Wines with Age

wines

Because the 2015 Ermitage les Greffieux is so approachable and not as forbidding as Chapoutier’s other 2015s, I wonder if I’ve underestimated it? It’s full-bodied and rich in raspberry fruit, there’s an intriguing herbal note and it’s already almost silky in texture rather than being dense and closed. It should provide a couple of decades of drinking pleasure.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98 RPThe 2015 Ermitage Les Greffieux comes from vines located at the base of the hill, just under the le Méal Vineyard. Blackberries, blueberries, liquid violet, dusty minerality and hints of beef blood all flow to a ripe, sexy, voluptuous, heavenly effort that’s overflowing with fruit and richness. Concentrated, ripe, sexy and just incredible stuff, it will rival the 2006 as the finest vintage to date from this vineyard. Slightly closed and backward now, don’t touch bottles for 7-8 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 98 JDSaturated violet. Highly perfumed aromas of candied dark berries, cola, incense and smoky minerals develop a suave Asian spice nuance as the wine opens up. Silky, expansive black raspberry, boysenberry and floral pastille flavors display an impressive blend of richness and energy thanks to a mineral flourish that builds on the back half. Finishes juicy, sweet and extremely long, displaying lingering, spice-tinged dark fruit qualities and slow-building tannins.Vinous Media | 96 VMVery suave, featuring a frame of loam, ganache and melted black licorice notes melded together, while the core of steeped plum, blackberry and black cherry compote flavors bristles with energy in reserve. A violet detail throughout adds lift and range. Best from 2020 through 2035. 328 cases made, 14 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 96 WSVery composed, with aromas of sappy, black fruit, dark stones, rich baking spices and a waft of pepper. The palate has an assertive, dense core of rich, black cherries and dark plums, as well as hints of licorice and dark, chocolate-coated orange peel. Fine sheets of tannins. From organically grown grapes. Drink in 2020.James Suckling | 95 JS

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

he Poggio di Sotto 2015 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva shows extra muscle definition, power and heady layers of rich fruit. This is all in line with the personality of the vintage, which was sunny and warm with golden sunlight throughout the summer season. This wine stands out for its fine-gained texture, which is smooth and polished. This Riserva offers aromas of cherry and blackberry and shows the depth that you should expect of a classic Riserva bottling.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98 RPThe 2015 Brunello Riserva is austere upon opening and requires air to fully express its potential this early. It is perfumed and translucent, with raspberry fruit, leather, black licorice, and rose petal. The palate is structured with drying tannins and mouthwatering acidity, noted by violets, dried herbs and crisp cherry fruit. The warmth of the 2015 vintage is present, though it remains refreshing, tension-driven, and persistent. The 2015 Riserva was aged in large Slavonian barrels for 52 months, and only 1300 bottles were produced. It is a wonderful and immensely pleasurable wine that will be a joy to revisit if the unlikely opportunity should ever arrive. 2021-2051Jeb Dunnuck | 98 JDThe 2015 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva has gained significantly in richness and volume since the last time I tasted it. Sage, black cherries and camphor give way to crushed stone, mineral tones and dusty rose. This soothes the palate with silky, delicate textures, as ripe mineral-tinged red berries and savory spices cascade across a core of brisk acidity. It’s a well-muscled dancer of a wine, tapering off incredibly long and graceful with hints of violet and rose over a coating of fine tannin. The 2015 currently shows the textbook ethereal weightlessness of a classic young Poggio di Sotto Brunello, but it will require some time to reveal all of its charms. That said, a slight score upgrade is in order here.Vinous Media | 96 VMThere’s a leafy underbrush element to this red, punctuating the cherry, strawberry and earth flavors. Compact for now, yet balanced, with a taut, reserved finish. Offers tension and suppleness, with plenty in reserve. Best from 2024 through 2047. 500 cases made, 40 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 96 WSExtremely perfumed with black-cherry, plum and red-cherry aromas that follow through to a full body with very fine, pretty tannins that follow through to a flavorful finish. Pretty balance and refinement. All about finesse. From organically grown grapes. Try after 2023.James Suckling | 95 JS(Poggio di Sotto, Riserva, Riserva, Brunello di Montalcino, Tuscany, Italy, Red) Poggio di Sotto’s Riserva is a cask selection that typically corresponds with the estate’s oldest vines from its 20 hectares on the outskirts of Castelnuovo dell’Abate. Truly a bit muddled and wild at first, Poggio di Sotto’s Riserva eventually comes into handsome focus with fragrant pepper, strawberry and tea. The palate takes on forest berry nuances along with an appealing twist of bitter roots and citrus peel, which make it all the more appetising. The tannins are graceful and accessible but I would still give this a couple of years to sort itself out. (Drink between 2023-2033)Decanter | 93 DECDelicate aromas recalling new leather, camphor, wild berry and dark spice slowly take shape in the glass. Racy and ethereal, the light-bodied palate features tart sour cherry, pomegranate and tobacco supported by taut, fine-grained tannins. Drink 2022–2027.Wine Enthusiast | 91 WE

Love the aromas to this young red with blackcurrants, sage, cinnamon and five-spice character. Changes all the time. Full-bodied, dense and powerful with a ripe and rich tannin backbone that gives form and beauty to the ripe and beautiful fruit. Tight and very long. Approachable now but will reward more in five to six years. A classic Sassicaia.James Suckling | 98 JSHaving followed this wine’s evolution in barrel for the past few years, it is an honor to evaluate the final product. This Sassicaia has blossomed since my previous encounters with it as a young, awkward adolescent. The long-awaited 2015 Bolgheri Sassicaia represents a tremendous effort that comes together with seamless precision and focus. This is a confident and proud red wine from Tuscany. Starting with the primary material at hand, you sense the quality of fruit thanks to the wine’s beautifully dark appearance and the rich texture it offers to the palate. The acidity is integrated, but more freshness still would have been welcomed in my view (and would also contribute to its longevity). The bouquet is amplified both in terms of volume and length. Its playlist includes dark berry fruit, spice, leather, licorice and roasted coffee bean. Yet, the mouthfeel is extremely graceful and silky. The wine’s undisputed pedigree is showcased on the palate. It should also be noted that this edition of Sassicaia feels more ready and open to me. It will age and evolve beautifully, but the 2015 Sassicaia can also be enjoyed in the medium-term. This wine is all about the here and now.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPRich and concentrated, this red features black currant, blackberry, violet, mineral and spice flavors. Dense yet lively, structured yet impeccably balanced, with vibrant acidity driving the long, fruit-filled aftertaste. The oak is beautifully integrated. Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2023 through 2042. 17,200 cases made, 4,000 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 97 WSThe warm 2015 vintage in Tuscany helped to tame the naturally tart character of Sangiovese. However, located just 5km from the coast, the cooling influence of the sea breezes has produced an outstanding phenolic ripeness in the vineyards of Bolgheri. Sassicaia in 2015 shows a mix of dark and red fruits, with some restrained kiwi and cedar wood length underpinned by a lively, fruity acidity and tannins that are dense but not tough. An exceptional Sassicaia to cellar for decades. Drinking Window 2020 - 2035.Decanter | 97 DECThis iconic wine’s blackberry, cedar and vanilla aromas fill the glass. The elegant, structured palate delivers juicy black currant, black cherry, exotic spice, crushed herb and menthol flavors alongside taut, fine-grained tannins. It boasts a fantastic combination of delicious, ripe fruits, balanced by remarkable freshness and agility for the hot vintage. Drink 2022–2035.Wine Enthusiast | 97 WEThe warm and dry 2015 growing season produced some bold and beautiful wines from Bolgheri, and Sassicaia leads the pack. Fine-boned and silky, it radiates elegance and balance. Flavors of black cherry and raspberry are saturating yet seemingly weightless, warmed by lingering notes of licorice and subtle spice. The fruit has a very slight tartness that adds lift and suggests the grapes were picked at the perfect moment. The flavors continue to gain momentum and energy over several days, indicating the long life that lies ahead of this wine.Wine & Spirits | 97 W&SThe 2015 Sassicaia is incredibly elegant, perfumed and light on its feet. It has become even more wonderfully refined since I last tasted it. Sweet floral and spiced notes lead into a core of sweet red and purplish berry fruit. When it was younger, the 2015 was quite potent. Today, my impression is that, while the 2015 has gained some finesse, it is also starting to shut down in bottle. Wine is always a journey; the 2015 Sassicaia is a great example of that.Antonio Galloni | 95+ AG

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