmint, thyme, currants, and cedar notes are already expressive. Medium-bodied, forward, and vibrant, with a soft, vibrant finish, this is going to be delicious on release. Drink from 2023-2032. 90 Pts
2020 La Lagune – Haut-Médoc – Cigar box, smoke, tobacco leaf, flowers, and red pit fruits with a background note of coffee bean open the wine. On the palate, the medium-bodied wine is soft, supple, fresh, and vibrant, with energy, and loads of ripe, red fruits that linger in the elegant finish. Drink from 2024-2045. 93 Pts
2020 La Tour Carnet – Haut-Médoc – Dark garnet in color, the wine pops with its show nose of espresso, smoked currants, licorice, and barbecue aromas. The wine is ripe, round, and lush with a full, rich, polished wave of black cherries, and cocoa that comes through easily on the mid-palate, and in the finish. Drink from 2024-2045. 92 Pts
2020 Lamarque – Haut-Médoc – Dried flowers, red fruits, tobacco, cedar, and a hint of truffle create the nose. On the palate, the wine is medium-bodied, fresh, lifted, and a touch salty, with a round-textured, fruity, earthy, black cherry finish. Drink from 2024-2040. 91 Pts
2020 Lamothe Bergeron – Haut-Médoc – Flowers, and cherries are at the center here, before you find the refreshing spearmint, cedar, and leafy tobacco notes. Medium-bodied, soft, bright, and fresh, this charmer should be easy to enjoy in its youth. Drink from 2023-2034. 90 Pts
2020 Lanessan – Haut-Médoc – Flowers, cigar wrapper, mint, black, and red currants, and a hint of toasty oak create the perfume. On the palate, the wine is round, supple, fresh, and fruity with layers of sweet, ripe, clean, juicy currants with a touch of peppery spice in the finish. Drink it within a year or two of age, and enjoy it for at least 15 or more years after that Drink from 2024-2040. 92 Pts
2020 Larose Perganson – Haut-Médoc – Flowers, dried herbs, and ripe, juicy currants form the core of this early-drinking, charmer. You can drink this on a release or with just a year or two of aging. Drink from 2023-2034. 90 Pts
2020 Larrivaux – Haut-Médoc – Cherries, dried flowers, savory herbs, and currants create the core of this medium-bodied charmer. Fresh, and polished, with ample, sweet, red fruits, soft textures, and loads of red pit fruits with a touch of chalk in the endnote. This is a superb example of a Bordeaux value wine. Drink from 2023-2035. 91 Pts
2020 Le Monteil d’Arsac – Haut-Médoc – Medium-bodied, soft, fruity, forward, uncomplicated, easy-to-like quaffer with a cherry-filled, clean finish for early-drinking pleasure. Drink from 2023-2028. 86 Pts
2020 Liversan – Haut-Médoc – Dried flowers, herbs, espresso, and cherries with a touch of cocoa open the wine. Medium-bodied, soft, fresh, forward, and vibrant, with a polished core of red fruits with a small nuance of cocoa, and a hint of orange rind make this a lot of fun to imbibe. Drink from 2023-2032. 90 Pts
2020 Malescasse – Haut-Médoc – Flowers, cigar box, currants, forest floor, smoke, espresso, and cooking spice create the complex nose. On the palate, the wine is loaded with sweet, dark red berries with a hint of cocoa, soft textures, and freshness in the finish. Drink from 2024-2040. 92 Pts
2020 Malleret – Haut-Médoc – Savory in character with a spicy edge to the red fruits, soft tannins, and a fruity, earthy finish with green olive, and bitter herb nuance that comes in at the end. Drink from 2023-2029. 89 Pts
2020 Martin – Haut-Médoc – Medium-bodied, bright, crunchy red berry-packed wine with herb, and peppery accents in the crisp finish. Drink from 2023-2028. 84 Pts
2020 Meyre – Haut-Médoc – Medium-bodied, fresh, fruity, soft, easy-drinking charmer with supple, polished textures, and cherries with accents of orange rind on the palate, that hold to the finish. The wine is biodynamically farmed, blending 44% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Petit Verdot ad 5% Cabernet Franc. Drink from 2023-2032. 89 Pts
2020 Moulin Rouge – Haut-Médoc – Bright, crisp, fresh, red berries with green olive, and herb tint on the palate, and in the soft, vibrant, albeit short finish. You can enjoy this on release. Drink from 2023-2028. 85 Pts
2020 Moulin de Blanchon – Haut-Médoc – Medium-bodied, soft, polished, fresh, and fruity, with a light, the core of cherries, cocoa, strawberry, and cherries, this will be easy to enjoy on a release or early in life. Drink from 2023-2029. 87 Pts
2020 Paloumey – Haut-Médoc – Dark red berries, with a hint of peppery spice, and some oak that needs to integrate a bit better, the wine is medium-bodied, bright, crisp, and juicy, with a stony, firm finish. Drink from 2024-2035. 88 Pts
2020 Peyredon Lagravette – Haut-Médoc – Soft, fresh, medium-bodied, forward, round, and fruity, the wine displays its core of sweet, ripe, juicy red currants with a hint of kirsch at the end with ease. This will be easy to taste on release, but it will also age for over a decade. Drink from 2023-2038. 90 Pts
2020 Pontoise Cabarrus – Haut-Médoc – Ripe, round, forward, lush, and packed with black, and red cherries, earth, and leafy herbs, this is going to offer pleasure on release, yet provide the ability to age for over a decade as well. This is a nice value wine from the Left Bank. Drink from 2023-2035. 89 Pts
2020 Puy Castera – Haut-Médoc – Medium-bodied, crisp, bright, crunchy, red berry-oriented wine for early drinking. Drink from 2023-2028. 84 Pts
2020 Retout – Haut-Médoc – Red cherries, currants, and plums, with a hint of sage, and cocoa create the nose. Medium-bodied, round, fruity, and creamy in texture, the finish serves up its blend of blackberries, dark cherries, and herbs with a bit of bitterness, a cocoa powder that comes in at the end easily. Drink from 2023-2032. 88 Pts
2020 Reysson – Haut-Médoc – Round, soft, medium-bodied, fresh, and creamy, the wine is all about its sweet, fresh red fruits and savory accent. There is a touch of dust to the tannins and a hint of chocolate in the supple-textured finish. Drink from 2023-2036. 91 Pts
2020 Senejac – Haut-Médoc – Cherries, currants, and cocoa are on the nose, and also in the core of this wine. Medium-bodied, soft, and vibrant, with a touch of chalk, and oak that comes through in the mid-palate, and in the fruit-filled endnote. You can open, and enjoy this with pleasure on release, with give it a bit of age as well. Drink from 2024-2038. 91 Pts
2020 Soudars – Haut-Médoc – Flowers and red fruits are at the center of this medium-bodied wine, in the nose, mid-palate, and on the soft-textured, fruity finish. You can enjoy this with pleasure on release. Drink from 2023-2030. 87 Pts
2020 Tour St. Joseph – Haut-Médoc – Medium-bodied, soft, fresh, and silky, with an open, red berry, and polished, currant, and cocoa finish. This is quite nice, and stylish in this price range. Drink from 2023-2033. 90 Pts
2020 Tour-du-Haut-Moulin – Haut-Médoc – Tobacco leaf, herbs, espresso, and peppery currants create the perfume. On the palate, the wine is medium-bodied, soft, fresh, chewy, and a touch herbal, but you still get to enjoy all the sweet, ripe cherries on the mid-palate and finish. Drink from 2023-2035. 89 Pts
2020 Verdignan – Haut-Médoc – Medium-bodied, forward, simple, and easy-to-drink, red, and white cherry-filled, soft-textured wine with an easy-to-like, and drink uncomplicated character. Drink from 2023-2030. 85 Pts
2020 Victoria – Haut-Médoc – Medium-bodied with red cherries, and currants in the nose, mid-palate, and in the soft, creamy, fruity, uncomplicated, finish, which delivers a mild hint of cocoa on the backend. Drink from 2023-2029. 88 Pts
2020 Villegeorge – Haut-Médoc – Bright, crunchy red berries with a strong savory edge, and a chalky finish are what you will find in this classic, medium-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon-based wine. 88 Pts
Up next, for a change of pace, we are going to head over to the Right Bank for a look at all the best 2020 Fronsac wines.