In Bond Fine Wine. 2020 Château Armailhac, Pauillac, Bordeaux, France. Fifth Growth • Red Bordeaux in 6x75cl. Top critic score: 93/100 (NM). Drinking window: 2025–2065. Sold in bond by Albany Vintners, independent fine wine merchants.
This Classed Growth Pauillac property is very well-situated between Mouton Rothschild and Pontet Canet. Formerly known as Mouton Baronne Philippe, and renamed Chateau d'Armailhac in 1991 by Baroness Philippine de Rothschild. Owned and vinified by the team at Mouton Rothschild, it is lighter than stablemate Clerc Milon, with more Merlot and Cabernet Franc influence, and offers good value Pauillac with a hint of Mouton style. It has benefitted hugely from its First Growth stablemate's know-how with recent vintages showing a clear step up in quality and precision. James Suckling described the 2022 as "like a baby Mouton". First Growth winemaking at a fraction of the cost.
Jeb Dunnuck (JD) — 92–94/100 · JebDunnuck.com, 25/05/2021
A blend of 59% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, the balance Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, hitting 13.2% alcohol, the 2020 Chateau D'Armailhac sports a vivid purple hue to go with beautiful cassis and blackberry fruits intermixed with lots of chalky minerality, toasty oak, graphite, and tobacco. It has the round, supple style of the vintage yet still brings ample tannic grip, solid mid-palate de…
Antonio Galloni (AG) — 92/100 · Vinous, 23/02/2023 · Drink 2025-2045
The 2020 d'Armailhac has all the fruit of the en primeur wine, and all the tannin too, almost like a barrel sample. I imagine the 2020 is going to need at least a few years to shed some of that tannic clout. Dark red cherry, red plum, pomegranate, blood orange, iron, white pepper and mint literally saturate the palate. The 2020 is a dense, plush d'Armailhac. It's a real head-turner.
Neal Martin (NM) — 94/100 · Vinous, 2024-11-12 · Drink 2032-2065
The 2020 d'Armailhac has a more backward nose than its peers, though it gradually unfurls to reveal wonderful blackberry, pencil shaving and violet scents that are very delineated and precise. The palate is medium-bodied with succulent ripe black fruit, quite a "juicy" Pauillac with a lot of concentration that masks the structure underneath. Very persistent on the finish with a dash of black pepp…