Bond - Melbury 2016

JEB DUNNUCK: JEB DUNNUCK:"Moving to the single vineyard releases, the 2016 Melbury is pure perfection in a glass and is the finest vintage of this cuvée I’ve tasted. Awesome notes of cassis, blackcurrants, toasted bread, white flowers, and spice give way to an ethereal, seamless, yet opulent wine that has that rare mix of power and elegance possessed by all truly great wines. Full-bodied, concentrated, and with building yet perfectly ripe tannins, do your best to give bottles 4-5 years of bottle age. It will evolve effortlessly for 30 years or more."

JAMES SUCKLING: JAMES SUCKLING:"Blueberries, forest floor, and hints of fresh flowers on the nose. Full-bodied, very dense and polished with amazingly tight and integrated fruit. Persistent finish. The tannins melt into the wine. Complete. Drink after 2023."

THE WINE CELLAR INSIDER: WINE CELLAR INSIDER:"Dark in color, the nose pops from the glass with no effort. Smoke, licorice, wild cherries, vanilla, wild cherries, wet forest and mushroom notes demand your attention. On the palate, the wine is rich, lush, supple, and full-bodied. With its silky tannins you also enjoy espresso, dark cocoa and ripe fruits bursting with sweetness in the finish. The intensity here is matched with length, freshness and an ending that does not want to quit!."

THE WINE ADVOCATE: WINEADVOCATE:"Overlooking Lake Hennessy up on Pritchard Hill, Melbury vineyard has produced a beautifully elegant and vivacious signature in 2016, which clearly reveals the personality that this incredible site tends to want to give. Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2016 Melbury comes bounding out of the glass with expressive black and red currants notes followed by wild blueberries, warm plums, pencil shavings and wild sage plus wafts of lavender and crushed rocks. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is practically electric with energetic fruit, framed by firm, grainy tannins and invigorating freshness, finishing long and minerally."

FALSTAFF: FALSTAFF:"Dunkles Rubingranat, violette Reflexe, zarte Randaufhellung. Feine Tabaknuancen, etwas schokoladig, Brombeerkonfit und Cassis klingen an, Bleistifttouch, fruchtiges Bukett. Gute Komplexität, mineralisch, feines Tannin, dunkle Kirschenfrucht, mineralisch, Pflaumentouch im Nachhall, sicheres Potenzial."

WINE SPECTATOR: WINE SPECTATOR:"Featuring currant and fig notes, this offers a juicy, slightly rounded feel, revealing melted licorice, sweet tobacco and warm gravel accents along the way. Shows most of its muscle on the finish and shuts down a bit in the glass, indicating that cellaring is required. Best from 2022 through 2040. 370 cases made."