The 2020 Beausejour (Duffau Lagarrosse) Bordeaux Blend, hailing from Saint Emilion in the Bordeaux region of France, presents itself as an exemplar of the vintage. This red wine, sealed with a cork, is a blend predominantly composed of Merlot with a significant portion of Cabernet Franc.
This wine has received high accolades across notable publications, with Jeb Dunnuck awarding it a perfect score of 100. Dunnuck describes it as a "tour de force from this incredible terroir" and highlights its "sensationally pure bouquet of black raspberries, blueberries, scorched earth, graphite, and a dense, smoky, floral character." He praises its "voluptuous, layered mouthfeel," and notes that it has "the density, purity, precision, and vibrancy of this vintage perfectly." Dunnuck asserts the wine will evolve for over 40 years, placing it in the ranks of the 2009, 2010, and 2016 vintages.
Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate, represented by William Kelley, gave the wine 94+ points. Kelley describes the 2020 vintage as "showing well in bottle," with "aromas of dark berries, plums, licorice, rose petals and spices framed by creamy new oak." He notes that the wine, vinified by Nicolas Thienpont and his team, but blended by Joséphine Duffau, features "a rich core of fruit, lively acids and chalky structure."
Jeff Leve from TheWineCellarInsider.com awarded it 97 points, emphasizing its "power, finesse, length, purity, and complexity." He notes the wine's vibrant palate and describes its finish as "lively, vibrant, long... you want to enjoy it again and again."
Vinous, with a score of 97, and Decanter, also at 97, both commend the wine for its sophistication and polished nature. Antonio Galloni from Vinous highlights its "crushed red berry fruit, lavender, rose petal, cinnamon, and blood orange," while Decanter appreciates its "dark, cool, sleek and textured" expression.
James Suckling awarded it 97 points, noting its "blackberries with lavender, cedar, sandalwood and flowers," and suggesting it has "excellent precision and aging potential."
Lastly, Jane Anson gave it 98 points, describing it as "intense but delicate," with a "huge aging potential" and a "Burgundian" style, making it stand out even among its peers on the limestone plateau of Saint Emilion.
In summary, the 2020 Beausejour (Duffau Lagarrosse) is a wine of significant complexity, depth, and aging potential, receiving outstanding reviews across the board.