Andrew Cullimore

8.9

Quite light garnet core with a wide watery garnet rim . Quite reserved and closed at first , with light red currant , herbal wild strawberry , ripe red cherry and earthy , dry spices . On the palate this has quite a rustic , tannic profile for a simples Bourgogne Hautes Cotes de Nuits , with quite fresh acidity but has enough cool strawberry , raspberry , red currant and earthy sous bois to fill out on the palate . Balanced alcohol and reasonable length , with a hint of bitterness . Pretty old school and rustic in style but certainly individual and has personality. In this vintage at least there is just enough mid palate to deal with the extended aging in oak . This does need a little time to open up and requires food and arguably needs a little more time , though I do worry that with more time in bottle it will loose the little fruit that it still has . So drink now and over the next 5 years or so . Overall probably the best red I have had from Chateau de Villars Fontaine . — 9 days ago

Mario Vaillancourt

9.1

Nez de fruits noirs, canelle, touche de bois neuf mais quand même sans excès, un profil très NSG avec de la poigne, de la matière, beaucoup de vin la-dedans mais non dénué de classe et de finesse. Encore meilleur au jour 2. 91-92

Dark fruit, cinnamon, touch of new wood but without excess, generous fruit, bery terroir driven with a nice texture, some grip and power but not without class and elegance too, and even better on day 2. 91-92 — 4 years ago

Delectable Wine

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9.0

Gentle red berry and sous-bois aromas vie with light allspice and bay leaf scents. The 2016 is open-knit and harmonious, with bright acidity that lends freshness, vibrancy and a subtle grip on the tobacco-tinged, reassuringly insistent finish. $25.00 (Neal Martin, Vinous, March 2021) — 4 years ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.1

Medium garnet , quite wide garnet terracotta rim . Quite mature and with mint , herbal cassis , touch of brown sugar, coffee , sous bois. On the palate this is medium bodied , sous bois , some red fruits , red plum , cassis . Quite spicy but still good volume and roundness on the palate also. Decent acidity , and some herbal touches on the good length finish . This is drinking well and will probably not improve . Now and over the next 5-10 years . — 4 months ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.0

Slightly hazy (poor reflection on my impatient decanting ) but quite deep garnet, wide terracotta rim . Slightly high toned , quite meaty dried mushroom nose, red currant , degraded blackberry and earthy notes. Just a bit rustic and lacks a bit of definition and interest to be honest . On the palate shows better with good poise and roundness, finely judged acidity with , ripe and quite vivid mix of red and dark fruit. Touch of sous bois and grafite , seems younger on the palate than the nose or appearance would indicate. Good persistence too , with rounded still noticeable tannins . Overall an ok showing , and only started deteriorating after 3 hours in decanter , especially considering the upper shoulder ullage, there will be better bottles out there . Drink now and over the next 5 -7 years . — 2 years ago

Pollyana Gomes

9.2

The wines was perfect! It aged so well and showed richness of aromas such as tosted, vanilla, ‘sous bois’, mushrooms, dried berries and figs, and a hint of eucalyptus
The tannins are so velvet, the acidity is refreshing yet and the finish is delicious!

Very good wine!

Grapes: 81% Cabernet Sauvignon e 19% Merlot

French oak: 12 months

Alcohol: 13%

Half bottle. Drink now: not suitable for ageing more! — 4 years ago

Romain Fitoussi

8.9

All in roundness, on notes of caramel, undergrowth, musk, and cook and roasted. It will win again with a few years in the cellar

Tout en rondeur, sur des notes de caramel, sous-bois, musk, et cuire et torréfiées. Il gagnera encore avec quelques années en cave — 5 years ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.1

Medium ruby , quite wide garnet , terracotta rim . Quite spiced tobacco , red focused sous bois , warm spice , coffee and cacao , a little foursquare , rustic perhaps . On the palate better , quite juicy and rounded , spiced red plum , dark cherry , dry spice . This becomes more saline with time in the glass, balanced acidity and some slightly gritty tannins. This is probably in the middle of its drinking window , and will remain here over the next 5-10 years perhaps. Within the context of Haut Brion , this perhaps is just a little below par . — 9 months ago

Romain Fitoussi

9.0

The Bordeaux expression as we like to taste it unpretentious but with a lot of relief. Dark dress. Multidimensional rich nose. Soft mouth carried by unexpected aromas of fennel, plus aromas of blackcurrant, plum, undergrowth, oak, tobacco, very Bordeaux. Affordable and balanced. A classic

L’expression bordelaise comme on aime la goûter sans prétention mais avec beaucoup de relief. Robe sombre. Nez riche multidimensionnel. Bouche souple portée par des arômes inattendus de fenouil, plus des arômes cassis, prune, sous-bois, chêne, tabac, très bordelais. Abordable et équilibré. Un classique. — 3 years ago

Mario Vaillancourt

8.9

Very intense nose, explosive even but beautiful too of red fruits, spices and clearly some stems, but not too much and some new oak, which is very prominent on the palate though, the wine is delicious, very open but that oak is not quite digested yet. Good and different, needs time in the bottle.

Un nez explosif de fruits rouges, d’épices, très Pinot mais aussi in peu de vendanges entières et surtout du bois neuf, qui est très présent en bouche, c’est bon, ouvert et bien fait mais ce bois n’est pas digéré encore. A besoin de temps en bouteilles. 89-90 — 5 years ago