Burghound (90-93)

A fresh and more complex nose mingles wonderfully fresh aromas of both red and dark currant, violet, lavender and subtle spice wisps. There is excellent volume and concentration to the intense middle weight flavors that possess a caressing mouth feel while delivering very solid length on the firm but not hard finale where a touch of warmth emerges.

Vinous (91)

The 2015 Barbera d'Alba brings together the sumptuous personality of the year with a very classic sense of structure. Super-ripe dark cherry, plum, spice and floral notes abound in this fleshy, voluptuous Barbera. Drink it over the next decade.

Vinous (97)

The 2015 Barolo is outrageously beautiful. Best of all, it will drink well with minimal cellaring. Rich, sumptuous and super-expressive, the 2015 is such a showy and expressive wine. Bright red cherry, red plum, blood orange, mint, star anise and dried flowers are all given an extra kick of textural richness in this flashy, exceptionally ripe Barolo. I loved it.

Vinous (97)

The 2015 Barolo is outrageously beautiful. Best of all, it will drink well with minimal cellaring. Rich, sumptuous and super-expressive, the 2015 is such a showy and expressive wine. Bright red cherry, red plum, blood orange, mint, star anise and dried flowers are all given an extra kick of textural richness in this flashy, exceptionally ripe Barolo. I loved it.

Vinous (97)

The 2015 Barolo is outrageously beautiful. Best of all, it will drink well with minimal cellaring. Rich, sumptuous and super-expressive, the 2015 is such a showy and expressive wine. Bright red cherry, red plum, blood orange, mint, star anise and dried flowers are all given an extra kick of textural richness in this flashy, exceptionally ripe Barolo. I loved it.

James Suckling (94-95)

Wow. The shows a new level of excellence with mint, mineral and currant character. Full body, super fine tannins and a savory finish. New definition here. Precision. New second wine from this estate moved up the quality.

The Wine Cellar Insider (96)

Clearly the best ever produced at Beau-Sejour Becot. You know it from the moment you place your nose in the wealth of flowers, licorice, smoke, black and red plums, dark cherry, espresso, and forest aromatics. Once the wine hits your palate, the wine really takes off with its sensuous textures, silky tannins and long, concentrated layer of perfectly ripe, sweet, fresh fruits. As the wine remains on your palate, the flavors expand and the sensation of crushed stone makes its presence known as well.

James Suckling (97)

All 13 grapes. This has a dark fruited, blueberry and blue plum nose with wide swinging tannins. Some white peppery elements, violets, brooding dark spices, blue fruits and dark plums. Builds from the ground up. Dark stones. Impressive, powerful. wine. Drink from 2025.

Jeb Dunnuck (99)

A classic blend of mostly Mourvèdre, the 2015 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Hommage A Jacques Perrin is a blockbuster that’s certainly the wine of the vintage. Possessing an inky purple color to go with an incredible bouquet of blueberries, garrigue, olive tapenade, beef blood and pepper, it's rich, full-bodied, powerful and layered, with sweet, ripe tannin. It's a more approachable example of this cuvée that past vintages, yet will keep for 3 decades or more.

James Suckling (100)

This is extraordinary. There has never been a wine like this here since the famous 1990 or underrated 1989. Violets, flowers, stones and limestone. Oyster-shell undertones. Full-bodied, muscular and so structured. A phenomenal wine that reminds me of the great Bordeaux of the 1950s. Try in 2026.

Vinous - Stephen Tanzer (87)

Good full red. Redcurrant, raspberry and a whiff of mushroom on the nose. Supple on entry, then perfumed in the middle, with clean, fresh, slightly clenched black cherry and redcurrant flavors. Turns a bit dry toward the back, finishing with floral red fruit flavors and a faint minty quality.

James Suckling (100)

Blue fruits, minerals, lavender and licorice aromas are wonderful. Full body and ultra-refined tannins with an integration and refinement that make the wines seamless and beautiful. The powerful tannins hide from you at first, but what structure in the end. It goes on for minutes. Try in 2024.

Vinous - Neal Martin (90)

The 2015 Belgrave has an attractive blackberry, raspberry and pressed iris bouquet that displays commendable intensity. The palate is quite grippy with slightly hard tannins but there is plenty of fruit with hints of autumn leaves and fennel toward the slightly bitter finish. Enjoy this over the next decade. Tasted blind at the Southwold 2015 Bordeaux tasting.

The Belle Brise 2015 is an exquisite wine that stands as a testament to its maker's exceptional viticulture skills. This distinguished bottle hails from the prestigious Bordeaux Left-Bank appellation in France. Prodigious with complexity and depth, the Belle Brise 2015 exhibits a harmonious blend of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes. It is meticulously aged in French oak barrels, imparting a unique blend of earthy and fruit-forward notes.

Producer, Château Belle Brise is lauded in esteemed wine circles for its philosophy of limiting interventions in both the vineyard and cellar, allowing nature to express the true character of each vintage. This respect for the vine and reliance on meticulous winemaking techniques imbues the Belle Brise 2015 with a robust structure and long-lasting, velvety finish. The impeccable balance and aromatic richness of this wine firmly position it as a benchmark for its appellation, making the Belle Brise 2015 an unmissable addition for every discerning wine collector.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (93)

Powerful, dense and explosive, with notable thrust to the red cherry, plum, leather and licorice flavors, the dramatic, full-throttle 2015 Bellefont-Belcier is every bit as impressive as it was from barrel. Dark red cherry, mocha, new leather and spice build into the racy, voluptuous finish. The tannins need time to soften, but all the elements are in the right place. In a word: terrific.

Wine Advocate (94+)

Even in a vintage such as 2003 there are wines that are youthful, unevolved and still in need of bottle age. The 2003 Bellevue Mondotte is one of those wines. From a tiny (5 acres) estate owned by Gerard Perse, this blend of 90% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon exhibits youthful aromas of blue and black fruits, chalk dust, lead pencil shavings and Christmas fruitcake. Full, ripe and moderately tannic, it requires another 3-5 years of bottle age and could turn out to be one of the longest-lived wines of the vintage, lasting another 25-30 years.

Vinous (95)

The 2015 Etna Rosso Rovittello Riserva is coy and understated, offering up hints of black cherry, dusty rose and flowery undergrowth. It’s silky yet youthfully dense in feel and quite savory, the salty minerals and spice taking center stage, while black fruits and grippy tannins come forward more toward the finish, and finishes youthfully dry and structured, allowing only nuances of currant and purple-tinged florals to resonate. This new Rovittello Riservais sourced from a small parcel of pre-phylloxera vines on Etna’s northern slope. After a long maceration, the wine spends 24 months refining in large, 15-hectoliter French oak casks. There’s certainly a lot of potential here, and it will be very interesting to follow the wine’s development over time.

Vinous (94)

Ashen stone and animal musk give way to dusty florals, spiced citrus and dried black cherries, as the 2015 Etna Rosso Serra della Contessa Riserva dramatically opens up in the glass. It’s deceptively soft and juicy in feel, casting a pure display of ripe red and black fruits across a core of zesty acids, yet with fine tannins that slowly saturate toward the finale. This finishes with persistence, but also with a hulking structure that will require years to resolve, as inner rose notes and tart woodland berries linger longer. This is the inaugural vintage of the Serra della Contessa Riserva, a single-parcel selection of pre-phylloxera vines.

The Benanti, Rovittello Riserva Particella No 341, Etna Rosso 2015 is a glorious manifestation of Sicilian viticulture. Benanti, a renowned producer, located on the volcanic slopes of Mount Etna, have understatedly crafted this exquisite red wine. The grapes for this vintage are handpicked from the particular vineyard plot No.341 in Rovittello, lending distinctive nuances to the wine's profile.

The careful vinification process involves ageing in French oak barrels, bestowing complex layers of flavour and silky tannins. In the glass, it unfolds an impressive bouquet of spices, ripe berries, tobacco, and balsamic notes. The undercurrent of minerality testifies to its volcanic terroir. On the palate, it's harmonious with impactful freshness and an enduring finish.

A compelling example of Etna Rosso, the Benanti, Rovittello Riserva Particella No 341, Etna Rosso 2015 offers an enchanting taste of its rich geographical and historical provenance. A fine wine connoisseur's treasure worth exploring.

Vinous (96)

The 2015 Clos Saint-Denis Grand Cru has an immediately seductive, extremely pure bouquet of bright red fruit, strawberry and cranberry; hints of blueberry surface with aeration. The oak is very well integrated, and with continued aeration in the glass, the raspberry component becomes more expressive. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy red fruit encased by grippy, slightly firm tannins. This is a very serious Grand Cru, extraordinarily focused and full of tension; the mouth still tingles 60 seconds after it has exited. A consummate expression of a great Burgundy vintage. Tasted blind at the annual Burgfest tasting.

Wine Advocate (95-97)

The 2015 Clos de la Roche Grand Cru has a fragrant, perfumed bouquet with hints of blueberry, vanilla, violet and crushed strawberry, the mineralité tucked in just underneath, all with superb harmony and focus. The palate is medium-bodied with fine, saturated tannin, crisp acidity, impressive depth with a caressing, gentle finish that belies its power. This is an outstanding 2015 that seems so effortless and yet delivers the horsepower you expect from this propitious vineyard. A quite brilliant wine.

Vinous (89)

The 2015 Gevrey-Chambertin Les Champeaux 1er Cru has a relatively ripe, vanilla-y bouquet; the barrel influence is a little too conspicuous for my own preference, though there is good fruit tucked in just behind. There is possibly a small TCA taint here. The palate is medium-bodied and grippy in the mouth, offering sinewy tannin and a mélange of red and black fruit laced with white pepper and sage toward the long finish. Not bad, but that slight corkiness lurks in the background. Tasted blind at the annual Burgfest tasting.

Wine Advocate (95)

A real blockbuster, the 2003 La Vina de Andres Romeo (100% Tempranillo) is exquisite, but, again, a mere 200 bottles will make it to America. Lucky readers who run across a bottle, and have the financial resources to purchase it, are in for a decadent treat.

Discover the unparalleled elegance of Bereche Cran Ludes 2015, a pristine collector's item meticulously aged in the heart of France's Champagne region. Fondly crafted by the expert hands at Maison Bereche et Fils, a family-owned winery with a rich heritage spanning five generations, its distinctive character embodies the spirit of precision and passion.

A blend of 55% Chardonnay and 45% Pinot Noir, the Bereche Cran Ludes 2015 boasts an enticing balance of vitality and grace. This stunning vintage has been raised in old oak barrels, exalting a superb depth of flavour, delicately augmented by the terroir's chalky soils.

An expression of refined complexity, Bereche Cran Ludes 2015 dances on the palate with cascading layers of crisp fruits, intermingled with subtle pastry notes. Inviting effervescence underscores a persistent finish, elevating the tasting experience to a sublime climax. Relish the prestige of this exemplary champagne, a testament to superb French viticulture.

Vinous (91)

The 2015 Rilly La Montagne, 100% Pinot Noir, is soft, supple and forward. Exotic floral notes, passion fruit, chamomile and spice grace this pretty, open-knit Champagne. My impression is that the 2015 is going to be more rewarding over the near and medium-term rather than over a longer period of time. Dosage is 4.8 grams per liter. Disgorged: February 7, 2019.