Red Wines

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Composed of 74% Merlot and 26% Cabernet Franc and aged for 18 months in 70% new French barriques, the 2016 Canon is medium to deep garnet-purple in color, and—WOW—it opens with the most stunning perfume of violets, red roses and kirsch, giving way to a core of black cherry preserves, chocolate box, licorice, warm plums and Chinese five spice plus an earthy waft of underbrush. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is completely filled with expressive, perfumed black berry layers accented by lively red fruits and exotic spices, supported by impressively fine-grained tannins and fantastic tension, finishing very long with jaw-dropping energy. Tasted three times, I had one opportunity to taste the 2015 and 2016 Canon side by side. While I love the bold, rich, seductive nature of the 2015, this 2016 kicks it up a notch in terms of polish, precision, depth and persistence. Most notably, the superbly ripe, exquisitely fine-grained tannins on this 2016 bring to the table a whole other level of sophistication. Bravo!Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98+ RPThis wine is impressive both from its structure and its fruit, one of the stars of the vintage in Saint-Émilion. It has great weight, concentration as well as style and aging potential. The ripe fruit shines through the structure, promising an elegant maturity. Drink from 2025.Wine Enthusiast | 98 WEThe 2016 Canon has the unenviable task of following the astonishing 2015, and it does a damn good job, even if it doesn’t reach the same ethereal heights. There is a pleasing strictness and poise on the nose; this is less immediate than the 2015, yet intellectual, a Canon that expresses its terroir rather than tons of fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, a fine bead of acidity, a smooth texture and a slightly savory but persistent finish, which feels a little plusher than the 2015, implying that this might drink a little earlier. But there is unquestionably immense breeding locked into this rejuvenated Saint-Émilion, which is now firmly ensconced among the top-flight Right Banks.Vinous Media | 97 VMLike Rauzan-Segla, Canon is owned by Chanel with 2016 being the second great vintage for winemaker Nicolas Audebert. After the top-scoring 2015, 2016 is a more restrained wine which demonstrates elegance rather than power. Dark berry and cherry fruit dominate the palate, with pronounced, leafy red-fruit/violets and roses on the nose. Fine-grained tannins, some smokiness from 70% new oak, this is another glorious St-Emilion with a long future ahead. (Drink between 2023-2045)Decanter | 97 DECComplex aromas of blackberries, iodine, oyster shell and wet earth. Ever so perfumed. Full-bodied, yet reserved and tight with very silky tannins that are energized and minerally. Takes off at the end. The freshness lifts it. Try after 2024.James Suckling | 97 JSThe 2016 Château Canon is another beautiful wine from this estate, made in a more streamlined, elegant style compared to the richer, sexier 2015. Checking in as a blend of 74% Merlot and 26% Cabernet Franc all from a magical terroir situated on the upper plateau just outside of the village of Saint-Emilion, it saw a small percentage of the blend go through malolactic fermentation in barrel, and the wine spent 18 months in 70% new French oak, with the balance in once-used. Gorgeous notes of blueberries, cassis, spring flowers, white truffle, and crushed rock nuances all come soaring from the glass and it has notable intensity as well as complexity. Medium to full-bodied, with vibrant acidity, ultra-fine tannins, and a straight, silky texture, I don’t think it matches the 2015 on concentration, but it’s perfectly balanced and has a texture to die for. It needs a good 4-5 years of bottle age (or more) and it’s going to be long-lived. Tasted three times.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JDThis delivers a pretty serious ball of fruit, with a mix of raspberry, blueberry and black currant flavors providing range, while sweet tobacco notes and chalky minerality impart texture and detail. There’s a fresh savory echo on the finish. Much less reliant on toast than most of its peers. Best from 2022 through 2037. 6,667 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WS

Easily one of the most impressive of the lineup, just bursting with fruit and power - tight firm tannins giving clear support and backbone. This is a fairly Left Bank feel for a St Emilion, perhaps from its dash of Cabernet Sauvignon, and it successfully delivers a recognisable Chauvin signature. A beautiful vibrant violet rim suggests this is going to age well. 60% new oak, harvest October 6 to October 20, so quite a bit later in both starting and finishing than in normal years. (Drink between 2025-2042)Decanter | 94 DECBlackberry, blueberry and floral aromas follow through to a full body, tight and chewy tannins and a flavorful finish. Drink in 2023. A château to watch in the future.James Suckling | 94 JSThe 2016 Chauvin is a powerful, tannic wine that needs time to soften. This is an especially rich, extracted style, and yet everything comes together beautifully in the glass. Dark red cherry, plum, espresso, licorice, grilled herbs and menthol gain volume and richness as the wine opens up. Today the tannins and new oak are a bit much, but time in bottle should help the wine find a bit more harmony. All of the ingredients are present to allow that to happen. This is a terrific showing. Tasted two times. Antonio Galloni | 93+ AGThe medium garnet-purple colored 2016 Chauvin has quite a meaty/savory nose of chargrill, black olives, sautéed herbs and truffles with a core of baked plums and lifted black cherry compote. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has a solid frame of rounded tannins and just enough freshness to offer a seamless boost to the long earthy finish.\\Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RPThe 2016 Château Chauvin checks in as a blend of 80% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc and the rest Cabernet Sauvignon. This deeply colored effort offers a serious bouquet of blackberries and black cherries, scorched earth, graphite, and camphor. It’s rich, powerful, and concentrated, with ripe tannins that kick in on the finish. My instincts say this will shut down, so either try a bottle over the next year or two or hold off for a good 7-8 years. Tasted twice.Jeb Dunnuck | 92+ JD

The 2016 Cheval Blanc is blended of 59.5% Merlot, 37.2% Cabernet Franc and 3.3% Cabernet Sauvignon. Deep garnet-purple in color, the nose is incredibly youthful yet not so shy as some other 2016s at this stage, giving wonderfully intense scents of red currants, black cherries, wild blueberries and violets with nuances of star anise, cinnamon stick, rose hip tea, cigar box and wood smoke plus a touch of beef drippings. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has jaw-dropping elegance and depth, offering up layer upon layer of fragrant red and black fruits plus an extraordinary array of mineral sparks, supported by a rock-solid grainy texture, finishing with epic persistence and an edifying perfume. This is a very different style from the rich, opulently hedonic 2015, yet this wonderfully fragrant, beautifully poised and intellectually compelling 2016 is equally extraordinary.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 100 RPThe 2016 Cheval Blanc is one of the most beguiling wines of the vintage. Constantly changing in the glass, the 2016 is at once wonderfully refined and yet also quite powerful. Dark cherry, espresso, spice, leather, tobacco, mint and lavender give the 2016 tremendous aromatic presence. On the palate, the 2016 is rich, exotic and persistent, with real staying power and captivating balance. Pierre Lurton, Pierre-Olivier Clouet and the team at Cheval Blanc turned out a masterpiece in 2016. Don’t miss it.Antonio Galloni | 98 AGThis just keeps on going and going, the oak is perfectly integrated but holding everything in place. It has race, depth, complexity and feels true to the personality of the estate. It’s deftly put together and feels grown-up, as Cheval Blanc so often does, with wonderful fresh mint notes and clear tannic structure. It’s a bit like putting together a puzzle in your mouth, with a different piece fitting snugly into place every minute. It doesn’t try too hard to impress, like so many others. This is the first year since the early 2000s to have some Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend. Drinking Window 2026 - 2046.Decanter | 98 DECThis has turned into a very dense wine, with waves of cassis, plum reduction and blackberry paste forming the core. Wrapped tightly in layers of tobacco and loam for now, while singed alder, incense, black tea and bergamot notes peek in here and there. The finish rumbles like thunder for now, with the swath of tannins, and there’s just a twinge of drought-induced austerity. But there’s acidity and drive too, and this will cruise in the cellar for some time. Best from 2025 through 2045.Wine Spectator | 97 WSThe grand vin 2016 Château Cheval Blanc checks in as 60% Merlot, 37% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Cabernet Sauvignon brought up in new barrels, and this is the first year a replanted block of Cabernet Sauvignon has made the top cuvée. Compared to the 2001 by Pierre Lurton, it displays stunning aromatic fireworks with notions of blackcurrants, forest floor, iron bar, graphite, and spice all soaring from the glass. It develops more floral nuances with time in the glass and, as always with this cuvée, it’s all about complexity and elegance. More medium to full-bodied, with beautiful tannins and perfect balance, it’s a decidedly classic, focused, elegant wine from this estate that will keep for 3-4 decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDRich, smoky and with powerful fruit, this structured wine also has an impressive perfumed character. Spice, blackberry fruits and rich tannins give wonderful firmness that will allow the wine to age well. Drink this already beautiful wine from 2025.Wine Enthusiast | 97 WEOn the nose, the restrained black fruit aromas are interwoven with a striking leather note and some spice. A very classical Bordeaux with a self-confidently dry personality. Long and ripe finish that feels more mature than most of the wines of this vintage. Drink or hold. Château Quintus vertical tasting. SP.James Suckling | 94 JS

Sweet vanilla and fragrant, perfumed red berries and flowers lead to a palate that has a rich and sturdy feel. This has the structure to really deliver in time. Beautifully structured, fresh and long palate here. Try from 2022.James Suckling | 94 JSThe 2016 Clos des Jacobins is a big, rich wine with tons of dark fruit and equally imposing structure. Dark cherry, mocha, plum, espresso, wild flowers and menthol all add character. This is a decidedly powerful, extracted style. The oak tannins have started to integrate, but ideally readers will be able to give the 2016 at least a few years in bottle to allow the wine to be at its best. Antonio Galloni | 92 AGA lovely take on the vintage, highly successful from this estate, with a sparky, lively feel to it. It has beautiful sweet damson, black cherry, fig, tobacco and liquorice notes, with good balance and freshness offsetting the firm tannins. An enjoyable hint of bitterness on the finish cuts through the fruit without strangling it. Consultant is Hubert de Boüard. 75% new oak. Drinking Window 2024 - 2038.Decanter | 92 DECThe 2016 Clos des Jacobins has a well defined bouquet with blackberry, bilberry, pressed flowers and a touch of bay leaf. The palate is medium-bodied with a slightly chewy entry. This feels bold and assertive, quite dense but it needs more delineation and precision towards the finish. Not bad, but it could be better.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 88-90 RP-NM

The 2016 Clos Fourtet is vivid, explosive and simply captivating. Inky blue/purplish berry fruit, lavender, spice and white flowers are all vivid in the glass, but it is the wine’s silky, seamless personality that elevates it into a place among the wines of the vintage. In 2016, Clos Fourtet is stunningly beautiful and utterly compelling. This is a tremendous showing from proprietor Matthieu Cuvelier and consulting winemaker Stéphane Derenoncourt. Tasted two times.Antonio Galloni | 97 AGOne of the gems in the vintage that should be snatched up by readers is the 2016 Château Clos Fourtet. Coming from a magical 20-hectare vineyard located on the upper, limestone-driven plateau just outside Saint-Emilion and a blend of 90% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 3% Cabernet Franc from small yields of 38 hectoliters per hectare, it spent 16 months in 60% new French oak (and a small portion of the blend saw malo in barrel as well). Its saturated purple color is followed by a monster bouquet of ripe blackberries, cassis, graphite, and crushed rocks, and it picks up more blue fruits, truffle, and limestone minerality with time in the glass. This deep, full-bodied, powerful Saint-Emilion has some similarities to Canon yet is deeper and richer, with a more powerful yet still elegant style. It’s a brilliant bottle of wine to hide for 4-5 years and drink over the following 2-3 decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDLove the dark-berry and intense black-olive and chocolate aromas that follow through to a full body and firm and chewy tannins that deliver a rich and delicious finish. Such polish and, at the same time, finesse. But one of the cellar. A blend of 90 per cent merlot, seven per cent cabernet sauvignon and three per cent cabernet franc. Try from 2022.James Suckling | 97 JSThis showcases why Clos Fourtet is such a confident, powerful wine. It gets the balance right between the sappy, saline quality of its limestone terroir and yet reflects the ripeness and flashiness of Merlot that makes St-Émilion such a well loved appellation. Excellent, serious quality, cerebral but sexy. Drinking Window 2027 - 2050.Decanter | 96 DECThis structured wine shows a classical Bordeaux balance between fruit and acidity on the one hand and tannins and firm structure on the other. It also offers generous black-currant fruit and a fresh aftertaste. Drink this wine from 2025.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEDeep garnet-purple colored, the 2016 Clos Fourtet is a little closed to begin, slowly unfurling to reveal notions of warm black cherries, crème de cassis, blackberry compote and dark chocolate with hints of garrigue, bay leaves and cigar box. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has a firm yet beautifully ripe frame of fine-grained tannins with a lively line lifting the concentrated, multilayered fruit to a long finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPLively, with a juicy, mouthfilling mix of loganberry, black currant and bramble flavors pumping through, laced liberally with licorice snap and roasted apple wood notes. Tobacco and savory accents provide detail, while a beautifully fine chalky thread adds length. Best from 2022 through 2038. 4,583 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WS

The nose is redolent with ripe plums and dark cherries, as well as abundant red and purple flowers and a faint, blonde-tobacco edge. The palate delivers an ultra-rich and flavorful palate with polished, sinewy tannins that will carry this wine for some time to come. Freshness and balance, finishing taut and youthful. Full of promise, this is one of the finest recent releases from here. Try from 2023.James Suckling | 95 JSThe 2016 Faugères was already showing extremely well a year ago, but now it seems to be showing what it can really do! It has a more classically trained bouquet featuring reserved blackberry and wild strawberry fruit, plus veins of undergrowth, autumn leaves and morels. The palate is medium-bodied with succulent tannins and a fine bead of acidity. Supremely well focused, conveying impressive tension and energy on the finish. Outstanding. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting. Vinous Media | 94 VMThe 2016 Faugeres is composed of 80% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon aged in 50% new and 50% one-year-old barrels for 15 months. Deep garnet-purple colored, it features baked blueberries, stewed black plums and black cherry compote with hints of spearmint, cigar box and new leather. The palate is medium to full-bodied and laced with black fruit and savory layers with a chewy frame, finishing long with a fragrant earth lift. 6,000 cases produced.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RPShows a bit more lift than most of its peers, staying on the floral, elegant side of the ledger, with cassis and damson plum notes laced with bergamot and rose petal accents. Light incense and apple wood hints underscore the finish. Best from 2021 through 2032. 6,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WSA perennial winner that always delivers fruit and texture, the 2016 Château Faugères checks in as 80% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, representing 60% of the total production, aged in 50% new French oak. Loads of black (and some blue) fruits give way to a medium to full-bodied Saint-Emilion that has classic damp earth, tobacco and violet notes, remarkable purity, fine tannins, and considerable finesse and elegance. Drink it any time over the coming 15+ years. It’s worth noting that Stephan von Neipperg consults on vineyard management, with Michel Rolland providing input on harvest dates winemaking, aging, and final blend.Jeb Dunnuck | 92 JDCassis notes dominate this wine, twisted through with acidity and edged with espresso and grilled sarments. It’s high impact but does settle down, its confidence on display. Matured in 50% new oak, with malolactic also carried out in 50% new oak. Michel Rolland consults. (Drink between 2024-2040)Decanter | 91 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

A blend of 74% Merlot, 18% Cabernet Franc, and the balance Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2016 Château Fleur Cardinale spent 14 months in new French oak. Deep ruby/purple-colored, with a stunning nose of smoked black fruits, classy oak, violets, and camphor, this beauty hits the palate with full-bodied richness, beautiful purity, ripe, present, polished tannins, and a great finish. It’s a beautiful wine from this tip-top estate that has the class to keep for two decades or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 95 JDPlump, well-ripened but mellow fruit from the first nose. Touches of violet florality also as the Cabernet Franc takes the lead, and again the minerality is emphasised with a slate texture on the finish which does a brilliant job of counterbalancing the generous ripeness of the fruit. Crushed mint, liquorice, bitter chocolate on the finish also, this is gourmet and easy to love. Still has an austerity at this point – it needs another few years to really soften. These are lovely wines full of confidence and pleasure with their own distinct personality. 100% new oak. (Drink between 2023-2044)Decanter | 95 DECQuite earthy and savory on the nose, the fruit only emerging slowly. However, on the palate, this has a very attractive fleshy quality and a moderately dry, long finish of some real sophistication. Easy to drink now, but will hold. A blend of 74 per cent merlot, 18 per cent cabernet franc and eight per cent cabernet sauvignon.James Suckling | 94 JSThe 2016 Fleur Cardinale is medium to deep garnet-purple colored and bursts from the glass with crushed blackberries, mulberries and chocolate-covered cherries with hints of spice cake, dried herbs and fragrant soil. The palate is medium to full-bodied and wonderfully elegant with soft, rounded tannins and a great backbone of freshness, finishing perfumed.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPThe 2016 Fleur Cardinale is a sumptuous wine. There is no shortage of richness or volume here, that much is obvious. Sweet tobacco, leather, espresso and cherry abound. The 2016 is exotic and flamboyant in style, and yet the new oak is overdone to the point that the early signs of oxidation are already present. I very much like the intensity here, but the reality is that the 2016 could have and should have been an even better wine.Antonio Galloni | 93 AGGood brambly energy leads off here, with a mix of cassis, bitter cherry and plum puree flavors entwined with red licorice and floral notes. The juicy finish pulls everything together. Best from 2021 through 2034. 8,333 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WSDense and full of dark fruits, this wine has a solid structure and big tannins. Smoky and ripe with juicy, opulent berry flavors, it offers power and concentration. The wine needs to soften over many years before it reaches its full potential. Drink from 2024.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WE

There’s an attractively young and modern style on the nose with a deep and juicy, red and dark-fruit edge, as well as flinty mineral notes. The palate has terrific concentration and richness and a long, driving finish. A blend of 75 per cent merlot, 20 per cent cabernet franc and five per cent cabernet sauvignon. Try from 2023.James Suckling | 94 JSThis grand cru classé wine is packed with potential. From a great vintage, it has density and layers of tannins for aging. It also offers weight and hints of future succulent blackberry fruits and richness. Drink this wine that is still developing from 2023.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEA tight, backward Saint-Emilion, the 2016 Château La Couspaude has plenty of spicy oak as well as medium to full-bodied richness, good concentration, a tight, vibrant mouthfeel, and beautiful cassis and violet-tinged purple fruits. It’s an impressive wine that’s mostly potential at this point. Give bottles 3-4 years in the cellar and it’s going to drink nicely for 10-15 years or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 91+ JD

Not far off the magical 2015, the 2016 La Mondotte comes from a tiny vineyard of clay and limestone soil located next to Pavie Decesse. A blend of 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc, this behemoth boasts a deep purple color as well as a brilliant array of crème de cassis, blackcurrants, crushed rocks, and graphite. Full-bodied and beautifully concentrated, with liquid minerality emerging with time in the glass, this legendary Saint-Emilion in the making needs 5-7 years of bottle age and will keep for 3-4 decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 98+ JDThe 2016 La Mondotte is gorgeous in this vintage. Over the last few years, Stephan von Neipperg has gradually started to pick earlier. Nowhere is that more evident in his wines than at La Mondotte, which in 2016 impresses for its power, tension and energy. Much less obvious than it has been in the past, La Mondotte is arrestingly beautiful at this stage. Bright floral and mineral notes run through a core of dark red and purplish fruit in this stunningly beautiful, expressive Saint-Émilion. In a word: tremendous. Tasted two times.Antonio Galloni | 97 AGSo much black truffle and blueberry on the nose. Decadent and aromatic. Wet soil. Indian ink. Full-bodied, polished and so velvety with fantastic depth of fruit and ripe tannins, yet powerful and fresh. Slightly minerally and salty underneath.James Suckling | 97 JSThis shows a dark, toasty style at first, with notes of ganache and plum reduction, but it unwinds steadily and slowly, revealing pure cassis, cherry and raspberry fruit flavors gilded liberally with violet and anise accents. The long finish is laced with a superfine chalky minerality that imparts mouthwatering cut even as the fruit gains steam. Best from 2023 through 2038. 1,250 cases made. — JMWine Spectator | 96 WSMade by the winemaking team of Canon la Gaffelière, this wine is stylishly elegant, restrained in its structure and tannins. Its intensely juicy character is already attractive, giving the wine almost a refreshing character. This balanced wine will be ready from 2025.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEThe 2016 La Mondotte is a blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc this year, picked between 29 September and 15 October and matured in 70% new oak. The alcohol level is around 14.5%. It has a lucid purple hue in the glass. The bouquet is very perfumed, very pure with luscious red cherries, blueberry and a hint of sloes, the new oak discrete and allowing the terroir to shine through perhaps more than the 2015 last year. The palate is silky smooth on the entry, but underneath the bonnet, there is considerable tannic backbone that certainly can be felt more towards the finish that exerts a light grip. In a strange way, it reminds me a little of Château Canon! Give this 4-5 years once in bottle.Robert Parker Neal Martin | 93-95 RP-NM

The 2016 Le Dome is a brilliant, brilliant wine that does everything right. Sporting a saturated purple color, it has a huge perfume of blueberries, spring flowers, graphite, wet stone, and camphor. Incredibly layered and complex, with full body, building, ultra-fine tannins, a multi-dimensional texture, and a monster finish, it’s unquestionably one of the most flamboyant, sexy, opulent wines in the vintage yet stays ethereal, elegant, and weightless. Coming from a site not far from Angélus and a unique blend of 80% Cabernet Franc and 20% Merlot from tiny yields, aged in 80% new oak, it has the class and fruit to shine even today but will be better with 3-4 years of cellaring and I suspect capable of lasting for 2-3 decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDThis 80% Cabernet Franc wine may be massive, but it is also perfumed with swathes of opulent black fruit. It comes from a great year for Cabernet Franc, which forms 75% of this vineyard. Juicy acidity gives the wine a velvet character that is enticing. It needs time, , so wait to drink from 2026.Wine Enthusiast | 100 WEThe 2016 Le Dome is comprised of 80% Cabernet Franc and 20% Merlot, aged in 80% new French oak. Medium to deep garnet-purple in color, it slips sensuously out of the glass with compelling notions of red roses, candied violets, chocolate box and Chinese five spice with a core of kirsch, blackberry tart, warm plums, black raspberries and cloves plus wafts of cigar box and orange peel. Full bodied—the palate is positively electric with energy—it gives layer upon layer of perfumed black raspberries and mineral sparks, framed by super ripe, firm, finely grained tannins and bags of freshness, finishing very long and very fragrant. It has 15% alcohol, but so beautifully harmonious you would never guess it.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 99 RPWith ripe berries and decadent undertones, this wine is really alluring on the nose. Medium to full body, firm and silky tannins and a very, very pretty and energized finish. Yes. Drink in 2022.James Suckling | 96 JSThe 2016 Le Dôme is absolutely gorgeous. Even thought the 2016 is very much tightly wound, it is still super-expressive. Crushed rocks, gravel, smoke and lavender add delineated, energy and nuance to this dark, full-bodied wine. Le Dôme is a rare Cabernet Franc-dominate Saint-Émilion that deftly balances richness with vibrancy. I find it the most complete and arrestingly beautiful wine in Jonathan Malthus' range. Today, it is positively thrilling.Vinous Media | 96 VMThe flagship wine for Maltus, made up of 80% Cabernet Franc and 20% Merlot, with a fairly high for the vintage pH of 3.81. This majors on muscular, powerful and slightly austere tannins, with fleshy cassis and strong liquorice flavours. This is a little old-school in its interpretation of the vintage, but there is no doubting the quality. Drinking Window 2027 - 2045.Decanter | 94 DEC

The 2016 Pavie a blend of 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Franc. Very deep purple-black in color, it needs a little coaxing to begin, slowly unfurling to reveal a fragrant perfume of violets, chocolate-covered cherries, crushed blueberries and eucalyptus over a core of preserved plums, kirsch, black raspberries and crème de cassis plus hints of licorice and chargrilled meat. Full-bodied and built like a brick house, it has a solid foundation of firm, super ripe, grainy tannins and seamless freshness interknit with the black fruit preserves and minerally layers, finishing very long and very decadent. Superb!Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 100 RPSpectacular aromas of crushed berries, such as blueberries and raspberries. Fresh flowers with hints of sandalwood. Exotic. Saturated palate of so much fruit, yet remains agile and energetic. Great length and texture. Fills your mouth. This needs time, but a classic. Twin brother of the perfect 2015.James Suckling | 100 JSTurning the dial up considerably, the 2016 Château Pavie leaps out of the glass with a thrilling bouquet of crème de cassis, toasty oak, graphite, white truffle, crayons, and flowers. A blend of 60% Merlot, 22% Cabernet Franc, and 18% Cabernet Sauvignon brought up in 85% new French oak (the new oak has been dialed back in recent vintages), this full-bodied Pavie is made in a more elegant, seamless style compared to prior great vintages, yet it still has brilliant depth of fruit and concentration, ripe, present tannins, a seamless texture, and an awesome finish.Jeb Dunnuck | 99 JDThe 2016 Pavie is simply magnificent. Gracious, perfumed and exquisitely beautiful, the 2016 has it all. I can’t remember seeing a Pavie with this much translucent energy and nuance. Black cherry, plum, lavender, spice and menthol all infuse this explosive, young wine with tremendous character. In the glass, the 2016 is vivid, aromatically deep and full of saline-infused energy. It is without question one of the wines of the vintage. As it turns out Gerard Perse also opened the 2008. Although the two vintages (2016 and 2008) in question are quite different in style and quality, the trajectory Pavie has taken in recent years is evident. The 2016 is a thrilling wine. That’s all there is to it. The blend is 60% Merlot, 22% Cabernet Franc and 18% Cabernet Sauvignon. Tasted two times.Antonio Galloni | 98+ AGThis is a rather showy—and captivating—display of fruit, with waves of lush cassis, raspberry and plum reduction flavors flowing through with authority and grace while a swath of chalky minerality stays deeply buried throughout. Toasty, glistening with vanilla and apple wood notes, but the fruit has the oak bridle easily in hand. One of the Right Bank showstoppers of the vintage. Best from 2024 through 2040. 6,667 cases made.Wine Spectator | 97 WSThis release underlines this estate’s change in style towards more elegant wines. While concentrated, the wine has stylish layers of black-plum fruit, beautiful acidity and freshness. Black-chocolate flavors are fully integrated into the rich tannins. This will develop into a great wine. Drink from 2025.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEThe nose is unsurprisingly reticent, with smoky black fruits lurking. Very rich and dense, but the 22% Cabernet Franc seems to have given greater lift and intensity than usual. Fresher than 2015, but shows similar concentration, with precision, drive and length. (Drink between 2022-2040)Decanter | 93 DEC

This has a rich and ripe dark-fruit nose with a wealth of stony attraction and a lighter, floral edge. The palate has a very rich core of deeply ripe, fleshy fruit, framed in cedary oak. Really impressive clarity and web-like tannins. Superb finish. Try from 2023.James Suckling | 96 JSThe 2016 Tour Saint-Christophe is made up of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc. It was aged in 40% new, 40% one-year-old and 20% two-year-old oak for 18 months. Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, it sings of roses, chocolate-covered cherries, redcurrant jelly and cinnamon stick with touches of cigar box and forest floor. Big, full-bodied and richly fruited yet with great tension, it has a compellingly perfumed palate and gorgeous velvety texture with great persistence. 5,000 cases produced.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPThe same blend and élevage as the 2015, the 2016 Chateau Tour Saint Christophe is another ripe, powerful wine that does everything right. Dense purple/blue, with a powerful bouquet of bloody blue fruits, iron, violets, and spring flowers, it’s full-bodied and concentrated on the palate and has opened up and put on weight since I tasted it on release. I think it has a touch more mid-palate depth and concentration than the 2015, yet both wines are fabulously balanced. The 2016 is more in the mold of the 2010, with the 2015 showing a more 2009 vibe. You can’t go wrong with either of these!Jeb Dunnuck | 94+ JDThe 2016 Tour St. Christophe conveys a sense of joie-de-vivre on the nose, courtesy of vibrant cassis and raspberry preserve aromas that burst from the glass. The palate is well balanced with grippy tannins. There is real density and backbone to this Saint-Émilion, and yet there is plenty of freshness on the finish. But it will need considerable time in the cellar. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting.Vinous Media | 93 VMRipe, almost jammy nose but falls shy of overripe. Palate suave and opulent – big tannic frame coated in generous fruit. Energy and tension helps to provide a persistent finish. Drinking Window 2023 - 2035.Decanter | 92 DECThis is filled with dark, juicy black currant and blackberry preserve flavors laced liberally with bramble and wood spice accents. The fruit kicks into a second gear through the finish, where a roasted apple wood note adds texture and more energy. Rock-solid. Best from 2021 through 2030.Wine Spectator | 91 WS