Chateau Malescot Saint Exupery 2016

JAMES SUCKLING: "A stunning red with currants, blackberries, roses and violets. Medium to full body, ultra-fine tannins and polish and finesse to the powerful tannins. A real stunner. Better than 2015. Take a serious look at it, beginning 2024."

JEB DUNNUCK: "The ruby/plum-colored 2016 Château Malescot Saint-Exupéry comes from vines in the heart of the Margaux appellation and is 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot, and the balance Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. It’s a total rock star of wine and has fabulous notes of crème de cassis, barbecue smoke, graphite, and sandalwood that build beautifully with time in the glass. Medium to full-bodied, concentrated, layered, and seamless, it’s incredibly impressive and I’d wager up with the finest vintages ever from this estate. Give it a few years and enjoy over the following 20-25. Bravo!"

THE WINE ADVOCATE: "Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, the 2016 Malescot St. Exupery sings of cassis, fragrant earth, tobacco and lilacs with a compelling waft of mocha. Medium to full-bodied and strutting loads of expressive fruit layers at this youthful stage, it's framed by ripe, grainy tannins and oodles of freshness, finishing with great length and depth."

FALSTAFF: "Tiefdunkles Rubingranat, opaker Kern, dezente Randaufhellung, reife Herzkirschen und Pflaumen, feine Edelholznuancen, kandierte Orangen, facettenreiches Bukett. Saftig, reife Kirschenfrucht, sehr elegant und finessenreich, perfekt eingebundene Tannine, zart nach Nougat, bleibt lange haften, schöner Appellationscharakter."

THE WINE CELLAR INSIDER: "Still deeply colored, the wine instantly pops with smoke, blackberry, boysenberry, espresso bean, licorice and black cherry notes. Dense, full and plush, the mid-palate and finish is packed with the layers of dense, opulently textured, juicy, black fruits and cherry liqueur. The wine was made from a blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon and 37% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot."

WEINWISSER: "Dunkles Granat mit satter Mitte und violetten Reflexen. Zarter Beginn mit Wildkirsche und Kirschtabak, dahinter schwarze Johannisbeere. Am festen Gaumen mit kräftigem Tanningerüst und guter Frische, Schattenmorellen im Rückaroma und ein sehr langes gebündeltes Finale, mit sehr guten Anlagen und Potenzial."

DECANTER: "This has forward oak edging and attractively smoky fireside notes of ash and grilled sarments. The tannins are monolithic at this stage, and there's a lot to be impressed about in this wine, although it has closed down pretty severely, emphasising austerity rather than seduction. There's no question that all the elements for ageing are present and correct - it's a confident expression of the vintage and one with huge potential. Matured in 70% new oak. From a high yield of 51hl/ha. Drinking Window 2024 - 2040."

WINE ENTHUSIAST: "This estate is really improving. The wine in this vintage is full of fragrant fruit, with the tannins making a fine backdrop to the juiciness. It's going to be a fine medium-term wine."

WINE SPECTATOR: " This opens slowly, showing a slight woodsy bent, with alder and mesquite notes leading off, but as it does the core of red currant, blackberry and plum fruit flavor fleshes out nicely, soaking up the woodsy element while adding in light savory detail and black tea and violet notes. A long mineral echo chimes through the finish. Best from 2022 through 2036. 9,975 cases made."