Bordeaux Primeurs 2016: Neal Martin's list of winners
Neal Martin will have spent 3 weeks crisscrossing the Grands Crus of Bordeaux to taste the samples as often as possible in the Châteaux Bordeaux Primeurs 2016 that owners and technical directors are offering him.
Here are his general tasting notes:
• Very high quality both on the Right Bank and on the Left Bank, with arguably a preference for the Left Bank thanks to exceptional Cabernet Sauvignons, particularly in Saint-Estèphe, Pauillac And Saint-Julien.
• Style: Deep, clear color. Floral and fragrant aromas. Exceptionally fine tannins with ripe fruit. Surprising freshness with high acidity. A “classic” Bordeaux.
• Lower alcohol levels than 2009, 2010 and 2015, often from 1.0 to 1.5%.
• The best Right Bank wines were produced on clay soils with high moisture retention and deep root systems. Cabernet Franc suffered more from water stress than Merlot. Exceptional wines were often produced on the Pomerol Plateau and on the limestone subsoils of Saint-Emilion, and especially on the coast.
• Production was overall abundantmany châteaux recorded yields of 40-50 hectolitres per hectare—which is more than in 2015.
• Sauternes is very good, although it has experienced less pressure from noble rot than in previous years.
• The freshness of the red wines suggests that the wines will be easier to drink young than those of the “big brother”, the 2010 vintage. However, their construction – made of substance and freshness – provides guarantees for superior aging.
You're going to love these wines!
Here are Neal Martin's scores, with the 2016 scores listed in descending order up to 94+. The 2015 scores are also included for reference.
| Château | Name | Color | 2015 | 2016 |
| Figeac | Saint-Emilion | Red | (97-99) | 98-100 |
| The Haut Brion Mission | Pessac-Léognan | Red | (97-99) | 98-100 |
| Mouton-Rothschild | Pauillac | Red | (97-99) | 98-100 |
| Pavia | Saint-Emilion | Red | (96-98) | 98-100 |
| Ausonius | Saint-Emilion | Red | (95-97) | 98-100 |
| Latour | Pauillac | Red | (95-97) | 98-100 |
| Leoville-Las Cases | Saint Julien | Red | (95-97) | 98-100 |
| Cos d'Estournel | Saint-Estèphe | Red | (92-94) | 98-100 |
| Castle Margaux | Margaux | Red | (98-100) | 97-99 |
| Cheval Blanc | Saint-Emilion | Red | (97-99) | 97-99 |
| The Church Clinet | Pomerol | Red | (96-98) | 97-99 |
| Lynch Bages | Pauillac | Red | (93-95) | 97-99 |
| Montrose | Saint-Estèphe | Red | (93-95) | 97-99 |
| Canon | Saint-Emilion | Red | (98-100) | 97-99 |
| Haut Brion | Pessac-Léognan | Red | (98-100) | 97-99 |
| Petrus | Pomerol | Red | (98-100) | 96-98 |
| Lafleur | Pomerol | Red | (97-99) | 96-98 |
| THE Tertre Roteboeuf | Saint-Emilion | Red | (97-99) | 96-98 |
| Pichon Baron | Pauillac | Red | (96-98) | 96-98 |
| Angelus | Saint-Emilion | Red | (95-97) | 96-98 |
| Clinet | Pomerol | Red | (95-97) | 96-98 |
| Haut Bailly | Pessac-Léognan | Red | (95-97) | 96-98 |
| La Conseillante | Pomerol | Red | (95-97) | 96-98 |
| Pichon Lalande | Pauillac | Red | (95-97) | 96-98 |
| Smith-Haut-Lafitte | Pessac-Léognan | Red | (95-97) | 96-98 |
| Ducru Beaucaillou | Saint Julien | Red | (94-96) | 96-98 |
| Lafite-Rothschild | Pauillac | Red | (94-96) | 96-98 |
| Trotanoy | Pomerol | Red | (94-96) | 96-98 |
| Brane-Cantenac | Margaux | Red | (93-95) | 96-98 |
| Beychevelle | Saint Julien | Red | (92-94) | 96-98 |
| Doisy Daene The Extravagant | Sauternes | White | (96-98) | 96-98 |
| Old Certan Castle | Pomerol | Red | (98-100) | 95-97 |
| Rauzan-Segla (Rausan-Segla) | Margaux | Red | (96-98) | 95-97 |
| Castle Valandraud | Saint-Emilion | Red | (95-97) | 95-97 |
| Clos Fourtet | Saint-Emilion | Red | (95-97) | 95-97 |
| Palmer | Margaux | Red | (95-97) | 95-97 |
| Pope Clement | Pessac-Léognan | Red | (95-97) | 95-97 |
| Grand-Puy-Lacoste | Pauillac | Red | (94-96) | 95-97 |
| Pontet-Canet | Pauillac | Red | (94-96) | 95-97 |
| Leoville-Poyferre | Saint Julien | Red | (92-94) | 95-97 |
| The Carmelites of Haut Brion | Pessac-Léognan | Red | (92-94) | 95-97 |
| Calon Segur | Saint-Estèphe | Red | (91-93) | 95-97 |
| Castle d'Yquem | Sauternes | White | (98-100) | 95-97 |
| Fargues Castle | Sauternes | White | (96-98) | 95-97 |
| Climens | Sauternes | White | (96-98) | 95-97 |
| Doisy Daene | Sauternes | White | (95-97) | 95-97 |
| Clos of the Oratory | Saint-Emilion | Red | (91-93) | 95-93 |
| L'Evangile | Pomerol | Red | (96-98) | 94-96 |
| Belair-Monange | Saint-Emilion | Red | (95-97) | 94-96 |
| Domaine of Chevalier | Pessac-Léognan | Red | (95-97) | 94-96 |
| Gazin | Pomerol | Red | (94-96) | 94-96 |
| Malartic-Lagraviere | Pessac-Léognan | Red | (94-96) | 94-96 |
| Malescot-St-Exupery | Margaux | Red | (93-95) | 94-96 |
| Grand-Mayne | Saint-Emilion | Red | (92-94) | 94-96 |
| Chateau Saint-Pierre | Saint Julien | Red | (91-93) | 94-96 |
| Pavie-Macquin | Saint-Emilion | Red | (91-93) | 94-96 |
| Lagrange | Saint Julien | Red | (90-92) | 94-96 |
| Of Suduiraut | Sauternes | White | (95-97) | 94-96 |
| Lafaurie-Peyraguey | Sauternes | White | (93-95) | 94-96 |
| Troplong-Mondot | Saint-Emilion | Red | (92-94) | 93-96 |
| Margaux | Labegorc | Red | (91-93) | 93-96 |
| Clos the Church | Pomerol | Red | (94-96) | 93-95 |
| Giscours | Margaux | Red | (94-96) | 93-95 |
| The Mondotte | Saint-Emilion | Red | (94-96) | 93-95 |
| Larcis-Ducasse | Saint-Emilion | Red | (94-96) | 93-95 |
| The Dome | Saint-Emilion | Red | (94-96) | 93-95 |
| Leoville-Barton | Saint Julien | Red | (94-96) | 93-95 |
| Trottevieille | Saint-Emilion | Red | (94-96) | 93-95 |
| Batailley | Pauillac | Red | (93-95) | 93-95 |
| Beau-Sejour-Becot | Saint-Emilion | Red | (93-95) | 93-95 |
| Canon the Gaffeliere | Saint-Emilion | Red | (93-95) | 93-95 |
| D'Issan | Margaux | Red | (93-95) | 93-95 |
| Feytit Clinet | Red | (93-95) | 93-95 | |
| Beausejour (Duffau Lagarrosse) | Saint-Emilion | Red | (91-93) | 93-95 |
| Chapel of Ausonius | Saint-Emilion | Red | (91-93) | 93-95 |
| Clos du Marquis | Saint Julien | Red | (91-93) | 93-95 |
| Fonroque | Saint-Emilion | Red | (91-93) | 93-95 |
| Gruaud Larose | Saint Julien | Red | (90-92) | 93-95 |
| Guiraud | Sauternes | White | (94-96) | 93-95 |
| Smith-Haut-Lafitte White | Pessac-Léognan | White | (94-96) | 93-95 |
| Rayne-Vigneau | Sauternes | White | (93-95) | 93-95 |
| Villemaurine | Saint-Emilion | Red | (92-94) | 92-98 |
| Hosanna | Pomerol | Red | (95-97) | 92-94 |
| The Flower Petrus | Pomerol | Red | (94-96) | 92-94 |
| The Gay | Pomerol | Red | (94-96) | 92-94 |
| Pavia-Decesse | Saint-Emilion | Red | (93-95) | 92-94 |
| Bellefont Belcier | Saint-Emilion | Red | (92-94) | 92-94 |
| Cantenac Brown | Margaux | Red | (92-94) | 92-94 |
| Castle Quintus | Saint-Emilion | Red | (92-94) | 92-94 |
| The Gaffeliere | Saint-Emilion | Red | (92-94) | 92-94 |
| LaTour Martillac | Pessac-Léognan | Red | (92-94) | 92-94 |
| Les Forts de Latour | Pauillac | Red | (92-94) | 92-94 |
| Lynch Moussas | Pauillac | Red | (92-94) | 92-94 |
| Nenin | Pomerol | Red | (92-94) | 92-94 |
| Siran | Margaux | Red | (92-94) | 92-94 |
| Carbonnieux | Pessac-Léognan | Red | (91-93) | 92-94 |
| Chauvinist | Saint-Emilion | Red | (91-93) | 92-94 |
| Clerc Milon | Pauillac | Red | (91-93) | 92-94 |
| The Beaucaillou Cross | Saint Julien | Red | (91-93) | 92-94 |
| THE Petit Mouton | Pauillac | Red | (91-93) | 92-94 |
| Marquis d'Alesme Becker | Margaux | Red | (91-93) | 92-94 |
| Phelan-Segur | Saint-Estèphe | Red | (91-93) | 92-94 |
| Branaire-Ducru | Saint Julien | Red | (90-92) | 92-94 |
| Duhart-Milon-Rothschild | Pauillac | Red | (90-92) | 92-94 |
| Fleur Cardinale | Saint-Emilion | Red | (90-92) | 92-94 |
| D'Armailhac | Pauillac | Red | (89-91) | 92-94 |