Haut-Médoc and Médoc: primeurs 2016

Even if many of the wines from these two appellations are not sold en primeur, this is an opportunity for the wine lover to unearth some very good value for money. These are wines that make sense, especially in a vintage such as 2016, which erases their austere side. Full of fruit and deliciousness, they are among this year's bargains, and there are many of them. Enjoy your selection!

Château Beaumont - Haut-Médoc - 2016

Spices, a little caramel. Dense on the palate, but a strong extraction that stretches the whole. - 15/16

Château Cantemerle - Haut-Médoc - 2016

Spicy nose, graphite, pencil lead. Dense on the palate, building tannins but less crisp and fruity than the vintage would suggest. - 15/16

Château Charmail - Haut-Médoc - 2016

Smoky, liquorice nose with a hint of vegetal. Round, with extraction (a little too much), volume and a finish that is a little tense. Yet the potential is there. - 15/16

Château Croix du Trale - Haut-Médoc - 2016

Hints of liquorice, black fruit and freshness. Fleshy on the palate, a heavy tannic load with building tannins that are a little tight on the finish. A shame. - 15/16

Château Moulin Rouge (du) - Haut-Médoc - 2016

Fresh, slightly minty, intense black fruit notes. Luscious, juicy, charming for a wine that will blend perfectly with ageing and retain its gourmand notes. -15/16

Château Reysson - Haut-Médoc - 2016

A closed, somewhat shy nose, with a supple, well-established mouthfeel, freshness and gourmandise. - 15/16

Château Trois Moulins - Haut-Médoc - 2016

Fruity, greedy, elegant with notes of black fruit, juicy, elegant palate, light touches of bell pepper for a fruity finish. Tension on the finish at this stage. - 15/16

Château Arcins (d') - Haut-Médoc - 2016

Recreative greediness on the nose, notes of black fruit. On the palate, crunchy, vibrant, beautifully fleshy for a particularly well-balanced whole. A wine for pleasure. Good effort. - 15/16,5

Château Breuil (du) - Haut-Médoc - 2016

Blackcurrant, almost crème de cassis, flowers too. Juicy, greedy, well in place with tannins that mark a little on the finish but a balanced whole. - 15/16,5

Château Citran - Haut-Médoc - 2016

A blend of black fruits and flowers that leaves an impression of harmony. Dense on the palate, with building, structuring tannins for a well-polished but slightly austere finish - 15/16.5

Château Coufran - Haut-Médoc - 2016

Spicy, graphite nose. Dense, tannic palate, volume, beautiful expression. - 15/16,5

Château Labat - Haut-Médoc - 2016

The nose is dominated, for the moment, by noble wood. Some black fruit notes. A greedy, fruity, juicy entry to a tauter, more acidic structure. A fine wine for pleasure. - 15/16,5

Château Lamarque (de) - Haut-Médoc - 2016

Black fruit, spices too. Velvety, almost creamy mouthfeel on entry, with structuring tannins. - 15/16,5

Château Soudars - Haut-Médoc - 2016

Smoky oak, spices and hints of bell pepper and licorice. Juicy, greedy, beautiful fruit for a long finish. - 15/16,5

Château Verdignan - Haut-Médoc - 2016

Strawberry, black fruit, lovely gourmet aromas. The palate is a little tight, the tannins are structuring and a little austere at this stage. - 15/16,5

Château Camensac (de) - Haut-Médoc - 2016

Spicy, a little closed. Density, tannins that are a little tight, but building tannins. Extraction seems to mark the wines. To be relished. - 15/16?

Château Barreyres - Haut-Médoc - 2016

Spicy and slightly smoky, the nose reveals notes of black fruit and graphite. Freshness on the palate, crisp, juicy, fleshy too, with building tannins. A very fine effort. - 16/17

Château Cambon la Pelouse - Haut-Médoc - 2016

Slightly lively, acidic nose of strawberry and redcurrant. Floral too. Very fine, precise mouthfeel, elegant tannic structure, structured but never drying out. Good value for money. - 16/17

Château Cassana (de) - Haut-Médoc - 2016

Floral nose, a little lilac, a little iris. Juicy on the palate, with structured, slightly austere tannins that will gain patina with age. A wine set to last. - 16/17

Château Cissac - Haut-Médoc - 2016

Mentholated freshness for a fine expression of greedy black fruit. The woodiness returns a little on the palate, with structuring tannins that build but don't dry out, substance and complexity. A rather robust Cissac that retains the freshness of the vintage. - 16/17

Château Hanteillan (d') - Haut-Médoc - 2016

Fruity, almost crisp, fresh nose. Lively, dynamic, crisp and fruity on the palate. - 16/17

Château Lanessan - Haut-Médoc - 2016

Rose, black fruit, beautiful spices (licorice) for an elegant nose. Juicy, full-bodied, powerful but still fresh, fruity and delicious. Beautiful bottle - 16/17

Château Martin - Haut-Médoc - 2016

Minty freshness, lovely black fruit notes. Luscious and juicy on the palate, with substance but well coated by acidity and an airy finish. - 16/17

Château Mille Roses - Haut-Médoc - 2016

Hints of fresh, ripe grapes, but the palate reveals slightly raspy, austere tannins. Fresh, fruity finish. - 16/17

Château Moulin Rouge (du) - Haut-Médoc - 2016

Nose of iris, violet a little, lilac sometimes with aeration. Black cherry on the palate, volume, power without losing the freshness that supports the whole. Beautiful bitters on the finish. - 16/17

Château Bernadotte - Haut-Médoc - 2016

Slightly smoky, graphite, a little licorice too for a very spicy nose. Juicy, sapid, very fine tannins, a wine with length, freshness and structure. Good ageing potential. A most accomplished Bernadotte. - 16/17,5

Château Clément-Pichon - Haut-Médoc - 2016

Nose of blackcurrant leaf, ripe fruit, taut, precise palate, fresh tannins. Never been so fresh and delicious. Merlot that thinks it's Cabernet. - 16/17,5

Château La Tour Carnet - Haut-Médoc - 2016

Spicy, woody nose, freshness and density on the palate. Structuring tannins for a dense, straightforward whole. A fine La Tour Carnet that never really reveals itself in primeur. - 16/17,5

Château Larrivaux - Haut-Médoc - 2016

Floral, iris, lily with hints of rose. Velvety, fresh, very fine tannins with a high tannic load and superb length. The fleshiness of clay, the tension of limestone. Without doubt the finest Larrivaux of the modern era. Superb value for money (around 15 Euros). - 16/17,5

Château Malescasse - Haut-Médoc - 2016

Nose of blackcurrant, blackberry, very fine expression of freshness. Velvety on the palate, with wood but depth and suavity. - 16/17,5

Château Paloumey - Haut-Médoc - 2016

Attractive nose of blackberry and blueberry with complexity. Freshness and depth on the program, lovely tension with crunch and fleshiness. A very fine Paloumey. - 16/17,5

Château Agassac (d') - Haut-Médoc - 2016

Black fruit, blackcurrant leaf, a little floral. Delicate, precise mouthfeel with building, juicy tannins. A very fine expression of Agassac, the culmination of long work by Jean-Luc Zell. - 16/18

Château Gravilles (les) Renaissance - Haut-Médoc - 2016

Ripe black fruit, floral touches, a hint of spice. Sappy and well-structured, with fine tannins, depth and substance for a rather heavy but delicate tannic load. A very fine bottle. - 16/18

Château Lagune (la) - Haut-Médoc - 2016

Floral, delicate black fruit. Suave and juicy at the same time, dense on the palate, with structure and length. A very fine La Lagune, perhaps one of the most charming. - 17/18

Château Sociando-Mallet - Haut-Médoc - 2016

Woody, floral too, with hints of iris. The palate is suave but cut through the mass, with volume and tension too. A very fine Sociando-Mallet, a must-have in your cellar. - 17/18

Saïkouk - Médoc - 2016

Fresh, fruity, greedy, with notes of blackberry and blackcurrant. Light on the palate, fresh but a little lean for the vintage. - 14/15

Château Haut Condissas - Médoc - 2016

Clove, very woody, toasty too. Amplitude and density, big tannic charge, density. A little too much for my taste. - 15/16

Château L'Ecrin de Couleys - Médoc - 2016

Black fruits, a few touches of flowers, for a dapper, fruity, alert nose. Straightforward on the palate, juicy substance, structuring tannins, a beautiful whole. A pleasant wine. - 15/16

Château Rollan de By - Médoc - 2016

Wood, licorice, a little toasted. Very tannic, dense, muscular palate. Dry finish. - 15/16

Château Vernous - Médoc - 2016

Fruity, crisp, though a little herbaceous. Tart mouthfeel, medium structure, juicy. - 15/16

Vieux Château Landon - Médoc - 2016

Nice woodiness, a little prominent, spices, graphite notes. On the palate, more upright than round structure, slight Médoc austerity, airy finish. Still a little shy. - 15/16

Château Grands Chênes (les) - Médoc - 2016

Blackcurrant, blackberry, fruitiness for an airy whole. Juicy, tasty with a tannic frame. Deep. - 15/16,5

Château Haut Barrail - Médoc - 2016

Pretty black fruits, greediness. A little tense on the palate, with a well-structured tannic framework and a slightly herbaceous but pleasant finish. - 15/16,5

Château La Tour de By - Médoc - 2016

Fresh, greedy nose of black fruit with hints of cherry. Juicy on the palate, tannic but straightforward and dense. A fine exercise. - 15/16,5

Château Moulin de Canhaut - Médoc - 2016

Notes of bell pepper, a little blackcurrant leaf. Tension, controlled acidity, a beautiful ensemble of freshness and gourmandise. - 15/16,5

Château Moulin de Taffard - Médoc - 2016

Slightly coffee/mocha, a little spice too, with black fruits adding a note of freshness and palatability. Straightforward, structuring tannins, the volume doesn't take over thanks to good acidity. A wine for ageing and indulgence. - 15/16,5

Château Patache d'Aux - Médoc - 2016

Inky, floral, peony nose. Tannic palate, a little hard, lacking suppleness and juice. But balanced, fresh and fruity. - 15/16,5

Château Pey (le) - Médoc - 2016

Spices, a little graphite too, ink. Full-bodied, with a high tannic load, but with a smooth mouthfeel. - 15/16,5

Château Potensac Chapelle de - Médoc - 2016

Gourmand, fresh, fruity nose, very fine aromas of blackcurrant. Luscious, well-in place, beautiful Cabernets on the tension. - 15/16,5

Château Tour Castillon - Médoc - 2016

Aromas of blackberries and delicate oak on a deep, dense nose. Lively and straightforward on the palate, with good freshness and delicacy for a wine that is straightforward and tannic, with more length than density. Good ageing potential - 15/16.5+.

Château Noaillac - Médoc - 2016

A fresh, fruity nose, very black fruit despite some floral interstices. Juicy entry, volume, present and structuring tannins that should soften with time but guarantee real ageing potential. - 15/16+

Château Arsac (d') The Winemarkers' Collection by Hubert de Boüard - Médoc - 2016

Closed nose, floral on aeration. Tasty and juicy, with velvety tannins and substance. - 15/17,5

Château La France Delhomme - Médoc - 2016

Spicy, black fruits. Beautiful tension, good control of acidity, greediness. An estate to watch. - 15/17,5

Château Cos d'Estournel Goulée by Cos d'Estournel - Médoc - 2016

Black fruit, crisp, with a hint of herbs, but without being overpowering. Tannic on the palate, but also greedy, with a fruity, airy finish. Classy tannins. Less interventionism and the impression of crunching grapes. A most accomplished Goulée - 16/17

Château Fontaine de l'Aubier - Médoc - 2016

Floral, beautiful black fruit, chewy, greedy. Beautiful balance. - 16/17

Château Inclassable (l') - Médoc - 2016

Black fruit and a little spice, structuring tannins, substance, Médoc austerity. - 16/17

Château Preuillac - Médoc - 2016

Black fruit, fresh and floral on aeration. Very nice mouthfeel, juicy, suave, full yet with a lovely expression of fruit. Delicious and deep. - 16/17

Château Roquegrave - Médoc - 2016

Slightly metallic on the nose, juicy, almost creamy, with velvety tannins, a lovely gourmet whole. - 16/17

Clos Manou - Médoc - 2016

Beautiful nose of black fruit with freshness and hints of menthol. Round, juicy and fruity on the palate. - 16/17,5

Château Fleur la Mothe - Médoc - 2016

Floral, with hints of blackberry and blueberry. Velvety, juicy entry, not creamy but mellow with freshness at every level. Superb tannic definition on the finish. One of the best ever produced. - 16/17,5

Château Haut-Maurac - Médoc - 2016

Pronounced oak/grit. Very spicy. Dense and tannic on the palate, with good volume and freshness but with real length. Built on density. - 16/17,5

Château Poitevin - Médoc - 2016

Blackcurrant, blackberry and spice on the nose. Well-integrated oak. Juicy on the palate, with roundness, mellowness and tannins that reinforce the whole on the finish. Less massive than usual, but just as complex. - 16/17,5

Château La Branne - Médoc - 2016

Floral, slightly spicy too, with hints of black fruit. Creamy on the palate, with a heavy tannic load but playing the game of seduction. - 16/17+

Château Potensac - Médoc - 2016

A little reduced but with floral notes. Depth, fruit, a very fine tannic charge that peacocks on the finish. One of the Médoc's best value for money - 17/18