2020 Les Charmes-Godard Blanc
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Tasting notes
The 2020 Les Charmes-Godard Blanc comes across rather muddled on the nose, with some sulfur issues denuding delineation. The palate is well balanced and malic with bitter lemon, quite flat and lacking tension on the finish. This is below par, and I wonder how representative this example is. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting.
Critic scores
Average Score
James Suckling
Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, Wine Advocate
More reviews and scores
The 2020 Château Les Charmes-Godard Blanc is a richer, more concentrated, medium-bodied white with terrific aromatics of ripe melons, honeyed white flowers, chalk, and a kiss of toasted nuts. This textured yet still vibrant and pure white is geared for the dinner table, and I suspect it will have an interesting evolution over the coming 4-6 years or more.
In 2020, Les Charmes Godard offers terrific vibrancy to play off its beautifully textured fruit. Lemon confit, white flowers, mint and chamomile build effortlessly in the glass. From bottle the 2020 shows more energy than it did as a barrel sample. This is beautifully done. Les Charmes Godard is one of the most compelling dry whites in Bordeaux.
Exhibiting aromas of crisp pear, waxy lemon rind and struck match, the 2020 Les Charmes-Godard Blanc is medium to full-bodied, satiny and layered, with a textural attack, tangy acids and a fleshy but tightly wound core. This Sémillon-based blend is still a little shy after its recent bottling, but its vinous, structured profile promises compelling things with a bit of age.
About the producer
Nicolas Thienpont purchased this estate in the Côte des Francs in 1988. Largely producing white wine, there is a high percentage of Semillon (60%) with 25% Sauvignon Gris and 15% Sauvignon Blanc. Fermented in 500-litre oak and spending six months on lees, this is an impressive, textured white wine.