2016 Bordeaux En Primeur

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.

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.

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." 

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.

91-93 Points - Neal Martin "The 2016 Sénéjac has an attractive bouquet with floral-tinged red and black fruit—strawberry pastilles and just a touch of bay leaf, nicely defined and gaining intensity with aeration. The palate is very well balanced with fine tannin, well-judged acidity, very harmonious with assiduous use of new oak. This is a very stylish Haut-Médoc, one of the best that I have tasted in many years. This comes highly recommended."

92 Points - James Suckling "Very charming and precocious with ripe-redcurrant character and a lovely combination of delicate sweetness and supple tannins on the palate, the finish long and silky. Drink or hold."

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.

94 Points - James Suckling "Suave aromas of cedar and fresh red flowers with a thread of ripe red berries and blackcurrants, mulberries, coal smoke and cool stones. The palate delivers a wealth of rich red-fruit flavors, framed in sleek tannins that build with precision and length. A class act. One of the best from here in the modern era. Try from 2023."

17 Points - Jancis Robinson "Bright crimson. Racy and very rich and polished. Lovely tannins. Very juicy. Some tannin and potential underneath. Firm structure but no austerity. GV"

92 Points - Antonio Galloni "The 2016 Potensac is a huge overachiever. Succulent black cherry, plum, spice, leather, licorice and lavender flesh out in this striking, deeply flavored Médoc. Inky, racy and super-expressive, the 2016 is a wine of pure and total seduction. Jean-Hubert Delon's entire portfolio is impressive in 2016, but the wines from Potensac are especially of note. Tasted two times."

91 Points - Neal Martin"The 2016 Potensac contains earlier-picked Merlot and later-picked Cabernet, according to the estate. It offers blackberry, sous-bois and crushed stone on the nose, the new oak (one-third) finely integrated and focused. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannin and a fine bead of acidity, delivering a mixture of red and black fruit and a lightly spiced, almost gentle finish of satisfying length. I appreciate the nonchalant, easygoing nature of this Potensac, which should give immense pleasure over the next 15 to 20 years.."

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.