Saint Emilion Grand Cru Classe 2015 Tasting

Talking to Emmanuel de Saint Salvy from Chateau Bellefont-Belcier, Saint Emilion Grand Cru Classé

What can we expect from the 2015 vintage in St Emilion

2015 is a very interesting vintage because at the same time we have a very full bodied vintage but with a lot of fruit we can drink it today. It is a really fruity and good balanced vintage. 2015 was a very dry vintage but the water [rain] arrived at the good moments. We had a cool August with cold nights that maintained the freshness and gave us fruit, balance, minerality and acidity in the wine. This is very important to balance between the sun at the beginning of the year and the cold at the end.

2015 will be a very special vintage, we are sure of this!

How does 2015 compare to the recent top vintages of 2005 or 2009

Often it is very difficult to say it exactly like this one or compared to that one but I think the 2015, for the Grand Cru Class of St Emilion, for me it is 2010 plus because it is a full bodied vintage and we have really really great fruit and really very great balance so for me it is 2010 plus!

Can you tell us the best time for drinking these fine wines

Each wine you can drink in so many different times and you can like a different type of wine… you can drink the same wine very young, [when] medium [aged] or very late. Some vintages you can drink more quickly than the others.

What is your personal favourite vintage for enjoying right now

My personal is the last one, 2015… sure, I think for me it is the greatest vintage weve had for 20 years. But that is very personal to my chateau because we progress, we plant and replant, so at one moment the vintage arrives with a lot of work and all this together can make the best wine as possible.

Tasting notes:

Chateau Bellefont-Belcier, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru Class, 2009

Lovely almost translucent ruby colour. Ripe plum and cherry, coffee and old leather aromas. Quite delicate and elegant with lovely length.

Chateau Bellefont-Belcier, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru Class, 2015

Darker than the 09 with attractive perfume of herbs, thyme, lavender. Oily mouthfeel, gorgeous balance of fruit, acidity and smooth tannic grip contributing to an overall seductive power.

Видео Saint Emilion Grand Cru Classe 2015 Tasting канала Secret Sommelier - Video Wine Series