2016 Bellevue (Saint Emilion)

100% Merlot. Nicely integrated, mellow nose. Certainly fresh, even very slightly skinny, with the tannins currently outweighing the fruit. Rather scrawny tannins for now. (JR)

A dense and layered red with ripe plums and blueberries, as well as hints of wet earth and moss. Full-bodied, velvety and layered with fantastic fruit and creamy, velvety tannins. Plush and deep. Great wine. Try from 2023.

The 2016 Bellevue is dense and powerful, but also quite reticent following its bottling this past June. Dark and virile, the 2016 is going to need at least a few years to come into its own. The intensity and volume the wine showed en primeur are very much in evidence, but also presently enshrouded by a wall of potent tannins. Gravel, smoke, game, leather and tobacco give the 2016 much of its savory character. (AG) 93+