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This is very reserved and tight with super fine tannins that are forceful and beautiful. Full-bodied, layered and beautiful. The tannins are forceful yet polished and thoughtful. Second wine of Château Angélus. Try after 2023.James Suckling | 95 JSThe 2016 Le Carillon d’Angélus is blended of 75% Merlot and 25% Cabernet Franc, aged 16 months in 50% new French oak. Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, it strides confidently out of the glass with pure, polished black cherries, fresh blackberries and black raspberry scents with nuances of unsmoked cigars, hoisin, black truffles and wet stones plus a waft of pencil shavings. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has great elegance and sophistication, with the lively red and black fruit flavors adeptly structured with soft, fine-grained tannins and seamless freshness, finishing on a lingering earthy note.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPFrom the team at Angélus yet from a separate terroir, the 2016 Carillon d’Angélus comes from 75% Merlot and 25% Cabernet Franc, all of which spent 14-16 months in 50% new oak. This medium to full-bodied effort has some true Angélus character in its rocking nose of cassis, dried herbs, graphite, spice box, and chocolate-laced aromas and flavors. This gives way to a seamless, balanced, impressively textured wine that’s already drinking nicely yet promises to evolve for 10-15 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 93 JDThis comes from selected parcels that are not seen as part of the main Angélus vineyards. The wine is rich and stylish, with layers of black fruits and generous tannins. Freshness in the midst of all this richness gives a bright character. Drink the wine from 2023.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEThe 2016 Carillon d’Angelus is a blend of 75% Merlot and 25% Cabernet Franc. Medium to deep garnet in color, it bursts from the glass with notes of baked black plums, boysenberry preserves, and chocolate-covered cherries, leading to wafts of tar, tilled soil, black truffles, and underbrush. Medium-bodied, the palate is taut, muscular and chewy with loads of earthy layers on the long finish. It can be approached now but can cellar with confidence for 10-12 years+.The Wine Independent | 93 TWIThe 2016 Le Carillon d’Angélus is absolutely gorgeous. In 2016, Carillon is 75% Merlot and 25% Cabernet Franc, with the Franc bringing considerable aromatic intensity and brightness to the wine. Deep, sensual and beautifully layered, the 2016 is a fabulous wine from Angélus. The new oak is a bit too much for a wine with this kind of mid-weight structure, but that is a relatively small critique for a wine that offers so much pleasure. Moreover, it will drink well upon release.Vinous Media | 92 VMSecond label. Inviting aromas of ripe black fruit, floral, raspberry leaf and wet stone. Red fruits dominate the palate with a soft, juicy and chewy sensation. Concentrated but lifted. Retains a sense of direction and finesse.Decanter Magazine | 92 DEC

The 2016 Carmes de Rieussec is absolutely gorgeous. Hints of passionfruit, pineapple and mint all run through this gracious Sauternes. Medium in body, open-knit and accessible, the 2016 is easy to drink and enjoy right now. The 2016 Carmes is an absolutely delicious second wine from Rieussec that emphasizes freshness and immediacy. Residual sugar is relatively modest at 120 grams per liter.Vinous Media | 92 VMPale lemon in color, the 2016 Carmes de Rieussec features notes of candied orange peel and honey-drizzled peaches with touches of beeswax and lemon curd. The palate is rich with a lovely line of freshness cutting though the stone fruit layers, finishing on a spicy note.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91 RPSweet honey, lemon rind and cooked pineapple. Medium sweet, medium-bodied and an easy finish with toffee and caramel undertones to the cooked fruit. Second wine of Rieussec. Drink in 2021.James Suckling | 91 JSPacked with ripe, honeyed Sémillon, this wine has richness while also keeping plenty of freshness. Acidity and a crisp edge are balanced with the intense orange marmalade and spice flavors that will make this wine develop well. Drink from 2022.Wine Enthusiast | 91 WENot yet bottled, the 2016 Carmes de Rieussec offers a medium to full-bodied, ripe, sweetly fruited, moderately honeyed style. This was a good, not great year for Sauternes due to the difficulty in the development of botrytis, but this has good purity, impressive balance, and is certainly delicious. Drink it over the coming 7-8 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 90-92 JDA quince and pineapple nose is followed by passion fruit and white peach flesh in the mouth. It’s a lovely fresh and floral Sauternes.Decanter | 90 DEC

You get a real sense of ripeness, as soon as you get a whiff of this red; blackberry essence, ripe stems, vanilla and lifted balsamic vinegar and shoe polish are out in full force. It’s on the full-bodied palate where the power really hits you — this is a chewy, full-bodied Barbaresco with unforgiving, stocky tannins and densely packed dark fruit. Don’t tread lightly here, but expect a powerhouse of fruit and tannin! Drink from 2023.James Suckling | 94 JSRose, menthol, wild herb and forest berry aromas lead the nose. Linear and elegantly structured, the savory palate is loaded with finesse, offering wild cherry extract, licorice and orange zest framed in firm, refined tannins. Bright acidity lends balance and tension. Drink 2024–2036.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEStrawberry, cherry, eucalyptus and mineral flavors highlight this slim yet flavorful red. Balanced and refined, featuring a resonant finish packed with lively tannins. Best from 2022 through 2040. 750 cases made, 105 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

The 2016 Santa Croce is the estate’s blend of equal parts Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon that spent close to eight years in cask during a time when proprietor Coralia Pignatelli della Leonessa was ill and some lots sat undisturbed in cellar for extended periods. Dark red fruit, rose petal, spice and menthol build in the glass. Most suprisingly, the 2016 is shockingly fresh for a wine of its age . This is a great, great wine. It’s not Sangiovese, it’s not Cabernet Sauvignon, it’s not a blend. It’s simply Castell’in Villa at its most profound. (AG)Vinous Media | 97 VM

Made in magnum, this is the only wine in the portfolio to blend across vineyards. The aromas are arresting, with notes of firepit, funk, green herb, potpourri, chimney and black and green olive. Rich, intense but still lithe savory flavors follow. The intensity and length of the finish is captivating.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEA blend of vineyards, the 2016 Syrah Wallah Wallah Special #10 is only bottled in magnum format. It has a fresh core of strawberries on the nose, with a dusty minerality and hints of wild sage over soft, smoky and charcuterie aromas. The wine has a focused and balanced core of fruit and florals on the palate, with violets, dried herbs, black pepper and a taut minerality that is thoughtful and elegant, concluding with attentive tannins on the elongated finish. Magnums age well, so this can be forgotten in your cellar with little to no repercussions to the quality of the wine. This bottling is Washington State’s smart wine buy of the year. Who doesn’t love magnums of fantastic and beautiful wine? Only 460 cases were made. Grab some for your cellar!Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPOnly released in magnum, the 2016 Syrah Wallah Wallah Special #10 is always a mysterious blend of multiple vineyards. It has beautiful complexity in its ripe black cherry and cassis fruits, iodine, tobacco, ashtray, and earthy/peat moss-like aromas and flavors. This gives way to a full-bodied, concentrated Syrah that has bright acidity, loads of fruit, and a focused, juicy style that’s going to benefit from short-term cellaring.Jeb Dunnuck | 95-97 JDA blend of vineyards that changes each year, this has a sense of elegance with a distinctly spicy and quite floral edge (there is some viognier) and a lithe, juicy and very drinkable feel. This is more immediate, a wine to celebrate with and only bottled in magnum. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 94 JSBright dark red. Lovely Côte-Rôtie-like aromas of black raspberry, violet and bacon fat. Dense and savory, with strong raspberry fruit lifted by a minty nuance in the mid-palate. Piquant mace and nutmeg notes contribute energy and a black pepper component lifts the finish. Quite firm but utterly edge-free, this youthfully bound-up wine finishes saline and long, with an emerging note of black licorice. Not currently as complex as some of the other 2026 Syrahs at this address, this wine calls for patience. (13.5% alcohol; bottled in magnums; according to Elizabeth Bourcier, this wine is from "a secret blend of vineyards)".Vinous Media | 93 VMSvelte and luscious, with effortlessly complex raspberry and blueberry flavors accented by garrigue, smoky beef and cracked pepper notes. The finish is long and elegant, with refined tannins.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

Attractive dark-stone aromas with graphite and ripe dark berries sit fresh on the nose. The palate has a riper feel with very rich, dense fruit presence and a heavier, tannin line weight. Full body. Try from 2022.James Suckling | 93 JSThe 2016 Grand Corbin has grown into a powerful, dense Saint-Émilion. This is a fairly rich, bombastic style, and yet all the elements fall into place. I would give the 2016 a few years in bottle to allow the tannins to soften, but there is good depth and plenty of potential. A rush of chocolate, leather, licorice, smoke and black cherry meld into the potent finish. Tasted three times with consistent notes.Antonio Galloni | 92 AGClear black cherry and savoury cassis notes give a bright feel on the attack, although the tannins remain extremely constricting. Cinnamon, rosemary and charred liquorice chime in. It’s an austere style, but there’s no question that these are excellent building blocks. 40% new oak. Hubert de Bouard consults. Drinking Window 2024 - 2040.Decanter | 91 DECThe deep ruby/purple-hued 2016 Château Grand Corbin is another fine 2016 that has plenty of ripe, concentrated fruit yet stays pure, elegant and layered. Ripe black cherries, currants, green tobacco, and spring flower notes all emerge from this attractive, layered, complex Saint Emilion that has both freshness and richness.Jeb Dunnuck | 90 JDThe 2016 Grand Corbin has a rich and showy bouquet with plenty of ravishing black fruit laced with spice, although I would like to see more precision. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy black fruit, a touch of graphite with a neat and tidy, quite harmonious and well-judged finish. It gets better as it goes along!Robert Parker Neal Martin | 89-91 RP-NM

Pale lemon-gold colored, the 2016 Climens is a little youthfully mute, revealing notions of ripe peaches, mango and musk melon with touches of cedar chest, orange blossoms, candied ginger and baking bread. Bursting in the mouth with vibrant, energetic stone fruit and tropical layers, it is framed by fantastic freshness, finishing long and creamy.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96+ RPMy favourite sweet wine at the tasting (including Yquem). Already glorious, this will live decades. Burnished gold hue, botrytis notes on the nose, some leafy, spicy, lemongrass hints and a palate with just the right balance between lusciousness and freshness. Extremely subtle oak. A wonderful Barsac to drink between now and 2060.Decanter | 95 DECThe 2016 Climens has a wonderful bouquet similar to my last bottle, more expressive now with orange pith, wild honey and quince. Like before it opens wonderfully in the glass. The palate is very well balanced with fine definition, fresh and vibrant with a creamy honeyed texture, praline and apricot, on the seductive finish. Superb. Tasted at the Climens vertical at the château in April 2022.Vinous Media | 94 VMExpressive, with peach, mirabelle plum, mango and pear fruit flavors running along in unison, lacing with light bitter almond and orange notes and a flash of honeysuckle. Best from 2022 through 2038.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

The 2016 Cos d’Estournel is blended of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot and 1% Cabernet Franc aged in 65% new and 35% two-year-old French oak for 15 months. Bottled in July 2018, it is deep garnet-purple colored and starts off a little closed and reticent, opening out slowly and seductively to reveal beautiful lilacs, rose hip tea, crushed stones and camphor nuances over a core of crème de cassis, kirsch, wild blueberries and mocha plus wafts of incense and wood smoke. The palate is simply electric, charged with an energy and depth of flavors that seem to defy the elegance and ethereal nature of its medium-bodied weight, featuring super ripe, densely pixelated tannins that firmly frame the myriad of fruit and floral sparks, finishing with epic length. Just. Magic.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 100 RPIn my last sighted review of the 2016 Cos d’Estournel, I wrote: "I suspect it will close down for a period in its youth." Perhaps it is already beginning to shut down, because though this wine was deeply impressive, it fell just a notch short of ethereal previous bottles, despite its "pixelated black fruit" on the nose and "sublime balance" on the palate. I tasted the wine twice thereafter, though this time with a 4-6 hour decant, and this revealed the Cos d’Estournel that has amazed since I first tasted it out of barrel.Vinous Media | 100 VMThis is muscular yet so well defined and toned. Full-bodied with deep and dense fruit on the palate, yet powerful and rich at the same time. So much sandalwood and blackberry character. Chewy and rich at the finish. This is a warm and generous wine, but the alcohol is just over 13 degrees. Not that high. Love the finish. Extravagant. Magical. Try from 2025.James Suckling | 100 JSThe grand vin 2016 Cos d’Estournel checks in as 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, and 1% Cabernet Franc that saw 70% new French oak. One of the more seamless, pure, elegant versions of this cuvée out there, it boasts a saturated purple color as well as a monster nose of pure crème de cassis, gravelly, rocky minerality, tobacco leaf, crushed violets, and lead pencil shavings. One of those “iron fists in a velvet glove” wines, with full-bodied richness and beautiful structure that’s covered by thrilling levels of fruit and texture, it stays tight, compact, and incredibly focused on the palate. It’s already brilliant given its purity of fruit and balance, but it deserves a decade of bottle age and will keep for 4-5 decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 99 JDThis is a little tight right now, as are so many of the 2016s. The fruit is deep, dark and concentrated, with fierce tannins that will take a long time to come around but will age well. There’s no question that this is a monumental Cos, with the walls of slate ready to be scaled, joined by a rosemary and black olive tang, juicy liquorice root and lashings of cassis. I tasted this wine both en primeur and again during a vertical at the property in July, and have felt thrilled to recommend it each time. Aymeric de Gironde was still the director at the time, before leaving in 2017. Drinking Window 2024 - 2040.Decanter | 97 DECThis has a core of slightly exotic loganberry, plum and boysenberry fruit laced with singed spice, savory, lilac and incense notes, while a buried chalk-edged minerality sits in reserve. Very sleek, with a wonderfully long finish that lets the fruit and other elements shimmer. Best from 2025 through 2040. 15,833 cases made.Wine Spectator | 96 WSPowerful tannins show strongly in this elegant, structured wine. Rich black-currant and black-plum flavors are lifted by acidity. The wine has weight and concentration, but also is poised and fresh. This combination will allow the wine to age for many years. Drink from 2025.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WE

The 2016 Chateau D’Yquem is pure magic and dessert wines don’t get much better. Offering a pale gold color as well as a blockbuster bouquet of honeyed tangerines, tart apricots, liquid rocks, white flowers, and honeysuckle, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, an opulent texture, vibrant acidity, and again, an incredible sense of minerality, despite having no shortage of sweetness or richness. The 2016 is a classic blend of 75% Sémillon and 25% Sauvignon that hit 14.2% alcohol with 135 grams of residual sugar. It’s already complex and approachable yet will keep for 3-4 decades. (Drink between 2019-2054)Jeb Dunnuck | 99 JDA very classic Yquem. Breathtakingly wide spectrum of floral honey, exotic fruit (passion fruit, mango and pineapple), caramel and marzipan aromas. But none of this is a jot too much. In fact, the wine is extremely precise and finely nuanced. Wonderful freshness and textural complexity, in spite of the considerable concentration and extravagance. Very suave and sensual finish that goes on and on. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 99 JSContaining 135 grams per liter of residual sugar, the pale lemon-gold colored 2016 d’Yquem leaps from the glass with honeyed apricots, pineapple, green mango, crushed rocks, candied ginger, coriander seed and citrus peel with hints of orange blossom. The palate is very tightly wound, vibrant and refreshing with layer upon layer of minerals and spices, finishing with epic poise and persistence.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98+ RPDespite a rich botrytis character, this balances impact with delicacy. Clear citrus on the nose with a hint of flint and smoke, allowing the soft white flowers and lime blossom to steal up on you slowly. There are caramel notes through the mid-palate and great persistency, as ever. Extremely elegant. This was the driest summer since 1898, and the harvest at Yquem lasted a full two months, from 4th September (for the dry white Y d’Yquem) through to 4th November for the final selection of botrytis berries. The final yield is 20hl/ha, the highest in recent years against their average of 9hl/ha, with 40% going into the grand vin compared to 50% last year. 135g/l residual sugar and 3.9pH. 75% Sémillon and 25% Sauvignon Blanc. The 2015 will be released this September. (Drink between 2025-2050)Decanter | 97 DEC95–97. Barrel Sample. The bouquet opens with aromas of honey and citrus, offering richness and freshness at the same time. The mouthfeel is opulent, with honeyed flavors. There is some acidity underneath, although decadence and concentration are its defining attributes. It will age for decades.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEThe 2016 Yquem was picked from 27 September until 4 November after drought-like conditions in the summer. It has an attractive nose with white chocolate, chamomile and Chinese white tea infusing the honeyed fruit. Very well defined and focused with more cohesion than previous bottles. The palate is medium-bodied with a viscous opening that demonstrates a little more weight than the 2015, a fine bead of acidity and touches of ginger and lemongrass enlivening the finish. I feel this has gained a bit more complexity in recent years. Tasted at the château.Vinous Media | 95 VMThis is exotic, with very lush and seductive notes of coconut, honeysuckle, creamed white peach, glazed pear, mirabelle plum and yellow apple, all woven together seamlessly. Beautifully caressing in feel, with a long acacia echo on the finish. Best from 2023 through 2040. Wine Spectator | 94 WS

The 2016 Boca captures the purest essence of the appellation so well. Medium in body, with striking precision and tons of energy, the 2016 is just fabulous today. Blood orange, mint, spice and sweet red cherry, they all meld together in a wine of remarkable elegance and finesse. All the elements are so well balanced. Don’t let the wine’s weightless feel fool you, there is plenty of depth. The 2016 is exceptional. Don’t miss it.Antonio Galloni | 94 AGA fragrant blend of Nebbiolo and 15% Vespolina, this linear, focused red has aromas of rose petal, alpine herb, new leather and underbrush. On the racy, medium-bodied palate, notes of white pepper and star anise accent ripe Morello cherry before a savory saline finish. Tightly wound fine-grained tannins and a backbone of firm acidity provide the ageworthy framework. Drink 2026–2036.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WE

The 2016 Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru has an intense bouquet with blackberry, redcurrant and cranberry scents laced with tobacco and woodland aromas. Lovely definition and focus here. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy red fruit, enormous depth and great concentration, perhaps the most Musigny-esque of the Bonnes-Mares. Great length but it needs some serious cellaring. Enormous potential here. Tasted blind at the 2016 Burgfest tasting.Vinous Media | 96 VMAs usual, Clair’s Bonnes-Mares will be a wine for the long haul. A detailed nose of cassis, wild rose, currant leaf, incipient venison and a gentle framing of new oak precedes a vibrant, taut and full-bodied palate, its tannins rich but chalky, even firm. This is tight-knit and full of energy - promising for those willing to wait a good fifteen years.Decanter Magazine | 94 DECClear bright colour with a softly oaked bouquet and some weight of fruit behind. Quite an elegant wine. Not hugely concentrated on the palate but with attractive light fruit and fair length. Tasted Sep 2019.Jasper Morris | 94-97 JMThe 2016 Bonnes Mares Grand Cru has a very stern bouquet, quite distant at first, then gradually almost reluctantly unfurling with sea-influenced black fruit, hints of brine and oyster shell in the background. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-boded tannin, foursquare for a Bonnes Mares, eschewing flamboyance for something more noble. This is certainly a more Morey-inspired Bonnes Mares than Chambolle, but nevertheless is a very fine wine of considerable breeding.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93-95 RPLike the Bèze there is a moderate lashing of toasty oak framing the spiced mix of various red berries, earth and floral hints. There is even more power if not necessarily more size and weight to the big-bodied and very serious flavors that flex plenty of muscle on the superbly persistent finish. This knockout effort is even more structured than its grand cru counterpart and again, this will indisputably not be a wine for early drinking.Burghound | 93-95 BH

The 2016 Domaine de Chevalier is a thrilling wine. Dense and beautifully layered, the 2016 is also quite a bit richer than it usually is. Cabernet Sauvignon aromatics and structure pulse through the wine. The red-toned fruit is incredibly primary at this stage. Readers should be prepared to cellar the 2016 for at least a handful of years. It has been nothing short of magnificent on the three occasions I have tasted it so far.Antonio Galloni | 97 AGAs to the reds, the 2016 Domaine de Chevalier is a blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, and the balance Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc that saw an extended maceration, malo in barrel, and 18 months in just 35% new French oak. This deep purple-hued beauty boasts a powerful bouquet of tobacco smoke, damp earth, gravelly, rocky minerality, wood smoke, and loads of dark fruits. Full-bodied, deep, concentrated yet incredibly elegant and seamless on the palate, it’s a legendary Chevalier in the making. While I rated this as high as 99 points on one of the four separate occasions I was able to taste it, I’m being conservative with the score. it has some upfront charm but needs 4-5 years of cellaring and will keep for 3-4 decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDAromas of blackberries, red and dark plums, cedar and gravel, as well as red flowers and brown-leaf tea. It offers a very sleek and powerful array of ripe dark fruit and a very plush, focused and elegant bed of fresh, fine and powerful tannins. Plenty of aging potential, this is still quite tight. A blend of 55 per cent cabernet sauvignon, 35 per cent merlot, five per cent cabernet franc and five per cent petit verdot. Try from 2024.James Suckling | 97 JSThe core of fruit flavor here is sappy and dense, with lots of kirsch, raspberry pâte de fruit and plum reduction notes, yet this stays fresh and racy overall, with a bright iron spine, flashes of tea and tobacco and a long finish that shows a wonderful infusion of alder and tobacco flavors. Offers a lovely combination of prodigious fruit details, with a tug of earth. Best from 2024 through 2038. 12,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 96 WSThis elegant wine wears its firm tannic structure lightly. It is densely textured, just starting on its road to maturity. Black-plum and berry fruits give the wine its weight as much as the tannins. It will age well over many years. Drink from 2026.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEThis is so young right now, which seems crazy to say for a white wine, I know. But at two years old it has hardly begun to gather us to its side, let alone reveal its secrets. This will clearly have plenty to show in a few years’ time - white peach and pear flavours, and a gorgeous texture of slate caught against saline minerality. This is going to age, and then some. It has closed down since 2016 En primeur. Drinking Window 2020 - 2032.Decanter | 95 DECThe 2016 Domaine de Chevalier is a blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot and 5% Cabernet Franc. Deep garnet-purple colored, it rocks up with expressive warm plums, blueberry compote and cassis scents with suggestions of sandalwood, baking spices and potpourri. Medium-bodied and delicately styled yet with a rock-solid frame of grainy tannins, it sports restrained earth-laced fruit and a long finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94+ RP

Harvested from a small parcel, less than four acres, this wine is in perfect condition. It is balanced, with white fruit and citrus coming together, led by the acidity. It is developing into a full, ripe wine. Wait until 2019.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WE(Pouilly-Fumé “Clos des Chaudoux”- Domaine Serge Dagueneau et Fille) The 2016 Clos des Chaudoux Domaine Serge and Valerie Dagueneau is an outstanding bottle of Pouilly-Fumé. This is unique in the family’s lineup, as these fifty-five year-old sauvignon blanc vines are actually planted on terres blanches limestone, rather than flint. The wine is quite tropical in its fruit complexion in 2016, offering up notes of pineapple, tangerine, just a touch of damp grass, beautiful chalky minerality and a topnote of dried flowers. On the palate the wine is crisp, full-bodied, focused and complex, with plenty of secondary development already showing, but coupled to a good girdle of acidity and plenty of cut and grip on the long finish. With the frosts of 2016, this wine may be just a touch idiosyncratically styled in this vintage, but it has depth, beaucoups complexity and impressive backend length. I decanted the wine to let it blossom and consume some of its initial aromatic oddities, and I really liked the wine after that. It is never going to make you forget a great vintage of Didier Dagueneau’s Pur Sang, but it is loaded with personality all the same! (Drink between 2019-2030)John Gilman | 91 JG

The complexity, concentration and drive make this an excellent Clos in 2016. The fruits vary from citrus to exotic stone fruits. Green tropical and white floral notes, too. The palate has a staggeringly concentrated core of acid-drenched lemons, lime, peaches and green mangoes. Incredible depth, high acidity and a very long finish. A great Clos! Drink or hold.James Suckling | 96 JS(Chablis “les Clos”- Domaine William Fèvre) The 2016 les Clos from Didier Séguier is a fitting close to this tour de force tasting of the vintage. The wine is stunning on both the nose and palate, with the bouquet offering up scents of apple, lime, a hint of tangerine, smoky overtones, flinty minerality, wet stones and dried flowers. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and rock solid at the core, brisk acids and great backend mineral drive on the very young, very long and snappy finish. This will need bottle age to blossom, but it will be a great example of les Clos in the fullness of time. (Drink between 2024-2065)John Gilman | 96 JGClear bright and pale. Attractive aromatics, in a subdued register, all to play for. This has good energy through the middle, while the finish has that limestone backwash that I associate with Clos and very good length. DIAM 10 closure. Tasted May 2019.Jasper Morris | 94 JM(just 18 hectoliters per hectare produced owing to frost and mildew): Pale yellow. Lovely brisk citrus and apple aromas complicated by gingery spices, white pepper and iodiney minerality. Large-scaled, dense and quite powerful but not yet filled in, with its very concentrated peach and citrus flavors accented by ginger and white pepper. More glyceral in the early going than the Preuses but showing less personality today. This fruit was picked very ripe, with nearly 13% potential alcohol, according to Didier Séguier.Vinous Media | 93 VMThe Clos is excellent this year, opening in the glass with a complex nose of orange blossom and zest, confit citrus and a touch of spice. This wine is the most textural, full-bodied and complete in the Fèvre cellar, with a deep core, lovely minerality and impressive dimension.Decanter Magazine | 93 DECEnticing aromas and flavors of green plum, lemon, apple and seashore mark this balanced, seamless white. The flintiness adds an extra dimension, making this complex, while the finish builds nicely. Drink now through 2024. 120 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 92 WSAn even more complex nose displays excellent Chablis typicity with its smoky combination of lychee, citrus, white orchard fruit, sea breeze, mineral reduction and soft oyster shell nuances. The broad-shouldered flavors are rich and concentrated to the point of opulence while managing to retain reasonably good precision on the citrus and solidly dry finale that really fans out as it sits on the palate. Note that my rating assumes that better depth will develop over time as the finish is somewhat one-dimensional at present.Burghound | 92 BHThe 2016 Chablis Grand Cru les Clos, cropped at around 17 hectoliters per hectare, was blended the day previous to my visit and is due to be bottled in December 2017 or perhaps the following month. As such, the aromatics are too leesy to assess. The palate is balanced with a saline, sour lemon-tinged entry, perhaps lighter than the Bougros Côte Bouguerots and with a prickle of spice toward the finish. It should gain complexity and harmony throughout its élevage and will be one to watch.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91-93 RP

The 2016 Barolo Riserva Rüncot is quite possibly the single greatest wine I have tasted in more than twenty years I have been coming here, with the possible exception of the 1989s and 1990s. Deep and powerful, but not at all heavy, the 2016 dazzles from the very first taste. Dark cherry/plum fruit, menthol, lavender, licorice and mocha saturate the palate in a Barolo of extraordinary richness and intensity. The 2016 spent four years in 100% new oak, and yet there is no trace at all of wood. Magnificent!Vinous Media | 100 VMShows an initial impression of vanilla and spices, especially in the aromas, yet underneath is a solid line of cherry, raspberry, wild scrub and iron flavors. An elegant and intense red, with refined tannins and a lingering, nervy finish. Best from 2026 through 2045. 650 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WS

Fabulous complexity on the nose with crushed blackberries, chocolate, walnuts and tar. Lots of dried flowers. Full body. Layered and creamy with superb tannin texture and length. Hints of stone. Half made in amphora and half in casks. Aged one year in old casks. Drink or hold. 3,500 bottles made.James Suckling | 96 JSThe 2016 Syrah is a dense, potent wine. Wild cherry, game, dried herbs, menthol, licorice and coffee are front and center. This is an especially rich style. Then, again we are in Maremma. The 2016 is a bit wild, but in the best sense of the term. It will offer its finest drinking alongside similarly hearty cuisine. It was fermented in a mix of terracotta and cocciopesto, then moved into oak for 2-3 months before going into bottle, where it spent more than two years before being released.Vinous Media | 95 VMI reviewed this wine last year but welcomed the opportunity to taste it again one year later. My score has not changed, but I have extended the drinking window by a few years. The Fattoria le Pupille 2016 Le Pupille is an ambitious expression of amphorae-fermented Syrah. It presents cherry and dark plum, with earthy tones followed by tarry spice and campfire smoke. The meaty intensity normally associated with the Syrah grape is replaced here by plump and rich dark fruit. Give the wine a little extra time in your cellar to evolve and unwind.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPOne of the newest projects at Fattoria Le Pupille is this Syrah (first vintage, 2015), a terracotta-and-tonneaux wine from Vigna del Palo and Pian di Fiora, using barrels previously used for Poggio Valente. Vinified in a combination of amphorae (known locally as ‘orci’) and tonneaux, the wine sits on its skins for an extended period of around five months, before ageing in 300l French oak tonneaux and a further 18 months in bottle. Gamey and leathery aromas are accompanied by herbal and floral fragrance. In the mouth it’s sapid, tight and meaty, with a sweet black fruit core surrounded by flecks of blue fruit, violet overtones and a touch of spice. It finishes long and savoury, with vibrant acidity. 4,600 bottles produced.Decanter | 93 DEC

Incredibly deep and complex nose with a slew of black fruit, plus savory and bitter-chocolate notes woven subtly into the extraordinary tapestry of aromas. Titanic concentration, but it still remains so incredibly fresh and poised. Such a pure finish that goes on and on and on. Drinkable now, but best from 2024. Château Quintus vertical tasting. SP.James Suckling | 99 JSThe 2016 Figeac is simply extraordinary. A wine of pure energy and vitality, the 2016 pulses with a real sense of drive. Lavender, mint, crème de cassis and cedar start to develop in the glass, but what is most remarkable about the 2016 is its total sense of harmony. There is natural tension, a sort of push and pull, between the wine’s intense fruit and structural underpinnings that makes the 2016 a marvel to taste and contemplate. It was positively stunning in two separate tastings. Technical Director Frédéric Faye and his team made an epic Figeac in 2016.Antonio Galloni | 98+ AGAnother brilliant wine from the genius of Frédéric Faye, the 2016 Château Figeac checks in as 38% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc that spent 19 months in new French oak. Roughly 75% of the production made it into the grand vin. This deeply colored beauty is a legendary wine in the making and offers ultra-pure aromas and flavors of crème de cassis, smoke tobacco, dried herbs, chocolate, truffle, and graphite. Showing more violets notes with time in the glass, it builds incrementally on the palate, with flawless balance as well as incredible elegance, no hard edges, and a finish that won’t quit. Readers will have a blast comparing the 2016 and 2015 vintages over the coming 3-4 decades and this estate is firing on all cylinders. This will most likely merit a triple-digit rating in 7-8 years and keep for 4 decades or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 98+ JDA testament to the work being undertaken at Figeac in recent years, this has depth and intensity while retaining the smile of the fruit. Richness combines with gorgeous length and intensity, every bit as impressive as it was during en primeur. Touches of violet and a silky texture precede hugely precise slate walls that pull the fruit into place through the palate. It takes its time in the glass to fully open, only slowly revealing the black olives, pungent white pepper and rosemary aromatics. Bottled in late July. 100% new oak. Drinking Window 2024 - 2045.Decanter | 98 DECThis aromatic wine is magnificent in its balance and richness. With its high proportion of Cabernet Sauvignon (38%), it is so typical of this estate. The tannins are velvety while packing a firm punch. Dark and concentrated, it is a great wine for long-term aging.Wine Enthusiast | 98 WEThe 2016 Figeac is comprised of 38% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot and 26% Cabernet Franc. Deep garnet-purple colored, the nose is a little broody and reticent at this very youthful stage, slowly unfolding to reveal profound plum preserves, crème de cassis, black raspberries and star anise with hints of moss-covered bark, truffles and tilled loam plus a waft of red currants and raspberry leaves sparks. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is practically quivering with energy, offering glimpses at tightly wound black fruit and mineral/ferrous layers, framed by very firm, ripe tannins and wonderful tension, finishing long with the spices coming through. This will need a good 7-8 years to come round and then should cellar for 40+ years. Very serious, beautifully poised and sophisticated personality this vintage.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97+ RPA gutsy, fully endowed wine, brimming with dark currant, warm fig and steeped blackberry notes, as well as waves of smoldering tobacco and warm gravel. Features a serious bass line, but everything works together, while flecks of savory and iron dart in and out. Best from 2025 through 2040. 8,333 cases made.Wine Spectator | 96 WS

Here’s a wine I am very excited to taste, given the phenomenal performance of this vintage in the annata version released last year. The Gianni Brunelli Le Chiuse di Sotto 2016 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva reproduces that same brilliant intensity and deep inner brightness, only this Riserva has seen one more year of aging, and it shows more spice and thicker textural heft as a result. This wine is penetrating and layered with a harmonious playlist of red and purple fruits, spice, tar, cola, licorice and grilled herb. The tannins are more austere in the case of this 2,993-bottle release, and you’d do well to age it longer before popping the cork. I love the spontaneous radiance and energy captured by this estate, especially in 2016.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98 RPGianni Brunelli’s Riserva is built from the Olmo vineyard in Montalcino’s southeast. Reaching 500 metres on stony soil, this warm site is the first to be picked by the estate. A small portion of the northeast-facing Le Chiuse di Sotto vineyard is added for freshness and aromatic lift. Heady and inviting, the 2016 presents ripe florals of mint blossom, peony and allspice on a nutty, truffly backdrop. It is iron-edged and succulent on the palate. The tannins are steely yet supple, ultimately clinging gracefully to fresh red cherry and blueberry. Tarragon resounds on the finish. Thrillingly tense.Decanter Magazine | 98 DECSurprisingly, the 2016 Gianni Brunelli Brunello di Montalcino Riserva has a more open, accessible nose than the 2016 Brunello ‘annata’ with layers of citrus fruit, blood orange, blue flowers and red cherry aromas. This is a very complete wine with great depth and concentration of flavor yet without ever being heavy. It wears its concentration so well. There is a great density of silty, chalky tannins on the finish and the wine still feels so young. The texture, weight, harmony, and balance are all terrific! In fact, this wine epitomizes harmony, with a range of dark fruit which is very classical in delivery. Dried orange peel, citrus and bitter herb, Negroni-like aromas and flavors are set like jewels in a velvety texture.The Wine Independent | 98-100 TWIThe deep, sensual 2016 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva wafts up with spice-dusted cherries, sweet herbs and hints of flowery undergrowth. It fills the senses with rich yet tart black raspberries and exotic spice, along with a hint of citrus that sends sparks across the palate, creating a pliant yet nicely chiseled effect. The 2016 tapers off like a black hole of structure, turning quite savory but with a coating of fine tannin that seems to devour the coating of primary fruits beneath it. Masses of tobacco and brown spice linger. The sheer density, amazing minerality and balanced acidity make the 2016 Riserva an extremely exciting wine.Vinous Media | 97+ VMA beefy, muscular style, this red features black cherry, blackberry and plum fruit shaded by earth, iron and spice flavors. Reveals a tangy edge, partly from the bracing acidity, with wild herb and savory notes on the lingering finish. Best from 2026 through 2045. 271 cases made, 50 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 96 WSCherries and dried flowers on the nose with some sandalwood. Some chocolate, too. It’s full-bodied, yet tight and compact, with firm and fine tannins and a long, flavorful finish. Racy and savory. Really delicious already, but will repay patience for three or four years.James Suckling | 96 JSFull-bodied and savory, this offers aromas of new leather, camphor, mature dark-skinned fruit and cedar. The firmly structured palate delivers dried Marasca cherry, blood orange, mocha and licorice framed in tightly wound, close-grained tannins. Drink 2028–2036. Kerin O’Keefe | 96 TWIFull-bodied and savory, this offers aromas of new leather, camphor, mature dark-skinned fruit and cedar. The firmly structured palate delivers dried Marasca cherry, blood orange, mocha and licorice framed in tightly wound, close-grained tannins. Drink 2028–2036.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WE

This has attractive, glossy, ripe red-plum and licorice aromas with cedar, flowers and red berries, as well as a stony edge. A very fragrant, cabernet-driven nose. The palate has elegance and grace with sleek and charming, balanced style and a discreet tannin structure that holds the finish long and fresh. A blend of 81 per cent cabernet sauvignon and 19 per cent merlot. Try from 2023.James Suckling | 96 JSThis nearly 200-acre estate lies in the south of the Margaux appellation. The wine is another great success in a series of superb years. It is rich but the structure and finely textured fruit give it style and longevity. Drink the wine from 2026.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEThe 2016 Giscours is complex, aromatically intense and beguiling, with myriad layers of flavors that unfold with time in the glass. Black cherry, sage, leather, smoke and menthol add plenty of intrigue, but above all else, it is the wine’s balance and sense of harmony that make the deepest impression. Under the leadership of Alexander Van Beek and his team, Giscours has been on a roll over the last few years. The 2016 is another fine vintage.Antonio Galloni | 94 AGConcentrated autumnal fruit offers a hawthorny bramble of blackberry and bilberry. Big-framed, muscular tannins are joined by plenty of acidity - it’s very clearly built to last and confident in its ability to reward those with patience. Matured in 50% new oak. Axel Marchal and Valerie Lavigne consult. Drinking Window 2026 - 2045.Decanter | 94 DECDeep garnet-purple colored, the 2016 Giscours gives up aromas of cassis, chocolate, earth, tar, pepper and hoisin with touches of flowers and a meaty nuance. The palate is medium to full-bodied, firm and grainy with a great core and a long finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPThe 2016 Château Giscours is fabulous stuff, offering a beautiful, complex (and classic Margaux) perfume of smoke tobacco, black currants, truffly earth, and spring flowers. Finesse-driven, medium-bodied, and seamless on the palate, it has ultra-fine tannins and no hard edges, and is already drinking beautifully. Nevertheless, it’s going to benefit from 3-4 years of bottle age and cruise for 20-25 years or more. The blend of the 2016 is 81% Cabernet Sauvignon and 19% Merlot and it’s well worth a case purchase.Jeb Dunnuck | 93 JDThis is on the darker side of the ledger, with well-melded black currant, blackberry and black cherry fruit, infused with brambly energy and allied to a graphite spine on the anise-tinged finish. Features a light woodsy echo at the very end, but there’s plenty of flesh here. Best from 2022 through 2032. 34,667 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WS

The 2016 Valpolicella Classico Superiore is wild and exotic in the glass, with a spicy burst of citrus and hints of graphite that give way to crushed blackberries and incense. This is a juicy and vibrant interpretation of Quintarelli Valpolicella, with a wave of mineral-tinged wild berry fruit that washes across the palate, guided by stimulating acidity. It tapers off on a note of refinement, still quite mineral and classically dry, with a coating of fine tannins that add a pleasantly crunchy sensation. Since no Amarone was produced in 2016, the Valpolicella received a percentage of that fruit, propelling this beauty to the next level.Vinous Media | 93 VM

A vibrant example of the region. Very attractive creamy texture, almost like milk chocolate, velvety and sweet. On the palate there is a wild, garrigue type character with oregano and spice, and a leathery, tobacco finish. Drinking Window 2021 - 2035.Decanter | 93 DEC

Bottled end of February/early in March, the 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Chaupin is incredible stuff, and while I suspect it’s the best vintage to date, it’s going to be great comparing it to bottles of the 2005, 2007, 2010, and 2015 over the coming 15+ years. This beauty offers a thrilling blend of kirsch, blackberries, smoked earth, graphite, and licorice on the nose. It's full-bodied, deep, pure, ultra-fine, and powerful on the palate and flirts with perfection. It’s a tour de force in Grenache that readers need to snatch up!Jeb Dunnuck | 99 JDThe terrific 2016 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Chaupin has lived up to my expectations from last year's visit. It's 100% Grenache, includes some parcels planted back in 1912, and half was vinified with stems. From sandy sites, it showcases the ability of Grenache to ripen fully yet retain a sense of elegance and lightness. It's full-bodied and velvety but also vibrant, with black cherry fruit and hints of chocolate balanced by incredibly silky tannins and freshness on the finish. Really impressive stuff.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPThis is a profound expression of grenache with brambly, red fruit wrapped in wild herbs and flowers. Fresh, yet deeply ripe and expressive. The really succulent, deep and fresh tannins are a feature. Power with elegance! Brilliant. Pure grenache on sandy soil, from three parcels of vines, aged between 80 and 100 years. Drink in 2020.James Suckling | 95 JSLurid ruby. An expansive, complex bouquet evokes cherry liqueur, blueberry, incense and candied flowers, along with a smoky mineral nuance that builds in the background. Shows outstanding depth and energy to the red and blue fruit and spicecake flavors, which become more lively and gain sweetness with aeration. Closes on a suave lavender pastille note, offering rounded, even tannins and emphatic, blue-fruit-driven persistence.Vinous Media | 95 VMDelightful plum, raspberry and blackberry compote flavors form the core, with racy, graphite-edged structure running underneath. Dark anise and tobacco notes check in throughout. The long finish lets the fruit linger. Best from 2020 through 2034. 500 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 95 WS

The 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape XXL has only been made previously in the 2007 vintage, and there are around 400 cases of this beauty in 2016. Coming from old vines near Beaucastel, La Crau, and Saumade, which are all rolled stone terroirs, it’s mostly Grenache (there’s 10% Mourvèdre) brought up primarily in demi-muids. This incredible wine is deep ruby/purple-colored with a massive nose of black fruits, scorched earth, graphite, incense, and pepper. Deep, hugely concentrated, pure, fine and yet still elegant, it's a magical, heavenly wine that's going to keep for 3-4 decades. While the style at Janasse has shifted to one of slightly more freshness and elegance since 2007, this is much more in the style of the old days and is guaranteed to make your blood pressure jump about 10 points or more!Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDOnly the second vintage of this cuvée ever to be produced (the other is 2007), the 2016 Chateauneuf du Pape XXL is about 75% Grenache, with the rest a mix of permitted varieties. It incorporates "a lot" of whole clusters and matured in demi-muid. It was bottled in May but will likely only be released in November, says Christophe Sabon. Classy aromas of crushed stone, pencil shavings and baking spices start it off on a terrific note, while ripe raspberries and stone fruit unfold on the full-bodied palate. Contrary to the implications of its name, this wine boasts incredible finesse, elegance and length and is in fact more impressive for those qualities than its overall size, power and richness. It will certainly open a few eyes.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 100 RP

The current 2016 Jesús Yllera is floral and perfumed and is evolving nicely and absorbing the oak, coming through as both elegant and powerful, with fully developed flavors and a polished palate. It’s sleek and balanced. 145,000 bottles were filled in July of 2018.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RP