Bordeaux 2016: The Making of a Classic

From the outset, critics recognised something special. Neal Martin (influential wine critic and author) described the best wines as “sending tingles down the spine,” praising their finesse, freshness and sense of place. The vintage’s hallmark traits are: vivid aromatics, moderate alcohol, deep yet silky tannins and a texture that set new benchmarks for elegance. Many estates achieved a harmony reminiscent of the great vintages of the 1980s and 1990s, but with modern precision.

Across the region, 2016 excelled. The Left Bank delivered superb Cabernet‑based wines — notably from Saint‑Estèphe, Saint‑Julien and Pauillac — while Pomerol and Saint‑Émilion produced reds of remarkable purity and charm. Wine‑Searcher’s vintage report notes that the reds combined ripe fruit with freshness and longevity, making them both accessible now and capable of ageing for decades.

This makes the Horsted Place lunch an ideal setting to revisit the vintage. With wines such as Léoville Poyferré, Ormes de Pez, Grand‑Puy‑Lacoste and Gloria — all praised in Thomas Parker MW’s ten‑year tasting review — members will experience firsthand why 2016 is widely considered one of the standout vintages of this century.

To find out more about the “Bordeaux Lunch, the 2016 Vintage Ten Years On” event click here.