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Château Mont-Pérat, Bordeaux Rouge 2016
RedFrance2016
By Daniel Min · Tasted 2020-01-01 · Published 2026-09-16 · Updated 2026-09-16
At a glance
Three Vivino-listed scores — (89–91)→91 (Apr 2017), (84–86)→86 (Apr 2017), 85 (Nov 2018), publications not named. Separately, James Suckling scored the 2015 vintage 91 ("Bright and fruity with blackberry and blueberry aromas... Juicy finish") — the 2016 vintage's score isn't confirmed.
Market note: The blend is Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot (the exact ratio varies by vintage and isn't published on Despagne's official page). It comes from a 102-hectare estate in Capian, already listed in Féret's 1864 Bordeaux directory, but stayed largely unknown until the Despagne family bought it in 1998.
What this wine is
Mont-Pérat was already listed in Féret's 1864 Bordeaux directory, but for most of its history it was an unglamorous plot in the Premières Côtes de Bordeaux that nobody paid much attention to. That changed in 1998, when brothers Thierry and Jacques Despagne bought this 102-hectare estate in Capian on Bordeaux's Right Bank. The Despagne family is better known for Girolate, its more prestigious Merlot-driven cuvée, but Mont-Pérat was the wine that would make them famous.
The turning point was a comic book. The 2001 vintage of Mont-Pérat appeared in volume 1 of the Japanese manga Drops of God, where the protagonist tastes it and is transported to a Queen concert — a single panel that upended the Asian market. One Taiwanese importer reportedly sold 50 cases in two days. The comparison is now half the wine's identity: one Vivino reviewer who has drunk it multiple times wrote, "I could not hear the symphony, which expressed in the Japanese manga, but good enough" — proof the reference is still very much alive among drinkers decades later.
To be precise, though: the manga scene involves the 2001 vintage, and this piece covers 2016. I also couldn't confirm which Queen song, specifically, it was compared to — no source names "Bohemian Rhapsody"; what's documented is a comparison to the grandeur of a Queen concert in general.
What the world says
This 2016 vintage has been rated by 3,109 people on Vivino, averaging 3.6 — matching the 3.6 average across all 20,324 ratings for the wine. Three listed critic scores run 84–91 (publications not named), and James Suckling scored the 2015 vintage 91, writing: "Bright and fruity with blackberry and blueberry aromas and flavors. Juicy finish. Ripe and generous for the appellation."
The flavor keywords lead with oak, vanilla and chocolate (638 mentions), followed by plum and blackberry (479). Structure: intensity 3.9/5 and tannin 3.5 give it some heft, while acidity at 3.7 keeps it fresh. The manga comes up often in Vivino reviews, too.
"Oak, vanilla, more caramel than fruit. Closer to a California Cabernet than a traditional Bordeaux. No Queen as I expected." — Vivino review, Jul 2025, 3.9 stars
"Reunited with this 2016 Mont-Perat after a long time, found it tucked in the cellar during a family gathering. Couldn't hear the symphony from the manga, but still good." — Vivino review, Apr 2022, 4.0 stars
The recommended drinking window is 2018–2030; I drank it in January 2020, two years into that window.
How I drank it
1 January 2020, New Year's Day, 3.0 stars. "Plum, blackberries, licorice, vanilla, oak, earthy, chocolate. Funky style. Not a long finish but a pleasant kind of clean. Something playful and funky about it, maybe from the Merlot-Malbec blend. Would suit a carnival or a party really well." There's no Malbec in the actual blend — it's Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot — but the "playful and funky" impression itself is an interesting one.
That same day I also opened Montes Alpha M 2015 and scored it 3.5 — two bottles back to back on New Year's Day. Mont-Pérat came out half a point lower, and my 3.0 sits 0.6 below the community average of 3.6.
What's interesting is how differently my note and the manga's famous Queen comparison land. The manga reached for a grand "concert"; my note reached for a "carnival and party." Both land on rock music and revelry as the common ground, but one is majesty and the other is happy chaos. Which one actually describes the wine better probably depends on who's drinking it.
Where this wine shows up
Protagonist Shizuku tastes the 2001 vintage and is transported to a Queen concert — a scene that made the wine a sensation across Japan, Taiwan and Korea. One Taiwanese importer reportedly sold 50 cases in two days. This piece covers the 2016 vintage, a different bottle from the one in the manga.
kaminoshizuku.com — Drops of God vol. 1 wine list · Wikipedia — Château Mont-Pérat
Artwork and stills are not reproduced for copyright reasons; scenes are summarised.
Vivino community data
2016 vintage rating distribution (3109 ratings, average 3.6)
| 5★ | 124 (4%) | |
| 4★ | 1200 (39%) | |
| 3★ | 1605 (52%) | |
| 2★ | 151 (5%) | |
| 1★ | 29 (1%) |
Most-mentioned aromas
| Family | Mentions | Top keywords |
|---|---|---|
| Oak | 638 | oak 251 · vanilla 149 · chocolate 115 · tobacco 32 · cedar 25 |
| Black fruit | 479 | black fruit 139 · plum 136 · blackberry 82 · blackcurrant 33 · cassis 29 |
| Earth | 276 | earthy 93 · leather 78 · smoke 45 · mushroom 13 · minerals 9 |
| Spice | 143 | pepper 78 · mint 30 · licorice 21 · cinnamon 5 · menthol 2 |
| Red fruit | 96 | cherry 45 · strawberry 20 · red fruit 13 · raspberry 11 · cranberry 2 |
| Stone fruit | 35 | peach 12 · apple 6 · apricot 5 · green apple 4 · pear 3 |
| Yeast & cream | 29 | cream 17 · cheese 10 · banana 1 · yeast 1 |
Structure: Acidity 3.7/5 · Intensity 3.9/5 · Tannin 3.5/5 · Sweetness 1.7/5
Average by vintage (all vintages: 20324 ratings, average 3.6)
| Vintage | Average | Ratings |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 3.7 | 379 |
| 2021 | 3.6 | 627 |
| 2020 | 3.8 | 987 |
| 2019 | 3.7 | 1107 |
| 2018 | 3.7 | 1603 |
| 2017 | 3.6 | 2338 |
| 2016 | 3.6 | 3109 |
| 2015 | 3.7 | 3435 |
| 2014 | 3.5 | 1734 |
| 2013 | 3.5 | 890 |
| 2012 | 3.5 | 1098 |
| 2011 | 3.5 | 796 |
| 2010 | 3.5 | 667 |
| 2009 | 3.5 | 272 |
| 2008 | 3.6 | 114 |
| 2007 | 3.7 | 73 |
| 2006 | 3.5 | 65 |
| 2005 | 3.8 | 105 |
| 2003 | 3.9 | 49 |
| 2001 | 3.8 | 34 |
My original note (Vivino, 2020-01-01)
“Plum, blackberries, licorice, vanilla, oak, earthy, chocolate. Funky style. 피니쉬가 길진 않지만 기분이 괜찮은 깔끔함. Merlot, Malbec 블랜딩 때문인지 장난스럽고 펑키한 느낌이 있다. 카니발과 파티같은 곳에 매우 잘어울리겠다.”
Frequently asked questions
What kind of wine is Château Mont-Pérat 2016?
A Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot blend from Capian in Bordeaux's Premières Côtes de Bordeaux (Cadillac), made by the Despagne family. Vivino: 3,109 ratings averaging 3.6; James Suckling scored the 2015 vintage 91. It's the wine whose 2001 vintage was compared to a Queen concert in volume 1 of the manga Drops of God.
How much does it cost?
World average price: US$23 per 750ml ex-tax (Wine-Searcher, Sept 2026) (Wine-Searcher check pending). For reference, the 2015 vintage sold for US$19.99 on wine.com (now sold out).
What food pairs well with it?
Vivino users suggest beef, veal, poultry and game. With intensity at 3.9/5, it also suits casual grilled fare at a carnival or party.
Is this the same Mont-Pérat that appears in Drops of God?
Same château, different vintage. The bottle compared to a Queen concert in volume 1 was the 2001 vintage; this piece covers the 2016. Same estate and producer, but not literally the same bottle.