Winemaker Notes
Blend: 85% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2016 Bourgneuf is composed of 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc. Medium garnet-purple colored, it opens with very pretty notions of crushed red cherries, blackberry pie, wild blueberries and potpourri plus hints of tapenade, camphor and tobacco leaf. Medium to full-bodied, the palate delivers a great intensity of perfumed black fruits, framed by rounded tannins and plenty of freshness, finishing long and perfumed.
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Wine Enthusiast
A dense wine with ripe tannins. The fruit is there, although buried in the firm structure. It's good for the long term. Barrel Sample: 92-94
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Decanter
This was extremely subdued when tasted at en primeur, but the way it's nudging forward is extremely promising. Lush fruit appears on the attack and right on through the-mid palate, before you are pulled up hard on the finish by the strength of the tannins, suggesting a long life ahead and a patient wait before it's fully ready. Things are softened by a creamy caramel note coming in as things open in the glass, which keeps you enjoyably engaged with the wine. Drinking Window 2022 - 2035
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James Suckling
Very plush and attractive tannin texture and a wealth of rich dark plums and berries, make this an attractive wine for the vintage. Great focus and balance. Try from 2022.
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Wine Spectator
Fleshy, round and brimming with succulent cassis, raspberry and cherry compote flavors, delivering a big ball of fruit without being top-heavy, as light apple wood, rooibos tea and anise notes add cut and range on the finish. Best from 2022 through 2034. 2,400 cases made.
One of the world’s most classic and popular styles of red wine, Bordeaux-inspired blends have spread from their homeland in France to nearly every corner of the New World. Typically based on either Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot and supported by Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot, the best of these are densely hued, fragrant, full of fruit and boast a structure that begs for cellar time. Somm Secret—Blends from Bordeaux are generally earthier compared to those from the New World, which tend to be fruit-dominant.
A source of exceptionally sensual and glamorous red wines, Pomerol is actually a rather small appellation in an unassuming countryside. It sits on a plateau immediately northeast of the city of Libourne on the right bank of the Dordogne River. Pomerol and St-Émilion are the stars of what is referred to as Right Bank Bordeaux: Merlot-dominant red blends completed by various amounts of Cabernet Franc or Cabernet Sauvignon. While Pomerol has no official classification system, its best wines are some of the world’s most sought after.
Historically Pomerol attached itself to the larger and more picturesque neighboring region of St-Émilion until the late 1800s when discerning French consumers began to recognize the quality and distinction of Pomerol on its own. Its popularity spread to northern Europe in the early 1900s.
After some notable vintages of the 1940s, the Pomerol producer, Petrus, began to achieve great international attention and brought widespread recognition to the appellation. Its subsequent distribution by the successful Libourne merchant, Jean-Pierre Mouiex, magnified Pomerol's fame after the Second World War.
Perfect for Merlot, the soils of Pomerol—clay on top of well-drained subsoil—help to create wines capable of displaying an unprecedented concentration of color and flavor.
The best Pomerol wines will be intensely hued, with qualities of fresh wild berries, dried fig or concentrated black plum preserves. Aromas may be of forest floor, sifted cocoa powder, anise, exotic spice or toasted sugar and will have a silky, smooth but intense texture.