100 Points - Wine Enthusiast
Powerful tannins and hugely rich fruit balance together in this superb wine. The velvet texture belies the power behind the concentrated, ripe black-fruit flavour, with vibrant acidity giving ample lift. The wine's structure will ensure aging for many years. Drink from 2024.
100 Points - Jeb Dunnuck
The finest vintage I've ever tasted from this estate, surpassing the 2009 and 2010, the 2016 Chteau Palmer is a blend of 47% each of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, with the balance Petit Verdot, all of which was brought up in 65% new French oak. This magical effort reveals a saturated purple colour as well as a huge nose of crme de cassis, graphite, crushed rocks, and spring flowers, and it develops beautifully with time in the glass. Full-bodied, deep, incredibly concentrated and powerful, it nevertheless just glides over the palate with flawless purity and balance, presenting ripe tannins and a finish that just won't quit. This is Bordeaux at its most regal and classic. It will be drinkable with just 4-5 years of bottle age and keep for half a century.
98 Points - James Suckling
Such attractive fruit and alluring ripeness that it draws you in from the get-go. The discreet power here is delivered with a very astute touch. Assorted dark-berry aromas, as well as red plums, abound on the nose. The richness and depth in the mouth are stunning. The tannins are super polished and layered, and they draw pristine dark fruit flavours deep into the finish in effortless mode. This is a star of the vintage.
98 + Points - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2016 Palmer is a blend of 47% Merlot, 47% Cabernet Sauvignon and 6% Petit Verdot. Opaque garnet-purple coloured, it slowly glides out of the glass with compelling notes of blueberry compote, warm cassis and kirsch with emerging hints of violets, cigar box, black tea, sandalwood and Sichuan pepper. Medium to full-bodied, wonderfully rich, concentrated and packed with latent energy, the palate literally grows in the mouth, revealing layer upon layer of black, blue and red fruits and tons of floral sparks framed by super ripe, incredibly fine-grained tannins and finishing with epic length. It's a wine that makes you wanna drape yourself languidly over a chaise lounge, a glass of Palmer in hand, sighing with deep satisfaction, "This is so wonderfully Palmer."
98 Points - Decanter
As is always the case with Palmer, the richness, depth, and silkiness are just so impressive. Sophisticated and well constructed, with a vertical lift-off, there's a creamy richness on the palate, which supports pencil-lead, licorice, damson, black cherry and slate. I love the smoky cocoa bean finish. Like the Alter Ego, it's a different style this year but no less impressive, displaying width, heft and incredible persistence. It's a wine that's going to age far into the future and is extremely easy to recommend. The highest-ever proportion of grand vin was produced in 2016.
94 Points - Wine Spectator
This is a very solid rendering, with a core of steeped blackberry, black currant and fig fruit flavours that are juicy and well-defined. The back end picks up lots of graphite, tobacco, anise and violet notes while maintaining focus and energy. Shows latent depth as the fruit echoes steadily. Best from 2023 through 2038.
