Top St-Estèphe 2016 wines: Re-tasted in the bottle

Cos continues to cement its place at the top of the second growths. It has moved on from the emphasis on heft and ripeness to a much more polished, elegant style. This 2016 retains the structure, with 70% new oak adding to the glossy, smooth tannins and palate feel, whilst adding in intense blackcurrant fruit, Asian spices, leafy hints and plenty of mineral drive to finish. Much more drinkable than, say, 2009/2010.

Founded in 1815, Château Montrose is a St-Estèphe icon revered for ageworthy reds. Under the Bouygues family's ownership since 2006, major investments in the 95ha gravel and clay vineyard and cellar have helped push the quality of this second growth estate even higher. The 2016 blend of 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc was vinified in stainless steel and aged 18 months in French oak barrels (60% new). Georgie Hindle: Strongly scented, firm and full. Detailed fruit. Chewy, fleshy, but with a sweetness to the black fruit. Cooling menthol minerality. Gorgeous. Vincenzo Arnese: Good intensity, rich and crisp, good freshness on the palate with nice texture and finish. Some leafiness and attractive spiciness. Robert Mathias MW: Some incense and five spice on the nose. Quite robust and muscular palate with a real sense of finesse and purpose. Saline and gravelly, there is also a brilliant lift of violets and liquorice. A captivating wine.

This is utterly gorgeous, living up to the promise of its showing at en primeur. Plump and rich yet well balanced, the violet-tinged black fruits are accompanied by really vibrant edging, and a shot of cassis purée and fresh mint leaf that I haven't found in many of these wines. Chocolate and cappuccino notes swirl through the finish. Matured in 100% new oak. 2% Petit Verdot rounds out the blend. Harvested 29 September to 15 October.

Cool blueberry fruit aromas, with some creamy, round qualities. The palate is smooth and pleasurable. ‘A more modern style,’ said wine buyer Jean Haudy, ‘but very agreeable’. Indeed, somewhat similar in style to Beau-Site, and also an improvement over the 2010, which is not quite as focused or as fresh.

Rich and powerful, with good freshness underneath the fruit. The components of the wine are off the charts, extremely knitted down and barely budging. It has amazing silky tannins and just a slight tartness to the fruit on the finish which pulls things up abruptly. Plenty to love here. 57hl/ha yield. Matured in 50% new oak.

With fine oak integration, this wine is a tasty combination of torrefaction, finesse and iron richness. ‘A fine glass of red, if not the most concentrated – a well made wine,’ commented Strasbourg-based wine buyer Stéphan Maure at a tasting. Compared to the 2005, which was also tasted, this shows greater finesse of tannins.