Chateau Lilian Ladouys 2020
When tasted, Lilian Ladouys always reveals a rich and crisp structure with ripe tannins and refined oak which melts into an explosion of fruit. It has the opulence and length of a Saint-Estèphe fine wine. Thanks to the appellation’s limestone-clay subsoils, its power is balanced out by a wonderful sensation of freshness.
This top wine is matured for an average of 14 months in superb barrel store (40-60% new oak depending on the vintage). Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot make up the majority of the blend, with the proportions varying from one year to the next. They are supplemented by Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. The estate’s wines go into gravity-fed vats and undergo vinification with a partially gravity-based system, which is more sensitive to the integrity and subtleties of the grapes and the wine.
Grape Composition: 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 50% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot, 1% Cabernet Franc
| Wine Advocate: 91 |
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| The 2020 Lilian Ladouys offers up aromas of cassis, licorice and a deft touch of creamy new oak, followed by a medium to full-bodied, rather rich and broad palate framed by powdery tannins that assert themselves on the finish. It's a touch more structured than the demonstrative 2019 and will require a little patience. Best after 2027. |
| Decanter: 93 |
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| Juicy, well balanced, plenty of personality, with enough juice through the mid palate to balance out the big tannins that are pretty inescapable in any wines of ambition in 2020. The finish closes in sharply, but this is an enjoyable wine from the Lorenzetti-owned Lilian Ladouys (and for me one of the clear leaders of the new Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel category). |
| Wine Enthusiast: 95 |
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| The combination of powerful tannins and equally generous black fruits is a fine harbinger for this wine's development. Big, bold and juicy with a dense structure, the wine is for longterm aging. |
| James Suckling: 92 |
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| This is a young 2020 that is back ended with a serious finish of solid and polished tannins and plenty of juicy fruit. Medium body. Racy structured. Excellent length at the end. Best After 2025. |
| Jeb Dunnuck: 92 |
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| Seemingly always terrific, the 2020 Chateau Lilian Ladouys shows the class of the vintage and has a medium to full-bodied, concentrated, yet silky, perfectly balanced style with tons to love. Darker fruits, damp earth, truffle, and beautiful spice-driven aromatics define this beauty, and while it's already accessible, I'm sure will evolve gracefully for 10-15 years. Best After 2023. |