A mild winter and spring meant flowering was both early and successful laying the foundation for a healthy crop. Early summer saw some rain but by July, conditions were dry and temperatures were fierce, with brutal heat spikes. As is often the case when conditions are tough, older, more-established vines performed better than younger vines with root systems less developed and able to tap into deep water reserves. Drought conditions did cause some vines to temporarily shut down, putting the ripening process on hold. Conditions significantly cooled in August as temperatures fell and cloud cover became more frequent. Light rainfall brought some much-needed relief to the vines and chilled breezes continued to cool hot, humid days keeping rot and disease at bay.
The harvest was relatively early, but very successful with most grapes reaching optimum ripeness. The white wine grapes were brought in before the rain fell, which interrupted the picking for the reds, however the rain did little to disrupt the harvest overall.
Generally, the resulting wines are spectacular. Any concerns that the fruit might be overripe were alleviated as the wines tended to be intense rather than overbearing. The reds are well structured, intense and sophisticated with great fruit concentration. The reds often have a serious, somewhat weighty, nature and are likely to age tremendously well. The whites were less uniform than the reds, but still extremely good. They tend to have riper, sometimes tropical, fruit flavors but acidity was less pronounced than in other years. However, the best examples have been described as classic white Burgundy.
The 2015 vintage for Burgundy was clearly excellent and may even be legendary. These wines will be drinking well now but many will benefit and become even finer when cellared long-term. Expect wines from this vintage to be very expensive.
Vintage quality: Legendary
Current condition: Ready to drink, will keep
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