At L'Ami Louis from 375ml. Young and dark. Nose is savory. Cocoa. Leather. Dark Cherry. Overall a very enjoyable young Bordeaux. At a better price, would be very happy with this. Length is decent. Complexity is not there, but there is well balanced acid tannin fruit.
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Black fruit and lead pencil on the nose. The black fruit repeats with real depth on the taste, adding in some leather, texture, and appealing saline finish. Very impressive. This can sit in the cellar for decades.
Very giving on opening with black currant and blue fruits. With air, gives to some subtle tertiary notes. Ripe dark fruit on the palate with a bright finish notable from the generous acidity. Medium length persistence relative to others from the vintage. Enjoyable.
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Classic St Julien with, to my taste, perfect balance and structure. Well-integrated tannins, moderate nose, dry, and moderate acidity. Still has its fruit flavors without tasting overly young, and should be good for many years to come.
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Nice violet ruby. Quite mineral in the nose; fruit is not as forward as I experienced a few years ago. On the palate, quite feminine, with warm fruit, sleek, and seems a touch harsh in the mouth. Not what I remember. Dumb phase? 4-12-16-7: 89/100.
24 hours later: magnificent improvement. Much richer, smoother, and most importantly, more yummy and delicious. Tonight: 4-13-17-8: 92/100.
What can I say, it is a smooth, elegant, quintessential 93 point St. Julien effort, a Blanquito type of wine. 13.5%. Very 2016, somebody on cellar tracker described it as not typical of Bordeaux, I have no idea what they are talking about. To me it is a richly colored purple-ruby St. Julien, with an elegant St. Julien nose, and lovely ripe but elegant fruit with no hard edges, the way we like our St. Julien. At half the price of something "comparable" <rolls eyes> from California? C'mon, man. I think it will achieve Howquito after just one more Blanquito, then drink up for another decade.... Rating: 93 points.
JimHow www.bordeauxwineenthusiasts.com
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This is definitely a good wine, a very good wine. It has held up well so far. Its been 4 years since our last tasting. My wife's reactions are always the most reliable. I asked her what she thought, and she said, "Good." That's it. And, I had to ask. The flavors and aromas are not sharply defined, not focused. The word "muddy" keeps coming to mind. Will it become more defined (and refined) in the years to come? I do hope it does.
Had more of a pronounced smokiness than I remember - I often do pick this up from St. Julien though - like in Talbot. Quite pleasant, though might be closing down.
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Popped and poured, and right from the get-go, a whole different animal from what one would expect. What a sexy, plump, strawberry-jammy, silky, feminine, fruit-bomb of a wine! Yet a wine that avoids being too ripe or fat; just a fabulous expression of [what???????????] So hard to compare this with either Bordeaux or American Cabernet. Calling it "modern" in style does not cover it--this is a wine unique unto itself. It is absolutely open for business, but not especially Bordeaux-like. If I had to pick, I would liken this more to an Italian Bordeaux blend. For me, a one-of-a-kind, and in a good way. 5-13-17-9: 94/100.
This wine offers an elegant bouquet of leather and a blend of red and black fruits. I also detected subtle oak notes, but they are not intrusive at all. I am not sure if I would have guessed Bordeaux. The longer the wine stayed in the glass the more the fruit showed. The tannins are velvety smooth, making it a delight to drink right away. However, it also has great aging potential if you want those secondary aromas. DRINK or HOLD. 93-95
EDIT:After roughly two hours the wine behaved more like a Bordeaux, tons of fun, still good QPR, finished the bottle.
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I’m again struck by the mineral note of the 2016 Branaire-Ducru, really coming on strong and adding to the plum and fresh mixed berries notes - fresh, agile. Certainly on the lighter side for St Julien in 2016 but silky and compete, if a delicate touch. Nice, frutti di bosco finish. Followed for 18 hours and reasonably accessible throughout. Best from 2028 on.
92-93
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Decanted 2 hours. Not your typical 'feminine' BD. HMC didn't get to taste it between 90 and 120 minutes, but it was not indicative of a Bdx. It had a completely Napa feel in the mouth of sweet, ripe dark red fruit, smooth round tannins and certainly not a Bdx nose at any time. Never any barnyard. 95 early on, settled a point less before and after dinner to a 94 and just a little Bdx eeked out then. This is certainly another of those modern Bdxs that will please any Cali red drinker, maybe dishearten a true Bdx lover but at the same time probably convert a few Bdx lovers, to the more modern style, too.
I originally gave this 93, but marked it down because of thinning in the glass. 2016. Another globally-warmed vintage, with bright forward fruit, some complexity across the palate, but no tannic backbone. Too-easy drinking, I'm afraid.
Back tomorrow with the dregs.
vide.
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Clear dark garnet in colour; some tobacco, smoke and leather with dark fruit in background; well-balanced with surprisingly muted tannin for such a relatively young Bordeaux, and medium to long finish.
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Definitely much more open than the one I had 1.5 years ago, this wins more on how laid back and elegant it is, definitely not stacked-and-packed, this is medium-bodied and restrained. A delightful style that seems to be more ready than most from this vintage.
Refined, elegant, fresh, vibrant, and while approachable, its best days are ahead, which is when all of those sweet, ripe, perfectly balanced, layers of currants, spice, mocha, cigar wrapper, and forest leaf will be at their best. Drink from 2024-2050.
Drinking pretty well right now, certainly not tannic. Unique nose, some clear mineral notes, and dark berry. Nice, soft and long palate, would have thought Merlot a bigger part of the mix. Not classic in the Bordeaux sense, but enjoyable. Tasty, almost-candied fruit palate.
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I'm going with a 94. Drank this in Tampa with a neighbor while Hurricane Ian was wrecking Florida, and it was the one bright spot of the day. Super smooth, no harsh after taste or tannins, tasty unidentified fruit but not fruity. A winner for me. Its good now but could stay in your cellar another few years if needed.
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Not going to call this wine “ beautiful” as others have. For me, classic leftbank nose, deep fruit, and very nice balance (in fact, surprisingly non-tannic at this early stage). However, dominant for me is a very strong charcoal flavor emerging abourt 2/3rds of the way along, then overwhelming all else. This wine must have been matured in the most darkly roasted barrels that could be found. Faded a bit over 2 hrs so may mellow with time, but only a 91 for me now because of this.
The most elegant, polished yet complex 2016 Bordeaux I have tasted. Purity enclosing every Bordeaux descriptive available - as captured by the 50+ tasting notes- read Jeff Leve's several notes to glimpse the dimensions presented all balanced to inform the taste buds with every sip.
Actually the haut medoc. Nice fresh red cherry fruit on the nose with a touch of green. In a good way. Clean and fresh on the palate. Still primary and good stuff.
Gang of 4 in Covid19 times; Bordeaux, St. Julien: Ripe blackberries and blueberries in the bouquet which is still quite locked. Same on the palate, also red berries, toasty oak, firm acidity and tannin which is not edgy. Overall a very beautiful and lush wine which is still much too young. Wait at least another decade; so around 2030+
Subdued notes of forest floor and dark berries. Definitely left bank. Smooth tannins. Perceptiple acidity. Long finish. Not primary any more. Will be interesting in some years.
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Deep, dense purple. Dark fruit, blackberries, spices. Medium body, rounded firm tannins, quite long, nice acidity. Not really into this kind of wine, but it's well made and goes well with food. It's harder to drink by itself due to the firm tannins. But the wine seems balanced, but probably needs a few more years to gome together and develope.
Left open in the bottle overnight. Black-ruby. Much too young, even with air, but certainly shows what it can become. Graphite, anise, blackberry, black currant and loamy earth in the nose. Tannic with an overlay of black fruit and berries, but way too young to fully appreciate. This needs years. 5-14-16-9: 94/100.
Lots of oak and green cabernet flavors right now with expected 2016 acidity. The wine has a red raspberry vibe to it with a good long finish and tannic presence. This producer has been leaning more toward elegant style wines, unlike the old school St. Julien style of the 3 Leoville and or Gruaud or Beaucaillou...It seems to follow Pontet Canet's/Lynch Bages modern and evolutionary styles from Pauillac.This is gonna take years to get polished in a bottle...I would say 10 years! I don't know, something about this wine tells me its a future miss and that it won't get any better, but just soften and develop a nice bouquet. This house style definitely requires lots of patience as in the 2000 and 2005. HOLD and find out
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This was understandably quite tight upon opening but with some decanting opened up nicely. Balanced, precise, red fruit with plenty of tannic structure. This was very nice and seems to be a good buy across vintages.
Better on the 2nd day, this became more complete and striking. Seems like classic St. Julien, understated as I tend to find this producer but this vintage is quite beautiful with the right balance of power, nuance and elegance. Glad I have a bit more of this.
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Great nose of caramel and dark fruit. Nice, big palate with a core of cherry and currant. Surprisingly smooth and perhaps not as fruity as one might expect for such a young wine. Please hold this wine at least 4-6 more years.
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PnP and then a long decant to see how it opens up. No expectations but had a little bit of excitement going in to see how I would like the wine. First hour a little thin, sour cassis, dark red fruit. Will update in a bit. Going on three hours and not much has improved for my palate. 89-90 maybe with a point of upside?
It's been awhile since I've had a Bordeaux that spoke to me this much. Still a baby for sure, and really, really tight at first, but the nose is intoxicating. The most prominent aromas are stone fruit, leather, and to a slightly lesser extent vanilla, but if you breathe deep, there's lavender, clove, and a kind of a marinara sauce character in a sweet, warming way. I'd also say you can virtually smell the acidity. The palate has a crushed velvet texture - not to say that it's smooth, because at this point in its evolution, the acid is strong and the tannins are yet to fully resolve, but it sits on your tongue in a comfortable if staid manner, like you've sunk into an old couch at a blue-blooded university club. It leaves you with red currant, sour plum, and firm blackberry on the long, but not too eager finish. I'm definitely left wanting more...
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Blueberry, chocolate, and vanilla on the nose and lime, leather, tar, vanilla, butter, faint pine, and subdued red cherry on the palate. A bit of over-ripe fruit. Like getting a light touch massage from a heavy sumo wrestler :)
Tasted at store. Lovely fruit, impeccable balance and above all suave. Could drink now, certainly will benefit from a few years, but not an unreasonable purchase for a 71 year-old.
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Seductive nose, full of dark fruit and flowers. Cherry, cassis, chocolate, and the ever-important underlying hints of Saint Julien gravels. Velvet texture; acids and tannins are suprisingly smooth this early, but still plenty of room for aging. Nice long finish, seems to lengthen with a couple hours in the bottle. I recommend no decanting for now. Use your largest glasses instead.
90 1st night, 91 2nd, 92 3rd just using cork. Very smooth, impressive velvety tannins and decent complexity for this early. Wondered at first if a bit closed down. Lacked punch but that could be what they are going for. Should be very long lived. Now that I tried, the rest are set for slumber. 2016 as a vintage continues to impress.
Mouth: Crushed black currant, black cherry and plum notes come through in unison with powdered anise and dried sweet tobacco flavors. Very fine tannins check in amidst the finish, but are very tame.
Overall: This is seamlessly integrated already and balanced beautifully on its medium frame. Not a massive presence, but the flavors are vividly rendered and pure: the vintage in SJ is really on display here. Has finesse and balance in spades. 64% Cabernet, 27% Merlot, 6% Petit Verdot, 3% Cabernet Franc.
From a magnum at a Thai restaurant, went very well with duck. Garnet and opaque, typical St. Julien aroma of pepper, leather, cedar, moderately pronounced. Very drinkable, excellent fruit flavors, tannin in the background, long aftertaste. A classic Bordeaux, very drinkable now, should easily last many years. Ric
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64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 6% Petit Verdot and 3% Cabernet Franc. 13.5% alcohol.
Rich and seductive aromas with sweeter plums, blackberries, leather, smoke and light graphite. Medium full bodied wine with good delicate mouthfeel of fresh blackberries, leather and dried coffee beans. Good acidity and tannin structure. Seamless. Good wine. 92 points.
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Decanted for two hours. A noticeable garnet core, with a crimson rim. Blackberry, currant bush, persimmon, rose petals and mineral, with a touch of truffle. Full-bodied and very polished tannins, that are cottony as well. Of the same echelon as the sexy ‘09, this is a mere baby and will age exceptionally well. A deep core and total finesse throughout, due to a welcomed acidity. Drink 2026 -.
Much more enjoyable than the first tasting in August. Black fruit, tobacco, very nice finish. Balanced. Open for three hours, the texture is soft and smooth. A big difference from the first bottle, and quite reassuring. I think this is going to get better and better. My wife declared this bottle "really good!" I agree with her. I reminded her that our first Branaire was the 1981 in Bermuda on our honeymoon in 1986, and she smiled.
Robe pourpre dense; Nez profond, sur des notes de cerise noire, de cassis, dimension de graphite/mine à crayon omniprésente. Légère trame "verte" ou cèdre en arrière plan fort agréable. Bel ensemble très serré, en retenu & élégance. Belle bouche droite, sur un fruité dense, généreux, bien supporté par une bonne structure & une acidité qui apporte un équilibre exemplaire. Tannins fins & nombreux, légère amertume & astringence en final. Très bonne longueur, finale sur les épices. Très agréable malgré la jeunesse!
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The wine is all about its balance between the purity in the red fruits, depth of flavor, sweetness and length on the palate. The salty chalky finish, with all of its ripe, delicious red fruits shows well. Elegant, lively, silky and stylish, with nothing out of place, give this beauty 10-12 years of age and enjoy it over the next 2 decades after that.
Interesting wine. My wife's first reaction was that it was good but a little hard to swallow: it wasn't smooth. I agree. Good, even very good. Big and maybe brooding. Plenty of fruit but doesn't seem well defined. Better with food. A young wine with plenty of time to develop.
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Opens with ripping old-style tannins and fruit that's deep and dark though still restrained and far from anything you'd call sweet or fleshy, along with a streak of cedar and something vaguely metallic. With air the structure civilizes itself and the fruit complexion turns towards redder tones. It remains somewhat backwards, but pleasantly backwards - no sacrifices made for early appeal here, but there is a lot of detail and a firm construction that'll surely carry this a long way without being so drying that it fails to satisfy if a firmly structured wine is what you're in the mood for.
It is hard to say what worked better here, the soft, silky tannins, the freshness in the fruit, the purity in the berries or the elegant stylings. The cassis and boysenberry fruits make an impression on the nose and the palate. This should age for decades.
Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux 2016 Vintage Tasting (Las Vegas, NV): Floral elements are front and center on this deep ruby, medium-to-full-bodied wine. White flowers, violets and lavender partner with a nice core of red fruit. Freshly acidic and without alcoholic heat, this has beautiful mid-palate density that is buttressed by abundant fine-grained tannins and well-integrated oak. Finishing long and with good lift, it will be a hedonistic pleasure for many years. Drink 2024-2041.
UGC San Francisco: the 2016 Bordeaux: Nearly as good as the Beychevelle, lacking some of its depth and poise, but a classic in the making. Seamless. One of my favorites.
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UGC 2019 Los Angeles (Jeremy Hotel, West Hollywood): Seems like it shows even more oak than the Beychevelle. Once again though, it seems like it has the fruit to handle the oak, so while this seems slightly unidimensional now, the fruit suggests it will improve in a good direction.
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UGC Bordeaux (Drake Hotel - Chicago IL): Tasting, brief note. Black and blue fruit with hints of cassis. Lots of power, et clearly balanced with great length and persistence. 92-94 point potential.
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Zachys Grands Crus de Bordeaux 2016 (New York City, NY): There is a tremendous difference in this wine from the one that preceded it. This one is more full bodied. On the palette there are violet and floral aromatics with a mouthfeel that is full and viscous. The mid palette reveals a tannin laiden core of blackberry fruit. Finish shows a restrained fruit driven modern wine which I do believe shows ageable characteristics. The problem here is the unbalanced combo. Could potentially be 92 +
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2016 Union Des Grand Crus de Bordeaux (NYC): One of my favorite wines of the 2016 Bordeaux tasting in which the St Julien was the standout AOC. A cool expressive nose of raspberry jam with notes of pepper. Tremendous harmony and balance on the palate that make this a joy to drink young. An energetic and spicy finish.
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Elegant, polished, bright, fresh and clean, with a purity of fruit that stands out. Everything here is in balance from the silky tannins to the sweetness in the bright, red fruits. The wine lingers and expands.
En Primeur. Purple in color, fresh nose with red currant, licorice and pastilles. High acidity and freshness, elegant style. Very young of course and not ready to drink yet.
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Tasted next to Beychevelle. Less concentrated and generous, more obvious structure here, good acidity and fruit, tannins a bit more angular in comparison. Bright, vibrant finish. Very good. 91-92+
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Spicy boysenberry and sweet cassis with licorice and a kiss of oak on the nose, this wine displays elegance and a natural goodness of fruit. Oddly it gives the impression of fading in the mouth but it’s all an illusion as the essence rushes back in and lingers. Produced from a blend of 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 6% Petit Verdot and 3% Cabernet Franc, the wine reached 13.49% alcohol with a pH of 3.59. Harvesting took place from September 28 to October 19, which is the latest as well as the longest harvest in the history of Branaire Ducru.
2/15/2024 - cderderian Likes this wine:
Great color. Not complex, smooth.
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12/7/2023 - wineappreciation wrote: 90 Points
Blackberry, oak, hints of mushroom; somewhat closed, light, somewhat elegant, long, linear; good, obviously young, but not in any way exceptional
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11/27/2023 - Eric Wright Likes this wine: 91 Points
At L'Ami Louis from 375ml. Young and dark. Nose is savory. Cocoa. Leather. Dark Cherry. Overall a very enjoyable young Bordeaux. At a better price, would be very happy with this. Length is decent. Complexity is not there, but there is well balanced acid tannin fruit.
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10/27/2023 - michael.stumpf@placedynamics.c Likes this wine: 96 Points
Black fruit and lead pencil on the nose. The black fruit repeats with real depth on the taste, adding in some leather, texture, and appealing saline finish. Very impressive. This can sit in the cellar for decades.
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10/16/2023 - PoppaBear1 wrote: 93 Points
Lots of strawberry notes followed by strewed fruit. A little bit of tobacco notes as it opens up more. Absolutely delicious.
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8/23/2023 - Shugs_Claret wrote:
Very giving on opening with black currant and blue fruits. With air, gives to some subtle tertiary notes. Ripe dark fruit on the palate with a bright finish notable from the generous acidity. Medium length persistence relative to others from the vintage. Enjoyable.
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8/13/2023 - DougWilWine Likes this wine: 93 Points
Classic St Julien with, to my taste, perfect balance and structure. Well-integrated tannins, moderate nose, dry, and moderate acidity. Still has its fruit flavors without tasting overly young, and should be good for many years to come.
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7/26/2023 - MicklethePickle Likes this wine: 92 Points
Nice violet ruby. Quite mineral in the nose; fruit is not as forward as I experienced a few years ago. On the palate, quite feminine, with warm fruit, sleek, and seems a touch harsh in the mouth. Not what I remember. Dumb phase? 4-12-16-7: 89/100.
24 hours later: magnificent improvement. Much richer, smoother, and most importantly, more yummy and delicious. Tonight: 4-13-17-8: 92/100.
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7/26/2023 - JimHow Likes this wine: 93 Points
What can I say, it is a smooth, elegant, quintessential 93 point St. Julien effort, a Blanquito type of wine. 13.5%. Very 2016, somebody on cellar tracker described it as not typical of Bordeaux, I have no idea what they are talking about. To me it is a richly colored purple-ruby St. Julien, with an elegant St. Julien nose, and lovely ripe but elegant fruit with no hard edges, the way we like our St. Julien. At half the price of something "comparable" <rolls eyes> from California? C'mon, man. I think it will achieve Howquito after just one more Blanquito, then drink up for another decade.... Rating: 93 points.
JimHow
www.bordeauxwineenthusiasts.com
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7/8/2023 - Cincinnatus Likes this wine: 92 Points
This is definitely a good wine, a very good wine. It has held up well so far. Its been 4 years since our last tasting. My wife's reactions are always the most reliable. I asked her what she thought, and she said, "Good." That's it. And, I had to ask. The flavors and aromas are not sharply defined, not focused. The word "muddy" keeps coming to mind. Will it become more defined (and refined) in the years to come? I do hope it does.
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7/4/2023 - John McCabe wrote: 93 Points
Had more of a pronounced smokiness than I remember - I often do pick this up from St. Julien though - like in Talbot. Quite pleasant, though might be closing down.
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6/24/2023 - BSal58 wrote:
A very nice bottle. The fruit is sutle but definitely there.
It has a long smooth finish.
93+
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4/16/2023 - Shugs_Claret wrote: 93 Points
Dinner at the DAC. Open nose of mixed berries. Very primary still but a deft hand with the oak. Medium length with velvety tannins. Really nice 16
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3/10/2023 - arnoldylchan@yahoo.com.hk Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very elegant and delicious. Already ready for appreciation after 1 hour in decanter. Likely will improve in next 10 years .
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3/9/2023 - MicklethePickle Likes this wine: 94 Points
Popped and poured, and right from the get-go, a whole different animal from what one would expect. What a sexy, plump, strawberry-jammy, silky, feminine, fruit-bomb of a wine! Yet a wine that avoids being too ripe or fat; just a fabulous expression of [what???????????] So hard to compare this with either Bordeaux or American Cabernet. Calling it "modern" in style does not cover it--this is a wine unique unto itself. It is absolutely open for business, but not especially Bordeaux-like. If I had to pick, I would liken this more to an Italian Bordeaux blend. For me, a one-of-a-kind, and in a good way. 5-13-17-9: 94/100.
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3/6/2023 - Wine.ape Likes this wine: 94 Points
This wine offers an elegant bouquet of leather and a blend of red and black fruits. I also detected subtle oak notes, but they are not intrusive at all. I am not sure if I would have guessed Bordeaux. The longer the wine stayed in the glass the more the fruit showed. The tannins are velvety smooth, making it a delight to drink right away. However, it also has great aging potential if you want those secondary aromas. DRINK or HOLD. 93-95
EDIT:After roughly two hours the wine behaved more like a Bordeaux, tons of fun, still good QPR, finished the bottle.
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2/25/2023 - englishman's claret wrote: 93 Points
I’m again struck by the mineral note of the 2016 Branaire-Ducru, really coming on strong and adding to the plum and fresh mixed berries notes - fresh, agile. Certainly on the lighter side for St Julien in 2016 but silky and compete, if a delicate touch. Nice, frutti di bosco finish. Followed for 18 hours and reasonably accessible throughout. Best from 2028 on.
92-93
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1/15/2023 - Mark1npt Likes this wine: 95 Points
Decanted 2 hours. Not your typical 'feminine' BD. HMC didn't get to taste it between 90 and 120 minutes, but it was not indicative of a Bdx. It had a completely Napa feel in the mouth of sweet, ripe dark red fruit, smooth round tannins and certainly not a Bdx nose at any time. Never any barnyard. 95 early on, settled a point less before and after dinner to a 94 and just a little Bdx eeked out then. This is certainly another of those modern Bdxs that will please any Cali red drinker, maybe dishearten a true Bdx lover but at the same time probably convert a few Bdx lovers, to the more modern style, too.
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1/13/2023 - vide Likes this wine: 92 Points
I originally gave this 93, but marked it down because of thinning in the glass.
2016. Another globally-warmed vintage, with bright forward fruit, some complexity across the palate, but no tannic backbone. Too-easy drinking, I'm afraid.
Back tomorrow with the dregs.
vide.
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1/7/2023 - larryw Likes this wine: 91 Points
Clear dark garnet in colour; some tobacco, smoke and leather with dark fruit in background; well-balanced with surprisingly muted tannin for such a relatively young Bordeaux, and medium to long finish.
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1/3/2023 - John McCabe wrote: 94 Points
Definitely much more open than the one I had 1.5 years ago, this wins more on how laid back and elegant it is, definitely not stacked-and-packed, this is medium-bodied and restrained. A delightful style that seems to be more ready than most from this vintage.
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11/1/2022 - Jeff Leve wrote: 95 Points
Refined, elegant, fresh, vibrant, and while approachable, its best days are ahead, which is when all of those sweet, ripe, perfectly balanced, layers of currants, spice, mocha, cigar wrapper, and forest leaf will be at their best. Drink from 2024-2050.
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10/26/2022 - rcg62 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Drinking pretty well right now, certainly not tannic. Unique nose, some clear mineral notes, and dark berry. Nice, soft and long palate, would have thought Merlot a bigger part of the mix. Not classic in the Bordeaux sense, but enjoyable. Tasty, almost-candied fruit palate.
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9/28/2022 - William J. Le Petomane Likes this wine: 94 Points
I'm going with a 94. Drank this in Tampa with a neighbor while Hurricane Ian was wrecking Florida, and it was the one bright spot of the day. Super smooth, no harsh after taste or tannins, tasty unidentified fruit but not fruity. A winner for me. Its good now but could stay in your cellar another few years if needed.
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9/18/2022 - ginfizz wrote: flawed
Corked
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8/23/2022 - Shrages wrote: 91 Points
Not going to call this wine “ beautiful” as others have. For me, classic leftbank nose, deep fruit, and very nice balance (in fact, surprisingly non-tannic at this early stage). However, dominant for me is a very strong charcoal flavor emerging abourt 2/3rds of the way along, then overwhelming all else. This wine must have been matured in the most darkly roasted barrels that could be found. Faded a bit over 2 hrs so may mellow with time, but only a 91 for me now because of this.
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6/14/2022 - xyc Likes this wine: 95 Points
The most elegant, polished yet complex 2016 Bordeaux I have tasted. Purity enclosing every Bordeaux descriptive available - as captured by the 50+ tasting notes- read Jeff Leve's several notes to glimpse the dimensions presented all balanced to inform the taste buds with every sip.
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4/25/2022 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Actually the haut medoc. Nice fresh red cherry fruit on the nose with a touch of green. In a good way. Clean and fresh on the palate. Still primary and good stuff.
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12/15/2021 - Zweder wrote: 93 Points
Gang of 4 in Covid19 times; Bordeaux, St. Julien: Ripe blackberries and blueberries in the bouquet which is still quite locked. Same on the palate, also red berries, toasty oak, firm acidity and tannin which is not edgy. Overall a very beautiful and lush wine which is still much too young. Wait at least another decade; so around 2030+
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10/9/2021 - sempervinum wrote:
Subdued notes of forest floor and dark berries. Definitely left bank. Smooth tannins. Perceptiple acidity. Long finish. Not primary any more. Will be interesting in some years.
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9/13/2021 - LStaples wrote:
Magnificent and just starting to show the structure and balance Probably undervalued in this part of Bordeaux tasted sept 2021
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2/26/2021 - C.Holywater wrote:
Deep, dense purple.
Dark fruit, blackberries, spices.
Medium body, rounded firm tannins, quite long, nice acidity.
Not really into this kind of wine, but it's well made and goes well with food. It's harder to drink by itself due to the firm tannins. But the wine seems balanced, but probably needs a few more years to gome together and develope.
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12/25/2020 - MicklethePickle Likes this wine: 94 Points
Left open in the bottle overnight. Black-ruby. Much too young, even with air, but certainly shows what it can become. Graphite, anise, blackberry, black currant and loamy earth in the nose. Tannic with an overlay of black fruit and berries, but way too young to fully appreciate. This needs years. 5-14-16-9: 94/100.
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8/30/2020 - Purple Tooth wrote: 92 Points
Lots of oak and green cabernet flavors right now with expected 2016 acidity. The wine has a red raspberry vibe to it with a good long finish and tannic presence. This producer has been leaning more toward elegant style wines, unlike the old school St. Julien style of the 3 Leoville and or Gruaud or Beaucaillou...It seems to follow Pontet Canet's/Lynch Bages modern and evolutionary styles from Pauillac.This is gonna take years to get polished in a bottle...I would say 10 years! I don't know, something about this wine tells me its a future miss and that it won't get any better, but just soften and develop a nice bouquet. This house style definitely requires lots of patience as in the 2000 and 2005. HOLD and find out
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6/30/2020 - John McCabe wrote: 94 Points
This was understandably quite tight upon opening but with some decanting opened up nicely. Balanced, precise, red fruit with plenty of tannic structure. This was very nice and seems to be a good buy across vintages.
Better on the 2nd day, this became more complete and striking. Seems like classic St. Julien, understated as I tend to find this producer but this vintage is quite beautiful with the right balance of power, nuance and elegance. Glad I have a bit more of this.
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6/17/2020 - Central Coast Sharon Likes this wine:
Great nose of caramel and dark fruit. Nice, big palate with a core of cherry and currant. Surprisingly smooth and perhaps not as fruity as one might expect for such a young wine. Please hold this wine at least 4-6 more years.
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6/9/2020 - LiteItOnFire wrote: 89 Points
Same notes as before (opened for a friend).
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5/22/2020 - LiteItOnFire Likes this wine: 90 Points
PnP and then a long decant to see how it opens up. No expectations but had a little bit of excitement going in to see how I would like the wine. First hour a little thin, sour cassis, dark red fruit. Will update in a bit. Going on three hours and not much has improved for my palate. 89-90 maybe with a point of upside?
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5/18/2020 - judgepalmer Likes this wine: 94 Points
It's been awhile since I've had a Bordeaux that spoke to me this much. Still a baby for sure, and really, really tight at first, but the nose is intoxicating. The most prominent aromas are stone fruit, leather, and to a slightly lesser extent vanilla, but if you breathe deep, there's lavender, clove, and a kind of a marinara sauce character in a sweet, warming way. I'd also say you can virtually smell the acidity. The palate has a crushed velvet texture - not to say that it's smooth, because at this point in its evolution, the acid is strong and the tannins are yet to fully resolve, but it sits on your tongue in a comfortable if staid manner, like you've sunk into an old couch at a blue-blooded university club. It leaves you with red currant, sour plum, and firm blackberry on the long, but not too eager finish. I'm definitely left wanting more...
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5/9/2020 - Minijon19 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Kjøpes igjen. Drikkes m biff
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3/14/2020 - winecoffee wrote: 92 Points
Blueberry, chocolate, and vanilla on the nose and lime, leather, tar, vanilla, butter, faint pine, and subdued red cherry on the palate. A bit of over-ripe fruit. Like getting a light touch massage from a heavy sumo wrestler :)
This wine will be a m a z i n g in 10 years!
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3/7/2020 - cweiss wrote:
Tasted at store. Lovely fruit, impeccable balance and above all suave. Could drink now, certainly will benefit from a few years, but not an unreasonable purchase for a 71 year-old.
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2/23/2020 - StevenM wrote: 93 Points
Seductive nose, full of dark fruit and flowers. Cherry, cassis, chocolate, and the ever-important underlying hints of Saint Julien gravels. Velvet texture; acids and tannins are suprisingly smooth this early, but still plenty of room for aging. Nice long finish, seems to lengthen with a couple hours in the bottle. I recommend no decanting for now. Use your largest glasses instead.
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2/16/2020 - PSanDiego Likes this wine: 91 Points
Paid $69.99. I loved the bottle before this one. It closed down hard. See 10/11/2019.
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2/16/2020 - Philippe_C wrote: 91 Points
Light nose of red cherries, sous-bois... Nice polished tannin, red fresh fruit.
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1/31/2020 - TahoeSki wrote: 92 Points
90 1st night, 91 2nd, 92 3rd just using cork. Very smooth, impressive velvety tannins and decent complexity for this early. Wondered at first if a bit closed down. Lacked punch but that could be what they are going for. Should be very long lived. Now that I tried, the rest are set for slumber. 2016 as a vintage continues to impress.
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1/6/2020 - RoyaltyCoins wrote: 94 Points
Deep ruby
Nose: Cassis, blueberry skins, sweet tobacco, vanilla. Light, elegant projection.
Mouth: Crushed black currant, black cherry and plum notes come through in unison with powdered anise and dried sweet tobacco flavors. Very fine tannins check in amidst the finish, but are very tame.
Overall: This is seamlessly integrated already and balanced beautifully on its medium frame. Not a massive presence, but the flavors are vividly rendered and pure: the vintage in SJ is really on display here. Has finesse and balance in spades. 64% Cabernet, 27% Merlot, 6% Petit Verdot, 3% Cabernet Franc.
94
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12/30/2019 - Ex-Ray Likes this wine: 94 Points
From a magnum at a Thai restaurant, went very well with duck. Garnet and opaque, typical St. Julien aroma of pepper, leather, cedar, moderately pronounced. Very drinkable, excellent fruit flavors, tannin in the background, long aftertaste. A classic Bordeaux, very drinkable now, should easily last many years.
Ric
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11/28/2019 - Andre Brattland wrote: 92 Points
64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 6% Petit Verdot and 3% Cabernet Franc. 13.5% alcohol.
Rich and seductive aromas with sweeter plums, blackberries, leather, smoke and light graphite. Medium full bodied wine with good delicate mouthfeel of fresh blackberries, leather and dried coffee beans. Good acidity and tannin structure. Seamless. Good wine. 92 points.
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11/15/2019 - Matt Scott Likes this wine: 95 Points
Decanted for two hours. A noticeable garnet core, with a crimson rim. Blackberry, currant bush, persimmon, rose petals and mineral, with a touch of truffle. Full-bodied and very polished tannins, that are cottony as well. Of the same echelon as the sexy ‘09, this is a mere baby and will age exceptionally well. A deep core and total finesse throughout, due to a welcomed acidity. Drink 2026 -.
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11/9/2019 - rmcnees wrote: 90 Points
https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2019/11/ducru-beaucaillou-vertical-showcases.html
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11/7/2019 - Cincinnatus Likes this wine: 94 Points
Much more enjoyable than the first tasting in August. Black fruit, tobacco, very nice finish. Balanced. Open for three hours, the texture is soft and smooth. A big difference from the first bottle, and quite reassuring. I think this is going to get better and better. My wife declared this bottle "really good!" I agree with her. I reminded her that our first Branaire was the 1981 in Bermuda on our honeymoon in 1986, and she smiled.
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10/26/2019 - sidaga Likes this wine: 92 Points
Robe pourpre dense;
Nez profond, sur des notes de cerise noire, de cassis, dimension de graphite/mine à crayon omniprésente. Légère trame "verte" ou cèdre en arrière plan fort agréable. Bel ensemble très serré, en retenu & élégance.
Belle bouche droite, sur un fruité dense, généreux, bien supporté par une bonne structure & une acidité qui apporte un équilibre exemplaire. Tannins fins & nombreux, légère amertume & astringence en final. Très bonne longueur, finale sur les épices. Très agréable malgré la jeunesse!
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10/11/2019 - PSanDiego Likes this wine: 96 Points
Paid $68.99. Excellent Bordeaux wine. Drinking very well right now. Hope to drink lots more before it closes down.
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9/21/2019 - Jeff Leve wrote: 95 Points
The wine is all about its balance between the purity in the red fruits, depth of flavor, sweetness and length on the palate. The salty chalky finish, with all of its ripe, delicious red fruits shows well. Elegant, lively, silky and stylish, with nothing out of place, give this beauty 10-12 years of age and enjoy it over the next 2 decades after that.
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9/10/2019 - "Rhône Rider" Likes this wine: 94 Points
Lukket nese med litt parfyme og sigar. Forførende i munn med sigar, kaffe, blomster, treverk. Spesielt frisk og flott balanse. Meget lang. 94-95
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8/30/2019 - Cincinnatus Likes this wine: 92 Points
Interesting wine. My wife's first reaction was that it was good but a little hard to swallow: it wasn't smooth. I agree. Good, even very good. Big and maybe brooding. Plenty of fruit but doesn't seem well defined. Better with food. A young wine with plenty of time to develop.
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8/24/2019 - dnnk88 wrote: 90 Points
Great Bordeaux 2016 Tasting: Tasted cassis, red berries. Vibrant and slightly acidic. Not bad.
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5/18/2019 - Keith Levenberg Likes this wine: 92 Points
Opens with ripping old-style tannins and fruit that's deep and dark though still restrained and far from anything you'd call sweet or fleshy, along with a streak of cedar and something vaguely metallic. With air the structure civilizes itself and the fruit complexion turns towards redder tones. It remains somewhat backwards, but pleasantly backwards - no sacrifices made for early appeal here, but there is a lot of detail and a firm construction that'll surely carry this a long way without being so drying that it fails to satisfy if a firmly structured wine is what you're in the mood for.
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3/8/2019 - englishman's claret wrote: 92 Points
Redcurrant, cranberry, cedar - very minerally and herbal in the Branaire Ducru style. I will look forward to seeing this develop.
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3/7/2019 - curtr Likes this wine: 93 Points
Nice depth of material, balanced, try again in 8-12 years.
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2/27/2019 - FransS wrote: 91 Points
The 2016 vintage UGCB tasting in Amsterdam 2/25/2019; 2/25/2019-2/27/2019 (Amsterdam): Normally very reliable; this time, however, the wine showed friendly and tasty, but had too little of everything to make it a Grand Vin.
I hope for a second encounter.
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2/25/2019 - Zweder wrote: 92 Points
UCGB tasting Bordeaux 2016 (Beurs van Berlage, Amsterdam.): Beautiful and elegant dark and red berries. Silky and refined. This will probably be a great beauty between 2030 and 2035+
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2/25/2019 - Xavier Auerbach wrote: 91 Points
Amsterdam UGCB Tasting and Winemakers' Dinner (Beurs van Berlage / Café De Klepel): A relatively gentle wine, with freshness and sève, made on the fruit, well absorbed oak, charming and with good persistence.
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2/9/2019 - Jeff Leve wrote: 95 Points
It is hard to say what worked better here, the soft, silky tannins, the freshness in the fruit, the purity in the berries or the elegant stylings. The cassis and boysenberry fruits make an impression on the nose and the palate. This should age for decades.
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1/28/2019 - alanr wrote: 91 Points
UGC SF - nice medium deep red fruit, straight arrow, good structure.
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1/26/2019 - La Cave d'Argent Likes this wine: 94 Points
Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux 2016 Vintage Tasting (Las Vegas, NV): Floral elements are front and center on this deep ruby, medium-to-full-bodied wine. White flowers, violets and lavender partner with a nice core of red fruit. Freshly acidic and without alcoholic heat, this has beautiful mid-palate density that is buttressed by abundant fine-grained tannins and well-integrated oak. Finishing long and with good lift, it will be a hedonistic pleasure for many years. Drink 2024-2041.
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1/25/2019 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 92 Points
UNION DES GRANDS CRUS DE BORDEAUX 2016 VINTAGE SAN FRANCISCO. (Metreon, San Francisco, Ca.): UNION DES GRANDS CRUS DE BORDEAUX 2016 VINTAGE SAN FRANCISCO. Nose of red cherry, black cherry, cherry tart, and tobacco, same on the palate, lovely taste, medium/big body, slightly fruit forward, medium/long finish.
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1/25/2019 - blanquito wrote:
UGC San Francisco: the 2016 Bordeaux: Nearly as good as the Beychevelle, lacking some of its depth and poise, but a classic in the making. Seamless. One of my favorites.
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1/25/2019 - drwine2001 wrote:
Selective Sampling of the UGC Tasting of 2016 Bordeaux (Metreon, San Francisco): Excellent texture, feel, and complexity. Tannic but round.
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1/24/2019 - Aravind Asok wrote:
UGC 2019 Los Angeles (Jeremy Hotel, West Hollywood): Seems like it shows even more oak than the Beychevelle. Once again though, it seems like it has the fruit to handle the oak, so while this seems slightly unidimensional now, the fruit suggests it will improve in a good direction.
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1/23/2019 - Burgundy Al wrote:
UGC Bordeaux (Drake Hotel - Chicago IL): Tasting, brief note. Black and blue fruit with hints of cassis. Lots of power, et clearly balanced with great length and persistence. 92-94 point potential.
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1/21/2019 - tomoem wrote: 90 Points
Zachys Grands Crus de Bordeaux 2016 (New York City, NY): There is a tremendous difference in this wine from the one that preceded it. This one is more full bodied. On the palette there are violet and floral aromatics with a mouthfeel that is full and viscous. The mid palette reveals a tannin laiden core of blackberry fruit. Finish shows a restrained fruit driven modern wine which I do believe shows ageable characteristics. The problem here is the unbalanced combo. Could potentially be 92 +
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1/21/2019 - jgreco Likes this wine: 94 Points
2016 Union Des Grand Crus de Bordeaux (NYC): One of my favorite wines of the 2016 Bordeaux tasting in which the St Julien was the standout AOC. A cool expressive nose of raspberry jam with notes of pepper. Tremendous harmony and balance on the palate that make this a joy to drink young. An energetic and spicy finish.
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5/13/2018 - Jeff Leve wrote: 94 Points
Elegant, polished, bright, fresh and clean, with a purity of fruit that stands out. Everything here is in balance from the silky tannins to the sweetness in the bright, red fruits. The wine lingers and expands.
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9/7/2017 - Markus IWC wrote: 87 Points
En Primeur. Purple in color, fresh nose with red currant, licorice and pastilles. High acidity and freshness, elegant style. Very young of course and not ready to drink yet.
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7/5/2017 - Mascarello59 Likes this wine: 93 Points
BBR 2016 Bordeaux tasting (London): Very silky and approachable. Lots of freshness and ripe fruit, very good and a positive surprise. 92-94p
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7/5/2017 - rossi.wine wrote: 92 Points
Tasted next to Beychevelle. Less concentrated and generous, more obvious structure here, good acidity and fruit, tannins a bit more angular in comparison. Bright, vibrant finish. Very good. 91-92+
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5/20/2017 - wineforth Likes this wine: 94 Points
Lords en primeur tasting. Quite dark, lovely nose, very soft fruit and good length. A good all round wine just lacking in the wow factor.
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4/29/2017 - Jeff Leve wrote: 94 Points
Spicy boysenberry and sweet cassis with licorice and a kiss of oak on the nose, this wine displays elegance and a natural goodness of fruit. Oddly it gives the impression of fading in the mouth but it’s all an illusion as the essence rushes back in and lingers. Produced from a blend of 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 6% Petit Verdot and 3% Cabernet Franc, the wine reached 13.49% alcohol with a pH of 3.59. Harvesting took place from September 28 to October 19, which is the latest as well as the longest harvest in the history of Branaire Ducru.
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