Bordeaux 2020: Broad Impressions
The 2020 vintage in Bordeaux is the third in a trio of unquestionably good vintages. While many châteaux produced good wine in 2017, many struggled. But then came 2018, a vintage of rich and warm textures, the wines blessed with warm, velvety drapes of tannin, presenting a very ‘warm climate’ style. Then came 2019, a vintage of glorious freshness, where the delightfully textured wines were carried along by fine acidity and zip. Both are very good years for the region.
Completing this triumvirate is 2020, yet another vintage which, at least in the top appellations, is of excellent quality. It was an incredibly early harvest, which is usually a feature of a hot vintage, producing wines in the solaire style, like 2003 or 2009. In the case of 2020 however, the vintage was early because of the early start, an advantage not lost through the region’s warm but not overly hot summer. As a consequence some aspects of the wines feel as though they come from a cooler, late-harvested vintage.
The texture and aromatic profiles of the wines feel like a warmer vintage, being rich and ripe, with plenty of dark fruit character predominating, aromas and flavours of blackberry, black cherry, dark chocolate and liquorice. The midpalates generally display good volume, the substance of the wine filled out very nicely. Having recently completed my tastings of the 2018 vintage I was struck by the textural similarities between the two vintages.
