2020 Louis Bernard Chateauneuf-du-Pape 750 ml

When our friend pulled the 2020 Louis Bernard Châteauneuf-du-Pape out of his Eurocave, we couldn’t help but notice the blockbuster bottles he was passing up: Beaucastel, Clos des Papes—a who’s who of marquee Rhône reds. 

We thought he was holding out on us—until he poured us a glass of the Louis Bernard and our FOMO went up in flames. Bursting with aromas of black cherry, dark spiced berries, all accented with roses and violets, we were enamored by the nose alone. Then we took a sip and were taken aback by the bold and layered palate laden with confected cherry, dark cocoa, and generous tannins that glide to a long finish. 

We stayed until the bottle was dusted, snapped a pic of the label, and when we called our host to thank him for the party, complimented him again on his late-night selection. Then we got to work securing it for Wine Access members. 

We’re not alone in loving this Châteauneuf-du-Pape, which won an impressive 96 points from the Decanter World Wine Awards. The expert panel called it “powerfully lifted,” “really complex,” and “polished.” It’s a muscular and expressive wine that doesn’t hold back, delivering a quintessential Châteauneuf experience with every sip.   

“Everything about Châteauneuf is big,” writes Decanter, and the 2020 growing season for the Southern Rhône certainly delivered on this pronouncement. An outstanding vintage according to Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate, it delivered a host of fantastic wines—bearing big-name labels, sure, but also some under-the-radar stunners like this one. We’re thrilled to share it with you.