From St. Estephe AOC. Our first encounter with this producer was perhaps 15 years ago when we tasted their 1995. It cost next to nothing of course but today, Lilian Ladouys remain a solid value wine. 2016 was a great vintage. Highly recommended. It has also received good reviews.
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The 2016 Lilian Ladouys is a blend of 62% Merlot, 32% Cabernet Sauvignon and 6% Petit Verdot aged in 30% new French oak for 15 months. Medium to deep garnet-purple in color, it sings of baked plums, crème de cassis and Black Forest cake with bay leaves, pencil lead and menthol. Medium-bodied, elegant and packed with vibrant flavor layers, it finishes long.' 91 pts Wine Advocate.
'The blueberry and blackberry aromas are certainly attractive here. Full-bodied and dense with a very velvety texture and a long, generous finish of ripe fruit and spice. Drink from 2022.' 93 pts James Suckling.
'This is the third time I have tasted the 2016 Lilian Ladouys in bottle. It retains a very intense blackberry and boysenberry bouquet laced with minerals, but displays a little more amplitude than it did in August. The tightly knit palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin and still shows the graphite seam that I remarked upon previously. There is a little more persistence now, hence the slightly higher score. Good potential.' 92 pts Neal Martin, Wine Advocate