Chateau Beausejour Duffau-Lagarrosse 2020

JEB DUNNUCK: "The 2020 Château Beauséjour (Duffau-Lagarrosse), made mostly by the team of Nicolas Thienpont (the final blend was put together by Joséphine Duffau-Lagarrosse), is another tour de force from this incredible terroir, and undeniably one of the wines of the vintage. Based on 81% Merlot and 19% Cabernet Franc brought up in 70% new French oak, it offers a sensationally pure bouquet of black raspberries, blueberries, scorched earth, graphite, and a dense, smoky, floral character that emerges with time in the glass. With a voluptuous, layered mouthfeel, gorgeous mid-palate depth, building tannins, and a liqueur of mineral-like character on the finish, it shows the density, purity, precision, and vibrancy of this vintage perfectly and displays that rare mix of richness, intensity, elegance, and length that are the hallmarks of a truly great wine. This is unquestionably in the ranks of the 2009, 2010, and 2016 and will evolve for 40 years or more."

JAMES SUCKLING: "Blackberries with lavender, cedar, sandalwood and flowers. Very subtle aromas. It’s medium- to full-bodied with a very tight palate of fine, structured tannins that run the length of the wine. Closed at the end. Shows excellent precision and aging potential. 81.5% merlot and 18.5% cabernet franc. Try after 2028."

FALSTAFF: "Tiefdunkles Rubingranat, opaker Kern, violette Reflexe, zarte Randaufhellung. Zarte Edelholznuancen, ein Hauch von Zedern, etwas Lakritze, schwarze Beerenfrucht, ein Hauch von Wacholder und Grafit. Komplex, engmaschig, frische Brombeerfrucht, reife, seidige Tannine, mineralisch und lange anhaftend, wirkt frisch strukturiert und leichtfüßig im Abgang, salzig im Finish, sicheres Reifepotenzial."

THE WINE ADVOCATE: "The 2020 Beauséjour (Duffau Lagarrosse) is showing well in bottle, offering up aromas of dark berries, plums, licorice, rose petals and spices framed by creamy new oak. Medium to full-bodied, layered and fleshy, with a rich core of fruit, lively acids and chalky structure, it was vinified by Nicolas Thienpont and his team, but Joséphine Duffau modified the final blend, which includes 19% Cabernet Franc and the balance Merlot. Tasted next to the 2018 and 2019, the 2020 is somewhat more restrained, but it is the end of a stylistic chapter rather than the beginning of a new one."

WEINWISSER: "Kühles, fast unnahbares Bouquet, Weichsel, Thymian, Moschus und eine volle Ladung Graphit. Am satten Gaumen mit weicher Textur und fleischigem Extrakt, stützende Rasse sowie ein perfekter Körper. Im konzentrierten Finale verschlankt sich der St. Émilion, rotbeerige Konturen gepaart mit tiefschürfender Terroirwürze im nicht enden wollenden Rückaroma. Ist was für Terroirfreaks!"

JANCIS ROBINSON: "Subtle, discreet aroma of dark and red fruit. Fresh and well-balanced on the palate with compact fruit and an impressive tannic frame. Tannins firmly present with a grainy edge but long and refreshing. Clearly built for the long haul."