|
| 2016 Bordeaux En Primeur: Pichon Lalande, Pontet-Canet, Haut Bailly, and L’Évangile
|
| | | As the current harvest comes to market, it is important to remember what made 2016 a uniquely extraordinary vintage. |
| The winter and spring saw heavy rains and cool temperatures that eventually gave way to a long, dry summer. From mid-June until mid-September, Bordeaux experienced drought-like conditions with several heat waves and virtually no precipitation. The intense heat coupled with the dry weather strained the vines, particularly allowing older vines with deeper roots to fully express themselves. Substantial diurnal temperature variation helped to retain acidity, and, finally, a brief shower fell in mid-September, refreshing the vineyards just in time.
|
| | The warm and dry summer allowed for long, even ripening, particularly for the Cabernet Sauvignon that is the Médoc’s specialty. Wines in 2016 contain lower alcohols and showcase more acidity than in recent vintages, complementing their vibrancy, fruit, and structure. The 2016 vintage appears to challenge the historic 2005 and 2000 vintages for sheer complexity, concentration, balance, and ultimate ageability. As Mathieu Chardonnier of CVBG puts it,
“This is as good as Bordeaux gets.”
|
| | What are the advantages to buying Bordeaux En Primeur?
Bordeaux's history of selling futures dates to at least the 17th century. Buying the new Bordeaux vintage as a future allows you to lock in the lowest available pricing for highly-allocated wines before they reach the rest of the market. Acquiring wines via this method also allows you to secure wine with the best possible provenance: once bottled, these pristine, just-released wines are shipped directly from Bordeaux to our warehouse. |
| | | | | | | | | | “A deeply emotional, moving wine, the 2016 Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande is simply extraordinary. The tannins are nearly buried by the sheer intensity of the fruit, while the 100% new oak is remarkably well integrated at this stage. Dark, powerful and brooding, the 2016 possesses remarkable polish for such a big wine. The purity of the flavors is simply captivating. Scents of graphite, smoke, leather, tobacco and menthol soar from the glass, enhancing a core of deep, plush, dark fruit. All the elements fuse together in a wine of nearly unparalleled beauty. Although not inexpensive, Pichon-Lalande is arguably the single finest relative value in ageworthy wine in Bordeaux right now. Readers should do whatever they can to pick up the 2016. It is without question one of the wines of the vintage and potentially a legendary wine in the making. Tasted three wines.” Vinous 97-100 Points
“The 2016 Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande is a blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Merlot and 4% Cabernet Franc (compare that to the 2010 that had 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, for example--that should give you some pointers). The alcohol level is 13.32% and a pH of 3.76. I tasted from a new oak barrel and the final blend will include around 60% new wood and 40% one year old, which is something I took into account. It has a very succinct bouquet, one that is almost understated at first, gradually unfolding with blackberry, cedar and graphite scents, in the vein of say the 1986 or 1996 Pichon Lalande of the past. The palate is very well balanced and what I appreciate here is that it is still as much identifiable as Pichon Lalande as it is a Pauillac and a 2016. There is that touch of roundness imparted by the Merlot, even though the Cabernet dominates the blend, surely the terroir sculpting the wine. It gently builds in intensity, maintaining freshness, a gentle but insistent grip towards the finish and a very long aftertaste. This is probably just a notch up on the outstanding 2015 Pichon-Lalande, a Rolls Royce with a purring engine.” Wine Advocate 96-98 Points
“Dense tannins and dark fruits are just a part of this wine's complex character. It is ripe, full of blackberries, yet solid, with a structure that balances the fruit. It should age extremely well…” Wine Enthusiast 96-98 Points
“Beautiful mix of power and restraint that you can almost reach out and touch. The extraction is so silky that the effect is a wine that seems endless, suspended above your palate, caressing it and teasing you to find the tannins that are very much hidden. There are some rich coffee seams that fill out on the mid-palate with cassis and ripe blackberry notes, whipped together with violets and peonies. The juicy, mouthwatering quality just keeps on coming. This is clearly going to age and age. One of the wines of the vintage, and I am ready to be seduced.” Decanter 98 Points
|
| | | | | | | | “Vivid and full of energy with blackberry, currant and salt. Full body, intense and long. Harmony. Purpose. Classicism. The mineral and currant character is all year. A seamless tannin texture. Great wine. You want to drink it now!” James Suckling 98-99 Points
“This wine is so dense and concentrated, with magnificent fruit. The tannins are velvety, but, at the same time, the wine has a dry side that will allow it to age so well. Juicy blackberries and great tannins work in harmony. The estate is in its seventh vintage certified biodynamic.” Wine Enthusiast 97-99 Points
“The 2016 Pontet-Canet has been absolutely brilliant on the three occasions I’ve tasted it so far. Exotically ripe, powerful and voluptuous, it brings together the richness of the 2009 with the structure of the 2010. There aren't too many other 2016s where that is the case, but it is undoubtedly true here. The 2016 is a spectacular wine by any measure, while Pontet-Canet confirms its rarefied place as a true original in Bordeaux. Technical director Jean-Michel Comme added that Cabernet Sauvignon plays a slightly lesser role in the blend because the berries had less juice than normal at harvest. Comme also bumped up the new oak slightly, to 55 percent. The rest of the wine was aged in neutral oak (10 percent) and amphora (35 percent). In a word: Superb. Tasted three times.” Vinous 96-99 Points
“Very dark crimson. More savoury and sumptuous than many of its neighbours. Blackberry compote and very round and rich and satiny. Very round. Almost too sweet but that is to complain needlessly. Already rich and enjoyable but masses of tannins too. Long and throbbing. Excellent with freshness and cleanliness and round. Pretty sweet though so it's a definite style.” Jancis Robinson 18 Points
|
| | | | | | “This young wine shows such pinpoint precision with a full body, dense fruit and gorgeous intensity. Muscular yet toned and beautiful. It really builds on the finish. Very fine-grained. So long and beautiful. Sophisticated power. Oyster shell and iodine undertones. Traditional style yet with a modern interpretation. Savory.” James Suckling 98-99 Points
“Firm tannins cannot mask the fact that this aromatic wine is gorgeous, rich and fruity. It has a powerful structure to sustain the black plum and berry flavors. It is an impressive and concentrated wine, ready for the long haul.” Wine Enthusiast 96-98 Points
“The 2016 Haut Bailly is a blend of 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot and 3% Cabernet Franc picked between 26 September until 18 October. Coming in with 13.6% alcohol and an IPT of 81, which is quite close to 2010, this was quite closed at first and so I allowed my sample 15-20 minutes to open while discussing the vintage with Véronique Sanders and technical manager, Gabriel Vialard. It has a classic bouquet that is certainly less opulent and extravagant than recent vintages. This is more controlled and focused, beautifully delineated with blackberry, cedar and Earl Grey aromas that gently waft from the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with very fine-grain tannin, sappy with superb delineation and real weight and presence in the mouth. There is just the right amount of spice and salinity, the latter beckoning you back for another sip and there is a haunting pencil lead note that forms the closing credits on the aftertaste. What a brilliant Haut-Bailly, perhaps the best that I have tasted in almost 20 years of tasting at this estate.” Wine Advocate 96-98 Points
“Rather floral nose. Ripe and broad. Quite chewy and structured. Cool and pretty dry. Pretty chewy! Lots of dynamism.” Jancis Robinson 17 Points
|
| | | | | | “This is a remake of the great 2015 but it’s much finer and more sophisticated. Such great quality and very sexy. Full body and ultra-polished and clean tannins. Salty, dark fruit. Superb length. Want to drink it!” James Suckling 98-99 Points
“The 2016 L'Evangile is a blend of 92% Merlot and 8% Cabernet Franc; the latter suffered more stress than the Merlot this year, especially the younger three and ten-year-old plantings. It was picked from 26 September until 10 October, which is earlier than many other Right Bank properties. It has a clean and precise bouquet with mineral-infused black fruit, more "distant" than the 2015 last year. With time, that small proportion of Cabernet Franc becomes more evident. The palate is medium-bodied with firm and grainy tannin. This is very structured as this Pomerol is wont to be, a gentle grip in the mouth, touches of tar and tobacco towards the finish that needs a little more flesh. I feel that this will develop during its élevage. This is excellent, although I do miss the contribution of the Cabernet Franc.” Wine Advocate 96-98 Points
“This absolutely stands up to be counted amongst the greatest of the Pomerols this year. It has shots of minerality and elegance darting right through its autumnal fruits, and touches of sexy, bitter chocolate. Persistent, rich and succulent.” Decanter 97 Points
“Extremely deep colour. Very intense, concentrated wine. Sweet start. Very muscular. Almost like cassis cordial! Massive 14.5% alcohol. Exotic and distinctive. Big and muscular. Brooding. Savoury.” Jancis Robinson 17.5 Points
|
| |
|
| We are also pleased to offer 2016 futures from the following Châteaux: |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Please Note :
Orders subject to confirmation
All allocations are secured with trusted négociants, with delivery anticipated in Spring 2018
All wines must be purchased in quantities of 6 or 12 Bottles (except in larger formats)
|
| |
|
Corporate Office
14201 Chambers Rd
Tustin CA 92780
USA
|
|
Hong Kong Office
Room 1603, 16/F, Miramar Tower
Ruttonjee Centre
132 Nathan Rd, Tsim Sha Tsui
|
|
Telephone: 949 748 4845
Fax: 949 567 1360
Email: Info@SpectrumWine.com
Hours: Mon - Fri 9:00am - 5:00pm
|
|
|
| | |
