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PREMIUM

Red Graves 2016: panel tasting results

It’s a good time to stock up – our judges enjoyed plenty of high-scoring wines showing fleshy fruit and depth yet structure and freshness, too.

Andy Howard MW, Robert Mathias and Tim Triptree MW tasted 65 wines, with 6 Outstanding and 42 Highly recommended.


Red Graves 2016 panel tasting

65 wines tasted

Exceptional 0
Outstanding 6
Highly recommended 42
Recommended 17
Commended 0
Fair 0
Poor 0
Faulty 0

Entry criteria: producers and UK agents were invited to submit their Pessac-Léognan and Graves AP red wines, from the 2016 vintage only.


Over in Bordeaux, the 2016 vintage is acknowledged as one of the finest of the century – so far!

This added extra interest to an exciting tasting of red wines from Graves and Pessac-Léognan, already notable for being the last ever Decanter panel tasting to be held in its former Canary Wharf office, before the company’s move to offices in Paddington, west London.


Scroll down for the top scoring red Graves 2016 tasting notes and scores


The judges were highly impressed with 2016’s winning combination of succulent, ripe fruit interwoven with fine tannins and an enduring freshness on the finish.


Red Graves 2016 panel tasting: top-scoring wines


The judges

Andy Howard MW is a Decanter contributing editor and DWWA Regional Chair. A former retail wine buyer for more than 30 years, he now runs his own consultancy Vinetrades, focusing on wine education, judging, investment and sourcing, and has a house in southwest France

Robert Mathias is a wine buyer for London-based Bibendum Group, responsible for sourcing wines from France as well as fine wine purchasing. He has been a DWWA judge since 2019, tasting across a range of regional categories

Tim Triptree MW is the international director of wine and spirits at Christie’s, responsible for the planning and execution of Christie’s wine and spirits auctions internationally. A Master of Wine since 2018, at DWWA 2021 he was a judge on the Rhône and Bordeaux panels


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