Chateau Pibran 2016
-
James
Suckling -
Wine
Spectator -
Jeb
Dunnuck
Product Details
Your Rating
Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
-
James Suckling
This is a vivacious and very attractive, ripe Pauillac with aromas of ripe red plums, cherries and blackberries on offer. The palate has a plush, refined and suave array of very attractive, fine but dense tannins and the rich blackberries, plums and mulberries carry long and super fresh. Try from 2023.
-
Wine Spectator
This has showy fruit, with dark plum, boysenberry and black currant compote flavors that are nicely melded, with freshness provided by licorice snap and violet notes. A really strong graphite edge drives the finish, with fine acidity playing an important supporting role along the way. Best from 2023 through 2038.
-
Jeb Dunnuck
Loads of cassis, graphite, and pencil lead notes dominate the bouquet of the 2016 Château Pibran, which is deeply colored, full-bodied, and nicely textured on the palate. It’s another incredibly classy wine from the northern regions of the Médoc that has enough fruit and texture to offer pleasure today, yet will benefit from short-term cellaring and cruise in cold cellars.
Rating: 92+
Other Vintages
2022-
Jeb
Dunnuck -
James
Suckling - Decanter
-
Jeb
Dunnuck -
James
Suckling - Decanter
-
James
Suckling - Decanter
-
Jeb
Dunnuck -
Wine
Spectator -
Robert
Parker -
Wine
Enthusiast
-
Jeb
Dunnuck -
Wine
Enthusiast -
Wine
Spectator -
James
Suckling -
Robert
Parker
-
Wine
Spectator -
James
Suckling -
Jeb
Dunnuck -
Robert
Parker -
Wine
Enthusiast - Decanter
-
Jeb
Dunnuck -
Wine
Enthusiast -
Wine
Spectator -
Robert
Parker -
James
Suckling
-
James
Suckling -
Jeb
Dunnuck -
Wine
Enthusiast -
Wine
Spectator -
Robert
Parker
-
Wine
Enthusiast -
James
Suckling
-
Wine
Enthusiast -
James
Suckling -
Wine
Spectator
-
Wine
Enthusiast -
James
Suckling -
Wine
Spectator -
Robert
Parker
-
James
Suckling -
Wine
Enthusiast -
Wine
Spectator -
Robert
Parker
-
Wine
Spectator -
James
Suckling
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.
The leader on the Left Bank in number of first growth classified producers within its boundaries, Pauillac has more than any of the other appellations, at three of the five. Chateau Lafite Rothschild and Mouton Rothschild border St. Estephe on its northern end and Chateau Latour is at Pauillac’s southern end, bordering St. Julien.
While the first growths are certainly some of the better producers of the Left Bank, today they often compete with some of the “lower ranked” producers (second, third, fourth, fifth growth) in quality and value. The Left Bank of Bordeaux subscribes to an arguably outdated method of classification that goes back to 1855. The finest chateaux in that year were judged on the basis of reputation and trading price; changes in rank since then have been miniscule at best. Today producers such as Chateau Pontet-Canet, Chateau Grand Puy-Lacoste, Chateau Lynch-Bages, among others (all fifth growth) offer some of the most outstanding wines in all of Bordeaux.
Defining characteristics of fine wines from Pauillac (i.e. Cabernet-based Bordeaux Blends) include inky and juicy blackcurrant, cedar or cigar box and plush or chalky tannins.
Layers of gravel in the Pauillac region are key to its wines’ character and quality. The layers offer excellent drainage in the relatively flat topography of the region allowing water to run off into “jalles” or streams, which subsequently flow off into the Gironde.