Wine Advocate (93)

Tasted at Bordeaux Index's tasting and at the château, the 2006 Calon Segur was current winemaker Vincent Millet's first vintage. In many ways, you can see it as one of the last of the old style Calon Segur wines with a higher percentage of Merlot than nowadays (the 2006 consists of 33% Merlot), while I aver that the tannins are not as fine as they are nowadays. The Merlot component is vividly expressed on the nose with ravishing ripe red cherries, kirsch and strawberry, just slightly smudged by the alcohol. The palate is medium-bodied with chewy tannin, quite sexy in style but it does not have the class of more recent vintages and it seems to have remained tough up on the finish. It will loosen up with time, so afford this another 6-8 years in bottle. Tasted January 2016.

James Suckling (98-99)

Wow. This is the Calon we have been waiting for! Intensity and power. Chewy and polished tannins. Full body, great depth. It goes on for minutes. Shows a classic, historical character that really excites me. The essence of this estate and St.-Estèphe. Best ever?

James Suckling (92-93)

A tangy and dense red with plum, chocolate and berry character. Full body, chewy tannins and a flavorful finish. Shows excellent upside. Nice follow-up to the excellent 2015.

Vinous (95)

The 2016 Canalicchio di Sopra Brunello di Montalcino is flat-out stunning, remarkably vibrant and an almost-ethereal expression. There’s an exotic citrusy tinge to its ripe black cherries, taking on hints of sage, cedar and allspice, all grounded by moist earth tones. It’s focused and remarkably pure with a noticeable inner sweetness to the red and hints of blackberry fruit, all cast across a silky, feminine frame. The structure builds like a crescendo, as minerals fade to youthful tannins. Juicy acids maintain perfect balance from start to finish, making for a surprisingly fresh expression yet with amazing length. There’s simply so much going on here, and there are promises of more good things to come.

Vinous (98)

Lifting up with gorgeous floral perfumes and hints of white smoke, the 2016 Brunello di Montalcino La Casaccia from Canalicchio di Sopra keeps you at the edge of your glass. It opens up with a dark and dramatic display of balsamic-tinged black cherry, sage and Indian spice, contrasted by savory notes of tobacco, rich earth tones and flowery undergrowth. There’s an amazing density of fruit here, offset by salty minerals, zesty acids and a hint of sour citrus. The textures are velvety-smooth, yet the expression remains feminine and lifted. In fact, you can hardly notice its underlying tannic heft until it’s too late, as the 2016 La Casaccia seems to youthfully fold in on itself, halting the expression but promising over a decade of further development.

Vinous (98)

The 2016 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva is dark, floral and exotic, even sultry at times, presenting a bouquet of black currant, animal musk and savory, crushed ashen stone. The textures are silky yet dense, showing mineral-webbed woodland berries and balsamic spices. The tannic heft mounts toward the close, penetrating deeply, but with brisk acids to balance. The 2016 is animalistic in nature, yet crystalline and fresh, tapering off structured and incredibly long, leaving licorice and balsam herbs to linger. In 2016, Francesco Ripaccioli decided to use fruit from both the Vigna Vecchia and Mercatale vineyards in the Riserva, which is typically the richer and bolder expression of Brunello at Canalicchio di Sopra, but in 2016, it"s totally classic in every possible way. What a glorious wine!

Wine Enthusiast (95)

This is another successful vintage from this estate. It is so finely structured that you notice the blackberry fruit more than the tannins, with a seam of crisp acidity throughout.

Vinous (94)

The 2016 Brunello di Montalcino La Casa takes a little time to collect itself in the glass, pulling you closer as white smoke gives way to crushed stone, then peppery florals, wild strawberry and cedar. The textures are like pure silk, with an elegant display of savory black cherry and spice complicated by salty minerals. This shows amazing density while never feeling heavy, nearly masking its fine-grained tannins until the very end, where hints of orange citrus and dried berries linger. The 2016 La Casa is a beauty with plenty of upside potential.

An extraordinary accomplishment from the Tuscan vineyards of Caparzo, the Brunello di Montalcino La Casa 2016 is an expertly-made wine that exudes passion, quality, and traditional craftsmanship. Sourced from the sun-drenched hills of Montalcino, this exquisite vintage draws deeply from the rich terroir layered with mineral-rich clay and Galestro soils.

Hand-harvested Sangiovese grapes mature on long-established vines, developing a complex flourish of flavours under the mindful gaze of esteemed winemaker Elisabetta Gnudi Angelini. The wine ferments in stainless steel vats to preserve its intense berry character, followed by a maturation process in French oak barrels - a refined touch that imparts a velvety texture and delicate spicy notes.

The result is the Caparzo Brunello di Montalcino La Casa 2016, an expressive wine brimming with red fruits, balanced by earthy undertones and a sturdy yet fine-grained tannin backbone. The elegant finish serves as the final note in this harmonious symphony of flavours, promising an unrivaled enological experience.

James Suckling (92-93)

Love the stone, tar and black currant in this. Full and tight with firm and silky tannins and a long, long finish. Spicy, too. Can’t wait to see how this evolves. Serious.

Wine Advocate (94)

The Casanova di Neri 2016 Brunello di Montalcino (or the so-called "white label" Brunello) takes a minute or two to open, and like all these new releases from the Neri family, you're best off opening your bottle five hours before serving them. This classic expression displays raspberry, tar, hazelnut, dried fig, asphalt and some crushed chalk. The wine is streamlined and compact in terms of mouthfeel, giving us an accessible Brunello from a benchmark Montalcino estate.

James Suckling (100)

Wow. Incredible purity and transparency with cherries, bark, mushroom, flower and slate/stone on the nose. Full-bodied yet agile and fresh with a fine tannin structure that runs the length of the wine and goes on forever. The polish, elegance and grace is breathtaking. Power with agility. A revelation for the 2016 vintage in Brunello. Drink in 2024 and onwards but wonderful to taste now.

James Suckling (100)

So much ripe fruit here with currants and sultanas, yet fresh and very clean. Dark berries too. Incredible ripe Sangiovese character. Full body, with masses of fruit and chewy tan nins. Plus, there's black licorice and dried berries. Give it time to soften. What a bottle. Will it ultimately be better than 2001 Tenuta Nuova? Yes. Best after 2013.

James Suckling (99)

Aromas of blackberries, cherries, violets and bark with mahogany. It’s full-bodied and chewy with intense tannins that are layered and focused. The fruit is pure and purposeful, yet not over done. Wonderful strength and purity to this. Class is the word. Try it after 2024.

James Suckling (99)

The complexity and beauty to this is really something with cherry, walnut, tobacco and cigar-box character. Sweet cherries. It’s full-bodied and deep with super intensity and power. Layered and beautiful. Really refined tannins. Some whole-berry fermentation gives this added character. Goes on for minutes. Try after 2025.

James Suckling (97)

Another structured, layered red with blackberry, plum, walnut and cigar-box aromas and flavors. It’s full-bodied with depth and intensity. Tight and structured. A wine with a long future. Fine-grained and refined. Try after 2025.

Vinous (94)

The 2016 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Millecento is dark and animalistic with musky black currants, mocha, rosemary and underbrush lifted by a hint of camphor. This is decidedly salty and mineral in character, offsetting its silky textures with tart wild berries tinged with sour citrus, as grippy tannins mount toward the close. Balsam herbs, cocoa and hints of licorice linger incredibly long over a coating of fine-grained tannins through the heroically structured finale. There’s already so much going on here, but with cellaring, I expect even more.

Delighting the senses, Chimere Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2016 is a magnificent French wine known for its complexity and vivacity. Hailing from the eminent winery of Manfred Krankl, this elegant wine yields an intoxicating aroma of ripe black fruits, combined with undertones of truffle, saddle leather, and tar with a tertiary hint of smoky oak as it ages.

The grapes are manually harvested to ensure the superior quality, indulging in a whole cluster, native yeast fermentation. Subsequent ageing in French Oak accelerifies the development of opulence and richness in texture. This Grenache-dominated cuvee, sourced from the ceremonial La Crau vineyard, displays its full-bodied character with masterly finesse. The potter’s clay soil of the vineyard imparts unique mineral notes to the Chimere Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2016, lending it its distinct character.

A bottle of this enchanting elixir is a must for discerning wine enthusiasts seeking a remarkable expression of Chateauneuf-du-Pape terroir, making every sip a toast to the grandeur of French winemaking.

Wine Enthusiast (97)

Red-berry, wild-rose, crushed mint and dark-spice aromas are front and center on this fragrant red. The full-bodied palate is concentrated but also boasts finesse, offering layers of raspberry jam, smooth licorice and tobacco alongside a backbone of enveloping, velvety tannins. You'll also detect the warmth of alcohol but the succulent fruit stands up to it. Drink 2024–2036.

Wine Enthusiast (98)

Aromas of red berry, camphor and tobacco meld with rose in this fragrant, full-bodied red. The smooth palate is concentrated yet elegant, featuring raspberry jam, cherry marinated in spirits, licorice and coffee bean alongside a backbone of firm, velvety tannins.

Wine Enthusiast (98)

Aromas of red berry, camphor and tobacco meld with rose in this fragrant, full-bodied red. The smooth palate is concentrated yet elegant, featuring raspberry jam, cherry marinated in spirits, licorice and coffee bean alongside a backbone of firm, velvety tannins.

James Suckling (99)

Glorious aromas of flowers, nutmeg, dark berries, earth and black cherries follow through to a full body with ultra-fine tannins that are long and extremely polished. They go on for minutes. Reserved and shy still, due to its excellence. Give this four or five years to come around. Try after 2024.

Vinous - Neal Martin (89)

The 2016 Citran has a classic tobacco-scented bouquet that is quite austere at first but opens up with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, not complex but offering fine salinity toward the finish, which just needs a little more mineralité and detail.

Vinous - Josh Raynolds (94-97)

Foudre #1 (the fine one, according to Avril): Bright red. Intense strawberry and raspberry on the nose, with subtle garrigue and minerals adding complexity. Silky red fruit flavors show seductive spice and floral pastille qualities. Finishes with great persistence. Foudre #2 (the tannic one): Ruby-red. Bright red fruit aromas, with a deep undercurrent of licorice adding seriousness. The palate shows very spicy bitter cherry and dark berry liqueur flavors, chewy tannic grip and a long, vibrant finish. If this is Avril's idea of tannic in 2006, the final wine should be a supple beauty. Foudre #3 (the concentrated one, from 80-year-old vines cropped at15 hl/ha): Inky ruby. Rich cherry and cassis aromas, with a deep tapenade quality adding complexity. Sappy, sweet and packing major dark berry punch, this clocks in at 16.5% alcohol, but there's no obvious heat. An approximate blend: I hate doing this, but why not, said Avril, who doesn't believe that on-the-spot blends are accurate reflections of what winds up in the bottle. But this was his idea, not mine! Dark ruby. Powerful kirsch and blackcurrant aromas, with exotic licorice and fresh floral character expanding with air. Pliant dark berry and bitter cherry flavors carry through the long, sappy finish. A balanced, sweet powerhouse from this vantage point, with the concentration to age for at least a decade or two.

Jeb Dunnuck (100)

Another perfect wine from this brilliant estate is the 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape, which matches the otherworldly 2007. A classic blend of 60% Grenache, 30% Mourvèdre and 10% Syrah brought up all in old foudre, this beauty's deep purple color is followed by a mammoth bouquet of kirsch liqueur, black currants, blueberries, Asian spices, and garrigue. Full-bodied, concentrated, and powerful, it nevertheless is as graceful as a ballerina on the palate and has ultra-fine tannins, a silky, seamless texture, and a finish that just won't quit. Hats off to vigneron Paul-Vincent Avril!

Jeb Dunnuck (100)

Another perfect wine from this brilliant estate is the 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape, which matches the otherworldly 2007. A classic blend of 60% Grenache, 30% Mourvèdre and 10% Syrah brought up all in old foudre, this beauty's deep purple color is followed by a mammoth bouquet of kirsch liqueur, black currants, blueberries, Asian spices, and garrigue. Full-bodied, concentrated, and powerful, it nevertheless is as graceful as a ballerina on the palate and has ultra-fine tannins, a silky, seamless texture, and a finish that just won't quit. Hats off to vigneron Paul-Vincent Avril!

Jeb Dunnuck (96-99)

A blockbuster in the making is the 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape les Quartz, which is 100% Grenache from the les Cassanets lieu-dit just beside the estate. Garrigue, kirsch, black raspberries, spice, and incense notes all literally soar from the glass of this sensational red. With full-bodied richness, incredible purity, ultra-fine tannin, and a killer finish, it's going to be one of the wines of the vintage.

Vinous (94)

Vivid ruby-red. A complex, highly perfumed nose evokes Chambord, cherry cola, exotic spices and lavender. Juicy, seamless and energetic on the palate, offering sweet red fruit preserve, floral pastille and spicecake flavors that deepen steadily on the back half. Impressively concentrated but also lithe and precise. Gentle tannins give shape to the energetic fruit on the strikingly long, penetrating finish.

Jeb Dunnuck (93)

Moving to the reds and 85% Grenache and the rest Syrah and Mourvèdre, the base 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape is a beauty and boasts appealing notes of spiced red and black fruits, cedar, and garrigue. Full-bodied, ripe and undeniably sexy, it’s going to benefit from a year or three in the cellar and drink nicely for over a decade.