TANNERS Bordeaux 2016 En Primeur Update APRIL 2018 The Wines This was a year that, for the most part, was full of extremes. Heavy rainfall up to June was followed by a long period of drought. The results across many areas have turned out very much better than most could have envisaged earlier in 2016. Philippe Dhalluin, Managing Director at Château Mouton-Rothschild called the vintage A little miracle. The star wines are in the Médoc, from St-Julien northwards, and on the water-retaining clay plateau of Pomerol. The great news is that the consistency in those regions is throughout all price ranges, with so called A little miracle lesser properties on cooler soils also producing lovely, ripe, elegant wines. The key to the success of the vintage is the quality of the tannins, which are very fine and elegant, combined with acidity and fruit to give perfect balance. En Primeur: What does it mean? All the 2016 wines in this offer are offered Lying Abroad or En Primeur. This means that you pay for the wine itself when you place your order and the duty (currently 2.16 ex VAT per 75cl bottle for mainland UK delivery) and VAT at the prevailing rates on the whole at the time of shipment. We anticipate shipping these wines in late 2018 and early 2019. Storage Wines purchased from Tanners by the case can be stored under bond. More information Please ring John, Robin, Graham or Rachel on 01743 234455 for advice. The 2016s have the ebullience of 2009, with the purity and structure of 2010 The palatial Château Mauvesin-Barton, lunch on the lawn, it is not all work! This is particularly true of Cabernet Sauvignon. 2016 is the vintage for Cabernet, according to Frédéric Castéja of Château Batailley, and our feeling is that this is a Left Bank vintage. Pomerol is the main exception to that general rule, with the clay subsoil here retaining water and giving wines of fruit, structure and balance. So what is the style? These wines will certainly provide huge pleasure, being full of ripe, red and black fruits it s commonly acknowledged that, with Robert Parker now retired, there is a move back to more restrained wines. Acidity seems higher than 2015, giving wonderful freshness and purity, and the alcohol levels are lower, generally about 13.5%. To quote Philippe Dhalluin again; It s the balance between the tannin and acidity, fruit and richness which is so ideal in 2016. For the dry white wines you ll find plenty of minerality and purity, although some could do with a bit of time to flesh out. The sweet wines have concentration, richness and a delicious freshness. Ideal in halves. So just how good is it? Most in the Médoc will put it above 2015; It s more complex, said Emeline Borie of Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste. She suggests that it has the ebullience of 2009, with the purity and structure of 2010. The Weather A year of extremes indeed, with a very wet winter, but this was crucially important in replenishing the water table. Flowering took place in good conditions, an important factor for quality, and also for the yield, which overall is good. A prolonged dry spell from June to September followed. While daytime temperatures were hot, nights remained cool. In mid-september rain returned at the vital time to enable the grapes to reach maturity; the harvest took place under perfect conditions, allowing properties to harvest carefully at their own pace. 1
The Market - should I buy? We continued our policy of previous years by selecting a range of 2016 wines which we think are reasonably priced and will offer excellent drinking. With uncertainty about quantities available in the 2017 Offer it may be worth your while having another look at them. It is worth remembering that many lesser properties provide superbly priced wines year after year and are untouched by the speculative market. Sizes Case Sizes: Everything is offered in cases of 12 bottles or 6 bottles as indicated. The Red Wines Château Semonlon, Haut-Médoc DCR46816 69 Situated on good gravelly soils close to Margaux this is an excellent value Médoc with a high percentage of Merlot giving a fruity, fresh wine with red fruit. 3-9 years. Château Brisson, Côtes-de-Bordeaux, Castillon DCR05816 78 Good, chunky wine with plenty of ripe fruit and good structure with soft tannins. Supple and easy with good density. A claret that won t let you down drinking early, yet will age a bit too. 3-9 years. Château Tour St Bonnet, Médoc DCR47716 93 A wine that has impressed us recently and does so again with cool, precise fruit, a juicy core with crisp tannin and good length. Good, elegant style. 3-9 years. Château Haut Bertinerie Rouge, Côtes-de-Bordeaux, Blaye DCR03116 99 Elegant wine with classy fruit, cherries and redcurrants, backed up with fine tannins. Fresh, refined wine for relatively early drinking. 3-9 years. Saintem, Denis Durantou, grand cru Saint-Emilion DCR73916 126 Super quality Saint-Emilion from Denis Durantou of L Eglise-Clinet. Lovely soft ripe fruit, good tannic structure and good freshness. 3-9 years. This is very dense and beautiful yet it s agile and exciting. Blueberries, chocolate and walnuts. Full to medium body and beautiful length. Juicy center palate of fruit. 92-93 Points James Suckling. Château Mauvesin-Barton, Moulis-en-Médoc DCR49016 132 Lilian Barton from Château Léoville Barton owns this lovely Moulis property; it s an elegant, pure wine with very fine tannins and attractive red fruits. Supple, restrained with well-balanced fruit and tannin, there s a high percentage of Merlot this year giving good depth. Recommended mid-term drinking. 3-9 years. A dense and fruity red with chocolate, walnuts and spices. Medium body and chewy tannins. Firm and structured. Very cool wine. 91-92 Points James Suckling. Mauvesin Barton, a château on the up and great value! Very cool wine. 2
Ben Sichel (above) tells us there will not be a 2017 Angludet due to frost! Even more reason to snap up the 2016. Château Charmail, Haut-Médoc DCR49716 132 Another northern Médoc wine which has been showing very well recently. Plummy and rich, with good soft tannins and a touch of spice. 3-9 years. Blueberry and blackberry character with hints of stones and minerals. Medium to full body and firm and silky tannins. Wonderful tannin quality here. 91-92 Points James Suckling. Château Teyssier, grand cru Saint-Emilion DCR74516 138 A joy to taste and part of an excellent range of wines from Jonathan Maltus. Round, soft fruit leads to a well-balanced palate, easy and very drinkable. Teyssier has really performed well this vintage. 3-9 years. Solid density of fruit to this young red with firm and silky tannins and lively acidity. Like it. 91-92 Points James Suckling. Château Puy-Blanquet, grand cru Saint-Emilion DCR74016 150 An excellent Saint-Emilion with good depth of fruit and also ripe tannins and power from the clay soil here. Winemaking here is advised by the JP Moueix team. 3-9 years. Château Pindefleurs, grand cru Saint-Emilion DCR73816 168 A fast improving Saint-Emilion property under the guidance of the Moueix team. Excellent, elegant structure, fine tannins and freshness. There is 20% Cabernet Franc in the blend here which gives good aromas and the elegant style. Great wine at a very good price. 3-9 years. Pretty balance and density to this wine with subtle fruit and soft and polished tannins. Everything seems harmonious and together. 92-93 Points James Suckling. Château Chasse-Spleen, Moulis-en-Médoc DCR45116 258 A solid and linear young wine with blackcurrant and berry character, a medium to full body and a savory finish. Another excellent, young Chasse-Spleen. 92-93 Points James Suckling. Lacoste-Borie, Pauillac DCR38016 222 Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste s baby brother is on excellent form. A lovely vibrant blackcurrant bouquet here. The palate is medium bodied, with plenty of rich blackcurrant and dark cherry fruit on the palate. Hints of cedar and chocolate add complexity, and there s nice grippy structure as well. Very good. 5-15+ years. Château Meyney, Saint-Estèphe DCR35016 246 Our first tasting on a misty Monday morning and it set a high bar for the rest of the week. Plenty of ripe cassis and blackberry fruit is underpinned by good, ripe structure and depth; the high percentage of old vine Petit Verdot highly instrumental in this. 5-15+ years. Solid and incredible depth reminds me of the Meyneys of the 1960s that were so structured and incredible. Full-bodied yet polished and refined. Super structure. 94-96 Points James Suckling. Château Angludet, Margaux DCR30016 249 Another excellent wine from Ben Sichel who was Really pleased with the balance of the wine. Careful extraction has resulted in fine tannins with delicious fresh red fruits and good length. NB. Heavily hit by frost in 2017, putting next year s production in question, this should be a must buy if you follow Angludet. 5-15+ years. 3
A château on the up, the very beautiful Olivier. Château Belgrave, 5me cru Haut-Médoc DCR27916 252 Classed growth property bordering Saint-Julien and making excellent value wines that mature well and are a bit of a gem - a Tanners favourite over the years. This has lovely blackcurrant fruit with well-balanced tannins, medium-bodied with good length. 5-15+ years. This is really constructed and powerful with lots of muscular tannins and rich fruit. Full-bodied, juicy and intense. Very serious. One of the best in years. 92-93 Points James Suckling. Château Poujeaux, Moulis-en-Médoc DCR46416 258 The cooler soils of Listrac and Moulis have done very well this year and this is a very classy, elegant wine with soft ripe fruit, very good mid-palate and ripe tannins on the finish. 5-15+ years. Château Olivier, cru classé Pessac-Léognan DCR58616 258 One of our favourite wines from Pessac this year, and one that is improving rapidly as the new Cabernet vineyard, Bel Air, gets older. Real density of fruit, lovely fine tannins, very good indeed! 5-15+ years. 4
Horses ploughing the fields at Chevalier. All these wines are offered in six bottle cases: Château Cantemerle, 5me cru Haut-Médoc DCR27116 6bts 129 Dense and chewy already with plenty of ripe tannins and bright fruit. Vivid acidity. Full body, a firm and silky texture and a flavourful finish. Lots going on. Excellent follow-up to the great 2015! 5-15+ years. An easy, soft and supple wine with plenty of ripe fruit and a touch of toasty oak. Attractive, relatively forward style. Cantemerle is a favourite and has turned in another top performance in this vintage. 94-95 Points James Suckling. Château Fonplégade, grand cru classé Saint-Emilion DCR80616 6bts 150 Really good mouthfilling fruit, pure berried black fruit style with hints of spice and oak on the finish and good mineral character. Round and full with plenty going on. Organically certified and a glorious property to visit. 5-15+ years. Tight and layered with beautiful fruit here. Full and chewy. Lots going on here. Interested to see its evolution. Velvety and rich. From organically grown grapes. 94-95 Points James Suckling. Château Berliquet, grand cru classé, Saint-Emilion DCR75116 6bts 159 This is a really powerful red with fantastic density and richness. Silky and chewy tannins. Lots of chalky, crushed limestone character. Impressive. Let s see what is better: the 2016 or 2015. 95-96 Points James Suckling. Château Bourgneuf, Pomerol DCR67916 6bts 189 Linear and racy with pretty berry and blackberry character and hints of walnuts. Medium to full body and firm tannins. Shows intensity and class. 92-93 Points James Suckling. Les Pagodes de Cos, Saint-Estèphe DCR38416 6bts 192 The brightness and focus to this second wine of Cos are certainly impressive. You can see the quality. Full body, a tight and focused palate and beautiful fruit and density. Ultra-fine tannins. Gorgeous. Sophisticated. 93-94 Points James Suckling. Château Haut-Bages Libéral, 5me cru Pauillac DCR27316 6bts 204 The best Haut-Bages we ve tasted for many years with real intensity and depth, more black fruits here and really good, ripe tannins. Full and rich, another big success from Claire Villars this year. 5-15+ years. Very chewy and long already with ripe tannins and plenty of fruit suggesting tobacco and blackcurrant character. Long finish. From biodynamic grapes. 94-95 Points James Suckling. Château Langoa-Barton, 3me cru Saint-Julien DCR24116 6bts 210 A really attractive Langoa with masses of black and red fruit on the palate with very fine tannins on the finish. A very ebullient wine that will give enormous pleasure. 5-15+ years. This is really structured with great depth and power. Full body, chewy tannins, lots of fruit and a tangy, fresh finish. Solid. 94-95 points James Suckling. Château Clerc Milon, 5me cru Pauillac DCR27416 6bts 300 Refined and ultra-fine with a linear and polished character. Full-bodied, yet tight and racy. A classy and sophisticated young wine. 94-95 Points James Suckling. Domaine de Chevalier, Rouge cru classé Pessac-Léognan DCR58816 6bts 324 A dense and tight DC with minerals, crushed stones, cement and blackcurrants. Full, tight and racy. Gorgeous. Leaf and tobacco undertones. Very tannic. Tight. So structured. Complex. 96-97 Points James Suckling. 5
Saint-Emilion: a medieval town producing exciting modern Merlot. Château Trottevieille, 1er grand cru classé Saint-Emilion DCR81716 6bts 351 The 2016 Trottevieille is a blend of 45% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Sauvignon and 53% Cabernet Franc picked on 6 October for the Merlot and 18 October for the Cabernets, one of the latest in recent years. The yield was 37 hectoliters per hectare, and it is matured entirely in new oak. The bouquet is quite intense, although personally I would have employed less new oak. However, it does open up nicely in the glass and imparts nuances such as orange blossom and incense aromas with time. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, well judged acidity, and here I feel the oak is simpatico with the fruit. It has a lovely grainy texture, great depth and maintains precision all the way through to the finish. This is a strong follow-up to the 2015 Trottevieille although it will require several years in bottle to subsume the oak. 93-95 Neil Martin Wine Advocate Château Pavie-Macquin, 1er grand cru classé Saint-Emilion DCR81616 6bts 360 This is a really fantastic PM! The licorice, fresh mushroom, sous bois and stone character is so exciting. It s full and very layered with exceptional depth and length. Compressed and focused. Pure silk. 97-98 Points James Suckling. Château Rauzan-Ségla, 2me cru Margaux DCR21816 6bts 367.50 A solid red with currant and blackberry character. Full body, soft tannins and a flavorful finish. Shows richness and excitement. Juicy and sexy undertone to this. 96-97 Points James Suckling. Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste, 5me cru Pauillac DCR27016 6bts 367.50 This is all about the finish with a sweet-tobacco, berry and light milk-chocolate character. Full body, very fine tannins and a juicy finish. Love the intensity and finesse at the end. Lots of energy. Could better the exquisite 2014. 96-97 Points James Suckling. La Clarence Haut-Brion, Pessac-Léognan DCR58016 6bts 600 This is powerful and intense with lots of minerals, crushed stones and dark fruit. Dense and linear. Minerally and very energetic. 94-95 Points James Suckling. Château Bélair Monange, 1er grand cru classé Saint-Emilion DCR77016 6bts 660 A very dense and pretty center palate of dried fruit, spices and dried tobacco. Medium to full body, chewy tannins and a savory finish. Linear and racy. Tight and reserved now but wait to see the structure develop fabulously. 95-96 Points James Suckling. Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande, 2me cru Pauillac DCR21216 6bts 720 Linear and racy with ultra-fine tannins and a gorgeous center palate. Full-bodied, tight and so polished. The classicism and beauty are exceptional. Love the texture. Better than 2015? 96-97 Points James Suckling. Château La Fleur-Pétrus, Pomerol DCR70016 6bts 948 So much to this and it shows the magic of Pomerol. Full-bodied, layered and tannic with all the energy and focus of a great vintage from this estate. Superb. 98-99 Points James Suckling. Vieux Château Certan, Pomerol DCR71016 6bts 1182 The balance and finesse to this wine are really beautiful with ultra-fine tannins and beautiful fruit. It s full and structured yet so long and intense. It s a wine that seduces you with every sip already. Great selection here. Quite simply turbocharged at the end. 98-99 Points James Suckling. Château Pavie, 1er grand cru classé Saint-Emilion DCR81916 6bts 1791 This is more compressed and tighter than the 2015. It s full-bodied, but very tight and focused. So linear and long. Love the gorgeous finesse. Goes on for minutes. All about finesse...new profile. 99-100 Points James Suckling. 6