Predominantly Merlot, with a small portion of Cabernet Franc. 14.5% ABV. Half-bottle. Decanted for three hours in a small decanter. Dark ruby colour. Dark fruit, blueberry, blackberry, dark plum, espresso, chocolate, spices, and vanilla, with medium-level acidity, fine-grained tannin, and very good length. Very tight upon opening, but the wine opened up after extended aeration in the decanter. The alcohol shows a little, and I would not be surprised if it is higher than the 14.5% stated on the label, but the plush texture stands out. To my surprise, the wine struggled to compete with the rib-eye steak. The generous dose of new oak will need some time to integrated. I would hold the 2020 Belair-Monange for a few years, and start drinking from 2028+.
I tasted this 2020 Château Belair-Monange side-by-side with the 2020 Château Beausejour Duffau-Lagarrosse. Both wines will be remarkable in their category, and both are not ready yet. The Belair-Monange is broader and more accessible, with the plusher texture, and will drink well earlier. That said, I like the Beausejour Duffau-Lagarrosse even better since it is fresher, more complex, and even better structured than the Belair-Monange, and will ultimately be longer-lived than the Belair-Monange. 92(+)(?)
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Expressive nose with smokey blackberry and black plum. Medium to full bodied on the palate with plush tannins and good acidity. Very persistent finish. Lots of potential.
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Spell-binding in every sense of the word, you can sense this is special from the initial sniff with its showy bouquet of white and purple flowers, black, red, and blue fruits, crushed rocks, espresso, and licorice. On the palate, the wine is concentrated and intense, finishing with a majestic combination of black plums, black cherries, chocolate, sea salt, and velvet-laced tannins. The final end note appears close to the 60-second mark. This will age and effortlessly evolve for the next 3 decades with ease. Drink from 2027-2060.
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Tasted next to 2015. Equally ripe and concentrated with great depth, but at the same time juicier, purer, more vibrant. Very long and intense finish. Excellent. 96-97+
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Full-bodied, concentrated, rich and velvety, the wine promptly provides layer after layer of flawlessly ripe, black and dark red pit fruits, crushed rocks, licorice, espresso, smoke and flowers. Long, deep, rich, concentrated and focused, the wine finishes with a majestic combination of minerals, black plums, black cherries, dark cocoa, velvet-laced tannins and spice. The stony finish sticks with you for close to 60 seconds. Give this at least a decade before pulling a cork and enjoy it over the next 3 decades with little effort. 98-100
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Very dense and rich on the nose, CF quite pronounced, has ripeness but a freshness too; dense and concentrated on the palate, very fine tannins, lovely balance with the fruit, refreshing acidity. Some oak spice shows itself on the finish but the fruit is very impressive here. 93-95
Expressive nose or ripe red and mostly dark cherries, dark berries with some cedar and dried herbs in the background. Rich yet balanced mid-palate with high acidity and fine grained tannins. Layered, polished with good depth and long finish.95-96
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Vibrant colour. Redder notes, especially raspberry – the nose is very fine, pretty, and elegant… less ‘showy’ but very good definition and purity. Lovely, layered fruit, super energy, and drive. Lifted and juicy, has a spicy fragrance…. This is incredibly fine and sophisticated and very long. Brilliant stuff.
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1/26/2024 - PSPatrick wrote: 92 Points
Predominantly Merlot, with a small portion of Cabernet Franc. 14.5% ABV. Half-bottle. Decanted for three hours in a small decanter. Dark ruby colour. Dark fruit, blueberry, blackberry, dark plum, espresso, chocolate, spices, and vanilla, with medium-level acidity, fine-grained tannin, and very good length. Very tight upon opening, but the wine opened up after extended aeration in the decanter. The alcohol shows a little, and I would not be surprised if it is higher than the 14.5% stated on the label, but the plush texture stands out. To my surprise, the wine struggled to compete with the rib-eye steak. The generous dose of new oak will need some time to integrated. I would hold the 2020 Belair-Monange for a few years, and start drinking from 2028+.
I tasted this 2020 Château Belair-Monange side-by-side with the 2020 Château Beausejour Duffau-Lagarrosse. Both wines will be remarkable in their category, and both are not ready yet. The Belair-Monange is broader and more accessible, with the plusher texture, and will drink well earlier. That said, I like the Beausejour Duffau-Lagarrosse even better since it is fresher, more complex, and even better structured than the Belair-Monange, and will ultimately be longer-lived than the Belair-Monange.
92(+)(?)
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11/21/2023 - Irish_Wine Likes this wine: 95 Points
Expressive nose with smokey blackberry and black plum. Medium to full bodied on the palate with plush tannins and good acidity. Very persistent finish. Lots of potential.
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4/26/2023 - Jeff Leve wrote: 97 Points
Spell-binding in every sense of the word, you can sense this is special from the initial sniff with its showy bouquet of white and purple flowers, black, red, and blue fruits, crushed rocks, espresso, and licorice. On the palate, the wine is concentrated and intense, finishing with a majestic combination of black plums, black cherries, chocolate, sea salt, and velvet-laced tannins. The final end note appears close to the 60-second mark. This will age and effortlessly evolve for the next 3 decades with ease. Drink from 2027-2060.
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2/8/2023 - rossi.wine wrote: 97 Points
Tasted next to 2015. Equally ripe and concentrated with great depth, but at the same time juicier, purer, more vibrant. Very long and intense finish. Excellent. 96-97+
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5/20/2021 - Jeff Leve wrote: 99 Points
Full-bodied, concentrated, rich and velvety, the wine promptly provides layer after layer of flawlessly ripe, black and dark red pit fruits, crushed rocks, licorice, espresso, smoke and flowers. Long, deep, rich, concentrated and focused, the wine finishes with a majestic combination of minerals, black plums, black cherries, dark cocoa, velvet-laced tannins and spice. The stony finish sticks with you for close to 60 seconds. Give this at least a decade before pulling a cork and enjoy it over the next 3 decades with little effort. 98-100
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5/11/2021 - vespasian wrote: 94 Points
Very dense and rich on the nose, CF quite pronounced, has ripeness but a freshness too; dense and concentrated on the palate, very fine tannins, lovely balance with the fruit, refreshing acidity. Some oak spice shows itself on the finish but the fruit is very impressive here. 93-95
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4/27/2021 - Yorgos Likes this wine: 95 Points
Expressive nose or ripe red and mostly dark cherries, dark berries with some cedar and dried herbs in the background. Rich yet balanced mid-palate with high acidity and fine grained tannins. Layered, polished with good depth and long finish.95-96
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4/22/2021 - Shrewsram Likes this wine: 95 Points
Vibrant colour.
Redder notes, especially raspberry – the nose is very fine, pretty, and elegant… less ‘showy’ but very good definition and purity. Lovely, layered fruit, super energy, and drive. Lifted and juicy, has a spicy fragrance…. This is incredibly fine and sophisticated and very long. Brilliant stuff.
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