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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

A legendary wine in the making from the Delon Family is the 2015 Leoville Las Cases and there are very few wines more impressive in the vintage. A blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Cabernet Franc, and the balance Merlot, this full-bodied, tight, super-concentrated, focused 2015 boasts an awesome bouquet of crème de cassis, graphite, charcoal, lead pencil, and minerality. Deep, layered, with perfect ripeness and building tannin, hide bottle for 6-7 years and enjoy this prodigious effort over the following 3-4 decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 99 JDThis wine that comes mainly from a magnificent walled vineyard within sight of the Gironde estuary is structured and dense. Its tannins and firm character show its enormous aging potential. Powerful black fruits come from the 85% Cabernet Sauvignon in this rich, juicy wine. Drink from 2027. Wine Enthusiast | 99 WEThe 2015 Léoville Las Cases is simply captivating. Sumptuous, racy and explosive in the glass, the 2015 is endowed with tremendous energy from start to finish. An exotic melange of crème de cassis, graphite, menthol and licorice bursts onto the palate as the 2015 shows off its alluring personality. Spectacularly rich, dense and full-throttle, with huge tannins that are nearly buried underneath the fruit, the 2015 is an unusual Las Cases. It is also breathtakingly beautiful. Readers who can find it should not miss it.Antonio Galloni | 98 AGBlackcurrant, blueberry and currant aromas with hints of black licorice and hot stones. Full-bodied with dense and integrated tannins and a long, long finish. It is all there and all about proportional harmony. Excellent focus and beauty. Drink in 2022.James Suckling | 98 JSFilled with blackberry, black currant, fig and boysenberry preserve flavors, this starts off showy, but a back end of brambly grip, warm tar, and pastis-soaked apple wood emerges slowly before taking an authoritative lead on the finish. All the while, a cool charcoal note weaves in and around everything. Best from 2025 through 2045. 16,667 cases made. — JMWine Spectator | 97 WSAt 94% (85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 9% Cabernet Franc) this is the highest-ever Cab content in this grand vin. Very dense at first but full of power and elegance, with lots of energy. Beautifully made, and seems more Pauillac than St-Julien. This will be a very great wine. Drinking Window 2025 - 2050.Decanter | 96 DECRicher and more demonstrative than the 2016, the 2015 Léoville Las Cases dodders up generous aromas of sweet berries, pencil shavings and loamy soil, framed by a deft application of creamy new oak. Medium to full-bodied, broad and expansive, with a fleshy core of fruit, succulent acids and a giving, gourmand profile, like many 2015s from the Northern Médoc, it’s already quite structurally open today, and it will likely attain its peak before both the 2014 and 2016 vintages that bookend it. For many consumers, that may be an advantage.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RP

Suave, brambly mixed summer berry fruits take center stage on the nose with a very nicely layered palate carrying fresh bright berry flavors into an upbeat finish. Smart wine. Try from 2022.James Suckling | 94 JS(Château Poujeaux, Moulis-en-Médoc, Bordeaux, France, Red) Sixth overall in the Bordeaux blends category. Now owned by the Cuvelier family and crafted under the guiding hand of consultant Stéphane Derenoncourt, this Cru Bourgeois has consistently offered up excellent value for money in recent vintages. Initially restrained and shy on the nose, it needs coaxing to reveal intriguing coffee, fresh earth and briary fruit scents. Ample tannins are youthful and vigorous but equally sophisticated and suave. This promises a solid decade or more in the cellar. (Drink between 2021-2033)Decanter | 92 DECThe 2015 Poujeaux is gorgeous and open-knit, with lovely fruit presence, soft contours and tons of near to medium-term appeal. Silky tannins add to the wine’s inviting personality. The sweet red cherry and plum flavors have an extra dimension of richness and deepness in 2015 that is unusual, but that also adds to the wine’s undeniable allure. This is a gorgeous wine from the Cuvelier family. The blend is 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot, 6% Petit Verdot and 2% Cabernet Franc.Antonio Galloni | 90 AG

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

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 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

This is a powerful wine, with wood aging that adds richness to the dense tannins. Some tough extraction has not detracted from the ripe fruit or structure and will go as the wine matures. It should be ready to drink from 2026. Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEImmediate depth to the aromas of dark cherries, plums and blackberries with subtly spicy and cedary oak amid stony, minerally accents. The palate has immense depth and presence without relying on brute force. This is all about charm and fluidity. Superb wine. Try from 2023.James Suckling | 95 JSMedium to deep garnet-purple in color, the 2015 Lascombes has a beautiful nose of black forest cake, violets, cassis and tilled soil with wafts of garrigue and potpourri. Medium-bodied, very fine and elegant with great intensity of restrained, earthy flavors, it has a long, savory finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPAn excellent Lascombes in 2015. The fruit has tightened up and slowed down, with great depth to the finely grained tannic structure. Deep liquorice, damson, cassis and loganberry flavours are well balanced against the grilled oak notes and silky texture. Confident and poised. 70% new oak. Drinking Window 2025 - 2040.Decanter | 94 DECPowerful, deep and flamboyant, the 2015 Lascombes is one of the most overt, concentrated wines readers will find in Margaux. Inky blue/purplish fruit, chocolate, spice, lavender and new leather are all super-concentrated. Even with all of its obvious fruit intensity, the 2015 has a good bit of supporting structure as well. There is no question Lascombes is a technically well-made wine. But I always fine myself wondering if this site has more to say than what comes through in this delicious, but somewhat anonymous, Margaux. Tasted two times.Antonio Galloni | 93 AGEnticing, with a light mulled spice note moving amid the red and black currant fruit, while flashes of bramble, alder, juniper and tobacco skitter through. Reserved but lengthy in feel through the finish, with latent grip and a smoldering tobacco detail. Best from 2030 through 2032. 25,000 cases made. — JMWine Spectator | 92 WSA big, bombastic wine from this estate that offers serious amounts of sweet currants, blackberry jam, licorice and oak, the 2015 Château Lascombes has beautiful depth of fruit, a thick, opulent texture and sweet tannin. It’s not going to appeal to the traditionalist out there, but it’s a smokin’ good bottle of wine. Give it 3-4 years and enjoy over the following two decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 92 JD

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

Aromas of iron, rust and hot stones with currants and dark berries follow through to a full body, firm and ultra-silky tannins and a long and polished finish. Racy and driven. Drink in 2022.James Suckling | 95 JSComposed of 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35.6% Merlot, 0.5% Cabernet Franc and 0.9% Petit Verdot, the 2015 Les Forts de Latour needs a fair bit of air to unlock a profound, powerhouse nose of blackcurrant cordial, boysenberries, plum preserves and dark chocolate, with suggestions of Chinese five spice, clove oil, violets and crushed rocks. The palate packs an absolute flavor wallop, bursting with rich, ripe black fruits and loads of spicy sparks, while framed by beautifully plush tannins, finishing long and minerally. Not at all heavy, on the contrary, the Les Forts is both expansive AND tantalizingly refreshing. In terms of evolution, it has barely budged since I last tasted it in 2017. While it’s drinking very well right now, it easily has a good 20 years of cellaring ahead, maybe more. Impressive.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94+ RPThe 2015 Les Forts de Latour is silky, perfumed and wonderfully nuanced from the very first taste. Crushed red berry, cedar, tobacco, mint and blood orange lend striking aromatic nuance. Ample and resonant in feel, yet with mid-weight structure, the 2015 is a total pleasure to taste today. All of the natural radiance of the warm year comes through in the wine’s generous, inviting personality. Drink it over the next 15 years or so.Antonio Galloni | 94 AGThe true second wine of the estate is the 2015 Les Forts De Latour and it’s slightly more Cabernet dominated with 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35.6% Merlot, and then less than one percent each of Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. This ripe, sunny vintage delivered loads of terrific wines and the 2015 reveals a vivid purple/opaque color as well as fabulous cassis and jammy currant fruits intermixed with lots of cedarwood, leafy herbs, earth, and graphite. Medium to full-bodied, concentrated, and nicely structured, it has a wealth of fruit, building yet sweet tannins, no hard edges, and a great, great finish. This is a stunning Les Forts de Latour that can be drunk today or cellared for 20-25 years or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDOn the nose you get a full array of floral aromatics, and a gorgeous exuberance. The gourmet edge that is never far away from the surface in the 2015 vintage is very much in play, along with touches of truffle, cigar box and an earthy openness even at six years old. A smoked caramel note comes in on the end, as does a hit of mouthwatering salinity. It’s not as intense as Forts in vintages like 2010 or 2016 but it has an ease to it that is hugely appealing, and can be drunk from now and for at least another 15 years. 0.5% Cabernet Franc completes the blend (the last vintage to contain even a slice of this grape, as it has now been pulled up). 40% of overall production. Drinking Window 2021 - 2038.Decanter | 94 DECThere is a velvet touch to this smooth, rounded wine. With some dark tannins as well as blackberry fruits, it is rich with some concentration. At the same time, the acidity shoots through the wine to give a really fruity after taste.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEVery pure and focused, with black currant and black cherry fruit flavors showing lovely freshness, while light graphite, singed black tea leaf and violet hints check in through the silky finish. Best from 2019 through 2032.Wine Spectator | 91 WS

I am breathless with the dark-berry, lavender and burnt-orange aromas. Some salt. Just so formidable and deep. Stunningly sexy on the palate with a density and power, yet it leaves things so clean and bright. You want to drink it and enjoy it now, but it has the structure to last forever. Drink in 2022.James Suckling | 100 JSBottled relatively late in mid-September 2017, the 2015 Palmer is a blend of 44% Merlot and 50% Cabernet Sauvignon with a small portion of Petit Verdot. Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, it offers vibrant red currants, black cherries, wild blueberries, earth and mineral characteristics to begin, with slowly unfurling floral notes of violets and dried roses plus compelling baker’s chocolate and fragrant earth layers. Medium to full-bodied, generously fruited and possessing firm yet very, very fine-grained, mind-blowingly ripe tannins, the multifaceted palate features something of a skip in its step in terms of freshness, while it goes beguilingly earthy on the finish with some mineral hints. Very classy, elegant and sophisticated, this vintage is downright regal in its juxtaposition between poise and audaciousness. Think 2005 Palmer with a tick more fruit intensity, perfume and passion.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98 RPOne of the gems in Margaux is unquestionably the 2015 Palmer. Possessing more elegance and purity, as well as concentration, than the Alter Ego, it offers up a gorgeous bouquet of crème de cassis, caramelized cherries, charcoal, and graphite, with just a hint of spring flowers in the background. A final blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 44% Merlot and 6% Petit Verdot that was brought up in 70% new oak, this full-bodied, ripe, incredibly polished 2015 is already hard to resist given its elegance and purity, yet should be at its best from 2023-2043. If you have more than one bottle, it’s sensational today as well.Jeb Dunnuck | 98 JDGenerous, rich and powerful, this is a sumptuous wine. With just a slight preponderance of Cabernet Sauvignon, it has structure as well as clean, clear black-currant flavors. Produced from biodynamically grown grapes, it delivers an explosion of fruit as well as serious tannins. Drink from 2027.Wine Enthusiast | 98 WEThe 2015 Palmer has an outstanding bouquet featuring extraordinarily pure and intense scents of blackberry, cassis, cedar and pencil box, quite opulent but already irresistible. The supple, medium-bodied palate offers firm tannin, impressive weight and girth, and white pepper and sage toward the persistent finish. There is a lot of matter in this Margaux and it will require a decade to reach its drinking window. Tasted blind at the Southwold 2015 Bordeaux tasting.Vinous Media | 97 VMSix months from the last time I tasted this wine and it is a little more closed than it was, as the 2015s begin to retreat inwards for a few years. Still no mistaking the quality of this vintage, and it remains a brilliant Palmer, that is equal to the greatest years. Still extremely young, with rich, deep textured fruits, tons of blueberry and raspberry fruits, all expressed with clarity and purity. Grilled cedar, liquorice and crushed stone minerality. Harvest September 22 to October 7. At this point the estate was fully in conversion for certification, working 100% organically and biodynamically. Drinking Window 2025 - 2045.Decanter | 97 DECThis is dark and muscular in style, brimming with bramble, warm tar and paving stone notes that are matched by the deep layers of fig, blackberry and cassis fruit. A gorgeous bittersweet chocolate detail adds spine to the finish while violet and iron elements lurk in reserve. Another large wave of fruit and dark earth courses through the finish. Best from 2025 through 2045.Wine Spectator | 96 WS

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

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

A beautifully perfumed young red with blackcurrants, blackberries and dark chocolate. Some sweet tobacco. It’s medium-to full-bodied with a very balanced and refined palate, showing focus and tightness. This needs time to open. Try after 2023. Reviewed in Hong Kong Chinese Wine Tasting July 2020.James Suckling | 94 JSTouch of reduction on the first nose that needs time to clear. This has ripe red fruits, liquorice, crushed stone, and some lovely grilled cedar oak notes, but it feels more evolved than I expected at five years old. A number of 2015s are closed right now, so this may be the case here, but for sheer pleasure my money would be on the 2014 if you are looking to drink soon. 3.79pH. Harvest from September 29 to October 10. (Drink between 2021-2036)Decanter | 93 DECThis spicy wine shows how far the estate has moved from its over-use of new wood. In this bottling, the wood is subtle and doesn’t mask the rich fruit and the juicy acidity. It still has the structure of a Saint-Estèphe while keeping everything in good balance. Drink from 2024.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEThe 2015 Phélan Ségur has turned out beautifully. Muscular tannins wrap around a core of red cherry, plum, graphite, crushed flowers and mint. There is plenty of substance in the glass. In fact, this is one of the most polished recent young Phélans I can remember tasting. Floral notes add an appealing upper register, while silky, ripe tannins give the 2015 a good bit of early appeal. Perhaps most importantly, the 2015 is not penalized by the rustic tannins that have been an issue here in the past.Antonio Galloni | 92 AGI was able to taste the 2015 Phelan Segur on multiple occasion and it showed beautifully both times. Black currants, scorched earth, espresso and hints of chocolate all emerge from this medium to full-bodied, concentrated, firm, structured, dense Saint-Estèphe. It needs 3-4 years of bottle age but will see its 20th birthday in fine form. (Drink between 2021-2036)Jeb Dunnuck | 91+ JDMedium to deep garnet-purple in color, the 2015 Phélan Ségur has a nose of red and black currants with earthy notes of fungi, dried herbs, damp soil and tapenade. The palate is medium-bodied with a good fruit core, firm and chewy tannins and nice freshness.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90+ RP

Aromas of blackberries, licorice and spices. Full-bodied, dense and layered. Shows the structure and muscle of this estate. Needs time to soften and come together. Serious. Try in 2021.James Suckling | 94 JSWhile a step back from the sensational looking 2016, the 2015 Tronquoy Lalande is nevertheless a smokin’ good bottle of wine. Plums, graphite, earth and smoked herb notes all flow to a medium to full-bodied, nicely concentration, plump, rounded 2015 that’s a huge success for the northern Médoc in 2015. Give it a few years and enjoy over the following two decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 92 JDThe 2015 Tronquoy-Lalande feels just a little herbaceous (not green) on the nose. It is well defined but just lacks that extra zip and brightness demonstrated by some of its peers. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, quite fresh and classic in style with lightly spiced, black-pepper-tinged blackberry and bilberry fruit. Demonstrating ample grip on the finish, this should mature into a commendable Saint-Estèphe. Tasted blind at the Southwold 2015 Bordeaux tasting.Vinous Media | 91 VMWith the same winemaking team as Château Montrose, this ripe, dense wine has something of the same approach to the rich tannins and concentrated black fruit. This powerful wine has a dry, age-worthy character as well as generous fruit that keeps a crisp, succulent character. It will be best from 2024.Wine Enthusiast | 91 WEAll the richness with none of the toughness this wine showed in the past – even some florality and freshness to make it more impressive. Drinking Window 2020 - 2030.Decanter | 90 DEC

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

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

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

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

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

The currants and blackberries on the nose are very impressive with wet-earth and lavender undertones. Full body and super-integrated tannins that melt into the wine. The quality of the tannins is incredible with fantastic length and mouthfeel. So much concentration and balance at the same time. Such beauty. From biodynamic grapes. This is the greatest wine ever from here. Drink in 2022.James Suckling | 99 JSThis vintage is a blend of 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot, matured in 65% new oak barrels. Medium to deep garnet-purple, the 2015 Smith Haut Lafitte has a totally dazzling nose of exotic spices—star anise, fenugreek and Sichuan pepper—over a core of chocolate-covered cherries, wild blueberries, plum preserves, violets and earthy wafts of truffles, moss, tilled black soil and forest floor. Medium to full-bodied, beautifully balanced and packing a lot of flavor into a relatively modest package, it fills the mouth with spice and herb-laced black and blue fruit layers, supported by very ripe, very finely grained tannins and seamless freshness, finishing with epic length. This is already a show-stopping, heart-pounding beauty, but should also age incredibly!Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPThis pumps out some serious blackberry, boysenberry, raspberry and black currant fruit flavors, with the texture of compote and a racy edge thanks to a terrific bolt of graphite that runs throughout. Waves of anise, roasted apple wood and tobacco drive the finish, with the fruit keeping pace easily. Destined for a long life. Best from 2025 through 2045. 10,000 cases made. Wine Spectator | 96 WSAnother wine from the Cathiard family I was able to taste on multiple occasions is the 2015 Smith Haut Lafitte and it’s brilliant stuff readers should snatch up. Offering a huge nose of chocolatey dark fruits, roasted herbs, graphite and flowers, this big, rich, opulent beauty has building tannin, loads of structure and great mid-palate. It will drink nicely for 20+ years.Jeb Dunnuck | 96+ JDSmith Haut-Lafite sits on free-draining, günz gravel, with the 2015 showing classic smoky, earthy Graves character with herbs, spices and freshness on the palate. On the intense nose, floral notes and subtle new oak support the fruit. Although there is a silky, intense and concentrated core to the fruit, this is not at all showy - just a wonderfully balanced and complete example of Cru Classé Pessac-Leognan (Drink between 2022-2045)Decanter | 96 DECThis wine is dense in expressive, dark fruit and solid tannins which give it a rich, enveloping feel. With its spicy score and crisp acidity, there is great potential for aging. Drink from 2025. Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEExplosive and powerful in the glass, the 2015 Smith Haut Lafitte is going to need time to come into its own. Black cherry, gravel, smoke, bittersweet chocolate, leather, licorice and savory herbs effortlessly fill out the wine’s ample frame. The 2015 is an especially dark, concentrated Smith Haut Lafitte. Swaths of tannin carry the wine into a huge finish accented by hints of raspberry jam, chocolate, leather and tobacco. Today, the 2015 is more power than finesse. It will be interesting to see how things develop from here.Antonio Galloni | 95+ AG

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

The grand vin is the 2015 Château Margaux and it’s as good a wine as I’ve ever tasted. Coming from just over one-third of the total production and a blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and the balance Petit Verdot, brought up in 100% new French oak, its deep ruby/purple-tinged color is followed by a thrilling bouquet of crème de cassis, toasted spice, hints of toasty oak, and cedar wood. Incredibly elegant and finesse-driven, yet packed with fruit, depth, richness, and structure, it has as much class as you can fit inside a glass. While the vintage provides plenty of upfront charm, this is a wine to cellar for at least a decade, and enjoy over the following 40+ years.Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDChâteau Margaux’s grand vin accounts for 35% of production in this vintage. It stood out as a potential wine of the vintage during en primeur and it is more than living up to its promise. The concentration is stunning, with a fruit structure that is darker, tighter and more insistent than Pavillon. It’s so fresh, there is an opulence here, a dense silkiness to the tannins that is fleshed out across the palate, building to a big finish with menthol freshness. This is classically-styled Margaux with aromatic acrobatics and tannins so fine that the stitching is seamless and perfectly pulled together. Even though extremely ripe, there is freshness too - the acidity measures 3.6pH. The 100% new oak is barely perceptible even now, fresh out of the cask. One to savour over the long term. Bottled in August 2017.Drinking Window 2027 - 2045.Decanter | 100 DECPredominantly Cabernet Sauvignon, this wine shows a wonderful black-currant purity on the palate, along with intense, vibrant acidity. The background is all tannin, which speaks to its aging potential. This wine is the last vintage produced by Paul Pontallier, who was general manager from 1990 until his death in 2016. It’s a memorable wine and one for aging. Drink from 2027.Wine Enthusiast | 100 WEThis is a haunting young wine that shows you a subtle and hidden strength on the nose with rose petals, currants, currant leaves, stones and plums. Wonderful ripeness yet brightness, too. Takes your breath away with the intensity and structure. Full-bodied, powerful and muscular, yet there’s an agile undertone to the whole thing. Compact and condensed. A new legend for Margaux. The 1961 that didn’t happen. Try in 2024.James Suckling | 100 JSThe 2015 Chateau Margaux is a blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. Medium garnet-purple colored, the nose features oh-so-seductive notes of warm blackberries, cassis and black forest cake with touches of forest floor, sandalwood, anise and cigar boxes plus a waft of lavender. Medium to full-bodied, it delivers taut, muscular, densely packed black fruits and exotic spice flavor layers supported by a very firm backbone of grainy tannins with oodles of freshness and a long, savory finish. It is tightly knit and a little reticent at this very youthful stage; afford it at least 15 years in the cellar, and it will open out into a classic Chateau Margaux of incredible proportions. Readers may be interested to know that this wine is beautifully packaged in a special commemorative bottle honoring winemaker Paul Pontellier, who passed away in 2016. The gold-etched black bottle bears the message, “Hommage à Paul Pontellier” at the bottom. This 2015 is an achingly beautiful swan song from an incredibly gifted winemaker, taken from us too soon. In my view, this alone makes this vintage more than worth the investment for the many lovers of history in a bottle.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 99 RPSublime, with captivating sandalwood, black tea and mesquite aromas that infuse the core of gently steeped red and black currant and raspberry fruit. The structure is seamless and thoroughly embedded throughout, letting warm tar, lilac, juniper and iron notes display themselves at will through the finish. The finish is about as long as it gets, with echoes of fruit and warm earth that should prove haunting when this reaches full maturity. Best from 2030 through 2050. 10,833 cases made.Wine Spectator | 99 WSThe 2015 Château Margaux has a beautifully defined bouquet of intense black fruit laced with graphite and mint; light rose petal aromas develop with time. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin and a crisp line of acidity. Not a powerful 2015 but so elegant, displaying wonderful detail on the cedar-tinged finish. This is a lovely Château Margaux, although I feel it has lost a little panache in the last few months, indicating that perhaps it is beginning to close down. Tasted blind at the Southwold 2015 Bordeaux tasting.Vinous Media | 97+ VM

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

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

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