The Ultimate 2016 Bordeaux 6-Bottle Imperial Collection

Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW
What’s most exciting (and rare) is that 2016 was a year in which site trumped vintage. I particularly love that the 2016s so clearly communicate terroir. When you taste the wines, they do not so much shout the year as they want to tell about their origins.

Few wines demonstrate signs of hydric stress or phenolic ripening challenges, rendering 2016 the most consistently great year since 2009 and 2010, both at the top of the market and in terms of good value wines. Compared to subsequent vintages, it is on a par in terms of consistency with 2019 and 2020, yet 2016 managed to knock it out of the park with more extraordinary wines than either of these vintages.

To sum up, 2016 was an incredible vintage that produced many outstanding wines and an impressive number of extraordinary ones from throughout Bordeaux. The tannin ripeness, complexity, and balance are particularly impressive in so many 2016 wines, especially when you consider that the grapes were able to achieve all this at moderate alcohol levels. These wines are true to their places, an attribute somewhat unique to great wine and extra-worthy of collecting. In short, yes, the 2016s lived up to all my expectations and then some.

Jancis Robinson, MW
The quality of red Bordeaux in 2016 was universally lauded. An exceptionally dry summer with cool nights eventually, thanks to mid-September rain, resulted in small, thick-skinned, ripe grapes, and the wines are marked by high tannin and acidity, with superb aromatic fragrance. This is without doubt one of the finest recent Bordeaux vintages.

This wine comes with an unimpeachable provenance:

• Purchased Ex Chateau En Primeur in 2017
• Released between June 2018 and March 2019
• Stored at Dartess in Bordeaux
• Transferred to London City Bond in February 2020
• Kept in original packaging, undisturbed case
  

All wine is in its original case and is undisturbed.

Wine Advocate (98-100 points): Deep purple-black color. Intense bouquet of baked plums, blackberry compote, star anise and cloves with touches of cinnamon stick and underbrush. Full-bodied and super concentrated. Built like a skyscraper with grainy tannins and wonderful freshness. Very long finish with lingering mineral accents.

Wine Advocate (100 points): Opaque garnet-purple color. Explosive nose of blackcurrant cordial, black raspberries, blueberry pie and melted chocolate. Full-bodied, concentrated and seductive with fine-grained tannins. Tightly wound fruit layers finish with an array of mineral sparks.

Vinous (100 points): A towering, thrilling wine with remarkable vividity and power. Intense mineral and savory profile reminiscent of the 1986, but with more grace and sophistication. Aromatics, fruit density and vertical structure combine beautifully. Needs time to develop but promises to be breathtaking.

Wine Advocate (98+ points): Deep garnet-purple color. Needs swirling to reveal notes of redcurrant jelly, wild blueberries, cassis, tar, licorice, and crushed rocks. Medium-bodied with muscular black fruits and mineral layers. Ripe, fine-grained tannins and seamless freshness. Long finish with earthy sparks.

Wine Advocate (100 points): Deep garnet-purple color. Intense scents of red currants, black cherries, wild blueberries and violets. Medium to full-bodied with extraordinary elegance and depth. Fragrant red and black fruits with mineral sparks. Rock-solid grainy texture and epic persistence.

James Suckling (99 points): Aromas of wet earth, fresh mushrooms, menthol and dark berries. Full-bodied and dense with powerful yet polished tannins. Detailed and defined with a cashmere texture. Wonderful finish. Try after 2025.

Wine Advocate (98+ points): Deep garnet-purple color. Powerful notes of blackberry pie, ripe black cherries, juicy black plums with undertones of star anise, rose petals, chocolate mint, and woodsmoke. Medium to full-bodied and decadently rich. Glimmers with freshness and vivacity, framed by velvety tannins and epic length.

Wine Advocate (98-100 points): Deep garnet with purple hints. Powerful nose of black cherry compote, prunes, crème de cassis, and chocolate-covered cherries. Medium to full-bodied, dense and seductive with velvety tannins and fantastic freshness. Long finish with floral and earthy sparks. Blend of 47% Merlot, 47% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 6% Petit Verdot.