2020 Pichon-Lalande, Pauillac

The grand vin from Nicolas Glumineau, begins with a vivid combination of dark and savoury fruits set against a frame of tense and direct structure, which works beautifully together. There are layers of blackcurrants, griottes, black cherry, smoke, liquorice and tar, beautifully poised and delineated. The palate does not disappoint, with a core of dark, savoury, brilliantly concentrated and yet floral fruits, all layered with currants, violets, chocolate and toast, and framed within a scaffolding of ripe and gripping tannins. It pushes on through the finish, and is brilliantly long, and yet it maintains such a fine sense of elegance. A quite brilliant composition here, and a superb addition to any cellar.

Pichon-Lalande is at the top of its game these days, and the 2020 shows all the hallmarks of the estate, with the potential to stand among its signature releases of the past few decades—no easy feat. While near-perfect scores are nothing new at this address, the 2020 still feels overlooked, all the better for collectors seeking a Left Bank icon. In Neal Martin’s Southwold tasting, it bested all the First Growths (and everything else in the region), earning the description “a scintillating, effortless, composed and delicious wine.” Well put. I love that the 2020 compromises nothing in terms of estate character: incredibly fine tannins, pure cassis and deep red fruits, a seamless texture, a subtle herbal note, and deep concentration without any sense of heaviness. This is a concentrated yet generous vintage, one that will reward patience but already has so much to offer. Another masterpiece from the team at Pichon-Lalande, I can’t wait to follow this brilliant 2020 in the years to come. And at our current pricing, it delivers a First Growth–level experience for a fraction of the price.