The 2020 Saintayme is bright, punchy and wonderfully vibrant. Sweet perfumed floral notes, red berry fruit, cedar and cinnamon lend terrific aromatic brightness. In 2020, Saintayme is a bit nervy and less fleshy than it can be. This is the first vintage made without microbullage, a technique that was previously used in some of the tanks here. I expect that will serve it well in the years to come, as the 2020 has an extra level of purity that is striking. As always, Saintayme is a selection from a 15-hectare property in Saint-Émilion's Saint Etienne de Lys district, made with a Burgundian approach in which the wine is vinified by the owner and then raised by the Durantou family.
- Antonio Galloni (2021)