Château Vieux Maillet 2020

Intense aromatics; compact on the attack, classic in structure, spicy, fine-grained tannins, finishing fresh and long; a perfectly balanced wine.

Shows a mix of boysenberry and açaí berry fruit, along with roasted alder and tobacco leaf notes that firm up the edges of the finish. Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Best from 2023 through 2033. 4,000 cases made, 800 cases imported.

Good energy here, with lovely bright red fruits supported by excellent, powdery tannins. Not the most complex or layered, but it's well presented. It hasn't pushed too hard or too far, still retaining finesse and a streamlined centre pushing the flavours from start to finish. A joyful quality to this, one for sooner drinking and a lighter overall take on the vintage.

Dark and blue fruits with hints of walnut, dark spices and chocolate orange. Medium-bodied, plush and juicy with an array of ripe, velvety tannins and a flavorful finish. 85% merlot, 10% cabernet franc and 5% cabernet sauvignon. Try after 2025.

Cask sample. Quite shy on the nose but with some ferrous, iron notes. Opulent, seductive and rounded palate with bags of dark fruits and fine-grained tannins. A powerful wine but shows just enough freshness through the warming finish. (AC)

The 2020 Vieux Maillet, which partially uses amphora during élevage, has a light and airy bouquet with black cherries and bilberry fruit, elegant if just missing a little presence. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-grained tannins, quite austere in the context of the vintage with a slight bitterness on the finish.

Dark ruby, purple reflections, soft brightening on the rim. Nuances of fresh blueberries, sweet black cherries and subtle hints of spice, soft hints of wood and nougat. Juicy, tight and taut, fine cherry fruit, integrated, supporting tannins, some chocolate, minerality and endowed with length, good ageing potential.

Kunz barrel sample 2021: Velvety, powerful, full bouquet, strawberry jelly, dark pralines, nougat, fine herbs, slate. Dense, creamy, fruity palate with powerful, sweet fruit, fine tannins, dense, velvety structure, complex, intense aromatics, long, fresh finish with sweet afterflavors.

Silky texture, powerful, full bouquet, strawberry jelly, dark chocolates, nougat, fine herbs, slate. Dense, creamy, fruity palate with powerful, sweet fruit, fine tannins, a dense, velvety structure, varied, intense aromatics, long, fresh finish with sweet after-notes. 18/20 2026 - 2045

Sweet sun-ripened blackberry and crème de cassis flavours, edged with floral aromatics. This is creamy in texture, with a touch of smoked caramel. On the exuberant side (I called it 'abundant' En Primeur), enjoyable, silky tannins.

The 2020 Vieux Maillet is deep garnet-purple in color. Notes of black cherries, warm plums, and stewed cherries jump from the glass, with underlying hints of forest floor, truffles, and scorched earth. The medium to full-bodied palate is juicy and soft, with a lively line and an earthy finish.

89-90

Vieux-Maillet’s bouquet stands out for its finesse and elegance. It reveals nuances of cherry and graphite. Pleasant freshness on the palate from the very first attack. It’s clear that nothing excessive was attempted with this wine, and that it wasn’t pushed beyond what it can deliver! A flavorful wine with tight yet well-integrated tannins. Fruity finish.

Prune and black cherry jam dominate the aromatic profile of this wine, which shows lovely depth, is well balanced, dressed in fine tannins with well-integrated élevage. The persistence isn’t striking, but the whole is delightfully gourmand.

Medium-bodied, bright, fresh, fruity, forward and ready to go with its core of red cherries, espresso, spice and medium-bodied, earthy nuances. 87-89 pts

This rounded, rich wine is full of black fruits balanced with acidity. It has a firmer core that shows the wine's potential. The aftertaste is succulent and ripe. Drink from 2025.