Chateau Clos de Bouard 2020

Dark fruits with hints of toasted cedar, dark chocolate, licorice and dried herbs. Full-bodied and structured with firm tannins and a polished texture. Rich, chewy finish. Needs some time to soften. Try after 2025.

Full bottle 1,267 g. Certified HVE. Very oaky on the nose and palate – quite difficult to get beyond the portcullis of oak, in fact. Not a wine comfortable in its own skin. The tannins are bitter and skinny but loud. Maybe time will help? (TC)

The complicated nose, packed with licorice, smoke, espresso, black cherry, plum and dark chocolate, lets you know this is going to rock! The richness, opulent textures, freshness and chocolate-coated cherries taste and feel great on your palate as they linger, build and expand. This is the best vintage of Clos <a href="https://www.thewinecellarinsider.com/bordeaux-wine-producer-profiles/bordeaux/st-emilion/angelus/">de Bouard</a> produced yet! Drink from 2023–2040.

The 2020 Château Clos De Boüard is terrific. Exhibiting a deep ruby/purple hue as well as classy notes of black raspberries, cassis, spicy oak, and dried flowers, it hits the palate with a medium-bodied, seamless mouthfeel, ripe, velvety tannins, and a beautiful sense of elegance and purity. It's not massive but absolutely shines for its complex, layered, finesse-driven style. Drink bottles over the coming 10-12 years.

91-92

The nose is fruity, with a touch of creaminess, a controlled richness, intensity, precision and lovely definition. It reveals notes of vibrant Boysenberry, crushed small black fruits and, more subtly, Sichuan pepper, together with hints of crushed strawberry, nearly roasted small berries, and touches of lilac, star anise, a delicate iodine/saline note and a subtle hint of tea. The palate is fruity, balanced and elegant, offering freshness, an airy feel, volume, a touch of creaminess, a saline edge, a fresh/tangy framework, energy, drive and an appealing gourmand character. On the palate, the wine shows notes of juicy, fleshy blackberry, vibrant blackcurrant and, more lightly, bright small blue fruits, alongside hints of crushed wild strawberry, touches of pepper, blueberry, lily and fine touches of vanilla. The tannins are supple. Good length. Deliciously indulgent!

Bilberry and cassis fruits, a ton of chocolate and liquorice. This is austere but has focus and a feeling of carefully placed, teased out autumnal fruits. An extremely severe selection took place this year, with a full 30% being sent off for bulk wine to keep quality high. 50% new oak.

Dark and slightly mysterious on the nose, with lovely freshness. A certain bitterness dominates the palate, despite a smooth, silky texture.

Clos de Boüard reveals itself with subtlety through different facets, with hints of liquorice and black fruits. The wine has real substance thanks to its compact tannins, while a refreshing salinity underlines the freshness on the finish. This Clos de Boüard alone showcases the superb potential to be found in Montagne Saint-Emilion… and this appellation is full of hidden gems. A great success, which needs time to fully blossom!

A seductive aroma with a subtle musky note emerges on the first nose. Black cherry jam and wild strawberry come through. That deep ripeness carries onto the palate: the wine is focused and easy to drink, framed by fine tannins, with well-managed concentration and ageing. Clos de Boüard is gradually gaining in identity and precision.