2016
2016
2016
How difficult it is to follow a vintage as extraordinary as 2015! And yet, Château Margaux 2016 clearly ranks among the greatest vintages of this early century!
The nose is particularly delicate, complex and deep. On the palate, the wine reveals incredible volume, softness and, above all, length. It is, of course, our finest cabernet sauvignon plots that lend this wine its elegance, making up 94% of the blend. Merlot and cabernet franc, at 2% and 3% respectively, contribute significant complexity—both aromatically and through the softness of their tannic structure. Finally, petit verdot, despite its small quantity (only 1% of the blend), adds considerable density and volume.
Despite the dry and sunny summer conditions of this vintage, this wine has retained all its acidity—promising fabulous ageing potential. Château Margaux 2016 is an exceptional wine, the result of a combination of outstanding weather conditions, deep knowledge of our terroir and a rigorous selection process (28% of the harvest). It is, however, important to wait patiently, given its immense ageing potential. (February 2025)
Climate
The wet and relatively mild winter led to quite early sprouting in the last week of March. The 400 mm of rain during the first 3 months of the year helped to replenish the ground water after a rather dry 2015. The spring rains came very close together and thus gave the impression that they had been plentiful, whereas in fact, the total of all the rain only amounted to the average of the last 30 years. The vines nevertheless managed to find a few rare, beautiful sunny days to blossom between June 6th and 8th.
The contrast with the summer drought was just as striking. Only 8 mm of rain fell during July and August. Even though the very young plants showed a few marked signs of hydric stress, our old vines behaved perfectly, once again demonstrating this species’ incredible capacity to adapt to the climate. Although dry, the summer wasn’t exceptionally hot. Only the second half of August was marked by higher than normal temperatures. The combination of these factors caused the colour change to be quite spread out. September, with its dry days and cool nights, enabled the grapes to complete their ripening process in optimal conditions.
The harvest of the reds, which was the most staggered in the history of the Estate, took place from September 23rd to October 18th.
All through the summer, with every passing day, we felt a little more excited at the thought of a great new vintage taking shape…
How difficult it is to follow a vintage as extraordinary as 2015! And yet, Château Margaux 2016 clearly ranks among the greatest vintages of this early century!
The nose is particularly delicate, complex and deep. On the palate, the wine reveals incredible volume, softness and, above all, length. It is, of course, our finest cabernet sauvignon plots that lend this wine its elegance, making up 94% of the blend. Merlot and cabernet franc, at 2% and 3% respectively, contribute significant complexity—both aromatically and through the softness of their tannic structure. Finally, petit verdot, despite its small quantity (only 1% of the blend), adds considerable density and volume.
Despite the dry and sunny summer conditions of this vintage, this wine has retained all its acidity—promising fabulous ageing potential. Château Margaux 2016 is an exceptional wine, the result of a combination of outstanding weather conditions, deep knowledge of our terroir and a rigorous selection process (28% of the harvest). It is, however, important to wait patiently, given its immense ageing potential. (February 2025)
Climate
The wet and relatively mild winter led to quite early sprouting in the last week of March. The 400 mm of rain during the first 3 months of the year helped to replenish the ground water after a rather dry 2015. The spring rains came very close together and thus gave the impression that they had been plentiful, whereas in fact, the total of all the rain only amounted to the average of the last 30 years. The vines nevertheless managed to find a few rare, beautiful sunny days to blossom between June 6th and 8th.
The contrast with the summer drought was just as striking. Only 8 mm of rain fell during July and August. Even though the very young plants showed a few marked signs of hydric stress, our old vines behaved perfectly, once again demonstrating this species’ incredible capacity to adapt to the climate. Although dry, the summer wasn’t exceptionally hot. Only the second half of August was marked by higher than normal temperatures. The combination of these factors caused the colour change to be quite spread out. September, with its dry days and cool nights, enabled the grapes to complete their ripening process in optimal conditions.
The harvest of the reds, which was the most staggered in the history of the Estate, took place from September 23rd to October 18th.
All through the summer, with every passing day, we felt a little more excited at the thought of a great new vintage taking shape…
Service & tasting
Discover our tips for serving and tasting your wine in the best conditions.
Service & tasting
Discover our tips for serving and tasting your wine in the best conditions.