2015 is the result of a vegetative season particularly favourable to the creation of great red wines in Burgundy.
The level of sunshine was exceptional, with a 10% surplus compared with normal.
Temperatures were 2°C above average in April, June and July and by 1°C in August and September.
Very dry weather set in already in March, but was particularly pronounced in July, when it combined with a heat wave to seriously slow down the filling out of grape bunches.
The few showers in August were welcome, to allow vines to ripen off their fruit without stress through lack of water, but too late to really swell the grapes.
This very dry weather explains the small harvest volume, but also the great concentration of the wines.
Tannins are well enriched, the result of perfect maturity accompanied by irreproachable grape healthiness.
2015 is inscribed in the lineage of 2005 and 2010, the other great vintages for keeping at the beginning of this century.
Spicy and a hint of ripe citrus on the nose. It is ripe onto the palate…spicy, rich and after this spicy aromatics it has a colder feel with grip and tension and minerality. I like the sappy cold note to balance the richness and spice. Michel did some skin contact and this has both reduced the acidity (given the potassium) and given it spicy note.
A wonderful wine from Burgundy’s less-renowned vineyards. Rich, ripe, waxy and dry yet nutty and honeyed.
Toasted and creamy, with aromas of apple, peach and oak. Lots of charm and pleasure, with a moderately long finish.
A discreet but not invisible touch of wood sets off the fresh and bright nose of pear, citrus and pretty floral nuances. There is fine richness to the round and utterly delicious generously proportioned flavors that possess a seductive mouth feel, all wrapped in a relatively dry finish in the context of the vintage where a hint of wood appears. This should drink well upon release.
Sweet and cool. Easy but not that subtle. Sweet rather than savoury. A bit simple.
Sans titre
Dark, ripe fruits on the nose. Plentiful fruit on the palate. Soft tannins. It is energetic and berry- ish. Lots of fruit in this wine. Very good Bourgogne with plenty of stuffing. This suffered less from the dryness as it’s on deeper soil with more humidity.
There is a light vegetal edge here, but the juicy cherry and currant fruit more than compensates. Overall, this is balanced, elegant and long on the finish. 91 points
Ripe aromas of plum, earth and soft spice nuances lead to relatively racy middle weight flavors that possess excellent definition, all wrapped in a sleek and delicious finish. I like the balance and this is a fine Bourgogne that is worth considering. ♥
Red fruits. Juicy and red. Soft tannins and fresh. It is easy and splashing. Bit of a bitter bite at the end…which tweaks it nicely.
Graphite, cherry, earth and light smoke aromas and flavors herald this tight red that offers a hint of tobacco leaf on the firm finish.
Here the expressive nose is slightly more elegant and a bit fresher as well with its relatively high-toned aromas of various red berries and floral elements. Consistent with the nose there is reasonably good refinement as well as a touch of minerality that adds lift to the punchy, clean and focused finale. This is pretty but it can’t quite match the complexity of the regular cuvée.
This is from one special parcel. “Same geology as the Corton mountain. The Jurassic period is Oxfordian.” 2nd use barrels. Very expressive concentration of red fruits. Spicy too on the nose. I find the oak a bit present, but the wine has the substance to take it. It is a much more concentrated Hautes-Côtes. More tannins and much stricter. There is a sappy, cold minerality at the end of the palate. This is pretty strict, lots of fruit under it though. Umm – need to wait for this…several. Will be good..but will people wait for an Hautes Côtes. If you busy this, you should. High performing Hautes-Côtes.
Bright, almost orangey red. Serious nose and very dry finish. Long-term wine in uncompromisingly traditional idiom. Masses of tannin. 16/20
Light ruby. Nicely open, refined nose combining ripe, jammy raspberry and redcurrant with subtle sweet spice notes. Light mouthfeel with lovely fat counterbalanced by compelling freshness. Forward yet ethereal. 90/100
Clear ruby-red hue. The small red fruits dominate (cherry, raspberry) the nose. Exotic spices with mentholated notes. Slightly toasty. Supple and moreish palate, with silky tannins and a bitter hint. Good freshness
A discreet touch of wood sets off the slightly riper red and blue pinot fruit aromas that are liberally laced with hints of earth and spice. There is slightly more richness and volume to the medium-bodied flavors that are shaped by moderately firm tannins that confirm that this will need at least a few years of cellar time. Worth considering. ♥
Sans titre
Perfumed, a musk rose note. Supple onto the palate. Some spicy notes on the palate too. Seductive, ‘sweet’ plump and generous. Very scented. It has a curvaceous body. The structure is enveloped with ripe fruits. A very good village wine…with the scented finish. Top notch. Score 82
There is enough reduction present to render an evaluation of the nose challenging. By contrast there is good freshness to the rich, generous and precise medium weight flavors that offer a velvety mouth feel before culminating in a harmonious and vibrant finale that offers good depth and very fine length.
It is very dark (always) It is rich and straight. A lot of tannins and matter in this Chambolle. It is powerful and ripe; lots of structure and richness of the tannins. It is intense and long on the finish. Super concentration of fruit. It is a powerful wine with a really sappy finish and great vigour…very fresh and salty. This is another wine to put away. It will be better in ten years. Not a ‘typical’ village Chambolle. Top notch. Score 83
Young, powerful, concentrated style with sappy red and black fruit and creamy, toasty oak. Delicious!
Lively, with aromas of violet, blackcurrant, blackberry and minerality, this wine is harmonious and expressive and extends pleasantly on the finish. 93 points
Flattering aromas of ripe red and black fruits. Oily, tender, delicious and well-balanced palate. 17 points
Ripe, elegant and attractively fresh aromas feature notes of plum, dark currant, anise and floral hints. There is a lovely minerality and energy to the utterly delicious middle weight flavors that possess the natural elegance of a fine Chambolle, all wrapped in a beautifully complex, balanced and persistent finish. This is an excellent Chambolle villages that is worth checking out. ♥
«Au sommet de la colline, avant le no-mans land, il y a de l’herbe et des roches.» Mûres et fruits de la forêt. Nez sucré et mûr et attrayant, et l’attaque en bouche a des éclats de fruits. Il est juteux avec une bonne présence de tanins. Arrondi, épicé au début, mais devient frais et ferme aussi. Une minéralité sableuse à la fin et une fraîcheur vibrante. Score 81
Good translucent red with heightened red cherry aromas, herbal touch. Intense oak aromatics.
Offering a blend of graphite, cherry, raspberry and smoky, spicy flavors, this wine is complex and structured. A bit disjointed now, but with all the components in the right places, so give it a little bit of time. Nice length. 93 points
Beautiful medium intense ruby. Profound, clear-cut nose combining ripe raspberry and cherry with delicate toast undercurrents. Ripe mouthfeel framed by uplifting freshness that enhances the fruit and spice nose aromatics. Very charming.
Very pleasing, pure, aromatic, direct nose. Sinewy and super-clean and correct. Some drive. Forward. But there are light tannins there too. Super-clean brisk finish. 16,5/20
This too is trimmed in just enough wood to notice though the aromatic profile is much more deeply pitched with its layered array of dark berries, plum, earth and forest floor scents. There is outstanding richness to the full-bodied, concentrated and muscular flavors that are shaped by moderately rustic tannins on the sappy and mouth coating finale. This will also need at least a few years of cellar time first.
This is more compact on the nose. An iron note. The attack is grippy and dark. A straight, dense, compact palate. Concentrated. Powerful. (And it’s just a village wine) Bitter chocolate and dark mineral freshness at the end. Plentiful ripe, but firm tannins. Needs ageing. “This year Chaliots needs a minimum of 10 years,” says Michel “and in this vintage it could last 20 years in my cellar.” Score 82.
Cask sample. Mid cherry. Ripe and gently, sweetly meaty. A little bit tart on the palate but certainly fresh and zesty. Persistent too, thanks to that freshness. Gentle tannins – the acidity is more the structure. 16/20
The aromas and flavors of macerated cherry are intense, surrounded by notes of earth, minerals and spices. Dense and fleshy, this wine also offers vibrant acidity. The strong final will take a little time to integrate, but it shows great potential. 93 points
Here the wood treatment is a bit more evident yet it remains sufficiently subtle so as to allow the spicier aromas of dark currant, newly turned earth and game nuances to shine. The medium weight flavors are not quite as dense but they’re more refined thanks to the finer-grain of the supporting tannins on the lightly mineral-inflected finale. Note that even though the tannins are finer they’re also denser and this too will need a few years first. ♥
This is a little wild and floral on the nose. Wild strawberries and garrigue. Silky soft and juicy onto the palate. Just delicious. Scrumptious fruits and flowers.“Light’ silky, fine texted, plenty of fine tannins, straight palate. Lively minerality on the finish…salty end. One of my favourite village wines of the vintage (and I am at the end of my marathon of tastings). This is village wine the way I like it..Score 82.
Like the Vosne villages this is also reduced but in this case the underlying fruit seems both ripe and fresh. Otherwise there is terrific underlying tension to the intensely mineral-driven middle weight flavors that possess a sleek yet lush mouth feel while delivering sneaky good length on the balanced finale.
Rich, dark berry fruits. Deep and juicy. Plenty of substance. Full bodied. It is full and rich with an exuberance of fruit and a quantity of tannins, but the tannins are smooth and thick with an appetising NGS burr to them. This has plenty of depth and quite a bit of shoulder with this ripe fruit. Score 18.35 (or 91)
A somber if spicy nose speaks of both red and dark currants, earth and plenty of sauvage character. The rich, mouth coating and tautly muscular flavors possess excellent volume before concluding in a moderately rustic, powerful and impressively persistent finale. This bold and very Nuits effort won’t win any awards for refinement but it certainly doesn’t lack for character. Despite it being firmly structured I suspect that this will be reasonably approachable after 5 to 7 years if you lack patience! ♥
Towards facing east. High acidity from the combe. The ripeness is always later 3 days later than Reas. It has purple fruit (finished MLF 3 weeks ago) It is ripe and tense. Juicy and energetic. Plenty of ripe tannins. The tannins have a really spicy bite to them. The Brulées is ripe and energetic. Jumps onto the finish. Score 18.45 (or 92)
Jancis Robinson, 11 Janvier 2017
Cask sample. Mid cherry. Deliciously scented with red fruit and a touch of spice. Utterly seductive aroma of intense red cherry. On the palate too this is delicious – so much lively fruit, just the right level of fine tannins and freshness to balance. So much pleasure in a young wine, with the oak well integrated. 17/20
Sample on barrel. Red cherry. Notes of smoke and spices rub shoulders with the sweetness of the cherry. Lots of spices and a layer of creamy oak on the palate, with fruit at the heart of e95 points. Intense, but with finesse and detail, this wine is sophisticated, complex and seductive. Flavors of cherry and strawberry, mineral spice and oak spice mingle on an elegant frame, while a subtle yet solid structure supports the balance. Stay persistent from start to finish. t supple and compact tannins. Beautiful harmony and beautiful proportions. 16.5 + / 20
Attractive mouthfilling wine with deep colour. Leather and cloves.
Generous but not dominant wood tussles somewhat with the spiced plum liqueur, Asian-style tea and violet-scented nose. There is a wonderfully seductive mouth feel to the rich, velvety and sappy medium weight plus flavors that brim with dry extract and minerality on the lingering finale where the firm tannic spine arrives in a rush. In contrast to the Nuits 1er, this moderately muscular effort is less likely to make for a good early drinker. ♥
Svelte onto the palate. This is elegant and flowing. Gorgeous ripe mulberry fruits. It has an immediate harmony. Softer than Brulées, fine supple, supportive tannins. Plenty of these fine tannins. Depth to the palate and a long slightly spicy, floral finish. It is silky and seductive. 18.7 (or 93/94).
Cask sample. Aromatic like the Brûlées but a little more sedate and riper in character. Lovely fruit – aromatic and deep without loss of purity and freshness. Long, too.17/20
Light elegant savouriness on the nose, gentle raspberry-scented fruit. Silky, restrained, spicy finish, delicate length.
Medium intense ruby. Profound, complex nose marrying red berry fruits and a wide array of toasted spice aromatics. Full- bodied palate that is fat yet fresh and ethereal. Still young and all-set for a superb future. Gold standard. 98/100
Ruby, purple reflections. Pure and complex nose, it combines a beautiful minerality with fresh aromas of raspberries and blackcurrant jelly. Supple and tender palate, oily texture. A beautiful definition of the terroir.
A smoky attack with flavors of cherry and spices and a hint of vegetal notes characterize this rich wine. Firm and long, with a lingering echo of smoke and spices on the finish. 94 points
A ripe yet attractively fresh nose combines notes of red currant, spice, herbal tea and a hint of dark pinot liqueur. The vibrant medium weight flavors possess a finer mouth feel if less minerality and muscle, all wrapped in a sleek, delicious, focused and beautifully well-balanced finale. This will probably be accessible on the younger side as most vintages of Clos des Réas generally are. ♥
A rather elegant red fruit nose. The new oak is more apparent on the palate at first. It is rich and seductive on the strike. In the full mid palate it has more floral notes. It is not too rich; there is an elegance here. Ripe fruit with a good balance…just enough acidity to balance. Really quite aromatic…vineyard or oak I am not sure, but this lingers very nicely at the end. Score 19.1 (or 95.5)
Nice wine, also with a lot of structure to support the flavors of rose, cherry, blackcurrant and spice. Linear and dynamic, with a lingering aftertaste suggesting floral, mineral and spicy accents. 94 points
This is generously oaked with a menthol top note to the earthy and very ripe mix of briar, dark berry fruit and pungent underbrush aromas. The overtly well-muscled, energetic and sappy bid-bodied flavors possess an abundance of dry extract that almost completely buffers the firm though not aggressive tannins that add a chewy texture to the gorgeously long finish. This clearly needs plenty of time but even so it’s less austere than usual and this may very well drink reasonably well young, which is to say that in the context of the appellation, after 7 to 8 years.