Chateau Haut-Marbuzet 2016

Wine Advocate Parker:

"The 2016 Haut Marbuzet has exactly the kind of bouquet you expect from this Saint Estephe owned by the Duboscq family: decadent and very ripe red berry fruit intermixed with kirsch and crème de cassis. Fortunately, it delivers all this ripeness with satisfying freshness and detail. The palate is well balanced with crisp acidity, plenty of concentrated black fruit tinged with tobacco and white pepper. All it is missing is just a little more persistent on the aftertaste, but otherwise, this is no more, no less than an absolutely delicious Saint-Estèphe that will give 20-25 years of drinking pleasure. No other wine from the appellation this year will give you so much joy."

James Suckling:

"Tangy and energetic with a mineral, dried-lemon and dark-berry character. Full body and chewy tannins. All here."

Decanter:

"The Duboscq family are part of the old guard of the Médoc. This wine delivers deep, rich cassis and liquorice alongside some attractive charcoal; flavours that are clearly prepared for some long ageing. Firm tannins exert their influence, and the acidity is a touch more marked than in some. It is more vertically constructed than many in St-Estèphe this year - it is a serious, well built wine that could do with a few years in bottle.

Antonio Galloni:

"The 2016 Haut-Marbuzet is a wild, powerful, eccentric wine. There is a lot going on in the glass, although the elements are not especially well put together at this stage. Pungent red fruit, blood orange, pomegranate and floral notes are all pushed forward. Beams of firm yet well-integrated tannins give the wine much of its energy and drive. There is quite a bit of potential here, especially if the wine finds a bit more balance during its aging. As is often the case, Haut-Marbuzet is one of the most distinctive wines of Saint-Estèphe."