2016 Lalande Borie
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Tasting notes
Another winner from the genius of Bruno Borie, the 2016 Lalande-Borie is a wine savvy readers should seek out. My money is on it being the best to date, and it also shows how successful Saint-Julien was in 2016. Offering loads of pure cassis, violets, and sappy herb aromas and flavors, this beauty is all elegance and purity on the palate, with fine tannins, medium to full-bodied richness, impressive depth of fruit, and a great finish. It’s drinkable today and will be drinkable in 15-20 years as well. The blend is 55% Merlot and 45% Cabernet Sauvignon raised in 30% new French oak.
Critic scores
Average Score
James Suckling
Wine Enthusiast
More reviews and scores
The 2016 Lalande-Borie has a much more backward, introspective bouquet than the Fourcas-Borie, displaying earthy, tobacco-infused black fruit that refuses to come out and play. The palate is rounded on the entry with supple tannin and a fine bead of acidity. Quite minerally in style, leading to a fresh finish. Allow this four or five years in bottle and it will offer a decade of drinking pleasure.
Attractive, ripe cabernet fruit on the nose, this has aromas of blackberries and blueberries with a dark, slate-like, stony edge. The palate is very succulent and has good intensity of purple berries and assertive, grainy tannins that really power into the finish. This is a great value 2016 St.-Julien. Try from 2023.
The 2016 Lalande-Borie is dark, powerful and ample, with an extra kick of concentration and brooding power that has developed during élevage. Blackberry jam, cloves, menthol, chocolate and espresso all meld together. This is a decidedly potent Saint-Julien, with quite a bit more intensity than it showed from barrel.
About the producer
Second Growth estate Ch. Ducru-Beaucaillou in Saint-Julien is one of the Super Seconds, an elite group of properties producing wines that regularly compete with the finest in the Médoc.