Château de Pressac 2020

Boasts baked plum and blackberry cobbler notes backed by cedary tannins, with savory and black tea flecks as well. Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenère and Malbec. Drink now through 2028. 7,000 cases made, 300 cases imported.

Juicy and lively, with plenty of liquorice and dark chocolate notes lacing the blackcurrant, raspberry, blueberry and plum fruit. Feels well crafted with balanced acidity and a super-sleek texture, and I love the limestone touches – the salinity and minerality. Tannins are fine and well integrated. There’s a classicism here despite being a big wine – clearly well structured – yet it shows lovely pure acidity, a clean fruit profile and long length. Feels supremely well made – definitely one I wanted another glass of! Understated charm and great value.

This has a dark and spiced character with plums and blackberries on offer as well as chocolate and walnut undertones. Medium- to full-bodied with firm tannins and a toned, vivid character. Deep and black-fruited palate with a textured, lingering finish. Drink from 2025.

The 2020 Château de Pressac has an attractive nose with blackberry, briary and undergrowth scents, a touch of minerality, and is nicely focused with well-integrated oak. The palate is balanced with supple tannins, fleshy and pliant, silky-smooth with a plush and seductive, candied finish. Lovely.

Medium-bodied, elegant, soft and fresh, with a core of ripe, sweet, vibrant red fruits, silky tannins, and a finish of chalk, cocoa, espresso, and cherries. Drink from 2023–2045.

Deep dark ruby, purple reflections, deep core, subtle ochre brightening on the rim. Dark berry fruit with herbal savouriness in the background, ripe plums, nougat, candied orange zest; an inviting bouquet. Complex on the palate, juicy and sweet, ripe berry fruit, round tannins, elegant and long-lasting. Already well developed, an excellent food wine with good ageing potential, tremendous value for money.

Inky dark purple core and hue. Pure nose offering some chalky notes, truffle, wild berries, cassis and fine oak notes. The palate has massive concentration without heaviness and a good level of acidity, layers of inky dark fruit with some earthy and chalky notes, very powerful and long finish, already polished but should develop a lot with further ageing.

The 2020 Château De Pressac showed beautifully, with terrific purity in its spicy dark fruits, spice, chocolate, and earthy nuances. Medium to full-bodied and concentrated, with ripe tannins, it's another balanced, layered, incredibly impressive Saint-Emilion that does everything right. It's going to benefit from short-term cellaring and keep for two decades, if not longer. The blend is 79% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Franc, 6% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the rest Carmenère and Malbec.

Deep purple with an opaque core. Seductive bouquet of ripe blackberry, licorice and refined cassis spice, followed by violet perfume and perfumed pipe tobacco. Dense palate with a soft texture, ripe tannins, finely sandy extract and supportive freshness. Aromatic finish featuring a basket of blue berries, sandalwood and cherry skin. A successful delicacy from St. Émilion, with ageing potential.

Kunz barrel sample 2021: deep, dense, velvety bouquet with strawberries, raspberries, cherries, subtle roasted notes, herbs, and tobacco. Elegant, fresh, finely fruity palate with fresh, sweet fruit, fine tannins, a tightly woven structure, complex aromatics, and a long, powerful, delicately bitter finish.

Deep, dense, velvety bouquet: strawberries, raspberries, cherries, fine roasted notes, herbs, tobacco. Elegant, fresh, finely fruity palate with fresh, sweet fruit, fine tannins, a tightly woven structure, complex aromatics, and a long, powerful, delicately bitter finish. 18/20 2027 - 2040

This has character and interest, loads of personality, black fruits, spiced red peppers, liquorice and aniseed. 32 ha of vines on largely clay-limestone slopes. Good stuff. Quenin family. Hubert de Boüard consultant, 34 hl/ha yield.

Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2020 Chateau de Pressac is a little muted at this youthful stage, revealing subtle notions of prunes, blueberry compote, and kirsch, followed by hints of charcuterie, licorice, and garrigue. Full-bodied, rich, and concentrated in the mouth, a lively backbone and ripe, rounded tannins frame the mid-palate and long finish beautifully.

93-94

A jam of small black fruits, with a hint of crushed raspberry and a pinch of pepper that make for a gourmet, round and suave nose. On the palate, the texture is silky, with a clear brightness, freshness and delicacy. A delicate wine, though still a touch stern.

Very astute choices were made at Pressac in 2020, but that’s nothing new! The wine stands out for its precision and accuracy. Its somewhat suave tannins are silky and aligned with the acidic structure imparted by the terroir of Saint-Etienne de Lisse, regardless of the vintage! A fresh, mouthwatering wine! So much harmony, character and promise… if you can manage to resist it, as you might end up drinking it sooner!

Dark, purple color. Highly aromatic nose, fruity and deep. Beautiful scent of black fruits perfectly interwoven with nuanced oak. Meticulous on the attack, particularly aromatic mid-palate, precise in execution, with a juicy body, the wine glides through to the finish. The final seconds of the tasting elevate it further. Refined tannin. It’s very good.