Chateau Petrus - Petrus - Ex Chateau 2016

THE WINE ADVOCATE: "Opaque purple-black colored, the 2016 Petrus slips effortlessly out of the glass with sanguine, seductive notes of kirsch, warm black plums, blueberry compote, red roses, Ceylon tea, violets, dark chocolate-covered cherries, licorice and cinnamon stick with wafts of iron ore, pencil lead, unsmoked cigars and crushed rocks. Full-bodied, profound and absolutely edifying on the palate, the densely packed, beautifully perfumed red and blue fruit layers possess a charge like defibrillators stimulating your heart to beat faster, each delivering achingly subtle floral and spice sparks, perfectly framed by very firm, very grainy tannins and bold freshness, finishing with incredible length and taking you to depths that extend to a provocative ferrous undercurrent. Stunning."

JAMES SUCKLING: "This is very fleshy and deep with so much texture and richness. It’s full-bodied yet fresh. The tobacco, white truffle, licorice and dark fruit are so impressive. It’s so exuberant and wild. It just goes on for ever. Spellbinding. Very muscular and powerful. Agile and energetic. Please give this time. Needs eight to ten years. Try from 2029."

THE WINE CELLAR INSIDER: "Deep ruby in color, here you find truffle, dark chocolate, coffee bean, cigar box, black cherry and dark plums. Full bodied, elegant, velvety, opulent, sweet and fresh, the presence on the palate is silk and velvet in the texture with purity and sweetness to the fruits. The wine is hedonistic as well as intellectual, and a little bit firm. There is serious aging potential. The wine really sticks with you, for over 60 seconds in the finish. Give this at least 15 or more years in the cellar to develop before popping a cork."

DECANTER: "Bottled in mid-August, this is already taking on the most amazing slow creep of well-defined, crisp violet, cassis, tight black fruits and fig notes; floral and fresh yet complex and ripe. It's balanced by the most gorgeous burst of mint and slate, all stretching out slowly, delicately, gently. It's more architectural than the monumental 2015, but no less impressive, beginning to really settle and take its time to gather its forces, to layer itself up. A pure, precise style, it holds your attention for many many minutes after the wine has gone, both aromatically and intellectually. The overall impression is simply of pleasure. 50% new oak. Drinking Window 2028 - 2050"

JEB DUNNUCK: "One of the top wines in the vintage is unquestionably the 2016 Chateau Petrus, which is, as always, all Merlot aged in just over half new French oak. It's more reserved and subtle compared to the 2015, yet it’s unquestionably in the same ballpark, offering a deep ruby/purple color as well as a classy bouquet of crème de cassis, black cherries, graphite, smoke tobacco, spring flowers, and subtle spicy oak. This is a wine that builds with time in the glass and delivers a full-bodied, multi-dimensional texture, present, ripe tannins, perfect balance, and a finish that won't quit. It’s haute couture at its finest, and as I wrote multiple times in my notes, simply pure class. Hide bottles for at least 7-8 years (10-15 would be even better) and it will keep for half a century."

FALSTAFF: "Dunkles Rubingranat, violette Reflexe, zarte Randaufhellung, intensive schwarze Beerenfrucht, ein Hauch von Lakritze, ein Hauch von Preiselbeeren und frischen Orangenzesten, zarter Edelholzhauch unterlegt. Elegant, saftig, frische Herzkirschen, überzeugende Frische, kräftige Tannine, die aber keine Spur aggressiv sind, feines rotes Waldbeerkonfit, angenehme Mineralität, sicheres Entwicklungspotenzial, würziger Nachhall, ein sehr präziser Wein von großer Lebendigkeit und Länge."

WINE ENTHUSIAST: "This is a silky-smooth wine. However, that silkiness masks the generous, ripe tannins and juicy black fruits. It has great structure, full of serious firmness. Give it time and this wine will explode in a series of wonderful fruits, while keeping the classic Bordeaux structure. Drink from 2025."

WEINWISSER: "100 % Merlot, 35 hl/ha. Funkelndes Rubingranat mit violettem Rand. Was für ein berauschendes Parfüm nach reifen Heidelbeeren und Schattenmorellen, dahinter Kräuter, Nougatschokolade und Kokos, alles in seidige Textur gehüllt – welch eine Souplesse! Am Gaumen mit stützendem Tannin, alles scheint in perfekter Balance zu sein, aber dann fehlt etwas das Fleisch, der Körper wirkt sehnig und dadurch ein wenig zu schlank. Im sehr langen Finale mit Rosenholz, hellem Tabak und feiner Adstringenz endend!"

JANCIS ROBINSON: "Tasted blind. Not the deepest colour. Lively and with great aplomb. Masses of tannin just overlaid with spicy, exciting fruit. Very pure and rich. Long."

WINE SPECTATOR: "There are both lush and structured elements working here, with velvety cassis, raspberry puree and plum compote notes intertwined with tobacco, alder and cocoa accents. This pulls together steadily through the finish, showing superb focus and a tight-grained feel, while fresh acidity imparts rippling energy. The raspberry note hangs longest through the finish. Best from 2022 through 2038."