2016 Bordeaux Horizontal

“Readers will find a rich, flamboyant wine in the 2016 Barde-Haut. There is not a ton of subtlety here, but I am not sure that matters all that much given how immensely pleasing the 2016 is. Crushed rocks, graphite, lavender, blackberry, plum, and violet infuse a Saint-Émilion that offers tremendous textural richness as well as vibrancy. Most importantly of all, the 2016 is flat-out delicious. This is a decidedly opulent, dark Saint-Émilion with all of the elements impeccably balanced. I loved it. (AG)” (01/2019)

“Lastly, the 2016 Château Barde-Haut might end up being the best wine ever made at this address from the Garcin-Lévêque family, and it certainly ranks with the crème de la crème of the vintage. Dense purple-hued with awesome notes of cassis, black cherries, spring flowers, damp earth, and violets, it hits the palate with incredible purity and precision, a deep, multi-dimensional texture, sweet tannins (from ripe fruit, not sugar), and a building sense of minerality that shows on the finish. It has the depth of fruit and elegance to shine even today yet will benefit from 3-5 years of bottle age and evolve for two decades. (JD) 95+” (03/2020)

“The 2016 Barde Haut is deep garnet-purple in color. It has a powerful nose of black and blue fruit with hints of cumin seed, Sichuan pepper, candied violets, and anise. Medium to full-bodied, the firm, grainy palate is packed with rich black fruits, finishing long and peppery. (LPB)” (01/2023)

“This shows such complex and beautiful aromas of flowers, lavender, light spearmint and currants. Medium to full body, very fine tannins and a long finish. All about finesse and length.” (04/2019)

“The 2016 Barde Haut is composed of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc. Deep garnet-purple colored, it gives up expressive wild blueberries, kirsch, baked plums and spice box notes with hints of cracked pepper, lavender, garrigue and Provence herbs. Medium to full-bodied and richly fruited in the mouth, the palate bursts with blue fruits, framed by firm, rounded tannins and seamless freshness, finishing long. (LPB) 93+” (03/2019)

“A neoclassical edition of Grand-Puy-Lacoste, this has cedar, graphite, deeply integrated cedar and spicy-oak influence and a very fresh array of ripe blackberries, dark cherries and cassis. The palate is so seamless. It builds beautifully and delivers a long, seamless array of perfectly ripe dark fruit, swathed in fine, firm, ascending layers of tannins. As good as we have seen in recent vintages, this is a star of the vintage.” (02/2019)

“The 2016 Grand Puy-Lacoste has a clean, precise bouquet with nicely detailed blackberry, briar and tobacco aromas, touches of mint emerging with time, all utterly charming. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins and a fine bead of acidity, conveying a sense of symmetry throughout and leading into a deft, quite persistent finish. This is very classy, and it should age with style. (NM)” (08/2020)

“Cabernet Sauvignon is dominant here, at 79% of the blend, the balance 21% Merlot. The élevage always makes use of 75% new oak, the wine resting in barrels for between 16 and 18 months. On the nose it feels dark and smoky, with classical touches of cedar and graphite. The palate feels a little loose at the moment, but it has depth, composition, freshness and substance, all backed up by a rather salty and minerally backdrop of tannins. This starts off surprisingly light, but it comes good with time through the middle, and it shows great substance and confidence in the finish too. Top work here;a wine which shows the good character of the vintage and which has considerable potential.” (12/2018)

“A Pauillac fifth growth estate with a strong reputation for outperforming its classification, Grand-Puy-Lacoste remains family-owned and run by François-Xavier Borie. The estate’s 58ha of vines in production are located on deep gravel soils. The 2016 is a blend of 79% Cabernet Sauvignon and 21% Merlot, vinified in stainless steel and aged for 18 months in French oak barrels (75% new). Georgie Hindle: Aromatic and forward. Lively, powerful, firm with plentiful tannins. Cherry, cranberry and ripe plum. Lashings of liquorice, cola and mint. Not overly spiced but still quite tight. Vincenzo Arnese: Elegant nose, very floral, hints of roses. Integrated sweet spice. The palate is fresh, with good structure. Nicely balanced. Robert Mathias MW: A Pauillac of great poise. A strong mineral inflection, with kelp and iodine notes that accentuate the ripe, dark berry fruit. Hints of black tea and cocoa. Very fine. (Panel Tasting)” (04/2025)

“Brambled fruit, cherry pit, damson, sandalwood, black pepper, baking spices, juicy finish. Moving into its drinking window, a classically succulent and drinkable GPL. 75% new oak.” (01/2026)

“The 2016 Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste is a fabulous blend of 79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Merlot. It starts off with inviting aromas of red currants, florals, tobacco, dusty graphite and hints of licorice all developing in the glass. On the palate this is medium-bodied and beautifully structured with velvety, yet supportive tannins. It continues to impress as it displays a wonderful elegance and precision through the long finish. This is a classic Grand Puy-Lacoste which will need significant time to develop and soften, however it certainly looks to have an extremely bright future ahead. (JD)” (01/2019)

“The 2016 Grand-Puy-Lacoste is deep garnet-purple in color. It springs with vibrant notes of crushed blackcurrants and juicy blackberries, plus suggestions of unsmoked cigars, lilacs, and dusty soil. The medium-bodied palate is tightly wound with black fruit and earthy layers, supported by firm, grainy tannins and just enough freshness, finishing long. (LPB)” (09/2022)

“The deep garnet-purple colored 2016 Grand-Puy-Lacoste gives up pure kirsch and red and black currants with violets and baking spices. Medium-bodied, firm and grainy, it's very expressive with good concentration and length. (LPB) 94+” (11/2018)

“A lively style, with lots of briar and tobacco notes out front, backed by punchy plum and black currant paste flavors. Has a shot of sweet tobacco lining the finish, with echoes of savory and hints of iron giving this range and length. (JM)” (03/2019)

“Very attractive, plush and rich red and dark-fruit aromas with beautifully integrated oak and youthful, spicy complexity. The palate has lush, seamless and velvety tannins that are elegant yet powerful and deliver a silky build of ripe dark-berry flavors into a long, seamless finish. Greatest Siran ever!” (02/2019)

“Now with more Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend than in the past, this wine has elegant black-currant fruits and tannins allied to a lift of acidity. Showing the continued improvements at this southern Margaux estate, the wine is joyful and ripe. (RV)” (05/2019)

“The sensual, lush-textured 2015 started the wine’s recent quality leap, but 2016, which I tasted in a 2015 to 2018 vertical, has more power, richness and silky complexity, and heady floral and red fruit aromas. That’s partly the year and partly more Cabernet Sauvignon (46%) to Merlot (44%) in the blend, which also includes spicy notes from more Petit Verdot (9%) and a 1% dash of Cabernet Franc. (EM)” (03/2021)

“The 2016 Siran has a well-defined bouquet of blackberry, raspberry, rose petal and crushed violet aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy black fruit, and quite saline in the mouth. The nicely proportioned finish displays very well-integrated oak. (NM)” (08/2020)

“Dark purplish crimson. Lovely classic Margaux scented fruit. Ultra-fine, dry and elegant tannin texture. There’s a slight austerity here but everything is in balance for elegance in the longer term. 17/20 points (JH)” (10/2018)

“Though he'd rather be a musical genius, Jean-François Reaud did wonders with this estate, in the family since 1904. Dense and full of tannins, it also offers ripe fruits. Its structure and density match the intensity of the fruit, meaning the wine has a great future. (RV)” (02/2019)