Freddy R. Troya

9.0

Château Garraud 2016 – Lalande-de-Pomerol
Bordeaux, France 🇫🇷

Overview
From the esteemed Lalande-de-Pomerol AOC, this Merlot-dominant blend (~70–75% Merlot with Cabernet Franc & Cabernet Sauvignon) captures the vintage’s hallmark: ripeness, balance, and solid structure. 2016 was an excellent year in Bordeaux, producing wines with both plush fruit and age-worthy backbone. Garraud delivers an approachable yet refined style, a softer counterpart to neighboring Pomerol but still layered and complex.
(Educational edge: Lalande-de-Pomerol sits just north of Pomerol proper—sharing similar gravel and clay terroirs, yet offering more approachable, value-driven wines compared to the iconic Pomerol greats.)

Aromas & Flavors
Plum compote, ripe cherry, and blackberry unfold with notes of cocoa, tobacco leaf, and baking spice. The Cabernet lift adds touches of cedar and graphite, giving the fruit an elegant frame.

Mouthfeel
Medium to full-bodied with velvety tannins and fresh acidity. Polished, silky, and structured—more depth than younger vintages, with a long, persistent finish carrying spice and dark fruit.

Winemaking Notes
The estate’s clay-gravel soils provide richness while oak aging (in French barrels) adds finesse and integration. With 2016’s concentration, this vintage has the balance to age gracefully for another 5–7 years.

Food Pairing
Roast duck, grilled lamb chops, or seared ribeye. Also works beautifully with mushroom risotto or semi-soft cheeses like Tomme de Savoie.

Verdict
An outstanding vintage expression of Lalande-de-Pomerol—plush, elegant, and structured. Drink now for its approachability, or hold a few more years to see added depth and nuance. Cheers! — 24 days ago

WC Fields

9.0

Nice for a pop n’ pour. Decent QPR. Blackberry, tobacco, picked up some mint. Tannins that made me want to aerate this more but they were not overpowering. — 5 months ago

Alessandro Dalle Carbonare

8.9

85M 15CF
Clay and gravel nxt to Pomerol.
Very perfumed with artisanal freely expression. Little sweaty. Closing serious and slightly harsh. — 6 months ago

Alvaro Bustillos

9.0

Juan cortina sulaiman — 3 days ago

Pooneet K

9.2

Drinking very nicely and a surprisingly good value on the list at Polo Bar. The age has been very good to this, it’s still quite primary but the tannins are pretty seamless and the fruit and earth express nicely. Just enough acid on the finish to keep it together - could have used more but this is 2015 Bordeaux after all. Nice wine. — a month ago

Boris Mathiszik

9.1

Beautiful left bank BDX. ‘19 vintage at a nice stage now, opens up quickly. Classic earthy tones on the nose. Nice structure and layers of fruit. Delicious. Perfect with burgundy Tri tip BBQ for Easter. — 5 months ago

Alessandro Dalle Carbonare

9.1

85 M 15 CF
Profumato e rotondo. Bella tensione a palato. Finisce con tocco femminile marchio di casa Durantou.
91-92 — 6 months ago

DAL 9000

9.3

Dusty earthy bouquet of mild plums and dark fruit. Medium middle of plums, vanilla and toast? Finishes with a dry long earthy finish. Typical of old world. pronounced turn oh foy. — a month ago

David White

9.2

Bordeaux aromas and like opening the wine game box 😋
Still fresh colour and some tobacco and pencil shavings on palate.
Good claret that will improve further — 2 months ago

Jay Kline

9.2

Opened just prior to service; enjoyed over the course of a few hours. As far as I know, this was the first commercially released vintage of La Fleur de Boüard but others may be able to confirm or deny that. The 2000 pours a deep garnet color with an opaque core; medium+ viscosity with moderate staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of ripe dark fruits: back plums, cassis, pipe tobacco, Flintstones vitamins, purple flowers, dried green herbs organic earth and fine baking spices. “Yabba dabba doo!” On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannins and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium+. Gosh, this is in a really lovely place right now; very well balanced! Thank Andy! Drink now through 2040. — 5 months ago