Saint Pierre 2016

Tasted blind. Earlier maturing than some. Nice wine for early drinking. Everything in its place but not one of the most concentrated.Drink 2024 – 2039

Coming from 50-year-old vines and a blend of 73% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc, the 2016 Château Saint-Pierre (Saint-Julien) is in the same ballpark as the 2015 yet shows a slightly more elegant, classic feel, which is very much in the style of the vintage. Beautiful notes of crème de cassis, black raspberries, crushed rocks, tobacco, and lead pencil shavings as well as some smoky notes with time in the glass all flow to a deep, full-bodied, concentrated Saint-Julien that has fine tannin, flawless balance and integration, no hard edges, and a great finish. This brilliant wine from winemaker Jean-Louis Triaud will benefit from 4-5 years of bottle age and keep for 25-30 years. Drink 2023-2053.

Firm at the start the nose has a minty freshness the palate slightly tight but it opens up in the middle with a mix of sweet black fruits. Under the richness bramble and bilberry refresh with rich black cherry giving depth on the finish. 2025-40

Just a notch below its stable mate, Château Gloria, in 2016, but this is still a very serious St Julien from the Henri Martin portfolio. Concentrated, firm and vigorous, with leafy aromas, layered dark berry and tobacco flavours and plenty of supporting tannin. 2026-36

The 2016 Saint-Pierre has plenty of fruit intensity on the nose but maintains a sense of control and class. Blackberry, briar, cedar and light pencil shaving aromas develop in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannin, good depth and more substance and vigor than the Gloria. The saline, structured finish exerts impressive grip. A fantastic Saint-Julien. Drink 2022-2048

The 2016 Chateau Saint-Pierre is a blend of 73% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Merlot and 6% Cabernet Franc picked between 29 September and 3 October for the Merlot and 5-17 October for the Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine is matured is 50% new oak. The Cabernet comes through strongly on the nose as you would expect: quite intense black fruit, graphite and just a touch of dried herbs. There is lovely definition and focus on display. The palate is well balanced with grainy tannin, a crisp line of acidity, classic in style in keeping with the style of the vintage with very fine mineralité and tension towards the sprightly finish. It is one of the most Pauillac-like Château Saint-Pierres that I have tasted, a very well crafted, almost understated but sophisticated wine that will age for 20 to 30 years. This is a fantastic Saint Julien that may well rest at the top of my banded score. Drink 2022 - 2050.

Blueberry, blackberry and fresh currant-leaf character. Full-bodied, refined, beautiful, dense and tight. Great depth. Best ever.

Aged for 14 months in 50% new and 50% one-year-old French oak and blended of 73% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Merlot and 6% Cabernet Franc, the deep garnet-purple colored 2016 Saint-Pierre leaps from the glass with exuberant Black Forest cake, blackberry compote and cassis with hints of cigars, earth and violets with a waft of iron ore. Medium-bodied, the palate has a firm frame of grainy tannins with fantastic energy and depth, finishing on a lingering chocolaty note. 2021 - 2046

Tasted at home on a quiet (there were a lot of them this year) Saturday night early in the year, when we knew it was crazy to open a five year old St Julien but we just couldn't wait. The first year with new cellars, this is luscious (a word I use to describe Saint-Pierre more than pretty much any other St Julien except perhaps Léoville Poyferré), with ripe, finessed blackberry and cassis fruits, Cabernet dominant with pencil lead and eucaplyptus on the finish, along with freshly cut herbs. Harvest September 29 to October 17. 50% new oak.

Structured and measured with grippy tannins, this is a subtle yet extremely successful wine. Fully ripe black fruits are joined by gentle spices that slowly curl up through the palate. These guys have been delivering such a fantastic run of vintages and continue to do so here - for me yet another St-Julien that is clearly better than the 2015.Drinking Window 2027 - 2045

Dark purple. Sweet peppery notes on the nose. Very glossy and friendly. Sweet start and then quite chewy. Well put together if a tad inky on the end. Not quite enough density on the finish for perfection.Drink 2025-2038