-
Goedhuis, May 2021, Score: 96-98
Is this the best St Pierre I have tasted? possibly so… this has the makings to be one of the stellar wines of the vintage that should be on everybody’s radar. So composed and pure, with all the dark berry characters often quoted for the vintage, a slight medicinal touch and cedar edge. The key is its balance and graceful confidence, the tannins are pitch-perfect, and the light acid touch lifts all these wonderful components. Amazing length. Suffice to say I went back to retaste this special wine on a number of occasions and it never disappointed.
-
-
Neal Martin, December 2022, Score: 94
The 2020 Saint-Pierre has really blossomed during its élevage. Its dalliance with Pauillac on the nose has been dispensed. It is not much more Saint-Julien-like, perhaps showing even more fruit concentration and opulence than its sibling, Gloria, with its plush red fruit mixed with sous-bois and undergrowth. The palate is medium-bodied yet fuller and denser than the Gloria, quite powerful and more higher-toned without losing a sense of style and panache. Drink 2025-2050
-
-
Neal Martin, May 2021, Score: 92-94
The 2020 Saint-Pierre has a distinctly Pauillac-like nose with veins of graphite and mint infusing the black fruit, focused and full of tension. This is very classy. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins that belie the structure underneath. It has good grip, and comes across quite strict and correct. If I am to quibble, and quibble I will, it maybe doesn’t finish with the fireworks that I have noticed on other recent superlative vintages. Perhaps that might develop in barrel. If so, it will warrant a higher score. Drink 2025 - 2050
-
-
Antonio Galloni, December 2022, Score: 95
The 2020 Saint-Pierre (Saint-Julien) is loaded with scents of blackberry jam, dried herbs, graphite, incense, espresso and licorice. This powerful, tannic Saint-Julien is going to need years to soften, but it is incredibly impressive in the early going. From barrel, the 2020 was quite unctuous, but today it has grown into a wine that marries opulence with classicism in grand style. the intensity of the Cabernet Sauvignon really comes through. Drink 2028-2050
-
-
Antonio Galloni, June 2021, Score: 93-95
The 2020 Saint-Pierre (Saint-Julien) is shaping up to be a jewel of a wine. Inky, rich and explosive, the 2020 possesses magnificent intensity from start to finish. Crème de cassis, lavender, spice, chocolate, licorice, graphite and menthol infuse the 2020 with striking depth. The 2020 is heady and unctuous, but not at all overdone. It is one of my early favorites in this vintage, within its peer group. Tasted two times. Drink 2035 - 2050
-
-
Wine Advocate, May 2021, Score: 94-96
Deep purple-black in color, the 2020 Saint-Pierre bursts with baked blackberries, stewed plums and cassis, followed by hints of dried mint, chocolate box and tapenade with a waft of pencil lead. The medium-bodied palate is elegantly styled with impressive freshness and ripe, fine-grained tannins supporting the energetic black fruits, finishing on a lingering fragrant earth note. The blend is 79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot and 6% Cabernet Franc, aging for around 14 months in French oak barrels, 50% new. The alcohol is 13.3%. Drink 2026-2047
-
-
James Suckling, April 2021, Score: 95-96
A firm, very structured wine from here, with intense tannins that are very polished and long. Pure fruit. One of the best in a long time.
-
-
Decanter, May 2021, Score: 94
This is excellent, really the most gorgeous balance of power, with dark blueberry juicy fruits and lots of liquorice. Excellent balance and a seductive overall frame. Great stuff - the tannins are pretty fierce though, needs time, will reward ageing. Drink 2028-2044
-
-
Matthew Jukes, May 2021, Score: 17.5+
This is quite a structured powerful and oaky wine with some tough, skinsy flavours which don’t allow the palate to relax for a moment. I think that Saint-Pierre crosses the line of balance and takes a step into a degree of rawness and harshness in 2020 and this is solely to do with the level of extraction. It is simply just a little too coarse and the oak has grabbed onto this note and augmented the astringency further. Will it work itself back into a state of equilibrium? I think the jury is out, hence a very rare ‘?’ for this wine.
-
-
Jancis Robinson, April 2021, Score: 16.5
Dark purplish crimson. Tobacco-leaf dry spice on the nose. Pretty flatteringly round palate entry and then some acidity and a hint of oak. Not the most intense on the palate and very unknit at present. Dry finish, not surprisingly… Sturdy rather than ethereal. 13.3%. Drink 2027 – 2043
-
-
Jeb Dunnuck, May 2021, Score: 94-96
The 2020 Château Saint-Pierre (Saint-Julien) looks to be beautiful, with a fresher, focused, yet still powerful style that fits nicely into the vintage. Lots of black and blue fruits, crushed stone, and graphite define the nose, and it's full-bodied, with a great mid-palate, ripe yet building tannins, and a great finish. It's going to need time to integrate its oak, but the purity of fruit, quality of the tannins, and balance are all spot on. Tasted twice with consistent notes.
-
-
Wine Cellar Insider, May 2021, Score: 93-95
Seductive, with loads of ripe, dark, fresh, polished, earthy, black currants, cedar, toasty oak, licorice and spice. The wine is soft, polished, fresh and focused, leaving you with layers of deep ripe fruits, a touch of coffee bean, cocoa and currants. This should age and evolve for 25 years or more.
