The 2020 Mangot has turned out beautifully, bursting with aromas of cherries, wild berries, rose petals, blood orange and bay leaf. Medium to full-bodied, supple and seamless, it's pure and vibrant, with a layered core of fruit, velvety tannins and a long, mouthwateringly chalky finish. This is a brilliant wine that sells for a song and which surpasses many of its more well-known neighbors.
This dynamic 37-hectare estate is located in Saint Étienne de Lisse on clay-limestone soils. It's a single block, ranging from the plateau above the château to the plateau below, with slops and terraces in between. Farming is organic, with seeded cover crops retained year-round, and vinification is parcel by parcel to produce the best components to inform the optimal assemblage. It's planted with some 75% Merlot, but that's tending to decline at the expense of Cabernet Franc, little by little, as blocks are replanted, and élevage united traditional barriques with less oxidative vessels such as amphorae, of which Mangot was a pioneer. The style emphasizes precision and purity of fruit without any obtrusive winemaking signatures. On a qualitative roll, Mangot is one of the best values in contemporary Bordeaux.