2016 Bordeaux En Primeur

En Primeur 2016 - Available for delivery Spring / Summer 2019

93-94 Points - James Suckling 

Powerful and structured with lots of blueberry, blackberry and currant character. Full-bodied, tight and tannic yet polished and beautiful. Fantastic. Juicy.

92 Points - Neal Martin 

The 2016 Les Ormes de Pez has a tightly wound, graphite-scented bouquet that needs a little coaxing from the glass but eventually reveals discreet minerally scents mixed with sous-bois. The palate is medium-bodied with quite succulent tannin, and certainly more approachable than the Les Ormes de Pez of the past, delivering gentle grip toward the tarry finish. This is a finely crafted Saint-Estèphe from team Cazes.

En Primeur 2016 - Available for delivery Spring / Summer 2019

93 Points - James Suckling

Very pretty fruit with dark berries, plums and currants. Hints of sweet tobacco. Medium bodied, firm and silky. Lovely, juicy finish with delicious acidity at the end. The 18 per cent of fabulous cabernet franc in this makes it special. Hard not to drink now, but better in 2023.

92 Points - Neal Martin 

The 2016 Capbern from the Calon-Ségur team, matured in 50-60% new oak, has a wonderful bouquet of blackberry, pencil lead and light floral aromas that leap out of the glass. The beautifully balanced palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, leading to a supple, smooth but complex graphite finish. This is a superb Capbern, easily the best ever made.

97 Points - James Suckling

Terrific intensity of dark berries, almost peppery blackcurrants and violets with attractive and integrated, spicy oak and an earthy edge. The palate has a super powerful and long, linear core with plenty of fruit flesh strapped in tight for a long and thrilling ride into the finish. A blend of 86 per cent cabernet and 14 per cent merlot. Try from 2024.

96 Points - Decanter

I love this - there's concentrated cassis on the nose with a strong, smoky edging. On the palate the coffee and dark chocolate is clear, a little bitter in an extremely attractive way, leaning against the rich, sweet black fruits. There's no question those tannins are in full play. An excellent wine with a great life ahead. Matured in 60% new oak.

94 Points - James Suckling

A wine with generosity yet, at the same time, structure with pretty, dusty tannins. Full body. Crushed stones and dried earth. Very consistent and long. Impressive. Hard to decide whether it’s better than 2015. Beautiful. Drink after 2021.

93 Points - Decanter 

Beautifully rich in colour, this has a wonderful depth to it, with blueberry notes, a touch of cinnamon, and gorgeous clarity of fruit. Tender tannins with a salted butter finish. This is made entirely from Château Montlandrie’s own vines, including production from all of the newly planted areas, whereas the 2014 vintage was missing perhaps 10% of the new vine plantings. 2016 was also the first year that the wine was fully barrel aged, using 40% new oak, although it is still vinified in stainless steel. This is a new step for Montlandrie. Not yet bottled at the time of tasting.

En Primeur 2016 - Available for delivery Spring / Summer 2019

94 Points - James Suckling

A red with very deep and intense fruit character, yet rich tannins to back it all up. Full-bodied, layered and powerful. The second wine of Cos d’Estournel is serious again in 2016. Try from 2025.

92 Points - Neal Martin

The 2016 Les Pagodes de Cos is matured in 30% new oak. It has an intense bouquet for a deuxième vin, featuring blackberry, bilberry, light cedar and graphite aromas, quite Pauillac in style. The medium-bodied palate is fresh and vigorous though not deep, displaying fine tannin and exerting a gentle grip. There is a symmetry about this Les Pagodes, which is longer than other vintages, with just a hint of graphite and cracked black pepper on the finish. Excellent. 

En Primeur 2016 - Available for delivery Spring / Summer 2019

96 Points - James Suckling 

Beautiful aromas of flowers and berries, intermingled in fresh and brambly mode with a cedary edge. This is very fresh. The tannins carve an exceptionally deep, long line through the dark berries and cassis and deliver a very powerful, unwavering finish. This is in great form. Very powerful and focused. Try from 2024.

94 Points - Decanter 

Still extremely young, the construction here is clear in that you can feel the architectural hand of 2016 with St-Julien balance. This is rich and deep with intense, concentrated and juicy cassis fruits joined by a touch of sweet liquorice, dark chocolate and charred oak edging. I like the balance here. Matured in 60% new oak.

92-93 Points - James Suckling 

This is very dense and beautiful yet it’s agile and exciting. Blueberries, chocolate and walnuts. Full to medium body and beautiful length. Juicy center palate of fruit.

91 Points - Neal Martin 

The 2016 Saintayme is quite deep in color. The bouquet unfurls gradually to reveal blackberry, briar and light cedar aromas, all gentle and refined. The palate is medium-bodied with quite firm tannins on the entry, a slightly chalky texture and a fine bead of acidity. This is a more masculine Saintayme compared to other vintages, displaying more grip and salinity toward the finish. I suspect that, given its amazing value, this will be consumed early, but personally, I would stash it away for three or four years, because it has more to give.

En Primeur 2016 - Available for delivery Spring / Summer 2019

92 Points - Decanter 

A wonderfully rich, expressive wine that is absolutely full of liquorice, baked vanilla bean, cassis and bilberry notes, with tannins that are taut yet integrated. It’s thrillingly young at this stage but a clear path towards enjoyment is already emerging. This is going to age well and points to a more refined style of Larrivet than some other vintages, without sacrificing any impact. A lovely seductive red Pessac-Léognan, with oak notes that are clear but not uncomfortable; this has been well handled during ageing. 65% was used in grand vin production in this year.

92 Points - Antonio Galloni 

The 2016 Larrivet Haut-Brion is one of the sleepers of the vintage. Iron, cedar, blood orange, chalk and smoke give the 2016 an incredibly expressive upper register of aromatic depth to match its distinctly feral personality. What a gorgeous wine this is. The 2016 spent 16-18 months in barrel, 33% new. Tasted two times.