Château Labégorce 2020

Smoked cedar oak on the nose, a welcome touch in a vintage where tannins have frequently been turned up to 11. Grilled almonds; really a campfire edge. I like this, works well with the vintage. The fruit softens through the mid palate but the team has done a great job of finding extra layers flavour and complexity. Good stuff. 40% new oak. 2% Petit Verdot completes the blend. Yields around 32hl/ha. Just 20mm of rain in August here, which meant veraison was more difficult. Tasted this also at the estate, and both times I was impressed. Less opulent than 2019, more classic and serious but this is great. Harvest September 16 to October 1. Drinking window: 2026-2038. Score – 93. (Jane Anson, decanter.com, March 17, 2023)