Wine Advocate (93)

The 2015 Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru Clos des Corvées Pagets, one of Domaine Arnoux-Lachaux's emblematic wines, wafts from the glass with a complex bouquet of plums, candied peel, violets and raspberries. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied and complete, with a deep core of fruit, crystalline purity, and fine-grained but chalky tannins. Structurally, this is classic Premeaux.

Vinous (91-93)

(70% vendange entier; 20% new oak): Alluring aromas of red cherry, redcurrant, rose petal and spices. Sweet but firm wine with lovely inner-mouth energy and a touch of minerality giving precision to its flavors of red fruits and flowers. Finishes dry and classic, with a solid tannic spine and excellent length.

Vinous (91-93)

(70% vendange entier; 20% new oak): Alluring aromas of red cherry, redcurrant, rose petal and spices. Sweet but firm wine with lovely inner-mouth energy and a touch of minerality giving precision to its flavors of red fruits and flowers. Finishes dry and classic, with a solid tannic spine and excellent length.

Vinous (90-92)

(100% vendange entier; tasted from tank): Dark red with ruby tones. Deeper on the nose than the village Vosne, if not iniitially offering the same éclat of that wine; dark berry aromas are complicated by emerging notes of licorice, violet and mint. Plush and broad but quite airy and dry, offering an intriguing combination of thick texture and crunchy fruit. Plenty of stuffing for its ripe tannins. Displays a mineral quality on the spreading, glistening finish. The pH here is a rather high 3.77 but this wine does not lack for energy.

Wine Advocate (95)

The 2015 Romanée-Saint-Vivant Grand Cru is lovely, revealing a beautifully pure bouquet of cassis, plum, clove, violets, rose petal and spice. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied and complete, with supple, fine-grained tannins and excellent depth and dimension, with the most flesh on its bones of all the domaine's grands crus. The inherent elegance of Romanée-Saint-Vivant really plays into Charles Lachaux's hands.

Vinous (93+)

Healthy dark red. Sexy, soil-driven nose melds raspberry, spices, herbs and smoky minerals. Plush, fine-grained and sweet yet somehow light on its feet; like the 2016 version, this has a very high pH around 3.9 but its savory minerality and stem element give it sufficient energy and lift. A wonderfully seamless ripe-but-dry wine with a very long, rising finish featuring refined tannins and lingering black cherry and licorice notes.

Vinous (90-93)

Deep red. Distinctly wild aromas of black raspberry, violet, leather and game. Very rich and fine-grained, conveying an impression of medicinal reserve to its complex flavors of raspberry, black cherry, licorice and wild herbs. Offers a superb combination of clarity and depth. Finishes juicy and long, with serious ripe tannins and a repeating leathery nuance.

Vinous (90-93)

Deep red. Distinctly wild aromas of black raspberry, violet, leather and game. Very rich and fine-grained, conveying an impression of medicinal reserve to its complex flavors of raspberry, black cherry, licorice and wild herbs. Offers a superb combination of clarity and depth. Finishes juicy and long, with serious ripe tannins and a repeating leathery nuance.

Vinous (90-93)

Deep red. Distinctly wild aromas of black raspberry, violet, leather and game. Very rich and fine-grained, conveying an impression of medicinal reserve to its complex flavors of raspberry, black cherry, licorice and wild herbs. Offers a superb combination of clarity and depth. Finishes juicy and long, with serious ripe tannins and a repeating leathery nuance.

Vinous (94)

Good dark red. Subtle, lightly medicinal aromas of redcurrant, dark cherry, iron, tobacco and herbs. Plush, savory wine with terrific calcaire energy and lift to its darker berry and spice flavors. Delivers a rare combination of density and definition, no doubt due to the small crop and old vines here. Finishes firmly tannic and very long, with impressive sappiness for the vintage.

Vinous (90-92)

(70% vendange entier; 15% new oak; tasted from tank): Healthy dark red. Enticing aromas of raspberry, spices, bitter chocolate and licorice. Wonderfully dense but juicy too, with its black fruit and mint flavors lifted by a floral element. Voluminous, classy, perfumed and very long, with the tannins barely noticeable today. A superb village wine.

Vinous (90-92)

(70% vendange entier; 15% new oak; tasted from tank): Healthy dark red. Enticing aromas of raspberry, spices, bitter chocolate and licorice. Wonderfully dense but juicy too, with its black fruit and mint flavors lifted by a floral element. Voluminous, classy, perfumed and very long, with the tannins barely noticeable today. A superb village wine.

Vinous (89-92)

(from 60-year-old vines; vinified with 80% whole clusters; this and all of the estate's crus wines were still in barrel in early November): Aromas of raspberry and underbrush. Plush in texture but more restrained than the wines that were already in tank. The fruit is here a bit more medicinal and minty and less sweet at this stage. Finishes with substantial dusty tannins and a spicy element. In an awkward phase.

Vinous (89-92)

(from 60-year-old vines; vinified with 80% whole clusters; this and all of the estate's crus wines were still in barrel in early November): Aromas of raspberry and underbrush. Plush in texture but more restrained than the wines that were already in tank. The fruit is here a bit more medicinal and minty and less sweet at this stage. Finishes with substantial dusty tannins and a spicy element. In an awkward phase.

Vinous (95)

A wine of impact and power, the 2015 Chardonnay UV-SL Vineyard captures the pure intensity and concentration of the year. Yields were down by a whopping 40%, and yet all the elements are impeccably balanced. Petrol, graphite and savory herbs open up with time in the glass, but the 2015 is naturally quite reticent and in need of time in bottle.

Vinous (92)

The 2015 Brut Le Nombre d' Or Veteres Vites is exotic, beguiling and effusive. A whole range of floral and savory notes lifts from the glass. There's terrific energy and verve here. There are some slightly vegetal notes, which is typical of the year. For that reason, I would prefer to drink the 2015 sooner rather than later. This is nicely done. Disgorged: February, 2021.

James Suckling (98)

A more floral and perfumed wine than the 2015 Renaissance. Violets add interest to plenty peppery red plums and wild red berries. Darker berries, graphite and stony notes, too. So much here. The palate arrives in silky ribbon-like mode, it has a very long core of blackberries, licorice and spiced plum flavors. Superior definition in the tannin department. A taut finish. Drink from 2025.

James Suckling (98)

A more floral and perfumed wine than the 2015 Renaissance. Violets add interest to plenty peppery red plums and wild red berries. Darker berries, graphite and stony notes, too. So much here. The palate arrives in silky ribbon-like mode, it has a very long core of blackberries, licorice and spiced plum flavors. Superior definition in the tannin department. A taut finish. Drink from 2025.

James Suckling (98)

A more floral and perfumed wine than the 2015 Renaissance. Violets add interest to plenty peppery red plums and wild red berries. Darker berries, graphite and stony notes, too. So much here. The palate arrives in silky ribbon-like mode, it has a very long core of blackberries, licorice and spiced plum flavors. Superior definition in the tannin department. A taut finish. Drink from 2025.

Jeb Dunnuck (100)

An utterly perfect wine from Alain Vauthier, the 2015 Château Ausone offers off the hook notes of crème de cassis, black raspberries, toasted spice and dried flowers, with more floral and mineral characteristics developing with time in the glass. Amazingly deep, full-bodied, pure and ethereally textured, with building density and tannin, it’s one of those wines that need to be tasted to be believed. Unfortunately, the production is minuscule (and expensive). A wine that will make your heart rate jump, give it 4-5 years of cellaring and I suspect it will keep for as long as you’d like to hang on to bottles. It’s a tour de force in wine and the wine of the vintage in 2015.

Jeb Dunnuck (100)

An utterly perfect wine from Alain Vauthier, the 2015 Château Ausone offers off the hook notes of crème de cassis, black raspberries, toasted spice and dried flowers, with more floral and mineral characteristics developing with time in the glass. Amazingly deep, full-bodied, pure and ethereally textured, with building density and tannin, it’s one of those wines that need to be tasted to be believed. Unfortunately, the production is minuscule (and expensive). A wine that will make your heart rate jump, give it 4-5 years of cellaring and I suspect it will keep for as long as you’d like to hang on to bottles. It’s a tour de force in wine and the wine of the vintage in 2015.

Jeb Dunnuck (100)

An utterly perfect wine from Alain Vauthier, the 2015 Château Ausone offers off the hook notes of crème de cassis, black raspberries, toasted spice and dried flowers, with more floral and mineral characteristics developing with time in the glass. Amazingly deep, full-bodied, pure and ethereally textured, with building density and tannin, it’s one of those wines that need to be tasted to be believed. Unfortunately, the production is minuscule (and expensive). A wine that will make your heart rate jump, give it 4-5 years of cellaring and I suspect it will keep for as long as you’d like to hang on to bottles. It’s a tour de force in wine and the wine of the vintage in 2015.

The Auvenay Bourgogne Aligote Sous Chatelet 2015 is an expression of exceptional winemaking from the venerable house of Domaine d'Auvenay, owned by Lalou Bize-Leroy. Nestled in the prestigious wine region of Burgundy, this Aligote is an exquisite sample of the producer's skill and dedication to precision and organic farming. The wine is made with the Aligote grape variety, providing it with unparalleled freshness and minerality.

Elevated in oak barrels for 18 months, Auvenay Bourgogne Aligote Sous Chatelet 2015 exhibits not only a vivid, pale gold colour but also a sensational aromatic profile brimming with white flowers, apple, citrus, and a touch of buttery notes. On the palate, it is characterized by its stocky structure, bright acidity and vivid minerality, culminating in a lengthy, rewarding finish. Savour the brilliance of the Auvenay Bourgogne Aligote Sous Chatelet 2015, a quintessential French white wine for the discerning wine aficionado.

The Auvenay Bourgogne Aligote Sous Chatelet 2015 is an expression of exceptional winemaking from the venerable house of Domaine d'Auvenay, owned by Lalou Bize-Leroy. Nestled in the prestigious wine region of Burgundy, this Aligote is an exquisite sample of the producer's skill and dedication to precision and organic farming. The wine is made with the Aligote grape variety, providing it with unparalleled freshness and minerality.

Elevated in oak barrels for 18 months, Auvenay Bourgogne Aligote Sous Chatelet 2015 exhibits not only a vivid, pale gold colour but also a sensational aromatic profile brimming with white flowers, apple, citrus, and a touch of buttery notes. On the palate, it is characterized by its stocky structure, bright acidity and vivid minerality, culminating in a lengthy, rewarding finish. Savour the brilliance of the Auvenay Bourgogne Aligote Sous Chatelet 2015, a quintessential French white wine for the discerning wine aficionado.

Vinous (94)

The 2015 Barolo Margheria shows the textural breadth of Serralunga in its compelling interplay of succulent, layered fruit and bright, soil-driven tones, with mineral inflections that add layers of complexity. Sage, tobacco, cedar, rose petal, menthol, anise and dried flowers fill out the wine's frame effortlessly. All the elements are nicely balanced. In 2015 the Margheria is all class.

Savour an exquisite embodiment of Bordeaux's grandeur with the Badette Saint Emilion 2015. Born from the revered Saint Emilion region of Bordeaux, France, this remarkable wine represents the marriage of meticulous viticulture and masterful vinification. The estate cultivates a perfect blend of 85% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Petit Verdot, promising vibrant arrays of ripe, red fruits harmoniously balanced with notes of spice and silky tannins.

Born from the conviction of hands-on proprietors, Peters and Stephan von Neipperg, the Badette Saint Emilion 2015 encapsulates a dedication to extreme precision from vineyard to glass. Aged for 18 months in French oak barrels before bottling, the wine exhibits the unparalleled fusion of fruit and oak, resulting in a balanced, full-bodied panache that lingers tantalisingly on the palate. Such rare elegance marks the Badette Saint Emilion 2015 as the epitome of vinous perfection.

Introducing Balia Zola Balitore Sangiovese Romagna 2015, a unique embodiment of Italian viticulture at its finest. Produced in the heart of the picturesque Romagna region, this hearty red combines tradition and innovation seamlessly, imparting an exclusive tasting experience. Each bottle captures the sun-soaked, rolling hills of this prolific winegrowing region.

Balia Zola, the prestigious vineyard behind this vintage, has perfected their craft over many generations. This 2015 Sangiovese Romagna is the fruit of meticulous harvesting, fermenting in steel at a controlled temperature, maintaining the grape’s integrity. The wine undergoes a malolactic fermentation before refinement in tonneaux barrels, granting it a sophisticated finish.

Adorned with bold cherry and prune undertones, Balia Zola Balitore Sangiovese Romagna 2015 enthralls the palate with a delightful balance of acidity and tannin. Its aromatic intensity and persistent finish make it a stellar partner to robust regional dishes, revealing the true Italian enogastronomy.

Vinous (92)

The 2015 Meursault Les Perrières 1er Cru has a crisp, precise bouquet of Granny Smith apples, crushed stone and a touch of citrus peel. The palate is well-defined, with blood orange, peach and light nougat notes derived from oak that is neatly subsumed. There is a touch of ginger surfacing toward the finish, and long persistence. A lively Perrières that is, for want of a better expression, full of beans. Tasted blind at the annual Burgfest tasting.

Vinous (92)

The 2015 Meursault Les Perrières 1er Cru has a crisp, precise bouquet of Granny Smith apples, crushed stone and a touch of citrus peel. The palate is well-defined, with blood orange, peach and light nougat notes derived from oak that is neatly subsumed. There is a touch of ginger surfacing toward the finish, and long persistence. A lively Perrières that is, for want of a better expression, full of beans. Tasted blind at the annual Burgfest tasting.

Vinous (91)

The 2015 Meursault Genevrières 1er Cru has a pretty orange blossom and citrus bouquet that is neatly entwined with the oak. The palate is fresh and vibrant, with a fine line of acidity, taut and linear but tightly coiled toward the finish. I suspect this Meursault has more to give for those with the nous to cellar this for three or four years. Tasted blind at the annual Burgfest tasting.