2016 Château Mangot Todeschini Distique 9

An extremely rare Saint-Émilion Grand Cru, made from only nine carefully selected barriques from the top 2016 vintage.

Winery

Château Mangot is one of the most ambitious estates in Saint-Émilion. The Todeschini family has owned the château since 1954 and has invested heavily in quality, vineyard management, and precision viticulture over the past decades. The result is an impressive rise in quality, crowned with the status of Saint-Émilion Grand Cru Classé. In addition to the Grand Vin, the château produces several highly exclusive cuvées. Distique 9 is the absolute flagship of these. Only in exceptional years are the best barrels selected for this prestigious wine, which is released exclusively in very limited quantities. You can find more information about this winery in the Winery tab.

Origin and terroir

The grapes come from the highest limestone slopes of Saint-Émilion. The combination of limestone, clay, and excellent water management yields grapes of exceptional concentration and refinement. The vineyards benefit from excellent sun exposure and large temperature differences between day and night, allowing the grapes to ripen slowly and retain their fresh acidity. This special terroir gives Distique 9 its characteristic minerality, depth, and elegant structure.

Grapes and vineyard management

For Distique 9, only the finest grapes are selected from the estate's oldest plots. The vineyards are managed with great precision, where low yields and multiple selection rounds ensure fruit of exceptional quality. Every bunch is harvested by hand and carefully inspected before arriving in the cellar. Only the most refined fruit ultimately qualifies for this exclusive cuvée, for which only nine barriques were selected in 2016.

Vinification and aging

After an extremely careful selection, the grapes are vinified separately. Alcoholic fermentation takes place under controlled conditions to maintain maximum precision and aromatic purity. Subsequently, the wine ages for approximately eighteen to twenty-four months in exclusively new French oak barriques. During this aging, sur lie aging contributes to extra complexity, a creamy texture, and perfect integration of the wood. Only after a rigorous barrel selection are the nine best barriques blended to form Distique 9.

Color, smell and taste

The wine displays a deep, almost opaque ruby red color. The aroma opens with ripe black cherries, cassis, and plums, followed by violets, graphite, cedarwood, and subtle notes of dark chocolate, espresso, and spices. On the palate, Distique 9 is powerful, concentrated, and at the same time remarkably refined. Silky yet firm tannins support the dark fruit, while fresh acidity and a chalky minerality provide tension and elegance. The long finish lingers for minutes with notes of dark fruit, cocoa, tobacco, and fine spices.

Style and character

Distique 9 belongs to the absolute top of Château Mangot and demonstrates just how refined modern Saint-Émilion can be. The wine combines the richness of Merlot with the structure and freshness of Cabernet Franc. Despite its impressive concentration, the wine remains harmonious and elegant. This is a cuvée built for long bottle aging and will continue to develop over the coming decades.

Volume

2016 is widely regarded as one of the greatest Bordeaux vintages of this century. A long, dry summer followed by ideal harvest conditions yielded perfectly ripe grapes with high concentration, fresh acidity, and refined tannins. Distique 9 benefited optimally from these exceptional conditions. The alcohol content is approximately 14.5%. The expected drinking window extends from 2024 to 2045 or beyond.

Food and wine pairings

This exclusive Saint-Émilion comes into its own with tournedos, côte de boeuf, venison, roe deer, slow-cooked lamb, and dishes with truffles or morels. Aged cheeses such as Comté, aged Mimolette, and hard sheep's cheeses also make wonderful pairings. Due to its complexity, this wine is ideally suited for gastronomic dinners and special occasions.

Wine & Food and Discount

If available, you will find the official factsheet and additional information about this fine wine in the 'Attachments' tab. We will automatically send these to you upon ordering this wine. The wine is stored in our climate-controlled Wine Warehouse, and if you come to collect the wine, you will often receive a nice discount. You will see your discount immediately when you select 'Pick up' on the checkout page. We are located in Dordrecht, situated almost next to the A16 with ample parking. Click here for our address.

You can read full wine reviews from Parker, Suckling, Vinous, and Wine Spectator, among others. Need advice on finding the ideal wine for your dish? Click here for our exclusive Sommelier. Free for Grandcruwijnen customers. In the Food tab, you will find advice on what to look for for the right food and wine pairing, and a number of dish suggestions from our Sommelier.