Le Gay 2016

Pomerol

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Tasting Notes

As with the La Violette, the 2016 Château Le Gay shows a slightly more elegant, structured style yet still packs rocking levels of fruit and texture. Mulled dark fruits, new saddle leather, camphor, and tobacco all give way to a full-bodied Pomerol that has building tannins, solid mid-palate depth, and a great finish. It’s still holding things close to its vest, and while I miss some of the sheer opulence found in vintages such as 2005, 2009, and 2010, this is still going to be brilliant. Hide bottles for 4-5 years and it should shine for two decades or more.

Score: 94

Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com Maturity: 2023-2043 28 February 2019

The 2016 Le Gay is terrific. Rich, explosive and vertical in feel, the 2016 is a wine of pedigree and real class. Inky blue and purplish fruit, licorice, lavender all race across the palate. From bottle, Le Gay is more a wine of subtlety and vibrancy than pure power. As good as it is, my impression today is that the fruit is a bit dried out. I liked the 2016 more from barrel.

Score: 94

Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2024-2036 01 January 2019

The 2016 Le Gay has an impressive bouquet of intense black cherry, raspberry, black truffle and smoke aromas that waft temptingly from the glass. The palate is rounded on the entry, and supple, caressing and fleshy in the mouth, offering mocha-tinged red fruit, tobacco and a splash of white pepper toward the quite persistent finish. Very fine, though I suspect the 2015 will be a notch better in the long run.

Score: 93

Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2022-2040 01 January 2019

The 2016 Le Gay is a blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc cropped at 27 hectoliters per hectare between 27 September and 14 October, matured in 100% new oak. The nose handles the new oak in stride with very pure, almost Côtes de Nuits-like red cherry and strawberry fruit, a patina of vanilla emanating from the wood. The palate is silky smooth on the entry with black cherry and blueberry fruit, a fine line of acidity, very polished in style with a gentle grip on the finish. Le Gay hit the high spots in the previous two vintages. I am not sure if in 2016 it quite reaches those levels, although it is still a sensual wine that should age with style over the next 15-20 years.

Score: 92 - 94

Neal Martin, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: 2021-2040 28 April 2017

Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, the 2016 Le Gay has a rock star nose of flamboyant Black Forest cake, crushed redcurrants and lilacs scents with underlying nuances of yeast extract, wood smoke, iron ore and dark chocolate. Medium to full-bodied, the palate truly struts its stuff with generous black and red fruits and a fantastic line of super ripe tannins, building to a very long, seductively perfumed finish.

Score: 95

Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: 2021-2045 30 November 2018

Very dark crimson. Very extreme and sweet and concentrated. Not a good example.

Score: 16

Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com Maturity: 2023-2030 12 April 2017

Very expressive, this nearly gushes with warm blueberry, plum and blackberry reduction notes while chocolate and melted licorice flavors fill in the background. Has fruit to burn, but might just be a bit shy on spine for the longer haul.

Score: 92 - 95

James Molesworth, Wine Spectator 10 April 2017

One of the best Le Gays in years. Full-bodied and polished with superfine tannins. Layered. Goes on for minutes.

Score: 98 - 99

James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com 04 April 2017