2020 Chateau Malescot Saint Exupery Margaux

Chateau’s Malescot St.-Exupery’s name is steeped in impressive lore, but it only links to part of its fascinating story. The winery derives its moniker from two former owners: Simon Malescot, who bought the estate in 1697; and Count Jean Baptiste de Saint-Exupery, who claimed property ownership from 1827 to 1853. The vineyard and winery were recognized in the famous 1855 classification as a Third Growth. The most important names associated with the winery are Paul and Roger Zuger, the father-son tandem that rescued the property from a state of disrepair in 1955 and ushered in an exciting viticultural rebirth.

Today, this renewal of excellence continues to flourish strongly under Roger’s son, winemaker Jean-Luc Zuger, whose impressive skills and passion for the viticultural process results in wines that constantly nab high 90+pt wine scores from critical luminaries like Robert Parker. Jean-Luc propels the Chateau’s ongoing renaissance through this exquisite red blend by sourcing grapes from Margaux, an appellation where the exceptional fruit defines the overarching Bordeaux region. Its famously gravelly, well-draining soil forces its vines to dig deeper than usual for nutrients. This struggle produces sharply concentrated grapes that practically pop with a level of complex depth that even exceeds the world’s perception of what an exemplary Bordeaux should be.

The sentiment behind Chateau Malescot St. Exupery’s motto “ever higher” has guided this winery on a remarkable journey; one that’s taken them from the brink of irrelevancy to a critical darling of Robert Parker. The journey marches forward with confident strides with this brilliant limited-production Bordeaux blend. Winemaker Jean-Luc Zuger takes full advantage of Margaux’s legendarily well-draining soils, sourcing an exceptional mélange of Cabernet Sauvignon and other varietals to produce a magnificent selection. The full-bodied opulence and unbridled exuberance instantly remind us why Bordeaux wines matter so much to the wine world. 

2020 was a great year for Bordeaux. Vinous Media blessed this year with a 97-point review and said, "Two thousand-twenty is an exceptional vintage for Bordeaux, certainly the best in the 2018-2020 trilogy. Quality is very, very high."

Aggressive notes of black raspberry, flowers, and creme de cassis are subdued by gentle notes of forest floor and a suggestion of charcoal. Its sexy, voluptuous weight enthusiastically hugs the palate with just enough restraint to allow for a level of gentle sweetness. Supple tannins lead the journey to a long, satisfying finish. 

Solid red with blackberry, blueberry, chocolate and spice. Lots of hazelnut, too. It’s full-bodied with chewy, polished tannins and a long, flavorful finish. Best of the trilogy vintages. ~97-98 James Suckling

Sporting a deep purple-black color, the 2020 Malescot St. Exupery prances out of the glass with showy scents of ripe black and red currants, black cherries, raspberry leaves, and ground cloves, plus wafts of lilacs and tilled soil. Medium to full-bodied, the palate delivers mouth-coating black and red fruit layers with a firm, grainy texture and well-balanced acidity, finishing on a lingering fragrant-earth note. ~95-97 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

The 2020 Malescot St. Exupery was picked at 31hl/ha. It has a bouquet that I would describe as controlled opulence: lavish blueberry, Dorset plums, crushed violet and incense burst from the glass... but in orderly fashion. The palate is medium-bodied with ripe and succulent tannins that lend this Margaux a fleshy texture, yet there is clearly ample structure, as well as marvelous salinity and precision on the finish. This 2020 continues the purple patch for this property and comes highly recommended. ~94-96 Neal Martin, Vinous Media

Lots of cassis, blackberries, toasted spices, and vanilla-tinged oak define the nose of the 2020 Château Malescot Saint Exupery, and it’s medium to full-bodied, round, and supple on the palate. With velvety tannins, terrific mid-palate depth, and the classic purity of fruit that’s the hallmark of the vintage, it builds nicely with time in the glass and is another incredibly impressive Margaux that will have two decades or more of prime drinking. ~93-95 Jeb Dunnuck

Enjoyable black fruit aromatics on the nose, they do a good job here of soft pedalling the extraction on the attack, although by the mid palate we are in bitter chocolate and liquorice territory. Again, concentration and intensity is an overriding signature of the vintage. 3% Petit Verdot completes the blend. A yield of 31hl/ha. Drinking Window 2026 - 2040 ~92 Decanter