Chateau Bernadotte Haut-Medoc 2016

93 Points, James Suckling

Right from the jump, critics jumped all over the 2016 vintage, declaring it a classic with some even calling it the ‘second coming’ of great Bordeaux.

James Suckling agreed, but took it even further “The wines have a classicism that reminds me of the great wines of the 1980s, but they have much more precision and clarity…”

Wine Enthusiast asked if it was a perfect vintage and added: “What makes the 2016 vintage so special is the quality across the Bordeaux hierarchy. The same character found in the most complex wines is also apparent in the simpler options. They all offer bottlings with rich, ripe fruit and a tannic structure that promises longevity.”

One Bordeaux appellation that seemed to excel even more than others in Bordeaux’s historic vintage, was in the tiny Left Bank appellation of Haut Medoc. With quality particularly exceptional, Decanter Magazine declared the Cru designate bottles, some of the best ever produced.

One of those Cru bottles of mention came from the former estate of Champagne Louis Roederer and Chateau Pichon Longeuville, Chateau Bernadotte, where their 2016 vintage knocked the socks off James Suckling. The Chateau, named after the man Napoleon once appointed King of Sweden shares a long and storied history in the region. But in the 2016 vintage, Suckling’s rave 93-point review was his highest ever for the Chateau since he began reviewing their wines in 2002.