Château Belgrave 2015

Plump, with a core of steeped plum and fig preserve flavors, inlaid with hints of humus and tobacco. Reveals a juniper note on the relatively soft finish. Drink now through 2020. 18,833 cases made.

Still firm and structured, this wine is dark and solid while still having a line of freshness and good acidity. Juicy black currants and elegant tannins are still developing, giving the possibility of a rich, generous wine from 2023.

Smoky, brambly undergrowth is the dominant impression here, a lovely autumnal feeling. It is a well made wine with clear grip on the attack, but is lacking a little pep towards the finish where the tannins get just a touch dry - give it a few years to allow them to soften. This was the first year that Belgrave used an optical sorting machine. 34% new oak, 3.64pH.

A dense and layered red with wet earth and blue fruits. Sweet tobacco, too. Soft tannins give this full-bodied wine a juicy richness and decadence. Plump mouthfeel. So good now but better in two or three years.

74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot. Animal, gamey aromas on the nose, which makes this a little rustic, and the fruit is relatively light too. Not the greatest example of 2015. (RH)

The 2015 Belgrave has an attractive blackberry, raspberry and pressed iris bouquet that displays commendable intensity. The palate is quite grippy with slightly hard tannins but there is plenty of fruit with hints of autumn leaves and fennel toward the slightly bitter finish. Enjoy this over the next decade. Tasted blind at the Southwold 2015 Bordeaux tasting.

Medium-bodied, fresh, bright, crisp, and a bit stoic, with a focus on its core of vibrant red berries, herbs, leaf, and spice, with a touch of cocoa in the endnote. Drink from 2022-2032.

Dark ruby garnet, purple reflections, discreet rim brightening. Somewhat restrained, delicate herbal savouriness, underpinned by fine blackberry confit and black cherries. Medium body, some cherries and a touch of eucalyptus, round tannins, chocolatey finish, a round food companion, some mint in the finish.

Dark ruby red core. Nuanced nose displaying some new oak, leather, tobacco and cassis notes. The palate has a nice density, still youthful with high extract but fairly rounded with a good freshness and layers of crushed berry fruit, cassis and fine oak with a good length and persistency. Will get better in a few years but still fairly accessible.

A solid effort with lots to love, the 2015 Château Belgrave offers medium-bodied, earthy aromas and flavors of darker fruits, charcoal, spice, and tobacco. It has fine tannin, impressive balance, and a solid finish, and should drink nicely for 10-15+ years. It’s a classic wine and a good value.

Dense purple-garnet, concentrated at the core with a violet rim. The bouquet shows a spicy, quite profound Cabernet expression and black peppercorns. On the palate, it comes across with a serious grip, clear astringency and plenty of demanding tannins, finishing on dark berries. It’s no crowd-pleaser and it’s showing tannins for the day after tomorrow. So this will be quite a feat of strength. It strongly reminds me of the 2000, which is only now beginning to become a great Médoc-Cru. Potential rating:

Deep purple-garnet, dense at the core, with a violet sheen at the rim. The bouquet shows a spicy, fairly profound Cabernet expression, with black peppercorns. On the palate it comes in with a serious grip, pronounced astringency and therefore plenty of demanding tannins, leading to a black-berry finish. It’s not a charmer and it has tannins for the day after tomorrow. So this will be quite a feat of strength. It strongly reminds me of the estate’s own 2000, which is starting today to become a great Médoc-Cru. Potential rating:

(50% Merlot, 46% Cabernet Sauvignon 4% Petit Verdot) Fresh, silky, elegant bouquet with plum, blackcurrant, tobacco, cedar and mint. An elegant, tightly knit, silky, classic palate with dense fruit, plenty of fine tannin, powerful dark aromatics, a compact, finely muscular structure, and a very long, fresh finish. 18/20 2024 - 2045

A wine with a dense, deep palate that’s also very easy to drink, with generous fruit. Very fine tannin quality.

Medium garnet red. A classic bouquet revealing notes of cedar and dark berries, with a hint of menthol. On the palate, the wine is inviting, juicy and well-balanced. It nicely combines finesse and breadth, and has tannins that provide support through the finish. A delicious, enjoyable wine that can be savored now, yet has the structure needed to spend a little time in the cellar.