Impressions of 2016 Bordeaux
Posted: Thu Jul 06, 2017 10:52 am
London merchant Berry Bros held a 2016 Bordeaux tasting last night with an impressive line up of estates including some big names outside the first growths.
For someone who has been buying EP for well over 20 years you tend to follow your nose and you trust your instincts. For that you have to rely on quantitative data but more on qualitative insights from those you trust.
By the time I tasted these wines I had already committed significant sums of money to the vintage and was mindful, as one commentator noted, that these wines in their embryonic state may not travel well.
At the event there were 117 wines, so it was not realistic to pass judgement on all of them in under three hours, so here are some general and specific observations.
⁃ 2016 is a dream come true. If it is not the best vintage it is one of the most exciting because quite simply the wines seem to tick all my boxes. The 2016 vintage moves the game on from previous star vintages like 2005 (highly/too? extracted), 2009 (too opulent? and Californian?) and 2010 (too clinical and forceful?). The 2016s are generally significantly lower in alcohol and have a deftness of touch, levity, and sprightliness that these other vintages lack. Yes this has to do with the waning influence of Robert Parker. Recent vintages have been moving in that direction but the 2016 vintage really confirms it, as did several of the winemakers last night. There are some brilliant expressions of terroir on both banks, especially on the left. There is plenty of fruit and opulence in these wines, but at the same time they posses perfect equilibrium and gravitas.
What was helpful was that many of the winemakers - and what a great turnout! - brought along other vintages to benchmark along side their latest offering.
Brief impressions:
Pichon Lalande 2016 - a phenomenal wine, with amazing precision, fruit and creaminess. Astonishing quality here. I suspect that this will set a new benchmark for this estate surpassing the 1996, and who knows the 1982? Buy it. Subjective score 98-100.
Pichon Baron 2016 - it suffered in comparison but is still a fabulous wine - as you would of course expect. My lesson is than the 2016 shows the Comtessa can scale higher highs and may deserve to trade at a slight premium to Baron. Forget the comparatives this is a fine Baron, much more quintessentially Pauillac than exotic. However I would put this behind the 2010 (not tried the 2015). 5-7. Note all scores begin with a 9.
Leoville-Lascases 2016 - a wine that takes your breath away with it precision and graphite-etched mineralogy (not echoed in the Clos Du Marquis). It is so riveting. So fine so perfect, it in the UK trades at a premium to the - well perfect 2010. 8-10.
Leoville Lascases 2004 - a bit more open for business but quite a noticeable step down here to a wine that is still in no-man's land. 1-3.
Leoville-Poyferre 2016 - creamy vanilla oak, texture, very lux. A bit spoofed for sure but you can't dislike it and fabulous quality underneath: 5-7.
Leoville-Barton 2016. Even though the wine was served warm - most wines were mercifully chilled - the quality shone through. Lilian was was jovial and bullish on her 16 liking it more than her 'stern' 15. The quality, poise and gravitas of her wines should be a global benchmark. The 2016 is cheaper than the 2010 on release. 5-7
Talbot 2016 - classical and a dream wine for English claret lovers, Even though it is a wee bit skinnier, it is not thin. Very fine. 4-6
Talbot 2010 - thicker than the 16 but surprisingly open for business - was it the hot weather? but a beauty 4-6
Lagrange 2016- so classic, errs towards reticence. Very high quality 4-6
Lagrange 2003 - very mature, remarkably aged and attractive. I disliked this in its youth but it has turned out very well. 2-3
Rauzan-Segla 2016. What can you say? Another showstopper. 5-7.
Rauzan-Segla 2010. Been raring to try this and it is brilliant. But no better than the 2016. 5-7
Canon 2016 - atypically packs a considerable punch, compact, juicy, oozing quality - very fine 6-8
D'Issan 2016 - so fresh, precise, mineralogy, balanced, lifted. 5-7
D'Issan 2012 - astonishly good and ready to drink 3-5
Brane Cantenac 2016 - sweet attack, very precise wine beautiful texture in the palate with a tapestry of fruit, minerals, graphite 5-7
Beychevelle 2016 - stunning wine. Fine dilineation, graphite, cedar, lead pencil, mineral. 7-9
Beychevelle 2012 - suffered in comparison 0-2
Branaire Ducru 2016 - classic St -Julien, very complete wine 3-5
Calon-Segur 2016 - great purity and precision, sweetness and unintegrated oak 4-6
Les Carmes Haut-Brion 2016 - 50 % cab franc, 25% each cab save and merlot. Interesting, bold, unique wine dominated by cab franc. Very impressive 2-4
Figeac 2016 - wonderful precision, mineral complexity and lingering finish. 6-8
Figeac 2010 - all over the place, an amorphous smudge of a wine by comparison 0-2
La Conseillante 2016 - absolutely scintillating and drop dead gorgeous. Without doubt the best Conseillante I have tried and surely a candidate for wine of the vintage 9-10
La Conseillante 2012 - stunningly good, and already drinking beautifully. 7
Clos Fourtet 2016 - its own quirky style, just riveting 6-8
Client 2016 - one of the few that came across as a little OTT. 2-4. I preferred the glorious 2012 - 3-5
Haut-Bailly 2016 - focus, precision, mineralogy stunning quality of fruit 6-8
Haut-Bailly 2012 - stunningly good for the vintage and drinking beautifully already - a notable theme with the 12s last night 4-6
Smith Haut Lafitte 2016 rouge - perfect fruit, exhilarating wine. Gun to my head this is a nose in front of Haut-Bailly 7-9
Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc 2016 - I have never tasted a young white bordeaux this good 7-9
The sauternes/Barsac were excellent. My pick was Coutet.
Call it confirmation bias but I am very happy with what I bought in 2016. I think 2016 moves the game on from 2010 which in my opinion was the benchmark.
These wines make you feel good...they are the opposite of lugubrious. They are exhilarating and put a smile on your face.
My top ten wines last night, 2016 unless otherwise noted
1 La Conseillante
2 Pichon Lalande
3 Leoville Lascases
4 Beychevelle
5 Smith Haut-Lafitte (rouge et blanc)
6 Clos Fourtet
7. Haut-Bailly
8 Figeac
9 La Conseillante 2012
10 Canon
For someone who has been buying EP for well over 20 years you tend to follow your nose and you trust your instincts. For that you have to rely on quantitative data but more on qualitative insights from those you trust.
By the time I tasted these wines I had already committed significant sums of money to the vintage and was mindful, as one commentator noted, that these wines in their embryonic state may not travel well.
At the event there were 117 wines, so it was not realistic to pass judgement on all of them in under three hours, so here are some general and specific observations.
⁃ 2016 is a dream come true. If it is not the best vintage it is one of the most exciting because quite simply the wines seem to tick all my boxes. The 2016 vintage moves the game on from previous star vintages like 2005 (highly/too? extracted), 2009 (too opulent? and Californian?) and 2010 (too clinical and forceful?). The 2016s are generally significantly lower in alcohol and have a deftness of touch, levity, and sprightliness that these other vintages lack. Yes this has to do with the waning influence of Robert Parker. Recent vintages have been moving in that direction but the 2016 vintage really confirms it, as did several of the winemakers last night. There are some brilliant expressions of terroir on both banks, especially on the left. There is plenty of fruit and opulence in these wines, but at the same time they posses perfect equilibrium and gravitas.
What was helpful was that many of the winemakers - and what a great turnout! - brought along other vintages to benchmark along side their latest offering.
Brief impressions:
Pichon Lalande 2016 - a phenomenal wine, with amazing precision, fruit and creaminess. Astonishing quality here. I suspect that this will set a new benchmark for this estate surpassing the 1996, and who knows the 1982? Buy it. Subjective score 98-100.
Pichon Baron 2016 - it suffered in comparison but is still a fabulous wine - as you would of course expect. My lesson is than the 2016 shows the Comtessa can scale higher highs and may deserve to trade at a slight premium to Baron. Forget the comparatives this is a fine Baron, much more quintessentially Pauillac than exotic. However I would put this behind the 2010 (not tried the 2015). 5-7. Note all scores begin with a 9.
Leoville-Lascases 2016 - a wine that takes your breath away with it precision and graphite-etched mineralogy (not echoed in the Clos Du Marquis). It is so riveting. So fine so perfect, it in the UK trades at a premium to the - well perfect 2010. 8-10.
Leoville Lascases 2004 - a bit more open for business but quite a noticeable step down here to a wine that is still in no-man's land. 1-3.
Leoville-Poyferre 2016 - creamy vanilla oak, texture, very lux. A bit spoofed for sure but you can't dislike it and fabulous quality underneath: 5-7.
Leoville-Barton 2016. Even though the wine was served warm - most wines were mercifully chilled - the quality shone through. Lilian was was jovial and bullish on her 16 liking it more than her 'stern' 15. The quality, poise and gravitas of her wines should be a global benchmark. The 2016 is cheaper than the 2010 on release. 5-7
Talbot 2016 - classical and a dream wine for English claret lovers, Even though it is a wee bit skinnier, it is not thin. Very fine. 4-6
Talbot 2010 - thicker than the 16 but surprisingly open for business - was it the hot weather? but a beauty 4-6
Lagrange 2016- so classic, errs towards reticence. Very high quality 4-6
Lagrange 2003 - very mature, remarkably aged and attractive. I disliked this in its youth but it has turned out very well. 2-3
Rauzan-Segla 2016. What can you say? Another showstopper. 5-7.
Rauzan-Segla 2010. Been raring to try this and it is brilliant. But no better than the 2016. 5-7
Canon 2016 - atypically packs a considerable punch, compact, juicy, oozing quality - very fine 6-8
D'Issan 2016 - so fresh, precise, mineralogy, balanced, lifted. 5-7
D'Issan 2012 - astonishly good and ready to drink 3-5
Brane Cantenac 2016 - sweet attack, very precise wine beautiful texture in the palate with a tapestry of fruit, minerals, graphite 5-7
Beychevelle 2016 - stunning wine. Fine dilineation, graphite, cedar, lead pencil, mineral. 7-9
Beychevelle 2012 - suffered in comparison 0-2
Branaire Ducru 2016 - classic St -Julien, very complete wine 3-5
Calon-Segur 2016 - great purity and precision, sweetness and unintegrated oak 4-6
Les Carmes Haut-Brion 2016 - 50 % cab franc, 25% each cab save and merlot. Interesting, bold, unique wine dominated by cab franc. Very impressive 2-4
Figeac 2016 - wonderful precision, mineral complexity and lingering finish. 6-8
Figeac 2010 - all over the place, an amorphous smudge of a wine by comparison 0-2
La Conseillante 2016 - absolutely scintillating and drop dead gorgeous. Without doubt the best Conseillante I have tried and surely a candidate for wine of the vintage 9-10
La Conseillante 2012 - stunningly good, and already drinking beautifully. 7
Clos Fourtet 2016 - its own quirky style, just riveting 6-8
Client 2016 - one of the few that came across as a little OTT. 2-4. I preferred the glorious 2012 - 3-5
Haut-Bailly 2016 - focus, precision, mineralogy stunning quality of fruit 6-8
Haut-Bailly 2012 - stunningly good for the vintage and drinking beautifully already - a notable theme with the 12s last night 4-6
Smith Haut Lafitte 2016 rouge - perfect fruit, exhilarating wine. Gun to my head this is a nose in front of Haut-Bailly 7-9
Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc 2016 - I have never tasted a young white bordeaux this good 7-9
The sauternes/Barsac were excellent. My pick was Coutet.
Call it confirmation bias but I am very happy with what I bought in 2016. I think 2016 moves the game on from 2010 which in my opinion was the benchmark.
These wines make you feel good...they are the opposite of lugubrious. They are exhilarating and put a smile on your face.
My top ten wines last night, 2016 unless otherwise noted
1 La Conseillante
2 Pichon Lalande
3 Leoville Lascases
4 Beychevelle
5 Smith Haut-Lafitte (rouge et blanc)
6 Clos Fourtet
7. Haut-Bailly
8 Figeac
9 La Conseillante 2012
10 Canon