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The 2016 Beychevelle has a stunning bouquet of vibrant, shimmering blackberry and wild strawberry fruit laced with crushed stone and rose petals. The well-balanced palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin and a slightly savory/dried blood finish that lingers in the mouth. Tasting both in London and in Bordeaux, I found the latter bottle to have a little more precision and race on the finish. This will surely be a benchmark for this Saint Julien estate.Vinous Media | 96 VMI was able to taste the 2016 Château Beychevelle on two occasions, and it showed beautifully both times. This is also the first vintage made in the new cellar. Medium to full-bodied, incredibly seamless and elegant on the palate, yet beautifully concentrated, it offers a heavenly perfume of spring flowers, violets, saddle leather, and blueberry and cassis fruit. A blend of 47% Cabernet Sauvignon, 47% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot and the rest Cabernet Franc, brought up in 50% new oak, it’s still tight, taunt, and reserved on the palate, yet has the hallmark purity of fruit and balance of the vintage front and center. Hide bottles for 4-6 years, and it will keep for 25+ years or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JDThe 2016 Beychevelle is comprised of 47% Cabernet Sauvignon, 47% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot and 1% Cabernet Franc. It spent 18 months aging in 50% new and 50% second use barrels. Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, it is a little broody to begin, opening slowly to reveal subtle savory notes of dried herbs, charcuterie and black olives before breaking through to a profound core of warm cassis, baked black plums, red currant jelly and candied violets. The palate is medium-bodied and delicately played with a quiet intensity of tightly wound nuances and fantastic freshness, finishing with a lingering savory lift. This latent beauty will require a bit more time than most 2016s, but it promises to overdeliver to those prepared to wait. Around 19,000 cases were made.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95+ RPStacks of cassis, graphite and smoke on the nose of this rather full-bodied St.-Julien with a ton of velvety tannins that drive the long finish that’s simultaneously sweet, fresh and powdery. Try in 2022.James Suckling | 94 JSNow with a brand-new, see-through glass winery, this estate is showing its true elegance. The wine does not have great power but it offers a ripe, smooth, sophisticated texture and black fruits. It already shows delicious flavors that will improve. Drink from 2025.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEThis has a slightly beefy edge, with warmed plum and blackberry paste flavors pumping through. Shows a touch of heft on the back end, with dark tobacco and earth notes leaving a subtly chewy feel, though there’s ample fruit to soak that up. Best from 2024 through 2038. 19,167 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WSBy this vintage, the gravity-operated vat room and cellar were in operation, with smaller steel vats allowing for greater parcel selection. Still closed on the nose, though with firm blackcurrant and blackberry aromas in the background, it’s suave and concentrated, showing ripe tannins and ample acidity. The wine seems balanced, though it’s not showing much complexity yet. Structured and persistent. Drinking Window 2024 - 2045.Decanter | 92 DEC

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

The 2016 Cantenac Brown seems to have grown aromatically since I last tasted it a few months ago. More complex than I remember, this offers a cornucopia of scents: blackberry, briary, cedar and a lovely mintiness that recalls Palmer. The palate is silky smooth with great depth and delineation, satin-like, multi-layered, precocious black fruit laced with black pepper, tea leaves and cloves, all fanning out gloriously towards the finish. Bon vin! Tasted at the Cantenac Brown vertical at the château.Vinous Media | 95 VMThere is a good chance that this wine has closed down, but aromas nonetheless include subtle notes of violet, black cherry and cassis, presaging a palate of tannic finesse with density. The long finish has tonicity and lift. A few more years patience in the cellar will reward you. Drinking Window: 2025 - 2040Decanter | 94 DECThis has a very delicious and attractive nose offering ample dark berries and plums with cocoa and freshly cut bracken. The palate has a smooth, fan-like array of fine but sturdy tannins that carry very fresh and upbeat into the finish. Try from 2023.James Suckling | 94 JSRichly structured, this dense wine has solid tannins that balance with the black fruits. It is a complex wine, poised and confident while not losing sight of the Margaux elegance. Drink from 2025. Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEQuite dark in profile, with steeped boysenberry, raspberry and blackberry compote flavors forming a core that is coiled up with bramble, singed mesquite and anise notes. Lots of juicy energy through the finish, with a mouthwatering streak of graphite. Rock-solid. Best from 2023 through 2037. 9,333 cases made. — JMWine Spectator | 93 WSA solid step up and a brilliant Margaux, the 2016 Cantenac Brown checks in as 68% Cabernet Sauvignon and 32% Merlot raised in 60% new French oak. Black cherries, currants, smoke tobacco, graphite, and hints of earth all emerge from this beautifully layered, medium-bodied, and concentrated 2016 that shines for its purity and precision, while still offering beautiful depth of fruit. Give it 3-4 years and enjoy this fabulous effort over the following 2-3 decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 93+ JDThe 2016 Cantenac Brown comes from a Margaux estate that has upped its game in recent years. It has an intense bouquet with floral aromas filtering through the black cherries, cassis and boysenberry notes, in an odd way almost Saint-Emilion in style. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin. Silky smooth with very well-judged acidity, there is a sorbet-like freshness imbued into this Margaux and it just glides across the palate towards the quite sensual finish. This is certainly equal to the impressive 2015 Cantenac Brown.Robert Parker Neal Martin | 92-94 RP-NM

This almost 300-acre estate has produced a structured wine. Dense tannins and a rich texture will give the wine intensity and concentration as it matures. A full wine, it shows the power of the Cabernet Sauvignon in this vintage.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WEA classy cru bourgeois from Cussac, just south of St-Julien. With virtually equal shares of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, spiced up with 3% Petit Verdot, this is a suave Haut-Médoc with bramble fruit and classic, cool Bordeaux tannins, while retaining the generosity and balance of the 2016 vintage. Drinking Window 2021 - 2026.Decanter | 91 DECA juicy and pretty wine with berry and chocolate character, a medium body and a clean finish. Clearly better than the 2015.James Suckling | 91-92 JSThe 2016 Beaumont, owned by Suntory and Castel, has a rather conservative bouquet, a little backward and surly compared to its peers with undergrowth aromas coming through with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, quite lithe and agile in the mouth, a wine willing to go out and please and not worry too much about cellaring. Whilst it does not quite have the complexity of the 2015, it is still a mouthful of potentially delicious wine.Robert Parker Neal Martin | 88-90 RP-NM

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

This is so vivid as it brims with pastis-soaked plum, blackberry, black currant and blueberry paste flavors, all carried by a perfectly integrated brambly spine. Tar and ganache notes give the finish an extra kick while everything stays within the mouthwatering roasted apple wood frame. Both regal and rambunctious, this is St.-Julien to a T. Best from 2025 through 2040. 11,667 cases made.Wine Spectator | 97 WSTerrific intensity of dark berries, almost peppery blackcurrants and violets with attractive and integrated, spicy oak and an earthy edge. The palate has a super powerful and long, linear core with plenty of fruit flesh strapped in tight for a long and thrilling ride into the finish. A blend of 86 per cent cabernet and 14 per cent merlot. Try from 2024.James Suckling | 97 JSThe 2016 Léoville-Barton is fabulous. A wine of breadth and power, the 2016 has so much to offer. The black cherry, chocolate, gravel, smoke and licorice flavors are all boldly sketched. A host of expressive savory and mineral notes develop into the substantial finish.Antonio Galloni | 96 AGDeep purple-colored and a classic Saint-Julien with its pure crème de cassis, graphite, liquid rock, and essence of lead pencil shavings, the 2016 Château Léoville Barton is full-bodied, concentrated, and backward, with bright acidity and ripe yet certainly present and building tannins. This old-school, classic Léoville Barton has a fine thread of acidity keeping the wine focused and fresh. It’s a beauty, but mostly potential at this point, although it does have beautiful fruit. Savvy readers will hide bottles at the back of their cellar, and I wouldn’t start to think about opening bottles for a least a decade. It’s going to be incredibly long-lived. The blend of the 2016 is 86% Cabernet Sauvignon and 14% Merlot, brought up in 60% new French oak.Jeb Dunnuck | 96+ JDThe Barton family’s flagship wine benefits hugely from the age of the vines. This wine is ripe and concentrated, rich in tannins but with the wonderful black fruits that can be conjured from this vineyard. It will age well and is likely to be ready to drink from 2026.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEDeep garnet-purple colored, the 2016 Leoville Barton delivers a superstar nose of crème de cassis, plum preserves and blueberry compote with suggestions of fragrant earth, unsmoked cigars, licorice and cedar chest. Medium to full-bodied, rich and seductive with firm yet velvety tannins, it has a decadently rich finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95+ RPIntense, luxurious, fresh yet also very classically Bordeaux on the nose. Loads of dark berry and currant fruit, allied to a touch of oaky spiciness. Density on the palate but also refined, elegant, and smooth. (Drink between 2021-2045)Decanter | 94 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

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

Currant, lead pencil and fresh rose-petal aromas follow through to a full body, round and nicely chewy tannins and a long finish. Balanced and polished. Drink in 2022.James Suckling | 93 JSThis is an ambitious take on 2016, pushing the vintage but successfully so, going for a cerebral 2010 feel rather than the generosity of 2009. Classic liquorice and slate, tight cassis fruits and an extremely well paced delivery of fresh tight tannins lead into a gorgeous, lifted juicy fruit finish. From a blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 10% Petit Verdot and 5% Cabernet Franc. I like this a lot. Drinking Window 2025 - 2040.Decanter | 91 DECMedium garnet-purple colored, the 2016 Lanessan offers cassis and plums on the nose with a core of cedar, earth and herbs. Medium-bodied, the palate is firm, grainy and lively with good expression.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90 RP

Wow. This is very polished and full of purpose with dark berries, hazelnuts, cedar and chocolate, as well as black olives. Full-bodied, chewy and intense with a focused tannin backbone and intensity. Loads going on here. Finishes strong. This could be the best wine ever from here. Try from 2024.James Suckling | 96 JSThe 2016 Rouget is a total turn on. A rush of red cherry/raspberry jam, sweet spice, chocolate and tobacco builds as this exotic Pomerol shows off its racy, opulent personality. The full throttle-style works beautifully. There is not a whole lot of subtlety, but the Rouget is undeniably delicious. I loved it. Tasted three times.Antonio Galloni | 94 AGThe 2016 Rouget is deep garnet-purple colored with baked plums, dried mulberries, tobacco and crushed rocks scents with wafts of beef drippings and Indian spices plus bay leaves hints. Medium to full-bodied, firm, grainy and laden with earthy layers, it has a savory finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RPThe 2016 Rouget is deep garnet-purple colored with baked plums, dried mulberries, tobacco and crushed rocks scents with wafts of beef drippings and Indian spices plus bay leaves hints. Medium to full-bodied, firm, grainy and laden with earthy layers, it has a savory finish.Wine Spectator | 92 WSThe alcohol gives a slight headiness to this wine, but it’s balanced by plenty of succulent red and black fruits that power through the palate, driving forward with a real lilt and liveliness. It’s restrained on the finish, held in by bitter chocolate and liquorice. Drinking Window 2024 - 2036.Decanter | 92 DECShowing lots of upfront oak influence, the 2016 Château Rouget nevertheless has some serious density and depth, with beautiful fruit. Notes of chocolate, smoked earth, and camphor all develop with time in the glass, and on the palate, it’s full-bodied, firm and chewy. It could use more elegance, but this is going to round into form with 2-4 years of bottle age, at which point the tannins are going to be more integrated and it’s going to show more charm. It should keep for 15 years or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 90+ JD

The blueberry and blackberry aromas are certainly attractive here. Full-bodied and dense with a very velvety texture and a long, generous finish of ripe fruit and spice. Drink from 2022.James Suckling | 93 JSThe 2016 Lilian Ladouys is opulent and vivacious on a nose of red currant and raspberry fruit, well integrated oak and lovely rose petal aromas. The medium-bodied palate delivers supple tannins, well-judged acidity, good body and a grippy but detailed finish with veins of blue fruit. This is a joy to drink, but it needs a couple of years. Tasted blind at the Southwold tasting.Vinous Media | 92 VMA perennial overachiever, the 2016 Château Lilian Ladouys brings the goods in 2016 and has a complex, medium to full-bodied, character-filled style to go with loads of blue fruits, incense, dried herbs, and a hint of violets. A blend of 62% Merlot, 32% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 6% Petit Verdot all raised in 30% new barrels, this charming, front end-loaded effort is well worth seeking out. It should keep for 10-15 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 92 JDMade by the same team as at Château Pedesclaux, this Cru Bourgeois was promoted to Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel in 2020, reflecting all the improvements at the property. The 2016 and the 2018 are on par for quality, but the blend for 2016 emphasises Merlot (62%), along with 32% Cabernet Sauvignon and 6% Petit Verdot, while 2018 is Cabernet dominant. The 2016 was harvested from Oct 3 to 17, and the wine spent 15 months in barrels, 30% new. It’s generous and even opulent, with expansive aromas of cassis, sensuous red fruit tones to the flavour, silky textures, and really a lush, lifted finish. The character shifts slightly with the 2018, after the Lorenzetti family incorporated vineyards from two neighbouring estates with similar gravelly soils. Drinking Window 2022 - 2037.Decanter | 92 DECNow under the same ownership as vastly improved Château Pedesclaux in Pauillac, this estate is also on the upward quality curve. This wine has the structure and tannins of a classic Saint-Estèphe as well as juicy, rich black fruits. With aging potential, the wine should be ready to drink from 2024.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WEThe 2016 Lilian Ladouys is a blend of 62% Merlot, 32% Cabernet Sauvignon and 6% Petit Verdot aged in 30% new French oak for 15 months. Medium to deep garnet-purple in color, it sings of baked plums, crème de cassis and Black Forest cake with bay leaves, pencil lead and menthol. Medium-bodied, elegant and packed with vibrant flavor layers, it finishes long.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91 RPVery lively, featuring a fun mix of cassis, plum paste and cherry preserve flavors, framed with floral and mineral notes. The light-handed toast lets the fruit shine through the finish, with persistent chalky minerality. Best from 2021 through 2031. 25,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 91 WS

I love the deep and complex nose, in which the cassis and mint of cabernet sauvignon are beautifully married to the more generous blackberry of ripe merlot and the vanilla and toasty notes from the oak are marvelously integrated. On the palate it creeps up on you slowly; the first impression is ripe yet delicate, then the fine-grained tannins charge through and light up the sky. Very long finish. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 96 JSThe Bonnie family’s estate has produced a richly structured wine, full of the ripe tannins indicative of the vintage. To balance the structure, powerful flavors of black currant and dark berries give ripeness. It is a wine to age; drink after 2026. Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEThe 2016 Malartic-Lagravière has a wonderful bouquet of perfumed, mainly red fruit laced with potpourri, black olive tapenade and light brine-like aromas - a bouquet full of personality. The fresh, harmonious palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, a fine bead of acidity and just the right amount of salinity toward the loam-tinged finish. Bon vin from the Bonnies.Vinous Media | 95 VMAs to the red, the grand vin is the 2016 Château Malartic-Lagravière (53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, and the balance Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot). Aged in 80% new barrels and hitting 13.5% natural alcohol, it offers a deep purple color with beautiful cassis, tobacco, crushed rocks, and subtle incense aromas and flavors. Balanced, medium to full-bodied, and straight-up seamless on the palate, it’s another brilliant Graves that offers ample pleasure today yet will keep for 20+ years or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDThe 2016 Malartic Lagraviere is blended of 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot. Medium to deep garnet-purple in color, it opens with wild blueberries and black cherries with cassis, bay leaves and dark chocolate nuances plus a hint of charcoal. Medium-bodied with a lively backbone and solid frame of ripe, rounded tannins, it finishes with an herbal lift.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RPRipe and fresh, with bright cherry, plum and currant pâte de fruit flavors that have a racy edge while roasted apple wood, sweet tobacco and red licorice notes fill in through the lengthy finish. Thoroughly delicious, and approachable now or capable of some cellaring. Drink now through 2030. 11,250 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WS(Château Malartic-Lagravière, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pessac-Léognan, Bordeaux, France, Red) Aromatic nose of violets, as well as vanilla and blue fruits, and hints of cocoa nibs and roasted coffee. Finely-textured, harmonious with purity of fruit and a vibrant acidity. (Drink between 2022-2035)Decanter | 92 DEC

A very serious St.-Estèphe with excellent concentration, firm tannins and a dark soul. I love the earth, walnut, bark and smoke aromas that pour out of this. Very long, dramatic, dry finish. Better from 2021.James Suckling | 95 JSAnother sleeper from Saint-Estèphe, the 2016 Phélan Ségur is super impressive. An enticing bouquet laced with crushed rocks, graphite, iron, smoke, lavender, mint and inky blue/purplish fruit makes a strong opening statement. A wine of power, resonance and gravitas, the 2016 Phélan is remarkably expressive and also full of potential. Tasted two times.Antonio Galloni | 94 AGShowing beautifully on multiple occasions, the 2016 Château Phélan Ségur is incredibly impressive and reveals a saturated purple as well as pure cassis, violets, damp earth, lead pencil, and spice-driven aromas and flavors. Beautifully layered and textured, concentrated, with fine tannins and the purity and elegance that make the vintage so compelling front and center, it’s a high-class Saint Estèphe to enjoy over the coming 20-25 years or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDI tasted this vintage on several occasions, and it delivers lush pure cassis fruit, freshness with concentration, velvety tannins, and a kind of glossiness along with a peppery spiciness. A late harvest took place from September 29 to October 21. The blend is 55% Cabernet Sauvignon and 45% Merlot, aged in 50% new barrels, but they are moving to lighter toasting. In recent years, this estate consistently performs above its unclassified status in terms of complexity, character, and personality. 2016 was the last vintage from the Gardinier family; the new owner plans even more investment and is farming part of the vineyards organically. (Drink between 2023-2045)Decanter | 94 DECThis is a touch old-school, with bay and tobacco notes out front followed by alder, warm earth and steeped black currant flavors. The grippy finish lets the fruit and earth notes wrestle a bit, leaving a chewy feel. Will settle with cellaring, but this is not for fans of finesse. Best from 2022 through 2035. 15,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WSThere is a much better balance between fruit and the wood aging in this vintage from this estate than in the past. This wine offers richness and structure from fruit tannin. Dark fruits give the wine rich intensity. Drink from 2025.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEDeep garnet-purple in color, the 2016 Phélan Ségur gives elegant red and black currants, kirsch and black berries with violets and chocolate box scents plus a waft of cigars. The palate is medium-bodied, elegant, fine grained and fresh with great vibrancy and mineral notes on the finish.Robert Parker | 92 RP

A blend of 65.2% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, 0.8% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot, the 2017 Les Forts de Latour is deep garnet-purple in color and strides confidently out of the glass with classic notes of plum preserves, warm cassis and pencil shavings with nuances of mulberries, pencil lead, Indian spices and forest floor. Medium-bodied, the palate packs a lot of fruit into a very elegant, tightly knit palate, delivering expressive blackberry and spicy flavors with a firm frame of grainy tannins and bold freshness, finishing long with a peppery kick.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPSmells lovely, really aromatic and shining out of the glass, forward and expressive with clarity and precision on the nose full of red fruit and floral scents. Sleek and crisp, this has energy and lifeforce, I love the shape and straightforwardness but it’s the texture that’s so captivating - slightly firm but dense and chalky tannins give the bounce and cushioning on the palate while the fruit is lean and well defined. So well worked, feels careful, controlled, refined and polished. Sophisticated and just so seamless. Extremely young right now, coiled and tense still, direct from start to finish, it needs to slow down and soften and relax. Lovely pure and perfumed red fruits raspberry and blueberries alongside a slightly sharp, bitter grapefruit edge to the tannins as well as graphite and slate which lingers on the tongue and gives the mighty grip that doesn’t let go. Stylish and enjoyable. 64 PIT, 6.7% press wine. 45.4% production. Harvest 11 September to 4 October. Technical director Hélène Genin. 1% Petit Verdot completes the blend.Decanter | 94 DECThis is really minerally with crushed stones and dark berries. Some licorice. Medium to full body, firm and silky tannins and a beautiful, tight and focused finish. Such energy, delivered down a straight line.James Suckling | 94-95 JSThis bold, structured wine is packed with blackberry fruits and ripe tannins. Freshness and structure from the Cabernet Sauvignon are very present, giving a crisp edge to the solid backbone. This is a wine for aging. Don’t drink before 2023. ROGER VOSSWine Enthusiast | 94 WEBright and fresh, featuring floral, cassis and plum aromas and flavors allied to a sleek, iron-tinged frame. Racy tension through the finish lets the fruit play out while the minerality blossoms. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2022 through 2038.Wine Spectator | 93 WSA step up, the 2017 Les Forts De Latour includes more Cabernet Sauvignon and is 65.2% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, and the balance Petit Verdot and a splash of Cabernet Franc. Creme de cassis, unsmoked tobacco, damp earth, and a touch of cedar pencil all emerge from the glass, and it’s beautifully textured and medium to full-bodied, with terrific purity and a great finish. While it’s a second wine, I suspect it will evolve for 20-30 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 93 JDThe 2017 Les Forts de Latour conveys airiness on the nose, reflecting the relatively lightest vintage in recent years. Graphite and sous-bois infuse black fruit, offering a slightly welcome herbaceous/undergrowth tincture. The palate is very well-balanced and will appeal to those seeking a sleeker, lighter style of Pauillac. Not lean by any account, but this Les Fort de Latour is understated, with appealing black pepper and tobacco notes emerging on the finish. Fine.Vinous Media | 92 VM

Composed of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and a 1% splash of Petit Verdot, the 2017 Montrose wine was run off into 60% new and 40% one-year old barrels where it was aged for 18 months. The grand vin represented 37% of the estate’s total production. Deep garnet-purple in color, the nose takes some time to unfurl before revealing an impressively flamboyant core of black cherry preserves, warm cassis and baked plums with hints of red currant jelly, dark chocolate, licorice, cardamom and chargrill plus a gentle waft of candied violets. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has fantastic intensity with a very elegant, modest weight, featuring super-ripe, finely-grained tannins and tons of freshness to lift and show-off a stunning array of gorgeous black fruit and fragrant sparks, finishing very long and refined. This is an incredibly classy, poised and sophisticated Montrose!Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98 RPExtremely aromatic with currant, wild-herb and fresh-violet aromas. This is regal cabernet sauvignon at its finest. The palate has unwaveringly long and defined tannins that carry such fresh, piercingly pure, redcurrant and cassis flavors. A twin to the superb 2015? A blend of 76% cabernet sauvignon, 20% merlot, 3% cabernet franc and 1% petit verdot.James Suckling | 97 JSDelicious! This is beautifully austere, in the best way, closed in right now, but those layers of liquorice and black chocolate are unmistakable, giving intensity and concentration. A wine that would clearly merit time in bottle and is in it for the long haul. Powerful and tight with enjoyably bitter edges and notes of reduction but that only give confidence in how it will age. No frost meant a yield of 45hl/ha, 37% of which was for the grand vin. 60% new oak. Drinking Window 2027 - 2048.Decanter | 96 DECTasted on two separate occasions, the 2017 Chateau Montrose is a brilliant effort based on 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Petit Verdot. This full-bodied, beautifully concentrated Saint-Estate offers classic Cabernet Sauvignon notes of creme de cassis, blueberries, crushed violets, and ample tobacco, with some underlying damp earth and spice notes developing with time in the glass. Balanced and beautifully textured on the palate, with both good acidity and building tannins, it reminds me of the 2012 with its classic style yet still has plenty of texture and ripe tannins. Give bottles 4-5 years of bottle age and enjoy over the following 30 years or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 95 JDThe 2017 Montrose is a very pretty, polished wine that speaks much more to finesse than power. Expressive floral and spices notes add an attractive inner sweetness to a Montrose that in 2017 leans more into the red fruit spectrum. Gracious yet deep, with terrific overall balance, the 2017 Montrose is a total winner. What impresses most about the 2017 is its freshness and sophistication. I won’t be surprised if Montrose turns out to be even better than this note suggests further down the road. Graphite, licorice, menthol and sage lead to a finish with real grip and freshness. The 2017 is such a classy and promising wine.Antonio Galloni | 95+ AG A well-structured wine, this is rich in tannins and in density. The tannins show firmness, a dry edge that runs with the black-currant fruits to give a wine that will be well balanced and serious.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEThis is well-built for the vintage, featuring a core of red and black currant fruit that is pure and focused, supported by a racy iron spine. Exhibits ample length, with bay leaf, lilac and warm stone notes peeking through on the finish. Should develop nicely in the cellar. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Best from 2022 through 2038.Wine Spectator | 94 WS

Pretty ripe fruit with berry, walnut and chocolate character on the nose and palate. Medium to full body, round tannins and a savory finish. Drinkable now, but better in 2022.James Suckling | 92 JS

(Duhart-Milon Moulin de Duhart Red) The 2018 Moulin de Duhart is a charming, gorgeous wine to drink now and over the next decade or so, while the sweet red cherry and plum fruit remains front and center. Bright floral notes perk up the finish. The Moulin emerges from the coolest parcels on the property. It is one of the hidden jewels of the vintage. The 2018 spent 12 months in barrel, virtually all used. (Drink between 2021-2028)Vinous Media | 92 AG(Moulin de Duhart Pauillac, Red, France) Very pretty blueberry and hazelnut character with a hint of dried tea-leaf aroma, following through to a medium to full body, firm and silky tannins and a fresh finish.James Suckling | 92-93 JS(Château Duhart-Milon, Moulin de Duhart, Pauillac, Bordeaux, France, Red) Dark plum in colour, with attractive spice. A lovely slice of Pauillac, it has some of that serious character that you find in Duhart-Milon - its dark fruits and sense of being upright - but this is accompanied by smooth tannins, understated but welcoming, with a spiced charcoal finish and good freshness. An excellent Moulin, underlining the progress Duhart has made in recent years. A yield of 37.5hl/ha, 3.65pH. (Drink between 2023-2036)Decanter | 91 DECA blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon (harvested September 25 to October 4) and 40% Merlot (harvested September 17-25), the deep garnet-purple colored 2018 Moulin de Duhart opens with gregarious scents of black cherries, warm plums and freshly crushed blackcurrants with touches of camphor, pencil lead and cloves plus a waft of lavender. Medium to full-bodied, it has generous mid-palate flesh framed by soft, approachable tannins and just enough freshness, finishing long.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90-92 RPVery sleek and fresh, with a racy iron note running along side the core of red currant and bitter cherry flavors. Red tea and sanguine threads stitch up the finish. Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Best from 2022 through 2030.Wine Spectator | 90 WS

The 2018 Pibran is fabulous, just as it was en primeur. Juicy, rich and expansive in this vintage, Pibran offers terrific richness and verve. Dark cherry, spice, new leather and cedar build as this stylish Pauillac shows off its considerable charms. The 2018 is unquestionably extroverted. It is also shamelessly delicious.Antonio Galloni | 93 AGThe 2018 Château Pibran emerges from a cooler, gravelly terroir in Pauillac and is close to an even split of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, all raised in 50% new oak. Lots of red, black, and blue fruits as well as lead pencil, violets, camphor, and smoked tobacco emerge from the glass, and it’s medium to full-bodied, with a terrific sense of freshness, ripe yet firm, polished tannins, and a great finish. This is another classic Pauillac that’s going to benefit from 3-6 years of bottle age (it’s far from unapproachable today) and keep for 20-25 years in cold cellars. (Drink between 2024-2049)Jeb Dunnuck | 93+ JDBlackcurrant, blueberry, pencil-lead, clove and walnut-husk aromas. It’s medium-to full-bodied with firm, tight-grained tannins. Nice minerality. Try from 2024 and onwards.James Suckling | 93 JSThe 2018 Pibran is a blend of 54% Cabernet Sauvignon and 46% Merlot, matured for 18 months in barriques, 50% new and 50% one year old. Deep garnet-purple in color, it comes skipping out of the glass with bright, cheerful scents of Morello cherries, mulberries and wild blueberries, giving way to a core of cassis, dark chocolate and violets, with a waft of woodsmoke. Medium-bodied, the palate is delicately styled with fantastic freshness and fine-grained tannins supporting the crunchy black fruit layers, finishing long and lifted.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RPRich in both structure and fruit, this wine has ripe tannins and a full, generous texture that is given shape by full-bodied, black-fruit flavors. From the northern part of Pauillac, the wine is good for medium-term aging. Drink from 2023.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WEA very tasty, enjoyable Pibran that comes from a cooler site than the main Pichon Baron wine, from gravel soils over a bed of limestone, and always the last for the team to harvest as was the case again in 2018. You can certainly feel the freshness and juice through the dark fruits – a wine that will be limbered up after just four or five years in bottle. 50% new oak. A yield of 37hl/ha. (Drink between 2024-2038)Decanter | 90 DEC

The 2018 Des Fougères Clos Montesquieu is terrific. Black cherry, espresso, licorice, dried flowers, mocha, blood orange, gravel and baking spices open gradually in the glass. More than anything else, I admire the wine’s persistence and overall balance. Clos Montesquieu is 75% Cabernet Sauvignon and 25% Merlot.Antonio Galloni | 91 AGClove and chili to the dark-berry and pine-needle undertones. It’s medium-bodied with a solid core of ripe, fine tannins and dark fruit. Drinkable now, but better in 2022.James Suckling | 91 JSA blend of 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Sauvignon brought up in 20% new oak, the 2018 Château Des Fougères Clos Montesquieu has a pretty, incredibly floral perfume of blue fruits, mulberries, leafy herbs, cedar, and rose petals. These all carry over to the palate, where the wine is medium-bodied, has a lively thread of acidity, light tannins, and solid length. It’s one of those wines that grows on you with time in the glass and shines more for its finesse and elegance than power. It’s going to benefit from 2-4 years in the cellar and should keep for a decade. (Drink between 2023-2033)Jeb Dunnuck | 90 JD

This estate is regaining its rightful place in the prestigious crus classés. Richly textured, this latest release shows luscious blackberry fruits and layers of firm tannins. The wine will age well, so wait to drink until 2026.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WELovely deep ruby colour with excellent oak finesse on the aromatics, not overpowering but adding layers of smoke against cassis and black cherry fruits. You can find both nuance and complexity in this wine. This is gourmet as it opens with black chocolate and liquorice also. Clear interest and potential for ageing. Drinking Window 2026 - 2042.Decanter | 92 DECBlueberries and dried currants on the nose with savory oyster shell, tobacco and graphite. Dried violets, too. It’s medium-bodied with firm, fine-grained tannins. Layered and flavorful. Balanced. 55% cabernet sauvignon and 45% merlot. Try from 2023.James Suckling | 92 JSThe 2018 de Camensac has retained its attractive aromatics, needing just a little coaxing to reveal blackberry, bilberry, light marine scents and those iris petals that I remarked upon out of barrel. The palate is medium-bodied with good backbone and well-judged acidity. I admire the substance of this de Camensac, and there is wonderful salinity on the finish. This comes recommended and I can see it aging well.Vinous Media | 91 VM

A well-constructed wine that is ripe with black fruits and integrated tannins, this is in a good place for aging. Black-currant fruitiness is balanced by a dry, smoky core that holds promise. Drink this wine from 2026. Wine Enthusiast | 94 WERich aromas of blackberries, dried currants, chocolate, walnuts and tile on the nose. It’s medium-to full-bodied with firm, fine-grained tannins. Polished and structured with a nice core of black fruit. Give it at least a couple of years of bottle age. Lovely balance to it. Try after 2023.James Suckling | 93 JSSome reduction on the first nose here. Really takes some time before the fruit starts to come out, showing nuanced layers of raspberry and chocolate, with a tiny touch of bitterness on the finish. There is clear power and depth here. Give it time in bottle. (Drink between 2026-2042)Decanter | 91 DEC

Currants, spiced cherries, cloves, dried flowers and bark on the nose. Full-bodied with firm, powdery tannins. Creamy with concentrated spice notes. Builds on the palate. Lots going on. Better from 2024.James Suckling | 94 JSThe 2018 Clos des Jacobins is absolutely gorgeous. Soft, supple and beautifully textured, the 2018 shows off its stylish personality with real aplomb. Succulent dark cherry, mocha, espresso, spice and gravel meld together in a creamy Saint-Émilion that is a real pleasure to taste today. A kiss of well-judged French oak lingers on the persistent finish. Antonio Galloni | 93 AGSmooth, rich and mouthfilling, with a flash of heat through the finish but balanced by a juicy ripe fruit character with a ton of brambled blackberry and blueberry, and rich black cherry coulis. This is broad-shouldered, but it carries it off. A yield of 45hl/ha, 75% new oak. Drinking Window 2024 - 2042.Decanter | 92 DECDeep garnet-purple colored, the 2018 Clos des Jacobins needs a little swirling to unlock notions of blackberry pie, black raspberries and mulberries with hints of wild sage, cast-iron pan and charcoal plus a waft of tobacco leaf. The medium to full-bodied palate delivers bags of herb infused black fruits, with an approachable, grainy texture and fantastic freshness, finishing long and earthy.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91 RPThe 2018 Clos Des Jacobins is another ripe, concentrated, sexy wine in the vintage. Notes of smoked black fruits, tobacco, chocolate, and scorched earth all emerge from the glass, and it’s medium to full-bodied, with a rich, mouthfilling texture, ripe tannins, and a good finish. Everything is in the right place, I like its balance, and it should keep for a good decade. I’d give bottles a few years in the cellar to integrate some of its oak, which emerges more with time in the glass.Jeb Dunnuck | 90 JD

The purity of fruit to this is really attractive with blue fruit, blackberries and flowers on the nose and palate. Medium-bodied with fine tannins, a solid core of fruit and a long, attractive finish. Drink in 2022 and onwardsJames Suckling | 93 JSThe 2018 d’Aiguilhe offers up a compelling mélange of inky red/purplish fruit and plenty of structure to match. It is impressive in its peer group, but also needs quite a bit of time to be at its best. The 2018 is not quite as showy as it was en primeur, and yet its energy and depth are intriguing. Antonio Galloni | 92 AGAustere, textbook limestone flavours given a plump mid palate by damson and black cherry fruits. Owned by Stephan von Neipperg. (Drink between 2023-2036)Decanter | 92 DECUnder the same ownership as Canon la Gaffelière in Saint-Emilion, this estate has produced a powerfully rich wine, with tannins cushioned by dense black-plum flavors. Rich in structure and driven by fruit, the wine will age well. Drink from 2023.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WEMedium to deep garnet-purple in color, the 2018 d’Aiguilhe jumps up out of the glass with exuberant notes of plum preserves, Black Forest cake and blackberry pie, plus hints of potpourri, hoisin and forest floor. The medium to full-bodied palate has a soft texture and oodles of freshness supporting the mouth-coating black fruit preserves, finishing with loads of exotic spice layers.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91 RPReaders looking for a beautiful Bordeaux that’s not going to break the bank should check out the 2018 Château D’Auguilhe. Coming from the cooler Castillon region to the east of Saint-Emilion, this beauty offers a terrific perfume of ripe black raspberries, cherries, roasted herbs, sweet mulch, and spring flowers. It has a fresh, crunchy quality to its fruit, nicely integrated acidity, ripe yet present tannins, and the class to keep for 10-15 years. (Drink between 2021-2036)Jeb Dunnuck | 91 JD