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2015 Vintage — A Great Year of Richness, Balance and Ageing Potential
Buying a 2015 wine means choosing a generous vintage that delivered some of the decade’s most appealing bottles across several leading fine-wine regions. Now eleven years from harvest, the finest wines combine depth, harmony and growing complexity, with many entering a beautiful phase of evolution while the greatest examples still promise long further ageing.
The strongest buying priorities are found in Bordeaux, Burgundy and the Rhône Valley. Piedmont offers generous, seductive wines with considerable charm, while Napa Valley is especially compelling for collectors drawn to power and prestige. Switzerland is best approached as a rewarding choice for the informed enthusiast, with selected bottles of real distinction.
For the most secure purchases, begin with a great Bordeaux, a leading red Burgundy or a serious Syrah from the northern Rhône. Choose Barolo and Barbaresco when seeking fragrance, generosity and an attractive drinking window; turn to Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon for scale and intensity; and consider the finest Swiss Syrahs when looking for a more individual, connoisseur-led selection.
Best for long-term cellaring: great Bordeaux, top red Burgundy, Hermitage, Côte-Rôtie, benchmark Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.
Best to drink now: selected Barolo and Barbaresco, mature-accessible Bordeaux, and well-chosen 2015s from generous terroirs.
Best for lovers of power: northern Rhône Syrah, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.
Best for lovers of finesse: Côte de Nuits Pinot Noir, elegant Bordeaux, and selected Swiss wines from refined terroirs.
What is the style of 2015 wines?
The 2015 vintage is defined by ripe fruit, generous texture and a sense of natural harmony. In the most successful regions, the reds show depth, polished tannins and expressive aromatics without sacrificing the balance required for ageing. Many wines are now beginning to reveal more savoury, evolved nuances, yet the best bottles remain ideal for collectors and excellent for cellar building.
Bordeaux 2015: a great vintage for cellaring
In Bordeaux, 2015 is a very fine year, producing wines of ripe fruit, refined texture and genuine depth. The clearest successes are found in Margaux, Pomerol and Saint-Émilion, where richness is balanced by elegance and strong ageing potential. The top wines remain particularly attractive for collectors, while selected bottles are now moving into a graceful early drinking phase.
To favour: Margaux, Pomerol, Saint-Émilion, Pauillac.
Best for: long-term cellaring, prestigious gifts and lovers of structured elegance.
Buying priority: very high for the great châteaux and age-worthy cuvées.
Burgundy 2015: a very great year for red wines
Burgundy produced red wines of remarkable quality in 2015. They combine ripeness, flesh and aromatic charm with the precision, fine tannins and terroir expression expected from the best sites. The great Pinot Noirs of the Côte de Nuits are among the most desirable purchases of the vintage, making Burgundy an essential destination for buyers who value finesse, distinction and long-term pedigree.
To favour: Gevrey-Chambertin, Chambolle-Musigny, Vosne-Romanée, Nuits-Saint-Georges.
Best for: lovers of finesse, refined cellars and highly sought-after bottles.
Buying priority: very high for leading red wine estates and the finest climats.
Rhône Valley 2015: one of the finest successes of the year
The 2015 vintage is superb in the Rhône Valley. The wines are dense, deep and structured, with especially impressive results in the northern Rhône. Great Hermitage and Côte-Rôtie rank among the most age-worthy wines of the year, combining power with definition, while the best Châteauneuf-du-Pape offer richness, breadth and commanding presence.
To favour: Hermitage, Côte-Rôtie, Cornas, Châteauneuf-du-Pape.
Best for: lovers of power, serious cellaring and collectors seeking commanding reds.
Buying priority: very high, especially for the great Syrahs of the northern Rhône.
Piedmont 2015: generous and seductive Barolo and Barbaresco
In Piedmont, 2015 produced very fine Nebbiolo wines, generous in fruit, fragrant in profile and often highly seductive. The Barolo and Barbaresco of the vintage tend to show more immediate charm than the most classical, profound years, while the leading wines still possess the structure to evolve gracefully. This is a vintage to favour for its warmth, aromatic appeal and pleasure rather than for absolute austerity or monumental depth.
To favour: Barolo, Barbaresco.
Best for: an attractive drinking window, expressive aromatics and graceful structure.
Buying priority: high for leading producers and age-worthy cuvées.
Switzerland 2015: a rewarding choice for informed enthusiasts
In Switzerland, 2015 produced fuller wines than usual, while the best terroirs preserved freshness and poise. Valais stood out in particular, with dense, fleshy and spicy reds, including very fine examples of Syrah. Wines from the shores of Lake Geneva also retained attractive finesse. These bottles are best considered selective, connoisseur-led purchases: distinctive and rewarding, though not the primary reference point of the vintage beside Bordeaux, Burgundy or the Rhône Valley.
To favour: Valais Syrah, great red wines from Valais, wines from the shores of Lake Geneva.
Best for: informed amateurs, regional explorers and distinctive additions to a cellar.
Buying priority: selective, with genuine interest for the finest bottles.
Napa Valley 2015: concentrated and prestigious Cabernets
In Napa Valley, 2015 brought a small but often very high-quality harvest. The finest Cabernet Sauvignon wines stand out for their concentration, depth and intensity of fruit, with the scale and polish sought by admirers of powerful, ambitious Californian wines. They are especially suitable for collectors, lovers of richness and those seeking a prestigious gift.
To favour: Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, great Bordeaux-style blends from Napa.
Best for: lovers of power, prestige cuvées and cellar-worthy Californian reds.
Buying priority: high for benchmark estates and prestige cuvées.
2015: a rich, harmonious and highly sought-after vintage
The 2015 vintage is an excellent choice for lovers of generous, balanced fine wines. For long-term cellaring, the most compelling purchases are found among Bordeaux from great terroirs, top red Burgundies and northern Rhône Syrahs. For earlier enjoyment, well-chosen Barolo, Barbaresco and selected bottles from already expressive terroirs offer a particularly attractive drinking window.
Whether you are building a cellar, selecting a prestigious gift or looking for a bottle to enjoy over the coming years, 2015 offers a wealth of distinguished choices. Discover our 2015 selections and choose the wines best suited to your taste, your cellar and your preferred moment of drinking.
