A Tale of Two Vintages

Given the success of our recent 2016 retrospective, we thought a global comparison of 2015 and 2016 would be a compelling way to showcase the strength of both top vintages. The diversity of this offer makes broad generalizations difficult as we’re spanning two continents and a wide range of regions, but we confidently recommend both for the cellar. If you’re already well stocked, congratulations; though we’d argue there’s always room for more.

In very broad strokes, 2016 is the classicist: cooler, composed, structured, and precise. 2015 is the extrovert: generous, ripe, open-knit, and already deeply expressive.

In Bordeaux, 2016 shows its pedigree through clarity and architecture, particularly in Saint-Julien and Saint-Estèphe, with wines like Beychevelle, Cos d’Estournel, and Ducru-Beaucaillou. By contrast, 2015 in Pomerol and across the Left Bank leans into amplitude and texture. In the Rhône, 2015 shines in wines such as Thierry Allemand Cornas Reynard and Beaucastel, delivering depth and breadth. Don’t overlook Georges Lignier Clos Saint-Denis Grand Cru, where 2016’s tension and detail will reward patience.

Piedmont and Tuscany provide a fascinating side-by-side comparison, each region offering benchmark expressions of both vintages. Napa shines with top-rated back-to-back selections from our recent Bond offering alongside om Maybach, Scarecrow, and Schrader.

It’s rare to see two excellent vintages align across both Europe and the United States. A decade on, both are proving exactly why they were so highly regarded. The question is simply one of style: the confidence and classical structure of 2016, or the generosity and early allure of 2015. Either way, the bottles are impeccably vetted, pristine – and there are no tariffs on the European selections!