Chateau Potensac 2020

JAMES SUCKLING: "Plenty of currants and flowers with crushed stone. Slate and iron, too. Lead pencil. Medium-bodied with racy and polished tannins that show intensity and length. Linear and focused. 44% merlot, 33% cabernet sauvignon, 22% cabernet franc and 1% petit verdot. Drink after 2025."

WEINWISSER: "Intensives Bouquet, rote und blaue Beeren, helles Leder und Estragon. Am mittleren Gaumen mit feinmehliger Textur, reifem Extrakt und gut unterlegter Rasse. Im gebündelten Finale Wildkirsche, pur und rein – kann das gute Primeur-Ergebnis bestätigen."

JEB DUNNUCK: "A year-in, year-out winner, the 2020 Château Potensac is another beauty that has the vintage's fresh, focused style as well as classic red and black currant/cherry fruits, some damp earth and underbrush nuances, medium body, nicely integrated acidity and oak, and outstanding length. It's well worth seeking out and will evolve for 15+ years."

DECANTER: "Quite herbal on the nose, a medicinal touch, aniseed and bramble fruits. Smooth and satisfying, this has a nice clarity to the fruit, clean and clear, generous with lots of energy and Medoc characters. Easy drinking with a cool, classic touch - some bright red and blue fruits and a slightly chalky salinity. Very appealing and great to drink now with a juicy mid palate. Drink now if you want but it will age too. A fine example that has a real kick to it on the fresh finish. 1% Petit Verdot completes the blend. Ageing 20% new oak. 3.63pH."

FALSTAFF: "Dunkles Rubingranat, violette Reflexe, fester Kern, zarte Randaufhellung. Lakritze und Tabak, schwarze Waldbeeren, frische Orangenzesten. Straff, engmaschig, rote Herzkirschen, frischer Säurebogen, integrierte Tannine, frisch auch im Abgang, rotbeerig-zitronig im Nachhall, ein lebendiger Speisenbegleiter, sicheres Entwicklungspotenzial."

THE WINE CELLAR INSIDER: "Dark in color, the wine opens with persuasive notes of cedar, creme de cassis, tobacco and forest leaf in the perfume. Full-bodied, ripe, rich and packed with crisp, juicy currants, the wine finishes with a big mouthful of firm, chewy blackberries, currants and a refreshing sprig of mint on the backend."

THE WINE ADVOCATE: "A powerful, rather rich vintage for this estate, the 2020 Potensac offers up aromas of cassis, vine smoke and cigar wrapper, followed by a medium to full-bodied, fleshy and vibrant palate. Framed by powdery tannins and lively acids, it's built to age with grace."

WINE SPECTATOR: "Reserved in style, this moves steadily and methodically along, with a textbook core of cassis and bitter cherry notes laced with light anise, wet stone and iron. Shows good mouthwatering cut on the finish. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2032."