Varietals: 62% Merlot, 32% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Petit Verdot
93 Points James Suckling
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.
92 Points Decanter
The nose reflects very ripe red and black fruit, and even some exotic notes, which could take some by surprise. But the palate is more balanced, showing fresh cassis on the finish, which has a long lift, and almost suggests the grapefruit freshness of a white wine! I like the mid-palate sap. An excellent wine and miles better than its New World-style and less terroir-driven 2010, also tasted. Drinking Window 2020 - 2030.
92 Points Jeb Dunnuck
A perennial overachiever, the 2016 Château Lilian Ladouys brings the goods in 2016 and has a complex, medium to full-bodied, character-filled style to go with loads of blue fruits, incense, dried herbs, and a hint of violets. A blend of 62% Merlot, 32% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 6% Petit Verdot all raised in 30% new barrels, this charming, front end-loaded effort is well worth seeking out. It should keep for 10-15 years.
92 Points Wine Enthusiast
Now under the same ownership as vastly improved Château Pedesclaux in Pauillac, this estate is also on the upward quality curve. This wine has the structure and tannins of a classic Saint-Estèphe as well as juicy, rich black fruits. With aging potential, the wine should be ready to drink from 2024.91Wine SpectatorVery lively, featuring a fun mix of cassis, plum paste and cherry preserve flavors, framed with floral and mineral notes. The light-handed toast lets the fruit shine through the finish, with persistent chalky minerality. Best from 2021 through 2031.
91 Points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
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.
Winemaker Note
The 2016 Château Lilian Ladouys reveals a very deep garnet red color, enhanced with beautiful violet hues. Its explosive nose exudes notes of crushed raspberry, cherry with brandy and bitter cocoa. These are backed with intense fl oral notes that recall a spring flowers bouquet, relieved by aromas of cedar and sandalwood. An ample attack, on the volume and the fat, brings towards a dense body, a powerful and velvety matter. The 2016vintage’s generosity is reminded in a perfect balance of freshness and delight. The cherry is very present, enhanced with notes of orange peel, chocolate and nutmeg. The long finish comes along with chalky tannins, particular to the Merlot’s great success on our asteriated limestone soils.
