2020 Chateau Croix de Labrie, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru, France (750ml)

TASTING NOTES: 

This is a glorious 2020 with such pure fruit of currants and blackberries, as well as dark chocolate. It’s full and layered and opens in the glass to a lovely layer of fine, velvety tannins that are bright and citrusy. Crunchy. It really opens and shows so many layers. Spectacular.

- James Suckling, 98 pts. 

The Grand Vin 2020 Chateau Croix De Labrie is brilliant and the finest wine I've tasted from this estate. Dense purple-hued, with a liqueur of limestone-like minerality intermixed with ripe black cherries, boysenberry, spring flowers, and graphite, it's full-bodied, has a wealth of fruit and texture, sweet tannins, and remarkable purity. Its oak is perfectly integrated, and it brings richness as well as an incredible sense of precision and purity. This brilliant Saint-Emilion will be drinkable in just 3-4 years and will evolve for two decades. Tasted twice with consistent notes. Best After 2026. Rating: 97+

- Jeb Dunnuck, 97 pts. 

Deep purple-black in color, the 2020 Croix de Labrie wafts out of the glass with flamboyant notions of sandalwood, red roses, ground cloves and cedar chest, giving way to a core of stewed black plums, Morello cherries and boysenberries, plus a waft of bouquet garni. The medium to full-bodied palate has a rock-solid backbone of firm, ripe, rounded tannins and plenty of freshness, nicely framing the muscular black fruits, finishing long and spicy.

Axelle and Pierre Courdurié's 50-year-old, 3.79-hectare vineyard consists of a mix of clay and limestone soils, a portion of which are in Saint-Christophe-des-Bardes and another portion of which are located at the foot of the Pavie slope in Saint-Émilion. Barrel Sample: 93-95

- Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 95 pts. 

Glass-staining purple, plenty of violet reflections. It starts off with confidence, with sappy fruits and a whisk of mocha gourmet edging, and keeps up the pace through the palate. Nicely held together with tension, concentrated flavours and a swagger of grilled oak. Axelle and Pierre Courdurié. A yield of 25hl/ha, 100% new oak.
Barrel Sample: 93

- Decanter, 93 pts.