Red Wines

wines

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

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

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

The 2015 Léoville-Poyferré is spectacular. Inky, dense and explosive, the 2015 possesses off the chart richness, with soft contours, no hard edges and exceptional balance. All the elements are simply fused together. inky blue/purplish fruit, chocolate, new leather, blueberry jam, exotic spice and violet notes are all beautifully delineated throughout. Fresh, vibrant and totally sexy, Léoville-Poyferré is one of the wines of the vintage. Don’t miss it! Tasted two times.Antonio Galloni | 97 AGThe 2015 Leoville Poyferre is cut from the same cloth as the 2016, yet is more sexy, rounded and opulent. Notes of cassis, licorice, crushed rocks, lead pencil shavings and graphite all emerge from this unctuous, ripe, pedal-to-the-metal beauty that’s absolutely loaded with fruit and texture. Reminding me of the 2003, yet only fresher, don’t miss this beauty. It should be drinkable in 3-4 years and last for 3-4 decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDSumptuous and perfectly balanced, the 2015 Poyferre seems to have outshone both Leoville Barton and Las Cases (the latter is pretty unyielding now and needs lots of time). There is an intense, fleshy, dark fruit core with fine, polished tannins and a lingering, fresh finish. It’s very elegant and precise with only 13.5% alcohol. Although Saint-Julien was affected by rain, there’s no sense of dilution here. It finishes with a highly appealing stony, mineral textured aftertaste. Drinking Window 2022 - 2045.Decanter | 96 DECA rich and intense red with blackberries, tar and spices. Black tea and blueberries. Full-bodied, very layered and multi-dimensional. Very long and flavorful. Such great texture. A dynamic and superb red. Drink in 2023.James Suckling | 96 JSFollowing the style that this estate has now adopted, this is an ultra-rich, concentrated wine. However its acidity and bright black-currant fruits contrast well with this solid base. Drink this impressive wine from 2026.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEDark plum cake, blueberry reduction and açaí berry fruit tilts this to the exotic side of the ledger, with warm ganache, melted black licorice and tar notes providing the spine through the lush finish. Displays some serious latent grip, so there’s no rush despite the showy fruit. Best from 2022 through 2040.Wine Spectator | 95 WSThe 2015 Leoville Poyferre is deep garnet-purple colored with a nose of grilled meats, baked plums, crème de cassis and baker’s chocolate with nuances of dusty soil and iron ore plus a hint of bay leaves. Medium to full-bodied, very firm and muscular in the mouth, it is built like a brick house with a mineral-tinged finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RP

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

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

The crème de la crème from the northern Médoc is the 2015 Mouton Rothschild and this incredible wine flirts with perfection. Made from 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot, and 3% Petit Verdot, this inky purple-colored effort offers sensational Cabernet flare in its crème de cassis, graphite, lead pencil shavings, floral, and Asian spice aromas and flavors. It is full-bodied, dense, and incredibly concentrated, yet still has the sexy, opulent, seductive style of the vintage front and center. It will be a candidate for perfection in 10-12 years and is going to be one of the longest-lived wines in the vintage. Hats off to Philippe Dhalluim and his team for this incredible effort that’s a step up over just about every other northern Médoc out there!Jeb Dunnuck | 99 JDDecadent and rich aromas of black cherries and plums with wet earth and sandalwood. Turns to dried mushrooms. Full-bodied, tight and closed with big, polished tannins, yet this is very closed and shy right now. Despite this, underneath it shows such depth and beauty. Tangy acidity. This is a combination of 2005 and 2009. Try it in 2024.James Suckling | 99 JSThe 2015 Mouton Rothschild is a blend of 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot and 2% Cabernet Franc aged in 100% new oak with a mid-July 2017 bottling. Deep garnet-purple colored, this Mouton pulls off an incredibly impactful entrance, emerging from the glass with profound notes of blackberry preserves, plum pudding, crème de cassis and grilled meats, featuring perfectly accessorized accents of sandalwood, cinnamon stick and fenugreek with wafts of dried roses, unsmoked cigars and tilled soil. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is completely packed with rich, ripe black fruits sparked with blue and red fruit undertones and an incredible structure of very firm, very ripe tannins, with seamless freshness and an epically long, earth-laced finish. Possessing striking natural beauty framed by impeccable crafting, this 2015 is a total diva and well worth attention. Give it a good 7-8 years in bottle, at least, and drink it over the next 30+ years.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98 RPGorgeously confident and rich in colour, you can see the silkiness in the glass from the first look. This has 11% press wine, which tells you how good the skins were and how gently they extract at first. Winemaker Philippe Dhalluin and team have really succeeded in this vintage. It is beautifully integrated, and full of verve and sexiness, just stopping short of swagger. It approaches the heights of 2015 in the most successful appellations and will age well. Bottled in June, with zero oxygen added at bottling and just 25 ppm of SO2. Drinking Window 2025 - 2045Decanter | 98 DECThis is a hugely opulent wine, packed withblack fruits, rich tannins and great concentration. It is a gorgeous wine that’s full of potential, with the dense, dark core showing how well this wine will age. Drink this complex wine from 2027.Wine Enthusiast | 98 WEIn 2015, Mouton Rothschild is fabulous. A big, towering wine, the 2015 makes its presence felt with layers of super-ripe dense fruit and striking textural resonance that carries all the way through to the finish. The 2015 is much more reticent from bottle than it was from barrel, which is not at all surprising, but is something readers should take into account. Even with all of its obvious intensity, the 2015 Mouton is a wine of classically inspired proportions. I can’t wait to taste it in another 15-20 years. The 2015 is 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot and 2% Cabernet Franc that spend 19 months in 100% new French oak.Antonio Galloni | 97+ AGOffers a prodigious core of steeped fig, black currant and blackberry compote flavors, enmeshed with notes of smoldering tobacco, charcoal and licorice. Broad, deep and long, with a deep foundation of graphite through the finish. Despite the heft, this manages to show off some purity too. Best from 2025 through 2045.Wine Spectator | 96 WS

The clarity to this wine is impressive. Wealth of dark-plum and black-fruit essence not to mention orange citrus. Everything is dialed up to the limit here but then dialed in on the palate. Such impressive depth and suave, ripe, fluid tannins that deliver impressive length. Great wine. Such polish. Superb. Try from 2022.James Suckling | 99 JSAs with the white, the 2015 Château Pape Clément is up at the top of the hierarchy and is a tour de force in Red Bordeaux that should be snatched up by readers. Coming from a 50-hectare parcel of the gravelly soils and harvest between September 25th and October 15th, it’s a blend of 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot and 4% Cabernet Franc that saw a long maceration (30-40 days) and 18 months in 80% new French oak. With a deep ruby/plum color and awesome notes of currants, black cherries, truffles, chocolate and graphite, this beauty hits the palate with a massive, full-bodied, opulent, sexy, yet never heavy style. With terrific concentration, perfect balance, and ripe tannin, as well as plenty of oak, give bottles 4-5 years of cellaring and enjoy over the following 2-3 decades. Tasted three times.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDThe 2015 Pape Clement is blended of 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot and 4% Cabernet Franc, matured in 80% new and 20% one-year-old French oak barrels for 18 months. Medium to deep garnet-purple, it opens with profound notes of crushed red and black currants, black cherries and cassis with touches of mocha, baking spices, menthol and lavender plus a hint of new leather. Medium-bodied, firm and concentrated with tons of tightly wound black fruit and earth layers, it has a grainy frame and refreshing lift on the long finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RP One of the stars of the vintage, the 2015 Pape Clément is fabulous. Dark and beautifully resonant, it captures all the natural radiance of the year in the Pape Clément style. Super-ripe black cherry, plum, mocha, chocolate, new leather and spice effortlessly fill out the wine’s ample frame. Soft contours and an open-knit, inviting personality are just two of the reasons the Pape Clément is going to be virtually impossible to resist, even in the early going. The blend is 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot. Tasted two times.Antonio Galloni | 96 AGRipe and lush, with flashy anise, apple wood and mocha notes forming the frame and ample cassis, cherry paste and plum sauce flavors at the core for balance. Shows lots of sweet spice details through the finish, with the apple wood edge holding sway for now. A bold, glossy version that will please fans of the style after some time. Best from 2022 through 2035.Wine Spectator | 95 WSDense and concentrated, this wine is fully structured and also has great fruit. It is dense, showing the ripeness of both tannins and fruit in this vintage. It will power through its development to be a very fine wine from 2025. Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEA vintage where the temptation for Magrez to push hard on the pedal must have been hard to resist, but they have got the balance well executed here - yes it’s big and won’t alienate Pape Clement followers, but there is some lovely fresh juice that seeps in between the tight, bristling brambly fruit. It’s very good quality and will clearly age well. Still with the heavy glass bottle though, surely time to change that! (Drink between 2023-2040)Decanter | 94 DEC

Lastly, and a legendary wine in the making, the 2015 Hermitage La Chapelle is reminiscent of the 1990 with its full-bodied, opulently, sexy, yet concentrated style. Offering sensational notes of blackcurrants, smoked herbs, beef blood, and chocolate, it’s a huge yet elegant wine that has masses of sweet tannin, incredible purity and finesse, and a killer finish. It’s the finest wine from this estate in close to 30 years. Hats off to Caroline Frey and Jacques Desvernois!Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDThe 2015 Hermitage La Chapelle is one of the estate’s finest recent efforts. It’s packed with firm tannins and will need to be lost in the cellar for a decade, but it will reward those with patience. Richly concentrated and full-bodied, it hits all the expected notes—cassis, black olive, smoke, crushed stone, pencil shavings and espresso—then finishes long, with an aristocratic sense of reserve and austerity. Winemaker Jacques Devernois compares it to a woman’s black dress, meaning it speaks of elegance and class.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98 RPBright purple. Explosive, smoke- and spice-accented blueberry, cherry cola, incense and smoky mineral aromas show outstanding delineation and pick up a hint of olive with aeration. Sweet and expansive on the palate, offering deeply concentrated dark berry liqueur, fruitcake and floral pastille flavors, along with a suggestion of star anise. The remarkably long, penetrating finish features strong minerally cut, an echo of sweet blue fruit and harmonious tannins that come in late and fold effortlessly into the deeply concentrated fruit. At this stage, this is a contender for the wine of the vintage, at least by estimation.Vinous Media | 98 VMA majestic and brooding nose with dark stone fruits, wet black stones, pepper and brown spices as well as some dark chocolate and meaty notes, and fresh truffle-like earthiness, too. The palate draws deep and even with effortless power. Seamless. Extremely focused and long fine tannins. Hints of high cocoa chocolate. The acidity is stunning. This is flawless Hermitage. Drink 2023 and beyond.James Suckling | 97 JS

Pure perfection in a glass and unquestionably one of the great vintages for this cuvée, the 2015 Pavie is a blend of 60% Merlot, 22% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Cabernet Sauvignon that was brought up in 80% new French oak. Sharing some similarities with the 2009, this tour de force sports a saturated purple color as well as a sweet bouquet of crème de cassis, crushed rocks, white truffle, and licorice. Its oak is perfectly integrated and balanced by this wine’s massive fruit and structure. Full-bodied, deep, and superbly concentrated, with building tannins, it’s a massive wine by any measure, but what sets it apart is that it still glides across the palate and retains an incredible sense of purity, balance, and elegance. It’s drinking well today due to the vintage’s opulence, yet won’t hit prime time for another 5-10 years and I suspect will keep for upward of 50 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDIn 2015, the blend is 60% Merlot, 22% Cabernet Franc and 18% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the wine was matured 80% in new French oak. Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2015 Pavie is still sporting a bit of its oak to begin, giving way to a glorious nose of crushed black cherries, blackberries and mulberries plus hints of dried roses, stewed tea, unsmoked cigars and garrigue. The rich, concentrated, full-bodied palate delivers an incredible structure of very firm, very ripe tannins and a racy line of freshness cutting through the dense layers of perfumed black fruits and savory notions, finishing with epic length.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98 RPHeady, exotic and absolutely compelling, the 2015 Pavie is one of the standouts of the vintage. Soaring aromatics meld into a core of super-ripe red plum, cherry jam, rose petal, mint and lavender in this sensual, voluptuous Saint-Émilion. Even with all of its flamboyance, the 2015 possesses remarkable nuance and delineation. This is an overwhelmingly beautiful wine that seduces both the intellectual and hedonistic senses. Don’t miss it. Tasted two times.Antonio Galloni | 98 AGThis start off richly, featuring beautifully rendered layers of fig, boysenberry and plum pâte de fruit flavors coursing through. The structure is refined and integrated, with a light chalky edge adding tension and vivacity while being absorbed by the fruit. The finish has pyrotechnics of anise, black tea and singed mesquite that are formidably long. Best from 2025 through 2045. 5,833 cases made.Wine Spectator | 98 WSGigantic nose of very ripe black fruit. Enveloping richness, but the abundant fine tannins make this feel remarkably elegant and decisively dry for the richness. Very long and firm finish that has extraordinary energy and vibrancy. Great aging potential. Drink or hold. Château Quintus vertical tasting. James Suckling | 98 JSDeep and rich in both colour and taste, this is a monument to the fine wine triumvirate of tannins, fruit and acidity. It’s extremely muscular, with layers of black fruits, graphite and pencil shavings, as well as a smoky, tarred edge and the telltale salinity on the finish that places you on the limestone plateau of St-Émilion. There’s impressive fruit density and finely-worked tannins, although I found the 2016 Pavie to have better balance - the 2015 is rather one to admire in my eyes, not to love. It should go 30 years easily. 70% new oak. (Drink between 2025-2045)Decanter | 96 DECAlthough this wine is ripe, it is the fruit that sings. Firm and rich, the tannins support the wonderful fruitiness. Its perfumed Cabernets give the wine great presence as well as freshness. It is ready for long aging. Drink from 2027.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WE

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 marvelous red with superb depth and structure. Strength with finesse. Aromas of graphite, burnt orange, steak tartar, iron and rust that follow through to a full body. Yet, it’s tight and poised with such refinement and beauty. Fabulous. Drink after 2022 and onwards.James Suckling | 99 JSGorgeous notes of black cherries, tobacco, and licorice emerge from the 2015 Barolo Cerequio, and this beauty is about as seamless and sexy as they come. More spice, toasted almonds, and dried flower notes develop with time in the glass, and it has magical tannins, medium-bodied richness, and a great, great finish. Give bottles 2-4 years and it’s going to impress for a good 2-3 decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDThe 2015 Barolo Brunate is another super-expressive wine in this lineup from Roberto Voerzio. Sage, mint, underbrush, tobacco and licorice nuances give the Brunate striking aromatic complexity. A Barolo of real presence and stature, the Brunate is so inviting as it gains breadth with time in the glass. Another few years will help the tannins soften.Vinous Media | 96 VM

Superb complexity on the nose with crushed berries, dried flowers, tar, licorice and aniseed. Full body, firm tannins and superb depth and intesity. Goes on for minutes and changes all the time. Drink from 2023.James Suckling | 98 JSGorgeous notes of black cherries, tobacco, and licorice emerge from the 2015 Barolo Cerequio, and this beauty is about as seamless and sexy as they come. More spice, toasted almonds, and dried flower notes develop with time in the glass, and it has magical tannins, medium-bodied richness, and a great, great finish. Give bottles 2-4 years and it’s going to impress for a good 2-3 decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDThe 2015 Barolo Cerequio shows impressive and firm construction; however, the wine remains delicate and finessed all the while. This is a real stunner with inner fiber that is as strong, but as softly textured, as the highest quality silk. Aromas of wild cherry, violets, licorice and tar are in a tight, nascent state at this young stage. This implies they will blossom with time, coming into focus with greater intensity and complexity as the wine continues its careful bottle aging. This wine shows an evident mineral signature at the back.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPThe 2015 Barolo Cerequio is ample and generous on the palate, with a real sense of breadth that is immediately apparent. All of the classic Cerequio signatures are present - the red berry fruit, floral accents and silky tannins, within a classic structural framework. The stylistic shift that started around 2008 is evident.Vinous Media | 94 VM

This is an exotic and opulent La Serra with ripe-fruit, orange-peel and terracotta aromas, as well as dust. Full body, polished yet chewy tannins and an extremely rich and long finish. Astonishing power and richness. Austerity with class. Reminds me of the perfect 1997. Better after 2025.James Suckling | 100 JS

Perhaps the most robust and solid of the three wines by Roberto Voerzio tasted this year, the 2015 Barolo Rocche dell’Annunziata is built like a little tank, or motor, that keeps moving forward no matter what. You taste that spirit and determination thanks to the elegantly aligned fruit and spice flavors that make up the wine’s elaborate profile. However, I also taste the 2015 vintage characteristics of rich and concentrated fruit to a greater degree in the Rocche dell’Annunziata. There is a point of softness here that you don’t get in Fossati or Cerequio. I tasted the open bottle again 24 hours later and was treated to beautiful notes of mint and balsam herb.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPSimilar notes of mulled black cherries, menthol, toasted spices, tobacco, and licorice emerge from the 2015 Barolo Rocche dell’Annunziata. It has the ripe, sexy style of the vintage, medium to full-bodied richness, an elegant, seamless texture, and a great finish. There are plenty of tannins here, yet they’re sweet and polished, and this beauty already offers pleasure. Nevertheless, it’s going to benefit from 4-5 years of bottle age and should have three decades of overall longevity.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDThe 2015 Barolo Rocche dell’Annunziata is laced with the essence of crushed raspberry, flowers, cedar, spice and tobacco. Silky and lifted in the glass, with a real sense of translucent beauty, the 2015 hits all the right notes. It’s a super classic Barolo from one of La Morra’s greatest sites.Vinous Media | 94 VM

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

This shows density and structure for a 2015 with ripe tannins and bright fruit character. Full body. Chewy texture. Extremely well done for Médoc.James Suckling | 92-93 JS

A pungent but pretty nose is comprised by notes of wood, freshly sliced plum, cassis and earth. There is even better punch and mid-palate concentration to the moderately stony and beautifully well-detailed flavors that also display focused power on the broad-shouldered, firm and driving finish. Good stuff if you have the patience to allow this at least 6 years at a minimum and to see this at full maturity, 12 to 15 years of bottle age.Burghound | 93 BHThe 2015 Morey-Saint-Denis 1er Cru Les Millandes was one of the most backward of Serafin’s 2015s when I tasted the wine at the domaine. The palate is medium-bodied, structured and masculine with a vice-like grip in the mouth, plus a chalky texture on the finish. It feels brutish at the moment compared to the Gevrey Corbeaux, but bottle age should mellow it out.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 89-91 RP

A big, rich wine for St. Julien with plenty of power and concentration, which enables it to carry plenty of spicy and toasty oak. The tannins need some time to soften, but the elegant finish says that from 2020 this should really impress.James Suckling | 94 JSThis wine seems to be all about structure and tannins. The fruit comes through slowly and has a way to go in its development. But black currants are there, ripe and promising well for the future. Just don’t drink before 2025. Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEThe 2015 Talbot shows much better now than just a year ago. Here it has a much more intense bouquet than Gruaud Larose and Lagrange. Upfront blackberry and bilberry scents, cedar and subtle mint aromas lend complexity with time in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with grippy tannin on the entry, a fine bead of acidity with layers of graphite-infused black fruit. I love the precision on the finish here and the persistence is superb. Impressive. Tasted blind at the Southwold 2015 Bordeaux tasting.Vinous Media | 93 VM(Château Talbot, St-Julien, Bordeaux, France, Red) Another excellent vintage, where we see Talbot growing in precision. This is soft and well-placed, building in power over the enjoyable palate. The softness of the fruit means I might expect the 2014 to age longer, but no one is going to complain about the enjoyment here, and it still retains its St-Julien balance. Aged in 50% new oak. (Drink between 2025-2040)Decanter | 93 DECAlluring, with plum and fruitcake notes that are lushly textured, picking up mesquite, black tea and melted licorice flavors along the way. Keeps the warm, enveloping feel going through the finish, with the fruit dripping steadily. Best from 2020 through 2038. 34,558 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WSNotes of black cherries, underbrush, tobacco and smoked herbs all emerge from the 2015 Château Talbot and it’s an old-school, classic, concentrated 2015 that does everything right. With medium-bodied richness, good concentration, and solid overall balance, it’s already approachable, as are most in the vintage, yet will benefit from short-term cellaring and deep for 10-15 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 91 JD

A wine I was able to taste on multiple occasions, the 2015 Troplong Mondot is a tour de force that readers need to snatch up. This cuvee comes from the cool, clay and limestone soils on the upper plateau (it’s the highest point in the appellation) and is a blend of 92% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Cabernet Franc, harvest between September 30th and October 21st, that was brought up in 85% new French oak. Sporting a deep, inky color as well as a sensational bouquet of creme de cassis, blackberry, toasted spice, licorice and spring flowers, it’s another huge wine from this estate that has perfect balance between its fruit, oak and tannin, a stacked mid-palate, and an incredible finish. I wrote "crazy good" more than once in my notes. It has enough fruit and texture to drink nicely even today, yet needs 4-5 years of cellaring and will keep for two to three decades. It’s one of the great wines of the vintage.Jeb Dunnuck | 99 JDExpressive, ripe dark plums swathed in aromas of mocha, toasted baking spices, graphite, blackberries and mulberries. The flavor-soaked palate arrives on suave, velvety tannins, delivering flavors of vibrant, concentrated dark plums, mulberries, dark chocolate and cocoa in a youthful, fresh style. Terrific wine with ultra-long finish. An essay in power and elegance. Essence-like. Best from 2020.James Suckling | 98 JSOne of the stars of the vintage, the 2015 Troplong Mondot has come together beautifully over the last year and half. Rich and sumptuous to the core, it is a classic wine from this property, built on serious fruit density and textural richness. Dark red cherry, plum, chocolate, new leather and spice are some of the many notes that build as the 2015 shows off its irrepressible personality. A viscerally exciting, resonant wine, it just needs a few years to shed some of its baby fat. Tasted two times.Antonio Galloni | 97 AGBlended of 90% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Cabernet Franc aged in French oak, 85% new, the deep garnet-purple colored 2015 Troplong Mondot is redolent of warm plums, blackberry tart and blueberry pie with suggestions of underbrush, bay leaves, cedar chest and lavender plus a waft of baking spices. Full-bodied and full-throttle in the mouth, the palate is decadently packed with a solid core of black and blue fruit layers, supported with firm, grainy tannins and finishing with loads of spicy layers. This pedal-to-the-metal beauty is the ultimate indulgence for the hedonists!Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPIn keeping with the new style from this estate, this is a powerful, opulent wine. Its density, concentration and layers of dark fruits are all of a piece, held together by powerful tannins. Touches of black coffee and spice emphasize the richness of the fruit and the opulent aftertaste. Drink from 2025.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEOffers a gorgeous, caressing, velvety feel, with waves of warmed plum, fig compote and blackberry reduction gliding through, inlaid with notes of graphite, sweet tobacco and black licorice. A light loamy echo adds a pleasant tug of earth at the very end. Best from 2022 through 2040. 10,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WSMellow aromas of cassis and blackberries infused with vanilla and coconut oak; generous and mouthfilling with a silky viscosity. Drinking Window 2023 - 2040Decanter | 93 DEC

A wine that will be a candidate for perfection at maturity, the 2015 Valandraud is a heavenly wine that exhibits a deep, saturated ruby/purple color as well as a sensational bouquet of blackcurrants, cassis, crème caramel, graphite, and chocolate. This full-bodied, expansive, super concentrated 2015 is a hedonistic dream and has exceptional purity, balance, and equilibrium. While it offers pleasure today, it needs short-term cellaring and will keep for 20+ years.Jeb Dunnuck | 99 JDThe 2015 Valandraud is blessed with a stunning, brilliantly defined and focused bouquet, quite penetrating in style yet so young and primal. This is all about potential. The palate is supremely well balanced with perfectly assimilated oak, satin-like in texture with wonderful precision and length. About as good as it gets. Class, class, class. Jean-Luc hits the ball out of the park. Tasted blind at the Southwold 2015 Bordeaux tasting.Vinous Media | 98 VMPlenty of toasty oak and extract here. This has immensely concentrated fruits with powerful yet silky tannins. Blackberry and dark-plum aromas dominate the nose with hints of dark chocolate and candied orange. Flavors follow suit amid fluid, muscular tannins that hold long into the finish. Great wine. Try from 2023.James Suckling | 98 JSSince the first vintage in 1991, this wine and its vineyard have travelled far. Now close to the top of the classification tree in Saint-Émilion, this vintage shows the impressive nature of this powerful wine. With a good balance between acidity and black fruits backed up by tannins, the wine is powerful and stylish. Drink from 2027.Wine Enthusiast | 98 WEJean-Luc Thunevin and Murielle Andraud acquired their first 0.6 hectare site near Château Pavie-Macquin in 1989. They continued to purchase further plots in Saint-Émilion over the years and now own eleven hectares in total. Closely associated with the garagiste movement and much heralded by Robert Parker, the couple’s wines are often described as pioneering. Château Valandraud was promoted to Premier Grand Cru Classé status in 2012 and has an annual production of 30,000 bottles. The vines are an average of 30 years old and are grown on limestone clay soils.JA: This is an excellent flight so far, real depth and quality on display, gorgeous juice and texture and definition. Persistency through the finish, this hangs on and delivers, clear sapidity and salinity on the finish.AH: Needs a little more time to fully resolve. Firm tannins, quite dry on the palate at the moment. Lots of ripe fruit here, dark berry and plum but restrained oak and potential to age. Tannins a little grainy. Great focus and depth. Classy and memorable.TT: Opaque ruby. Very intense aromatics ranging from violet fragrance to black ink to cherry to allspice. Rich concentrated plum and cherry fruit flavours and velvety fine tannins with a long finish and mouth-filling flavours. (Drink between 2024-2043)Decanter | 97 DECThe 2015 Valandraud is medium to deep garnet-purple in color with a profound nose of baked cherries, warm black plums, blueberry preserves and smoked meats with tilled earth, mocha, Indian spices and dried herbs nuances plus a touch of licorice. The mouth is big, full-bodied and powerful with notable, velvety tannins and it is packed with savory and spice flavor layers, finishing with epic length. This big-boned, voluptuous, Rubenesque beauty will blow hedonists’ minds!Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96+ RPMelted licorice, plum sauce and blackberry puree notes flow through here, with ample but velvety structure running underneath. Alluring ganache, violet and tobacco accents add nuance on the finish. Long and beguiling, featuring echoing fruit and a captivating mouthfeel. Drink now through 2035. 3,417 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WS

Moderately saturated bright red. Herbs, red fruit and minerals on the refined nose. Then also quite elegant in the mouth, where floral nuances lift the red and blue fruit flavors. Finishes long with herbal notes that add complexity.Vinous Media | 92 VMSubtle and flavorful with spice, white-pepper and dark-berry aromas and flavors. Medium to full body. Firm tannins. Polished and delicious. Why wait? Drink now or hold.James Suckling | 92 JS