Sansonnet St-Émilion 2016

96 points and '#1 Top Wine of 2019,' Jeb Dunnuck: "An estate that has been firing on all cylinders recently, the Merlot-dominated 2016 Château Sansonnet sports a saturated ruby color as well as a beautiful bouquet of macerated black cherries, blackcurrants, smoked earth, spice, and tobacco. This ripe, sexy, full-bodied beauty has terrific overall balance, a layered texture, no hard edges, and a beautiful finish. It's a gem in the vintage and is well worth a case purchase. The blend is 90% Merlot and 5% each of Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon, all brought up in 80% new French oak. Don’t miss this brilliant wine. Drink: 2021-2041. (2/28/19)"

96 points Antonio Galloni (Vinous): "An exotic, heady wine, the 2016 Sansonnet is a total stunner. Crème de cassis, lavender, bittersweet chocolate, menthol, licorice, graphite and sweet spice saturate the palate in an explosive, stunningly beautiful Saint-Émilion that balances concentration and vibrancy with impeccable class. Put simply, the 2016 Sansonnet is a total pleasure bomb. Don't miss it. Tasted three times. Drink: 2022-2036. (Jan 2019)"

95 points James Suckling: "The blueberry and blackberry aromas are very impressive and lifted right out of the glass. Full-bodied, very tight and defined with beautiful berries and focus. Long and vivid. Traditional style with precision and verve. Drink in 2022. (2/3/19)"

94+ points Lisa Perrotti-Brown (Wine Advocate): "Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2016 Sansonnet (composed of 90% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon) is a little youthfully mute, revealing suggestions of crushed black plums, baked cherries and blackberries with nuances of fallen leaves, black olives, lavender and pencil lead. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is charged with energy, giving mouth-coating red and black fruits with a firm, grainy frame, finishing long and lively. Drink: 2021-2045. (Nov 2018)"

94 points Neal Martin (Vinous): "The 2016 Sansonnet has a pure bouquet of small dark cherries, fig and blueberry, beautifully defined and seamlessly integrated with the new oak. The medium-bodied palate is smooth and sensual, offering supple tannin and layers of slightly toasted black fruit, plus a bit of white pepper toward the persistent finish. This should mature with panache in bottle. 14.5% alcohol. Drink: 2022-2042. (Jan 2019)"

93 points Wine Spectator: "Bold, with a broad beam of warm cassis, plum reduction and braised fig flavors striding through, underscored by a strong graphite edge and backed by alluring black tea and well-roasted apple wood notes. Despite the heft, this is polished and integrated already, and should be a hedonistic delight in the near term. Best from 2021 through 2033. 2,500 cases made. (3/31/19)"