Inky depths to the colour, this is powerful, full of character. Grilled sandalwood oak notes are dominant on the attack, with the bitter almond and cracked black pepper on the finish not just welcome but essential to...

What a brilliant vintage this is - just so complete. Honestly at this level, where prices don't change that dramatically between vintages, you should go for the 2016 if you have the option. It's on a different level in...

Very ripe blueberries here, married to delicate, smoky-oak and baking-spice character. Concentrated and succulent with a wonderful, mineral freshness at the long, energetic finish. A very flexible food-wine. Drink or hold.

I believe the 2016 Château Mouton Rothschild will be one of the legendary wines of the 21st century, and it might be the finest wine I've ever tasted. Still deep purple-hued and incredibly young, it offers an incredible...

The core of this red is loaded with pure plum, blueberry and black currant fruit flavors. The polished structure is integrated, with alluring ganache, anise and sweet tobacco notes throughout, all in a polished and...

A warm wine rich in tannins and with succulent berry fruits, this is both powerful and elegant. Its density doesn't detract from the fruitiness that shines out of the wine and balances with the structured aging potential...

Bright flowers and attractive red berries on offer here with a really succulent, velvety palate that offers rich red-plum flavors. Long and juicy resolve. A blend of 74 per cent merlot, 19 per cent cabernet franc and...

This may not be the most concentrated wine from the appellation, but it’s a very appealing introduction to modern-style St.-Emilion. Plenty of mixed berries and a hint of vanilla on the medium-full body. Then the chalky...

This nearly 200-acre estate lies in the south of the Margaux appellation. The wine is another great success in a series of superb years. It is rich but the structure and finely textured fruit give it style and longevity...

Clear minerality spirals through this wine. It has a salinity and grip that's just totally seductive. A more subtle and intellectual white than some, it has a fierce sense of energy and is just frankly delicious. A touch...

This is the best wine from the Becot family yet! The wine is sexy, fleshy, opulent, polished and packed with all the fresh, ripe, silky, pure red fruits you need. The crushed rock, thyme and floral accents make this even...

The best for me since the 2010, just the perfect balance of ripeness, power, precision and finesse. This is more powerful on paper than the 2015 in terms of quantity of tannins but you feel them less because there are so...

After falling into decline in the 1950s, Château Brown was revived after it was bought by businessman Bernard Barthe in 1994, to be taken over again 20 years later by the Mau family. Now led by fifth-generation...

Very chewy and long already with ripe tannins and plenty of fruit suggesting tobacco and blackcurrant character. Long finish. From biodynamic grapes.

A very floral and gently leafy edge with lighter red fruit, leading to a very smoothly fleshy, red-fruited palate that’s sleek, even and elegant. Drink or hold.

The 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...

Dense and rich second wine of Nenin with dark berries, chocolate and hazelnuts. Full body, round and chewy tannins, yet polished and finished. Needs two or three years to soften, at least. Try after 2023.

(92-93 points) Love the fruit on the center palate here with its brightness and vivid acidity. Citrus undertones and a fresh finish. Well done here, and it’s a second wine!

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...

Wonderful, fragrant blackberry and cherry nose with a delicate touch of oak. Concentrated and elegant with a beautiful balance of finely etched dry tannins and very bright acidity. Long, crisp and minerally finish with a...

Packed with young tannins, this wine shows the structure of the vintage as well as its fresh and perfumed fruit. The combination will develop to produce a restrained and elegant wine. Drink from 2025.

A rocking effort that brings the goods, the 2016 Château Montviel is a tiny production cuvée based on 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc brought up in new barrels. Surpassing the terrific 2015, it boasts a deep purple...

Tight and closed but clearly going to power out of the gate in five or six years. Shows depth and persistency, with precision and balance to the fruit flavours, feels like every base is covered, laced through with...

A brilliant young wine, the 2016 Léoville Barton unwinds in the glass with aromas of cassis, dark berries and cigar box mingled with subtle hints of loamy soil. Medium to full-bodied, deep and concentrated, it's seamless...

I am spellbound by the aromas of crushed blackberries, licorice, black tea and violets. It’s full-bodied yet so intense and linear. Powerful tannins with superb polish and focus give an amazing texture. Complex and...

The 2016 has all the ingredients for the long haul. The colour is dark to the rim, the nose restrained but serious and intense, the palate structured and harmonious (despite the alcohol). There's a huge charge of very...

The blackcurrants and blueberries with violets on the nose are fascinating. Full-bodied and very tightly wound with gorgeous tannins and a linear and bright finish. Needs two to four years to come together. Try after 2023.

Rich and heady in the glass, the 2016 Patris Querre is a gorgeous, sumptuous Saint-Émilion. Inky blue/purplish fruit, lavender, chocolate, tobacco and spice are pushed forward. Powerful and super-ripe, the 2016 has a lot...