Kirwan Margaux 2020

94+ Lisa Perrotti-Brown (The Wine Independent): "A blend of 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Franc, and 7% Petit Verdot, with a pH of 3.64, the 2020 Kirwan is deep garnet-purple in color. It slowly emerges from the glass with powerful notes of blackcurrant cordial, juicy plums and boysenberries, followed by nuances of chocolate-covered cherries, violets, fragrant earth and cardamom. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is jam-packed with black and blue fruit layers, supported by velvety tannins and seamless freshness, finishing long and fruity. Drink 2025-2044 (Oct 2022)"

94 points Georgina Hindle (Decanter): "Gorgeous nose, full of dark bramble fruits and dark chocolate and flowers. Round and energetic with a core of intensely concentration blackcurrants, plums and black cherries. Lovely refinement here, sleek, satisfying, clean, precise. Great drive from start to finish, this has both a satisfying wight and texture - plump but not too much, mineral and salty but not too much. Glamour and confidence. A lovely wine, still youthful but expertly delivered. Just so juicy and alive, refreshing, vibrant and concentrated. Really very stylish. Drinking window 2025-2040 (Jan 2023)"

94 points Jeb Dunnuck: "Lots of smoky oak, ripe blackcurrants, blueberries, tobacco, and chocolaty notes emerge from the 2020 Château Kirwan, a richly textured, medium to full-bodied Margaux. A wine that blossoms with time in the glass, it's a plush, sexy, yet brilliantly balanced 2020 offering velvety tannins and a great finish, and while the oak is present right on opening, it integrates beautifully with air. This beauty is going to put a smile on your face any time over the coming 20-25 years. Drink 2023-2048 (Mar 2023)"

94 points Jane Anson (Inside Bordeaux): "Another exceptional vintage after a run of them, with cloves on the opening beats reflecting a dry year where the concentration is clear. A brilliant mix of 2018 and 2019, juicy with lift through the palate, elivering great punch of black pepper and spiced plum, blackberry puree, campfire smoke and fresh mint leaf on the finish. Still young and coiled but this is impressive. 50% new oak for ageing, 33hl/h yield. Eric Boissenot consultant, Philippe Delfaut director. Drink 2027-2044 (Sep 2024)"

94 points Claire Nesbitt (JamesSuckling.com): "Attractive nose of hazelnuts, chocolate, blueberries, blackcurrants, peach pits and sandalwood. Hints of olives and mushrooms, too. Complex, layered and integrated, with a medium to full body and powdery tannins. Long and savory at the end. Drink from 2025. (Dec 2022)"

93 points Peter Moser (Falstaff Guide): "Dark ruby garnet, purple reflections, deep core, delicate rim brightening. Individual bouquet of overripe berries, some damp underbrush, hints of cassis, delicate dried fruit. Medium complexity, red wild berries, fine fruit sweetness, integrated tannins, fresh and developed, already drinking well, charming, shows length, (2025-2045). (Feb 2023)"

93 points Raffaele Vecchione (WinesCritic.com): "Juicy and vibrant on the nose showing notes of raspberries, currants cut cedar, lemon juice and vetiver. Medium to full bodied, biting tannins and a flavourful finale of optimum smoothness. Better from 2024. (Feb 2023)"

92+ points William Kelley (Wine Advocate): "Exhibiting aromas of sweet black fruits and licorice mingled with hints of creamy new oak, the 2020 Kirwan is medium to full-bodied, deep and fleshy, with polished tannins, notably tangy acids for the vintage, and a suave, seamless profile despite its creditable concentration. In terms of aromatic purity and managed extraction, this is the finest Kirwan for some time. Drink 2025-2043 (Apr 2023)"

92 points Neal Martin (Vinous): "The 2020 Kirwan has quite an expressive nose with blackberry, mint, incense and touches of orange zest. It gains intensity with aeration, quite open and expressive. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy black fruit, fine delineation, balanced and poised with ample concentration on the finish. Fine precision here, a really quite excellent Kirwan. Drink 2025-2045 (Feb 2023)"

92 points Wine Spectator: "A velvety, seductive style, with warmed plum and black currant confiture laced with worn cedar, smoldering black tea and violet. Shows a subtle sanguine twinge at the very end that adds lift. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Best from 2026 through 2036. Tasted twice, with consistent notes. (Mar 2023)"

92 points Chris Kissack (The WineDoctor): "The 2020 from Kirwan presents a very fresh and fragrant nose redolent of perfumed raspberry, wrapped in ribbons of toast and caramel. The palate has a similarly convincing start, showing a sweet and full texture, sinewy and medium-bodied, with a rather chalky and perfumed layer of toasted barrels, with a dry grip of tannins. This is very convincing, the structure rich and rather smoky, but it all works in harmony with the reserved substance of the rest of the palate. I think for Kirwan this is a noteworthy success. Well done. (Dec 2022)"