Burgundy 2015 – L

Image

See this guide to our extensive coverage of Burgundy 2015. Our picture is of winemaker Eric Rémy of Domaine Leflaive, with his thoughtful provision of laptop elevator on top of the upturned barrel. 

Now that the wines have been sorted into groups by producer, you can sort the wines within those groups by score or appellation.


DOMAINE PIERRE LABET

Dom Pierre Labet, Clos du Dessus des Marconnets 2015 Beaune

Cask sample. Organic. Much more creamy and less direct on the nose than the Bourgogne Vieilles Vignes, even a hint of vanilla sweetness. Well balanced between freshness and lively fruit, with a slight leesy grip adding to the length. Stony fresh finish. (JH)

Drink
2018
2023
£TBC per case of 12 ib Corney & Barrow
16.5

Dom Pierre Labet, Aux Coucherias Premier Cru 2015 Beaune

Cask sample. Organic. Darker and more savoury fruit character compared with the Dessus des Marconnets. More stemmy on the palate, and dry, almost a little chalky in texture. Deliciously fresh. On the lighter side but persistent. (JH)

Drink
2020
2030
£TBC per case of 12 ib Corney & Barrow
17

Dom Pierre Labet, Clos du Dessus des Marconnets 2015 Beaune

Cask sample. Organic. Mid cherry. A slight stemmy note here giving a herbal quality to the fine, dark-red fruit. That stemmy character is almost too much but stays the right side of the line, giving freshness and powder-fine texture. Super-fresh. (JH)

Drink
2018
2027
£TBC per case of 12 ib Corney & Barrow
16.5

Dom Pierre Labet, Vieilles Vignes 2015 Gevrey-Chambertin

Cask sample. Organic. Mid crimson. Wonderfully pure and expressive dark-red fruit on the nose, sweet cherry, sweetened further by a touch of oak. Tannins are present but already supple. Juicy and moreish. Pure – and relatively early – pleasure. (JH)

Drink
2018
2028
£TBC per case of 12 ib Corney & Barrow
16.5

DOMAINE LABRUYÈRE 

Dom Labruyère, Cœur de Terroirs Vieilles Vignes 2015 Moulin-à-Vent

Cask sample. Organic. Deep purple crimson. Lifted Gamay fruit – dark red with a hint of cough linctus. Firm, chewy, and full of fruit on the palate. More tannic than many of the burgundies I have just been tasting. Needs time. (JH)

Drink
2019
2028
£TBC per case of 6 ib Corney & Barrow
16.5

Dom Labruyère, Champs de Cour 2015 Moulin-à-Vent

Cask sample. Organic. Deep purple-crimson. Peppery dark fruit. Very dry and textured on the palate, dark and savoury on the finish. A serious wine that needs some serious ageing. Rather obdurate at the moment. (JH)

Drink
2020
2030
£TBC per case of 6 ib Corney & Barrow
16.5 ++

Dom Labruyère, Clos du Moulin à Vent 2015 Moulin-à-Vent

Cask sample. Organic. Monopole.
Dark purple crimson. Fresher smelling than the Carquelin. Massively structured with tannins but it's got plenty of dark fruit and some fine rocky/dry terroir character. Big and promising. (JH)

Drink
2025
2035
£TBC per case of 6 ib Corney & Barrow
17.5 +

Dom Labruyère, Le Carquelin Sélection Parcellaire 2015 Moulin-à-Vent

Cask sample. Organic. Inky purple crimson. Very ripe-fruited – damson. Almost overripe but not quite. Rich and fulsome but balanced by the firm texture. Slightly sour on the finish. Bags of flavour if not my personal favourite style. (JH)

Drink
2019
2028
£TBC per case of 6 ib Corney & Barrow
16.5

DOMAINE MICHEL LAFARGE and DOMAINE LAFARGE VIAL 
Fantastic wines! Michel Lafarge compares 2015 to 1929.

Dom Michel Lafarge, Raisins Dorés 2015 Bourgogne Aligoté

Some of this is oak aged.
Very rich and alluring. Lovey stuff that’s already showing well. Rich and smoky with real polish. More fun than myriad Meursaults! Sumptuous stuff for early drinking. Maybe not the most persistent but awfully good. 

Drink
2017
2020
16.5

Dom Michel Lafarge 2015 Meursault

Restrained nose. Tense and yet with some richness of a cough pastille! Rich herbs. Not the most refined but lots of pleasure given. Not that complex. ‘Un bon 13%’. 

13%
Drink
2019
2024
16.5

Dom Michel Lafarge, Clos des Aigrots Premier Cru 2015 Beaune

Gravelly clay limestone. Lot of little pebbles.
Quite light nose and very lively and elegant. Quite delicate really, with real finesse. This may actually go better with food than the more dramatic Meursault Vendanges Selectionées. Long. 

Drink
2018
2025
17

Dom Lafarge Vial 2015 Fleurie

Belair and, even higher, Cercillon – on pink granite. About 350 m.
Lively and fresh. Racy and mineral with real spine and thoroughbred nature. Real Lafarge magic! 

Drink
2017
2022
16.5

Dom Lafarge Vial, La Joie du Palais 2015 Fleurie

Debut vintage from a vineyard bought after the 2014 harvest, opposite Madone. 5.5 ha and so steep that it needs working by horse. Very pure granite.
Complex nose with layers. For the long term. Richness and vegy savour. Keep this! 

Drink
2019
2024
16.5 +

Dom Lafarge Vial, Clos Vernay 2015 Fleurie

Below Poncié. 1.3 ha surrounded by woods, granite with lots of quartz. Picked at the beginning of September with 15% whole bunch. Aged in large old oak.
Very firm and punchy with lots of racy minerals on the end. Nothing heavy about this – very distinctive. Not like the Beaujolais norm. Polished tannins. Very chewy end. Long peacock’s tail on the finish. Beautiful texture.

Drink
2020
2025
16.5 ++

Dom Lafarge Vial 2015 Chiroubles

15% whole bunch and very small grapes but they had to be careful of over-extraction. This was bottled in their own cuverie. Racked mid April, just before bottling.
Just enough juice and lots of concentration – more than a typical Chiroubles arguably but a red (greater) burgundy with lots of grunt. Fine tannins on the end. He's good at splitting the difference between the two styles. Very distinctive. 

Drink
2017
2021
16.5

Dom Michel Lafarge, L'Exception 2015 Bourgogne Passetoutgrains

88-year-old vines on border of Meursault. Very gravelly and very suitable for complantés Gamay and Pinot. His grandfather started with Clos des Chênes and this vineyard, which was then young. One hectare, which is still very healthy. This is made in homage to Frédéric’s grandfather. No regular Passetoutgrains made this year.
Quite angular and tart. Not as much fun as their Beaujolais crus! Still quite chewy. 

Drink
2018
2021
15.5 +

Dom Michel Lafarge Pinot Noir 2015 Bourgogne

Between the RN74 and Volnay vineyards – an especially good strip for Bourgogne.
Sweet, straightforward fruity nose. Fine tannins and a dry finish. Racy and correct. Should age well. Nothing forced. 

Drink
2018
2026
16.5

Dom Michel Lafarge 2015 Volnay

Pure and super-fruited. Pure Volnay. Lovely lift. Dry finish. Tastes as though there is so much bubbling underneath that it should continue to evolve excitingly. Exciting and very expressive. So long. Extremely impressive.

Drink
2020
2028
17

Dom Michel Lafarge, Vendanges Sélectionnées 2015 Volnay

Terroir selection in the centre of the appellation just below the premiers crus.
Real delicacy on the nose and great fragrance. Lots buried in here with a dry finish. You’ll need to wait for this… Very persistent.

Drink
2025
2035
17 +

Dom Michel Lafarge, Clos des Aigrots Premier Cru 2015 Beaune

Lowest yield of the domaine because it was so battered by hail. But such grapes as there were, were magnificent, he says.
Light and lively. Very pretty but without the haunting quality of the Volnays. Tannins much in evidence currently.

Drink
2024
2034
16.5 +

Dom Michel Lafarge, Les Caillerets Premier Cru 2015 Volnay

Red soils for minerality above calcaire.
Rich and racy. Lots of beautiful juice. So pure! The vineyard speaks! Not lean but certainly lissome. Real class. Lots of stones on the finish. Lighter than some but no shortage of excellence.

Drink
2028
2045
18

Dom Michel Lafarge, Clos des Chênes Premier Cru 2015 Volnay

Almost 1 ha (16 ha in total). Red and much shallower soils above the calcaire. 55-year-old vines, on average.
Deep and slightly uncommunicative on the nose. Very dense and concentrated. It really doesn’t want to be disturbed for the moment. Intellectual, even a little severe, but this should come really out of its shell eventually as it builds to the most amazing finish. It’s all on the end… 

Drink
2030
2050
18.5 +

Dom Michel Lafarge, Pitures Premier Cru 2015 Volnay

New in 2015. It was previously sold as Volnay PC. The last lieu-dit before Pommard. They will sell it all in magnum.
Big and substantial on the nose. Racy and fully ripe but not at all heavy. Really fine. Long and vibrant. 

Drink
2025
2045
17.5 +

Dom Michel Lafarge, Les Pézerolles Premier Cru 2015 Pommard

In the middle of the vineyard – just 0.15 ha on dolomite calcaire. First vintage since 2011. One and a half pièces made.
Pale ruby. Firm, solid, sweet start and some candied cherries. Firm tannins. Pretty but should last.

Drink
2027
2040
17

DOMAINE FRANÇOIS LAMARCHE 

Dom François Lamarche, Grand Cru 2015 Clos de Vougeot

Mid crimson. Dark fruited and beautifully fragrant. Silky, supple and juicy with red fruit on the palate. Light but so charming and persistent. (JH)

Drink
2020
2035
£600 per case of 6 ib Justerini & Brooks
17.5

Dom François Lamarche, Grand Cru 2015 La Grande Rue

Cask sample. Mid crimson. Much darker fruited than the Hautes-Côtes de Nuits. Firm but the tannins are surprisingly rounded and gentle. Harmonious and tasty but not really grand cru intensity, hence the rather conservative drink dates. (JH)

Drink
2020
2030
£1050 per case of 3 ib Lay & Wheeler, £TBC Justerini & Brooks
16.5

DOMAINE DES LAMBRAYS 

Dom des Lambrays 2015 Morey-St-Denis

Heady, very ripe nose. Almost too much with a hint of Band-Aid. Some will love this but I want a bit more energy!

Drink
2020
2030
£225 per case of 6 ib Goedhuis & Co
16

Dom des Lambrays, Grand Cru 2015 Clos des Lambrays

Cask sample. Very correct and subtle on the nose even if a little oaky on the palate. Big, bold and beefy palate but not very refined. Chewy end. Some alcohol in evidence – very unusual in 2015! Persistent.

Drink
2023
2040
£895 per case of 6 ib Goedhuis & Co, Haynes Hanson & Clark
16.5 +

DOMAINE HUBERT LAMY 
Olivier Lamy just gets better and better.

DOMAINE SYLVAIN...