Château Couhins 2020

Quite pronounced in its maturation and slightly reductive; straightforward in style, with first-class tannins and a well-integrated sweet component, it will evolve into an elegant, easy-drinking wine.

Bramble, herbal and perfumed red and black fruits – strawberries and blackcurrants on the nose. Smells nuanced and inviting. Half fleshy and plush, half quite lean. The fruit is ripe, juicy, with good acidity and the tannins present. Velvety in texture, but the overall expression and finish is a touch austere right now, with clear liquorice and oak notes that tighten the palate and mark the finish. Tastes a bit high in alcohol and a touch too oaky, yet will age nicely and be very enjoyable later. Tannins are ripe and fresh.

Aromas of blackcurrants and dark cherries with notes of walnut, cocoa, seashell and spice box. Medium- to full-bodied with fine-grained tannins that are gently chewy and grippy. Firm and structured with steady acidity and juicy berry fruit underneath. Merlot and cabernet sauvignon. Try from 2025.

The 2020 Couhins lacks some complexity on the nose compared to its peers, just a bit static at the moment. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy black fruit, fine acidity, grainy tannins, but it attenuates toward the finish.

Loaded with black raspberries, flowers, mint leaf and black cherries in the perfume, the medium-bodied wine is fresh and juicy, offering espresso, smoked red fruits, herbs, spice and sweetness with lift and energy on the mid-palate and in the finish. Drink from 2025-2038.

Deep dark ruby garnet, purple reflections, dark core, delicate rim brightening. Subtle hints of cardamom and nougat, black wild berries, candied orange zest. Complex, dark cherries, vivid, somewhat bold tannins, sweet but somewhat dry on the finish, salty-mineral echo, still needs time.

Pure, ripe and refined, well balanced with classic dark fruit, youthful and grippy tannin but balanced with fine length and potential.

I loved the 2020 Château Couhins, a blend of 54% Merlot, 38% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the rest Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Aged in one-third new barrels, this beauty offers up a young, juicy, unevolved yet incredibly impressive style, carrying bright cassis-like fruits, notes of spring flowers and classy oak, medium- to full-bodied richness, and firm, building tannins. Concentrated, backward, and in need of 4–6 years in the cellar, this is a legit, seriously good Pessac-Léognan that will drink well for two decades.

Good quality, this majors on black cherry, with lovely supple tannins and clear notes of cocoa and chocolate. Enjoyable. In organic conversion, on sandy gravel soils, an innovative estate with great potential.

The 2020 Couhins Rouge is deep garnet-purple in color. It rolls out of the glass with open-knit notes of juicy black plums, blueberry pie, and redcurrant preserves, leading to wafts of pencil shavings and forest floor. The medium to full-bodied palate bursts with bright, expressive black fruits, supported by soft tannins and oodles of freshness, finishing with a skip in its step.

The fruit is certainly there, with its crushed raspberry aromas, but the nose hasn’t had its last word, as a lovely After-Eight freshness suddenly emerges. A velvety, complex, elegant palate, with sanguine, spicy, ferrous notes, velvety tannins and beautiful acidity. Majestic!

The utmost attention should be paid to this estate, which has carried out genuine in-depth work begun a few years ago to showcase the terroirs at its disposal. Already very successful with its white wines, Château Couhins is no less diligent with its reds. The bouquet of Couhins 2020 shows a lovely fruity expression with aromas of blackcurrant and blackberry, followed by a touch of eucalyptus that brings freshness. On the palate, it is charming and already quite approachable, while offering excellent cellaring potential. Its tannins are velvety, and the aromatic expression is ideally supported by the structure right through to the finish. A wine distinguished not by opulence, but by finesse. Bravo!