Notes

2020 Bordeaux En Primeur Report – Episode 14 – Le Dôme & the JCP Maltus Portfolio
2020 Bordeaux En Primeur Report - Episode 14
Le Dôme & the JCP Maltus Portfolio
Le Dôme, Grand Cru, Saint-Émilion (from the JCP Maltus portfolio)
80% Cabernet Franc, 20% Merlot
80% new oak
13.9% alc
3.69pH
Merlot harvest was 29th September, Cabernet Franc harvest was 8th & 9th October
Made in the car park of the new winery,…

2020 Bordeaux En Primeur Report – Episode 13 – Angludet
2020 Bordeaux En Primeur Report
Episode 13 - Angludet
2020 Château Angludet, Margaux
46% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot, 12% Petit Verdot
70% oak of which 40% was new, 30% in 7 hL amphoras
Estimated 13.5% alc
26 hL/ha
3.6pH
What I like about Angludet in 2020 is that the front half of the experience is lush and expansive, with tender…

2020 Bordeaux En Primeur Report – Episode 12 – Mouton Rothschild & Family
2020 Bordeaux En Primeur Report
Episode 12 - Mouton Rothschild & Family
2020 Château Mouton Rothschild, 1er Cru Pauillac
84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot
100% new oak
13.13% alc
I urge you to read my tasting note on Le Petit Mouton before this one because it sets the scene perfectly for this…

2020 Bordeaux En Primeur Report – Episode 11 – Angélus
2020 Bordeaux Report
Episode 11 - Angélus
2020 Château Angélus, Premier Grand Cru Classé A, Saint-Émilion
60% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Franc
Estimated alcohol 14.5%
It is rare to find such pressure on a Grand Vin to perform as there has been on Angélus in 2020. This pressure is both from within the operation, from the owners, winemakers…

2020 Bordeaux En Primeur Report – Episode 10 – Domaine Clarence Dillon (Haut-Brion, La Mission Haut-Brion, Quintus)
2020 Bordeaux En Primeur Report
Episode 10 - Domaine Clarence Dillon (Haut-Brion, La Mission Haut-Brion, Quintus)
RED WINES
2020 Château Haut-Brion Rouge, 1er Cru Pessac-Léognan
42.8% Merlot, 39.7% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17.5% Cabernet Franc
Estimated alcohol 15%
Harvested between 7th – 29th September
It seems extraordinary that I am…

2020 Bordeaux En Primeur Report – Episode 9 – Smith Haut Lafitte & Family
2020 Bordeaux En Primeur Report
Episode 9 - Smith Haut Lafitte
WHITES
2020 Château Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc, Pessac-Léognan
90% Sauvignon Blanc, 5% Semillon, 5% Sauvignon Gris
50% new oak
29 hL/ha
This is outstanding, with tremendous depth and broad swathes of citrus, almond, brioche and pineapple husk from start to finish and while…

2020 Bordeaux En Primeur Report – Episode 8 – Bélair Monange
2020 Bordeaux En Primeur Report
Episode 8 - Bélair-Monange
2020 Château Bélair-Monange, Premier Grand Cru Classé B, Saint-Émilion
98% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc
16-18 months in 50% new oak
Heroic scale and ripeness are matched with epic freshness and spice on the finish and this makes it a sensational experience in 2020. …

2020 Bordeaux En Primeur Report – Episode 7 – Troplong Mondot
2020 Bordeaux En Primeur Report
Episode 7 - Troplong Mondot
2020 Château Troplong Mondot, Premier Grand Cru Classé B, Saint-Émilion
85% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Cabernet Franc
60% new oak for between 14-16 months
14.5% alc
3.53 pH
Harvest took place between 3rd – 30th September in two distinct tranches totalling 12 days.
This…

2020 Bordeaux En Primeur Report – Episode 6 – Clos Cantenac & Séraphine
2020 Bordeaux En Primeur Report
Episode 6 - Clos Cantenac & Séraphine
2020 Clos Cantenac, Grand Cru, Saint-Emilion
100% Merlot
40% new oak
14.5% alc
Production is 8000 bottles
I tasted Petit Cantenac (the second wine from this estate) immediately before this wine and, as I subconsciously do with every wine I taste, I fleetingly…

2020 Bordeaux En Primeur Report – Episode 5 – Tertre Roteboeuf & Family
2020 Bordeaux En Primeur Report
Episode 5 - Tertre Roteboeuf & Family
2020 Tertre Roteboeuf, Grand Cru, Saint-Émilion
I feel like I need to warm up and stretch before unleashing this mighty wine from its bottle. Even though the TR quartet arrived in half-bottle format it seems that the Grand Vin requires more effort to lift and pour its…

2020 Bordeaux En Primeur Report – Episode 4 – Cos d’Estournel & Family
2020 Bordeaux En Primeur Report
Episode 4 - Cos d'Estournel & Family
2020 Château Cos d’Estournel (2ème Cru Saint-Estèphe)
62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Merlot
55% new oak
13.46% alc
39 hl/ha
3.90 pH
80 IPT
When you peruse the statistics above you will notice that the standout ‘stat’ is the alcohol level - a full 1%…

2020 Bordeaux En Primeur Report – Episode 3 – Pichon Baron, Pibran & Suduiraut
2020 Bordeaux En Primeur Report
Episode 3 - Pichon Baron, Pibran & Suduiraut
2020 Château Pibran, Pauillac
55% Merlot, 45% Cabernet Sauvignon
50% new oak for 18 months
This is a plump, juicy Pibran with a mass of black fruit which crowds the palate as soon as you take a sip. Bold and relatively forward with dusty but not aggressive…