2020 Booker Vertigo
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Tasting notes
The 2020 Vertigo Extended is dark and rich in the glass with savory herbs, seared meats, currants and brown spice forming its dramatic bouquet. It's softly textured and round on the palate, with plush wild berry fruits and exotic spice. This finishes with decent length and concentration, leaving gritty tannins to fade slowly. Throughout it all, the 2020 maintains marvelous freshness. Of note, I don’t pick up any notes of smoke as I did from the regular version of the Extended, which is matured only for 18 instead of 22 months in oak. Today, this is one of the top wines in Booker’s 2020 portfolio.
Critic scores
Average Score
James Suckling
Jeb Dunnuck
More reviews and scores
The 2020 Vertigo is a blend of 47% Syrah, 32% Mourvedre, 9% Grenache, 7% Petite Sirah and 5% Tannat. Medium ruby-purple, it's slightly reticent on the nose, taking time to reveal blueberry and blackcurrant fruit with touches of dried herbs, tar and violet. The medium-bodied palate is lighter than expected with bright acidity, supple texture and a floral finish.
Deep and brooding nose with dark cherries, grilled meat. Slightly reductive, with flinty crushed stones, sweet dark cherries, cocoa powder. Crunchy, bright and juicy palate full of blue and black berries. Really tight but caressing. Drink now or hold.
I loved the 2020 Vertigo, and it's one of the standouts in the lineup, which has been the case now for a number of years. Lots of cassis and assorted blue fruits as well as violets, graphite, and chocolate give way to a full-bodied, ripe, incredibly sexy barrel sample that has beautiful fruit. It seems free of smoke as well. The team at Booker Vineyard produced a solid lineup in 2020. Although clearly from a more difficult vintage, the wines have good fruit as well as texture. The 2021s are clearly a step up and terrific across the board.