Flowering was followed by warm, dry conditions that persisted through the summer months up to and into October. There were sustained periods of drought but temperatures never climbed high enough to stress the vines, except perhaps for some on sandy soils. Moreover, with cool nights and some well-timed September rain to refresh the parched vines, ripening progressed to perfection. The Bordelais couldn’t believe their good fortune or the quality of fruit at harvest.

The grapes, picked in ideal conditions, were packed with spectacular levels of acidity and tannin, as well as abundantly appealing fruit. 2016 even delivered the added bonus of a bumper crop with production up 7%. Figeac’s Frédéric Faye described the vintage as ‘a journey from hell to paradise. At Pichon Comtesse, Nicolas Glumineau simply proclaimed it, ‘a miracle’.

With such an enticing prospect in store, global wine merchants and press were eager to taste the wines en primeur. Some estates received 6,500 visitors – 2,000 more than usual – and the reaction was unanimous; 2016 was hailed a stellar red wine vintage on both banks, possibly the best ever. Numerous profoundly great and exciting wines had been made, with very few duds. Not only that, quality was consistently high from top to bottom and across the Gironde. The wines offered structure, power, freshness, elegance, well-defined fruit, lots of charm and plenty of ageing potential. Several estates confidently pronounced 2016 as their greatest vintage to date.

The northern Médoc was especially good thanks to the sublime quality of the late-ripening Cabernet and many estates boasted high percentages in their Grand Vins. Saint-Estèphe, Pauillac and Margaux all delivered in spades. So too did the leading names in Pessac-Léognan.

On the Merlot-dominated Right Bank, the top terroirs outperformed once more. Here, cooler clay soils helped mitigate the drought and there are a host of truly great Pomerols to admire and enjoy. The Saint-Émilion limestone plateau also came up trumps with similar results. Not surprisingly, the Right Bank wines are now more accessible to open and drink, while wines from the very best Left Bank estates undoubtedly require more time in bottle.

Almost invariably, these highly sophisticated wines are supremely balanced. There is little over-ripeness and almost no greenness. Extraction levels have been perfectly judged. Many Left Bank wines are around or a notch above 13%, while the Right Bank wines show a little more weight and softness, together with a touch more alcohol. In terms of overall style, 2016 is arguably an exquisite blend of the best qualities of 2009 and 2010. As such, it eclipses both of these benchmark vintages.

Since their release, prices for wines from many of the top 25 estates have fluctuated significantly. They currently stand just a couple of percentage points above their en primeur price, says Geraint Carter of Bordeaux Index. Carter asserts that the wines represent fair value for the quality on offer, especially when compared to other top vintages, and there is plenty of stock in the market.

Ten years on looks like a good time to buy for two additional reasons. Firstly, market prices seem to be on an upward trajectory and secondly, many of the wines are now entering their drinking windows and will be at or approaching their peak over the next few years.