Gareth Birchley, Vincenzo Arnese and Arthur Coggill tasted 111 wines, with 10 Outstanding and 79 Highly Recommended.
St-Emilion and Pomerol 2015: Panel tasting scores
111 wines tasted
Exceptional 0
Outstanding 10
Highly recommended 79
Recommended 18
Commended 4
Entry criteria: Producers and UK agents were invited to submit their 2015 vintage red Bordeaux grand vins from St-Emilion Grand Cru and Grand Cru Classé, and Pomerol
If you asked the vignerons of Bordeaux to predict the quality of the 2015 vintage before a single bud had even burst, many of them would have stated that greatness was inevitable.
It is, of course, purely chance that 1985, 1990, 1995, 2000, 2005 and 2010 were all contenders for the finest vintage in their respective decades.
Nevertheless, in 2015, the universe acquiesced and gave the Bordelais a tricky but incredibly favourable growing season.
Scroll down to see notes and scores of the pick of St-Emilion and Pomerol 2015
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St-Emilion and Pomerol 2015 panel tasting scores
Wines were tasted blind
{}
{"wineId":"90876","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"39423","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"39457","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"90823","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"3491","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"39424","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"90824","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"90825","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"71137","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"59659","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"17730","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"39441","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"90826","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"90827","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"90828","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"90829","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"90874","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"90830","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"90875","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"3476","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"3560","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"90864","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"3522","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"90865","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"3503","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"14370","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{}
The judges
Gareth Birchley is buying director at London-based Burns & German Vintners. Arriving in London in 2006, he worked in sales and senior buying roles at Bordeaux Index and Berry Bros & Rudd, before joining Burns & German in early 2019
Vincenzo Arnese is director of wine at Raffles London at the OWO. Born in Naples, he worked at top hotels in Italy, Switzerland and Australia, and later Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester. A DWWA judge, in 2022 he won the coveted title of Taittinger UK Sommelier of the Year
Arthur Coggill is head of business development at London-based merchant Hatton & Edwards, having joined in January 2024. Prior to this he was at Goedhuis & Co, where he worked initially in fine wine sales before running its investment fund for eight years, and then moving into buying in 2021
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