Chateau d'Armailhac 2016

Château d'Armailhac is a refined Pauillac Grand Cru Classé with expressive aromas of cassis, blackberry, cedar, graphite, violet, and toasted spice. Concentrated dark fruit, polished tannins, and vibrant freshness create a harmonious palate with remarkable depth, elegance, and outstanding aging potential.

Food Pairing: Pair with roast lamb, grilled ribeye, duck breast, venison, mushroom dishes, or aged hard cheeses for a classic Bordeaux pairing.

96 Points - James Suckling

Quite a bright and refined nose of paprika and graphite. The wine stands out for its juicy quality and texture, with a medium- to full-bodied palate and a long, tense finish showing a hint of tobacco. 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. Aged 18 months in half new oak and half second-use oak.

94 Points - Jeb Dunnuck

A thrilling bottle of wine that readers should snatch up is the 2016 Château d’Armailhac. This deeply colored, medium- to full-bodied, powerful Armailhac gives up a lovely perfume of blackberry and plum fruits, violets, graphite, cedar pencil, and earthy, herbal nuances. Classic, ripe, layered, and just a beautiful Pauillac any way you look at it, it has plenty of upfront sex appeal but is going to keep for 20–25 years as well. Bravo! The 2016 is a blend of 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot.

93 Points - Decanter

There's fairly high acidity on the attack here, and yet it's well balanced by a body that's richer and deeper than in many years of Armailhac. You can definitely feel the texture and the powerful depth of brambly fruit, and there are also some of the signature lilting floral notes, given extra charge through graphite, liquorice, cassis, and that pulsating acidity. Great quality. 2% Petit Verdot completes the blend.

93 Points - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2016 Château d’Armailhac opens with gregarious crème de cassis, blackberry pie and mulberry scents with hints of chocolate box, roses and charcoal with a waft of dried sage. Medium-bodied, the palate has a rock-solid frame of firm, grainy tannins and wonderful freshness, finishing long and earthy.

93 Points - Wine Spectator

This juicy red sports dark plum, fig and boysenberry fruit backed by an equally strong wave of bramble and sweet tobacco notes. The cast-iron spine pins down the finish, so give this a little time to integrate fully. Best from 2023 through 2038.

90 Points - Wine Enthusiast

This is a ripe wine, full of black fruits with attractive tannins. It has depth, but the wine is more about fruitiness and relatively quick development. Drink this already delicious, lightly spicy wine from 2022.