Chateau Malescot St Exupery 2020

Product info about Chateau Malescot St Exupery 2020

Château Malescot Saint-Exupéry 2020 is a red Margaux from Bordeaux and the estate's grand vin, carrying the historic status of a 1855 Troisième Grand Cru Classé. For this vintage, the blend brings together a notable proportion of merlot with cabernet sauvignon, supported by cabernet franc and petit verdot.

The estate's vineyards cover around 28 hectares in Margaux, planted on gravel soils with limestone or marl beneath, sloping towards the Gironde. The 2020 season was shaped by a warm, dry summer, timely rain in August and a September of sunny days, cool nights and limited rainfall. That background helps explain the character described in many notes: ripe, layered and generous, yet with enough freshness to keep the wine defined.

In the cellar, the work was detailed and restrained. The grapes were hand-harvested in crates, sorted both in the vineyard and at the winery, fermented in temperature-controlled stainless steel and concrete vats, then aged on fine lees in barriques for around 12 to 14 months, with about 70% new oak. The producer describes the wine as unfined and unfiltered, with only one racking during ageing.

At Drankenshop Broekmans, we see this Malescot Saint-Exupéry as a serious Margaux for the cellar as much as for thoughtful drinking in time. Various sources point to the second half of the 2020s as the moment when it begins to enter a more expressive phase, with further ageing potential beyond that. The vintage was strongly received by professional critics, including 97 points from James Suckling and high ratings from Wine Advocate, Vinous and other wine publications. With only the last bottles remaining, this release has become increasingly scarce.

The colour is described as dark garnet to deep purple-black. Aromatically, it moves through blackcurrant, blueberry, blackberry, plum and black cherry, with redcurrant and raspberry leaf adding a fresher register. Floral notes of violet or lilac sit alongside clove, cinnamon, cardamom and black pepper, followed by graphite, crushed stone, earth, cedar, toast, smoke, chocolate, walnut and hazelnut.

On the palate, it is generally described as medium to full-bodied or full-bodied, with ripe black and red fruit and a layered, fairly lavish texture. The tannins are present but often polished or silky, though some notes point to a firmer, more granular structure. The finish carries spice, earth and mineral tones, sometimes with chocolate and liquorice.