Super savoury and terrifically precise aromatics reveal capsicum and dried sage, bay leaf and blood orange citrus, cocoa nibs and dried violets dusted with white pepper. Plump and unabashedly full-bodied, with voluminous...

The 2015 Grand-Puy-Lacoste has a conservative, complex yet reserved nose with tobacco- and graphite-tinged black fruit aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins. It is a little drier than some peers though...

The 2015 Palmer has an opulent, high-toned bouquet with blackberry, raspberry and cassis fruit. This is typical Palmer in many ways, though you could well argue that it's not as nuanced as the Rauzan-Ségla. The palate is...

The 2015 Cos Estournel remains broody on the nose, with blackberry and pencil shavings as I observed several years ago. Indeed, this does not appear to have moved on much in the interim. The palate is medium-bodied with...

The nose offers appealing sour cherry. Direct, rich and intense, with excellent texture and structure. Intense ripeness and refined fruitiness. Fine tannins and nice length. Chewy but balanced. (Drink between 2024-2036)

The 2015 Branaire-Ducru has a refined bouquet with cranberry, redcurrant and a hint of tomato vine. This is understated compared to its peers but gains intensity with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied and nuanced...

The 2015 Malescot St. Exupéry has an elegant bouquet showcasing primarily red berry fruit (wild strawberry and raspberry), pencil shavings and light forest floor scents. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins...

A lovely licorice snap note leads off, followed quickly by crushed raspberry, blackberry and boysenberry fruit flavors. Rich yet restrained, with light shiso leaf, iron and incense details weaving throughout. The...

Gorgeous, with red currant, fig, boysenberry and blackberry paste flavors that run along in unison, while tightly focused graphite, oolong tea and singed anise hints run underneath. Drips with fruit but has energy...

The 2015 Haut Bailly was first tasted at the Farr Vintners tasting, although I felt that this bottle did not show as well. Another at the Vinous Icons event in New York is more representative. Vibrant red berry fruit...

Cedary spices mix with shavings of dark chocolate and crushed black raspberries as the 2015 Amarone della Valpolicella Classico entices from the glass. Cool-toned and crisp, it offers silken textures offset by depths of...

A blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot, revisited at close to ten years of age. It displays a barely maturing hue in the glass, matt and a little dusty. The nose does speak of...

The 2015 Les Forts de Latour has a lovely nose, with very pure black cherry, raspberry, violet and light cassis scents unfolding with every swirl. The palate is medium-bodied with plush tannins and a velvety smooth...

The 2015 Langoa Barton has a classy bouquet with cedar- and tobacco-infused black fruit along with a little sous-bois that emerges with time. The palate is medium-bodied, taut and crisp, with pliant tannins and plenty of...

Medium bodied, energetic, soft, earthy expression, that already shows an elegant, easy to drink charm. The finish delivers ripe, sweet, red berries and tobacco. This will be a pleasure to well early in life, yet it can be...

Still marketed as "Touraine AC" because the Chinon appellation has been extended only since the 2016 vintage, the 2015 Touraine Clos de la Plante Martin offers an intense yet pure and chalky bouquet with a pretty...

Peony and violet floral notes, raspberry and redcurrant fruits, tannins a little austere right now but this has great structure and depth to the flavours. Of the recent vintages, I recommend the 2014 for the next few...

The 2015 Talbot has an exuberant nose with black cherry, bilberry, wild mint and brown spice aromas. This has fine delineation and well-integrated oak. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy red fruit mixed with game and...

Elegant, silky, refined, ripe and fresh, there is ripe, dark fruits, soft tannins and a finish replete with sweet, ripe, velvet-textured fruit. This should drink well on release.

The block sourced by this producer was planted in 1972 with Old Wente clone. The combination of site and winemaker is stunningly successful. The grainy, textured wine is nutty and boldly laced in crème brûlée richness...

This is solid, with brambly grip running in lockstep with a solid core of plum and black currant preserve flavors. Shows ample energy through the finish, where alder and tobacco notes check in. Not as dense as the top...

The 2015 La Lagune has never really shown as well as it might. However, this bottle, poured blind, suggests that this has suddenly "awoken". It has a well-defined, estuarine-tinged bouquet with blackberry, wild hedgerow...

Quite reduced at first, but opens nicely to reveal wild strawberries, fresh lemons and spices. Medium body, fine and lithe tannins and a tangy finish. A delicate, floral style. From organically grown grapes. Drink from 2021.

The 2015 La Lagune has never really shown as well as it might. However, this bottle, poured blind, suggests that this has suddenly "awoken". It has a well-defined, estuarine-tinged bouquet with blackberry, wild hedgerow...

An Italian icon, the Quintarelli Giuseppe 2015 Recioto della Valpolicella Classico represents the estate's special blend of air-dried grapes (with Corvina, Corvinone, Rondinella, Cabernet, Nebbiolo, Croatina and...

The 2015 Boggina C comes from the best barrel of Sangiovese from the Boggina Hill vineyard, which was planted in 1950. It’s a pretty, perfumed expression of Sangiovese offering lots of red fruits, spice, dried flowers...

The 2015 Les Carmes Haut-Brion has a lifted, finely delineated nose with black cherry, wild mint and a dab of cough candy in the background. The palate is medium-bodied with plush tannins, but there is structure behind...