Despite a lot of rain at harvest, cool temperatures meant there was fewer botrytis in 2016 than in 2015. 2016 is one of the coolest years in recent times. The wines are very promising, fresh-tasting, lower in alcohol, and higher in acidity than in usual years.
Red Blend
97pts Decanter; Platinum Decanter World Wine Awards; 2016 95pt Vintage Parker’s WA.
Bordeaux Red Blends
Great aromatic richness
Cabernet Sauvignon
Blackberry and hint of vanilla and oak
ripe fruit flavor throughout its life
93 pts. Tim Atkin MW Save 28% 95pt Parker Vintage
Ripe fruit with floral and spicy overtones
Sangiovese
94pts JD; 94pts Suckling; 93pts Wine Spectator SAVE 21%
Italy - Tuscany and Piedmont
98pts Galloni; 96pts Parker’s WA
95 James Suckling, 93 Wine Spectator
Rhone Red Blends
2016 Chateau La Nerthe Chateauneuf-du-Pape Cuvee des Cadettes
Cuvee des Cadettes is not a selection made in the cellar but a wine crafted from a unique 20 acre vineyard planted with 85 to 100 year old vines. This Cuvee is a cofermentation of hand harvested and hand sorted grenache syrah and mourvedre. The cuvasion begins with cold pre-fermentation maceration lasting 12 – 24 [...]
Cabernet Sauvignon
2016 Charles Krug Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Vintage Selection
A clear, deep ruby
96 Wine Spectator
I repeat will not, find a better Chablis value anywhere!” Som Select
The fruit is shapely and dense with plenty of blackberry and black cherry
Grape Varietals: Syrah. Agricultural Method: Organic Sustainable Vegan. Vinification: 25% one year old French Oak Puncheon. 30% whole cluster fermentation. Gravity racked twice. 100% Native yeast fermentation.
Typically Bordeaux but with generous fruit and no harsh tannic characters or astringency that is the feature of many inexpensive wines from the region.