L’Orme de Rauzan-Gassies Haut Medoc 2016 – 750ml Monsieur Touton

97pts Decanter – Best in Show

In all of the acclaim for 2019 in Bordeaux, we shouldn’t forget just how good 2016 was, too, and to find a Haut-Medoc wine still available from this vintage within, as we believed at the time, our Value price category was an unexpected treat. (In fact our price-checking protocol revealed that it will retail just above the 15 value cut-off, but we still consider it a worthy Best in Show at under 30.) This wine is dark purple-red, with earthy and purposeful aromas. The fruit is rich, dense and closely constituted, just beginning to leave the flush of youth behind it but with plenty of cladding to take it through another half-dozen years of ageing if you wish. The innate depth and tenacity of the fruit suggest serious vineyard origins.

90pts James Suckling

Although this is slightly rustic, it’s got stacks of cassis, cranberry and herbal character and a fresh, energetic finish. Very food-friendly. Drink or hold.

Winemaker Notes

L’Orme is a blend of approximately 65% Merlot and 35% Cabernet grown on the sandy gravel soils of the Medoc, just outside Margaux. This is a classic left bank Bordeaux, full-bodied with ripe cassis flavors, notes of violet, vanilla and sandalwood, followed by a firm, dry yet elegant finish.

This is without any doubt, a truly great vintage. How could it not be with such exceptional weather conditions from mid-June to the end of October! The harvests took place in the sunshine, at a measured pace, perfectly adapted to achieving the objectives for each plot in terms of phenolic and aromatic maturity. The end result is a wine that is powerful yet elegant with very ripe tannins and well-balanced in acidity and alcohol. Comparable to the exceptional 2005 vintage.