2020 Berliquet
Buying options
Tasting notes
The 2020 vintage includes part of the Cabernet Franc that was replanted at the estate in 2018, bringing the total proportion up to 31% Cabernet Franc. The nose is wonderfully precise and delicate. There is an excellent core of refined fruit to the wine and good plushness to the mid-palate that glides to the finish. The chiselled tannins are equal to the weight of fruit on the palate. Blend: 69% Merlot, 31% Cabernet Franc
The overriding quality of 2020 Berliquet is its clarity and purity of fruit. Strawberry, redcurrant and blackberry fruit fills the palate, while a lifted florality on the nose is allied to darker, spice notes adds aromatic complexity. The tannins are fully resolved – silky, dense and well coated with the concentrated fruit and no drying elements. The wine is medium-bodied with excellent balancing acidity and while it doesn’t have the depth of neighbouring Ch. Canon, it does have a similarly elegant profile and freshness.
Critic scores
Average Score
James Suckling
James Lawther MW, jancisrobinson.com
More reviews and scores
Tasted blind. Deep crimson. Sweet chocolatey nose and plenty of fresh dark fruits and just a hint of leafiness adding to the freshness. Powerful, tannic, fresh and elegant in its embryonic state. (JH)
The 2020 Berliquet put in a phenomenal showing in this blind peer-group tasting that suggests I underestimated it out of barrel. It has a more savory bouquet than its peers, perhaps due to more Cabernet Franc, with touches of mint, black pepper and dried herbs infusing the red fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins, well balanced and harmonious, leading to a precise, complex and lingering finish. It seems to gain precision in the glass and tempts you back for more. Outstanding. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting.
A brilliant success for this property in the ascendant, the 2020 Berliquet opens in the glass with aromas of dark berries and cherries mingled with hints of warm spices and violets. Medium to full-bodied, deep and layered, it's vibrant and dynamic, with polished tannins, a bright spine and a long, elegantly chalky finish. It represents another step up for Berliquet, which will soon benefit from a new winery.
About the producer
The Chanel group – owners of Ch. Rauzan-Ségla and Ch. Canon – added Berliquet to their stable of wine estates in 2017. Since then, the team – led by Nicolas Audebert – has been transforming the property, gradually revealing this special Saint-Emilion site’s potential.