“Moving to the single vineyard 2020 Côte Rôtie La Landonne, this beauty is 100% Syrah that spent 16 months in a mix of new and used barrels. It's similarly deep purple/plum-hued yet has a more mineral-laced, focused, full-bodied style as well as classic La Landonne notes of smoked meats, liquid violets, creosote, blueberry, and black raspberries, with a gorgeous, sappy, floral character that you don't find in every La Landonne out there. Deep, rich, and seamless, I love its overall balance, and it has perfectly ripe, integrated tannins, good acidity, and a blockbuster of a finish. I followed this bottle for multiple days, and it gained richness and depth and, even after three days of being open, didn't show a hint of fatigue or oxidation. Nevertheless, it's a modern-day Côte Rôtie that already offers incredible pleasure yet will have 25+ years of overall longevity if well-stored. Bravo. ”

“Of the two Côte Rôties, the 2020 Côte Rôtie Seigneur de Maugiron is clearly the more forward and charming, with a gorgeous nose of black raspberries, blueberries, spring flowers, and bacon fat all defining this deep purple-hued, medium to full-bodied 2020. All Syrah from a mix of terroirs, aged in new and once used barrels, it has the vintage’s ripe, voluptuous, sexy style yet has sound underlying tannins, flawless balance, and a great finish. Drink this incredibly pleasurable Côte Rôtie over the coming decade or so. ”

“Lastly, the 2020 Hermitage Ligne de Crête comes from the highest point on Hermitage and was destemmed and saw 20 months in a mix of new and once-used barrels. It's clearly the biggest, baddest beauty in the lineup and is another palate-saturating Hermitage with extraordinary richness and depth. Blackberries, currants, black truffle, smoked meats, espresso, and new leather notes all define this incredible wine, which has a deep, full-bodied, multi-dimensional mouthfeel, ripe, velvety tannins, and incredibly minerality that emerges on the finish. This is legit, awesome Hermitage that needs to be forgotten for just 4-6 years and will evolve for 30+ years if well-stored.”

“Moving to the three Hermitage releases, the 2020 Hermitage Domaine Des Tourettes offers a deep, saturated purple hue as well as a powerful bouquet of scorched earth, creosote, peppered meat, liquid violets, and both black and blue fruits. Aged 18 months in one-third new French oak, it's full-bodied, has the vintage's ripe, concentrated style, ample underlying structure, and outstanding length. It's a gorgeous Hermitage that readers will love to have in their cellar. It will benefit from 2-4 years of bottle age and keep for two decades. It's up with the finest vintages of this cuvée ever produced.”

“The 2020 Hermitage Les Bessards is a behemoth, with palate-saturating levels of fruit and texture while it still stays pure, focused, and mineral-laced, with a classic Hermitage personality. Blue fruits, truffle, burning embers, sappy spring flowers, and liquid rock-like notes all define the aromatics, and it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, ripe, polished, yet building tannins, and a gorgeous finish. As with all of Jacques’ wines today, there's a certain polish and accessibility, yet this incredible Hermitage deserves 5-7 years in the cellar, and I'd be shocked to see it not have 30 years of overall longevity. ”