2020 Tronquoy, St-Estèphe

The 2020 Tronquoy-Lalande puts in the surprise performance of the tasting with a quite stellar showing. It has superb mineralité on the nose, very well defined and full of vigor—perhaps the most sophisticated within the flight of Saint-Estèphe wines. The palate is medium-bodied with firm tannins. It's a "solid" and structured wine, but it also conveys delineation and tension toward the hoisin-tinged finish. Very persistent on the finish, this is a class act. (NM)

Another hall-of-famer from Tronquoy, the 2020 is magical stuff that shows its Montrose pedigree and ranks among the finest wines of a great vintage in St-Estèphe, at a fraction of the price of its peers. Owned by the same family as Château Montrose and benefiting from the same obsessive attention to detail, Tronquoy has become one of the most exciting estates in the Médoc. That was on full display at the annual Southwold tasting, where Bordeaux’s top wines are tasted blind against their peers. Neal Martin called the 2020 Tronquoy the “surprise performance” of the St-Estèphe flight and perhaps its most sophisticated wine. The wine itself is classic northern Médoc: deep cassis and dark cherry, graphite, earth and a touch of chocolate, with real breadth through the middle and fine, polished tannins carrying a long, fresh, mineral finish. There is plenty of power here, but what stands out is the precision and composure. At this price, the value is simply stunning. This is serious, cellar-worthy Bordeaux performing in the company of wines that cost multiples more.