A total of 249 châteaux were included in the 2020 ranking, comprising 14 crus bourgeois exceptionnels, 56 crus bourgeois supérieurs and 179 crus bourgeois.
Scroll down for Jane Anson’s top-scoring Crus Bourgeois en primeur tasting notes and scores
Holding over the vintages 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022, this year’s en primeurs was a prime time to see the effects of the judging decision and for estates to start marketing their wines under the new titles.
Jane Anson believes that all the estates named Exceptionnel in 2020 ‘deserved their ranking’ and highlighted Belle-Vue, Cambon la Pelouse, Le Boscq and Lilian Ladouys as particular stand-outs.
Anson also pointed out several Supérieurs she would ‘have been happy to see at the higher level’ including Fourcas-Borie, La Tour de Mons and Sérilhan.
Below is a list of the best-scoring Cru Bourgeois wines, all scoring 91 points or above. It includes nine exceptionnels and nine supérieurs giving both classificaiton levels equal numbers. There are four wines at 93 points, five wines at 92 points and nine wines at 91 points.
Not only are these wines lauded for their quality but they also represent excellent value. An Anson said in her report; ‘The best cru bourgeois estates have levels of investment in both viticulture and vinification that differ very little, if at all, from those at neighbouring 1855-classified châteaux. And yet the prices they can hope to receive differ widely.’
Many of the wines listed below can be found for less than £20 a bottle with the majority under £15. For instance at:
93 points
Château Belle-Vue, Haut-Médoc (Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel), £12.50
Château Le Crock, St-Estèphe (Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel), £18.16
Château Lilian Ladouys, St-Estèphe (Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel), £12
92 points
Château Serilhan, St-Estèphe (Cru Bourgeois Supérieur), £13.75
Château Charmail, Haut-Médoc (Cru Bourgeois Supérieur), £13.67
91 points
Château De Gironville, Médoc (Cru Bourgeois Supérieur), £9.17 in bond
Château Tour des Termes, St-Estèphe (Cru Bourgeois Supérieur), £13.33
All prices were correct at the time for either the 2019 or 2018 vintages. Actual prices for wines not yet released may vary.
