2015 is widely recognised for being a fantastic year to make wine, especially in Europe where the summer was long and warm. In France, nearly every classic region enjoyed wonderful weather conditions, leading to some outstanding, age-worthy wines.

Looking back on this vintage, both Burgundy and Bordeaux notably produced some excellent wines, which are certainly worth considering for drinking now, or in many cases, further cellaring.

Bordeaux: The Weather Report

Spring of 2015 saw relatively warm conditions from the off, with a mini heatwave striking in early May. This culminated in successful flowering, followed by some much needed relief when rain subsequently fell. Temperatures continued to rise, with glorious sunshine continuing through June and July, alongside just enough rain to remove any risk of drought or heat stress.

Conditions this warm were unusual for Bordeaux, with some producers forced to irrigate, particularly for their younger vines. Pessac-Leognan even saw forest fires begin to break out in August, but fortunately no vineyards were damaged.  The beginning of August saw a much needed influx of rain, which meant conditions changed quite rapidly.

Moving into September, the warm days and cooler nights helped maintain freshness in the grapes. By the end of September, most Merlot had been picked, with the harvest of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc continuing into mid-October.

Overall, it was a great year, only disrupted by minor hiccups. Each appellation was successful, with small, intensely flavoured yields. On the right bank, the wines were noted for their opulent, fruit-forward style. Where on the left bank, the wines were classic in style with ripe fruit characteristics.

Bordeaux: The Wines

2015 yielded some fantastic examples of both drinking and investment wines. With the best examples capable of ageing for decades, it begs the question, which should you drink now?

If you are looking for an elegant, fresh wine to drink now, look no further than the Chateau Lilian-Ladouys from Saint-Estephe. A Cru Bourgeois estate with 40 hectares of vineyards, this estate has a reputation for robust, yet sophisticated wines. The 2015 is 62% Merlot, 33% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Petit Verdot and 2% Cabernet Franc aged in (30% new) oak for 15 months. It showcases good purity of fruit, an aromatic nose, and medium-weight mid palate. This is drinking its best now.

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Many 2015s have not yet reached their prime, and would benefit from further cellaring. The Chateau Canon Premier Grand Cru Classe B, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 2015 is a wine which boats 100/100 points from Antonio Galloni, who estimated its maturity as 2025-2065. This wine is widely seen as one of the ‘wines of the vintage’. It showcases a firm structure, fresh and complex nose, and incredibly long finish. More recently, it was scored 98/100 from Neal Martin, who tasted this year as part of a ’10 years on’ event. Martin raved that “the 2015 is simply a magnificent Canon with a very long future ahead.” This is a rare wine which can be considered a masterpiece, and one which will only improve with age. I seriously suggest grabbing a case whilst you can, and holding onto it!

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Another top scoring 2015 to consider is the Chateau Vieux Certan, Pomerol. Again, scoring 100/100 points from Galloni, VCC is a magnificent example of what 2015 has to offer. The flavours are deep and bold, with extraordinary ripe fruit, alongside plush tannins and a long, mineral finish. Typical for the estate, this vintage shows elegance and poise, and all the power to go the distance. Most critics suggest holding at least another 5 years, but this is a wine which will showing at its best in perhaps another decade, with the depth and intensity to last easily until it is 50 years old.

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Burgundy: The Weather Report

Burgundy enjoyed a spectacular vintage in 2015, with great quality wines, many of which are drinking well today, and the very best capable of further cellaring.

Both spring and winter were quite mild, allowing for early flowering, laying the foundations for a successful crop. Temperatures began to soar in July, with a heatwave and dry conditions, meaning older, more established vines tended to perform better. Ripening struggled a little towards the end of July as a result, but fortunately August brought about some much needed rainfall which relieved the vines. Cooler conditions at this stage, with breezy conditions, helped keep rot and disease at bay.

As a result, harvest was quite early as grapes had reached optimal ripeness. The reds tended to show intensity and great fruit concentration without being overbearing. As for the whites, they showed deep tropical fruit, less pronounced acidity than other years, but can be described as classic Burgundian in style. The best wines will have benefitted from the past 10 years of cellaring, with some still having potential to develop even further.

Burgundy: The Wines

If you are searching for classic, good value Burgundy to drink now – look no further than the Benjamin Leroux Bourgogne Rouge 2015. This is a well-defined, fruit forward Bourgogne with elegance and poise. It is so drinkable! This is a wine to enjoy now alongside a great meal.

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Perhaps also try the Benjamin Leroux Bourgogne Blanc, a wine with classic notes of peach, toasted nuts, lemon and hints of florals. For a Bourgogne wine, this is truly excellent value, standing up against many cru wines. Now showcasing a mature style, there are layers of complexity here.

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For those looking for some serious 2015s, perhaps try the Chanson Pere et Fils Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru – a precise, elegant wine which really showcases all the best qualities of this vintage. Jancis Robinson scored this wine 18/20, noting its anticipated maturity as 2025-2040. Right now, this wine will be showing layers of complexity, with tertiary qualities coming through, alongside plenty of fruit. But those who hold onto this wine for a while, will certainly be rewarded.

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Another place to look for stellar 2015s would be Domaine Dujac, a producer renowned for low-intervention, expressive, terroir-driven wines. Dujac excelled in 2015, giving some of the standouts of the vintage. For example, the Clos de la Roche offers a complex bouquet, vibrancy and real concentration. William Kelley scored this wine 96/100, noting that “while this is concentrated – even powerful – it is also beautifully elegant, avoiding the overt muscularity of which this grand cru is capable”. Approachable now, yet this is a wine just starting to come into its own.

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I should also mention Dujac’s Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru Aux Combottes 2015, which offers yet another excellent example of the intense, characterful 2015s. This wine still shows an abundance of plums, raspberries and cherry, alongside hints of smoke, spice and florals. The palate is full and dense, with very fine tannins. Certainly drinking now, but it could very well continue to go the distance.

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As we look back on the 2015 vintage, it is so interesting to see how these wines have developed after spending the past 10 years in bottle. Although 10 years of maturity may not be that bold for such high quality wines from Bordeaux and Burgundy, it is still so fascinating to see how well these wines are doing today. These wines still continue to mirror a warm, sunny vintage, with higher alcohol levels, generous fruit and good structure. Only time will tell if these wines continue to develop and reach the realms of ‘legends’, but I strongly suggest cellaring some and waiting to see their potential unfold before you.

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