95-97 Point Wines

wines

I absolutely loved the 2015 Léoville Barton and this has everything you could want from a Left Bank Bordeaux. Cassis, smoked earth, graphite, tobacco leaf, and thrilling amounts of minerality all emerge from this inky colored, full-bodied, power-packed, brut of a Saint-Julien that holds everything together and stays pure, balanced and elegant on the palate. It has a lot of tannins, yet more than enough fruit. The 2015 is a blend of 86% Cabernet Sauvignon and 14% Merlot, brought up in 60% new French oak, and it needs 7-8 years of bottle age and will shine for 2-3 decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDRich, generous and elegant, this is a very dense wine but with great black fruits to balance this structure. The elements are already coming together to create another great wine from this property. Drink from 2026.Wine Enthusiast | 97 WEA dense, powerful wine, the 2015 Léoville-Barton is going to need quite a bit of time to come together, as it is massively tannic and structured at this stage.Antonio Galloni | 96+ AGThis is a very focused Barton with ultra-fine tannins that are so polished and chalky. It drives through the center palate with currant and berry character. Full-bodied, polished and straightforward with driving tannin. Love the texture. Class. Yes. Drink in 2021.James Suckling | 96 JSDeep garnet-purple colored, the 2015 Leoville Barton offers up notions of warm red currants, black raspberries and dark chocolate with wafts of cigar box, violets and bay leaves. Elegant, medium-bodied and sporting great freshness, the taut, tightly wound palate of intense red fruits and floral accents is well-framed with firm, grainy tannins, finishing on a lingering mineral note.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPThis delivers some serious wow, dripping with warm fig, blackberry and boysenberry reduction notes, along with melted black licorice and fruitcake flavors. Shows ample grip but remains beautifully polished, letting the fruit sail on. Don’t worry though, as long echoes of roasted apple wood and tar signal that this is built for the long haul. Best from 2025 through 2042. 11,667 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WSOne of the deepest, richest and darkest of the St-Juliens in 2015, showing a lick of tar and a crack of cassis. Confident and settling in for the long haul, a salty minerality kicks in on the finish to give a mouthwatering quality. 60% new oak barrels. Eric Boissenot consults. Drinking Window 2025 - 2040Decanter | 94 DEC

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.Jeb Dunnuck | 98 JDThis is one of the great successes of this vintage. It is generous and rich while also solid and structured. The combination of the essence of black currant and the elegant tannic structure are superb. This is a wine for serious aging and the wine should not be broached before 2026.Wine Enthusiast | 98 WEMedium to deep garnet-purple in color, 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.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPA dramatic, sweeping wine, the Pichon-Longueville Baron is even better from bottle than it was from barrel. The 2015 is dense, plush and totally voluptuous as it sweeps across the palate to make its presence known. Nuanced and poised, with seemingly endless layers of nuance, the 2015 is super-impressive. A melange of dark red/purplish fruit, lavender, mint, spice and rose petal builds as this towering, dramatic Pauillac shows off its allure. In 2015, Pichon Baron is endowed with spectacular balance and class. This is quite simply a brilliant showing from the 2015.Antonio Galloni | 97 AGBrimming with confidence, it’s not as obviously delectable right now as the second wine Les Griffons, but that is as you would expect at this stage, and in fact underlines the excellent construction and potential of the first wine. It is fairly reserved, yet the layers of black fruits and tannins are all in place. 80% new oak. Drinking Window 2025 - 2040.Decanter | 95 DECBlackberries, sweet tobacco, incense and currants. Aromatic. Medium to full body and firm, sleek tannins. Racy and refined. Shows lovely balance and finesse. Pretty now, but needs another three or four years of bottle age. Try from 2023. Reviewed in Hong Kong Chinese Wine Tasting July 2020.James Suckling | 95 JSA juicy, well-knit style, with energetic plum and black currant compote notes that are studded with anise and black tea accents. Has a muscular edge through the finish, with brambly grip holding sway for now. There’s more than enough fruit to put this away for a bit. Best from 2022 through 2035. 14,833 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WS

A legendary wine in the making from the Delon Family is the 2015 Leoville Las Cases and there are very few wines more impressive in the vintage. A blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Cabernet Franc, and the balance Merlot, this full-bodied, tight, super-concentrated, focused 2015 boasts an awesome bouquet of crème de cassis, graphite, charcoal, lead pencil, and minerality. Deep, layered, with perfect ripeness and building tannin, hide bottle for 6-7 years and enjoy this prodigious effort over the following 3-4 decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 99 JDThis wine that comes mainly from a magnificent walled vineyard within sight of the Gironde estuary is structured and dense. Its tannins and firm character show its enormous aging potential. Powerful black fruits come from the 85% Cabernet Sauvignon in this rich, juicy wine. Drink from 2027. Wine Enthusiast | 99 WEThe 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.Antonio Galloni | 98 AGBlackcurrant, blueberry and currant aromas with hints of black licorice and hot stones. Full-bodied with dense and integrated tannins and a long, long finish. It is all there and all about proportional harmony. Excellent focus and beauty. Drink in 2022.James Suckling | 98 JSFilled with blackberry, black currant, fig and boysenberry preserve flavors, this starts off showy, but a back end of brambly grip, warm tar, and pastis-soaked apple wood emerges slowly before taking an authoritative lead on the finish. All the while, a cool charcoal note weaves in and around everything. Best from 2025 through 2045. 16,667 cases made. — JMWine Spectator | 97 WSAt 94% (85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 9% Cabernet Franc) this is the highest-ever Cab content in this grand vin. Very dense at first but full of power and elegance, with lots of energy. Beautifully made, and seems more Pauillac than St-Julien. This will be a very great wine. Drinking Window 2025 - 2050.Decanter | 96 DECRicher and more demonstrative than the 2016, the 2015 Léoville Las Cases dodders up generous aromas of sweet berries, pencil shavings and loamy soil, framed by a deft application of creamy new oak. Medium to full-bodied, broad and expansive, with a fleshy core of fruit, succulent acids and a giving, gourmand profile, like many 2015s from the Northern Médoc, it’s already quite structurally open today, and it will likely attain its peak before both the 2014 and 2016 vintages that bookend it. For many consumers, that may be an advantage.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RP

Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, the 2015 Cheval Blanc is still incredibly primary at this very youthful stage. With coaxing, it unfurls to reveal beguiling notions of ripe black cherries, mulberries, licorice, baking spices and smoked meats with touches of incense and potpourri plus wafts of cast iron pan and crushed rocks. Full-bodied, very rich, very firm/taut and with very ripe, fine-grained tannins, it allows a glimpse at its incredible depth of flavors with a very long multi-layered finish. Wow.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 100 RPMade with 45% Cabernet Franc, this great wine offers a beautiful, rich and perfumed character. It was an exceptional vintage for the estate, which incorporated fruit from parcels of the vineyard that would normally be used for the chateau’s second wine into this blend. It is packed with black-fruit flavors and broad tannins, with a background of juicy acidity and a firm structure. Drink from 2027.Wine Enthusiast | 100 WEPhenomenal aromas of cherries, flowers, blackberries and sandalwood. Pure fruit. Full-bodied, dense and polished with incredible tannin quality like the finest, densest silk ball. In perfect proportions. Compact. Seamless and endless. Gorgeous to taste now but give it six or seven years to understand it better.James Suckling | 99 JSA lovely sanguine hint leads off, followed by racy, elegant juniper, tobacco, red currant and damson plum notes that move in unison. Broadens and deepens, adding notes of currant preserves, warm ganache and smoldering tobacco, with a swath of loamy structure. Yet even as the bass line increases in volume through the finish, this maintains purity and poise. Should deliver some stunning aromatics at peak, which will take awhile to achieve. Best from 2025 through 2045. 8,250 cases made.Wine Spectator | 98 WSI continue to absolutely love the 2015 Chateau Cheval Blanc. It’s one of those powerful, sexy, yet also weightless and elegant wines that’s going to drink well all its life. Checking in as a blend of 55% Merlot and 45% Cabernet Franc brought up in new barrels, it offers a kaleidoscope of aromas and flavors led by beautiful sweet fruits as well as incredible floral, spice, and graphite nuances. It’s full-bodied, with a rich, rounded, opulent texture, sweet tannins, and a blockbuster finish. As with a lot of 2015s, it has the sweetness of fruit and ripe tannin that allows it to drink well today, but it’s going to be very long-lived and have 3-4 decades of prime drinking.Jeb Dunnuck | 98 JDLovely perfumed fruit on the palate, this has well integrated tannins that have a soft gentle mouth coating texture, with excellent juicy appeal straight away. Really quite herbal here, lots of mint and eucalyptus with tons of liquorice and some mint chocolate. Like the 2016, everything is so well balanced, just giving you hints of different elements. Here it is the cool blue fruit, liquorice and mint. So well executed, defined, precise and svelte. It is mouthfulling too though, you know this is a big wine with plenty of power and structure but so supple and agile. Excellent precision. Still super young and a bit shy, it’s not giving away all its secrets right now but you’d never guess this was from a warm, ripe vintage such is the freshness. Such class on show. (Drink between 2027-2050)Decanter | 97 DECTotally seamless in the glass, with no beginning and no end, the 2015 Cheval Blanc is simply extraordinary. It’s hard to describe the 2015, because all of its elements are so perfectly in place. Beautifully delineated aromatics make a strong opening statement. Vibrant and wonderfully nuanced on the palate, the wine exudes energy and vitality through to the persistent, silky finish. Many other 2015s speak with more assertiveness and volume, but Cheval Blanc is more understsated. In 2015, Cheval Blanc created quite a stir in announcing that a whopping 91% of their crop would be bottled as Grand Vin. There will be no Petit Cheval, while the rest of the wine was sold internally. Antonio Galloni | 96+ VM

The 2015 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée de Mon Aïeul is another gorgeous wine from this family estate. As always it comes from three Grenache parcels: la Serres, La Crau and La Guigasse (there are 2 hectares in each parcel). In both 2015 and 2016 this cuvée wasn’t destemmed and was brought up mostly in tank, with 15-20% in demi-muids. The 2016 spent a huge 45 days on skins before being pressed to barrel. This beauty offers the fine, finesse-driven style of the vintage, yet has full-bodied depth and richness as well as sensational notes of framboise, crushed flowers, licorice, Christmas fruitcake and spice. It’s in the top handful of wines in the vintage and will benefit from short-term cellaring and have 20+ years of overall longevity.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDA bolder, more concentrated and compressed expression with darker plum and cherry fruits on the nose and palate. The power and concentration here is impressive. Gently chocolate-flavored at the finish. Terrific wine. Drink now.James Suckling | 94 JS(aged entirely in concrete vats) Lurid ruby-red. Exotic, intensely perfumed aromas of candied red and blue fruits, lavender and peppery spices, joined by a slowly emerging hint of garrigue. Fleshy and expansive on the palate, offering concentrated raspberry, cherry and fruitcake flavors and a spicy suggestion of white pepper. Shows excellent focus and a seamless quality on the finish, which is framed by suave, slow-building tannins.Vinous Media | 93-95 VMNext to the traditional cuvée, the 2015 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee de Mon Aieul is even riper and more concentrated, but that’s not always a good thing. This all-Grenache cuvée offers fudge-like density and rich tannins but also cooked, dead-fruit flavors and bright acidity on the finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91 RP

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. Antonio Galloni | 96 AGThis vintage was ideal for the rich style that this estate has made its own. This wine is full bodied and ripe with black-currant and dark berry fruits. The tannins fall into the cushioned wine with ease and richness. Of course, the wine should be aged, so wait until 2026.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEBrambly and attractive ripe blackberries and red-plum aromas with some floral accents, too. The palate has a very plush, polished and regal shape as tannins frame up a core of ripe black fruit. Succulent, impressive finish. Best from 2022.James Suckling | 95 JSThis has an ample core of plum, fig and blackberry compote flavors, underlined liberally with graphite and smoldering tobacco notes. Fleshy and focused, with ample grip through the juniper- and tar-accented finish. Well-built. Best from 2023 through 2038.Wine Spectator | 94 WSThe inky colored 2015 Château Lynch-Bages is a seriously impressive Pauillac that’s up with the crème de la crème of the appellation in 2015. Notes of ripe blackcurrants, caramelized cherries, tobacco leaf and a kiss of lead pencil all emerge from this textbook Pauillac that has medium to full-bodied richness, notable concentration, and building structure. Made from 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot that saw 75% new barrels, it needs 5-7 years of cellaring and will be one of the longer-lived wines from the Médoc.Jeb Dunnuck | 94+ JDThis is powerful and deep with high but careful extraction and firm tannins. At this stage it feels so much younger and more closed than almost anything else I’ve tasted from this vintage in Pauillac. This is going for a firm, impressive impact and it manages it, but it lacks some generosity in the fruit character that it has in spades in 2016. 2% Petit Verdot. 75% new oak. One-third malolactic fermentation in vats, two-thirds in barrel. Drinking Window 2025 - 2040.Decanter | 94 DECMedium to deep garnet-purple in color, the 2015 Lynch Bages offers up crushed black berries, black cherries and dried herbs with an earthy undercurrent. The medium-bodied palate is firm and taut with lively fruit and a chewy finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92+ RP

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 center palate with perfectly polished tannins. Extremely long and beautiful. One of the best young Montroses in a long, long time. Drink in 2024.James Suckling | 98 JSThis sumptuous, powerful wine has a great sense of structure and tannins. It is also overwhelmingly dense with black fruits and swathes of rich black currants. In this vintage, even more Cabernet Sauvignon than usual in the blend has given a ripe wine set for a far-distant future. Drink from 2026. Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEThe deep garnet-purple colored 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.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPThe 2015 Montrose has a very intense bouquet of blackberry, raspberry coulis, iodine and violet scents that blossom in the glass, demonstrating more exuberance than (what transpired to be) the 2015 Meyney. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, very well judged acidity, taut and linear with satisfying freshness and poise on the finish. Maybe this just has the edge over the Meyney. Superb. Tasted blind at the Southwold 2015 Bordeaux tasting.Vinous Media | 95 VMAnother wine I was able to taste on multiple occasions, the 2015 Montrose is a certainly the wine of Saint-Estèphe in 2015. Notes of cassis, damp earth, violets, and graphite/lead pencil notes all flow to a beautifully pure, elegant and multi-dimensional 2015 that has fine, polished tannin, perfect balance, and a great finish. The 2015 is a blend of 67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot and 4% Cabernet Franc, all of which was brought up in 65% new oak. This isn’t a blockbuster yet is pure class all the way. It will be better in 4-5 years and keep for 2-3 decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 95 JD(Château Montrose, St-Estèphe, Red) An imposing wine which shows the excellence of the winemaking and terroir, but it’s not as deft or effortless as the 2016. Montrose is often austere in its youth, and the well-knitted black fruits wound with tight strands of liquorice are clearly capable of long ageing. There is something extremely special here, although the tannins are very much closed up right now. The smallest selection for the grand vin for 15 years. (Drink between 2025-2040)Decanter | 93 DECFleshy for the vintage, with good plum and dark currant fruit lined with ample tobacco, warm paving stone, bay leaf and alder notes on the slightly dusty finish. Not a charmer, but this is integrated and shows range and depth for the vintage. Best from 2020 through 2035. Wine Spectator | 92 WS

The 2015 L’Eglise-Clinet is one of the wines of the vintage. Even better from bottle than it was from barrel, the 2015 towers out of the glass with stunning power and richness. Super-ripe black cherry, plum, licorice, tobacco and menthol are some of the many notes pulse through this riveting Pomerol. There is plenty of structure, but the tannins are nearly buried by the sheer intensity of the fruit. Hints of lavender, smoke, spice, licorice reappear to round out the finish. L’Eglise-Clinet is 90% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, aged in 70% new oak. More importantly, the 2015 is a total pleasure bomb. This a fabulous wine from Denis Durantou. Don’t miss it.Antonio Galloni | 99 AGThe violets, roses and dark fruits are so evident but they entice you in a subtle and fresh way. Full-bodied, dense and tannic, yet everything is so in tune with everything else and there are no hard edges or loose ends. It’s like a whirlpool that draws you down and then shows you its beauty. The harmony and complexity is phenomenal. Try in 2024 but I don’t want to wait.James Suckling | 99 JSComposed of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc, the 2015 L’Eglise Clinet comes bursting out of the glass with a gorgeous perfume of exotic spices and potpourri over a core of blueberry compote, red currant jelly, spiced black plums and mulberries with touches of unsmoked cigars, powdered cinnamon and licorice. Big, rich and full-bodied, the palate offers exquisite harmony, packed with exotic spice and red and black fruit layers, finishing on an epically long-lasting mineral note. In an understated word: WOW.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98+ RPThis delivers a fresh, enticing beam of raspberry, boysenberry and blackberry coulis flavors that stretch out admirably while light anise, singed apple wood and fruitcake notes check in. Picks up some sneaky grip and a pretty mineral twinge through the finish. Rather elegant overall considering how much is here. Best from 2020 through 2035. 1,510 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WSThe second wine of Eglise Clinet, the 2015 La Petite Eglise is a pretty, elegant, even Burgundian, 2015 that opens up beautifully with time in the glass, Ripe red currants, cherries, sandalwood, cedary spice, and dried floral notes all emerge from this medium-bodied 2015 that has fine tannin and a great finish. It’s certainly not a blockbuster but excels on its finesse and elegance. Drink it anytime over the coming decade. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to taste the top cuvee from this estate.Jeb Dunnuck | 92 JD

Here the kaleidoscopically spicy nose is slightly riper with its beautifully layered range of both red and blue pinot fruit, sandalwood, anise, hoisin and rose petal. The rich, classy and ultra-refined medium weight flavors possess a caressing mouthfeel before terminating in a marvelously complex, driving and explosively long finish. This almost thick effort is quite firm but not at all austere though I have a sneaking feeling that this is going to shut down significantly once it is in bottle and thereafter, plenty of patience will be requisite.Burghound | 96 BHThe 2015 Romanée-Saint-Vivant Grand Cru is lovely, revealing a beautifully pure bouquet of cassis, plum, clove, violets, rose petal and spice. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied and complete, with supple, fine-grained tannins and excellent depth and dimension, with the most flesh on its bones of all the domaine’s grands crus. The inherent elegance of Romanée-Saint-Vivant really plays into Charles Lachaux’s hands.Robert Parker wine Advocate | 95 RPFull dark red. Musky, wild scents of raspberry, espresso and mocha quickly shut down in the glass. Plump, sweet and quite powerful, with its very ripe, almost liqueur-like dark fruit flavors a bit blurred today by the wine’s significant baby fat. Finishes broad, dry and very long but downright inscrutable. Today I don’t find the sappy minerality or lift this wine displayed from barrel a year ago but it’s stubbornly backward today and will need at least six or seven more years of cellaring.Vinous Media | 93+ VM

The 2015 Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Les Suchots, matured in two-thirds new oak, has a bewitching bouquet that is very pure and intense, layers of dark cherry and wild strawberry fruit tinged with iodine that seems to blossom in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with quite firm tannin and structured, underneath those intense dark berry fruit, a touch of salinity towards the finish that keeps the senses searching and eager for the next sip. Typical of Cathiard’s style of winemaking, this is just a brilliant Les Suchots from one of its finest exponents.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95-97 RP(August malo): Full, bright red. Showy aromas of black raspberry, licorice and violet convey excellent cut and mineral lift. Savory, penetrating wine with strong early personality to its deep flavors of black fruits, salty minerality and spices. Has the old-vines density of texture to carry its ripe tannins effortlessly.Vinous Media | 92-94 VMJuicy raspberry nose packed with fruit. Good attack, with vibrant fruit and fine-grained tannins. Taut and concentrated with a piquant complexity and good depth of flavour.Decanter | 92 DECA brilliantly spicy nose is comprised by notes of violet, plum, lavender, soy, Asian-style tea and black cherry. There is more volume and richness if less precision and delineation to the velvety and seductive-textured medium weight plus flavors that coat the palate on the beautifully well-balanced, persistent and equally classy finish that is quite firmly structured. The sheer level of dry extract buffering the ripe and dense tannins is impressive and as such this terrific effort should age effortlessly.Burghound | 92-94 BH

Very deep-set aromas of blackberries and red and dark plum fruits, set amid integrated oak spices, cedar and hints of earth. The palate has a super plush feel with intense flavors of blueberries and dark plums. Succulent tannins that are smooth, entrancing and very long. Try from 2022.James Suckling | 95 JS93–95. Barrel Sample. Smooth and opulent, this is a densely tannic wine. Its dark fruits and dusty texture are backed by juicy acidity and a core of framing tannins. It will be powerful and rich with age.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEThe 2015 Faugères is plush, deep and inviting. Succulent red cherry, plum, tobacco, cedar, licorice and new leather are some of the many nuances that take shape, and attractive floral notes add brightness and lift. This is a very pretty and alluring Saint-Émilion from Silvio Denz. The blend is 80% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. Tasted two times.Antonio Galloni | 93 AGBeautiful aromas and flavors of warm fig and boysenberry reduction lead off, with extra raspberry and cassis notes filling in behind them. Lush in feel, with the structure nicely embedded, letting extra licorice, fruitcake and singed mesquite details chime in. The finish ripples with fruit and fresh acidity. Best from 2023 through 2035. 7,917 cases made. Wine Spectator | 93 WSThe 2015 Faugeres is a blend of 80% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon aged for 15 months in French oak, 50% new. Medium to deep garnet-purple in color, it has a nose of baked plums, warm cherries and black berries with touches of meat and fried spices. The full-bodied mouth is rich, opulent and spicy with firm, velvety tannins and lovely freshness lifting the finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RPThe 2015 Château Faugeres includes slightly less Merlot than the 2016 and is 75% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 10% Cabernet Franc. Like a lot of 2015s, it’s already open and approachable and offers lots of cassis and black cherry fruits, plenty of spice, herbs and earth nuances. With medium to full-bodied richness, terrific purity and elegance, and present, yet sweet tannin, I suspect it will fill in with 2-3 years in the cellar and keep for 15+. Tasted twice.Jeb Dunnuck | 92 JD

Intense, with candied lemon peel, glazed yellow apple and honey notes streaming through, picking up mirabelle plum and papaya accents through the finish, which is carried by a buried racy streak. This has a good bright feel overall. Best from 2020 through 2040. 5,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WS94–96. Barrel Sample. This wine is packed with dry botrytis flavor, but also a bright freshness. Together they give an obviously sweet wine good structure as well as ripeness. The tension between the fruit and the mineral texture will allow this wine to age for many years. Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEThe lemon colored 2015 Guiraud features beautiful lime juice and lemon curd scents with paraffin and honeycomb nuances plus touches of chalk dust, ginger and candied peel. It has gorgeous tension in the mouth with tons of citrus, mineral and savory layers, finishing on a zesty note.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94+ RPNo heavy caramel here; rather, a lot of candied citrus on the nose ranging from lemon right across to bitter orange. On the palate this is both creamy and fresh. The sweetness and alcohol are already beautifully integrated. Drink or hold (and this has at least a couple of decades of ageing potential).James Suckling | 94 JSThe 2015 Guiraud appears to have acquired quite a bit of body during its aging. Rich and deep in the glass, but with lovely nuance, it offers tons of immediacy. Orange peel, pineapple, mint, honey, chamomile and sweet French oak notes are nicely pushed forward. Best of all, the 2015 is ready to provide pleasure with minimal cellaring.Antonio Galloni | 93 AGOne of the few Sauternes I was able to taste, the 2015 Château Guiraud is well worth spending money on. Boasting tons of tangerine, caramelized citrus, honeyed peach and white flowers, this full-bodied beauty has good acidity, ample concentration, and a clean, balanced style on the palate that’s going to allow it to age gracefully. (Drink between 2018-2043)Jeb Dunnuck | 93 JDBright apricot aromas and a touch of oak. Sleek, fresh and precise; admirable clarity of fruit. Zesty thanks to fine acidity. While not showing a lot of depth now, it has a welcome light touch (Drink between 2020-2040)Decanter | 93 DEC

Showing even better now than on release, the 2015 Château Clos de Sarpe might be one of the greatest wines to ever emerge from this tiny vineyard just outside of Saint Emilion. Dense purple/plum-hued, with an enormous bouquet of blueberries, blackberries, white truffles, violets, and spring flowers, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, an incredible sense of opulence, and silky, polished tannins. It’s absorbed just about every trace of its oak élevage, and while it’s an incredible drink today, it’s going to evolve for 30+ years or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 97+ JDThe 2015 Clos de Sarpe boasts off-the-charts richness. Full-throttle and unapologetically opulent, Clos de Sarpe is probably the most exotic of the more modern, sumptuous Saint-Émilions. Super-ripe black cherry, chocolate, leather, spice and new French oak are all pushed forward. Ripeness and unctuousness are taken to the edge in this exotic beauty.Vinous Media | 95 VMDeep garnet-purple colored, the 2015 Clos de Sarpe gives up gorgeous blackberry, black cherries and warm plums notes with sparks of redcurrants and anise with a potpourri, tilled soil and bay leaves undercurrent. Full-bodied and packed with spicy energy in the mouth, it has a firm yet plush texture and fantastic freshness, finishing on a lingering earthy note.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPA riper expression with aromas of tea, plum cake and dark spiced raisins. The palate has the same tendency to riper fruit with plum paste. Essence-like. Chewy tannins. Try from 2022.James Suckling | 93 JSThis sports a juicy, enticing feel, with good energy to the mix of raspberry and blackberry compote flavors. Singed cedar, tobacco and ganache notes fill in through the finish. Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2019 through 2024. 900 cases made, 250 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 90 WS

A super-complex Champagne with chewy tension. Aromas of coffee beans, lemon peel, burnt sugar, chalky minerality, barley candy and tarte tatin. Fine pinprick bubbles with flavors of lemon leaves, aspirin and Mirabelle plums, plus a touch of grapefruit bitterness keeping the tension. Zesty yet integrated chewy acidity and a medium body with a toasted finish. Drink of hold.James Suckling | 97 JSThe 2015 Dom Pérignon is terrific. Bright and poised, the 2015 shows terrific energy. Citrus peel, white flowers, mint, white pepper and slate all race across the palate. There’s gorgeous tension and backbone here, with bright saline notes that extend the mid-palate and finish. This is a fine showing in a vintage that has proven to be tricky. I am intrigued to see how the 2015 develops in the coming years.Vinous Media | 96 VMDisgorged in January 2023, the 2015 Dom Pérignon shows a singular, ethereal profile with aromas of white pepper, iodine, ripe orchard fruits, toast, smoke, herbs and spices. Medium to full-bodied, layered, and structured, it’s enveloping and round with a delicate phenolic mid-palate that underlines chalky dry extracts, concluding with a sapid, penetrating finish with gastronomic bitterness. This iteration of Dom Pérignon, though replete with the customary charm and vinous generosity that typify the label, distinguishes itself by its structural delicate austerity and a notably phenolic profile, giving rise to a remarkably linear and well-defined style that diverges markedly from the more familiar expressions of Dom Pérignon. This is a blend of 51% Pinot Noir and 49% Chardonnay with a dosage of 4.5 grams per liter; it will age wonderfully and can be enjoyed now or over the next 20 years.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPBurnished gold color with a fine, effervescent bead, the Grand Vintage 2015 shows abundant ripeness on the nose with notes of white peach, quince, butter pastry, elderflower and nougat. A 44% Pinot Noir 32% Chardonnay and 24% Meunier, it was disgorged in May 2022 and finished with a five gram per liter dosage. The medium to full-bodied palate possesses a straightlaced acid-line that lifts the rich orchard fruit core through the honeyed finish.The Wine Independent | 91 TWI