Chateau d'Armailhac 2016

Confirms the excellent en primeur impression (and its outstanding form for several years): has breed and structure, freshness and length, and is impeccably made.

This juicy red sports dark plum, fig and boysenberry fruit backed by an equally strong wave of bramble and sweet tobacco notes. The cast-iron spine pins down the finish, so give this a little time to integrate fully. Best from 2023 through 2038.

Such a vibrant pink/purple rim to this, loud, full, bright, shining, rich and confident. Tannic and firm, full-bodied with supple tannins that have spicy edges packed with clove, aniseed and liquorice lacing the blackcurrant fruit. It’s still youthful—the benefits of the magnum—with lots of tension, yet it feels so well crafted, with structure and depth. I love the restraint on show: it’s clearly powerful, yet supremely elegant. Stylish, full of life and further potential. Don’t drink this yet; hold onto it for at least another 5–10 years.

Wet earth, sandalwood and dried flower aromas. Medium- to full-bodied, precise and contained yet expressive and enjoyable, with fine-grained tannins. Drink now or hold. 10 Years On retrospective.

Tasted blind. Slightly weak rim on a purplish crimson. Neat, fairly evolved nose. I’d much enjoy drinking this this evening! (JR)

The 2016 d'Armailhac has a delightful nose, black fruit mixed with cedar and touches of brown spice. Fine delineation. The palate is medium-bodied, with firm tannins, grippy, a little tight towards the finish, but there is a sense of energy here. It does not match the bottle 12 months ago, but the potential is here. Tasted blind at the Southwold 10-Year-On tasting.

Juicy, earthy and with a touch of fine dust to the tannins, the wine has lift; the fruit is ripe, sweet and soft. Medium-bodied, refined and energetic, give this 7–8 years in the cellar and enjoy it over the next two decades.

Dark ruby, opaque core, discreet brightening on the rim. Inviting sweet, black fruit on the nose with pleasant spicy nuances, some cassis and tobacco. Juicy, ripe cherries, fine, integrated tannins, pronounced fruit on the finish with good freshness and balance, an elegant food wine which will develop well over time and keep for many years.

Very pure and classic nose with floral notes and violet, brimming with ripe dark berries and a mild spiciness. Very dense palate with a positively austere backbone, healthy freshness underneath, and a very long, pure, and dense finish.

A thrilling bottle of wine that readers should snatch up is the 2016 Château d’Armailhac. This deeply colored, medium to full-bodied, powerful Armailhac gives up a lovely perfume of blackberry and plum fruits, violets, graphite, cedar pencil, and earthy, herbal nuances. Classic, ripe, layered, and just a beautiful Pauillac any way you look at it, it has plenty of upfront sex appeal but is going to keep for 20–25 years as well. Bravo! The 2016 is a blend of 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot.

Deep purple with a purple rim. Intense cassis nose with herbs, rosewood and black olives. On the palate, a powerful body with supportive, already rounded tannins, showing plenty of finesse. The long finish features blackcurrant pastilles. Can improve further. 17.5/20

Kunz barrel sample 17: (62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot) Silky, refined bouquet, blue berries, blueberries, Damassine plums, pralines. Sweet, delicate, fresh palate with powerful fruit, fine tannins, airy aromatics, long, elegant finish.

(62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot) Silky, delicate bouquet, blue berries, blueberries, Damassine plums, pralines. Sweet, finely structured, fresh palate with powerful fruit, fine tannins, airy aromatics, long, elegant finish. 18/20 2024 - 2038

In 2016 they began aging d’Armailhac for longer, extending it from 12 to 15 months. In addition, new oak increased from about 15% to 35%. The 2016 is a blend of 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot. It has a deep garnet color and, after a shake or two, it opens with intense scents of black cherry compote, blueberry pie, and plum preserves, followed by hints of Indian spices, violets, and licorice. The medium- to full-bodied palate is packed with dense, muscular black fruits, supported by firm, fine-grained tannins and bold freshness, finishing long with impressive purity.

The 2016 is a ripe wine, fairly approachable, as is often the case for the cru. Nevertheless, it has lovely substance and tannins that are still a bit firm.

Very fresh red-fruit nose, Zan, no oak notes. Peppery palate, lovely mouthfeel, round and elegant tannins, fruity, tonic finish.

Deep garnet red with purple highlights. Such elegance! d'Armailhac’s bouquet stands out with a pleasing freshness subtly paired with fruity intensity. Notes of peppermint, blackberry and blackcurrant. A creamy, fresh entry as well. Compact, precise character. The tannins are silky, unfolding gently on the finish, while the aromatic profile reveals itself from the very first sip through to the end. I have rarely tasted d'Armailhac with such density and precision. An exceptional wine.

The nose is fruity and elegant, with concentration and richness. It reveals notes of fleshy blackberry and crushed blackcurrant, with a subtler gravelly/terroir character, joined by hints of wild strawberry/wild berries, ripe plum, and touches of spice, oak/cocoa, plus a very discreet peppery nuance. The palate is fruity and well-balanced, offering lovely juiciness and freshness, a bright tangy framework, smoothness, good structure, very fine tension, a gourmand feel, a delicate creaminess, minerality and a generous, rounded mouthfeel. On the palate, the wine shows notes of fleshy blackberry and fleshy blackcurrant, and more lightly plum and ripe, fleshy red berries, along with small touches of juicy small fruits and discreet hints of juicy blueberry, tonka bean, cocoa and spices. The tannins are fine, well-handled and structuring. Good length. A very subtle hint of caramelisation lingers on the finish.

Dark, intense, and vibrant color. Highly aromatic nose with ripe, subtle, and perfumed fruit. Supple on the attack, delicious and juicy mid-palate, full-bodied, the wine gains in power on a noble texture, full of flavor, leading to a deep finish with well-coated tannins. Superb. It confirms its status as the best wine ever made.

This is a ripe wine, full of black fruits with attractive tannins. It has depth but the wine is more about fruitiness and relatively quick development. Drink this already delicious, lightly spicy wine from 2022.

Austere, with fine but firm grip, a salt scrape of tannins, crayon and restrained appellation character, mouthwatering finish, good quality, blueberry, blackberry, tobacco. Tasted recently at the estate also. 40% new oak and at this point they had extended the ageing by two months, as they moved towards today's winemaking methods. Harvest September 26 to October 14. This one needs a carafe.