The 2020 Sansonnet is one of the best wines here in recent memory. Ample and explosive in feel, the 2020 offers up copious dark fruit, chocolate, spice and new leather notes. There's not much subtlety, but I don't think it matters much. This full-throttle, unabashedly opulent Saint-Émilion is lights out. Tasted two times.

Another head-turning vintage from this château, the 2020 Château Sansonnet is based on 95% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the rest Cabernet Franc, from yields of 36 hectoliters per hectare, that was raised in 80% new barrels. Possessing incredible purity in its black raspberry and cassis fruit as well as notes of white flowers, camphor, and spicy oak, it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, polished, ultra-fine tannins, flawless balance, and a great, great finish. This estate, under the guidance of Marie and Christophe Lefévère, has had a shocking string of truly incredible vintages, and given that these continue to be undervalued in the market, it's the wine lovers and wine drinkers out there who benefit. If you get a chance, don't miss this beauty. March 2023

Dark in hue, the wine opens with espresso, black cherries, dark chocolate and flowers in the perfume. Full-bodied, creamy, concentrated, silky and fresh, the finish strives to coat your palate with its layers of polished, ripe, black and blue fruit, espresso, licorice chocolate and smoke. Drink from 2024-2050. Tasted March 2023

Notes of ripe blackberries and blueberries with black licorice, tree bark, chocolate and moist earth. Medium- to full-bodied and dense. It has layers of ultra-fine tannins wrapping up the deep core of dark fruit. Structured and velvety with a long finish. Try after 2026. May 2023

Deep purple-black colored, the 2020 Sansonnet needs a bit of swirling and coaxing to release its beguiling nose of black cherry preserves, bursting ripe blueberries and stewed plums, with hints of star anise, violets, dark chocolate and cardamom, plus a waft of wood smoke. The rich, decadent, full-bodied palate (15% alcohol) delivers impactful, mouth-coating black fruits, framed by velvety tannins and seamless freshness, finishing with lingering exotic spices notes.

This 35+-year-old, 6.96-hectare vineyard is planted to 6,000 vines per hectare on thin clay and limestone soils atop the Saint-Émilion plateau, just across the road from Château Trotte Vieille. This 2020 blend is 95% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Cabernet Franc, aging for around 16 months in French oak barrels, 80% new.
Drink Date
2026 - 2045
Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW

Ripe, fleshy and mouthcoating, this packs a punch in terms of flavour, concentration, acidity and tannins. Everything is on show. Minty liquorice is dominant, so you get quite a lot of wood spice and bitter elements which do detract a little from the fruit, although this is a bold, brooding and characterful wine. Rich and heady. A blockbuster that just manages to stay on the right side of being too much. One to watch. Drinking Window: 2025 - 2042
Tasted by: Georgina Hindle (at CVBG, Belgrave, 01 Feb 2023)

Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2020 Sansonnet explodes with notes of baked plums, boysenberry preserves, black raspberries, and Morello cherries, giving way to wafts of crushed rocks, cedar, and baking spices. The full-bodied palate has a rock-solid structure of firm, fine-grained tannins and bold freshness supporting the generous black and red fruit flavors, finishing with compelling energy. Lis Perrotti-Brown March 2023 - The Wine Independent

Exuberant and succulent, dark ruby in colour, with full-on but well-balanced extraction that ensures big tannins, concentrated black fruits and a gourmet edge of cocoa bean and liqourice. Marie Benedtice Lefévère owns this 7ha estate. Jean-Philippe Fort consultant, 30hl/ha yield. The Lefevre family are ones to watch in St-Emilion right now, with their recent investments into Villemaurine and Valandraud. Jane Anson Inside Bordeaux Dec 2022

The 2020 Sansonnet has a powerful nose, ripe black cherries, cassis and pressed violet aromas, and touches of orange zest. It has not the delineation I was hoping for from barrel. The palate is medium-bodied but quite muscular on the entry, though the acidity is well judged, and it obtains more detail and elegance towards the citrus-driven finish. There is a bit of rigidity here that needs to become more malleable with time. Give this 4-5 years in bottle. Tasted twice with consistent notes.