Château Marquis de Terme 2020

Needs some aeration, then notes of ripe berries; an imposing, particularly fruity style, with noticeable but well-managed extract, great length; an impressive wine in the line of recent years.

Frankly ripe, this extroverted version brims with warmed boysenberry, açaí and blackberry purée, supported by singed sandalwood, black tea and violet notes along the way. Broad, velvety finish. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2034. 10,000 cases made.

Roses and patchouli on the nose. Svelte and charming on the palate, sumptuous yet restrained and delicate. Excellent definition and persistence with real florality and cool blue fruits touched by herbs. It’s not massively weighty—more linear and focused—but with style. Pretty, seductive and alive, in the best way, with a juicy core. An excellent effort this year, a wine that will be approachable soon but will also age. Sleek, refined, cool and classic.

This has aromas of graphite, blackcurrants, blackberries, walnuts and mint chocolate. It’s focused and full-bodied with a frame of polished, firm tannins. All wonderfully integrated and persistent. Firm and fine. Try after 2025.

The 2020 Marquis de Terme is a potent, heady wine. Dark cherry, plum, gravel, incense and sweet oak give this concentrated Margaux tons of flavor intensity. Ultimately, though, the 2020 feels heavy. I expected a little more.

Licorice, black cherries, blackberries, cocoa, crushed rocks and violets pop in the nose. On the palate, the wine is silky, plush and creamy, with a wealth of lusciously textured black and red fruits and a touch of spicy chocolate that carries from the mid-palate all the way through to the finish. Drink from 2025-2050.

Dark ruby, purple reflections, deep core, soft brightening on the rim. Subtle floral notes, hints of blackberries and liquorice, ripe red cherries, tangerine zest. Juicy, elegant, nuances of red berries, vivid, ripe tannins, mineral, a fine sweetness on the finish, long-lasting, still needs time. (2025-2040).

Pure and stylish, with some stony notes, discreet yet ripe fruit of raspberry and cassis, and a sweet spiciness. The palate is classically dense with a fine tannic backbone, ripe yet fresh, well-proportioned, and finishing long and elegant.

The flagship 2020 Château Marquis De Terme is clearly a step up and is based on 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot. Aged entirely in once-used oak for 16 months, it has a pure bouquet of cassis, violets, chocolate, and toasted spices. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it shows the pure, focused, elegant style of the vintage, has ultra-fine tannins, and outstanding length. It’s one of the finest wines from this estate I’ve tasted, and the quality here continues to skyrocket.

Lush blueberry-scented bouquet with licorice, violets and milk chocolate. On the creamy palate, soft texture, wonderful extract richness, supporting verve, and a well-toned body. The focused, aromatic finish shows blackberry, Morello cherries and light noble wood. A Margaux on the rise.

Kunz barrel sample 2021: Dense, creamy, fresh, full bouquet; redcurrant jelly, blackberries, mulberries, slate, fresh herbs. Tightly knit, multi-layered, elegant, fresh palate with a dense, silky, finely muscular structure, diverse sweet aromas, plenty of fine tannins, powerful, fresh aromatics, long, full finish.

Dense, creamy, fresh, full bouquet: redcurrant jelly, blackberries, mulberries, slate, fresh herbs. Tightly interwoven, multi-layered, elegant, fresh palate with a dense, silky, finely muscular structure, diverse sweet aromatics, plenty of fine tannins, powerful, fresh aromatics, long, full finish. 18/20 2027 - 2045

Earthy, intense cedar, sandalwood and incense, autumnal fruits, finesed tannins shot through with mocha, gingerbread and cocoa bean. This is an impressive vintage at Marquis de Terme, quite different in character from the 2019, darker and more concentrated, with long ageing potential. 50% new oak for ageing, Diam cork, cold soak, natural yeasts, punching down, harvest September 15 to October 2. Laurent David estate director, Sénéclauze family owners. Julien Viaud of Rolland & Associés winemaking consultant.

Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2020 Marquis de Terme prances out with showy notes of black cherries, warm cassis, and redcurrant preserves, plus touches of garrigue, lilacs, and allspice. The medium-bodied palate is filled with fragrant black and red berry layers, supported by fine-grained tannins and seamless freshness, finishing on a peppery note.

The wine shows ripe fruit, with a firm, squared profile and plentiful tannins. The whole is still a little disjointed and will require patient cellaring. As we often write: “the tannic mass needs to be polished.”

Beneath a dark robe, the nose is hard to define at first, then reassuring aromas of ripe, powerful fruit emerge, with concentrated clove notes and balsamic tones, plus a subtle hint of yellow spices and paprika. On the palate, an unexpected delicacy offsets the initial imprecision on the nose, with notes of red berries and redcurrants, leading to a long, indulgent and elegant finish.

With good intensity, the bouquet of Marquis de Terme reveals floral and fruity nuances. Linear in character, the wine shows breadth, good aromatic expression, and length. Its fine-grained tannins provide solid support and align with the freshness of the acidic structure. An elegant, harmonious wine with good ageing potential.

Dark, intense, and beautiful color. Very aromatic nose, refined, fruity, pure, ripe, and even complex. A soft, smooth, and very caressing palate, with a slight lack of flavor on the finish. Normal length and seamless.

92–94. Barrel Sample. This wine has a definite firm structure with its initial dry tannins. Slowly the black fruits seep through to promise balance, richness in structure and fruits for the future.