Château Le Bon Pasteur 2020

Attractive wood imprint; juicy structure, polished tannins, breadth and freshness; enjoyable in the exuberant style of the vintage. Will start giving pleasure quite soon.

Solid, with a winey core of red and black currant and blackberry compote flavors studded with briar, tobacco leaf and humus. Shows a slightly chunky edge on the finish, but has good stuffing and energy for the vintage. Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2025 through 2036. 2,000 cases made, 500 cases imported.

Full and expressive on the nose with rich, dark fruits: cherry, blackcurrant and blueberry. Sleek and coiled on the palate; you can feel the concentration and power, but it’s all in one line for now, neatly wrapped by firm tannins laced with liquorice and tobacco that keep the definition and tension. Extremely youthful and not speaking too loudly, yet it feels well-crafted, nothing overdone, simply working with the hot vintage. It has bite and a sense of style, with clear toasted oak and clove spice on the finish that will soften over the next few years.

Aromas of blackberries, black olive skin, bark and mushrooms follow through to a medium- to full-bodied palate with round, polished tannins and a slightly smoky, meaty and juicy finish to the fruit. Chewy at the end. Chunky. 80% merlot and 20% cabernet franc. Drink after 2027.

The 2020 Le Bon Pasteur has a ripe blackberry and bilberry nose, quite flamboyant yet just about maintaining delineation and focus. Time in bottle will temper it. The palate is medium-bodied with plush tannins, fleshy and ripe, dark chocolate infusing the black fruit with black pepper lending spice towards the finish. It will require three or four years in bottle. A second bottle showed a little more Cabernet expression, more graphite on the aftertaste.

Opulent, silky, creamy and fresh, the multiple layers of blackberries, black plums and black cherries are wrapped in dark chocolate, licorice and spice. The wine is long, sensuous, richly textured and polished. The silky tannins and length perfectly showcase all of its supple fruits. Drink from 2024 to 2050.

Dark berries, highly ripe black cherry, raspberry spirit; nut, nougat and pepper. Alcoholic attack, taut, slightly stemmy tannins but not green, generously viscous, mild acidity. An opulent, broad Pomerol that draws its tension from the phenolics.

Inky dark purple core and hue. Floral and fragrant with violet, crushed blackberry, cassis and kirsch with fine spice, tobacco and fine toast. The palate offers a dense and meaty texture with fine proportions, fresh dark berry flavours, some oak-derived spiciness with mocha and toast, plenty of finely grained tannins, a vigorous and very long finish.

I was blown away by the 2020 Château Le Bon Pasteur, which is owned by renowned consultants Dani and Michel Rolland. A blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc, its deep ruby/purple hue is followed by a stunning array of ripe currants, cassis, chocolate, leafy tobacco, and scorched earth. This carries to a full-bodied Pomerol with a layered, seamless mouthfeel, ultra-fine tannins, and the balance and purity to benefit from 4-6 years of bottle age and keep for over two decades. If forced to pick, it's probably my favorite of the 2018, 2019, and 2020 trio, but comparing these three magical vintages over the coming 15-20 years is going to be a serious treat.

Kunz barrel sample 2021: creamy, silky, sweet, powerful bouquet, strawberry jam, cherry compote, mocha-chocolate cream, vanilla, caramel. Dense, full, opulent palate with powerful, sweet fruit, creamy, broad structure, plenty of fine tannins, strong aromatics, long, bitter finish. Wine vinified at the limit.

Creamy, velvety, sweet, powerful bouquet: strawberry jam, cherry compote, mocha chocolate cream, vanilla, caramel. Dense, full, opulent palate with powerful, sweet fruit, a creamy, broad structure, plenty of fine tannins, intense aromatics, long, slightly bitter finish. Wine vinified at the limit. 18/20 2026 - 2040

Michel Rolland's former estate, and he remains as consultant for the current owners, Groupe Goldin. Leans heavily on smoked oak and intense black and blue fruits, good quality but with substantial tannic heft. Give it a good four or five years.

Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2020 Le Bon Pasteur skips out with bright, alluring notes of fresh blueberries, fruitcake, and Morello cherries, leading to wafts of forest floor, crushed rocks, iron ore, and anise. The medium to full-bodied palate is beautifully balanced, with alluring tension and finely grained tannins supporting the taut, muscular fruit, finishing long and earthy.

93-94

The 2020 has closed down, yielding a rather austere wine today. However, one can sense a finer approach than before, with more delicate traits and a less forceful pursuit of extraction and oak. It will age beautifully.

Beneath a black hue with cassis highlights, the nose is slightly restrained, smoky, with black fruits, and the palate is pleasing, already showing a fine balance between richness, roundness and tension, albeit with tannins that are still a little firm.

As always, Bon Pasteur sets out to showcase the legendary charm of Pomerol, with a well-judged balance of indulgence and power. Smooth and deep, the wine literally caresses the entire palate while still delivering a touch of pep through refreshing acidity. Yes, it’s a style—you either love it or you don’t—but it has the merit of polarizing and staying true to its own focus. Charm isn’t something you necessarily learn; at Bon Pasteur, it’s innate. And you still need to bring it out… paired with freshness, the duo is irresistible!

Dark red color with purple highlights. Very aromatic nose, fruity and creamy. Decanting does it good. Soft on the attack, very flavorful mid-palate with plenty of taste and a dense body; the wine stretches out on a long finish with a lightly oaky note but no tannic edge.

91–93. Barrel Sample. This wine is rich with dense tannins and equally dense black fruits. The weight and the concentration of the black plum flavors promise a powerful wine—spice and pepper likely to show alongside the texture.