A rich, deep color that immediately announces the tone of the vintage. It appears as a highly concentrated wine. The rich, complex nose confirms this impression, with a blend of black fruit and spices such as black pepper, cinnamon and vanilla.
In the mouth, the attack is at once fresh and profuse. The sense of volume continues midpalate while velvety tannins gradually develop, giving the wine its body without ever becoming overbearing. Everything is in perfect balance. A few notes of cocoa and coffee complement he broad aromatic palette right up to the prolonged finale, supported by extremely mature tannins. While the pleasure it procures may tempt some to drink it young, I suggest waiting a few years. Indeed, everything indicates long and propitious aging.

51 Hl/Ha (2.7 tons/acre)

After complicated years in 2011, 2012 and 2013, followed by a very encouraging 2014, we now have a great vintage that will delight all lovers of Bordeaux wines. This vintage will go down in history, particularly in Margaux: it was the driest year since 2005. Only 214 mm of rain fell throughout the active growing period, from April to September, and only 504 mm over the entire year. Thanks to good winter reserves, the soil was able to withstand the drought through the spring and summer, up until August. Water stress played a fundamental role by stopping early growth. At that time, the vines also had to deal with a July heat wave (24 days >25°C, including 10 days >30°C). In late July, both the vines and the wine growers took a break. That was the vines' way of resisting the heat and drought. The ripening process was thus drawn out. Ripening accelerated only in early August, the 7th to be precise, with the first real rainfall of the season (15 mm), finally allowing the maturation phase to begin. Six weeks later, on September 18, we began harvesting the Merlot. 22 days later, on October 9, we celebrated the end of the harvest with a smile, sure that we were contributing to something wonderful. We will not soon forget this vintage, as it served to inaugurate our new fermenting room. This is always a significant investment in the life of an estate. In our case, it was the result of careful consideration, commensurate with our ambitions for utmost quality.
Harvesting in small 6-kg crates, transfer of the grapes by the force of gravity into 37 vats (for 37 ha or 91.4 acres). We opted for concrete to construct these tulip-shaped vats, which make for extremely precise yet gentle vinification, perfectly in line with our plot selection.
Like all great vintages, 2015 offers fine balance.
The alcohol (at a considerable level of 13.9%) is imperceptible and perfectly balanced by a refreshing natural acidity (pH 3.7) and discreet tannins (IPT 65). The tannins give the wine a velvety unctuousness. In the end, the wine is wonderfully fruity and refined, with a gourmand, tactile character that far outshines it simple potency. 100% Margaux.

September 18 to October 9

Selected yeasts and bacteria
Fermentation temperatures around 25 Celsius
Simultaneous alcoholic and malolactic fermentation
Maceration period: 18 to 25 days