Pomerol 2020 in bottle: overview plus top-scoring wines

A sure fire hit in 2020 and one of my absolute favourites of the vintage. Perfumed black cherries, roses and dark chocolate on the nose: ripe and fresh aromas. The crystalline fruit purity and finesse is wonderful while still filling the mouth with a density to the crushed velvet-textured tannins that give the structure and cushioning. Seriously appealing and charming, it’s big and clearly powerful with layers of black fruit, but it has a sense of restraint where nothing feels overworked. Perfectly weighted with balance, poise and persistence – you know you're drinking something special here.

A seriously impressive Petrus in 2020. Less hedonistic and instantly emotional than 2019, more sultry, almost shy and reserved but with definition, weight, succulence and suppleness that shines through. It has a silky tannic tension and clear power but not heft, only a soft muscular expansion that comes with a grip and chew to the black fruits with medicinal, liquorice edges and mouthwatering acidity. Understated yet utterly captivating, it takes its time to come out of its shell - a little serious right now but at the same time it’s stylish with a bright, lifted finish reminding you of the juicy freshness that’s possible even in such warm vintages. A shining star that will be magnificent in time.

Sumptuous and stylish, this, like many of the best in 2020, is quietly confident showing just enough structure and seriousness while still being joyous and sensual. Blueberries, pomegranates and raspberries comprise the clear and crystalline fruit with cooling minty freshness alongside touches of dark chocolate and licks of medicinal and exotic spices. Tannins are supple and just chewy, giving the perfect weight to the palate with a wet stone aspect to the long finish. Totally moreish, I adore this wine.

Glamour and seduction in spades at L'Evangile giving classic Pomerol typicity with a kick. Floral and expressive on the nose with pink and purple flowers, pink peppercorns, white and dark chocolate, raspberries and black cherries. Gorgeous texture on the palate, rich, deep, potent in the weight and tannic frame - chalky, ripe, mouthfilling, gently chewy giving bounce to the blackcurrant, plum, strawberry and cherry fruit while the minerality and salinity give a cool, fresh undercurrent. Clearly youthful and strict but such long length, really direct and focussed. Sleek yet muscular, everything feels precise and sculpted with a lingering clove and cinnamon edge giving the angles and tension right now. Clean and straight with precision, shape and style, tons of energy and juiciness. A great wine.

A seriously memorable wine from La Conseillante in 2020. Uplifting and glamorous with blackcurrant patisserie, scented flowers - the Cabernet Franc showing itself on the nose, alongside herbal touches with dark chocolate. Immediately juicy and so lively and bright on the palate turning creamy with a combination of chalky and bitter tannins and touches of wet stone lifted by the almost sweet Merlot fruit with freshness all the way through. A real ‘drink me’ wine with balance and harmony that grows and expands as it opens.

Smooth, supple and alive in the glass, this has an energy and brightness. It’s compact and there’s density and concentration, but coiled right now, almost narrow, driving the flavours vertically. Seriously elegant, sophisticated and intellectual with the savoury elements of wet stone, liquorice, dried earth, tobacco and an iris and violet florality lingering and dominating, but this manages to be complex and detailed with polished tannins and a sense of absolute purity. A great Lafleur that will take its time, only just offering a glimpse of what’s to come.

A pure, classy, understated VCC that manages to be elegant and delicate while hinting its potential for glamour and star power. Coiled and tightly knitted with rich and ripe black fruit flavours; currants, plums, figs and blackcurrants with a scintillating energy and grip. Effortlessly stylish yet beguiling, more of a sleeping beauty right now, concentration is clear with such detail to the fruit, well integrated tannins and thrilling acidity, but delivered sleekly. Confident winemaking on show, a wine that has been 'crafted for our children and grandchildren' says Alexandre Thienpont.

Smooth and silky, rich for sure, you know you're in Pomerol in a ripe vintage with just-chewy tannins but that also have a cooling, crisp edge. Lots of herbal nuances and some bitterness in the coffee, black chocolate, clove and tobacco nuances but there’s good acidity and vibrancy overall. Really well controlled and delivered, retaining a sense of punchy classicism balancing richness, freshness, delicacy and plushness.

Ripe, dark chocolate, floral scents, rich blackcurrants - heady but refined. Supple and racy on the palate, thrilling even, a livewire of a wine. A combination of bitter and sour, savouriness and acidity. Much more freshness than I was expecting with clarity and precision. Lean and sinewy but with a wide finish. Less sexy more suave and it knows it! Quality of the tannins is excellent and this caresses the palate comfortably. A seamless and glowing Le Pin.

Lively on the nose, so expressive but in a lifted bright and lively way, not so dark and brooding more 'look how pretty I am right now'. Floral and dark fruit - blackcurrant, plum, red cherry, powerful but poised too, this has elegance and charisma form the start, bright acidity gives a slightly strict frame but the fruit, tannis, acidity, oak handling are supremely good. Feels so beautiful, a touch shy, with liquorice edges and some dark chocolate elements. Supremely easy to like and see the star quality here. It’s intense and concentrated but shimmers and shines in the glass. The purity is exceptional and I love the balance and length. Detailed and well designed - what a wine!

Herbal-edged raspberries and red cherries, bramble elements, coffee, tobacco, clove, dark chocolate., violets, roses and dark berries on the nose. Silky but sleek, rich but firm, this has a focus to it straight away, crushed velvet tannins give the cushioning but with a cool blue and black fruit and wet stone, mineral grip that expands in the mouth. Still a little closed, this is knitted down - you get the power and the concentration - there's density but it's waiting and taking its time. A little strict but there is a pixelation of elements with lots of freshness. Just shy right now, this will grow into a beauty. Well executed and deliberate. Concentrated and classy with incredible length. Ageing 15 months, 60% new oak.

Dark and heady, smooth but still lean with a sense of seriousness with firm tannins that fill the mouth. Lovely high acidity offsets the powdery, chalky texture with perfumed blackberries and cherries alongside liquorice and cola touches. Rich and quite dense but with lovely persistence and energy.

Coffee, cocoa, dark chocolate, tobacco, cinnamon, caramel, vanilla - exotic spices and savoury tones mingle with the ripe dark fruit on the nose. Incredibly aromatic but also extremely serious and potent. A little pent up on the palate, tannins are textured like crushed velvet, but not super-plush, there is a grain and grip to them giving the weight, overall frame and density. The fruit is ripe and has purity, but this is broad and powerful, concentrated and intense. It’s a specific style - extremely glamorous overt Pomerol but keeps the energy with a juicy, clean freshness.

Rich nose immediately showing off the warm vintage but also has a delicacy to it, a sense of gentle florality, crushed rose petals and red fruits. Smooth and supple, generous, but creamy and soft. The weight comes from the layering of flavours and gentle persistence and push of the ripe tannins but they're cool and fine too, and this has a soft liquorice spice throughout. Great Pomerol typicity - pretty and gentle with balanced acidity. Feels very complete - subtle and seductive - deepening vertically but keeping the frame and detail. Already feels approachable, I love it!

Heady and perfumed on the nose. A little constricted on the palate, slightly tense tannins coat the mouth with a perfumed, almost liqueur aspect to the dark black fruit. It stops short of being too much and instead gives nuance and aromatics. It's bold, but glamorous too, has a sense of style to the sculpting and overall presentation. Tons of Pomerol polish, oak effects are still very evident so this needs a good 5-10 years before opening but it will be devilishly good when the time comes.

Lifted and vibrant on the nose, lovely fresh red and black fruit nuances. Beguiling and enjoyable at the same time, giving a seductive core of strawberry, red cherry and raspberry - with high acidity - alongside liquorice-edged tannins that give the depth and density. Well worked, this retains a sense of style and signature, so easy to drink and to like, but with plenty of power, precision and focus. This wine just delivers on all fronts, balanced, harmonious, lovely high acidity giving the energy plus the texture which is just the perfect weight. You could drink this now but it will age so well. I just love this wine so much, clean, clear, crisp and stylish, it’s the undiscovered supermodel in a bottle. Yum!

Silky yet crunchy and chewy, this is smooth and supple with a lovely immediate brightness to the fruits, a crystalline aspect and almost sharp/sour tang to the mid-palate. The acidity is clearly present while the ripe fruit flavours settle around the edges of the mouth before a saltiness and salivation comes in towards the end. A super refined Pomerol in a year where you could have gone too far. This has a lovely tannic structure, grippy and expanding vertically on the mid-palate. I love the immediate appeal, the bright red fruits, cherry and strawberry tang, a hint of slate, and the overall freshness. It's elegant with a sense of sleekness and precision. Excellent work happening at this estate. 90IPT. 3.6pH. Ageing 40% new oak, 14 months.

Ripe fruit aromas alongside vanilla and cinnamon, dark and brooding with soft floral flecks. A little more serious than I was expecting, this is taught and focused, direct, streamlined - it feels little tight and withholding some of its joy right now. Clearly powerful and potent, a core of ripe fruit but the salinity is showing through with wet stone, graphite, pencil lead touches alongside cool minty blueberries. Feels as If it hasn't quite hit its stride, but it's sleek with a lovely tannic impression. A bit of heat comes across in fig elements, with some cedar and cinnamon and liquorice spicing, but it works well with the vintage, taking what was given and presenting a fuller, bolder style. Will take time to come around but will be lovely when it does. They haven't tried too hard here and I love the focus and purity you get on the mid-palate.

A juicy intensity with bright red fruits, delicate and alive in the glass - friendly but with a salty liquorice kick that gives it some seriousness. Lean and direct but polished and clean on the finish. A touch of lingering heat at the end but this has vibrancy and is well structured with clear bite and power.

Ripe and full on the palate, really gorgeous weight in the perfumed, filling tannins, just stopping short of being too liquorice. The fruit has a dried raisin edge, with rich and powerful black cherry and plum flavours. A little closed and tight right now, the texture puts up a wall and stops some of the fruit enjoyment. It does have a nice frame and weight, and there is a sleekness here, but it's also a bit oaky on the mid-palate and finish with a cinnamon and clove tang that sticks out. Plenty of structure and life, this will be delicious.

Supple and juicy, but still quite tight in terms of texture. A little reserved perhaps, the coiled and muscular mid-palate stops some of the push from the fruit which is really well defined with a crystalline aspect to it. Real purity and freshness, tannins have an appealing grip with a salty, cola, liquorice, dark chocolate and coffee powder edge to them. Lots of nuance and complexity.

Blackcurrant, milk chocolate and floral scents - lovely expression, alive and forward. Stylish and compelling, this hits the mark straight away, bold and tangy, with a sharpness to the fruit profile from high acidity. Tannins give a layered effect with detail and precision and you can feel the sculpting. Juicy and alive, there's great energy and charm, upfront and forward, shining out of the glass. Generous and almost sweet but then straightens and tightens on the finish, giving a tongue scraping clean element with salty, minerality, liquorice and oak spice. The 2019 is more cool and classic, but this will appeal to all. Showcases the talent and hardwork done at the estate for the past 15 years.

Coiled with tension and focus. The elements feel well worked with an appealing, grainy grip to the tannins, dark fruit and perfumed nuances. Feels really quite glamorous and heady. Structured and concentrated no doubt, but with a nice blackcurrant juiciness and well integrated wood. Long finish.

Black pepper, liquorice, cedar, cinnamon, some dark chocolate on the nose, quite savoury and dark in nature. Floral and aromatic, with some potent black fruit aromas. Heady, smooth and succulent, quite mouthwatering but also a bit severe, the liquorice tang coming through and giving this a bit of potency. A touch woody and lacking in charm right now, but packs a punch and is glamorous. Structured for the long run.