Bordeaux Wine Enthusiasts

What 2016s have you received?
What 2016s are you hoping to get your hands on?
The only 2016 I've tried so far has been the Tour Saint-Christophe.
It did not disappoint. Indeed, it was exactly what I expected, even better, based on what I've read here and elsewhere about the vintage.
It seems like such a JimHow vintage....

I'm concerned about the prices going up.
At one point I saw Leoville Barton being offered at $89 en futuro but the prices seem to be higher everywhere I look.
I would also like to get Calon Segur but that seems expensive as well.
I'm also interested in getting some of my favorite usual suspects:
Sociando Mallet
Meyney
Chasse Spleen
Cantemerle
Gruaud Larose
Giscours
Barde Haut
Clos de l'Oratoire
Siran

It doesn't seem like most of the wines have arrived in stock yet although they are starting to trickle in.
I stopped by the New Hampshire liquor store the other day and none were in stock yet, it's still a little early.

A few of mine have landed in Blighty.

Jim you should add Brane Cantenac and La Lagune to your list. The former is really sensational.

Indeed, I intend to buy that any many others.
How is Burgundy in 2016?

Burgundy is good to excellent in 2016 and 2017 Jim.

But in 2016 not quite as spectacular as Bordeaux, northern Rhône and Piedmont.

Comte Flaneur wrote:Burgundy is good to excellent in 2016 and 2017 Jim.

But in 2016 not quite as spectacular as Bordeaux, northern Rhône and Piedmont.

Comte, Good to know about 2016 Piedmont. Any recommendations?

I have the following 2016s that I purchased so far en primeur.. Not heavy lifting, but a mixed bag...Prices have already gone up for some of the following since my en primeur purchase.

I have received none of my 2016s so far...I am expecting some in the next couple of months...

Splits:
Meyney 4
Montrose 1
Les Pagodas Cos 2
Lynch Bages 4
Pontet Canet 2
Duhart 4
Gloria 3
Malescot 2
Les Carmes 4

Regulars:
Montrose 2
La Dame Montrose 1
Lynch Bages 4
Clerc Milon 2
Beychevelle 2

Probably I will hunt more for Gloria, Meyney, Clerc and Beychevelle. I intend to add Purple Baron (depending on price) and Fonreaud...

The only 2016 that's landed so far is a case of Labegorce $30

Waiting on:

Beychevelle $77
Climens(375) $35
Cos $155
Doisy-Daene(375) $21
Figeac $200
Leoville Las Cases $235
Lynch Bages $125
Montrose $135
Pichon lalande $160
Pichon Baron $150

Chateau Vin wrote:

Comte Flaneur wrote:Burgundy is good to excellent in 2016 and 2017 Jim.

But in 2016 not quite as spectacular as Bordeaux, northern Rhône and Piedmont.

Comte, Good to know about 2016 Piedmont. Any recommendations?

CV only the lesser wines are available now. Beppe Rinaldi Dolcetto is superb, as is Burlotto pelaverga.

The word in Piedmont is that 2016 will eclipse the 2010, 2013 and 2015 vintages.

Comte Flaneur wrote: .
.
.
The word in Piedmont is that 2016 will eclipse the 2010, 2013 and 2015 vintages.

I am salivating about 16s...

So it sounds like 2015 Burgundy is better than 2016 Burgundy.

The below case of 2016 Beychevelle that I picked up from Zachys @ $67/btl on Black Friday of 2017 arrived on January 18th but other than that, I am still waiting on the rest of my purchases across a slew of different retailers.

Of the few red Burgundies that I drank, I definitely prefer 2016 to 2015.
2016 White Burgundies are imo fantastic.
Both red and white 2016 Burgs that I drank are focused, vibrant, structured, lush and round. I'd take them over 2015 in a heartbeat.

Wow, Zachy's is selling 2016 Beychevelle on prearrival for $135 right now.
I have a feeling I'm gonna be doing all my buying in NH.

I have not received any 2016s and am hoping to get my hands on a case each of Lagrange and Lanessan because I paid for them already. I think that is it.

I opened 2 reds and 1 white 2016. Too small a sample but superb classic Burgundy. I preferred Fourrier GC VV 2016 to the 2015 but of course the 2015 is more concentrated but also very sweet, it may last longer, I found the 2016 more balanced.
I also loved the Pouilly Fuisse 2016 Barraud les roches (or something like this) .
2016 more traditional, 2015 riper and bigger.

JimHow wrote:Wow, Zachy's is selling 2016 Beychevelle on prearrival for $135 right now.
I have a feeling I'm gonna be doing all my buying in NH.

The main difference here is that the large majority of the 2016 offerings are still available at or close to their en primeur opening prices but for the more sought after / highly rated / hot wines of the vintage (ie Pichon Lalande, Montrose, Cos d’Estournel, Calon Segur, Beychevelle, Leoville Barton, Les Carmes Haut Brion, Haut Bailly, Rauzan Segla, Canon, Figeac etc); the wholesale replacement costs have inched upwards and by varying percentages.

Macarthur's tells me the following 2016s are ready for pickup:
Conseillante
Pichon Lalande
Pichon Baron
Haut Bailly

Still waiting on:
Canon
Figeac
GPL

I have no plan for 2016. If I see something at a reasonable price, I'll do an impulse buy but I'm not doing anything other than replacing a few older Bordeaux that I drink this year.

Bill

Yeah, bummer...Gloria has also climbed up nearly 40% or more since en primeur...

jckba wrote:

JimHow wrote:Wow, Zachy's is selling 2016 Beychevelle on prearrival for $135 right now.
I have a feeling I'm gonna be doing all my buying in NH.

The main difference here is that the large majority of the 2016 offerings are still available at or close to their en primeur opening prices but for the more sought after / highly rated / hot wines of the vintage (ie Pichon Lalande, Montrose, Cos d’Estournel, Calon Segur, Beychevelle, Leoville Barton, Les Carmes Haut Brion, Haut Bailly, Rauzan Segla, Canon, Figeac etc); the wholesale replacement costs have inched upwards and by varying percentages.

Zachy"s pricing is usually very high. Sometimes their sale prices are OK.

Not sure how valid WS low prices are for comparison, but using that metric over half of the 2016s I purchased as futures have increased, the rest were flat:

Canon +71%
Pichon Lalande +16%
Figeac +15%
Conseillante +12%
Grand Puy Lacoste - flat (not bad, fraud that it is)
Haut Bailly - flat
Pichon Baron - flat

I bought after a bunch of reviews were out, not first tranche. My experience mirrors JC's with respect to individual wines except for Haut Bailly, which is still available at HDH for what I paid. MacArthur didn’t have the lowest price in the country for some of them when I bought them, but reliability and convenience are worth a few dollars a bottle to me.

Sometimes Zachy’s has good deals when the deal includes free shipping. But they increase the price and then put it on sale...

With no deals, generally Zachy’s charges higher prices. 16 Gloria is currently going for 48 bucks. I wonder what the cheapest price now is in the country, and I don’t think anyone is selling around for mid thirties, which was the case last year...

I predict NH will end up having the best prices in the country.
Prices really seem to have increased.
As Gerry M has explained before, NH doesn't increase prices based on reviews.

My case of 2016 Lagrange (St. Julien) is safe in storage.

I only ordered 3 bottles each of Leoville Barton and Calon Segur for $145 Cdn per bottle (about $110 US) but have received none yet.

Received an email from Total Wine that they charged the remaining 50% for the 2016s, since they are in the process of shipping the 2016s to respective store locations. I presume the 2016s are making their way in...

This came in about a week ago, so slowly but surely they are arriving.

Jim

if you see some compelling deals in NH please share. Would love to put a few cases in the cellar as i've not bought any Bordeaux since 2010 vintage.

I've missed some early offerings at prices somewhat lower than what the market commands today, so being hawkish finding deals.

Will do, Emil. The best deals in NH are usually in the summer when they have their 15% off sales.
I'll keep you posted.

Jim -

If you could please copy me on those emails as well I would appreciate it as I too like it when the pricing is good ... it kind of makes me feel like I am saving money as I deplete my savings

Will do, JC, I intend to monitor the NH system closely.
As you know, sometimes they don't always have everything posted in their online inventory. (Although, it is usually pretty accurate.)

If you hear of any more good Italian sales at Zachy's let me know.

Saw '16 la tour carnet for $26 here

Saw a bottle of '15 meyney for $37

Any thoughts on these?

Kahn's still has some futures pricing available. I found the case pricing on Langoa Barton (645), Fonplegade (465), Meyney (388), Sociando (486) and Sansonnet (425) reasonably priced

I highly recommend the 2016 Langoa Barton, one of the QPR standouts at the UGC tasting in January.

what were the most successful appellations in Bordeaux in 2016? based on reading (not tasting) it seems Margaux and St. Estephe did particularly well in producing wines that exceeded expectations

brodway wrote:what were the most successful appellations in Bordeaux in 2016? based on reading (not tasting) it seems Margaux and St. Estephe did particularly well in producing wines that exceeded expectations

After having tasted ~100 wines at the UGC in January, I really thought that this was a great left bank / Medoc year where the wines from Saint Julien shined the brightest. And as a result, I have been and will continue to be concentrating my purchases on the addresses whose wines I can semi-afford and tend to truly enjoy.

I’ve bought only 3 Chateau in 2016 (so far):
Langoa Barton
Branaire Ducru
Sociando Mallet

I agree with JC that St Julien was the sweet spot in 2016, at least what was poured at the UGC.

Futures seam to be really slow this year arriving. So far all only Montrose, Figeac, Leoville Las Cases and Labegorce 750's have shown up from TW along with Cos 750's from a local shop.

Where are all the $#%$# 2016s?
Is it my imagination or are they late to hit the shelves this year?

JimHow wrote:Where are all the $#%$# 2016s?
Is it my imagination or are they late to hit the shelves this year?

I'm still waiting on one too.

Slowly but surely, they are continuing to arrive ...