The 2016 Haut Beausejour is a blend of 62% Merlot, 36% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Petit Verdot with 13.8% alcohol. It has a fresh and generous bouquet, an equal mixture of red and black fruit, just a hint of salted licorice developing with time, plus a hint of sage. The palate is medium-bodied with quite firm tannin, a little pinched on the entry, linear in style with a touch of balsamic towards the spicy finish. A little rustic in style compared to the 2014 de Pez (also owned by Louis-Roederer), but it should give several years of drinking pleasure once bottled.

A fresh and open style, with lilac-edged plum and cherry notes. Light flashes of chalky minerality and savory hold the unadorned finish. Drink now through 2028.