The 2020 Le Prieure Bordeaux Blend is a meticulously crafted wine from the renowned Saint Emilion region of Bordeaux, France. Produced by Le Prieure, this red wine features a blend of 83% Merlot and 17% Cabernet Franc, with an alcohol content of 14.5%. It is sealed with a traditional cork closure.
This vintage has received high praise from several respected wine critics, earning scores that range from 93 to 96 points. Antonio Galloni of Vinous awarded it an impressive 96 points, describing the wine as "elegant and nuanced" with "linear intensity and vibrancy more than size." He highlights the beautifully delineated flavors of blue/purplish fruit, lavender, spice, mocha, and crushed rocks, concluding that the "clean, intensely mineral finish is absolutely striking."
Jeff Leve from TheWineCellarInsider.com gave the wine 95 points, noting its "flashy display of minerality, fresh, ripe cherries, silky tannins, and long, expansive finish." He recommends drinking it between 2025 and 2050, emphasizing the purity of the fruit.
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate also rated the wine highly, with a score range of 93-95 points. The review mentions the wine's deep purple-black color and fragrant notes of lilacs, underbrush, and sandalwood, complemented by Morello cherries and plum preserves. The medium to full-bodied palate is praised for its energy, tension, and plush texture, finishing long and perfumed.
Decanter awarded the wine 94 points, appreciating its "juicy and alive" palate with a "real zing" and "core of ripe fruit and lots of acidity." The review notes the wine's "vibrant and punchy yet reined in" nature, calling it a "top buy."
Jane Anson, also rating it 94 points, describes the wine as "sculpted and precise" with a "fine but confident tannic frame," filled with blueberry and raspberry fruit, and a saline sting. She highlights the organic winemaking practices and the transition of ownership to Arkea.
Other notable reviews include Jeb Dunnuck's 93-point rating, citing "ripe Bing cherries, plums, spicy oak, and incense notes," and James Suckling's 93 points, mentioning "aromas of ripe dark fruit, crushed walnuts, chocolate, and overturned earth."
Overall, the 2020 Le Prieure is celebrated for its elegance, purity, and complexity, making it a standout Bordeaux blend worth cellaring.