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The 2016 Taurasi Coste is a showstopper, leading off with a dramatic mix of crushed blueberries and black cherries complemented by sweet exotic spices and shaved cedar. It’s seamlessly silky and plush, with a bolt of jolting acidity that motivates its tart wild berry fruits. Minty herbal tones mix with dark, dark chocolate toward the close. While structured and certainly in need of cellaring, the 2016 Coste maintains a wonderfully fresh persona as black currant and tobacco notes fade. From start to finish, this is a gorgeous young Taurasi, which may even deserve a higher score over time.Vinous Media | 95+ VM

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

The 2016 Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru has a slightly meaty/feral bouquet, just a hint of gaminess that might become more conspicuous with bottle age. Otherwise I find this well defined and with flattering red cherry fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin. There is a fine bead of acidity here, a pleasant fleshy mouthfeel towards the finish and a residual salinity that beckons you back for the next sip. This represents another impressive wine from Charles Van Canneyt. Tasted blind at the 2016 Burgfest tasting.Vinous Media | 95 VMThe 2016 Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Les Beaumonts has an enticing and yet understated bouquet with Morello cherries, wild strawberry and rose petal scents, quite complex if not intense. There is something almost nonchalant here. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, crisp and focused, the chalkiness of the terroir coming through and lending energy on the long and tensile finish. Excellent.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92-94 RPA gorgeous 2016 that readers should snatch up is the 2016 Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Les Beaux Monts, which comes from a vineyard just to the north of Richebourg. It was destemmed and brought up in a mix of new, once-, and twice-used barrels. It shows a ripe, rounded, softer style that still carries plenty of structure, offering beautiful darker fruits, flowery incense, spice, and forest, earthy notes as well as a touch of orange rind. Beautifully textured, medium to full-bodied, and balanced, this gorgeous Vosne- Romanée is ideal for drinking any time over the coming 10-15 years. It’s not one to hide away for two decades, but a few years of bottle age certainly won’t hurt.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDHere the aromatic profile is markedly different with its dense dark berry fruit, tea, spice and violet aromas that are trimmed in just enough wood to notice. Like the Petits Vougeots the positively gorgeous mouthfeel of the medium weight flavors is satiny and delivers outstanding persistence on the balanced and intensely mineral-driven finale. This is sufficiently supple that it could be approached young or held up to a decade first.Burghound | 91-94 BHClear bright fresh purple, fresh and racy fruit, purity and intensity. An interesting mix of different dark fruits, raspberry, blueberry and black cherry. There is good concentration across the palate. I would not have liked to see this picked any later but it works very well as it is, with a touch of salinity at the back. Jasper Morris | 94 JMCharles Van Canneyt’s vines are in the upper part of Beaux Monts where the soils are thinner, so although this is never the most opulent example of this climat, the 2016 is lovely. Aromas of ripe, dark fruits, smoked duck and rich spice precede a cool, medium-full wine, its ample core of cool fruit underpinned by a tense, chalky chassis of tannin.Decanter | 92 DECThe 2016 Beaumonts from Domaine Hudelot-Noëllat is a fine wine in the making. The bouquet delivers a fine, youthful constellation of dark berries, black cherries, bitter chocolate, dark soil tones, venison, woodsmoke and a deft touch of vanillin oak. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied and already nicely velvety on the attack, with a fine core, lovely soil inflection and a long, ripely tannic and seamless finish. This will be lovely, as it starts to show some fine upper register Vosne spice tones with air. (Drink between 2024 - 2065)John Gilman | 92 JG

Stunning, showing black cherry, blackberry, plum, leather, earth and iron aromas and flavors that work in tandem with the supple texture and dense structure. This has a good feel, between its level of ripe fruit and firm tannins, to age well. Excellent length. Best from 2026 through 2045. 1,220 cases made, 75 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 98 WSThis is very tight and linear and long. It shows so much black truffle, dark cherry and wet earth character with some bark. Full-bodied yet tight and polished with firm tannins that persistently drive the length of the palate. Great aging potential here. Try after 2023.James Suckling | 97 JSThe Castello Banfi 2016 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Poggio alle Mura pours from the bottle with an inky dark appearance and rich color concentration. The full-bodied Brunello takes the Banfi philosophy (based on research and mapping to understand the unique qualities of each growing site in this sprawling property on the southern side of the appellation) to heart. The fruit selected here aspires to extract, richness and all the other qualities associated with your quintessential Sangiovese Riserva. Careful work in the winery has helped to chisel out blackberry, spice, cherry, leather and baked clay. Ample doses of cola, licorice and tar appear on the very long and powerful finish in this 14,638-bottle release.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPThe deep, rich 2016 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Poggio alle Mura wafts up with an air of crushed ashen stone and hints of graphite before giving way to black cherry, minty herbs and hints of shaved cedar. This is elegant yet savory in character, with velvety textures ushering in mineral-tinged black fruits and exotic spices. The finish is remarkably long and structured, yet the tannins are refined, and hints of sour citrus combine with a twang of tart red currants under an air of tobacco. This is an imposing and powerful Riserva Poggio alle Mura that’s just begging for a long stay in the cellar.Vinous Media | 93+ VMAromas of underbrush, toasted nut, violet and eucalyptus mingle with a whiff of tobacco. The tobacco note follows through to the full-bodied, velvety palate, along with prune, dried cherry and licorice. Taut, fine-grained tannins provide support. Drink 2024–2031. Wine Enthusiast | 93 WE

An ethereal and classic style with tertiary semi-dried plum, strawberry, cedar, mocha and coffee oak aromas and flavours, silky tannins and well-integrated zesty acidity. A magnificent wine that needs spicy lamb chops.Decanter | 97 DEC

Aromas of blackberries, flowers, spicy wood and black cherries. Sweet fruit. Full-bodied with round, refined tannins and gorgeous fruit. It’s really long and intense. Wonderful clarity and focus at the end of this. Drink after 2025.James Suckling | 96 JSUnderbrush, ripe black-skinned fruit and camphor aromas mingle with whiffs of toasted nut and vanilla on this full-bodied red. Boasting concentrated flavors but also weightless finesse, the elegant, structured palate delivers delicious red berry, licorice, tobacco and the barest hint of game alongside noble tannins and fresh acidity. It’s already tempting but will also age beautifully for years. Drink 2023–2036.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WE

Very pretty purity of fruit here with strawberry, cherry and some lemon rind. Medium-bodied with integrated tannins that are showing edges now. Fresh, creamy texture at the end. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 93 JSAromas of red berries, crushed mint and violet meld with eucalyptus and smoke on the nose. On the elegant, youthfully austere palate, it shows taut, refined tannins offset by flavors of Marasca cherry, strawberry compote and star anise alongside bright acidity. It closes on an alluring spice note.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEA creamy, medium-bodied red, featuring firm, finely knit tannins enmeshed with flavors of dried cherry and Earl Grey tea. A streak of smoky mineral echoes on the fresh finish. Best from 2020 through 2029. 1,250 cases made, 500 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 92 WSNo written review provided. | 91 W&SThe 2016 Etna Rosso features a rich and sweetly spiced bouquet of medicinal cherries, licorice and white smoke. It boasts silky textures that give way to fleshy balsamic-tinged red berries, as a wave of brisk acids creates a more tactile feel. This finishes long and lightly structured, with a lasting stain of blue and purple-tinged fruits pleasantly offset by a hint of sour citrus.Vinous Media | 90 VM

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

Packaged in a heavy glass bottle, the Tenuta Sant’Antonio 2016 Amarone della Valpolicella Antonio Castagnedi is a beautifully full and generous wine. If offers a full load of fruit weight and manages to do so without losing freshness or crispness. The bouquet delivers elements of dark cherry, blackcurrant and blackberry preserves, and those dark tones transition to sweet tones of spice, licorice and tar. This is a full-bodied and thoroughly contemporary expression that translates to the palate with lively energy and lots of Amarone power. Fruit comes from a hillside vineyard with sandy limestone soils and white calcareous rocks at a breezy 300 meters in elevation. The traditional blend used by this estate is 70% Corvina and Corvinone, 20% Rondinella, 5% Croatina and 5% Oseleta. The wine ages in oak for two long years.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94+ RPThe 2016 Amarone della Valpolicella Antonio Castagnedi balances dark ripe fruits, sweet spices and rich mocha with savory herbs and violet florals. It’s a silky and energetic effort with cooling acids and minerals, coloring within the lines of refinement while still satiating the senses with masses of ripe black cherries. A bit of heat pokes out through on the finish, yet this is forgivable in my book, as the Antonio Castagnedi tapers off fresh to inner violet florals and a bitter twang of wild berries.Vinous Media | 93 VMNo written review providedNotes of grilled game and tobacco balance this wine’s rich flavors of baked cherry, molten chocolate and licorice. Dark spices offset those flavors, and lively acidity cools the finish.Dalla Terra, Napa, CA Wine and Spirits Mag | 91 W&S

The Tenuta Sant’Antonio 2016 Amarone della Valpolicella Campo dei Gigli (packaged in a very heavy eco-unfriendly glass bottle) is a dark and brooding wine packed tight with richly concentrated black fruit delivered in thick and lasting layers. The bouquet peels back to reveal dark plum and baked blackberry, but there is also a major focus on spice, tar, barbecue smoke and teriyaki. The wine makes a wide and large impact on the palate. It shows enormous textural richness and softly integrated tannins. You can age this blend of 70% Corvina and Corvinone, 20% Rondinella, 5% Croatina and 5% Oseleta (that sees three years in barrel) over the long haul.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPA unique yet beguiling mix of smoked meats, lavender and violets evolves into dusty black berries and currants as the 2016 Amarone della Valpolicella Campo dei Gigli blossoms in the glass. It’s velvety-smooth yet spicy and mineral in style, with penetrating dark red fruits giving way to dark chocolate, balsam herbs and building tannins. This tapers off remarkably long and primary, yet it maintains amazing freshness, leaving exotic inner florals and spices to linger. The 2016 is a gentle giant of an Amarone that will need a little time to show its best. It spent three years refining in neutral Tonneaux.Vinous Media | 95 VMVery potent aromas of blackcurrants and toasted oak with hints of eucalyptus and black-cherry liqueur, following through to a full palate with firm tannins that drive the fruit on through the long finish. There’s a kind of raw, almost rough-and-ready character to this that’s a bit hard work now. Will even out with bottle age. One for the cellar. Try from 2024.James Suckling | 93 JSThis wine offers a glimpse of dried cherry and plum flavors before the spectrum quickly shifts to notes of smoked bacon, fig and cardamom. The wine aged for three years in new French-oak tonneaux, developing a complex and decadent style that will appeal to the most ardent Amarone fans.Wine & Spirits | 91 W&S

This tiny estate located down on the lower plain continues to produce a powerful, opulent style of wine. Their 2016 La Fleur Morange is another beauty, boasting full-bodied richness and serious concentration go with a monster bouquet of crème de cassis, spring flowers, rose petals, and ample sandy, loamy soil notes. It has some oak to integrate, a stacked mid-palate, beautiful tannins, and an awesome finish. Hats off to proprietors Jean François and Véronique Julien and consultant Claude Gros for a brilliant Saint-Emilion. Give bottles 2-4 years and enjoy over the following two decades. The blend is 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc brought up in new 500-liter barrels.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDSome of the oldest vines in St-Emilion, with an average age of 100 years. Loved this en primeur and it remains an exuberant fist of tar, hazelnut, dark chocolate and crushed cassis, with clear black pepper on the finish. 100% new oak. Drinking Window: 2025 - 2038Decanter | 94 DECThe aromas of blueberries and lavender are so enticing. Full body, yet it’s tight and compact with a big, rich palate. Layers of ripe tannins. One for the cellar. Try after 2023 and beyond.James Suckling | 94 JS

Enticing aromas of menthol, ripe dark-skinned fruit, new leather and sandalwood lead the way. Boasting a heady combination of power and finesse, the full-bodied palate doles out ripe black cherry, raspberry jam, licorice and tobacco framed in firm, velvety tannins. Fresh acidity keeps the richness in check. Drink 2024–2036.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEThe La Fiorita 2016 Brunello di Montalcino unfolds to dark fruit, cherry, tobacco and sweet spice. This wine shows very nicely, thanks to the balance of its fruit, and is characterized by a delicate sweet note that recalls cassis and wild raspberry. The wine is open and accessible from the start, and that bodes well for those who don’t care to wait and age their Brunello too long. Indeed, I could see this wine matched up nicely to a wood-oven flatbread with shaved truffles layered generously on top. This wine draws its fruit from two sites, Poggio al Sole and Pian Bossolino, and ages in Slavonian oak casks for 24 months. Production is 21,500 bottles.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94+ RPThis is a full-bodied, juicy red with ripe plums, dried cherries, cedar and a touch of milk chocolate. Dried roses and leather. Silky tannins and a long, focused finish. Some tile undertones. Drink after 2022.James Suckling | 94 JSDark fruit flavors of plum and blackberry highlight this angular red, shaded by earth, tobacco and underbrush notes. Leans toward a tar element as it winds down, ending with assertive, yet nervous tannins. Best from 2024 through 2040. 2,000 cases made, 750 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 93 WSThe elegant 2016 Brunello di Montalcino boasts a beautiful blend of pure fruits and perfumed aromatics. A dusty mix of wild strawberries, cherries, sage and cedar makes for an understated yet pretty display. It’s medium in body, and the textures are creamy in feel, with a polished display of red and black fruits offset by a twang of sour citrus, as inner florals build toward the close. The tannins here are sweet and nuanced, even as they create a classically dry expression; yet there’s plenty of residual energy to make this a knockout Brunello to enjoy over the medium term.Vinous Media | 91 VMThe 2016 Brunello was aged for two years in large Slavonian oak before resting in bottle. It is noted by soft floral aromas of black plum, lavender, and sweet licorice. The palate is full and approachable, with ripe cherry fruit, cocoa powder, and dried herbs as well as velvety tannins. Enjoy 2021-2030.Jeb Dunnuck | 91 JDWith nine hectares of vineyards spread over four distinct vineyards, owner Natalie Oliveros started converting the estate to organics in 2011. Full certification was achieved in 2019, the same year the new gravity-fed winery was completed. Lively red cherry and wild strawberry express cheerfully out of the gate backed up by allspice and rose. The fruit is sweet and sun-drenched but not overripe. Velvety and fluid with ample brightness and fine, powdery tannins, this is ready to go. Drinking Window 2021 - 2029.Decanter | 91 DEC

The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Mountain Estate Vineyard (84% Cabernet Sauvignon and the balance Merlot and Petit Verdot) spent 22 months in 80% new French oak. It has a more mineral-laced style as well as dark currants and cassis-like fruits, notes of smoked herbs and graphite, full body, building tannins, and a great finish. There’s a touch of this liqueur of rock like minerality that comes out with air and it’s a powerful, structured wine that reminds me of what Leoville Las Cases would make from Napa. Hide bottle for 4-5 years and drink it over the coming two decades or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 96+ JDThe 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Mountain Estate Vineyard is a dark, brooding wine. A terrific example of Sonoma Cabernet, the 2016 possesses superb textural richness and intensity to match its dark, somber profile. An infusion of inky dark fruit, gravel, smoke, iron, game, dark spice, leather and licorice runs through this super expressive, rugged Cabernet Sauvignon from the Fisher family’s Spring Mountain estate.Antonio Galloni | 94 AGA tight, chewy red with blackberry and dark-chocolate aromas and flavors. Full-bodied, layered and rich. Flavorful finish. Shows mountain firmness. Drink in 2022 and onwards.James Suckling | 94 JSDeep ruby-purple, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Mountain Estate Vineyard opens with gregarious crème de cassis, chocolate-covered cherries, graphite, leather and spice box with notes of thyme, turned earth and eucalyptus. Medium to full-bodied, it floods the mouth with intense, youthfully wound fruit, framed by grainy tannins and great freshness, finishing very long. This is vibrant and intense and will require another 3-5 years of bottle age. 952 cases produced.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93+ RP

From the second I tilted the glass, I knew that the 2016 Amarone della Valpolicella was a total knockout. Macerated cherries are contrasted by a whiff of tangerine that gives way to vibrant rose tones and autumnal spice. This soothes with glycerol waves of spicy red fruits complemented by cinnamon, clove and dark, dark chocolate tones. There’s tremendous balance here with bright acids and a totally sexy and exotic style. This just goes on and on and finishes structured and firm yet incredibly fresh, leaving the palate stained in concentration as violet floral tones fade. For all of its heady depth and concentration, there are only two grams per liter of residual sugar. You don’t need to save this riveting Amarone for the dessert course.Vinous Media | 97 VMOwner Marco Sartori has slowly modified his winemaking over the years. He dries the grapes for less time these days, especially in hot years, and ferments at cooler temperatures for a more gentle extraction. And, as of 2016, a portion of the wine ages in large Slavonian oak casks (instead of 100% barriques) for less oxidation of the fruit. The 2016 is deeply coloured and youthful with wood spice and smoke dominating the nose. Compact, concentrated fruit is wrapped up in dense tannins, and hints of blackberry and anise emerge on the palpably dry palate. This definitely needs time to unfurl. Release date: January 2021. Drinking Window 2022 - 2032.Decanter | 90 DEC

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

Very attractive, bright cassis and blackberries with attractive spice and undergrowth complexity. The palate has a sleek, neatly aligned feel with long and succulent tannins that deliver fresh, purple-fruit flavor. This has a fresh, focused finish. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 92 JSThe 2016 Ducluzeau exceeds my expectations from barrel. It has a clean, precise bouquet of blackberry and bilberry fruit, and a light estuarine scent emerges with time. The palate is medium-bodied with crunchy black fruit tinged with tobacco and sea salt, and just a tang of black olive toward the vivid finish. Classic Bordeaux, no more, no less.Vinous Media | 90 VMFrom the team at Ducru-Beaucaillou, the 2016 Château Ducluzeau is possibly one of the finest Listracs produced in any vintage. This beauty offers a medium ruby color to go with a terrific perfume of sweet cherry and dark fruits that are supported by loads of leafy herbs, damp earth, and even hints of graphite. Shockingly deep, medium-bodied, and beautifully concentrated, with ripe tannins, it shines for its purity and nuance but offers serious intensity as well. It’s a fabulous wine to drink over the coming 10-15 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 90 JD

From 45-year-old vines, macerated for 30-35 days ("just infusion, no extraction") and aged in old barrels for 12 months plus six months in tanks, the 2016 Anjou Cabernet Franc is pure and intense on the nose that reveals finely concentrated raspberry, red cherry and tobacco aromas. Pure, intense and fresh on the palate, this is a silky-textured, refined and elegant red with fine tannins and vibrantly mineral acidity. Tart on the finish but full of character. Excellent. Bottled at the end of April 2017.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPWhile this wine has some age, it still shows considerable acidity. A light touch of tannin and plenty of perfumed fruitiness give a wine that has structure and that will age. Drink from 2021.Wine Enthusiast | 91 WEA very charming version, with tobacco leaf and oregano notes framing the core of dark cherry and mulberry, while spice details glide along the edges. Well-integrated tannins provide support, creating good balance overall. Drink now through 2024. 1,250 cases made, 250 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 90 WS

The single-vineyard 2016 A Merced del Bierzo El Canto comes from a plot in San Lorenzo in Ponferrada, 0.7 hectares of north-facing vines on slate soils. The mixed grapes from the old vines fermented together with full clusters and indigenous yeasts in tinaja, where the wine macerated with the skins for five months. It was then transferred to used barriques where it aged for 15 months. It felt very compact and complete, with more freshness than the 2015. This is the vineyard they liked better from the two plots they used for the A Merced label, the more vertical one, and this is the one that is going to continue in the future (they have already vinified 2017 and 2018). 2016 is a balanced and fresh year, and this wine has a superb palate with piercing flavors and citrus, blood orange-like freshness. 2,500 bottles were filled in May 2018.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RP

The medium to deep garnet-purple colored 2016 La Prade bursts boldly from the glass with notions of chocolate-covered cherries, blueberry compote and plum preserves with suggestions of eucalyptus, espresso, licorice and cedar chest plus a waft of violets. Full-bodied, rich and plushly textured, the decadent black fruit and spicy layers deliver a very long, impactful finish. This is so tempting to drink right now, but it will age beautifully.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92+ RPThe 2016 La Prade hits the palate with serious depth and intensity. A rush of inky blue/purplish fruit, spice, menthol, crème de cassis, and bittersweet chocolate melds together in this unctuous, super-expressive wine. Creamy, silky tannins enrobe this decidedly rich, flamboyant Côtes de Bordeaux. The 2016 finishes with terrific weight and substance. All of the elements are nicely fused together. Tasted three times.Antonio Galloni | 91 AGBold tannins and ripe fruit are the hallmarks of this rich wine from the Nicolas Thienpont range. A solid structure backs up the ripe black-currant flavors. The wine will certainly age well, so wait until 2021.Wine Enthusiast | 91 WEStately and restrained, this has a clear sense of minerality and salinity. An enjoyable wine matured in 33% new oak of both 225’ and 500l sizes. Great quality. Drinking Window 2019 - 2028.Decanter | 91 DECThis is integrated and lightly chewy with dark berries and light chocolate and some hazelnuts. Medium body. Fresh finish. A blend of 88 per cent merlot and 12 per cent cabernet franc. Drink now.James Suckling | 90 JS

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 AGThe 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-NMClear 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 JD

The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain is plush and super-expressive right out of the gate. Inky dark fruit, gravel, spice and juniper berries. There is a ton of character here. Black cherry, game, smoke, licorice, tobacco and incense all build in a potent, savory Cabernet that delivers the goods. This is one of the most distinctive Howell Mountain Cabernet wines I have tasted in some time.Antonio Galloni | 94 AG

A well-layered nose blends notes of citrus, mineral reduction, Granny Smith apples and a touch of wood toast. There is both excellent minerality and punch to the moderately concentrated flavors that possess slightly better ripeness on the clean, dry and persistent finale. (Drink starting 2024)Burghound | 92 BH

Lots of blueberries, ripe blackberries, violets, peppercorns, olives and cloves on the nose. It’s medium-to full-bodied with firm, fleshy tannins. Beautiful blue fruit and flowers. Layered and long. Drink after 2023.James Suckling | 96 JSThe 2016 Les Forts de Latour is the clear highlight among these new releases from Latour. The first thing that is evident about the 2016 is the pedigree of the vintage. Undisputedly great. Readers will find a potent, dark Forts de Latour endowed with massive concentration and tons of depth. The 2016 won’t be ready to drink anytime soon, but it holds tons of promise. Hints of gravel, sage, licorice and pencil shavings linger. The 2016 was impressive a few years ago. It is even better today.Antonio Galloni | 96 AGThe second wine of this great château, the 2016 Les Forts De Latour continues to impress. I commented on release that it was the best wine in the vintage, and my opinion hasn’t changed. This beauty offers plenty of classic Latour character as well as notes of blackcurrants, saddle leather, lead pencil shavings, and dried flowers. Full-bodied, concentrated, and perfectly balanced, it’s just now starting to round into form and will no doubt continue drinking well for another 2+ decades. It’s a gorgeous Pauillac.Jeb Dunnuck | 95 JD(Château Latour, Les Forts de Latour, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pauillac, Bordeaux, France, Red) Violet scented dark black cherries and figs on the nose, quite powerful. Tannins are generous but they’re juicy and plump, soft almost chalky, they have a really great impact, filling the mouth together with the fruit. Everything has melded together, super balanced and all very harmonious - still clearly powerful with precision and sculpting of the fruit and a long finish with the flavours going on and on. Good acidity gives freshness and a real rush of strawberry and cherry juice on the first sip lifts and sustains the palate the whole way. Such a charming wine with great impact and presence. (Drink between 2021-2030)Decanter | 95 DECThe 2016 Les Forts de Latour is superb, unwinding in the glass with notions of blackcurrants, wild berries, sweet loamy soil, cigar wrapper and English walnuts. Medium to full-bodied, deep and layered, it’s concentrated and tightly wound, with superb depth at the core, lively acids and ripe, powdery tannins. This is an impeccably balanced, utterly classical Forts de Latour worth a special effort to seek out.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPThis is a great wine, with superb tannins and rich fruit flavors that are in balance. Made from 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, the palate is dominated by black-currant flavor and a pleasant structure from the very fine tannins.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEA bit fleshier and more caressing than a typical Pauillac, this has flavors of warm fig, currant and blackberry preserves inlaid with charcoal and smoldering tobacco notes. There’s grip for sure and a twinge of warm cast iron on the finish, but the fruit detail keeps the upper hand throughout, showcasing the purity on the finish. Very, very solid. Best from 2023 through 2035.Wine Spectator | 94 WS

The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Coach Insignia is just as impressive today as it was from barrel last year. Dark, dense and explosive, the 2016 is a wine of real personality. A rush of black cherry, plum, chocolate, sage and licorice makes a strong opening statement, but there is plenty of underlying structure to back things up as well. Even with all of its obvious power and structure, the 2016 remains finessed and understated. I can’t wait to see how it ages.Antonio Galloni | 95+ AGTight and polished with firm and creamy tannins. Hints of dark chocolate to the currant and berry character. Medium to full body. Fresh, tight finish. A wine that will improve beautifully with age, but delicious and fresh now. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 94 JSThe 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Coach Insignia takes things up a notch and offers lots of currants, crème de cassis, tobacco, chocolate and earthy notes in a full-bodied, rounded, pure, and elegant package. It’s impeccably balanced, has beautiful purity, and a great finish. There’s enough structure here to warrant a year or three of bottle age and it will keep for 15-20 years. The blend is 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Petit Verdot, 1.5% Cabernet Franc, and 1.5% Merlot, all aged 22 months in 92% new French oak. (Drink between 2021-2041)Jeb Dunnuck | 93 JD

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