2015 Bordeaux: Not the greatest ever, but very very good!
En Primeur tastings are underway of the 2015 vintage and first impressions look promising.
Steven Spurrier, consultant editor at Decanter says the Médoc 'will have a big place in people's hearts' though he didn't feel 2015 was quite at the level of the greatest vintages so far this century. He thinks this vintage will be viewed less good than 2005, 2009 and 2010 but only fractionally and he drew comparison with 2001, adding ‘everyone says it’s less good than 2000, but everyone loves drinking it. Spurrier also picked out Margaux and St-Estèphe for special praise.
Over on the right bank, Decanter’s James Lawther MW warned against getting too carried away. ‘It’s an excellent right bank vintage,’ he said after tasting en primeur wines at the Nouveau Stade de Bordeaux on 5 April. ‘I wouldn’t say it’s the greatest ever, but it’s a very, very good vintage.’
‘If you’re looking for wines at a reasonable price, you’ll be able to find them in the smaller appellations; the Castillons, the Fronsacs, the satellite St-Emilions. You’ll also be able to find them in the more reasonably priced Pomerols, and more reasonably price St-Emilions.’
Meanwhile Sauternes is looking to be an outstanding vintage according to wine writer Ian D'Agata who says there is a ‘remarkable’ freshness and acidity to what is essentially a very rich 2015 Sauternes vintage with good acidity levels so as to avoid being heavy or cloying. He said 2015 was a good year for Noble Rot.
