2016 Bordeaux Value Wines, Petit Chateau Report, Tasting Notes Ratings

There are many things that go into a great Bordeaux vintage. While it does not happen often, of course all of the First Growths must produce great wine. High quality wine needs to be made in both banks. But more importantly, it is the level of the small, petit chateau that make the difference. Fortunately for consumers, 2016 Bordeaux value wines are going to be easy to find. There are several Cru Bourgeois from the Left Bank that made outstanding 2016 Bordeaux Value wines. You can read about those in the various reports already published in The Wine Cellar Insider on an appellation by appellation basis. However, consumers should not forget they also have a plethora of fabulous wines to choose from all over the Right Bank as well!

Every appellation in the Right Bank worked to produce fine, 2016 Bordeaux Value wines. The Cotes de Bordeaux, Cotes de Castillon, Cotes de Francs, Cotes de Blaye and Cotes de Bourg are filled with fine wines. There is even more depth as the satellite appellations of St. Emilion, Bordeaux Superieur and generic AOC Bordeaux all made outstanding 2016 Bordeaux Value wines with style and character for savvy, value oriented, wine lovers. To learn what when into the harvest and growing season this year: 2016 Bordeaux Harvest and Growing Season Report

This is the eighth in a series of reports covering the best 600 wines from the 2016 Bordeaux vintage. The next report will continue our focus on the Right Bank as we delve into St. Emilion, with tasting notes on over 150 of the best wines from the appellation. That will be followed by the white Bordeaux wine report and we will conclude with a look at the sweet wines of Sauternes.

2016 Bordeaux Value Wines, Tasting Notes, Ratings

2016 dAiguilhe Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux – Deep in color, the wine offers dark, black cherry liqueur, espresso, blackberry, and chocolate nuances. There is flesh, freshness and depth of flavor, with supple, sensual textures and a lush, ripe, dark, red fruit filled finish. The wine was produced from blending 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc. 92 – 94 Pts

2016 dAiguilhe Querre – Medium/full bodied, sweet and fresh, the black raspberry and red plum notes are spicy, with a bit too much oak at the moment. The oak needs to better integrate and if it does, the wine will merit a higher score. 88-90 Pts

2016 Alcee Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux – With a strong earthy note kicking things off, the wine is round and forward with sweetness, ripe fruits, soft tannins and juicy plums with licorice in the finish. The wine was made from 92% Merlot and 8% Cabernet Franc. 88 – 90 Pts

2016 Ampelia Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux – Medium bodied, elegant, fresh and sweet, with a supple, forward, round, fruity finish. 87 – 89 Pts

2016 Balthus Bordeaux Supérieur – Dark in color, you find dense, fat, ripe, sweet, lushly textured fruits with plush textures and a dark, sweet, open, fat finish with gobs of ripe, dark berries, licorice and cocoa. 90 – 92 Pts

2016 Bel Air la Royere Blaye – Medium bodied, forward, spicy, dark red fruits, earth and thyme, with a juicy finish is what you find here. What makes this wine unique is the large portion of Malbec in the blend, that is often close to 50%. 87 – 89 Pts

2016 Belle Coline Blaye Côtes de Bordeaux – Earthy in character, with stony, red fruits, ripe, soft tannins, freshness and charm, this is a great example of a Bordeaux Value Wine. 87 – 89 Pts

2016 Bolaire Bordeaux Supérieur – Using a unique blend of 60% old vine Petit Verdot, 35% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon produced a wine that is fresh, floral and robust, with sweet, dark, spicy, fruit filled finish. 88-90 Pts

2016 Bouscat Caduce Bordeaux Supérieur – Made from a blend of 70% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Malbec and 5% Cabernet Franc, the wine is deep and dark in color, with licorice, espresso, and dark red berries. Forward, easy drinking, fruity and crowd pleasing in style. It’s very hard to a better wine for the money. 87 – 89 Pts

2016 Bouscat Cuvee la Gargone Bordeaux Supérieur – Inky in color, this blend of 60% Merlot, 20% Malbec, 18% Cabernet Franc and 2% Cabernet Franc delivers a wine that is sweet, lush, fresh and offers density with a lot of fruit. 89 – 91 Pts

2016 Bouscat Les Portes de L’Am Bordeaux Supérieur – When you take 50% Merlot, 25% Malbec and 25% Cabernet Franc from vines that are almost 40 years of age, with low yields of only 14 hectoliters per hectare, it’s easy to understand how you get such a dark, inky color. Licorice and black cherry liqueur are all over the place. Dense rich, lushly textured and forward, this is packed with freshness and flavor. This wine is a Jeffrey Davies Signature Selection Exclusive. 91 – 93 Pts

2016 Cap de Faugeres Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux – From a blend of 85% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, the wine opens with licorice, ripe, black cherry, vanilla and kirsch. Forward, lush, juicy and fresh, the wine leaves you with sweet, dark chocolate covered cherries and a hint of dust in the tannins. 90 – 92 Pts

2016 Cap de Faugeres Mouleyre Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux – Deep in color, with licorice, espresso, black cherry and black raspberry on the nose, the wine is richly textured, fresh, concentrated, sweet and lush. Powerful, with a blast of sweet, juicy black and blue fruits, the sweet berries in the plushy textured, lingers. The wine was made from blend of 80% old vine Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc. 92 – 94 Pts

2016 Cap Saint George St. Georges-St. Émilion – Juicy, sweet, forward, blackberry, dark raspberry and plums are all over the place. The finish is long, low acid and fruity. You can drink this on release or age it for a year or two as well and let the oak further integrate. 88 – 90 Pts

2016 Carignan Prima Premières Côtes de Bordeaux – Medium bodied, soft and with freshness in the fruit and soft tannins, there is a nice, round, fresh quality to the fruit in the finish. The wine was made from 100% Merlot. 87 – 89 Pts

2016 Clarendelle Bordeaux – A perfect example of a wine of pleasure. Forward, not really complicated, but offering some secondary tobacco and fruit notes, a medium body and a fruity finish. This is a wine to drink early in its life. 85 – 87 Pts

2016 Clarisse Puisseguin-St. Émilion – With a crushed rock character, you find more nuance here, which adds to the fresh, ripe, deep fruits, and polished textures. The wine was made from a blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc. The first vintage where they were 100% biodynamic. 89 – 91 Pts

2016 Clarisse Vieille Vignes Puisseguin-St. Émilion – Inky, dark in color, the wine is dense, rich, flavorful and packed with fruit, silky tannins and shows good length in the finish. The wine is made from a blend of 75% Merlot and 25% Cabernet Franc from old vines that are on average 65 years of age. This is the first year where the farming was 100% biodynamic. 91 – 93 Pts

2016 Clos de Bouard Montagne-St. Émilion – The first vintage for the young Coralie de Bouard, who also owns La Fleur de Bouard in Lalande de Pomerol. The wine is deep in color with purple accents. The nose offers suggestions of flowers, black raspberries, plum and licorice. On the palate, the soft, silky textured, lush styled wine offers sweet, ripe, berries with freshness and the perfect hint dark chocolate in the end note. The wine was produced from a blend of 85% Merlot, 11% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. This is a great first effort. 92 – 93 Pts

2016 La Dame de Bouard Montagne-St. Émilion – Medium bodied, soft, silky and fresh, the wine is perfect for early, supple, drinking pleasure with all its charming, plummy fruit. 87-89 Pts

2016 Clos Des Moiselles Côtes de Bourg – Round, forward and featuring licorice, black cherry and cocoa, with lush textures and a fruity finish. 87 – 89 Pts

2016 Clos Lunelles Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux – Plums, black cherry and licorice scents are what you notice first, but it’s the luscious, dark, red berries and stone sensations that grab your attention. The finish delivers cocoa, licorice and juicy, black fruits. 91 – 93 Pts

2016 Clos Puy Arnaud Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux – Medium-bodied, this is on the fresh, floral, red plum and cherry side of the style range and should be ready to drink on release. 86 – 88 Pts

2016 Cote Montpezat Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux – Deep in color, with juicy, dark, ripe fruits, sweet tannins and a fleshy finish. Forward in character and crowd pleasing in style, with the ability to age, buy why wait? 88 – 90 Pts

2016 Courteillac Bordeaux Supérieur – Medium bodied, easy drinking charmer, with fresh, black raspberry, licorice and red cherries. Soft textured and forward, this will drink well early. 86 – 88 Pts

2016 Croix Lartigue Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux – Juicy dark fruits, with licorice, sweetness of flavor, plum and minerality, in an upfront style. 86 – 88 Pts

2016 Croix Mouton Bordeaux Supérieur – Medium bodied, with a forward, bright, strawberry and black raspberry nose. Sweet, juicy and open, this is a wine to drink in its youth. 85 – 87 Pts

2016 Croix Mouton 20 Mille Bordeaux Supérieur – Dark in color, the wine is round, sweet, juicy and forward. There is a lot of fruit here that goes well the licorice, smoke and black cherry accents. This should be a charmer on release. 88 – 86 Pts

2016 Dalem Fronsac – Dark in color, the dark chocolate, licorice and black cherry and vibrant, fresh, sweet and just, frankly, delicious in this blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc. 90 – 92 Pts

2016 dArce Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux – Medium bodied, and already drinking well, with a fresh, strawberry characteristic, made even better with soft, smooth textures and a fruity finish. 88 – 89 Pts

2016 de Francs Cerisiers – Deeply colored, the wine is medium bodied, fresh, forward and refined, with a character showing off its red and black plum, thyme and round textured finish with ease. 88 – 90 Pts

2016 de Francs Infinity Côtes de Francs – Dark in color, medium/full bodied, there is a lushness to the sweet fruits with freshness, that adds to the length and the character found here. 89 – 91 Pts

2016 de Sours Bordeaux Supérieur – Soft, forward and in a crowd pleasing style, the wine is easy drinking, fresh and offers sweet, ripe berries from start to finish. 87 – 89 Pts

2016 de Sours la Source Bordeaux Supérieur – Supple textured, round, forward and polished, the wine is medium bodied, with ripe, juicy, dark pit fruits, cherries, licorice and cocoa in the finish. 89 – 91 Pts

2016 Domaine Champ de la Fenetre Montagne-St. Émilion – Dark ruby in hue, the wine delivers flowers, licorice, black raspberry and chocolate. The fruit is ripe, sweet and offers a polished, texture. The wine is made from 100% old Merlot vines that are close to 35 years of age. This is the second vintage for Simon Blanchard, a member of the Stephane Derenoncourt team. 89 – 91 Pts

2016 Domaine de Cambes Bordeaux – Olive tapenade, thyme and red fruit aromas emerge easily. Medium/full bodied, with spicy, sweet cherries and herbs with a fresh, earthy, finish are found here. 87 – 89 Pts

2016 Domaine-de-lA Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux – Flowers, spice, licorice and juicy plums dominate the nose. On the palate, the wine is silky, soft, refined and fresh. This is an elegant styling and ripe, supple fruits that is really dynamite this vintage. 92 – 94 Pts

2016 Domaine Simon Blanchard Guitard Montagne-St. Émilion – Flowers, crushed rocks, juicy, dark plums and cherries, with round, supple tannins and textures. There is enough weight and richness here, along with lift to keep you busy. The wine was made from a blend of 52% old vine Merlot paired with 48% Cabernet Franc from vines with close to 50 years of age. Nice second effort from Simon Blanchard, a member of the Stephane Derenoncourt team. 91 – 93 Pts

2016 Esprit-de-Pavie Bordeaux – Floral, red cherry and licorice with hints of chocolate in a sweet, forward style made for early, drinking charm. 86 – 88 Pts

2016 Faizeau Montagne-St. Émilion – Medium bodied, forward, open, easy to like and drink, with plummy fruits, licorice and a polished finish. 86 – 88 Pts

2016 Fontenil Fronsac – Deep in color, the fruits are fresh, with sweet, juicy, dark, red berries, silky tannins and loads of juicy, blackberries to make the finish a treat. 90 – 92 Pts

2016 Fontenil Le Defi Fronsac – Inky in color, with gobs of dark chocolate covered black raspberries, licorice, espresso and wet earth. The wine is concentrated, deep, dark, and rich. The fruit is ripe, pure and juicy, which you can really taste in the long, opulent finish. Made from 100% old vine Merlot, which varies in age from 80 to 100 years of age, this is Le Defi Fontenil yet produced by Dany Rolland and Michel Rolland. Le Defi Fontenil is not made in every vintage, it is reserved for only the top vintages. 92 – 94 Pts

2016 Fougas Maldoror Côtes de Bourg – Floral, with red and dark cherry, plum and licorice on the nose. The wine is medium/full bodied, fresh, earthy and bright. 88 – 89 Pts

2016 Gaby Canon-Fronsac – Medium bodied, approachable, with a bit too much oak, that overwhelms the fruit in the finish. 86 – 88 Pts

2016 Gigault Cuvee Viva Blaye Côtes de Bordeaux – Deep in color, with loads of deep, earthy fruit. Medium/full bodied, with ripeness, depth of flavor and complexity. 90 – 92 Pts

2016 Girolate Bordeaux – Deep in color, with an oaky, dark chocolate, fennel, blackberry, and plummy character. The wine is round, lush and shows a strong oak/espresso component along with its sweet, red and black fruit profile. 89 – 91 Pts

2016 Grand Village Bordeaux Supérieur – Deep garnet in color, the wine blends hints of licorice, espresso and black raspberry. Fresh, soft and polished, this medium bodied, delicious expression of sweet, spicy, red and white cherries is the best wine yet, from Grand Village. The wine was produced from a blend of 86% Merlot and 14% Cabernet Franc. 90 – 92 Pts

2016 Grands Marechaux Blaye Côtes de Bordeaux – Great value here with loads of soft textured, sweet, ripe, red fruits, lift and an open plummy character with a shot of licorice. The will drink well on release. 88 – 90 Pts

2016 Gree-Laroque Bordeaux Supérieur – Black cherry, licorice, and smoke, round out the nose. Medium bodied, fresh, delicate, but quite charming, for early drinking. 86 – 88 Pts

2016 Guinaudeau “G” Acte 7 Bordeaux Supérieur – Acte 8, the eighth vintage of this wine which takes its name from the first letter of the famous owner’s last name, Jacques and Sylvie Guinaudeau, who also own Chateau Lafleur in Pomerol is ready to go. The blend of 52% Merlot and 48% Cabernet Franc has a pronounced amount of Cabernet Franc in the blend. Dark ruby in color, licorice, truffle, and black cherry scents kick off the wine. Lushly textured, fat, and juicy, with a sweetness and vibrancy to its character, ends with pure, black cherries and lift in the endnote. A few years of age will be needed to soften the tannic structure and open its complexities. 92 – 90 Pts

2016 Haut Bernat Les Cypres Puisseguin-St. Émilion – Best ever from Haut Bernat thanks to all the fat, lush, opulent, sweet dark fruits, ripe, tannins and the fleshy mouth feel. 91 – 89 Pts

2016 Haut Carles Fronsac – Medium bodied, with a licorice and spicy, cherry griotte core of fruit, the dark cocoa and juicy berries come out in the finish. 89 – 91 Pts

2016 Hostens Picant Sainte Foy Bordeaux – Licorice, smoke and black raspberry scents open to a soft, sweet, supple, forward, open wine, which will offer its charms on release. 87 – 89 Pts

2016 Hostens Picant Cuvee d’exception Lucullus Sainte Foy Bordeaux – Round textures, sweet, lush, red fruits and a juicy mid palate are made even better with a sweet, spicy, plummy finish. 88 – 90 Pts

2016 Isle Fort Bordeaux Supérieur – Silky, fruity, forward and charming, there is volume, soft textured fruit and a nice, berry, filled finish here. No need to age this, as it will be delicious on release. 89 – 91 Pts

2016 Jean Faux Bordeaux Supérieur – Floral, licorice, spice and red fruits define the wine. Soft, polished and approachable, this is a nice charmer that will not need cellaring to offer pleasure. 88 – 90 Pts

2016 Joanin Becot Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux – Licorice, black cherry and dark chocolate notes are in the nose, and the mouth. Soft, round, forward and plush, this will be even better in a few years, although, it will be fine to drink on release. The wine was made from a blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc. 89 – 91 Pts

2016 La Brande Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux – Medium bodied, open and ready to drink on release, the wine offers sweet cherries and licorice in an easy to drink, user friendly style. 86 – 88 Pts

2016 La Dauphine Fronsac – With deep color, you catch the floral, blackberry, licorice and vanilla nose first. The lush textures, freshness and juicy fruits in the finish make this wine already delicious, and it should age for a few years too. 91 – 93 Pts

2016 La Laurence Bordeaux Supérieur – Forward and open with a soft, round, early drinking, fruit filled charm. The finish offers ample sweet, juicy, plum and licorice notes. 88 – 90 Pts

2016 La Prade Côtes de Francs – Darker in hue than usual, the wine offers dark earthy, red fruits, soft and polished tannins with fresh, sweet, juicy fruits that offer volume, freshness and pleasure. The blend comes from , Made from 88% Merlot and 12% Cabernet Franc. This is a step up for one of the best value wines in Bordeaux. 89-91 Pts

2016 La Riviere Aria Fronsac – Forward, fun and easy to drink, this is a crowd pleasing styled wine that will drink well early. 87 – 89 Pts

2016 La Rousselle Fronsac – Licorice, dark chocolate and spicy, dark cherry flavors, medium/full bodied, sweet and forward. 88 – 90 Pts

2016 La Vieille Cure Fronsac – Fresh, sweet, juicy, polished fat, dark berries, licorice, and dark chocolate. Round, not refined, but fun to taste. 90 – 92 Pts

2016 Lafont-Fourcat Bordeaux – With a smoky, licorice, black cherry and juicy black plum character, the is juicy, sweet and fresh, with a soft, polished, medium bodied finish. 88 – 90 Pts

2016 Lafont-Fourcat A Nos Amours Bordeaux – Medium bodied, and approachable, the wine is soft, forward and shows an easy, going, sweet red and black cherry charm all the way through. 89 – 91 Pts

2016 Laurence Bordeaux Supérieur – Using 100% Merlot, offering instant gratification, with its sweet, fresh, cherries, licorice, spice and acidity. Easy to drink and like. 85 – 87 Pts

2016 Le Petit Verdot Belle-Vue Vin de France – Opaque, deep in color, with purple accents, this is quite a rarity in Bordeaux, being made from 100% Petit Verdot. The wine is massive, dense, mouth filling, long, spicy and crisp. 90 – 92 Pts

2016 Le Pin Beausoleil Bordeaux Supérieur – Flowers, sweet, ripe, juicy, fruits, polished textured and more, ripe fruit in the finish. What more can you ask for from a wine that sells for under $20? 90 – 92 Pts

2016 Le Rey Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux – Opaque in color, this is fat, ripe, sweet, juicy and down right sexy! Lush, yet fresh, the wine has good density and length. This will be delicious on release. The wine is made from 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc, reaching 14.% alcohol with a pH of 3.3. This is a new wine from the talented Jean-Christophe Meyrou. For a wine this good, it sells for a song. 91 – 93 Pts

2016 Marjosse Bordeaux – Medium bodied and forward in style, the wine is earthy, fresh and soft, with an open, friendly personality and a plummy finish. You can drink this on release. The wine was made from blending 80% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. 86 – 88 Pts

2016 Marsau Côtes de Francs – Using 100% Merlot from the Cotes de Francs appellation, the wine shows good color, offering black raspberry, flowers and fennel. The wine is medium bodied, forward and soft, with a lush, round, dark red fruit and minerality based finish. The best wine yet from Chateau Marsau, this should age nicely. 90 – 92 Pts

2016 Mauvais Garçon (Bad Boy) Bordeaux – If you like ready to drink charmers loaded with chocolate covered plum, licorice and kirsch, with a juicy finish, you came to the right place. 88 – 90 Pts

2016 Montlandrie Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux – Dark ruby in color, with fresh herbs, dark cherry and floral notes in the perfume. Black cherry liqueur, licorice, tobacco and spice sensations work well with the ripe, elegant stylings found here. Freshness paired with dark chocolate, rich textures, ripe tannins and the structure to age. The wine is a blend of 75% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, the wine reached 14.5% alcohol with a pH of 3.56. 90 – 92 Pts

2016 Moulin-Haut-Laroque Fronsac – Soft tannins, medium bodied, with juicy black raspberries, dark chocolate and espresso in the nose and on the palate. 89 – 91 Pts

2016 Moulin-Pey-Labrie Canon-Fronsac – Soft, polished, dark red fruits, spice, wet earth and freshness are found here from star to finish. 89 – 91 Pts

2016 Perenne Blaye Côtes de Bordeaux – Medium bodied, forward, easy to drink and like, this is a great example of a crowd pleaser, with its open, fruity, soft textured style. 85 – 87 Pts

2016 Pey-La-Tour Bordeaux Supérieur – Forward, open, plummy with fresh, juicy, dark cherries, licorice and a hint of cocoa in the medium bodied finish. 88 – 90 Pts

2016 Plain-Point Canon-Fronsac – Medium/full bodied, with lush, dark fruits, chocolate and licorice. The wine is opulently textured with a richly textured finish. 89 – 91 Pts

2016 Plain-Point Fronsac – Silky, lush, round and already delicious, there is a ripeness, purity in the fruit and sexy quality on the palate I like a lot here. 90 – 92 Pts

2016 Puygueraud Côtes de Francs – Lots of fresh, sweet, ripe, flowers and black raspberry notes on the nose. On the palate, the wine has sweet fruits, soft tannins and a ripe, fresh, fruity finish. I’m sure this is the best vintage of Puygueraud ever produced! With an earthy, clay and dark, red plum nose, the wine is forward, sweet and round in character. Produced from a blend of 80% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc and 5% Malbec. 89 – 91 Pts

2016 Reignac Bordeaux Supérieur – Easy drinking, forward wine, with a round, licorice, and black cherry profile that will be delicious on release. 88 – 90 Pts

2016 Roc de Cambes Côtes de Bourg – Earthy, truffle, licorice, salt, brioche and black cherries open the nose. Full bodied, with fresh, cherries, the wine is concentrated, full bodied, and offers something wild and refined at the same moment. The finish is fruity, earthy and juicy. 91 – 93 Pts

2016 Thieuley Bordeaux – Serious crowd pleaser here, with supple fruits, medium body and some minerality to the soft, red fruits on the palate. This will drink well young. 87 – 89 Pts

2016 Vieux-Chateau-Palon Montagne-St. Émilion – Lushly textured, fleshy and flashy, this supple textured already delicious wine is loaded with licorice, black cherries and espresso. This should be open on release, or with just a year or two of age. 90 – 92 Pts

2016 Villars Fronsac – Luscious, dark, red fruits, licorice and dark cocoa, round tannins, forward, sweet, and already delicious, this will offer pleasure on release and reward aging for a few years as well. 90 – 92 Pts

2016 Vrai Canon Bouche Canon-Fronsac – Lush textures, supple tannins, sexy textures, ripe, rich, dark pit fruit and Dark in color, with loads of sweet dark fruits, jam and a plush, dense, fruit filled finish with just a touch of oak. No need to wait on this one, or age it for more complexity for a few years. 91 – 93 Pts

If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to post. The report on 2016 Saint Emilion, covering over 150 wines will be out Monday, May 1.