Bordeaux 2020 Primeurs: Pessac-Léognan, Red
Although I confess the title does not make it clear, this report focuses on the red wines of not only Pessac-Léognan in the 2020 vintage, but also those from the broader Graves appellation. I present notes from all corners of these two appellations, from properties tucked well into the Bordeaux suburbs, such as Château Haut-Brion and Château Pape-Clément, to those near the southern tip of the Graves vineyards. This includes properties such as Château Roquetaillade La Grange, a vineyard so far south in the Graves appellation it lies on the same latitude as Cahors (which admittedly lies 130 kilometres due east).
As such this is my largest report so far (unless you are reading this on some day in the distant future that is, and you started with the St Emilion pages before working backwards), with tasting notes and scores of 55 red wines. With such a large number of châteaux to check out, set in such a sprawling landscape of diverse terroirs and even climate, it should come as no surprise that quality here is rather variable. We have some of the very best wines of Bordeaux 2020 here, but we also have some wines which illustrate the difficulties of the vintage.
I start at the top, in terms of quality, classification and geography, with the 2020 Château Haut-Brion, from vineyards nestled among the suburbs of Bordeaux, on the Avenue Jean Jaures. Harvest here began on September 7th, between two and nine days ahead of its peers in the appellation (those I have harvest data for, anyway), an indication of the warmer mesoclimate afforded by its suburban environment. Even after picking so early, the alcohol here still comes in at around 15%, although it gives no indication on the palate it is at this level, so when tasting I focused more on the texture, sinew, concentration and complexity that was evident in this wine. It is a supreme example of what this vineyard is capable of, provoking a visceral reaction in me which left me no choice but to elevate it to the highest possible score range, and sets a benchmark not only for the appellation but also for the entire Bordeaux region.
