Château d'Arsac 2020

Round and wide, this has a nice energy and texture from the start; slightly grainy tannins give grip and hold the ripe red cherry, strawberry and raspberry fruit in place, while the acidity carries freshness from the outset through to the long, minty-fresh finish. The fruit feels well worked and there is a nice harmony to it. Refined and charming. An easy wine to recommend. Consultant: Eric Boissenot.

Blackcurrants, mushrooms, bark, and black cherries. Some tar. Full-bodied with juicy, chewy tannins and a long, flavorful finish. A solid red for the vintage. Drink after 2025.

Exceptional Cru Bourgeois. 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot on fine gravel or sandy gravel. Yield: 40 hl/ha. 12 months in barrels (40% new, 40% second-use, 20% third-use). 150,000 bottles. Well-polished tannins and slightly raw, 'green' fruit. This tastes a little underripe. And short. (JR)

Dried flowers, herbs, tobacco leaf, lead pencil and cherry aromas are your initial attraction. On the palate, the wine is medium-bodied, fruity, forward and fresh with a nice blast of sweet, ripe, polished cherries on the mid-palate and in the creamy finish where you find a refreshing note of spearmint on the backend. Drink from 2023-2037.

Tight tannins on the opening beats, with evident acidity, but this has plenty of depth through the mid-palate, and well-extracted redcurrant and raspberry fruits, with soft grilled campfire smoke and fennel punctuation. Arsac was promoted to Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel status on 1 January 2020, making this the first vintage under the ranking.

The 2020 d’Arsac is deep garnet-purple in color. It has subtle notes of stewed black and red cherries and freshly crushed blackcurrants, with hints of wild sage and black tea. Light to medium-bodied, the herbs-laced palate is refreshing and savory, with bags of freshness and a chewy finish.

90-91

Intense aromas of violet, raspberry, blackcurrant and white pepper shape a complex, powerful nose. This power carries through on the palate, highlighted by supple, enveloping tannins and a fresh, elegant texture. The long, structured finish balances the power that defines this vintage.

Château d’Arsac stands out for its linear character, its ability to show its very high level from the first seconds and to stay the course right through to the finish… and beyond! Even if it steps onto the stage on tiptoe, the wine quickly lays down its markers, asserting its youth with a touch of reduction while also demonstrating its class through its plurality. Yes, reduction is part of the wine’s fundamental rights! Well framed by serene, powerful and silky tannins, the wine highlights its freshness and its ability to stand the test of time. Now, it should be left alone—it wants to rest!

92–94. Barrel Sample. Structured with some serious tannins, this wine has tannins that support the black currant fruits. It is a complex, rich wine with a fine stylish character that will stay with the wine as it ages.