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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

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

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

Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2015 J Daniel Cuvee bursts forth with gregarious blackcurrant pastilles, black cherries and warm plum notes backed up by notions of spice cake, mocha and licorice. The full-bodied palate is powerfully fruited with opulent exotic spices accenting the black forest cake notions, framed by plush tannins and finishing with epic length. A beautifully buxom showstopper!Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98+ RPThe 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon J. Daniel Cuvee is an inky, full-bodied, majestic Cabernet Sauvignon that should be a candidate for perfection in a decade. Black currants, the essence of blackberries, crushed rocks, gravely minerality and charcoal all emerge from this incredible, full-bodied, massive wine that’s still backward and tight. Brought up in 80% new barrels, forget bottles for 3-4 years and enjoy over the following 2-3 decades. Bravo!Jeb Dunnuck | 98+ JDThe 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon J. Daniel Cuvée is every bit as compelling as it was last year. Powerful and dramatic, the 2015 bursts from the glass with tons of intensity. The black cherry, chocolate, plum, mocha, licorice and new leather flavors are all amped up. Even with all of its overt richness, the 2015 shows quite a bit of detail in its layered personality and feel. All the elements simply meld together effortlessly. Antonio Galloni | 97 AG

The spice and walnut aromas are so enticing. Undertones of blackberries and black truffles. Full-bodied, dense and layered with fantastic tension and seamless tannins. It goes on for minutes. All about classic structure and beauty. Try in 2021.James Suckling | 99 JSI was able to taste to two vintages of the Private Reserve, and the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Private Reserve comes from a vintage loved by the estate. The final blend is the normal 97% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Petit Verdot brought up in 85% new French oak. This full-bodied, ripe, voluptuous beauty shows the vintage to a T, offering a blast of sweet blackcurrants, licorice, ground herbs, and graphite aromas and flavors. Blockbuster styled, with full body and an expansive, sexy texture, it has the depth and density to continue drinking brilliantly for 20+ years.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDContaining the tiniest splashes of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Private Reserve has a deep garnet-purple color and nose of plum preserves, baked blackberries and cassis with hints of menthol, sandalwood and chocolate box. Full-bodied with soft, seductive tannins and a lively backbone supporting the generous, ripe, opulent fruit, it has a decadent spiciness and great length.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95+ RPBeringer's flagship 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Private Reserve is tannic, unyielding and not fully put together. I suppose that is not entirely surprising, as most of the fruit was sourced from sites on Howell Mountain. Time in the glass brings out an attractive floral upper register, along with brighter notes in the fruit. Even so, the tannins remain forbidding. There is plenty to look forward to, but readers will have to be patient. The 2015 has been very tight on both occasions I have tasted it so far.Vinous Media | 93+ VMBeautifully proportioned for the long haul, this is deep, complex, firm, focused and structured, showing tiers of savory herb, dark berry, cedar and sage flavors, ending with ripe, chewy tannins. Best from 2020 through 2032. 7,716 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WSRelatively recent changes in winemakers has Beringer's flagship wine in transition, it seems. The 2015 is riper and noticeably sweeter than previous vintages of Private Reserve, and there's a heavy reliance on chocolatey oak. It's a style that's quite popular in the States, and this is well-crafted with that intent in mind. 85% new French oak. Drinking Window 2019 - 2025Decanter | 91 DEC

Very deep purple-black in color, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select comes bounding out of the glass with gregarious scents of crème de cassis, warm black cherries, plum preserves and Indian spices with hints of lilacs, garrigue, stewed tea and cigar box plus a waft of charcuterie. Full-bodied, rich, boldly fruited and wildly decadent, it has a rock-solid frame of grainy tannins and compelling freshness, finishing with loads of earthy and savory layers.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98+ RPI was able to taste four vintages of the estate’s flagship Cabernet Sauvignon, their Hillside Select. This first growth-like cuvée was first made in 1978 and always comes from their estate Hillside Vineyard just above their estate in Stags Leap. This is a 54-acre south-facing, amphitheater-like vineyard of thin, rocky, volcanic soils. Today the cuvée is always 100% Cabernet Sauvignon that spends upwards of 32 months in new French oak. It is consistently one of the greatest Cabernet Sauvignons in the world. Starting with their 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select, it boasts a deep, saturated purple hue as well as a heavenly bouquet of sweet blueberry and cassis fruits interwoven with plenty of graphite, tobacco, and lead pencil notes, with ample minerality emerging with time in the glass. This was a hot, low-yielding vintage for Napa, and while this beauty is massively concentrated, it’s also silky and seamless, with great tannins, no sense of over-ripeness or heaviness, and a finish that goes on for nearly a minute. This is a brilliant, incredibly sexy wine to enjoy over the coming 30-40 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 98 JDThere’s an intensely ripe, fresh and vibrant edge to this focused, elegant and assertively pure cabernet that delivers attractive blueberry and cassis aromas in stylish form. The palate arrives as a precise and focused suite of ripe blueberry and blackberry flavors, building smoothly to an attractively crisp and even-paced finish. Another superb edition of this wine. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 98 JSThe 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select is another superb wine from Shafer in this vintage. Dark and brooding in the glass, the 2015 possesses fabulous textural intensity and overall power. Blackberry jam, espresso, bittersweet chocolate and licorice are all dialed up to the maximum. The 2015 has aged impeccably, even though it very much carries the strong oak imprint of this era.Vinous Media | 96 VMThis is very solidly built, with a core of red and black currant and blackberry fruit that still shows some youth as well as serious density. That’s flanked by singed apple wood and alder notes, while savory, tobacco and warm earth aspects flicker throughout. Still has grippy structure, too, with a walnut husk echo lingering. No hurry. -- Blind 2015 California Cabernet retrospective (July 2025). Best from 2027 through 2045. 2,400 cases madeWine Spectator | 96 WSHaving spent three years in barrel, this 100% varietal wine (from the producer’s famous hillside) is brawny in concentrated black fruit, Christmas spice and thick, firm tannin. A dusty thread of crushed rock, black licorice and flint provide exotic accents to the velvety thick grip. This will do well over time; enjoy best from 2025–2030.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WE

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

Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard opens with wonderfully expressive crème de cassis, plum preserves and mulberries notes over suggestions of chocolate-covered cherries, underbrush, exotic spices and lavender. The full-bodied palate struts all the opulence and seduction that exemplifies To Kalon, with multilayered black fruit preserves and spicy layers accented by earthy nuances and framed by plush, velvety tannins, finishing with epic length.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 99 RP

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

Super aromas of nutmeg, cloves and dried flowers with plums and blackberries. Subtle yet so complex. Full-bodied, tight and integrated with ultra-fine tannins and a beautiful finish. Lasts for minutes. Very, very Cos. Harmony. Texturally marvellous. Drink in 2024.James Suckling | 98 JSWhile this wine is rich, it has a classical demeanor, with fine tannins that support but never dominate the ripe black fruits. Full of juicy acidity, it offers black currants and some fine, firm tannins at the end. This will take some time to mature, and the wine will not be ready to drink before 2027.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEComposed of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23.5% Merlot and 1.5% Cabernet Franc, the deep garnet-purple colored 2015 Cos d’Estournel is muted at this very young stage. The nose offers fleeting glimpses at provocative cherry tart, chocolate mint, baked redcurrants, warm cassis and wild blueberry scents plus suggestions of lilacs, cinnamon stick and Indian spices. Medium to full-bodied, the palate absolutely explodes with vibrant red and black fruit bursts and tons of exotic spice accents, framed by super ripe, super firm tannins and a lovely line of freshness, finishing very long.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95+ RPThe 2015 Cos d’Estournel is a little recalcitrant and broody on the nose, like it always has been from bottle, unfolding gradually with enticing, quite intense blackberry, pencil box and subtle tobacco scents. The medium-bodied palate immediately impresses by its volume and depth, the new oak neatly embroidered with layers of tightly coiled tobacco and graphite infused fruit whose veins of earthiness betray its origins. Whilst it does not quite deliver the flair and untrammeled ambition of the 2016, this is a very impressive forerunner. Wise owls will afford it a decade bottle age before reaching for the corkscrew. Tasted at the Cos d’Estournel vertical in London.Antonio Galloni | 94 AGOpulent and generous, this is a sexy and confident Cos d’Estournel. After only one year in bottle this already has strong caramel notes. It’s more marked by the heat of summer than the 2014, displaying sweet, rich fruit. Although almost accessible today, I predict that it will close down over the next few years. It’s very good, so look to drink this in four to five years, and have no worries about it continuing for another decade after that. The wine suggests an evolution in how this château began approaching warm vintages after the 2009 vintage. (Drink between 2023-2042)Decanter | 94 DECThe 2015 Cos D’Estournel is a classic wine from this estate and a terrific effort from the northern Médoc. Compared to both 2007 and 2004 by the estate and representing only 39% of the total production, it offers a fresh, classy bouquet of crème de cassis, black raspberries, toasty oak, graphite and damp earth. Made from 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Franc, this medium to full-bodied 2015 has solid mid-palate depth, fine, polished tannin, and a great finish. It’s going to improve with short-term cellaring and keep for two decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 93 JDThis has a gently steeped core of currant, plum and black cherry fruit, infused with black tea, singed juniper and smoldering tobacco notes. The vintage’s overt austerity is less evident here, with a gloss of alluring toast adding polish to the finish. A strong effort. Best from 2020 through 2032. 15,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WS

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