Northern Médoc Sweet Spots from bottle 2016

NORTHERN MÉDOC SWEET SPOTS: PRICEY AND NOT SO PRICEY - The Médoc (11/12/2018)

I just posted notes on many northern Médoc wines last month in Bordeaux, assessing the recently bottled 2016 vintage. Saint Julien, Pauillac and Saint Estèphe offer many excellent wines, and some values, too. Of course the big boys excel, from Mouton and Léoville Las Cases, to Ducru Beaucaillou and Montrose. But what about mid to low ranged priced wines from these appellations? For us budget buyers (when it comes to quality Bordeaux, budget is relative, yes?), the northern Médoc includes many excellent price/quality ratios. So I divide this into a flight of “top notch, money not a concern”, and a flight of “top notch, but money is a concern”…

[cheers.gif]

Tough competition, but even some of the super high scores are not super high priced
More info with pics and video: http://wine-chronicles.com/blog/northern-medoc-2016-bottle/ ****

  • 2016 Château Léoville Las Cases - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
    A clear case of a Super Second acting as first. This wine was bottled in September. It is a superlative wine with such refined tannins, and opulence on the mid palate never obvious, but gorgeously textured: the true incarnation in liquid of elegance. And it is not even complete yet, but rather approachable at this early stage. What makes it 100 points I suppose is the sheer length and and precise focus. Yes, you get pencil lead and fresh fruit, with a rather high tannic index of 82 IPT. The 13.6% alcohol is balanced by a fine 3.66 pH. That is to say, that the balance between acidity and richness is near perfect here. Blends 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot and 11% Cabernet Franc. Great wine. 100 (100 pts.)
  • 2016 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
    Tasted blind in Bordeaux, from bottle in October 2018: High toned nose, with light oak aromas (60% new oak of medium toast) mingling with vivid bright red and some black currant fruit. Although a bit closed in, one could sense fine “breed” on the nose! The attack on the palate is akin to the vivacious 2008, again more high toned, but after sitting in glass for 30 minutes, the ripe fruit envelopes the taste and one gets Pauillac power, but in a smooth delivery leading to a long finish. One could say that the blend resembles other “6s” with quite a bit of Cabernet Sauvignon, clocking in at 75% although under director Nicolas Glumineau, the Cabernet component is slowly being increased over time. The pH is fine at 3.76 and alcohol clocks in at 13.32% with a slightly generous yield (good!) at 40 hectoliters per hectare. Jane Anson and French wine critic Yohan Castaing both agreed about that long finish, as we tasted ogether. Certainly fulfilling its promise from barrel, but just not as exuberant at this early stage from bottle, this turned out to be Château Pichon Comtesse de Lalande! A classic case of the need to wait at least five to seven years for the wine to just begin an early drinking window. (97 pts.)
  • 2016 Château Pontet-Canet - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
    Well, there was little surprise when I visited this great estate, so famous for its organic direction and its replacing oak barrels with egg shaped concrete amphorae to bring out the fruit more, and the oak less. It was sad news, however, to hear from owner Alfred Tesseron that the estate lost much of its potential harvest because of the spread of mildew in 2018. But that is another story. How was the 2016 from bottle? Nothing short of being among my top wines of the vintage! The nose is saline smooth. The palate is again smooth and (very) refined with much nuanced depth, subtle opulence and Pauillac power. This has 14.5 alcohol, but such a nice balance as the finish is marked by a tonic, thirst quenching aspect. Think of seashells and rolling waves. Just lovely! For the owners, 2010 and 1961 are references and 2016 is comparable to both. But I find the 2016 more nuanced than the 2010. A tour de force. 98+(98 pts.)
  • 2016 Château Mouton Rothschild - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
    Of the three first growths we tried, including Lafite Rothschild and Margaux, I like this one the most, just edging out Lafite. With 15% Merlot and 83% Cabernet Sauvignon and 1% each of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, you get distinct – yet “fat” – notes of pencil lead. A serious Pauillac! The acidity level is higher than average, at 3.9 grams per liter, “like a 1986, but more modern”, Dhalluin reiterated. “But we work better now to obtain optimal ripeness.” Indeed, and by any measure, the Mouton 1986 is a superb wine. One famous critic rated it 100 :wink: … So you get here Pauillac power, sure, and it may not be an overly seductive or opulent style, but more “athletic”. I love the cool blueberry fruit aspect on the long finish. Dhalliun goes so far as to say that the 2016 is “the best vintage that I have made here”. Well, I am inclined to score this very close to 100. Why not 100? (100 pts.)
  • 2016 Château Léoville Poyferré - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
    This is clearly counts among the best wines of the vintage. Such lovely cassis and tobacco leaf: very pure, very Cabernet. The palate is smooth and dense, with pleasing lift. A bit more time, and some fine dark chocolate notes, too, but just a hint. The finish has lift, albeit with somewhat harder tannins that need to be resolved. But the breed of the wine is undeniable. Fulfills its promise from barrel. Bravo! (98 pts.)
  • 2016 Château Ducru-Beaucaillou - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
    This blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Merlot at first has a somewhat impenetrable nose. With time in glass, it shows off such gorgeous and vivid floral and cassis aspects. The palate is very robust and dense: a Pauillac like grip to it. To me however, it is neither as refined, nor as precise as Léoville Las Cases. But an excellent Saint Julien to be sure with lovely density and especially impressive length, with lift. Such floral elegance! (98 pts.)
  • 2016 Château Lynch-Bages - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
    Tasted blind with another 10 Pauillacs, this had some high tones, with the vintage’s acidity, but I got a sense of excellent ripe, dark fruit. With time, it showed much elegance, too. Indeed, the blend turns out to include – like the Pichon Comtesse – 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, but aging in more new oak at 75%. The estate likens the vintage to 2009 and even has a subtitle in its literature “If 6 was 9” (Hendrix fans?). Well, there is a (slightly more) welcoming aspect to this wine, on the attack, as compared to the Comtesse, although the length is not any more impressive. But I just loved the mid palate to what turns out to be none other than a super Château Lynch Bages in 2016 from bottle. For me, this was the wine of the blind tasting – and certainly fulfilled the promise from barrel. Actually 97+. (97 pts.)

The first three are pricier - and such great deal! The next three are just great deals.
More info with pics and video: http://wine-chronicles.com/blog/northern-medoc-2016-bottle/ ****

  • 2016 Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
    And this one goes to 11. Indeed, it was the 11th Pauillac in a blind tasting of classified Pauillacs last month, from bottle - and it proved to be among the very best of this tasting, exuding a firm “Pauillac expression”, straight from the textbooks. What impressive tannic grip and power! Letting it sit in the glass, you get suave elegance, as well. Dominated with nearly 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, the wine has aged in 75% new oak so well integrated. Firms up on the finish, so it really should rest in your cellar for at least 10 years, and then you would be able to start enjoying it. OK, prices have been inching upwards, but under $90 for this is still a relatively nice deal… Bravo! Château Grand Puy Lacoste*. 96+ (96 pts.)
  • 2016 Château Gruaud Larose - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien[/b]
    I liked this more than most, and maybe I am missing something? Who knows. I really dig this Gruaud! Tasted blind, to boot. Why? Cooler tobacco leaf nose. Blueberry fruit. The palate shows such character and ripe fruit, with brisk salinity. Lots going on here. Bravo! Château Gruaud Larose* 96 (96 pts.)
  • 2016 Château Calon-Ségur - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe[/b]
    Tasted blind and the nose is lovely and so is the palate, very engaging. Refined ripe fruit expression and suave, with subtle depth. Could this be the Cos? NO! It is none other than Château Calon Ségur*. This blend of 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc and the rest Petit Verdot is lovely and even rather concentrated. The increasing planting density at this estate is maybe beginning to pay off. And aging in 100% new oak is so well integrated. Black, ripe fruit. I gave this wine a strong range from barrel, and it gets the uppermost score from that range from bottle. “95+” so maybe 96? (95 pts.)
  • 2016 Château Lafon-Rochet - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe[/b]
    This has much depth and impresses with both density and length. Tightness on the finish? Sure, but the length is notable! A very impressive showing from Château Lafon Rochet, also tasted blind with five other classified Saint Estephes from bottle last month in Bordeaux. Love the polish on the long finish, too. 93+ (93 pts.)
  • 2016 Château Potensac - France, Bordeaux, Médoc[/b]
    Lovely nose, with juicy fruit, red and black. There is more than your usual elegance from this estate, as the winemaking has gotten more fine tuned. Blending 44% Merlot, 39% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot, this wine clocks in at 13.8% alcohol, with an IPT of 75 and a pH of 3.48. Bottled in April, it is a bit closed now, but that is normal. What is foremost important is the suave nature that you get from this humble AOC Médoc. I would recommend purchasing magnum formats to serve at upscale garden parties or any parties, over the next 5-15 years. Magnums require more bottle aging, so crack it open in, say, 2023 for an early drinking window and pour away. The magnum price lies between $50 and $60 and will reward you more than that. (92 pts.)
  • 2016 Château Fonbadet - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac[/b]
    OK, the wine costs about $40 retail, but what lovely juice! Blending 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Cabernet Franc, 20% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot, there is ripe fruit and layered depth. A balanced expression indeed, clocking in at 13% alcohol. Sure, you get some austerity, but in a good sense: in the sense that the tannins are neither astringent nor hard, but just need time to break down. Give it about seven to 10 years in your cellar for an early drinking window. Many thanks to the Grand Cercle for making it part of a comprehensive tasting, proving that good quality in 2016 does not mean breaking the bank. 92 (92 pts.)

As you can see, many excellent wines to buy and stock from the 2016 vintage in the northern Médoc.