Bordeaux 2015: 10 Years On

Last week, we hosted our annual '10 Years On' tasting, an in-depth appraisal spanning many of Bordeaux's finest addresses.

With nearly seventy different wines on show, critics, journalists and clients tasted an expansive range of wines from both the Left and Right Banks, as well as a selection of white wines of the same vintage.

On show this year, the much-anticipated 2015 vintage, arguably the finest since the benchmark 2010 and released in 2016 to a market eager for an en primeur story to champion after four consecutive lacklustre campaigns.

The Bordeaux 2015 Vintage

During the barrel tastings in Bordeaux, it became apparent that 2015 was a vintage oozing with generosity of fruit and surfeit of joy after the mean personalities of the two vintages that preceded it. At the time, the most impressive wines issued from the communes of Margaux and Pessac-Léognan on Bordeaux’s left bank and both St-Émilion and Pomerol on its right. So, how would almost a decade in bottle affect the wines and one’s judgment of them?

Well, it must be said, a few wines displayed advanced fruit development that cast doubt on their long-term futures, while some others seemed burdened with imposing tannic structures that spoke of overly ambitious extraction. The best wines, which were by far the majority, however, performed on cue and very much in line with original attestations. Ausone was at its imperious, mineral-intense finest; Cheval Blanc sumptuousness personified; Haut-Brion exciting and imposingly First Growth in stature; Latour more generous than usual from within its tell-tale mineral core; Margaux a paradigm of supreme refinement; Lafite pedigreed Pauillac purity; Lafleur a turbo-charged display of its magnificent terroir; Petrus tightly wound in its painfully intense carapace; Le Pin exotic and luxuriant.

Outside of the First Growths and their equivalents, excellent examples from all reaches of the Gironde abound, with special mentions for Figeac and Canon in St-Émilion; Rauzan-Ségla in Margaux; Domaine de Chevalier and Smith Haut Lafitte in Pessac; La Conseillante, VCC and Trotanoy in Pomerol; Poyferré and Las Cases in St-Julien; the Pichons of Pauillac; Cos and Montrose further north in St-Estèphe.

The best 2015s display a generosity of spirit and joie de vivre that provide a timely reminder of the inimitable charms of fine claret in a generous vintage with age on the clock.

Oliver Sharp, Bordeaux Buyer

Bordeaux 2015: In Stock and Ready to Buy

Beausejour Duffau-Lagarrosse 2015 – GBP 690 per 6 IB OWC

Alex Aldersley-Hey, Bordeaux Index “Bold ripe plum and forest fruits with a touch of leafy, minty aromatics. Grippy tannins still stride out to the fore with a keen mid-palate and a savoury cedar finish.”

98pts JD "From a bottle purchased here in the United States, the 2015 Beausejour Duffau-Lagarrosse is a wine that should be purchased by the case (which is what I intend to do). This incredible blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc offers sensational purity in its crème de cassis, blueberry, graphite, lead pencil, liquorice and forest floor-driven aromas and flavours. This is a big, rich, opulent wine, yet it has awesome purity and focus, with a distinct minerality keeping it fresh, focused and lively on the palate. Possessing ripe, sweet tannin, an inherent elegance and purity, perfect balance, and an awesome finish, this incredible Saint-Emilion is unquestionably one of the wines of the vintage. Do not miss it."

Beychevelle 2015 – GBP 450 per 6 IB OWC

Alex Aldersley-Hey, Bordeaux Index "Surprisingly lean for the vintage with bright, tangy red plums and wild strawberries. Great energy. The tannins add firm edges to the fruit, and it needs a good swirl to get the most out of it.”

99pts NM "The 2015 Beychevelle has a wonderful ripe blackberry, boysenberry and cassis-scented bouquet that is very well defined. There is nascent energy and tension spilling out from the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with quite opulent black fruit laced with graphite and a splash of soy, but underneath is embedded a firm structure. There is real vivacity and terroir expression on the finish, a Beychevelle with enormous potential. One for those seeking a classic Saint-Julien."

Canon 2015 – GBP 1500 per 12 IB OWC

Alex Aldersley-Hey, Bordeaux Index “Deep and intense, this brooding wine is holding its nerve and keeping everything tightly wound. Tobacco leaf maturity is edging around the dark fruit and intense, earthy spice with a line of steely minerality that drives the wine forward. Pleasingly chewy texture with the vintage’s signature square tannins, but with plenty of stuffing to fill it out.”

100pts AG "From the very beginning, the 2015 Canon has made an eloquent case for itself as one of the wines of the vintage. Multiple tastings from bottle only confirm what several early tastings hinted at: the 2015 Canon is simply extraordinary in every way. Sumptuous and exotic, with no hard edges and exceptional balance, the 2015 grabs hold of all the senses and never lets up. A rush of red fruit intermingled with floral notes, spice and smoke notes effortlessly runs up the wine's vertical structure as the 2015 thrills with every twist and turn. The 2015 Canon is a rare wine that is both hedonistic and intellectual - well, maybe it is a bit more hedonistic-leaning. It doesn't matter. Don't miss it. This 2015 is masterpiece from General Manager Nicolas Auderbert and his team at Canon."

Cheval Blanc 2015 – GBP 3354 per 6 IB OWC

Alex Aldersley-Hey, Bordeaux Index “Dense and layered, this is a stunning Cheval Blanc. The ripe black cherries and damson notes roll across the tongue and linger for minutes, underlined by a spine of gravelly, stony minerality. Leave it another 3 or 4 years to fully wake up, but this still a very long life ahead.”

100pts LPB "As many readers may know, 2015 was the first year since 1988 that Cheval Blanc did not produce its second wine, Petit Cheval. This said, parts of two of the Cheval Blanc blocks were not used at a Plot and the north part of Plot 10 which had problems with water availability during the dry spell, and the fruit was sold for bulk. Therefore, this vintage of the Grand Vin equates to roughly 90% of the total production, making it one of the most complete expressions of Cheval Blanc ever produced. Composed of 53% Merlot and 47% Cabernet Franc, the deep garnet-purple colored 2015 Cheval Blanc slowly opens up to reveal plum preserves, black forest cake, blackberry pie and pronounced licorice notes with suggestions of cloves, cinnamon stick, star anise, dried Provence herbs and lavender plus wafts of iron ore and dusty soil. Medium to full-bodied, rich and densely packed with incredible layers of black, red and blue fruits, it completely fills the palate with energy and expression, framed by very ripe, wonderfully velvety tannins and a racy line of acid, finishing with incredible length and poise. At once achingly graceful and captivatingly cerebral, this is a legendary vintage for this great estate."

Clerc Milon 2015 – GBP 390 per 6 IB OWC

94pts JA "Inky depths to the colour, gunsmoke aromatics, sweet blackberry, damson and bilberry fruit. Muscular tannins holding everything in place but you can clearly see the development ahead, with its concentrated cocoa bean, espresso, toasted cherry pit and rosemary on the finish. Great stuff. Harvest September 17 to October 6, Jean-Emmanuel Danjoy technical director, 50% new oak."

Clinet 2015 – GBP 1100 per 6 Magnums IB OWC

99pts JL "If you like truffle, you're going to dig this wine. From there, you discover campfire, licorice black cherry, plum, jam and underbrush. On the palate is where the real action takes place. With the perfect balance between density and lift, everything comes together in the decadently textured, silky textured, fruit filled finish."

La Conseillante 2015 – GBP 1320 per Imperial IB OWC

Alex Aldersley-Hey, Bordeaux Index “Creamy, intense, and rich with a voluptuous black cherry yoghurt profile. Erupts out of the glass with supreme intensity, layered with fresh mint and pressed flowers. The firm, fine tannins keep it all in check. A wine with great oomph.”

98pts JL "Everything about this wine is Pomerol. From the floral, truffle, cocoa, and dark red fruit nose, all the way through to the silky, fresh, sensuous finish, this is what great Pomerol is all about. Drink from 2023-2050."

Cos d’Estournel 2015 - GBP 670 per 6 IB OWC

Alex Aldersley-Hey, Bordeaux Index “A definite standout – juicy and bright fruit balancing serious, resonant depth. Silky and suave yet crackling with incense and graphite. A joy to drink, gorgeous wine.”

98pts "JS Super aromas of nutmeg, cloves and dried flowers with plums and blackberries. Subtle yet so complex. Full-bodied, tight and integrated with ultra-fine tannins and a beautiful finish. Lasts for minutes. Very, very Cos. Harmony. Texturally marvellous. Drink in 2024."

Domaine de Chevalier Blanc 2015 – GBP 449 per 6 IB OWC

Alex Aldersley-Hey, Bordeaux Index “Broad and rich with fresh pineapple and red apples bursting out on the nose. Despite the decadent fruit, there’s a smoky note and waxy texture to the wine that imparts real restraint. A touch of flint on the long finish adds an extra layer. Fantastic.”

97pts JD "The 2015 Chevalier Blanc is as brilliant now as it was on release yet still needs 4-5 years of bottle age to show at its best. Crushed lime, lemon zest, crushed rocks, and beautiful white grapefruit notes all emerge from this racy, beautifully concentrated, focused white that checks in with the crème de la crème of the vintage."

Figeac 2015 – GBP 875 per 6 IB OWC

Alex Aldersley-Hey, Bordeaux Index “A triumph. Red flowers and juicy red berries flowing out of the glasses, followed by woodsmoke and baked spice. A wonderfully performed wine, with the monolithic tannins cushioned by the plush fruit. A long, gravelly finish showing this Chateau signature stony minerality.”

100pts JA "Sweet ripe berry fruits on the nose, depth of flavour, precision and clarity that last from the first to the last moment of this wine. Clear cocoa bean, espresso, chocolate, but also concentrated bilberry, blackberry and raspberry. The tannins are slate-strewn, textured, adding persistency and mouth-watering salinity to the palate. This is a brilliant Figeac, and ones that lovers of this wine should absolutely not miss. Harvest September 21 to October 15, 100% new oak for ageing. Drink 2025 – 2050."

Grand Puy Lacoste 2015 – GBP 490 per 12 IB OWC

95pts JL "Tobacco leaf, cedar chest, flowers, plums, smoke, cigar box, and cassis create the nose. On the palate, the wine is rich, fresh, fruity, ripe, and generous. Full-bodied, long, and loaded with everything great about Pauillac and GPL, the finish is all about the creamy-textured, tobacco-tinted red fruits that really hang with you."

Gruaud Larose 2015 – GBP 690 per 12 IB OWC

95pts JS "Concentrated and elegant with a great harmony of dry tannins and ripeness (but no hint of overripeness), this has a long finish with a lot of drive and enormous freshness. You could drink this now with red meat, but it's got decades ahead of it."

Haut Brion 2015 – GBP 2108 per 6 IB OWC

Alex Aldersley-Hey, Bordeaux Index “Effortless and magnificent. Looms out of the glass with tightly-packed layers of juicy blackberries, cinnamon, freshly tilled soil, cedar and sandalwood. Firm tannins keep it taut and upright, a monumental wine with a finish that goes on for minutes.”

100pts LPB "A blend of 50% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc and 42% Cabernet Sauvignon, the medium to deep garnet-purple coloured 2015 Haut-Brion is reticent to begin, languidly revealing crushed black cherries, ripe black plums and wild blueberries with sparks of cinnamon stick, cloves, nutmeg, espresso, unsmoked cigars, tapenade, crushed rocks and lavender. The full-bodied palate possesses wonderfully complementary contrasts of bold black and blue fruit richness and delicately nuanced cherry fruit, baking spices and floral accents, strutting ripe, finely pixelated tannins and seamless acidity that is placed firmly in the background, finishing very long and with plenty of attitude. This impeccably poised, exquisitely perfumed 2015 Haut-Brion possesses the most alluring yet seemingly effortless beauty. While it bears only a passing resemblance in its opulent personality to the now legendary 1989, like that vintage the 2015 cannot fail to hedonically satiate and intellectually edify all lovers of great Bordeaux who drink it. What’s more, it also has the blue-blooded tenaciousness to remain this jaw-droppingly impressive, throughout its many guises over time, and for a very, very long time."

100pts NM "The 2015 Haut-Brion is a blend of 50% Merlot, 42% Cabernet Sauvignon and 8% Cabernet Franc picked between 8 September and 5 October. Of course, it showed majestically out of barrel, so pressure was on in bottle. Deep in color, the bouquet is a real showstopper: blackberry, raspberry, sage, black olive and warm gravel...this is a profoundly complex bouquet that is nuanced and beautifully delineated. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin and ample freshness, but don’t be deceived because this is a very structured Haut-Brion built for the long-term. Remarkably the 14.9% alcohol is completely disguised. It feels incredibly long, and yet instead of fanning out, it shuts down the door on the finish. It is a behemoth of a wine, one that is up there with the legends of the past. Anticipated maturity: 2025 - 2070."

100pts JD "The 2015 Haut Brion is a perfect wine that couldn’t be any better and is certainly at the top of this great vintage. A blend of 50% Merlot, 42% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the balance Cabernet Franc, this full-bodied, concentrated, backward, yet sensationally pure 2015 boast knockout notes of blackcurrants, smoked tobacco, ground herbs, and graphite, with a terrific damp earth/minerality quality emerging with time in the glass. Straight, focused, and built like a skyscraper, with a stacked mid-palate, forget bottles for 7-8 years and enjoy over the following three to four decades."

Lafite Rothschild 2015 – GBP 2588 per 6 IB OWC

99pts JS "Lead and graphite are complimented by notes of blueberries and blackberries. Blackcurrants, too. Full-bodied and focused with very round and polished tannins. Elegance with power. Very classic nature for Lafite. Try in 2022."

Lafleur 2015 – GBP 5500 per 6 IB OWC

Alex Aldersley-Hey, Bordeaux Index “Gorgeous, fragrant, floral nose with rose petals and fresh violets. Full and bold on the palate, spiced with sandalwood and saffron. Heart, dense fruit fills out the broad, chunky tannins. A beauty.”

100pts LPB "The 2015 Lafleur is a blend of 54% Cabernet Franc and 46% Merlot. Medium to deep garnet-purple in color, it's profoundly scented of plum preserves, chocolate-covered cherries and blueberry pie with nuances of black olives, lavender, unsmoked cigars and cast iron pan plus a touch of Indian spices. The rich, medium to full-bodied palate is completely packed with tightly wound fragrant earth, black fruit and exotic spice layers, supported by perfectly ripe, wonderfully velvety tannins and seamless freshness. The epically long finish delivers a sum that is greater than the many compelling characters imparted on the nose and palate, whispering promises of a whole myriad of provocative finishes to discover throughout this wine's very long future. This exquisite masterpiece is not to be missed."

100pts JL "Truffles and a garden of herbs, roasted plums, cherries, espresso and a background note of cocoa are only the first things you find. Once the wine leaves the glass, there is a wealth of concentrated, ripe fruits. Opulent, bordering on decadence, there is a balance between wild fruits and elegance. The complexities here allow you to continue exploring the wine with each sniff and sip. The finish remains with you for close to 50 seconds. This is a wine for aging, so be prepared to wait at least 15 or more years. I discovered that "Bad Ass" is a term only used by Americans as the phrase was not understood by the family during the tasting. But I can assure you, this is one bad ass wine."

100pts JD "The 2015 Lafleur is straight-up as good as it gets and is a monumental, legendary wine in the making. Made from close to an even split of Merlot and Cabernet Franc from this magical, tiny terroir in Pomerol, it reveals a saturated ruby/purple color as well as a stunning bouquet of black raspberries, kirsch liqueur, white truffles, earth, and an awesome sense of minerality. Deep, full-bodied, moderately tannic, and fabulously concentrated, all while remaining insanely elegant and seamless, it’s a profound wine that needs 4-6 years of bottle age and will keep for 3-4 decades."

La Mission Haut Brion 2015 – GBP 2400 per 12 IB OWC

Alex Aldersley-Hey, Bordeaux Index “Incredibly fragrant and pure, this dances out of the glass. The gorgeous, cassis-centred wine seems to construct its tannins on the palate in real time, producing a powerful yet elegant mouthful. A delightul pine resin note cuts through and the long finish lingers on fresh, leafy herbs and a deep, earthy note.”

98pts LPB "The deep garnet-purple colored 2015 La Mission Haut-Brion is a blend of 58% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc and 35% Cabernet Sauvignon. Youthfully mute with bright, youthful red currants, black raspberries, cassis and freshly crushed blackberries notions, it slowly unfurls to reveal an earthy/minerally undercurrent of damp soil, charcoal, iron ore and truffles plus a waft of violets. Medium to full-bodied, decadently fruited and yet wonderfully elegant with very ripe, very silky tannins, freshness that sits well in the background and an almost electric intensity of vibrant red and black fruit flavours, it finishes long and minerally. Just. Beautiful. Consider giving it 6-7 years in bottle before broaching and drink it over the next 30+."

100pts JS "Rose petals, sandalwood and currants with some plums and fruit tea. Full-bodied, tight and focused. Incredibly straight and minerally. Toned muscles here. Tannic. Traditional and unwavering. Try in 2024."

Latour 2015 – GBP 2700 per 6 IB OWC

Alex Aldersley-Hey, Bordeaux Index “Bold and bright with searing intensity. Formidable tannins will keep this wine locked up for the near future, but there’s a juiciness to the dark, pure fruit that is wonderfully enticing. Give it time, but this will be special.”

99pts JL "Still holding on to its depth of color. The wine already shows some development with its truffle, oyster shell, cassis, Asian spice, dark red fruits and cherry tones. This is a Latour of elegance, purity of fruit and silky texture over power that is coupled with layers of concentrated fruits, and the structure to age for generations."

Leoville Las Cases 2015 – GBP 835 per 6 IB OWC

Alex Aldersley-Hey, Bordeaux Index “An outstanding showing in this lineup. Bright, tangy fruit framed by taut, toothsome tannins and a line of moreish graphite and river pebbles that runs through the entire wine. A touch of violet and pot pourri just peeking out. This wine is very difficult to resist now, but promises a spectacular life ahead.”

98+pts LPB "Composed of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Cabernet Franc and 6% Merlot, the medium to deep garnet-purple coloured 2015 Léoville Las Cases has a slightly closed nose, revealing notes of crème de cassis, baked blueberries and black forest cake with touches of liquorice, violets and Indian spices plus a waft of dusty soil. The palate is medium to full-bodied, concentrated and built like a brick house, with firm, ripe, velvety tannins and seamless freshness, finishing long and spicy."

98pts AG "The 2015 Léoville Las Cases is simply captivating. Sumptuous, racy and explosive in the glass, the 2015 is endowed with tremendous energy from start to finish. An exotic melange of crème de cassis, graphite, menthol and licorice bursts onto the palate as the 2015 shows off its alluring personality. Spectacularly rich, dense and full-throttle, with huge tannins that are nearly buried underneath the fruit, the 2015 is an unusual Las Cases. It is also breathtakingly beautiful. Readers who can find it should not miss it."

Leoville Barton 2015 – GBP 375 per 6 IB OWC

96+pts AG "A dense, powerful wine, the 2015 Leoville-Barton is going to need quite a bit of time to come together, as it is massively tannic and structured at this stage."

Leoville Poyferre 2015 – GBP 700 per 12 IB OWC

97pts AG "The 2015 Léoville-Poyferré has more fruit intensity and swagger on the nose compared to the previous vintage with luxuriant red berry fruit, orange blossom and vanilla pod. The oak is not becoming more assimilated. The palate is medium-bodied with svelte tannins, sweet and sensual, maybe it does not quite possess the tension of the 2014, yet there is such weight and harmony on the finish that this is nigh impossible to resist. Gorgeous. Tasted at the Léoville-Poyferré vertical at the château with Sara Lecompte Cuvelier."

Lynch Bages 2015 – GBP 974 per 12 IB OWC

Alex Aldersley-Hey, Bordeaux Index “Quite mature in comparison to its neighbours, this Lynch is rooted in earthy, mineral tones of tobacco smoke, toasted wood, and crushed rocks. A real classic.”

96pts AG "One of the finest Pauillacs of 2015, Lynch-Bages is rich, racy and voluptuous. A rush of dark red and purplish stone fruit, mint, new leather, spice and blood orange give the 2015 a very decidedly exotic character that is impossible to miss. Raspberry jam, mocha, new leather and expressive floral notes appear with time in the glass, rounding things out nicely. Even though the 2015 is quite forward and open at this stage, the wine has plenty of stuffing as well as the underlying structure to support many years of exceptional drinking. This is a stellar showing for Lynch-Bages."

Margaux 2015 – GBP 4320 per 6 IB OWC

100pts JA "Château Margaux's grand vin accounts for 35% of production in this vintage. It stood out as a potential wine of the vintage during en primeur and it is more than living up to its promise. The concentration is stunning, with a fruit structure that is darker, tighter and more insistent than Pavillon. It's so fresh, there is an opulence here, a dense silkiness to the tannins that is fleshed out across the palate, building to a big finish with menthol freshness. This is classically-styled Margaux with aromatic acrobatics and tannins so fine that the stitching is seamless and perfectly pulled together. Even though extremely ripe, there is freshness too - the acidity measures 3.6pH. The 100% new oak is barely perceptible even now, fresh out of the cask. One to savour over the long term. Bottled in August 2017."

Montrose 2015 – GBP 1150 per 12 IB OWC

Alex Aldersley-Hey, Bordeaux Index “Easily one of the best wines in the tasting. Once more Montrose stands alongside the first growths with an otherworldly depth, brimming with salt water, gravel, and intense blackcurrant coulis. This is a sublime wine. Weighty and dense with a real sense of gravitas, yet tense and buzzing with potential.”

95pts LPB "The deep garnet-purple coloured 2015 Montrose opens with broody black fruits, menthol and anise notes with a core of cassis, blueberries and mulberries plus a touch of cedar chest. The medium-bodied mouth is firm and chewy with a good core of muscular fruit and a long, earthy finish."

98pts JS "Intensity and clarity of fruit is so insane. Blackberries, spices such as cloves, blueberries, sandalwood and dried lavender. Full body and such a beautiful, dense centre palate with perfectly polished tannins. Extremely long and beautiful. One of the best young Montroses in a long, long time. Drink in 2024."

Mouton Rothschild 2015 – GBP 2000 per 6 IB OWC

Alex Aldersley-Hey, Bordeaux Index “Rumbling graphite on the nose, very reticent at this young stage of life. Deep and earthy, this restrained wine needs a lot of coaxing out of the glass. It shows all the concentration and structure of the vintage and Mouton’s classic seriousness, but needs a good deal of time to come out of its shell.”

99pts JD "The crème de la crème from the northern Médoc is the 2015 Mouton Rothschild and this incredible wine flirts with perfection. Made from 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot, and 3% Petit Verdot, this inky purple-colored effort offers sensational Cabernet flare in its crème de cassis, graphite, lead pencil shavings, floral, and Asian spice aromas and flavors. It is full-bodied, dense, and incredibly concentrated, yet still has the sexy, opulent, seductive style of the vintage front and center. It will be a candidate for perfection in 10-12 years and is going to be one of the longest-lived wines in the vintage. Hats off to Philippe Dhalluim and his team for this incredible effort that’s a step up over just about every other northern Médoc out there!"

Palmer 2015 – GBP 1220 per 6 IB OWC

Alex Aldersley-Hey, Bordeaux Index “A great example of Margaux’s superiority in this vintage. Bright and pretty on the nose, red and black berries and cherries swim around the glass, backed up by huge, grainy tannins on the palate. Immensely enjoyable.”

100pts JL "This is extraordinary. The wine is so silky, it is effortless to taste and drink. The fruits paint your palate. But the wine is light on its feet. Sensuous, sexy and racy, the fruit offers a melange of red and black cherries, plums. In the finish you find a griotte sensation that sticks with you for close to 60 seconds. This perfect mix of elegance and purity should age effortlessly for decades."

Pape Clement 2015 – GBP 670 per 12 IB OWC

Alex Aldersley-Hey, Bordeaux Index “Juicy forest fruits and aromatic cedarwood, this wine leans on the darker side. Firm tannins coat the mouth for a rich, generous experience.”

99pts JS "The clarity to this wine is impressive. Wealth of dark-plum and black-fruit essence not to mention orange citrus. Everything is dialed up to the limit here but then dialed in on the palate. Such impressive depth and suave, ripe, fluid tannins that deliver impressive length. Great wine. Such polish. Superb. Try from 2022."

Pavie 2015 – GBP 1200 per 6 IB OWC

Alex Aldersley-Hey, Bordeaux Index “Dark juicy and rich with fragrant oak spice and violet notes. Builds in the mouth with surprisingly supple structure, which frames the incredibly intense, powerful body. Still a baby.”

100pts JD "Pure perfection in a glass and unquestionably one of the great vintages for this cuvee, the 2015 Pavie is a blend of 60% Merlot, 22% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Cabernet Sauvignon that was brought up in 80% new French oak. Sharing some similarities with the 2009, this tour de force sports a saturated purple color as well as a sweet bouquet of creame de cassis, crushed rocks, white truffle, and licorice. Its oak is perfectly integrated and balanced by this wine’s massive fruit and structure. Full-bodied, deep, and superbly concentrated, with building tannins, it’s a massive wine by any measure, but what sets it apart is that it still glides across the palate and retains an incredible sense of purity, balance, and elegance. It’s drinking well today due to the vintage’s opulence, yet won’t hit prime time for another 5-10 years and I suspect will keep for upward of 50 years."

Pavillon Rouge du Chateau Margaux 2015 – GBP 1580 per 12 IB OWC

Alex Aldersley-Hey, Bordeaux Index “Very much an excellent wine in its own right, this Pavillon Rouge captures the elegance and fragrance of the Grand Vin with softer tannic structure and a more herbal, leafy undertone. Very well held balance, with taut grainy tannins supporting and not overpowering the delicate, aromatic fruit.”

94pts NM "The 2015 Pavillon Rouge de Margaux has a detailed, wonderfully focused bouquet of violet-infused black fruit, sublime mineralité and real sophistication; the oak is seamlessly integrated. The very well-balanced palate offers filigreed tannin and layers of sweet black cherry and cassis fruit that segue into a tensile, mineral-driven finish. Pure joy, pure class."

Petrus 2015 – GBP 21,000 per 6 IB OWC

Alex Aldersley-Hey, Bordeaux Index “Bottomless. A smoky, brooding, earthy wine with unbelievable gravitas and power. A well of swirling dark fruit, graphite, and sea spray with delicate rose petal highlights. There’s a real sense of completeness and precision here. Sublime.”

100pts LPB "Medium to deep garnet-purple in colour, the 2015 Petrus (bottled in mid-July 2017) opens in its own time to reveal crushed black cherries, warm plums, mulberries and cedar chest suggestions with touches of anise, lavender, beef drippings and wild thyme plus a waft of crushed rocks. Medium to full-bodied, it fills the palate with generous, exuberant, wonderfully layered red, black and perfumed blue fruits contrasted beautifully by very ripe, very fine-grained and very firm tannins plus an ethereal line of seamless acid, finishing long and minerally. Olivier Berrouet and his team have knocked it out of the park in 2015. Look for this Pétrus to build and unfold over the next 20 years and confidently cellar this legend for 40+ years."

Pichon Baron 2015 – GBP 600 per 6 IB OWC

Alex Aldersley-Hey, Bordeaux Index “The clear winner of the two Pichons. Dark and steely, the mulberry and blackcurrant fruit is reinforced by cigar box, ground pepper, pencil shavings and forest floor. Perfectly Paulliac with its old-school silhouette and impressive concentration.”

97pts LPB "Medium to deep garnet-purple in colour, the 2015 Pichon-Longueville Baron is enticingly scented of chocolate-covered cherries, crushed red currants and mulberries with touches of baking spices, potpourri and bay leaves plus a hint of fallen leaves. Sumptuously elegant, refreshing and medium-bodied with gorgeous, expressive, perfumed red fruits and very fine, very firm tannins, it has a persistent, perfumed finish. Its remarkable intensity, freshness and very firm frame suggest a long-lived Pichon Baron, which should cellar gracefully for 30+ years."

98pts JD "Reminding me of the 1990, the 2015 Château Pichon Baron is a sensational bottle of wine made from 80% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Merlot that spent 18 months in 80% new French oak. Boasting a deep purple color as well as awesome notes of black raspberries, toasted spices, cassis, lead pencil shavings, tobacco leaf and building minerality, this full-bodied, concentrated 2015 has sweet tannin, a great texture, and a big, big finish. Pauillac all the way, with both opulence and finesse, forget bottles of 4-5 years and enjoy anytime over the following two to three decades. This is a match for the 2009, 2000, and 1990."

Pichon Lalande 2015 – GBP 1430 per 12 IB OWC

98+pts AG "The 2015 Pichon Comtesse is a towering wine, as it has always been. Rich, sumptuous and totally hedonistic, the 2015 melds together intense fruit with structure. Far from an easygoing wine, the 2015 is going to need a number of years and will then drink well for several decades. Grilled herbs, smoke, new leather and licorice are some of the many notes that are layered into the dark-fleshed fruit for complexity. As good as the 2015 is today, it also has room to grow. Technical Director Nicolas Glumineau has done a tremendous job with the 2015s at Pichon Comtesse. The blend is 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot, aged 18 months in oak, 55% new."

Smith Haut Lafitte 2015 – GBP 490 per 6 IB OWC

Alex Aldersley-Hey, Bordeaux Index “An intensely aromatic wine, the blackcurrant leaf and wild thyme nose is wonderfully inviting. This is an elegant wine with crystalline fruit purity, all wrapped around a dense, powerful core with a slightly ferrous edge. Delicious.”

98pts JL "With a depth of colour impossible to miss, the wine opens with smoke, liquorice, blackberry, cassis, and wet forest aromatics. Rich, fleshy and concentrated with all the right stuff, the wine is ripe, sensuous, silky and polished, The finish delivers smoked fruits, ripe tannins and length of flavour, which keeps right on going. This will age seamlessly for decades. With bottle age, this could score higher, as it develops."

Troplong Mondot 2015 – GBP 1020 per 12 IB OWC

Alex Aldersley-Hey, Bordeaux Index “Savoury nose with hung meat and dried herbs with ripe and slightly baked red and black cherries. Broad, rich body with a savoury tobacco smoke edge. Lingers on aromatic spice and cocoa powder.”

99pts JL "If sexy, sensuous textures, a wall of ripe and very ripe fruit, truffle, liquorice, black and blue fruits with chocolate that are delivered with palate staining intensity is your thing, you need this wine!"

Trotanoy 2015 – GBP 1100 per 6 IB OWC

100pts JL "There are many things I love about wine tasting. One of the great pleasures is tasting wine in barrel and scoring it higher in bottle, which is a true sign of quality. That is what took place here clearly. This wine is off the charts! The level of intensity has to be tasted to be believed. The fruit tastes as if each berry was polished with a velvet cloth. This is incredibly hedonistic. With a surreal texture, the wine unfolds and coats your palate with waves of perfectly ripe fruits. cashmere tannins make you with the 60 second finish was even longer! This is an indulgence of pleasure at its best."

Valandraud 2015 – GBP 980 per 12 IB OWC

99pts JD "A wine that will be a candidate for perfection at maturity, the 2015 Valandraud is a heavenly wine that exhibits a deep, saturated ruby/purple colour as well as a sensational bouquet of blackcurrants, cassis, crème caramel, graphite, and chocolate. This full-bodied, expansive, super concentrated 2015 is a hedonistic dream and has exceptional purity, balance, and equilibrium. While it offers pleasure today, it needs short-term cellaring and will keep for 20+ years."

Vieux Chateau Certan 2015 – GBP 1300 per 6 IB OWC

Alex Aldersley-Hey, Bordeaux Index “One of the standouts in Pomerol, showing incredibly restraint and tension. Slightly dried red berries, bursting with bright pungent spice - all clovers, black peppercorn, and saffron. Rippling muscles.”

100pts AG "The 2015 Vieux Château Certan is every bit as magnificent from bottle as it was from barrel. Rich, sumptuous and explosive in the glass, the 2015 is pure class. The flavors are deep and boldly sketched in this sumptuous, spectacularly ripe Pomerol. Inky blue/purplish fruit, spice, lavender, licorice and menthol all develop in the glass, but it is the wine's textural richness and intensity that stand out most. As good as the 2015 is today, it is going to need at least 15-20 years to be at its very best. Is there anything more I can ask of the 2015? No, there is not. This is a tremendous showing."

*All prices correct at the time of publication, subject to change

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