Bordeaux 2015 At Age Ten

BY NEAL MARTIN | JUNE 3, 2025

Introduction

Bleach. The Dreaming. Meddle. Plastic Letters. Modern Life Is Rubbish. The Man Who Sold The World. In The Garden. Unhalfbricking. Good Kid, m.A.A.d City. Porgy and Bess…

What do these albums have in common?

They all preceded a bona fide classic. Those aforementioned albums are all great in their own right. Some music fans might regard them as being superior. That is a debate for another day, but what cannot be denied is that they are overshadowed by the follow-up. One point for naming each one; answers at the end of this report.

A similar fate befell the 2015 Bordeaux vintage. Its wines were hailed upon release like the aforementioned albums, yet the applause had barely died before the wines were playing second fiddle to the 2016s. Now with ten years on the odometer, it is time to revisit the 2015 vintage and see whether it is full of hidden gems or never quite passed muster.  

The Growing Season

Though 2015 is often regarded as the best since 2010, the growing season was actually quite complicated and certainly no shoo-in. January and February were rainy and replenished the depleted water table. March was the warmest since 1880. Bud-burst was retarded by low nighttime temperatures, and the vines’ pent-up energy meant that the landscape exploded into green at the beginning of April, some shoots growing up to five inches in a day. However, dry conditions slowed growth, as rainfall was 70% and 60% below average in April and May, respectively. Warm temperatures, up to 24°C, brought quick, even flowering. This was followed by a period of strong heat, some 3.2°C above normal, along with record sunlight hours. Eleven consecutive days in excess of 30°C began stressing the vines before the season took a different direction with two violent storms on July 22 and 24. Temperatures remained high in August, but there was much-needed rainfall, clustered in three or four deluges, adding up to 140 mm on the Right Bank and 100 mm in Pessac-Léognan. Growers found that this evened out véraison, which was completed by August 10, and vines redirected their energy toward bunches instead of foliage.

At harvest time, dry conditions meant there was little risk of rot. The dry whites were picked between August 28 and September 11, with cool nights benefiting the Sauvignon Blanc in particular. But on September 12, the remnants of Tropical Storm Henry delivered a 48-hour deluge followed by several more days of rain. Normally, depressions barge across the region from west to east; in this case, a warm southerly breeze that descends from the leeward side of the Alps—known as a föhn—steered the storm away from Bordeaux, limiting rain in many appellations to 40 mm. Alas, the föhn’s protective influence did not quite extend to Saint-Estèphe, which received 100 mm of rain and consequently had a shorter picking window than other appellations. Many properties delayed picking, instead of expediting as many did in 1999, allowing time for berries to recover from the wet spell and avoid swelling and potential dilution.

The lion’s share of Merlot was picked between September 20 and October 1 during sunny days and cold nights, mostly over the final four days of the month. Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon were harvested almost simultaneously from October 8 under blue skies and a cooling northerly breeze, and harvest was more or less complete by October 22.

How The Wines Were Tasted

As in previous years, this report is a blend of two horizontal tastings. The first, organised by Bordeaux Index, comprised just over 60 wines tasted blind in their London offices. This was a more leisurely paced tasting where I had the advantage of allowing more time per wine. The second was hosted by Farr Vintners. This was a larger tasting of around 120 wines, conducted single-blind. I merged the tasting notes from each tasting , but in cases where I felt that readers would gain insight from two separate notes, I have kept them thus. I have supplemented these notes with a couple of wines served at my 2015 Bordeaux seminar at Vinous Icons: New York.

A busy day in the office. This photo was taken at Farr Vintners after the blind tasting.

The Wines

The 2015 vintage is one of those curious vintages where you might say, “The jury’s out.” It is definitely not an average vintage. It is a very good vintage, but it is a stretch to proclaim 2015 a truly great growing season. These tastings raised as many questions as they did answers. Consequently, I did not walk away thinking that I must buy some 2015s as soon as possible, a sentiment that I also expressed at the Southwold blind tasting in 2019, when I opined that the 2015 vintage was “close but no cigar.”

Before continuing, I must stress that there were differences between the two horizontal ten-year-on tastings. Firstly, atmospheric conditions were more benevolent during the Bordeaux Index tasting, which occurred on a rare warm and sunny day compared to the bitterly cold and overcast conditions during the Farr Vintners tasting. But, there’s nothing either organiser can do about that. Atmospheric pressure is the invisible hand that does make a difference in a wine’s performance, more so than the biodynamic calendar. Secondly, the bottles benefitted from longer decanting at the first tasting. This was confirmed when I oversaw the two-hour decanting of the 2015s poured at my Vinous Icons seminar. I could see the wines settle and open up. Thirdly, the higher number of samples at the second tasting makes it a more arduous task and risks palate fatigue towards the final flights, which can be exacerbated in less fruit-driven vintages like 2015.

Part of me is just a little concerned how quickly some of these 2015s are evolving in bottle. Whenever I’m asked whether Bordeaux has forsaken longevity to appease consumers’ demands for more approachable wines, I answer “No.” Yet there were moments in these tastings where I was perturbed by the evolution of some wines and doubted whether further ageing would yield a return. This might be due to bottle variation, but nonetheless, I will be looking for any patterns that could suggest that drinking windows need to be shortened.

One shortcoming of the 2015 vintage is a lack of superstars, what I frequently dub as wines with “snow-capped peaks.” There is a clutch of excellent 2015s within the top tier, though nothing that gets the pulse racing, nothing that transcends the season’s limitations. There’s no eye-grabbing headline, and for better or worse, that is what often triggers demand and consumers’ attention, which, these days, is difficult to gain. Upon release, the 2015 vintage was received too warmly, hailed as “the best since 2010,” only to be eclipsed 12 months later. It is not a particularly flattering vintage. The 2015s are not inclined to seduce with silky tannins and pure fruit that became hallmarks of subsequent vintages, thanks in large part to bespoke tannin management. It could be argued that 2015 is the last vintage when winemakers were not focused upon fashioning wines that appease consumers in their youth, and as such, it is either tainted or blessed—depending on your predilection—with a patina of “old school” claret.

First Growths. I tasted the quintet twice, blind and sighted. This is the lineup at Bordeaux Index.

As I opined during the blind tasting, I felt that overall sentiments were influenced by the disappointing flight of Saint-Estèphes. These are always tricky to assess blind, their structure and adolescent obduracy rendering them aloof, unyielding and at worst, a bit dour. These wines dislike beauty pageants and tend to flourish in small-scale tastings, preferably at the dinner table, where they show their mettle. Some of the big names like Cos d’Estournel and Montrose performed better at the first tasting when afforded more breathing time. Granted, Saint-Estèphe was disadvantaged by the higher amount of rain during harvest. That rainfall did not directly impinge upon quality, but it denied châteaux the flexibility of picking dates enjoyed by harvesters further south. Perhaps in addition, 2015 is not a vintage where the Pauillacs rise to the occasion. Expectations are inevitably going to be high. However, beyond First Growths and the likes of the excellent Pichon Baron, the Pauillacs lack the lustre of other vintages, just missing that éclat or brightness. The Saint-Julien flights were more even, and perhaps here is where the reputation of the 2015 vintage rests, proving once more that Saint-Julien really is the most consistent appellation in Bordeaux. This vintage is bejewelled with wonderful wines from Léoville Las-Cases, Léoville Poyferré, Langoa Barton, Talbot and Beychevelle. Tuck a few of these away in your cellar and you will not be disappointed.

The Margaux appellation was warmly received on release, and it has some gems, predictably the First Growth that was made after the untimely passing of winemaker Paul Pontallier. There were also impressive showings from Palmer, Giscours, Rauzan-Ségla and Brane Cantenac. Perhaps the one outside bet was the 2015 Kirwan. I have long admired this estate, but this was the first time it stood shoulder to shoulder with the appellation’s more reputed names. Likewise, as second labels go, few represent better value than Ségla.

Pessac-Léognan has its own fair share of worthy wines. Amongst the reds, the 2015 Haut-Brion has its nose in front of the La Mission Haut-Brion at the moment. Smith Haut-Lafitte is endowed with an ebullient bouquet and bravura finish, whilst the typically more understated Domaine de Chevalier oozes with class. As for whites, both the Domaine de Chevalier Blanc and Smith Haut-Lafitte Blanc were delightful at the Bordeaux Index horizontal.

The Right Bank intermittently shines. Certainly, Pomerol has a clutch of impressive wines, not least Lafleur and Trotanoy. One bottle of Vieux Château Certan was excellent, another disappointing, testifying to bottle variation in this particular vintage. Pomerol’s sheen is taken off by “big hitters” like Le Pin and Petrus, neither living up to their own high expectations. These wines are by no means not delicious, but this old meanie might not include them in their respective “Greatest Hits.” Maybe they belong to the “Near Misses?” Saint-Émilion was like Saint-Estèphe insofar that I found comparatively more discrepancy between the two horizontals. This is one vintage where I might err towards Saint-Émilion over Pomerol since there is a bounty of great wines: Cheval Blanc (candidate for wine of the vintage), Figeac, Cheval Blanc, Ausone, Bélair-Monange and Canon, to name a few. This was a time when Saint-Émilion’s winemakers were “consciously uncoupling” themselves from so-called “Parkerized” wines but still predates the handbrake turn of say, Troplong Mondot.

The Sauternes 2015s are well worth seeking out, not least because the remain exceptional value in today’s market—a sign of consumers’ apathy towards sweet wines in general, rather than quality. The second flight in particular was studded with gems: Yquem, Suduiraut, Rayne-Vigneau, Lafaurie-Peyraguey, Doisy-Védrines, Doisy-Daëne and Coutet.

Final Thoughts

Two thousand fifteen is a vintage that has not quite found its place within the hierarchy of 21st century Bordeaux growing seasons. Where does it sit exactly? It is not in the big league like 2016 or 2020, but it is better than 2012, 2014 or 2017. Though 2015 is not without its caveats and there are weaknesses, there are a sufficient number of high-quality wines.

Perhaps it is unfair to compare 2015 with the saintly 2016 vintage. We will see how that fares early next year. Juxtaposition casts 2015 in a more unfavourable light and as a consequence, the best wines are not given due credit. As we contentiously enter a post-primeur era (the first time I have used that expression), vintages like 2015 are worthy of attention given market prices, physical availability and obviating the need to wait and tap your fingers impatiently on the table. On the other hand, with several Bordeaux vintages are available in the market, I guess the question is: Why buy or drink 2015 if you have others at your beck and call?

To return to my opening introduction, maybe it comes down to whether you really want to listen to Nevermind (Nirvana), Hounds of Love (Kate Bush), Dark Side of the Moon (Pink Floyd), Parallel Lines (Blondie), Park Life (Blur), Hunky Dory (David Bowie), Sweet Dreams (Eurythmics), Lief and Liege (Fairport Convention), To Pimp a Butterfly (Kendrick Lamar) or Kind of Blue (Miles Davis) on constant repeat? I suppose some do. Listening to Meddle or Bleach might make for a refreshing change, just like drinking one of the better 2015s. 

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