Pauillac 2020 in bottle: overview plus top-scoring wines

Dark fruits on the nose, blackcurrants and cherries with savoury nuances of dark chocolate and tobacco. Fresh and forward on the palate, this hits you square on, still very lean and direct, almost piercing and severe in its intensity and drive, though wonderfully precise: it’s like an arrow. Serious and focussed yet full and layered, the texture is lovely, a slight graininess that lingers but it’s the acidity and the fruit purity that are so excellent - they give such a sense of vibrancy and make this wine so thrilling. You get a feeling of pent-up energy, but after a few minutes the slight density of the ripe fruit comes through, giving some plushness and weight. I love the Cabernet details and the mineral element that leaves the mouth cool and fresh. A well constructed, subtle beauty.

An utterly brilliant Lafite - a sense of understated charm, it’s certainly not shouting but delivers a bright, sharp, joyous sensation. Almost subtle in its presentation with delicacy and refinement on show yet such clear power underneath. An incredible aromatic display with ripe black fruits, pepper, liquorice and crushed stones - calm, controlled and contained with beautiful tannin integration and a chalky, salinity on the finish. Supremely complete with mass appeal.

Smooth, round and bright, there is a controlled sense to this, quiet and contemplative with aromas of coffee, tobacco, dried cherries, floral scents and liquorice offset by a juicy core giving clear acidity and freshness with freshly picked strawberry and red cherry fruit flavours. Bright and fun, the texture is dominating right now, the tannins fully on show but so well integrated - they support the fruit giving the frame, width and expansion - really providing the backbone to the overall expression. Forward and characterful, Latour can sometimes be more lean and mean, especially so young, but this is focussed and sleek, delicate and open - it really makes you smile with a vein of iron/saltiness that lingers.

One of my favourite wines of the vintage, this is a wonderful example of high definition winemaking but still offering plenty of Pauillac swagger. Smells dark and slightly savoury, full of black fruit and toasted aromas. Bright and lively on the palate with clarity and precision to the berry fruit, shining and clear with juicy, mouthwatering acidity - so much energy in the glass. Chalky, graphite-laced tannins fill the mouth, giving structure and clear terroir markers with a lingering minerality on the finish. Perfectly weighted with incredible delectability and drinkability. Persistent with a long finish. Superb effort.

Gentle and delicately aromatic but rich too, full of coffee, mocha, dark chocolate, caramel and medicinal herbs - mint and aniseed with a combination of red, blue and black berry fruits. Lovely density and weight on the palate, really very tannic but wide with an aerated effect so it doesn't feel at all heavy with a bright juiciness and extremely long length. The tannins make the first impression with a velvet texture and chalky minerality but it’s clean and the fruit has a crystalline purity that gives a sleek and direct overall impression. Generous, elegant and refined yet still not showing its best.

Smooth, seductive and finely textured, this is both sleek and strict, with a savoury, crushed stone saline tang alongside tobacco, tar, ripe black cherries and soft floral scents; the Cabernet really makes its mark. Sexy and rich, less immediately charming than the 2019 was at this point - it’s more restricted and coiled but more sophisticated, elegant and refreshing - a wine you want to sit and think about while the aromas and flavours open and evolve. Lovely definition, weight and texture overall. A clear stand out.

Suave, elegant and calmly confident. A masterclass in high-definition winemaking where all the elements are presented harmoniously with structure, freshness, complexity and a wide expansive finish. Tannins are well integrated giving support to the shining black Cabernet fruit that has strength, power and concentration but delivered underneath the savoury salinity, liquorice spice and minerality. There’s something very special about this. I love the sense of discretion, a wine that knows it has star quality but it’s not shouting about it. Pure and poised - incredibly inviting! A great buy.

Dark chocolate, bramble tones, not overly floral or fruity with some cedar and cinnamon notes. Lovely high acidity straight away, forward, bright and energetic with lovely crunchy blue fruit on the palate but creamy textured tannins giving a round and complete mouthful. Nothing feels overdone, this is quietly seductive and confident but not at all showing off. I love the minerality and the graphite grip with plum and black cherry and tons of slate, liquorice and menthol freshness. Long finish, slowly expansive, building and growing from start to finish showing an impressive structure overall. Nicely constructed, charming still with the Pauillac touch. A great Pontet - immediately seductive and enjoyable with a long ageing potential.

Really quite fragrant, lots of purple flowers and purple fruits, ripe blackcurrants, pencil shavings - deep and brooding. Supple and succulent, immediately just so balanced and comfortable in the mouth, calm and quietly confident, less showing off, not so overt or upfront, but more mouthfilling and expansive. Tannins give a stronghold in the mouth but are fine and velvety in texture, cushioning the cool fruit - blueberries and black cherries with mint and liquorice edges but not spiced. There’s an air of style but also of ease, you could drink this now, it's so approachable and likeable in the glass. Mouthwatering acidity, long and giving. Lovely structure and frame, great definition and persistence from the beginning. Opulent and structured, this needs some time, but I like the texture and tension, excellent potential. 18 months ageing in oak barrels, 60% new.

Milk chocolate, blackcurrants, some cinnamon ,floral spice notes, cedar, touch of liquorice. Smooth and supple, lovely energy and vibrancy here, really quite high-toned and in focus, lovely precision to the details here - the tannins are firm, slightly coarse and grainy but do so well to give the structure in the mouth - really give the frame while the flavour and the acidity does the talking. I like the combination of fruit and texture and acidity, feels serious while maintaining energy, focus and drive. Lovely lightness of touch, flows along the palate, I also love the red fruit aspects - strawberry, red cherry, bright, seering, really so joyful here with acidity that lasts and lasts. But a lovely crunch and bite to the tannins overall and lovely fresh ending. Long. wide, open, generous and friendly. Finessed and refined. True signature here where they don’t push too hard, not too heavy on the extraction.

Dark and brooding, blackcurrant, black cherry and milk chocolate with floral flecks. Thick but so juicy, really alive in the glass, forward and bold, still with bite but also density of tannins, fleshy right now. Herbal medicinal raspberry and strawberries and red cherries comprise the fruit flavours on the palate. Tannins are super smooth, really harmonious, while still having density and plushness. There are wines in this vintage that make you smile and this is one of them - very charming. The sucrosity gives a tiny bit of sweetness to the cheeks and the acidity is great. I love the savoury nature too, the liquorice and clove are well balanced and it really gives the Pauillac power. Very complete, a shining star.

Potent on the nose, the Cabernet speaking with herbal tones, some minty freshness, aniseed, vanilla and cedar. Crystalline and pristine handling of the fruit, it's so smooth and succulent, not so crisp perhaps but on the edge - strikingly clean, and very pure. Feels effortless to drink, still has concentration but a lovely easy juicines combined with grip from the well integrated tannins makes this a joy to drink. I love the cool touches, the slightly bitter, dark chocolate liquorice elements. Refined and restrained with elegance throughout, not overpowering, still with a wide finish that suggests a large structure but graceful. I love this kind of wine - one that offers a lot of pleasure and isn't too hard to think about. A great buy!

Subtle, delicate, not shouting but delivering a really nuanced glass of wine with lots of fresh acidity and soft sweetness but also a herbal element giving spiced red fruits in the glass. Feels less serious than d'Armailhac, more upfront and open, but lovely detail too. Soft, such high acidity, really so lifted in the glass, a lovely purity, clean and clear. I love the grippy tannins that almost clean the palate leaving a crushed velvet texture on the tongue with lots of generosity. Super appealing and already very pleasant and pleasing to drink.

Some candy floss notes, ripe fruit, almost sweet and perfumed, scented cherry drop sweets on the nose. I was expecting something more plush on the palate but this is just so fun with a lovely bouncy palate, cushioned and bright. Stunning sharp and bright bramble fruit flavours are given grip from the liquorice-laced tannins but overall this has so much joy, energy and character. A strong spiced backbone gives the structure with excellent freshness and tension for ageing but it's also saying 'look how fun and drinkable I am right now'. An excellent Carruades.

Dark and heady on the nose, richly fruited and perfumed, smells serious and deep and totally inviting with dark chocolate, coffee and mocha notes with blackcurrant and black cherry and spiced vanilla, tobacco and cedar. Energetic, lively, vivid and bright on the palate but deep too, such a lovely vibrancy laced with liquorice, tobacco and bitter chocolate. Definitely serious but I love the energy, potency and florality. Structured and intense, totally seductive in a heady way yet still lively with a juicy core of strawberry, red cherry and blackcurrant. Feels nicely constructed and considered. A great second wine.

Dried flowers, lots of pot pourri scents on the nose, very aromatic in a floral sense with some rich Cabernet blackcurrant flavours at the back. Smooth and lively, excellent acidity from the get go, this has a nice bounce and push but also a creaminess and a touch of spice so you're getting a lot of complexity in the mouth. A touch little rustic with clove, green pepper and cinnamon spice but I love the slightly textured grainy tannins and the freshness is there. Definitely learner than I was expecting, with a saline finish and wonderful crystalline aspect to the fruit. Clear, detailed, precise with a sense of classicism.

Ripe tones on the nose; bramble fruit with perfumed scents - gorgeous rose scents appear after a few minutes, expanding and becoming more expressive. Juicy and succulent, vibrant and thrilling on the palate, there's a sense of energy here, a liveliness straight away with high acidity and a saline, slate mineral edge to the blackcurrant and blackberry fruit. Lovely clarity and purity with textured tannins that are well integrated but give the taut and refined frame. Great focus and complexity, less textured in terms of tannins compared with 2019 but this is wide and expansive, suggesting plenty of ageing potential.

Dark fruits on the nose with purple violet floral reflections, milk chocolate and cocoa touches give hints of savoury complexity on the nose. Pumped, alive and round, this is full in the mouth, supple but with high acidity. Round and textured in the mouth with powdery, crushed velvet tannins giving the depth and width. Round, bright, vivacious, plump and juicy. Joyful but still cool and fresh with salty stone elements, blue fruits as well as plums and blackcurrants with cola touches. I really like this, feels really well worked, very complete, lively, energetic, and detailed. 3.7pH

Intense and concentrated, lots of liquorice and clove mark the palate alongside ripe blackcurrant and plum. I love the cool freshness here, despite the clear oak, it wears it well with lots of minerality and such smooth, enveloping tannins. There is refinement to this, it hasn't tried too hard to overdo it. Suave with a tiny bit of sweetness on the mid-palate and a long fresh finish. Finely textured with an appealing Cabernet signature of menthol and eucalyptus. A good effort, strong but stylish.

A serious Petit Mouton, with inky depths to the colour, and plenty of tannic hold and bite, with a lovely bitter chocolate brownie feel that steals up on you through the palate. less sexy and exuberant than in some years perhaps, but this is extremely rewarding, with waves of grilled cocoa beans and intense black fruits.

Tense and coiled, lovely styling here with bright and vibrant black fruits, a soft hit of creaminess alongside liquorice-laced tannins. Power and brawn, clearly structured and intense, this will age very well just a bit shy and tight right now. Dark chocolate, menthol freshness, plum and rosemary. Excellent tannic grip and I love the sweetness on the palate as well as overall freshness. Something very captivating about this and upscored from a tasting in September.