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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 Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley) is absolutely delicious. Ripe, radiant and seductive, the 2015 is going to be nearly impossible to resist young. Even so, there is plenty of structural underpinning beneath all of the fruit. Sweet floral notes develop in the glass, adding lift, but above all else, the 2015 is a wine of textural voluptuousness, all in a silky, mid-weight style that is hugely appealing.Antonio Galloni | 93 AG

Vivid and bright fruits, such as plums and strawberries, on the nose. Full-bodied, very dense and complete on the palate. Has a beautiful ripe tannin structure and a flavorful finish. Impressive wine. Drink in 2022.James Suckling | 94 JSMedium garnet-purple, the 2015 Ferran is scented of warm red plums, red currant jelly and mulberries with touches of garrigue, violets and fragrant earth. Medium-bodied, very firm and very ripe with grainy tannins and wonderful freshness, it has loads of perfumed layers and a minerally finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RPHighly extracted bilberry and cassis with silky if bristling tannins. Good potential, lovely sense of vibrancy and a coffee finish. 70% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Petit Verdot. 33% new oak. Drinking Window 2022 - 2032.Decanter | 90 DEC

Checking in as 62% Merlot and the balance Cabernet Franc that was brought up in roughly 70% new oak, the 2015 Château Laroze is straight up gorgeous. Cassis, black cherries, spring flowers, lead pencil shavings and hints of tobacco all give way to a ripe, sexy, concentrated Saint-Emilion that has sweet, polished tannin, plenty of mid-palate depth and a great finish. This beauty builds with time in the glass, is seamless, and just a sensational drink.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDThe medium to deep garnet-purple colored 2015 Laroze hits the ground running with vibrant, expressive red currants, black raspberries and warm plums scents with touches of violets, chocolate-covered cherries and lavender plus a waft of fallen leaves. Medium-bodied, finely crafted and elegantly styled with plush, come-hither tannins and plenty of youthful, exuberant red and black fruit layers, it finishes with bags of perfume and polish. Very classy!Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPBalance and focus to this medium to full-bodied red with chocolate, plums and cedar undertones. Firm and polished tannins. Savory finish. Drink in 2020.James Suckling | 92 JSAn attack of ripe berries, cherries and plums with underlying coffee notes; dense and structured with firm tannins. Drinking Window 2024 - 2037.Decanter | 90 DEC

Amazing aromas of blackcurrants, forest floors, dark tea and wet earth. Rose petals and leaves. Licorice undertones, too. Full-bodied, tight and precise with hazelnuts, rose petals and dark berries. Sea salt and a savory finish. A serious yet joyful, young red. Better in 2021 but already a fantastic wine to drink.James Suckling | 99 JSA blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Cabernet Franc, 21% Merlot and 7% Petit Verdot, the 2015 Cariad Proprietary Red Wine sports a very deep garnet-purple color and boasts a very savory nose of chargrill, roasted nuts and yeast extract over a core of blackberry pie, blueberry compote, menthol and Indian spices with wafts of violets and underbrush. The palate has very firm, beautifully ripe tannins with a muscular core of black fruits and black licorice, featuring seamless freshness and amazing length.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98+ RPThe highlight among these 2015s, the Cariad is a total knock-out. Dark, vibrant and powerful in the glass, the 2015 offers notable energy to balance the bold flavors of the year. In this vintage, the Cariad has quite a bit more Franc than is typically the case, a decision that has paid off beautifully. I very much like the sense of energy here.Antonio Galloni | 98+ AGReminding me of a Pessac-Leognan (although the style they’re going for is more Pauillac), the 2015 Cariad offers full-bodied, opulent, expansive aromas and flavors of tobacco leaf, cigar-box, earth, and crushed rock to go with a sensational core of ripe black fruits. It has the terrific complexity of the vintage as well as a deep, concentrated style, ample tannin, and while no doubt a sexy drink today, will be better with 4-5 years of bottle age. I continue to be blown away by what winemaker Allison Tauziet accomplishes with these releases from Colgin. Year in, year out, these are some of the most spectacular, singular, and compelling wines made in the world. The 2015s are slightly in the style of her 2013s and aren’t blockbusters, yet have an elegant, detailed style that builds with time in the glass. There’s nothing over the top and they shine for their elegance, complexity, and nuance just as much as for their considerable richness and power. Life is too short to not try these wines at least once! (Drink between 2018-2043)Jeb Dunnuck | 98 JDYoung and massive, with a strong flex of tannic strength amid oak, extracted dark berry, cedar and spice flavors. For now the tannins are a major concern, as they are assertive, if not aggressive. Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Best from 2021 through 2030. 700 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WS

Composed of 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Cabernet Franc, 15% Merlot and 4% Petit Verdot, the 2015 IX Proprietary Red Estate sports a deep garnet-purple color and nose of smoked meat, blackberries and black currants with suggestions of baking spices, dark chocolate, fertile earth, dried Provence herbs, cardamom and lavender plus a touch of cigar box. Full-bodied, rich, firm and restrained, it has a lovely earthy, soft-spoken style at this youthful stage, promising great things to come over the forthcoming 25-30 years.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 100 RPLastly, the 2015 IX Estate is reminiscent of a hypothetical blend of the 2013 and 2014, with a ripe, sexy, exuberant style carrying loads of blue and black fruits as well as notes of tobacco, iron, truffly earth, and lead pencil. A blend of 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Cabernet Franc, 15% Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot, it’s full-bodied and has loads of up-front fruit, ripe tannins, and a gorgeous finish. As with the 2012 and 2014, it has this incredible lift and elegance and already offers pleasure. Nevertheless, I’d give bottles another 3-4 years if possible, and this will evolve for 30-35 years in cold cellars.Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDThe IX Estate is the most brooding and tannic of these 2015s from Colgin. Huge swaths of tannin enshroud the fruit in this decidedly virile, intense Pritchard Hill red. Readers will have to be patient, as the 2015 is going to need at least a few years to come into its own. Even today, though, it is a stellar wine.Vinous Media | 97 VMThis is a broad-shouldered wine, underscoring the richness of the vintage. But it is also bright and fresh with a light bitter and hazelnut character on the finish. Full-bodied, focused and textured with a dusty tannin mouthfeel. Tangy and long at the finish. Enticingly fruity. Drink in 2021.James Suckling | 97 JSAssertive, with an agreeable texture that eases the tannic strength, making this a powerful expression of extracted Cabernet flavors like dark berry, cedar, graphite, tar and more. Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Best from 2021 through 2034. 1,050 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 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

The 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 VMThere’s a well-spiced, zesty edge to the flavors of glazed apple, mandarin orange peel, pink grapefruit pith and crème de cassis as they ride the finely detailed mousse of this fresh, focused Champagne. This vivid display is enriched by notes of canelé pastry, chopped almond, pastry cream, smoke and vanilla, all coming to the forefront through the midpalate and chiming on the lasting finish. Drink now through 2035.Wine Spectator | 96 WSDisgorged 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 RP2015 is unusually giving and luscious at this early stage, full of apricot pastry, bittersweet orange citrus and bitter almond, brightened by some pithy herbal characters that signal the year’s singular growing season yet also leaning deliciously into toasted bread, honey-nut and a little umami savour from lees ageing. It plays a deep, fruit-saturated and slightly grippy angle on Dom Pérignon’s often svelte style, less reductive than usual and much more immediate than the previous release (2013). This is a vintage perfectly placed for relatively youthful drinking, although Dom Pérignon’s record will mean this is likely to have a rewarding decade ahead.Decanter | 94 DEC

The most opulent and voluptuous of the 2015s, the 2015 Gigondas Les Souteyrades is heavenly juice that, again, drinks well past its humble price point. Just loaded with notions of strawberries, framboise, spring flowers, dried orange peels and spice, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a thick, unctuous texture, sweet tannin and a great, great finish. This cuvee is the normal 80/20 split of Grenache and Mourvèdre, aged all in foudre, and there’s just 750 cases made.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDLike the La Louisiane, the 2015 Gigondas les Souteyrades spent a year in foudres prior to bottling. It a similar blend of 80% Grenache and 20% Mourvèdre, but grown on north-facing gray clays. There's more pepper and herb here, still wonderfully ripe raspberries but less chocolate. Full-bodied, it's still silky and refined, with tremendous length on the finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPFull ruby. Ripe black raspberry, violet, incense and peppery spices on the highly fragrant nose. Palate-staining red and blue fruit and floral pastille flavors show impressive energy, and a minerally topnote gains intensity as the wine opens up. Rich yet energetic in style, showing serious closing thrust, harmonious tannins and a suave, lingering floral quality.Vinous Media | 92-94 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

This stunning red opens with a captivating fragrance of perfumed berry, rose, sandalwood and aromatic herb. Smooth, elegant and delicious, the intense palate delivers juicy Marasca cherry, crushed raspberry, star anise and baking spice while a menthol note lingers on the close. Taut, polished tannins and fresh acidity give it great tension and balance. Drink 2023–2035. Kerin O’Keefe | 96 KOThis stunning red opens with a captivating fragrance of perfumed berry, rose, sandalwood and aromatic herbs. Smooth, elegant and delicious, the intense palate delivers juicy Marasca cherry, crushed raspberry, star anise and baking spice, while a menthol note lingers on the close. Taut, polished tannins and fresh acidity give it great tension and balance. Drink 2023–2035. Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEThe 2015 Barolo Acclivi represents a blend of Nebbiolo from various hilltop sites in Verduno that have been selected for the quality of their fruit. The wine takes the concept of a Barolo "base" up one notch, because it represents a special selection of fruit that is not limited to a single parcel. This expression is grounded and even a bit heavier at its core, with more dark fruit and thickness that becomes its defining characteristic. This is especially true in a vintage like 2015 that already starts off with robust and sun-darkened fruit. The wine is not necessarily more accessible—because it is not—but it does offer a thicker caliber of Nebbiolo fruit.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPThe 2015 Barolo Acclivi is another stellar wine from Fabio Alessandria and Burlotto and is a blend of fruit from Monvigliero, Rocche dell’ Olmo and Neirane, all in Verduno. Bright, perfumed and silky on the palate, the Acclivi is a jewel of a wine. Floral notes appear in the glass, adding lift, perfume and sensuality. All the elements are in the right place. Today, Burlotto’s Cannubi and Monvigliero have become hard to find, but savvy readers will want to focus on the Acclivi, a wine that offers superb quality for the money. Another few years in bottle should help some of the fruit soften.Vinous Media | 94 VMJuicy, featuring cherry, strawberry, woodsy spice and tobacco aromas and flavors. Elegant, with firm, dry tannins. The terrific length echoes the fruit and spice elements. Best from 2022 through 2038. 660 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WSThis shows purity and brightness of fruit with cherry and ripe strawberry character. Medium body, integrated tannins and a fresh and clean finish. Very pretty. Drink from 2022.James Suckling | 92 JS

The 2015 Barolo Cannubi is another dizzying wine from Burlotto. A rush of dark cherry, plum, hard candy licorice, violet and spice all hit the palate. Powerful and vertical in the glass, the Cannubi simply has it all. I would give the 2015 a good bit of time to shed some of its considerable baby fat. Powerful, dense and packed, the Cannubi is not as showy or seductive as the Monvigliero, but it has so much to offer, especially with a bit of bottle age. What a magnificent wine it is!Vinous Media | 97 VMThe 2015 Barolo Cannubi is a very delicate and streamlined expression that puts one little foot forward in front of the next with timid steps before it starts to pick up speed and find its stride. That slow start is important to the character and quality of the wine because it means that you will find something a little different each time you put your nose to the glass. I like the wine better each time I go back to the glass. I’m sure I will love it even more five to ten years from now.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96+ RPA pretty red, this exhibits floral, strawberry, raspberry and white pepper aromas and flavors. Firms up quickly, offering a refined and present tannic backbone. This hangs together very nicely and lingers. Best from 2022 through 2038. 333 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WSAromas of dried strawberries, orange peel and rose petals. Complex. Full body, super silky tannins with juicy acidity and a savory undertone. Needs time to open. Always a beautiful Cannubi. Try in 2022.James Suckling | 94 JSAromas of menthol, eucalyptus and dark skinned cherry form the nose. Lithe and linear, the taut palate offers Marasca cherry, strawberry, clove and crushed mint alongside tight, refined tannins and fresh acidity. Kerin O’Keefe | 93 KOAromas of menthol, eucalyptus and dark-skinned cherry form the nose. Lithe and linear, the taut palate offers Marasca cherry, strawberry, clove and crushed mint alongside tight, refined tannins and fresh acidity.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEThis historic estate based in Verduno is renowned for its Monvigliero bottling, but in 2015 its Cannubi from the village of Barolo seems even finer. The nose is sweet, floral and lifted, with no trace of overripeness. Initially sleek, the palate grows in austerity, which is often a characteristic of this wine. But this grip and structure are welcome and don’t dominate the spiciness and persistence of the fruit. Very long.Decanter | 92 DEC

The 2015 Barolo Monvigliero is a wine of pure and total seduction. The warm vintage has filled out the wine’s frame beautifully. The interplay of ripe, succulent 2015 fruit and aromatic intensity from the whole clusters yields a positively stunning, breathtaking wine of the very highest level. Once again, Burlotto’s Barolo Monvigliero takes a place among the most compelling wines of the vintage. Readers who can find it should not hesitate!Vinous Media | 98 VMFabio Alessandria impressed with his Monvigliero 2014. In the cool, rainy vintage he was able to produce a Barolo with a Pinot-like elegance. He was one of the first producers to introduce a small amount of stalks to the Nebbiolo during winemaking. In the warm vintage of 2015 his Monvigliero is extremely pale and garnet-coloured yet full of fresh flowery notes such as peony, violet and rose, with rhubarb plant, wild strawberry and cinnamon candy aromas and flavours. Super elegant, it shows firm, velvety tannins with an austere finish yet a great integration of fruit. Rarely is it possible to taste such a balance of elegance and power.Decanter | 98 DECI mentioned that slightly wild side of Verduno in a previous review for Comm. G.B. Burlotto. For further clarity on this point, put your nose into the beautiful 2015 Barolo Monvigliero. This is a subdued and graceful wine that grows in intensity the longer it stays in the glass. The wine offers blue flower aromas with violets, wild rose, cumin seed, saffron and crushed mineral. This wine plays its best cards when you focus on the smallest details, and then suddenly, those tiny brush strokes explode into a big-picture, panoramic view of one of the most celebrated vineyard sites in Barolo.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPCompelling and fragrant, this gorgeous wine opens with intense aromas of pressed rose, fragrant blue flower, incense, pine and a whiff of smoky flint. The precise, structured palate is loaded with finesse, delivering ripe Marasca cherry, strawberry compote, licorice and white pepper alongside tangy mineral and an earthy hint of black olive. It’s beautifully balanced, with enveloping, refined tannins and fresh acidity. Drink 2023–2040. Kerin O’Keefe | 97 KOCompelling and fragrant, this gorgeous wine opens with intense aromas of pressed rose, fragrant blue flower, incense, pine and a whiff of smoky flint. The precise, structured palate is loaded with finesse, delivering ripe Marasca cherry, strawberry compote, licorice and white pepper alongside tangy mineral and an earthy hint of black olive. It’s beautifully balanced, with enveloping, refined tannins and fresh acidity. Drink 2023–2040.Wine Enthusiast | 97 WEAromatic, offering juniper, green olive, sandalwood and cherry scents. The fruit components expand in the mouth, but this red is savory overall. Firm, supple and elegant, with a lingering aftertaste of mineral and spice. Best from 2022 through 2040. 583 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WSThe swirling, aromatic nose is entrancing here. The flowery charm is undeniable and the palate has an ethereal frame of fine tannins, carrying beautifully defined, ripe red-cherry flavor. The use of whole clusters works very well here, adding life and lift to this riper vintage. This is a beautiful 2015. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 94 JS

The 2015 Barolo Francia is a soaring, regal wine endowed with tremendous intensity in all of its dimensions. The most reticent and inward of the 2015s, the Francia possesses superb textural density and persistence all the way through to the explosive finish. An immense, towering Barolo, the Francia is positively stellar. It is also going to require a number of years to be at its best. In recent years, the Conterno Barolo Francia has often been relatively accessible post bottling, the 2015 is far from that.Vinous Media | 98 VMNext comes 50-hectoliter botte number 88 that houses the upcoming 2015 Barolo Francia. Again, this wine will be bottled by the time you read this, with Conterno’s newest vintages hitting the market in October. What impresses most here is the supreme elegance of the wine. It speaks in hushed whispers, enunciating promises of depth, complexity and mysterious intrigue. The wine unfolds slowly, revealing new elements with each swirl of the glass. Together, these aromas build in intensity and stature to become a magnificent Barolo with a capital B. The bouquet exudes elegance and complexity that will carry it through the ages. When I tasted this wine from barrel last year, I described it as demure. One year later, the wine is bursting with confidence, character and moxie.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPA rich, plum- and cherry-laced red, aligned with a sumptuous texture, lively acidity and refined tannins. Though dense, this remains light-footed and beautifully integrated. Bass notes of tar, soy, iron and tobacco add depth and complexity as this winds down on the finish. Best from 2023 through 2050. 1,166 cases made.Wine Spectator | 97 WS

The 2015 Barolo Riserva Monfortino is magical. This is the first vintage that includes fruit from Arione, so the 2015 is 80% Francia and 20% Arione. That marks a return to Monfortino as a multi-vineyard wine, which it mostly was until 1978, when the first Monfortino from Francia was made. The combination of sites works so well. I remember tasting the 2015 as separate components and seeing what exactly the Arione piece adds, and that is aromatic explosiveness, texture and breadth. Rose petal, mint, sage, tobacco and cedar lend complexity. More than anything else, though, I am blown away by how utterly delicious the 2015 is. Of course, the 2015 will be better in time, but its pedigree is plainly evident today. Roberto Conterno gave the 2015 just five years in cask, the shortest time in wood for any Monfortino in recent memory, maybe ever. Like most producers around the world, Conterno is thinking deeply about what the optimal period of time in oak is. As for the 2015, it is a flat-out stunner in every way.Vinous Media | 99 VMMonfortino was not produced in 2016 nor was it made in 2017. The jury is out on whether will see it in 2018 (but I do know that Roberto Conterno is super excited about the 2019 vintage in Barolo, speaking generally). That means that we might not see his flagship wine for a number of years. The 2015 Barolo Riserva Monfortino gives us plenty to contemplate in the meantime. First, in terms of winemaking notes, this vintage see 22% Arione fruit in the blend, with the rest from Francia. Roberto Conterno is fond of telling me that "Francia is a Barolo you drink, and Monfortino is a wine you chew." (The exact word in Italian is "masticare.") I think his comment rings especially true in this vintage that arguably shows greater concentration and fruit weight and softer or more integrated tannins overall. There is structure but minus any hard edges or bite.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98+ RP

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

Blended of 97.1% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2.6% Merlot and 0.3% Petit Verdot, the deep garnet-purple colored 2015 Latour is exquisitely perfumed, displaying fragrant notes of crushed black cherries, raspberry preserves, cassis and black plums with nuances of roses, dark chocolate, garrigue, menthol and a waft of sandalwood. The medium-bodied palate beautifully struts its taut, toned, muscular fruit with a frame of very firm, smooth, rounded tannins and compelling freshness, finishing with alluring earth and mineral layers. At once intellectual and sexy, this truly evocative vintage brings to mind the Melanie Griffith line from “Working Girl," possessing a sultry “head for business and a bod for sin."Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98 RPReally gorgeous aromatics, so perfumed, acutely aromatic, pristine, clear and precise with tobacco, cocoa, ash and liquorice. Round, heady, a sexy wine, with a lot to say, generous and open, smooth and layered - this deepens straight away vertically. I love the juiciness, there’s clarity to the raspberry, blueberry and blackcurrant fruit, sleek and joyful but the texture is there with a wet stone and liquorice to the tannins that gives such grip and edge of power. Still youthful and quite serious but there’s something so appealing about it with a sexy character and complexity. Bright and sharp but also with sweetness from the ripe vintage and savoury notes of truffle, cocoa, dark chocolate giving contrast. Such enjoyable floral violet scents too that follow the wine from start to finish. Excellently controlled and delivered with supreme appeal. One you want to sit with and take your time over, and then gulp down! 69 IPT, 30% of production. Harvest 15 september to 10 October. Technical director Hélène Genin.Decanter | 98 DECAromas of iron, oyster shell, rust and stones with blueberries and blackberries. Full-bodied, yet ever so polished and refined. It rolls off the palate with fruit and salty flavors. Tight, focused and always refined. Pretty length. 97% cabernet sauvignon gives this brightness. Drink in 2022.James Suckling | 98 JSSeriously structured and yet also so smooth, this wine has great concentration and powerful tannins. There is wonderful juiciness here as well as dense, dusty tannins that are never hard, always velvet. It is going to be a great wine when it is released in maybe 10 years time. The wine comes only from vineyards that are biodynamic.Wine Enthusiast | 98 WEThis packs some serious warm dark currant, fig and blackberry compote flavors together at the core, with charcoal, singed bay leaf, tobacco and roasted alder notes forming the foundation. Grippy for sure, but there’s already alluring perfume and violet elements weaving around here. This has put on some serious weight and dark fruit since the barrel tasting, but remains all tensile strength. It will be fun to watch this age. Best from 2025 through 2045.Wine Spectator | 97 WSThe 2015 Latour has a sensual, richer and more exotic bouquet than its peers, featuring plush red fruit intermingling with raisin and fig, although there is no sur-maturité here; the wine is just crafted in a more opulent style for this First Growth. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin and a fine bead of acidity. This feels very cohesive and focused, and more saline than its peers. Veins of brown spice and leather surface toward the complex, engaging finish. I would have liked a little more length, but otherwise this is very fine. Tasted blind at the Southwold 2015 Bordeaux tasting.Vinous Media | 96 VM

This is in a new bottle, like the stout ones used for the rosé and blanc de blancs. This is very structured with a density and richness with hints of strawberry to the apple character. Bubbles turn fine textured at the end. Delicious flavors of biscuits and dried apple in the finish. Special character to this because of the very ripe vintage. Disgorged in November 2021. This is half chardonnay and half pinot noir. This can age well due to the phenolics. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 95 JSAs usual, this latest release of the 2015 Brut Millésimé is a blend of equal parts Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Offering up aromas of confit citrus, blanched almonds, spices and a delicate smoky reduction, it’s medium to full-bodied, layered and enrobing, with good depth at the core and a slightly smoky, phenolic finish. Dosage: eight grams per liter.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPThe 2015 Brut Millésimé, a blend of half Chardonnay from the Côte des Blancs and half Pinot Noir from the Montagne de Reims, spent at least seven years on lees. Supple smokiness and a sense of rye bread with distant plum create a subtle nose. The palate continues with that lovely smokiness, wrapping it around aromatic plum and taut lemon, which are delicious counter poles in this elegant wine. The bubbles are a little frothy, but it acquits itself well for a 2015 vintage with all its freshness. Dosage is 6 grams per liter. (Lot LP33UK01624E) - Anne Krebiehl MWVinous Media | 93 VMThis is just the 30th vintage made at Laurent-Perrier since 1952, and it’s a slightly unusual one in manifesting plenty of the heat, dryness and structure of 2015. Drinkers accustomed to Laurent-Perrier’s usual delicacy and brightness will still find it in this 50:50 split of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, but the year’s up-front firmness plays clearly through bittersweet citrus, yellow apple and pithy, peppery grip, the fruit headed towards golden and tropical nuances rather than classical citrus and gentle red fruits. The body remains fairly compact rather than heavy or viscous, though, as most 2015s do. It’s a punchy, food-friendly vintage for Laurent-Perrier that marks quite a contrast from both the more classical 2012 and 2008 that preceded it.Decanter Magazine | 92 DEC

Though packed with black currant, blueberry and cherry fruit, this red is wrapped up in a firm structure today, giving an austere feel. All the components are in the right proportion and there’s no denying the saturated aftertaste that echoes the core of cherry. Best from 2023 through 2045. 280 cases made.Wine Spectator | 97 WSSuper-ripe, but not jammy, nose of exquisite fruit showing great purity and finesse. Lean, sleek, and polished with no rough edges. This is a seamless wine with seductive fruit and a firm tannic structure. Poised, intense, and very long, with an impeccable balance that will sustain the wine for decades to come. (Drink between 2020-2040)Decanter | 96 DECThe 2015 Romanee St Vivant les Quatre Journaux Grand Cru is a lovely wine, and one which is likely to surprise in blind tastings in a few years’ time. A pretty nose of rose petal, ripe red cherry, dark chocolate, anise and incipient smoked duck introduces a full-bodied, supple wine with a lavish, expansive attack, good depth, and an ample chassis of fine-grained tannins. The finish is deceptively long. This wine seems likely to be one of the more approachable 2015 grand crus and should give pleasure throughout a broad window.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPThis is also all-but mute and even vigorous swirling only reveals notes of wood and spice. Despite the mouth feel of the Chambertin being somewhat finer than usual, here it is notably finer still with excellent concentration to the succulent, lacy and almost delicate mid-palate that contrasts considerably with the sappy, powerful and equally long finale. This is a powerful RSV that should also reward extended keeping. (Drink starting 2030)Burghound | 92-94 BH

In the same ballpark qualitatively as the Le Vigne, the 2015 Aleste (this was previously known as the Cannubi Boschis but was changed to Aleste in 2013) offers a very different style and is more vibrant, fresh, and floral, with a beautiful core of fruit. Dark cherry, strawberry, and almost blue fruit tones all blend nicely with plenty of lavender, violets, and spring flower nuances on the nose. These carry to a medium to full-bodied Barolo that has incredible purity, polished, silky tannins, flawless balance, and a great, great finish. While it shows the ripe, sexy style of the vintage, it has a cooler, pure, focused style, with good acidity and building structure. It certainly offers pleasure today yet is going to benefit from 4-5 years of bottle age and keep for 2-3 decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 98 JDWoodland berry, iris, menthol and star anise aromas slowly take shape on this elegantly structured, savory red. Enveloping and delicious, the focused palate delivers raspberry compote, dried black cherry, licorice and cinnamon alongside polished, fine-grained tannins. Fresh acidity lends tension and keeps it balanced. Drink 2020–2030.Wine Enthusiast | 97 WESandrone's 2015 Barolo Aleste is a total stunner. Succulent dark cherry, plum, mocha, lavender and spice are all beautifully framed by ripe, silky tannins. Creamy, resonant and super-expressive, the 2015 Aleste hits all the right notes. Next to Le Vigne, Aleste is more typical of what readers might expect from a warm year. It is a gorgeous Barolo from the Sandrone family.Vinous Media | 96 VMThere is more purple and black fruit in the 2015 Barolo Aleste compared to past vintages from Luciano Sandrone and also fewer of those floral accents that characterize the Cannubi Boschis where this fruit comes from. All the same, the bouquet comes off equally as intense and as generous as ever, if not more so. This wine also seems ready from an aromatic point of view, even if it needs some extra time to reverberate in the mouth. It is compact and firm, with good, meaty fruit, and it's refreshingly expansive in scope.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPAromas of dried flowers and sweet berries follow through to a full body, very firm and chewy tannins and a long, flavorful finish. Reserved and tight. Try in 2024.James Suckling | 94 JSRose and juniper aromas lead off, settling this red into pure flavors of floral, cherry, strawberry, sun-warmed hay, licorice and mineral. Linear and firm, yet classy and elegant, this tightens up on the finish. Best from 2023 through 2043. 150 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 94 WS

Fresh grapes only. It’s hard to believe this is their first vintage from rented vines high up at San Giorgio. Magnificent aromas of woodsmoke, aniseed, clove and black pepper and intense, juicy red fruit flavours. Drinking Window 2019 - 2027.Decanter | 94 DEC

Lean, piquant raspberry nose showing finesse rather than power. Sleek and poised red fruits, silky and stylish. This is very polished, with ripe tannins and no rough edges. A wine of beauty rather than force, it should age very well. Drinking Window: 2019 - 2035Decanter | 95 DECA wonderfully spicy, elegant and fresh nose blends notes of red and dark cherry with those of cassis, plum, violet and discreet earth nuances. The intense and tautly muscular middle weight plus flavors are even more refined if perhaps not quite as mineral-driven while delivering superb length on the balanced but markedly austere finish where a touch of cherry pit emerges. This is also very clearly built-to-age and I wouldn’t dream of touching a bottle for at least 10 years and it should easily reward 20.Burghound | 92-95 BHThe 2015 Griotte-Chambertin Grand Cru has the most composed bouquet of Laurent Ponsot’s grand crus from the Gevrey appéllation, with seductive scents of black cherry, wild strawberry and crushed violet. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin and crisp acidity, pretty dark cherries and blueberry here with a slither of Seville orange marmalade on the finish. It is a satisfactory Griotte Chambertin, although I would like to see more depth, more energy conveyed towards the finish.Robert Parker Neal Martin | 90-92 RP-NM

The 2015 Late Bottled Vintage Port is a field blend aged for 48 months in old Portuguese vats. It was bottled in April 2019, unfiltered, with 84 grams of sugar and a bar-top cork. Powerful and intense, this opens up with concentrated, slightly jammy fruit supported by a serious backbone. If I tasted this blind, I might have assumed this tightly wound LBV was a Vintage Port, at least a modest one. The fruit is rich and expressive. The wine is nowhere near peak. Given its potential for aging and development, I’m surprised it does not have a normal, long cork. Barring cork issues, it should age well. The only remaining question is whether it will develop well. We’ll be a bit conservative just now. There were 8,500 bottles produced. Not imported, this runs around 23 euros in Portugal.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90 RP

Composed of 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Merlot and 6% Cabernet Franc, the singular, absolutely compelling 2015 The Absurd opens with a seriously intense black currant cordial and plum preserves core, slowly revealing cedar chest, mincemeat pie, potpourri and spice box hints plus a waft of chocolate-covered cherries. The full-bodied, concentrated palate is packed with opulent black fruits and baking spice layers, featuring a rock-solid backbone of tight-grained tannins and just enough freshness to lift and tantalize on the long, seductive finish. Only 250 cases were made.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 100 RPAnother wine where my tasting note needed censoring, the 2015 The Absurd is as good as wine gets in this critic’s opinion. Made from 88% Cabernet Sauvignon and equal parts Merlot and Cabernet Franc, it offers incredible notes of blueberries, incense, and Asian spices as well as more and more graphite, smoked earth, cedar and lead pencil notes with air. Deep, layered, and super concentrated, with a voluptuous texture and building tannin, it’s a massive wine by any measure, yet this is one case where I suspect the wine might shut down after a few years in bottle. If you’re lucky enough to have more than one bottle, I’d drink one in its youth and then hide the rest for at least 6-8 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDThe 2015 The Absurd is a racy, heady wine. All the Realm signatures are dialed up to eleven. A blast of dark fruit, espresso, chocolate and licorice stains the palate. Big tannins are a reminder of the style that was once in place here. Ripeness is very much pushed to the edge. This is a fine example of the approach Realm favored ten years ago.Vinous Media | 95 VMAromas of spices, dark berries and hazelnuts. Some oyster shell and iodine, too. Full-bodied, tight and dialed in with hints of milk chocolate. A velvety textured palate. A blend of cabernet sauvignon, merlot and cabernet franc. Drink now.James Suckling | 95 JS

A dense and layered red with plum, cherry and chocolate character. Full body. Dense and ripe tannins and a long and flavorful finish. Shows layers of fruit and rich tannins. New and exciting wine from here. Try after 2022.James Suckling | 97 JSLush and fruity, featuring plum, cherry, strawberry and iron aromas and flavors. Bright acidity and dense tannins form the structure as this plays out on the long finish. The excellent youthful balance shows promise for the future. Best from 2023 through 2040. 800 cases made, 100 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 95 WSThe Poggio San Polo 2015 Brunello di Montalcino Podernovi offers great density and textural richness. I would say that this wine is most characterized by the quality of the mouthfeel that wraps smoothly and thickly over the palate. Dark cherry, tobacco, earth, plum and dark fruit add intensity and flavorful substance. The wine’s full-bodied approach would match grilled meats or roasts.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPSan Polo’s 2015 Brunello di Montalcino Podernovi is dark and earthy, with notes of moist soil, savory herbs, and minerals that wafting up from the glass. Mineral-encased ripe red fruits, propelled by vibrant acids with sweet spices and a hint of youthful tannin develop with air. The finish is long and buzzing with zesty acids and spice, along with a coating of fine tannin that tugs at the cheek. There’s a great blending of earth and fruit that makes the Podernovi quite attractive, yet a few years in the cellar should yield an even more balanced wine.Vinous Media | 93 VMFirmly structured, this opens with aromas of underbrush, exotic spice and whiffs of eucalyptus oil. The firm palate evokes black-cherry extract, orange zest, licorice and tobacco set against assertive, close-grained tannins that leave a rather austere, drying finish. Give it time to fully unwind.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEDark morello cherries, hints of jammy wild berries. Deep spicy undertones, great structure, and finesse. Juicy on the palate; spicy and complex. Very intense and multi-layered. Drinking Window 2021 - 2025.Decanter | 91 DEC