2020 Pavillon Rouge du Château Margaux 2ème Cru, Margaux

2% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot. The alcohol weighs in at 13.6%. Deep purple-black in color, the nose slowly unfurls to reveal gorgeous floral notes of lilacs and red roses, leading to a core of blackcurrant cordial, Morello cherries and minted blackberries, plus wafts of crushed rocks, forest floor and tilled loam. The medium to full-bodied palate is a mouthful of pure vinous seduction, slowly releasing layers of perfumed black fruits and mineral accents within a frame of achingly plush tannins and seamless freshness, finishing with epic length and a whole array of fragrant earth sparks.

92-94 points Lisa Perrotti- Brown robertparker.com

“What I like in 2020 is the intensity of the flavors, the wines are more floral. It is amazing to have a young wine so immediately complex,” said Chateau Margaux’s technical director, Philippe Bascaules. “We had 80 millimeters of rain on the 13th of August. This completely stopped the stress on the vines; it stopped the dehydration. In 2018, we had dehydration in September, even in 2019. This explains the higher levels of alcohol. We didn’t see this dehydration in 2020. But why do we have this high level of phenolics? Because the skins in 2020 were even richer than in 2018 and 2019—they were rich in phenolics. Even if we didn’t have the higher alcohol as a solvent, we had more tannins in the wines. They diffused very easily to the juice. It was a sign of very good ripeness. We picked 10th through 30th September. Fortunately, we had an early harvest—before it turned cold and wet.” No doubt thanks to the deep, free-draining gravels accounting for much of the vineyard area here and quickly dispensing with excess water during the August rains, the grand vin of Chateau Margaux is an absolute standout among my tastings of the wines of Médoc. It has grace with just enough generosity and sustained mid-palate intensity as well as a long finish. The quality of the tannins and the layers are phenomenal, but it is the freshness that is truly mind-blowing. Sensational performance in 2020!

The 2020 Pavillon Rouge de Château Margaux has an understated nose at first, gradually opening to offer raspberry and wild strawberry and subtle iodine scents in the background, precise but not wishing to create too much of a fuss. The palate is medium-bodied with a pliant opening. There is a discreet lushness conveyed by this Pavillon Rouge. At its core is brambly red fruit laced with white pepper and sour cherry, and just a faint pencil lead and black olive note right on the finish. I suspect that this will be a more approachable Pavillon Rouge compared to the 2018 and 2019, but it will certainly not shortchange anyone in terms of elegance.

91-93 points Neal Martin vinous.com

The 2020 Pavillon Rouge shows just how compelling the vintage is. Rich red berry fruit, red plum, cedar, spice and licorice meld together in a sumptuous, racy yet impeccably balanced wine that is flat-out delicious. It displays tremendous reserve, freshness and nuance, and clean veins of salinity that refresh the finish. The blend is 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot and 2% Cabernet Franc. The Pavillon Rouge represents 31% of the harvest.

92-94 points Antonio Galloni vinous.com

Blackberry and graphite with dark fruit and violets on the nose. Very complex. Full-bodied with lovely, fine tannins that are lightly chewy. Extremely long and polished. Really refined. Integrated tannins. Wonderful length.

Sinewed muscle, nuanced aromatics, graphite, gunsmoke, fresh tobacco leaf and blackberry puree. Great purity of fruits, a ton of lift and freshly crushed mint leaf aromatics that grip and curl out of the glass. One of the really successful second wines in the vintage. 31% of the overall blend. 2% of Cabernet Franc completes the blend.

94 points Jane Anson decanter.com