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Deep ruby-colored and offering a heavenly bouquet of black raspberries, toasted spiced, cured meats, licorice, and cured meats, the 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Combes des Fous is awesome on the palate, with a silky, seamless profile that just keeps on going. Possessing ultra-fine tannin, no hard edges, and a huge finish, it’s a phenomenal bottle of wine. The fact that it was bottled just one month ago makes this showing even more impressive.Jeb Dunnuck | 98 JDSaturated ruby. An exotically perfumed, highly complex bouquet evokes raspberry preserves, smoky minerals, Moroccan spices and incense. Supple, palate-staining red and dark berry liqueur and floral pastille flavors show superb depth, sharp delineation and an energizing undercurrent of smoky minerality. Manages to be at once rich and lively and finishes with outstanding clarity, well-knit tannins and resonating floral and mineral qualities.Vinous Media | 96 VMFrom a single exposed hilltop parcel, the 2016 Chateauneuf du Pape La Combe des Fous is a blend of 60% Grenache, 20% Syrah and 10% each Cinsault and Vaccarèse. As the Syrah was aged in wood, there’s a hint of campfire smoke here, plus layers of rich, voluptuous plummy fruit. Full-bodied and velvety in texture, this is more concentrated than even the Vieilles Vignes bottling, but it’s not that much better in terms of overall quality or longevity.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPA searching, seductive nose of raspberry, loganberry and camphor, inlaid with spices. Full-bodied and opulently textured, the fruit and alcohol sweetness is matched by high acidity, while the tannins are velvety and gentle. The nose is particularly compelling, and I’d recommend drinking this young to enjoy its full impact rather than cellaring for any great length of time. A very rich style that would be better to share amongst a group rather than between a couple. 10% new oak.Decanter | 93 DEC

The 2016 Cariad Proprietary Red Wine is blended of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Cabernet Franc, 12% Merlot and 8% Petit Verdot. Deep garnet-purple colored, it has wonderful purity of black fruits—preserved plums, blackcurrants and black raspberries—with nuances of iron ore, crushed rocks, fertile loam, cedar chest and tobacco leaf. Full-bodied, concentrated, muscular and built like a brick house, it has very firm, grainy tannins and refreshing acidity, finishing incredibly long and mineral. This should be very, very long lived.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 100 RPThe highlight in this range today, the 2016 Cariad is utterly magnificent. Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot give the wine soaring aromatic intensity and striking savoriness to play off the racy, forward fruit. Time in barrel has done wonders to meld all the elements together. Today, the Cariad is dense, explosive and super-expressive. And yet my sense is that the 2016 still has quite a bit of room to grow. Even at this early stage, the 2016 is a total stunner. The symbiosis of David Abreu fruit and Allision Tauziet’s winemaking makes for an electric, unforgettable 2016. Don’t miss it.Vinous Media | 100 VMAmazing aromas of dark fruit and sweet, subtle tobacco. Complex. Multidimensional. Hypnotic. Full-bodied, very plush and rich on the palate with layers of fruit and tannins. Yet, it remains cool.James Suckling | 98 JSComing from the Madrona Ranch and a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Cabernet Franc, 12% Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot, the 2016 Cariad is a more powerful, concentrated, burly effort that has a massive amount of black and blue fruits, charcoal, savory herbs, and graphite-like aromas and flavors. This beauty hits the palate with full-bodied richness, loads of tannins, a deep, stacked mid-palate, and a huge finish. Where the Tychson Hill is power married to elegance, this beauty is more power and structure. It needs at least a decade of cellaring.Jeb Dunnuck | 98+ JDRich and very suave in style, with a gorgeous core of pure plum, blackberry and cassis notes sailing through the long finish, which is supported by a well-buried graphite edge that allows the creamy feel to gain the upper hand while keeping everything grounded. A beautiful display of restrained power. Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. To be released March 2020. Best from 2021 through 2035. 750 cases made.Wine Spectator | 96 WS

Big cassis fruit with nice, toasty and vanilla oak, draw you into the full and almost silky palate, where the tannins only slightly show their hand right at the end. Second wine of Château Talbot. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 92 JS

Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2016 Cos Labory opens with cassis, plums and herbs with notions of black soil and pencil lead. The medium-bodied palate is elegant and fresh with fine-grained tannins and nice purity, finishing long.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RPThe 2016 Cos Labory is a supple, pretty wine with plenty of near and medium-term appeal. Sweet tobacco, cedar, leather, scorched earth and menthol are all nicely laced together. From bottle, the 2016 is a bit more subdued than it was from barrel, while some slightly rough contours are going to need time in bottle to sort themselves out fully.Antonio Galloni | 92 AGRich and powerful, with good freshness underneath the fruit. The components of the wine are off the charts, extremely knitted down and barely budging. It has amazing silky tannins and just a slight tartness to the fruit on the finish which pulls things up abruptly. Plenty to love here. 57hl/ha yield. Matured in 50% new oak. (Drink between 2024-2040)Decanter | 92 DECThis firm wine has the classic structure of Saint-Estèphe. Dry tannins march together with black fruit to create a wine that will take a while to soften and open up. There is potential here for a rich, fruity wine, but wait until 2024.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WEPlenty of plum and smoke on this rather broad St.-Estèphe and there’s just enough character and structure to hold it on track. Soft finish. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 90 JS

The 2016 d’Aiguilhe is absolutely delicious. Succulent, nuanced and inviting, the 2016 has so much to offer. Ripe cherry, plum, French oak, mocha, new leather and spice all flesh out effortlessly. Deep, generous and resonant, the 2016 captures all the best the vintage has to offer. Sweet, silky tannins add to the wine’s considerable appeal. It would be nice to see a bit less overtness to the oak. The wine really does not need it. In 2016, d’Aiguilhe is very pretty. Tasted two times. Antonio Galloni | 92 AGJuicy loganberry and black currant fruit forms an inviting core, while light bay, tobacco and violet notes fill in around the fruit. Offers a fleshy edge but keeps an emphasis on cut and drive through the finish. Drink now through 2028. 18,375 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WSThe 2016 Château d’Aiguilhe checks in as 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc brought up in 30% new barrels before being bottled with no fining. As with the white, it has brilliant limestone character as well as vibrant strawberry and black raspberry fruits, hints of violets and flowers, background oak, and medium to full-bodied richness. It’s a balanced, high-quality 2016 well worth seeking out. Drink it over the coming 15 years or so. (Drink between 2019-2034)Jeb Dunnuck | 92 JDThis is very precise with dark-berry, sandalwood and light chocolate character. Just a hint of sweet fruit and wet earth. Medium body, firm tannins and a pretty finish. Drinkable, but better in 2021.James Suckling | 92 JSStill at a youthful stage, the wine has a meaty, ferrous nuance but is packed with dark fruit behind. The palate is dense and structured with fine but firm tannins and there’s a fresh, saline finish. The power is there but in a subdued manner. Experience tells me it will age. (Drink between 2022-2025)Decanter | 91 DECThe 2016 Chateau d’Aiguilhe is a blend of 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc picked from 30 September until 18 October, matured in 30% new oak. It has a warm and sensual bouquet: small macerated black cherries, blueberry and sloes, a light floral tincture emerging with time. This has a little more strictness compared to the 2015 last year. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin and good body. Sappy black fruit, a touch of spice towards the finish, and you have yourself a very fine Côtes de Castillon.Robert Parker Neal Martin | 90-92 RP-NM

This is a really driven d’Armailhac showing blackcurrants and fruit tea with hints of bark on the nose and palate. Full-bodied, very firm and structured with a long and powerful finish. Direct and linear. Try after 2023.James Suckling | 95 JSA thrilling bottle of wine that readers should snatch up is the 2016 Château d’Armailhac. This deeply colored, medium to full-bodied, powerful Armailhac gives up a lovely perfume of blackberry and plums fruits, violets, graphite, cedar pencil, and earthy, herbal nuances. Classic, ripe, layered, and just a beautiful Pauillac any way you look at it, it has plenty of upfront sex appeal but is going to keep for 20-25 years as well. Bravo! The 2016 is a blend of 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDDeep garnet-purple colored, the 2016 D’Armailhac opens with gregarious crème de cassis, blackberry pie and mulberries scents with hints of chocolate box, roses and charcoal with a waft of dried sage. Medium-bodied, the palate has a rock-solid frame of firm, grainy tannins and wonderful freshness, finishing long and earthy.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPThe 2016 d’Armailhac, which was bottled in May 2018, has an elegant bouquet that unfolds in the glass, offering blackberries, briar and a touch of cedar and mint. The palate is medium-bodied with dense tannin, grippy in the mouth, and quite voluminous, with perhaps more density on the solid, almost broad-shouldered finish compared to the Clerc-Milon. This fulfills all my expectations from my barrel tasting and is quite simply one of the best d’Armailhac wines ever made.Vinous Media | 93 VMThis juicy red sports dark plum, fig and boysenberry fruit backed by an equally strong wave of bramble and sweet tobacco notes. The cast-iron spine pins down the finish, so give this a little time to integrate fully. Best from 2023 through 2038.Wine Spectator | 93 WSThere’s fairly high acidity on the attack here, and yet it’s well balanced by a body that’s richer and deeper than in many years of Armailhac. You can definitely feel the texture and the powerful depth of brambly fruit, and there are also some of the signature lilting floral notes, given extra charge through graphite, liquorice, cassis, and that pulsating acidity. Great quality. 2% Petit Verdot completes the blend. Drinking Window 2024 - 2038.Decanter | 93 DECThis is a ripe wine, full of black fruits with attractive tannins. It has depth but the wine is more about fruitiness and relatively quick development. Drink this already delicious, lightly spicy wine from 2022.Wine Enthusiast | 90 WE

The brightness and precision already comes through on the nose with floral, blackcurrant character. Full-bodied and very tight and creamy with polished tannins that last for minutes. Warm and intense. Needs four to five years to show all it has, yet already a beauty.James Suckling | 96 JS(Château d’Issan, Cabernet Sauvignon, Margaux, Bordeaux, France, Red) Tasted over two days, and although the attack is supple, with fruit and light notes of espresso, the palate is somewhat low key in its expression of red and black fruit with overtones of spice. One notices high toned acidity, and I suspect that the wine has entered a youthful, ’closed-in’ phase. What cannot be denied: fine grained tannin and impressive length on a finish marked by freshness and tonicity. Don’t touch before 2025 at least, however. (Drink between 2025-2045)Decanter | 95 DECThis wine has an austere structure, with firm tannins. The fruit comes through slowly, revealing an attractive black-currant flavor and ample acidity. This will be a very fine wine with time; try after 2029.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEThe 2016 D’Issan is blended of 64% Cabernet Sauvignon and 36% Merlot, aged in 50% new and 50% one-year-old French oak for 18 months. Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, it has vibrant black cherries and blackcurrants notes with chocolate mint, beef drippings, black olives and cigar box. Medium-bodied with a well-sustained, intensely flavored mid-palate, it has a rock-solid, grainy frame and long savory finish. 10,500 cases produced.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94+ RPThe 2016 d’Issan has a well-defined bouquet of blackberry, violets, rose petal and light undergrowth aromas, displaying fine lift and great intensity. The medium-bodied palate offers fine-grained tannins and a fine bead of acidity. Fresh and vibrant, with a very harmonious, elegant and persistent finish. Excellent. Tasted blind at the Southwold tasting.Vinous Media | 94 VMI loved the 2016 Château d’Issan and this is a certainly a wine to seek out. Made from a blend of 64% Cabernet Sauvignon and 36% Merlot from yields of 55 hectoliters per hectare, aged 18 months in 50% new oak, it has a beautiful perfume of blue fruits (cassis, blueberries, etc.) as well as hints of graphite, subtle oak, and charcoal. Medium to full-bodied, with integrated acidity, a terrific mid-palate, and perfect balance, it needs 4-5 years of bottle age and is going to cruise in good cellars for 20-25 years or more. It’s a beautiful, elegant, seamless wine that’s very much in the style of the vintage.Jeb Dunnuck | 94+ JDLight pepper and savory hints lead off in this bouncy, juicy version, with bright cassis and bitter cherry fruit forming the core. Shows a light mineral edge on the finish.Wine Spectator | 88-91 WS

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 Amarone della Valpolicella Monte Lodoletta keeps me at the edge of the glass to take in its darkly alluring bouquet of dusty black currants and dried flowers, with hints of blood orange offset by sweet rose. While currently youthful and understated, it continues to open and deepen with each swirl. This is silky and cool-toned in feel, savory to the core, with a dense wave of mineral-tinged dark red fruits carried across a core of vibrant acidity. Autumnal spices form toward the close. The 2016 is inward and saturating, building in fine tannins that clench the palate through the finale, promising a long, long life. This is a masterpiece in the making, and while already bottled, it will not be released until 2023. Production was again down by 50% in 2016 due to hail.Vinous Media | 96-98 VM

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

Carlone’s 2016 Boca Adele takes all the elements of the house style and kicks them up a few notches. Bold and dramatic in the glass, the Adele is a total stunner. It needs time to soften, but all the signatures of a truly great wine come through loud and clear. Red cherry, plum, lavender, dried herbs and pomegranate all open up. The 2016 is a young wine that needs cellaring for its aromatics to develop, but it is so impressive.Antonio Galloni | 96 AGForest floor, camphor, blue flower and new leather are just some of the aromas that you’ll find on this structured, vibrant red. Firm and austere, the vibrant, focused palate has youthful intensity, featuring mature Marasca cherry, blood orange, white pepper and licorice set against assertive, noble tannins. Bright acidity keeps it balanced and precise, while an energizing mineral note suggesting flint caps off the finish. Drink 2028–2041.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WECarlone cultivates a few high-lying vineyards in Boca, although some of his grapes are sold to Le Piane. This is unusually deep in colour and has leafy, brooding raspberry aromas that are still reticent. Although sleek in texture, it’s concentrated and dense, with some black fruit and chocolate tones. It’s a Boca with unusual depth and power and has a long, grainy finish. Drinking Window 2021 - 2032.Decanter | 91 DEC

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

Extremely deep and ripe on the nose with dried-berry, chocolate and plum aromas that follow through to a full body, round and soft tannins and a flavorful finish. A rich and soft-tannin structure to the wine. Try after 2024.James Suckling | 94 JSPartnered with Château Giscours as far as the winemaking team is concerned, this estate has created its own style. This wine shows a hint of initial austerity before opening out with rich fruits and structure. It needs time and the wine will not be ready to drink before 2025. Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEPowerful, intense and concentrated, those tannins are big in quantity and quality. This is a sombre, intellectual wine in the way that many 2016s are. It has a good texture of silky black fruits through the palate, suggesting this will age well, while a white pepper crescendo gives a spicy kick on the finish. 5% Petit Verdot completes the blend, with the wine aged in 50% new oak.Decanter | 92 DECThe 2016 du Tertre has a refined bouquet of black fruit infused with loamy, sous-bois scents, gradually evolving more intensity with aeration. The medium-bodied palate is well-defined, with lithe tannins, a fine bead of acidity and a detailed, quite precise finish. This just requires a couple more years in bottle. Tasted blind at the Southwold tasting.Vinous Media | 91 VMFresh damson plum, bitter cherry and savory notes are seamlessly layered together, with fresh tobacco and a flash of iron checking in on the pure, silky, persistent finish, where the slightly high-pitched fruit plays out nicely. Best from 2021 through 2032. 13,333 cases made. — JMWine Spectator | 91 WSThe 2016 Du Tertre is a blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot picked from 27 September until 19 October. Estate manager Alexandre van Peek told me that this represents one of the highest levels of Cabernet Sauvignon in recent years. Matured in 35% new oak, it has a harmonious bouquet with pure blackberry, raspberry and mineral scents that are neat and well defined. The palate is medium-bodied with crisp tannin, quite saline on the entry, understated at first, but gaining weight in the mouth and delivering a precise and minerally, classic Margaux finish. All it’s missing is the persistence on the finish. It just seems to rush out the exit door before you’ve really gotten to know it. Hopefully it will develop that side during barrel maturation.Robert Parker Neal Martin | 90-92 RP-NMAn outstanding Margaux with its classic perfume of sweet red fruits, dried flowers, balsam wood, and spice, the 2016 Château du Tertre is medium-bodied, elegant, and seamless on the palate. This is one of those wines that grows on you with time in the glass, and while it plays in the elegant, pretty end of the spectrum, it has wonderful fruit. It should keep nicely for 15 years or so.Jeb Dunnuck | 90 JD

These single-vineyard bottlings are like a snapshot of the place, and the 2016 Gran Enemigo El Cepillo Single Vineyard capture the wilderness and the (scarce) local vegetation of the place: thyme, rosemary, rockrose—austere and perfumed but not exotic. The cracked black peppercorn note on the palate reminded me that this is (mostly) a Cabernet Franc, with its fine-grained tannins and its long and dry finish. 2016 was an unusual year, with lots of rain and cooler temperatures that complicated things in many places, but it was exceptional in many high-altitude locations within the Valle de Uco where El Cepillo is. This is both powerful and delicate, while the 2015 is more direct. This is simply superb. 4,000 bottles were filled in late 2018.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97+ RPPlenty of black-pepper, cardamom and black-clove aromas follow through to a full body with firm, silky tannins that provide a polished, creamy texture on the palate. Driven and focused, though there’s an underlying level of softness. Drinkable now, but better in 2022 and onwards.James Suckling | 97 JSPampa El Cepillo is located to the south of the Uco Valley. One of the coolest regions at the best of times, in a cool year expertise is required to produce good wine. In this case, the northern and southern faces of the vineyard were harvested at different times, the former fermented with 30% stalks. Bright purple in the glass. The work done with the wine comes out in the aromas: curry, cumin and violet notes join sour cherry, blackberry and wood, along with a whiff of blood. The firm tannins deliver grip and acidity, bringing juice and reaffirming the structure. This is a very intense, long-lasting red with its own script.Vinous Media | 95 VM

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

Now run biodynamically, this estate is managed by Claire Villars-Lurton. This wine’s bright fruit is crisp and full of acidity. The structure underlines the fruitiness, bringing some weight to the wine. It needs time, so drink from 2026.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEThe 2016 Ferrière is a dense, full-bodied wine that is going to need at least a few years in bottle to shed some of its tannins. Old vines imbue the 2016 with a palpable sense of power and resonance that comes through in the wine’s dark, somber personality. The tannins are equally imposing though, so patience is essential. Blackberry, smoke and gravel are some of the notes that build as the 2016 starts to open in the glass.Antonio Galloni | 93+ AGTangy and fruity with spice and berry character. Full body, chewy tannins and a tight finish. This will fill out nicely in barrel. From biodynamic grapes.James Suckling | 93-94 JSThe 2016 Ferriere is an accomplished Margaux for the vintage. It has a feminine, refined bouquet with blackberry, wild strawberry and light rose petal aromas, just a hint of vanilla from the new oak that is neatly integrated. The palate is medium-bodied with ripe, quite juicy tannin. This is very harmonious with fine tannin, impressive depth and a sense of mineralité that is in tune with this vintage. I thought that the 2015 Ferriere was excellent, but this is another step up. Bravo, Clare Villars Lurton!Robert Parker Neal Martin | 92-94 RP-NMPoised but subdued notes of blackberry, bilberry and hawthorn lead into a palate that settles in the glass. You can feel the tannins build up fairly swiftly, and they come in on the mid-palate to provide some welcome framing for the fruit. Bottled in September, only a month before this tasting, which will have an impact of course, but it still seems just a touch below the 2015. Currently undergoing biodynamic conversion. Matured in 40% new oak. Eric Boissenot consults. Drinking Window 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

Medium to deep garnet-purple in color, the 2016 Gazin features a beautifully perfumed nose of violets, Ceylon tea, cigar box, sandalwood and fallen leaves over a core of plum preserves, kirsch and blackberry preserves plus a waft of aniseed. Medium-bodied and elegant, with compelling restraint, it has a seductively plush texture, finishing with bags of poise, perfume and persistence.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPThis sophisticated Pomerol slowly creeps up on you, then suddenly you’re in the deep end. The complex and delicate, floral and mangosteen aromas are married to a great tannin structure and nothing about this wine is a jot exaggerated. Long, mineral and spice finish with a weightless quality. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 95 JSA rich and elegant Gazin, cohesive yet still extremely young. You can taste the Cabernets coming through strongly, an elegant, stately expression of cassis with a silky texture and nice balance. The palate is intense and concentrated but with a real sense of lift. It’s always a wine that takes its time to show its colours as it’s a touch austere in its first five to eight years, but this is going to age beautifully. Drinking Window 2024 - 2040.Decanter | 94 DECThe 2016 Gazin has developed into a super-refined wine. Silky tannins and floral aromatics add to an impression of total finesse. Blood orange, sweet red/purplish berry fruit, rose petal and mint are all finely knit in this gracious, subtle Pomerol. More importantly, the 2016 has grown into an absolutely striking wine that is even more expressive and complete than it was from barrel.Antonio Galloni | 93 AGThis is fresh in feel despite some frankly ripe cherry compote and plum pâte de fruit notes, with light floral and tea nuances imparting lift. Silky overall, with some sneaky grip at the very end adding length. Offers lovely, seductive fruit. Drink now through 2029. 7,083 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WSAlmost pure Merlot, this dense wine is rich and packed with black fruits. Its concentration and density are massive, with tannins that are almost velvet in character. Drink this wine from 2023. ROGER VOSSWine Enthusiast | 92 WEThe 2016 Château Gazin is outstanding, but it’s firm, straight, and closed, and would certainly be better with more flesh and opulence. Vivid ruby/purple-colored, with notes of cassis and black raspberries as well as spring flowers, it hits the palate with medium-bodied richness, firm tannins, terrific purity, and a clean finish. The blend is 87% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 8% Cabernet Franc. It’s going to benefit from 2-4 years of bottle age and keep for 15+.Jeb Dunnuck | 91+ JD

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

The 2016 Gloria is one of the undisputed stars of this vintage. Rich, deep and explosive, the 2016 possesses tremendous intensity in all of its dimensions. Sweet red cherry, tobacco, menthol, licorice and dried rose petal all add complexity. In 2016 Gloria is a real head-turner. It should be a fabulous value as well. There is not much else to say.Antonio Galloni | 96 AGThis has a slightly chunky feel now, with bramble and tar notes jutting out a bit, but the core is saturated with cassis and blackberry fruit flavors and there’s fun energy throughout. Offers a lovely tug of sweet tobacco detail on the finish too. Just let this settle in the cellar. Best from 2024 through 2038.Wine Spectator | 94 WSI was lucky enough to taste the 2016 Château Gloria on multiple occasions and it’s unquestionably the finest vintage of this cuvée I’ve tasted. A blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, aged in 42% new French oak, its deep purple color is followed by a powerful, medium to full-bodied wine that has thrilling purity in its ripe black and blue fruits, tobacco, and graphite-laced aromas and flavors. Deep, layered, with ripe tannins and the purity and freshness that makes the vintage so special, this is a brilliant Gloria to drink over the coming 20+ years.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDBeautiful aromas of blackcurrants and blueberries. Hot-stone undertones. Full-bodied, very tight and focused with very fine tannins that are strong and bright. Compressed. Serious. Try in 2023.James Suckling | 94 JSThe 2016 Gloria is comprised of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot aged 14 months in 42% new and 58% one-year-old French oak. Deep garnet-purple in color, it sings of plum preserves, warm cassis and dark chocolate with touches of tobacco, bay leaves and lavender with a waft of dusty soil. The palate is medium-bodied, elegant and savory in the mouth with loads of layers and a lifted finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RP(Château Gloria, St-Julien, Bordeaux, France, Red) Though it’s hardly under-the-radar, this unclassified château (one of the few in this appellation) consistently offers rich bright fruit , charm, and juicy generosity in a lighter, elegant St-Julien style, especially in top vintages like 2016. The plots that make up its vineyards were painstakingly acquired by the late Henri Martin and it’s now run by his daughter and son-in-law, along with fourth growth Château Saint-Pierre. The blend in 2016 is 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Petit Verdot and aged in 40% new barrels. This was the first vintage made in a new winery, with 76 different-sized tanks, and it’s one of the best wines ever from Gloria. (Drink between 2022-2040)Decanter | 93 DECThe tannins in this wine are firm, resulting in a selection of more structural grip than fruity opulence. It will need to evolve and mellow, ensuring that the fruit is allowed to come forward.Wine Enthusiast | 91 WE

The quality of the 2016 Proprietary Red Wine shouldn’t surprise anyone. This estate rarely misses a beat, and in a great vintage like 2016, they’ve made a perfect wine. Sporting a deep purple hue as well as extraordinary notes of crème de cassis, blackcurrants, herbes de Provence, tobacco, graphite, and a who knows what else, this beauty hits the palate with a deep, powerful, full-bodied style that has enough structure to warrant a decade of cellaring. The purity is off the charts, it builds incrementally on the palate, and has a finish that won’t quit. Reminding me a little of the 2013, yet with a touch more elegance, do your best to hide bottles for at least 5-7 years and it’s going to keep for 30-40 years or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDThis is so tight and vibrant with a huge amount of detail and precision, coupled with density and brightness, superb length and class. The tannins are horizontal and so polished. The most refined, harmonious and focused Harlan ever? Subtle strength in this wine. You can drink it now or age it for years ahead.James Suckling | 100 JSThe deep garnet-purple colored 2016 Harlan Estate comes charging out of the glass, brandishing bold, opulent blackberry pie, warm cassis and blueberry preserves notes with hints of cigar box, Indian spices, crushed rocks and forest floor plus fragrant accents of lavender and black tea. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is built like a brick house, with a solid line of super ripe, grainy tannins and oodles of freshness supporting the layer upon layer of savory and earth-inspired notions, finishing on a lingering mineral note. Impressively structured, incredibly nuanced and possessing all this latent tension, this brazen beauty is set to live for a good 60 years and possibly more!Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 100 RPA wine of tremendous breeding and pure stature, the 2016 Harlan Estate reaches dizzying heights of profound beauty. All the elements simply fall into place in an effortless, elegant Harlan Estate that really captures the essence of the year. Sweet tobacco, spice, menthol and mocha overtones give the 2016 beguiling aromatic presence to match its layered, sumptuous personality. More than anything else, the 2016 is a fabulous example of the Harlan Estate of today, an era in which finesse is just as prized as intensity.Vinous Media | 98 VMA warm, seductive and creamy wine, with dark fig and blackberry puree flavors, liberally laced with cocoa, dark tobacco and licorice root notes Very polished in feel overall, but a lovely echo of dark earth augments the fruit through the finish. A bit exotic, but also undeniable. Best from 2022 through 2042. 2,350 cases made.Wine Spectator | 97 WS

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

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