2020 de Sales
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Tasting notes
Tasted blind. Deep garnet. Marked leafy note but otherwise masses of black fruit. Very leafy on the palate, but this adds freshness. Lively with finely textured tannins. Just a touch too leafy and dry overall? (JH)
Critic scores
Average Score
Jancis Robinson MW
Julia Harding MW, jancisrobinson.com
More reviews and scores
The 2020 Château de Sales suggests that my barrel sample was not representative because this shows extremely well. It has a classic cigar box- and cedar-scented bouquet that comes across quite Pauillac-like in style. The palate is medium-bodied with soy-infused black fruit. It's quite peppery with gentle grip. It's a nicely proportioned, complex Right Bank wine doing a very good impression of a Left Bank! Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting.
An attractive, elegantly fruit-driven Pomerol, the 2020 De Sales offers up aromas of sweet berries, dried herbs and spices, followed by a medium to full-bodied, supple and seamless palate. With a core of vibrant fruit and melting tannins, this is a success for this large estate, where Jean-Claude Berrouet consults.
I loved the 2020 Château De Sales from barrel, and it's showing beautifully from bottle. Sporting a deep purple hue as well as a ripe, sexy, medium to full-bodied style, it has ripe, supple tannins, a layered, balanced mouthfeel, and classic aromatics of ripe black cherries, plums, licorice, spring flowers, and damp earth. It's another beautiful, layered, elegant Pomerol in the vintage that will benefit from 3-4 years of bottle age and drink brilliantly through 2040.