Red Wines

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Made in a more flamboyant, lifted style than the 2016, the 2015 Château Beychevelle offers a beautiful, medium to full-bodied, sexy yet elegant style as well as perfumed notes of black cherries, plums, incense, spices, and dried flowers. Given the sweetness in its tannins as well as its purity of fruit, it can be enjoyed today yet will keep for 20+ years.Jeb Dunnuck | 95 JDThis elegant estate, with its views down to the Gironde estuary, has produced an excellent 2015. It is properly firm with tannins although this structure is well balanced with the ripe, stylish black-currant fruits and acidity. A juicy finish bodes well for the future. Drink this generous wine from 2025.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEThe 2015 Beychevelle comes across as much more powerful and plush in bottle than it did as a barrel sample. The black cherry, smoke, leather, tobacco, spice and incense notes are all endowed with notable textural depth. Voluptuous but also quite tannic, the 2015 is going to need at least a few years to come into its own. Readers should expect a powerful, brooding Saint-Julien. Tasted two times.Antonio Galloni | 94 AGPerfumed red with so much presence and brightness. Flowers, currants and blueberries. Some citrus. Full body, firm and silky tannins and a long and flavorful finish. Very fine and vivid. Better in 2022.James Suckling | 94 JSThe 2015 Beychevelle is a blend of 47% Merlot, 42% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petit Verdot aged 18 months in barrel, 50% of which were new and 50% second fill. Medium to deep garnet-purple in color, it’s scented of smoked meats, scorched earth, garrigue and new leather with a core of cassis, cherry cordial and plum preserves. The medium-bodied palate is a little firm but delicate, with lovely vibrancy and a bit of grip on the finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPLovely mulled plum and blackberry fruit glides along a cleanly embedded graphite edge, while violet and anise details skirt along the edges. The finish picks up a tasty ganache coating while keeping the energy up. Rock-solid. Best from 2022 through 2040. 20,500 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WSThis really does expand outwards in the mouth, with an excellent quality of juicy black fruit on display. This has more potential than the 2014 vintage — contrary to many other wines in this part of the Médoc. 4% Petit Verdot makes up the blend. Drinking Window 2024 - 2043.Decanter | 93 DEC

The 2015 Brane-Cantenac is powerful, structured and explosive in feel. A deep, resonant wine, the 2015 boasts off the charts ripeness allied to formidable structure and tannic heft. I imagine the 2015 is going to need a number of years to become approachable and more than that to be at its best. The dark stone fruit, smoke, tobacco, spice and leather flavors pack a huge punch, but it is the wine's balance that places it among the elite on the Left Bank in 2015. Brane-Cantenac is a total pleasure bomb. I can't wait to taste it with a little bottle age.Antonio Galloni | 96 AGRight from the attack this has beautiful intensity and focus, with tannins covered by a layer of silk. A dash of violet and white pepper comes in from the Carmenère and Cabernet Franc two-step (from now on you can expect this partnership to appear more regularly). This is frankly delicious, the generous berry fruits reverberating with some wonderful notes of coffee bean and charcoal smoke, outlined by a mouthwatering minerality. A step up in poise and texture from the 2014. 39% of production. Drinking Window 2025 - 2038.Decanter | 96 DECRich, fruity and with great potential, this ripe wine is also dense with firm tannins. Its juicy fruits are a part of a package with the concentrated tannins and smoky wood flavors that allow for long aging. This is an impressive wine from one of the Margaux properties owned by the Lurton family. Drink from 2025.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEThe 2015 Château Brane-Cantenac checks in as a mix of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Merlot and the balance Cabernet Franc and Carmenere brought up in roughly 75% new French oak. This medium to full-bodied beauty excels on all accounts and gives up gorgeous notes of blackcurrants, lead pencil, spice and hints of toasted bread. Polished, impeccably balanced, concentrated, and with ripe tannin, it’s a rock star in 2015 that can be drunk young or cellared for 20-25 years. Bravo!Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDQuite impressive ripe dark plums and blackberries with sweet, earthy depth and cedary background oak on the nose. The palate has smooth, slick tannins that carry rich dark fruit long and fresh. This has terrific energy and depth. Really vibrant. Incredible length. Drink from 2022.James Suckling | 94 JSSilky and refined, with seductive crushed plum and raspberry fruit that glides along, perfectly melded with singed alder and mesquite notes along with black tea and warm licorice details. A violet element hangs in the background, adding to the elegance. Best from 2020 through 2035. 12,500 cases made. Wine Spectator | 93 WSThe 2015 Brane-Cantenac is medium to deep garnet-purple in color with a nose of crushed black berries and chocolate-covered cherries with touches of fried herbs and tilled soil. Medium-bodied, refreshing and elegant in the mouth, with chewy tannins, it has an herbal lift on the finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RP

Very attractive rich dark berries and plum aromas are nicely focused amid gently floral and fresh leafy aromas. The palate has an approachable, open-knit core of ripe, fleshy fruit. Really charming.James Suckling | 92 JSBlackberry perfumes and rich tannins play their parts in this dense, firm wine. Fruit and a dry core cut with acidity give it great potential. The richness and spice are leavened by the juiciness of the aftertaste. Drink from 2024.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WE

This dense, rich wine is firm with solid tannins. Its texture and structure give it an opulent character that brings out tannins as much as the ripe black fruits. Powerful and concentrated it needs time to get its potential elegance in order. Then it will be a major wine, so it’s worth waiting until 2027.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEReally lovely bouquet: totally aromatic and full of finesse and restrained power. Great charm and purity of fruit on the palate, showing lovely precision and persistence. This château continues on its progression to the top. Drinking Window 2022 - 2040.Decanter | 95 DECAromas of blackberries, currants, cedar and tobacco. Full-bodied, layered and dense. Great fruit yet tight and structured. A classically proportioned red with so much intensity. A wine for the future. Try it in 2022.James Suckling | 95 JSThe 2015 Calon-Ségur has a fresh and very well defined bouquet of raspberry, wild strawberry and crushed stone aromas, very focused and beautifully integrated new oak. The palate is medium-bodied with fine grain tannin, well judged acidity, lightly spiced and quite saline toward the marine-tinged finish that fans out beautifully. There is classiness in this Saint-Estèphe and it should age with grace. Tasted blind at the Southwold 2015 Bordeaux tasting.Vinous Media | 94 VMComposed of 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot and 2% Petit Verdot, the 2015 Calon-Segur was aged in 100% new French oak barrels for 20 months. It has a deep garnet-purple color and nose of warm blackberries, cassis, black cherries and licorice with touches of roses and dark chocolate. The medium-bodied palate is firm and chewy with good concentration and a spicy finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPThis has a nearly plush edge, surprising for the vintage, with warmed plum, blackberry and black cherry compote flavors liberally inlaid with smoldering tobacco, humus and roasted juniper notes. Keeps a fleshy edge through the finish, with a streak of warm paving stone lending an austere hint. Best from 2020 through 2035. 6,667 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WSThe 2015 Calon Ségur checks in slightly behind the 2014 and is a more sexy, rounded, forward effort that displays fabulous sweetness in its cassis and black currant fruits, spice, graphite, and floral aromas and flavors. With soft tannins, a lovely, elegant texture, and medium to full body, drink it any time over the coming 2+ decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 93 JD

A rich, exotic wine, the 2015 Cantenac Brown is simply stunning. Dark cherry, plum, mocha, espresso, licorice and leather all flesh out in this ample, voluptuous Margaux. A rush of super-ripe dark cherry, plum, violet, lavender and sweet French oak builds as this plush, explosive wine shows off its bold personality. The 2015 is quite concentrated and extracted in style, and yet all the elements are wonderfully fused together. I would give the 2015 at least a few years to assimilate some of its new oak.Antonio Galloni | 95 AGPlump fruit, rich raspberry puree and cassis flavours, layered through with chocolate and grilled cedar. This was the same score as I gave it when tasting in barrel in October 2017. Things have closed down a little since then, as this is heading into its dumb phase, but it’s clearly extremely well structured and all the elements are in place for a long future. So wait to open, but this is a complex, nuanced Cantenac. 51% of production in the 1st wine, 60% new oak. Harvest September 17 to October 8. Drinking Window 2025 - 2045.Decanter | 95 DECBeautiful dusty tannins permeate this ripe wine. It has a smooth and rich texture, with bright blackberry flavors and a refreshing, vibrant close.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEThis brims with voluble plum cake, boysenberry and blackberry compote flavors, embedded with brambly structure while keeping a polished feel overall. Alluring black tea, roasted alder and licorice details line the finish. You’ll want to jump on this one. Best from 2022 through 2035. 9,583 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WSReaders who need more proof that Margaux was the place to be in 2015 just need to taste the 2015 Château Cantenac Brown. Based on roughly 65% Cabernet Sauvignon and 35% Merlot it offers an extraordinary nose of crème de cassis, caramelized cherries, flowers, and spices. This medium to full-bodied effort has plenty of tannins, as well as toasty oak, yet is perfectly balanced and has a great mix of both freshness and richness. It’s a tour de force that will be drinkable in 4-5 years and last for 25-30 years!Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDThe blueberries, blackberries and fresh violets come through nicely on the nose. Full body with round, juicy tannins. Hints of vanilla. Lots of ripe fruit. A little tight now. Try after 2022. Reviewed in Hong Kong Chinese Wine Tasting July 2020.James Suckling | 94 JSThe 2015 Cantenac Brown is medium to deep garnet-purple in color with a nose of cherry cola, cassis and warm plums with touches of spice box and pencil shavings. The medium-bodied palate sports a lot of oak, with very firm and chewy tannins and a woody finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90+ RP

This needs time, even in the glass, but it is rich, confident and really rather wonderful. Good quality, with depth and complexity to the fruit - it’s not going anywhere soon. It has chewy tannins that are clearly just gearing up. Easily one of the best Pauillacs I’ve tasted from this vintage. Still pretty austere up front but with huge potential. Coffee, cinnamon and chocolate touches. 1% Petit Verdot and 1% Carménère to finish the blend. Drinking Window 2025 - 2040.Decanter | 96 DECExtremely floral with blackberry and blueberry character plus hints of violets. Full-bodied yet always in check and reserve with fine tannins and bright acidity that goes on for minutes. Limestone undertones. The finish is particularly long this vintage. Super Clerc. Try in 2021.James Suckling | 95 JSDensely structured and firm, this wine has weight, rich black fruits and great concentration. The tannins are still considerable, with obvious potential. This estate is now on top form. Drink this impressive wine from 2026.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEA total gem, the 2015 Chateau Clerc Milon checks in as 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Petit Verdot and Carmenere. This medium to full-bodied, ripe, polished 2015 shines for its purity and elegance just as much as its depth and richness and boasts a beautiful nose of blackberries, black raspberries, and cassis intermixed with lots of spice and cedar pencil nuances. With perfect ripeness, medium to full-bodied richness, sweet tannin, and terrific mid-palate depth, it’s going to improve with 4-5 years of bottle age and keep for two to three decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDA blend of 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot and 1% Carmenere, the medium garnet-purple colored 2015 Clerc Milon opens with expressive crushed blackberries, red and black plums and cigar boxes notions with suggestions of dried herbs, earth and violets plus a waft of dark chocolate. Medium-bodied, fine, fresh and elegant, it has a lovely core of very pure red and black fruits, supported by finely textured tannins and finishing on a lingering perfumed note. This is a very pretty, superbly poised Pauillac!Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93+ RPInky blue/purplish fruit, lavender, spice and licorice, along with the natural generosity of the vintage, give the 2015 Clerc-Milon is plush, sumptuous personality. Although not especially complex or nuanced, the 2015 offers plenty of raciness in an accessible, fleshy style that can be enjoyed with minimal fuss. From barrel, the 2015 gave the impression of being quite structured, but the bottled wine is far more forthcoming at this early stage. The blend is 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot and 1% Carmenère.Antonio Galloni | 92 AGThis offers up a perfumed profile of gently warmed cherry and plum fruit along with notes of black tea, vanilla and licorice. Shows a light sanguine twinge through the finish. Best from 2020 through 2029.Wine Spectator | 91 WS

The ripe cassis and delicately herbal nose draws you into a really elegant wine that has very polished tannins for this category. Long, ripe and refined finish. A great food wine! Drink or hold. The second wine of Château Talbot.James Suckling | 92 JS

Taking its name from the hill or Cos on which the vines are planted, this wine is dense and full of firm tannins. The fruit is there as well, ripe black currants waiting to come through the tannins. Give this wine time and drink from 2026.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WECedary oak, red berries, fresh leaves and lightly spiced woody notes here. There’s a nicely crafted mid-palate focus of cola, mulberries and red plum fruits. The tannins wrap nicely around a fresh finish. Try around 2021.James Suckling | 92 JSThe 2015 Cos Labory is powerful, dense and super-concentrated. Although the new oak remains prominent, the wine has really come together very nicely during its aging and is now much more harmonious than it was from barrel. Sweet red cherry, tobacco, licorice and crushed flowers are all sketched in bold tones that convey an extroverted style. The blend is 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc.Antonio Galloni | 90 AGLovely rich, plummy fruit here, with an enjoyable tannic structure and freshness. This is a good 2015, focussing on maintaining juiciness in the fruit without sacrificing structure. One of the earlier drinking wines in St-Estèphe - give it four or five years to integrate further then get stuck in! (Drink between 2025-2040)Decanter | 90 DEC

This wine is definitely softening and taking on shape in the bottle. The juiciness is starting to appear and you can see why this is the most easily approachable of the Mouton stable when young. Really enjoyable, delicately shaped but with the Pauillac signature of menthol and slate. 2% Petit Verdot completes the blend. Drinking Window 2025 - 2036.Decanter | 93 DECBerries and smoke with some wet-earth and leather undertones. Medium to full body, round and velvety tannins and a juicy and delicious finish. Like the walnut and coffee undertone. Drink in 2020.James Suckling | 93 JSComposed of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot, the 2015 D’Armailhac displays a medium to deep garnet-purple color and exuberant notions of exotic spices and potpourri over a core of black and red cherry preserves plus wild blueberries and a waft of tar. Medium to full-bodied, the palate reveals mouth-filling, juicy black berry flavors with approachable, grainy tannins and wonderful freshness on the finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RPA singed vanilla and alder frame keeps a medium-weight core of plum and black currant fruit coiled up while tobacco and violet details fill in. A pretty, fine-edged chalky spine holds the finish. Best from 2021 through 2031.Wine Spectator | 92 WSMade by the team at Mouton Rothschild, the 2015 Château D’Armailhac is a ripe, sexy 2015 that has plenty of power and depth in its cassis, lead pencil shaving, spice, and roasted herbs aromas and flavors. The 2015 is 60% Cabernet Sauvignon blended with roughly 30% Merlot and the balance Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot, and it’s medium to full-bodied, balanced, nicely concentrated and should keep for two decades or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 92 JDThis wine is firm, almost classically Pauillac in its black currants and acidity. The tannins are present behind the bright fruit and crisp texture. This wine has a dry core that will need to soften. Drink from 2025.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WEThe 2015 d’Armailhac has a precise, graphite-scented bouquet featuring black fruit laced with light rose petal aromas - discreet but engaging. The medium-bodied palate offers quite firm tannin framing dusky, dark black fruit laced with brown spices and sage. I am just seeking a little more brightness and verve on the finish, but otherwise, this is fine. Tasted blind at the Southwold 2015 Bordeaux tasting.Vinous Media | 91 VM

Very complex aromas of currants, blackberries and iodine with hints of dried mushrooms and flowers. Full-bodied, very fine and silky with a very, very long finish. Shows tension and finesse. Structured yet shows an ultra-fine texture. Deep, dense center palate, yet it’s all so polished. A wine for the future. Drink in 2022.James Suckling | 96 JSThe 2015 d’Issan is a total knock-out. Spectacularly ripe and intense, the 2015 exudes richness in all of its dimensions. Super-ripe dark plum, lavender, spice, savory herbs, iron, smoke and new leather add myriad shades of nuance to this super-ripe, decidedly hedonistic Margaux. A powerful, dense wine, the 2015 is going to need a number of years before it is close to being ready to drink. I was quite impressed with d’Issan both times I tasted it. The 2015 has really come along nicely. The blend is 65% Cabernet Sauvignon and 35% Merlot, aged in 50% new oak. Eric Boissenot consults.Antonio Galloni | 95+ AGA powerhouse offering from proprietor Emmanuel Cruse (with consulting advice from Eric Boissenot) is the 2015 Château d’Issan which in 2015 is 65% Cabernet Sauvignon and 35% Merlot brought up in just over 50% new barrels. Offering a spectacular bouquet of blackcurrants, lead pencil, chocolate and espresso, this full-bodied, incredibly sexy Margaux boast sweet, sweet tannin, lots of oak, a stacked mid-palate and a huge finish. It’s a tour de force that’s going to benefit from 5-6 years of cellaring and keep for three decades. As I’ve stated numerous times in this report, Margaux was the place to be in 2015 and I suspect numerous estates have made their best wines to date.Jeb Dunnuck | 95 JDRosemary, sage, soft white pepper spice - this has a sense of levitation. It’s young but with acidity that bounces alongside the fruit. Good quality and still extremely young at this point. Margaux received less rain than Pauillac and St Julien in 2015 during harvest, and this has plenty of red berry fruits, with density and ripe flesh, if closed up right now. (Drink between 2024-2042)Decanter | 94 DEC93–95. Barrel Sample. This is a serious, structured wine. It has plenty of black plum flavor, although the firm tannins will play an important part in its development. The ample acidity and fresh finish are other harbingers for the wine’s good future.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEA blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon and 35% Merlot aged in 50% new and 50% one-year-old barrels for 18 months, the deep garnet-purple colored 2015 D’Issan simply sings with a beautiful perfume of wilted flowers, rose hip tea and mincemeat with a core of cherry preserves and blackberry tart plus a hint of underbrush. Medium-bodied, fine, fresh and elegant, it’s very soft and silky in the mouth with a long finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPFocused, with a twinge of singed alder and cedar up front giving this a slightly old-school feel, followed by a good core of steeped plum and black currant fruit. Picks up a bit of the vintage’s velvety edge on the finish, though the cedar note lingers as well. Score Range: 88-91 Wine Spectator | 88-91 WS

Ripe and spicy, this is a smoothly textured wine. Its wood aging and creamy texture are rich, opulent and generous. With tangy acidity in the background, this dense wine is already impressive. Drink from 2022. Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEWith a smudge of soft oak on the nose, this is big and ripe in its expression, a beautiful wine that has the balance and polish of a classic Pessac. It’s austere and needs time to open, but shows how Pessac has come of age in 2015 - an appellation where you are picking some of the best qualities of both left and right banks; luscious and generous but still with elegance. This for me has really dug in during ageing and has put on layers. Drinking Window 2023 - 2038.Decanter | 94 DECBlackberry and plums sit amid violets, earthy notes and gentle, hazelnut oak. The palate delivers attractively smooth, supple tannins that carry long flavors of fresh dark cherries. Try from 2020.James Suckling | 94 JSA fresh bay leaf note streaks ahead of the core of raspberry and red currant coulis flavors, with sleek sanguine and iron details keeping pace. The long, cedar-tinged finish has good tension and energy. Best from 2020 through 2030. 10,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 91 WSMedium to deep garnet-purple in color, the 2015 De Fieuzal is scented of lovely ripe plums and crushed red currants with touches of forest floor and bay leaves. Medium-bodied, firm and grainy with great freshness cutting through the earthy layers, it finishes long.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90 RP

One of the stars of the vintage, the 2015 Domaine de Chevalier has turned out even better than I expected. Bright floral notes give striking aromatic lift to the rich, sumptuous fruit. A marvelously complete wine, the 2015 is racy and silky on the palate, yet also has tremendous freshness. Bright red cherry, blood orange, white pepper, spice and dried flowers build into the super-expressive finish. The 2015 has been nothing less than stunning the three times I have tasted it so far. This is a tremendous showing from proprietor Olivier Bernard and his team. The blend is 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot. Tasted three times.Antonio Galloni | 97 AGI was able to taste the 2015 Domaine de Chevalier twice and it showed sensationally both times. A blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot that was harvested between October 1st and October 15th, this deep ruby/purple-colored effort has soaring aromatics of caramelized black cherries, cassis, lead pencil shavings, and forest floor. Deep, full-bodied, intense and beautifully pure, with fine tannin and moderate acidity, it’s a gorgeous Pessac-Leognan that needs 4-5 years of cellaring and will evolve for three decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDSuave, spicy oak and warm, stony aromas, making immediate interest and giving way to vivid and fresh dark cherries, blackberries and cassis. The palate adds graphite-like, savory cherry-stone flavors amid smooth, velvety tannins. Tangy blackberries through the finish. Impressive. Try from 2020.James Suckling | 97 JSThe 2015 Domaine de Chevalier is composed of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot. It went through malolactic and aging on its lees during three months in 35% new, 35% one-year-old and 30% two-year-old barrels, with a total aging of 18 months. Medium to deep garnet-purple in color, it has lovely spiciness on the nose—Chinese five spice and black pepper—with a core of red and black cherries and smoked meats. Medium-bodied, finely crafted and refreshing, it’s quite minerally in the mouth and persistent on the finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPSexy burnish of charcoal-grilled rich black cherry fruit with firmly held tannins. A lovely wine – fairly high powered compared to some; this is one to cellar for a while. Drinking Window 2025 - 2038.Decanter | 95 DECThis wine is ripe, rich and generous. It brings out the almost-sweet character of the fruit in this vintage. At the same time, the tannins are firm and support all this fruitiness. The wine will develop well. Drink from 2024.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEThis has a solid core of gently steeped plum and blackberry fruit inlaid liberally with warm ganache and roasted vanilla notes. Warm, dark earth details pervade the finish, along with hints of tobacco and espresso, though this remains suave and perfumy overall. Best from 2021 through 2031. 9,167 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WS

This sister property to Château Giscours is firing on all cylinders with this wine. Rich, full of black-currant fruit and dark tannins, it is dense while also supple. It has excellent aging potential and should not be drunk before 2024.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEA rich and layered red with dark-berry and chocolate character. Full-bodied, round and juicy with supple tannins. Delicious finish of spices and walnuts. Generous yet fresh. So approachable now but better in 2021.James Suckling | 95 JSGorgeous sandalwood, rooibos tea and warm raspberry aromas lead off, with silky and refined waves of cassis, blackberry preserves and black currant paste flowing through. The long, silky finish is laden with melted licorice, mesquite and iron notes. Best from 2022 through 2035. 13,333 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WSFull of a late summer evening feel, where the sense of exuberance fits the sheer languid sexiness of the thing. This has smoky oak, rich blueberries and charcoal. The ripe fruit is not precise so much as enticing; it’s an unhurried and extremely beguiling wine.Decanter | 92 DECThe 2015 du Tertre is a firm, potent wine with plenty of energy and overall drive. As it did from barrel, the bottled 2015 comes across as lacking a bit of mid-palate depth, which makes the wine its rather compact feel. There is good nuance to the savory, earthy flavors, but I would like to see a little more fruit and overall depth. Even so, the 2015 is an attractive wine with plenty of character. The blend is 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc, 10% Merlot and 10% Petit Verdot.Antonio Galloni | 91 AGThe 2015 du Tertre is medium to deep garnet-purple in color with a nose of baked cherries, blackberries and dried herbs with a waft of potpourri and fallen leaves. The medium-bodied palate is delicately styled with perfumed red and black fruits supported by firm, grainy tannins and it finishes with a refreshing herbal lift.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90+ RP

This firm wine shows the tannic side of the vintage. Those tannins are dusty, enriched with black-currant fruits and a dense backdrop. The wine is concentrated and elegant, very ageworthy and not likely to be ready before 2025.Wine Enthusiast | 97 WEPlenty of violets and dark berries on offer here. This has a striking sense of purity as well as an energetic, regal palate. The structure is impressively groomed with effortless depth and length. A standout wine. Try from 2022.James Suckling | 96 JSThe 2015 Giscours has a beautiful, clean, pure bouquet of generous ripe black cherry, raspberry and crushed violet aromas that could only come from Margaux. The medium-bodied palate is quite dense but wonderfully poised, offering sappy red fruit and very fine tannin and delivering impressive detail on the bay leaf and tea leaf finish. Alexandre van Beek oversaw one of the best Giscours in recent years. Tasted blind at the Southwold 2015 Bordeaux tasting.Vinous Media | 95 VMDeep, plush fruit which is hard to push through at first - it resists rather than giving way. There are layers of muscular fruit on the palate with some gorgeous touches of tobacco and charcoal. This is one to age - and to double-decant if you’re thinking about opening it up in the next decade. 50% new oak. Drinking Window 2025 - 2040.Decanter | 95 DECDeep garnet-purple in color, the 2015 Giscours opens with expressive cassis, blackberry and red currants on the nose with touches of cedar chest, roses and pencil lead. Medium to full-bodied with a good core of muscular fruit and firm, grainy tannins, it finishes long.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94+ RPPolished and rounded in feel, with a solid core of plum and blackberry compote flavors, lined with light hints of charcoal, tobacco and violet. Nice perfumy tobacco and warm tar notes show on the finish. Very well-integrated, making this approachable now, but there’s no rush. Best from 2020 through 2035. 23,333 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

What a gorgeous and supple young wine with ultra-fine tannins and vivid acidity. Medium to full body and direct and driven tannins. Shows such beauty. Better in 2020 but already beautiful.James Suckling | 94 JSThe 2015 Gloria is another Saint-Julien that has improved over the last 12 months. It has a bolder and more exuberant bouquet than some of its peers, featuring lush blackberry and blueberry fruit and revealing a touch of iodine and crushed violet with aeration. The medium-bodied palate displays supple tannin, a fine bead of acidity and very pure fruit intensity (black cherries, bilberry and boysenberry), although it clams shut toward the finish. Slightly more modern in style than its peers, this should still age with style. Tasted blind at the Southwold 2015 Bordeaux tasting.Vinous Media | 93 VMWell-steeped plum, fig and boysenberry fruit is richly layered, supported by embedded brambly grip and backed by waves of ganache and sweet tobacco on the finish. This has plenty of energy to carry it in the cellar while it rounds into form. Best from 2023 through 2038. 18,333 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WSA blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot and the balance Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot that saw 40% new oak, the 2015 Château Gloria is a beautiful Saint-Julien that’s well worth seeking out and drinking. Blackcurrants, damp earth, spicy oak and hints of leafy herbs all flow to an upfront, elegant, yet fruit forward 2015 that has sweet tannin and good freshness. It’s no doubt a charmer, yet will see its 20th birthday in fine form. Tasted twice.Jeb Dunnuck | 92 JDThe 2015 Gloria, a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 7% Petit Verdot and 6% Cabernet Franc, matured for 14 months in 40% new and 60% one-year-old barrels. Deep garnet-purple in color, it has an earthy/meaty nose with a core of black plums and blackberries plus touches of eucalypt and anise. The medium-bodied palate is just a little lean and chewy with an earthy finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91 RPFine, fragrant nose and succulent fruit. It has a lovely texture, rounded tannins and fresh finish, with more finesse than in past years. Drinking Window: 2020 - 2028Decanter | 90 DEC

Swathed in spicy and toasty oak aromas, this has a wealth of superbly expressed red and dark berries, flowers and mint. The palate delivers a very assertive and energetic array of dark berries and spiced plums with a fresh, focused, vibrant finish. Superb wine. Try from 2023.James Suckling | 96 JSThe 2015 Grand Puy Lacoste is just as compelling from bottle as it was from barrel. Sensual, polished and refined, the 2015 is all class. Silky tannins, perfumed aromatics and beautifully delineated fruit are some of the signatures. The natural richness of the year comes through nicely, but without overpowering the wine’s mid-weight sense of structure. This is a fabulous example of the year.Antonio Galloni | 95 AGI love this from the first nose. It’s not quite as complex as the 2017 at Grand-Puy-Lacoste, never mind the 2016, but this is still an exceptionally good Pauillac in the vintage. There’s black fruits, firm tannins, excellent graphite and slate notes and touches of liquorice with clear depth and length. Very good quality, and carefully extracted, it goes gently into the night. 75% new oak. Drinking Window 2025 - 2040.Decanter | 94 DECThe wine from this estate, owned by one of the great Bordeaux families, is already balanced between fruit and tannins. Black currants from the Cabernet Sauvignon comes through strongly, giving a juicy character to the wine’s structure. It is rich and will mature well. Drink from 2025.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEThis is on the charming side of the spectrum, with a rounded hint to the mix of violet-infused plum and cherry fruit, accented by notes of singed cedar and sandalwood. Light black tea and warm cast iron accents pervade the finish, returning this to a more typical Pauillac profile. Best from 2020 through 2032. 10,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WSThe 2015 Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste is another classic wine that shines for its elegance, balance, and sheer class. Offering medium-bodied notes of crème de cassis, crushed flowers, new leather, and ample tobacco, it has good tension and concentration, a fresh, tight texture, and outstanding length. It has some upside and will benefit from 2-3 years of bottle age, at which point it should drink nicely for two decades or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 91 JDThe 2015 Grand-Puy-Lacoste is medium garnet-purple colored with a nose of red and black currants, cedar chest and roses with a touch of dusty earth. The medium-bodied mouth is chewy, with lively fruit and good balance.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91+ RP

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.Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDA blend of 50% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc and 42% Cabernet Sauvignon, the medium to deep garnet-purple colored 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.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 100 RPRich and sumptuous on the palate with huge depth of fruit yet reined in by fresh acidity, with masses of tight tannins. It’s already appealing to drink (as are many 2015s) this really needs a decade or more to allow it to fully develop. The 15% alcohol is carried so easily here, with the crushed rock, sage, lavender and warm earth characters making it a standout First growth. Rated as a 100-point wine by many influential judges and undoubtedly one of the wines of the vintage. Drinking Window 2024 - 2060.Decanter | 99 DECA brick house of a wine, loaded with roasted fig, warmed currant compote and plum reduction flavors that are as broad as they are deep, carried by warm tar, ganache and smoldering bay leaf and charcoal notes. A swath of tobacco through the finish pulls everything together and ties it up with a bow of roasted mesquite. The core shows lean, muscular strength in spades. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2025 through 2045. 11,250 cases made.Wine Spectator | 98 WSA huge, dramatic wine, the 2015 Haut-Brion is magnificent. Vertical in its construction and towering in its reach, the 2015 is going to need a good decade-plus to even start becoming approachable, as it needs to lose baby fat and develop the full range of its aromatics. Even at this early stage, though, it is wonderfully complete and positively stunning.Antonio Galloni | 98 AGThis is all about seduction and beauty with tobacco, berries, tea and wet earth. Full-bodied, round and sexy. Love the polished and beautiful tannins. Racy and refined. Try in 2023.James Suckling | 98 JSDirect and concentrated, this wine is powered by tannins and a firm texture. Dense, it has the potential for plenty of fruit as it matures. That will take time, because this impressive wine is powered by its structure. Wait until 2028. Wine Enthusiast | 97 WE

This rich wine is full of fruit and structured with layers of tannin. It’s also stylish and elegant, with a suave texture that is already attractive. Black fruits mix with the structure to give a wine that will age well. Drink from 2026.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEThe 2015 Kirwan is positively stellar. Deep, fleshy and incredibly inviting, the 2015 will drink well right out of the gate. The balance of aromatics, fruit and structure is compelling. Plum, blackberry, chocolate, licorice and spice fill out the wine’s creamy, supple frame. Readers should expect bold, fleshy style.Antonio Galloni | 93 AGThe 2015 Château Kirwan showed beautifully and is just another data point pointing to Margaux being the star of the Médoc. It boasts a deep ruby/plum color as well as thrilling notes of black raspberries, toasted bread, Asian spices and lead pencil. With subtle background oak, a ripe, opulent texture, sweet tannin, and notable purity and elegance, give bottle 3-4 years in the cellar and enjoy through 2035+.Jeb Dunnuck | 93 JDA sleek wine with plenty of tannins, but they are already so well integrated that this has a very elegant personality. The long finish is rather mineral and very pure. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 93 JSLeans toward the old-school side, with singed cedar and alder notes, perfumy black tea and mulled spice aromas and a core of gently steeped plum and black currant fruit, all carried by lightly dusty tannins through the finish. Balanced, charming and certain to age gracefully. Best from 2020 through 2032. 10,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WSThe nose has a frankness of expression, with cinnamon spice, cedar and an enjoyable, seductive swirl of ruby and blackberry fruits. Animated on the attack, it is full of pleasure and should be ready just a touch earlier than some others in the appellation - think eight rather than 10 to 12 years. There is complexity here, and a sense of freshness that runs through the structure. Drinking Window 2023 - 2038.Decanter | 92 DECThe 2015 Kirwan has a deep garnet-purple color and nose of crushed red currants, black cherries and black plums with wafts of tilled soil, fallen leaves and bark. The medium-bodied mouth offers nice intensity with soft, fine-grained tannins and plenty of freshness on the finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90 RP

A very refined red with berries, chocolate and walnuts. Full body and a round, juicy texture. Spicy and salty. Delicious already. Needs two or three years to come together. Second wine of Château Montrose.James Suckling | 94 JSDense floral and cassis nose with a minerally graphite base. Very good natural richness of fruit and great purity of expression. A very serious, very exciting second wine. Drinking Window 2021 - 2035Decanter | 92 DEC91–93. Barrel Sample. Very juicy, this is a wine that has spice and open black currant flavors. It is full of fruit, backed by a small edge of tannin that gives the wine a really fresh fruitiness. The wine will develop quickly.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WEA blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 41% Merlot and the rest Petit Verdot, the 2015 La Dame de Montrose is a classic wine from this fabulous estate. Notes of graphite, damp earth, tobacco leaf, and that classic cassis fruit of Saint-Estèphe gives way to a medium to full-bodied, seamless, elegant 2015 that’s already drinking beautifully. Tasted twice.Jeb Dunnuck | 91 JDThe 2015 La Dame de Montrose is a super-appealing second wine. Fresh and light on its feet for a wine from this property, La Dame is all about silkiness, precision and aromatic presence. Red cherry fruit, white pepper, spice and mint add to the wine’s sensual, open-knit personality. The 2015 is 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 41% Merlot and 4% Petit Verdot, and spent 12 months in French oak, 30% new.Antonio Galloni | 90 AG

This showcases just how well the Margaux (or Margaux-adjacent) area did in 2015. The finessed quality of the tannins stands out as a signature of the estate throughout the entire vertical, and is on display again here. As the wine opens there is a slow and unhurried peeling back of layers, with an unrolling of menthol and cassis-laced Cabernet aromatics (there is a full 70% in the blend this year, and it works extremely well). Excellent balance and grip with touches of violet aromatics. 50% new oak. Drinking Window 2023 - 2040Decanter | 94 DECJust a hint currant bushl on the nose. This is loaded with healthy tannins on the palate that drive the long finish. Quite an uncompromising young wine that will be better from 2020, but the fundamental harmony is very convincing. Full and flavorful.James Suckling | 93 JSManaged by Caroline Frey (of Paul Jaboulet Aîné in the Rhône Valley), the 2015 Château La Lagune is an impressive, elegant, concentrated Haut Médoc that’s going to be even better with short-term cellaring. Cassis, toasty oak, Asian spices, and black tea notes all emerge from this medium to full-bodied, layered and lengthy Haut-Médoc. Count me in as a fan and it’s up with the top wines produced from this estate.Jeb Dunnuck | 92 JDThe 2015 La Lagune is terrific. Powerful and dense on the palate, with big, potent tannins, it will need at least a few years to fully come together. Hints of tobacco, cedar, licorice and smoke add shades of aromatic nuance. This is a fabulous effort. Don’t miss it.Antonio Galloni | 92 AG

Very rich, darkly concentrated berries and impressively structured tannins. Flavors are in the dark-berry/plum zone and they’re carried long and focused. Impressive wine. Try from 2021.James Suckling | 93 JSThe 2015 La Sirene de Giscours is a blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc. It has a crisp, quite pure black cherry, raspberry coulis and cedar-scented bouquet that gently unfolds in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with good depth for a deuxième vin, the 30% new oak nicely integrated with good depth and grip on the graphite and spice-tinged finish. This is worth seeking out - the best La Sirène de Giscours to date, but those with a wise head will give it 2-3 years in bottle.Robert Parker Neal Martin | 89-91 RP-NMThe 2015 La Sirene de Giscours is terrific. Deep and pliant in the glass, the 2015 offers superb intensity at this level. Crushed flowers, savory herbs, menthol, licorice and plums infuse this deep, pliant wine. This gorgeous second wine from Giscours is long on both texture and depth.Antonio Galloni | 91 AG

I love the enticing nose on this wine, and the dark rich fruit is bright on the attack. You can definitely see the success of this vintage. Oak influence is a little strong on the finish - it’s only 30% new oak, but the 70% Merlot in the blend highlights the sweetness. This should soften nicely over the next five years, offering a lovely mix of brambles, briar and herbs. This is evidence yet again of a rethink of winemaking process at the Magrez estates, towards a more terroir-centric approach. Consultant is Michel Rolland.Decanter | 93 DECThis has a wealth of brambly and spicy berry fruits with a succulent, plush and flavorsome palate delivering red plums and cherries amid smooth tannins. Try from 2022.James Suckling | 93 JSThe 2015 la Tour Carnet, a blend of 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, has a clean and fresh, slightly smoky bouquet with blackberry and boysenberry scents. It is tightly wound at the moment and clearly needs a couple of years in bottle. The palate is medium-bodied with firm tannin, crisp acidity, a little chewy in the mouth; there is good substance if not quite the elegance I was anticipating on the finish, but that will develop with time. This is an assertive La Tour Carnet that is intent on making an impression. It will. But it will reward those who will afford it 4 or 5 years in bottle.Robert Parker Neal Martin | 92 RP-NM

One of the furthest west of the Saint-Julien estates, this property has been greatly improved with investment from Japanese owner Suntory. The wine from 2015 is dense and impressively concentrated, perfumed black-currant fruits working well with the crisp acidity and solid structure. Drink from 2025.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEThe 2015 Lagrange was picked from 21 September until 12 October. This has improved since its last showing a few months ago. The nose still needs more vigour, but the palate is fleshy and velvety in texture with superb harmony on the finish. It continues to meliorate so afford this young Lagrange another three or four years in bottle. Tasted at the Lagrange vertical at the estate.Vinous Media | 94 VMAnyone who thinks that modern Bordeaux has become too soft or easy should taste this seriously tannic yet sleek and vibrant wine. So much drive and energy that the weak of heart should better stand back. Better from 2020 and has a couple of decades of ageing potential.James Suckling | 94 JSMedium to deep garnet-purple in color, the 2015 Lagrange gives up fragrant notes of chocolate-covered cherries, cassis and blackberry pie with touches of violets, forest floor, truffles and cigar box. Medium-bodied with plenty of intense black fruit and firm, grainy tannins, it has a racy line and long, mineral-laced finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPThe 2015 Château Lagrange is a heavenly little Saint-Julien that seriously delivers the goods. Based on 75% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest Merlot and Petit Verdot brought up in around 50% new oak, its deep ruby/purple color is followed by notes of cassis, toasty oak, black licorice and nori (the dried seaweed wrapper used for sushi). With medium to full-bodied richness, beautiful concentration, and ripe tannin, it’s still tight and reserved on the palate and will benefit from 3-5 years of bottle age.Jeb Dunnuck | 92+ JDSuntory bought Lagrange in 1983 and planted 60ha, so now more than 100ha are under vine. Lagrange is known for its freshness and accessibility. The 2015 is a delight, lean and oaky on the nose with blackberry fruit and great finesse. It’s sleek, not super-concentrated, but shows polished tannins and fair acidity. There’s a touch of chocolate and a long, spicy finish. Drinking Window 2022 - 2040.Decanter | 92 DECA sleek, pure style, with violet and anise notes running in lockstep from the get-go, offering a beam of raspberry, blackberry and cassis flavors. Features a light tug of graphite through the finish, but this is relatively accessible already. Best from 2019 through 2028. 23,333 cases made.Wine Spectator | 91 WS

Impressive ripe blackberry and darker plum fruits with notes of earth and warm stones. The palate has a supple, even-paced and fresh fruited heart of red cherry and plum fruits. Smooth tannins flow long. Try from 2021.James Suckling | 93 JS

Sometimes seen as the junior of the two properties owned by the Barton family in Saint-Julien, this is an impressive estate in its own right, especially in this superripe, smoothly rich wine. Tannins are well wrapped in the generous structure and fruits. Drink from 2025.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEA wine that overdelivers in the appellation is the 2015 Château Langoa Barton which is largely Cabernet Sauvignon yet includes 38% Merlot and 8% Cabernet Franc. Brought up in 60% new oak, it boasts a deep purple color and smokin’ good notes of caramelized cherries, crème de cassis, toasty oak, and graphite. Big, full-bodied, concentrated, and structured, with awesome purity of fruit as well as notable elegance, it needs 3-4 years of bottle age and will keep for two to three decades. Bravo!Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDLayered and juicy 2015 with currants, light chocolate and cedar character. It’s full-bodied, round-textured and very pretty. Extremely long and flavorful. So friendly and bright. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 94 JSWhat a nice surprise the 2015 Langoa-Barton is. Racy, silky and forward, the 2015 will drink well with minimal cellaring. Succulent red cherry and pomegranate fruit are nicely lifted by floral and spice notes that add aromatic intensity and layers of flavor. Silky tannins add to the wine's considerable immediacy and sheer appeal.Antonio Galloni | 93 VMA fresh and vibrant style, with streaks of pastis-soaked plum and boysenberry fruit coursing through, carried by graphite and licorice snap notes and ending with a vigorous, juicy finish. Approachable a bit earlier than the main pack, but there's no rush either. Best from 2019 through 2038.Wine Spectator | 93 WSDeep rich ruby in colour, this has a soft expression on the nose, layering redcurrant jelly and smoked oak. It has an enjoyably frank expression, a little less austere than some from St-Julien in this vintage, without sacrificing ageing ability. 60% new oak. Drinking Window 2025 - 2040.Decanter | 92 DECMedium to deep garnet-purple colored, the 2015 Langoa Barton is scented of cedar and Marmite toast with black fruit and fertile earth notes. The medium-bodied palate is oaky with a good fruit core, fine-grained tannins and nice freshness on the finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90 RP