2020 Badette
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Tasting notes
Flowers, chocolate, espresso, licorice, smoke, blackberries and plum notes shoot from the glass. The wine is rich, lush, full-bodied and opulent, with layers of non-stop fruits in the long finish. This is not only an estate to keep your eye on as they are on a roll, but this is clearly the best vintage they have produced yet. Drink from 2023-2042.
Critic scores
Average Score
James Suckling
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
More reviews and scores
Tasted on multiple occasions, the 2020 Château Badette comes from a tiny 7.58-hectare vineyard located on iron and clay soils. The blend is 80% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Petit Verdot, and the élevage spanned 16 months in 80% new barrels. It has a gorgeous nose of blueberries, cassis, spring flowers, and chocolaty oak. This carries to a medium to full-bodied Saint-Emilion with ripe, integrated tannins, the vintage's pure, focused profile, and a great finish. This brilliant effort will shine for 15-20+ years from cold cellars.
The 2020 Badette is high-toned and perfumed on the nose. Pressed violet and peony infuse the black cherry fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins and well-judged acidity. It's a little oaky on the mid-palate, but there is sufficient fruit to soak that up. Quite persistent on the finish, this is a classy Saint-Émilion (one recently promoted).
The 2020 Badette is terrific. This flamboyant Saint-Émilion hits the palate with masses of dark fruit followed by espresso, licorice, menthol, leather and sweet new oak. Badette is not at all subtle, but it needs time.
About the producer
A sleeping beauty, this Saint-Émilion estate has been shaken awake by Belgian investor Marc-Andrê Vandenbogaerde who has invested in both the vineyards and the winery, expanding its total holdings to 10.5 hectares with the purchase of a new vineyard close to Château Figeac.