The 2020 Vintage in Bordeaux: A Modern Classic

Many Bordelaise are saying that 2020 vintage completes a trilogy of good vintages: 2018, 2019, 2020. Though they were all very good, they were distinct, and for me, 2020 is in a class by itself.

The Left and Right Bank each had their own characteristics, but what you can count on from 2020 wines: freshness, balance, and a return to “classic Bordeaux.” The alcohol in these wines is low, the acid is high. In general, it’s safe to say that you will find a lifted, elegant expression in this vintage—a return to a more benchmark style of Bordeaux. Charles Fournier of Pichon-Lalande put it perfectly when he called it a “modern classic vintage,” as it shows the sophistication of winemaking and ripeness of fruit of the modern era, with classic alcohol and freshness levels. This is a vintage that will no doubt please people who have been following Bordeaux for decades as well as those new to the scene. They are flat-out gorgeous wines.

The winter and spring were cool and wet, followed by a very hot, dry summer. This could have led to very ripe wines, but they got a final dump of rain in August, which kept the fruit from getting overly ripe on the vines. The rest of the season was temperate and dry, and conditions were perfect at picking.

The Right Bank got less rain than the Left, but that very wet winter and spring gave the vines all they needed to thrive the rest of the season. Merlot is very good on the Right Bank. Cab Franc is outstanding.

The wines are classic, but the campaign is not. The earliest châteaux released their prices in May, and we are still waiting for many First Growths to do so this week—likely tomorrow. It was also a year without the standard en primieur visits to Bordeaux from customers around the world. In fact, thanks to our fearless co-owner Clyde’s enthusiasm to get to France as soon as possible, we were the first Americans to visit most of the châteaux and taste the vintage there. We’ve seen the brand-new cellars, we’ve been in the vineyards, we’ve tasted the wines—stay tuned for our inside scoop! We’ll also be posting tales and pictures from our trip. So many good wines, so many good people, so many new cellars!

- Kate Soto, Social Media Maven & Blogger