Château d'Arsac Cru Bourgeois, Margaux (2016)

The Chateau d’Arsac’s blend of 72% cabernet sauvignon and 28% merlot come together to create a deep red, almost black colour. It gives off aromas of ripe red fruit and understated well-integrated oak, due to the 12 month ageing in 100% oak barrels.

The wine presents itself like a 3-act dance; fresh and fruity from the outset, going on to display excellent balance, concentration, and texture and finishes long, with elegant oak.

Tasting Notes

93 Wine Enthusiast
Vines and a spectacular park with modern sculpture mark out this showpiece estate. It has produced an elegant wine, full of perfumed fruit and with fine, dusty tannins. It should age well, morphing into a stylish wine with richness and longevity. Drink from 2024. Editors' Choice

92 Decanter
A lighter-framed Margaux with the emphasis on floral notes and raspberry fruits. Good quality, enjoyable, no need to wait before cracking this open, but it’s full of pleasure. Drinking Window 2020 - 2030

92 James Suckling
The fragrant ripe-blackberry nose leads into this rather powerful Margaux with plenty of structure, the tannins building nicely on the long, moderately firm finish. Drink or hold.

91 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2016 D'Arsac was showing just a touch of volatility on the nose at first, although my sample addressed that with some rigorous aeration, revealing marine-tinged black fruit laced with blueberry and crushed violet. The palate is medium-bodied with a vibrant, spicy opening and superb delineation. Very harmonious in the mouth, there is impressive depth and wonderful freshness to this Margaux, delivering great length on the finish. It should be afforded maybe five years to fully subsume that new oak, but it will certainly be worth the wait. Bucking the trend for Margaux wines to have peaked in 2015, this 2016 is leagues above last year's wine. Bravo. Rating: 89-91