Appellations

Capbern 2020

St Estephe, Cru bourgeois

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Tasting Notes

Another terrific Saint- Estèphe is the 2020 Château Capbern, which comes from the same team as Calon Ségur. (Current director Vincent Millet was brought on board in 2021.) Coming from 33 hectares of vines on sandy, gravelly, clay soils, the final blend is 69% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. The élevage spanned 18 months in 60% new French oak, and this beauty hit just 12.8% natural alcohol. Gorgeous cassis, violets, damp earth, iron, and classy oak all emerge on the nose, and it's full-bodied on the palate, with beautiful tannins, a layered, seamless mouthfeel, and the vintage's pure, focused, age-worthy style front and center. Give bottles just 4-6 years and enjoy over the following two decades.

Score: 95 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com Maturity: 2027-2047 Date: 29 March 2023

Readers looking for an off-the-charts value should snatch up the 2020 Château Capbern, which emerges from the same team as Calon Ségur. Offering a vivid bouquet of cassis, leafy tobacco, violets, damp earth, and chocolate, it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, perfectly ripe fruit (not overripe, not underripe), ultra-fine, integrated tannins, and the mix of freshness and richness that’s part of all great wines. It’s a hidden gem in Saint-Estèphe.

Score: 94 - 96 Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com Date: 25 May 2021

The 2020 Capbern has a really quite lovely, sensual bouquet that could charm at a thousand paces: raspberry confit and wild strawberries. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannins, a fine bead of acidity, touches of pencil lead and pain grillé towards the finely proportioned, almost easygoing finish. This delightful Saint-Estèphe will drink well for the next dozen or so years.

Score: 90 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2024-2034 Date: 01 December 2022

The 2020 Capbern has a delineated, earthy nose with predominantly black fruit and light estuarine scents, although it needs a little more intensity. The palate is medium-bodied with a tannic, slightly austere opening, saline and lightly spiced with a pleasant bitter edge towards the finish. Maybe a little short? It should fill out during its élevage so let’s see if it just gains persistence then.

Score: 88 - 90 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2025 - 2033 Date: 27 May 2021

The 2020 Capbern remains quite the powerhouse, but it has come together well. Punchy red berry fruit, kirsch, gravel and white pepper all meld together in a Saint-Estèphe of class and personality. There's real depth and plenty of character. This is very nicely done. Tasted two times.

Score: 91 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2026-2040 Date: 01 December 2022

The 2020 Capbern is a potent, virile Saint-Estèphe. Huge, muscular tannins give the 2020 its imposing personality. Black cherry, gravel, smoke, espresso, cured meats and dark spice all open with a bit of coaxing. In 2020, Capbern is a brute.

Score: 87 - 89 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2025 - 2040 Date: 03 June 2021

This is really solid and powerful with lots of tannins and blue fruit. Spicy. Full and chewy. A little coarse now, but will improve with barrel aging.

Score: 92 - 93 James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com Date: 23 May 2021

The 2020 Capbern is composed of 69% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot, 1% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot, weighing in with 14.1% alcohol. It is due to be aged for around 18 months in French oak barrels, 60% new. Deep purple-black in color, the 2020 Capbern sings of black cherries, mulberries and redcurrant jelly, with hints of candied violets, wild sage and fertile loam. The medium-bodied palate has impressive verve and freshness, featuring soft, well-managed tannins, red and black berry layers and a mineral-tinged finish.

Score: 89 - 91 Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: 2023 - 2035 Date: 20 May 2021