A little austere on the opening beats. Carving out its place more clearly alongside its two Pauillac siblings, this has some excellent sappy dark fruits, plenty of tannins and power but also elegance and confidence. This Armailac is gorgeous, lovely mid palate dept, and plenty of juicy blueberry and bilberry fruit, with lift through the finish, 3% Petit Verdot completes the blend. 50% new oak. Harvest September 7 to 29. The new cellar with be finished for the 2021 harvest, but this one was made in the temporary cellar. I really like this, it has a floral edge, a juice and freshness and sense of elegance; a good two minutes after you have stopped tasting a wave of subtle smoke comes in - the after wash of a fine gravel terroir. 50% new oak, harvest from September 7 to 29 across the three estates. 93 points

The 2020 d’Armailhac, raised in 50% new oak with a planned 17-month barrel maturation, is a little deeper in color compared to the Clerc Milon. I find more complexity on the nose of blackberry, briar, cedar and pencil box aromas, less extravagant than previous vintages and more terroir-driven, perhaps. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins that have a little more edge than the Clerc Milon, plus there is slightly more mineralité and depth. In particular, the finish is very harmonious and fans out wonderfully. This Château d’Armailhac is a splendid wine in the making, and one of the best examples from the estate that I have tasted out of barrel. 92-94 points

Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, the 2020 D`Armailhac strides confidently out of the glass with classic scents of cassis, warm plums and cedar chest, plus wafts of pencil lead, bay leaves and kirsch. The medium-bodied palate has a sturdy frame of chewy tannins and plenty of freshness to support the crunchy black and red fruits, finishing savory. The blend this year is 59% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot, with an alco hol of 13.3%. 90-92 points

Aromatic finesse with perfumed, floral notes. Mid palate is juicy and fresh, backed by firm, grainy tannins. Confirmed structure but slightly chewy finish.

Closed, two thirds Cabernet, but just now it smells Merlot-floral/wild-rose herbal; full, crisply defined, finely tannic; compact, red-fruit ripe in flavor, long and close-grained to taste, taut, linear, upright, but full of flavor, intense without being showy, yet all there if tightly contained for the moment; discreet, elegant, refined, with superb ripe red-fruit length. Very classic, not “sweet” or obvious, all freshness, restraint, subtle minerality. Very fine d’Armailhac. Drink 2028–45+. 92–93 points