The 2015 Siran has been uncorked and other musings.

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Sat Dec 29, 2018 12:12 am

Off on vacation tomorrow in South Florida, figured I'd finish off the year with a... 2015 Margaux....
I have about 9 bottles of this in the cellar, let's see if I want to pick up a few more on sale at $30 in NH.
Wouldn't be shocked if it is a little closed up at this point.
Although, the nose is in full bloom, oak and cedar and violets.
And wow what a spendid purple color.

Nicklasss · Post by **Nicklasss** » Sat Dec 29, 2018 12:20 am

I had a bottle last night. Great wine for the price.

The 2005 Chateau Batailley was no slouch either.

Nic

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Sat Dec 29, 2018 12:25 am

This wine is smoking from the get go, Nicola. How long do you think this will age?
It is thick and chewy, I love the Margaux bouquet.

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Sat Dec 29, 2018 1:07 am

Well it's been another good year, all in all.
The criminal law business is busy as ever.
We avoided disbarment for my lawyer client.
I've been able to focus my practice to almost exclusively criminal defense, which is a good thing.
Any year I get to travel to Paris not once but twice things must be going pretty well.
My life has not been changed at all by Donald Trump. (On the other hand, if I were a younger female or an immigrant I'd be somewhat concerned.)
But we are now living in a fascist state and if this continues it is going to catch up with us.
We won't be free anymore. What will this year bring? I still say he is going to be reelected.
Mueller will do his thing but Trump will just employ the powers of the U.S. presidency + Fox News and drown it all out.
He really CAN walk down Fifth Ave and shoot somebody without consequences. I truly believe that.
If anybody in the GOP stood up to him they would get a primary fight.

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Sat Dec 29, 2018 1:25 am

Well, we are in the final days of our mini-Trump embarassment of a governor, Paul LePage.
Eight long years of this douche.
If any of you have followed this cat over the past 8 years, he has been really something.
He's in the news again with a douche thing he just did today that's not even worth the 20 seconds of time required to repeat it here.
Good riddance, you little pathetic man. i had lunch with him last year. What a dink.
He got in with 38% of the vote in a freak victory 8 years ago, when the Democrat and an Independent split the rest of the ballot.
We've got a Hillary-Clinton-like Democrat in there now, the state attorney general Janet Mills, who I ran against for Congress back in '94.
As with Hillary, I held my nose and voted for her. She won pretty handily, even up here in Trump Country.
Hopefully this is a harbinger for 2020.

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Sat Dec 29, 2018 1:33 am

Man I LOVE this wine. I'm really hard-pressed to recall a $30 Bordeaux that has performed better.
Maybe those Poyferres and Duharts that we got for under $30 back in the day, but damned, in 2018, this is as good a value as you are gonna find out there.
I don't know, I don't want to go overboard, but I find this a really engaging young Margaux. I'm gonna buy another case in NH tomorrow, if they are still there.

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Sat Dec 29, 2018 1:36 am

Went over to Jeff Leve's site to see what he thinks about this:

Today, there is no better wine for the money from the Margaux appellation than the 2015 Chateau Siran.
Read more at:https://www.thewinecellarinsider.com/se ... au%20Siran

I cannot disagree.

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Sat Dec 29, 2018 1:39 am

Interesting grape breakdown:
Merlot 55%
Cabernet Sauvignon 38%
petit Verdot 7%

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Sat Dec 29, 2018 1:40 am

Jeff Leve's 93 point note about this $30 bottle of wine:

Silky textures, refined tannins and an elegant, fresh, juicy mouthful of earthy, ripe, sweet dark red fruits with nuances of tobacco, wet earth, cigar wrapper and a background note of licorice are a turn on. Give this about 7 years in the cellar and this should start to really show its character and complexities. Today, there is no better wine for the money from the Margaux appellation than the 2015 Chateau Siran. The wine was made from blending 55% Merlot, 38% Cabernet Sauvignon and 7% Petit Verdot.
Read more at:https://www.thewinecellarinsider.com/se ... au%20Siran

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Sat Dec 29, 2018 1:41 am

If you find it in the $30 range, I hereby order everyone to buy a case.

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Sat Dec 29, 2018 1:47 am

It has a bit of a rustic, tobacco, earthy component that combines with ripe red fruit and robust cedar that just seems to be so perfectly and delicately matched. Jeff Leve thinks this will drink well in about 7 years, I can see myself drinking a bottle per year over a 7-25 year period. Love it. I'm going to upgrade this to 95 points, especially when factoring in the price.

Blanquito · Post by **Blanquito** » Sat Dec 29, 2018 1:52 am

JimHow wrote:I'm really hard-pressed to recall a $30 Bordeaux that has performed better. Maybe those Poyferres and Duharts that we got for under $30 back in the day, but damned, in 2018, this is as good a value as you are gonna find out there.

I whole-heartedly concur, counselor. K&L has it for $32 still, and even though I have 8-9 bottles already, I am thinking of adding 5-6 more to fill out a case for shipping with some other stuff they’re holding for me.

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Sat Dec 29, 2018 2:29 am

Look, this is a table wine.
This is a wine to be consumed with a meal that stands up to it.
This is not a wine to drink in the loft while musing about the latest Netflix release.
Again, if you love Margaux -- and show me someone who doesn't -- a case of this at about $360 seems like a no-brainer.
It is a beauty! Is it Chateau Margaux? No. But it is also about 1/25th of the price.

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Sat Dec 29, 2018 3:50 am

In the end the wine becomes more earthy, rustic, it is a unique, charming little nuance about this wine.
Two thumbs up. Drink a bottle now, but wait at least another 7 years, as Leve says, before drinking the next.
It'll be interesting to see how this evolves over the years.
Rating: 95 points.

Chateau Vin · Post by **Chateau Vin** » Sat Dec 29, 2018 3:58 am

Nicklasss wrote:I had a bottle last night. Great wine for the price.

The 2005 Chateau Batailley was no slouch either.

Nic

You mean to say, Nic, that this 05 Batailley is waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay better than that legendary "boring 93 Batailley"?

Blanquito · Post by **Blanquito** » Sat Dec 29, 2018 4:02 pm

The worst thing I can say about the 2015 Siran is that Jeff Leve is so high on it.

Or maybe that’s the best thing I can say about it, that the Siran can appeal to both the Jeff Leves and AFWEs of the world.

AKR · Post by **AKR** » Sat Dec 29, 2018 8:28 pm

Heady praise indeed for this Cindarella story

DavidG · Post by **DavidG** » Sat Dec 29, 2018 8:34 pm

tiesface · Post by **tiesface** » Wed Jan 02, 2019 11:42 pm

Grabbed 2 cases from Saratoga for ~$29 a few months ago!! Good stuff

robert goulet · Post by **robert goulet** » Thu Jan 03, 2019 2:09 am

Be warned Bobby has one of these open as I speak..not me..happy 2016!

OrlandoRobert · Post by **OrlandoRobert** » Thu Jan 03, 2019 2:10 am

I’ll reserve judgment until tomorrow, this thing is so smack in my face with raw, primary fruit, structure and tannins. Will see if it settles down overnight. You boys are Masochists!

So I have a confession to make. Marx and I can get a little Gangsta down in Orlando. Right now I’m playing Sir Mix-a-Lot. Been enjoying a wonderful, classic, honest bottle of 2001 Chateau Coufran, a lovely little thing of 89 points of yummy. Down to my last half glass, and I accidentally intentionally mixed it with the Siran, and it’s delish. Toned down the brashness of the Siran’s structure and primary fruit, adding more warm merlot roundness and forest floor.

This is a modern version of the Siran that captivated me years ago. Perhaps it’s because it was my first time. Siran was the first Chateau in Bordeaux that I ever visited. Perhaps Sade said it best, but looking forward to day two.

robert goulet · Post by **robert goulet** » Thu Jan 03, 2019 2:13 am

Chug-Life

robert goulet · Post by **robert goulet** » Thu Jan 03, 2019 2:16 am

OrlandoRobert wrote: So I have a confession to make. Marx and I can get a little Gangsta down in Orlando. Right now I’m playing Sir Mix-a-Lot. Been enjoying a wonderful, classic, honest bottle of 2001 Chateau Coufran, a lovely little thing of 89 points of yummy. Down to my last half glass, and I accidentally intentionally mixed it with the Siran, and it’s delish. Toned down the brashness of the Siran’s structure and primary fruit, adding more warm merlot roundness and forest floor.

Siran Siran
The Wild boys
WILD BOYS!

OrlandoRobert · Post by **OrlandoRobert** » Thu Jan 03, 2019 2:26 am

Que Sera Siran!

Blanquito · Post by **Blanquito** » Thu Jan 03, 2019 2:41 am

Well done, taking one for the team. Off to an ominous start though.

I tried a second bottle a few nights ago and it wasn’t as charming as last spring. I still liked it, but it drank more disjointed with the big fruit and the ample structure doing their own thing. Improved with air. I’ll bury the rest for at least 5 years.

Jay Winton · Post by **Jay Winton** » Thu Jan 03, 2019 6:58 pm

I was in the DC Costco today and the Siran was all gone. Oh well, picked up another bottle of their 20 Year Speyside scotch matured in sherry casks. Great deal at $56.

robert goulet · Post by **robert goulet** » Thu Jan 03, 2019 7:13 pm

The power of the BWE!

OrlandoRobert · Post by **OrlandoRobert** » Fri Jan 04, 2019 1:22 am

Ok boys, please don’t flog me for offering a counter-point to the master, but as a lawyer, he is used to opposition and point/counter-point. I don’t like this wine. At least not now. Who knows later. This wine shows too much heat and wood spice for my snowflake palate, and has an off-putting, dry wood astringency on the finish. I’m putting it aside to try again tomorrow.

robert goulet · Post by **robert goulet** » Fri Jan 04, 2019 1:24 am

The importer is Home Depot

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Fri Jan 04, 2019 1:31 am

We welcome dissent here Orlando!
The 2015 style is not my favorite, but I find the wines of Margaux to be in a good spot.
Can't wait to try those 2016....

Blanquito · Post by **Blanquito** » Fri Jan 04, 2019 3:22 am

Thanks for sharing, Roberto. Dissent is always worthy/interesting.

As a frame of reference, have you had much in the way of 2015 northern Rhônes that you’ve liked? One that comes to mind is the Faury VV 2015, which I am quite high on, but requires a certain JimHow toughness to really grok now.

Likewise, have you had any 2015 red Bordeaux so far that you’ve liked? Given the general alignment of our palates, I am genuinely curious (i.e. this isn’t a series of questions meant to undermine your credibility, knowledge nor character).

2015 is a B-I-G year across France it seems, which is a good thing for my palate in places like Chinon and Cote de Brouilly.

robert goulet · Post by **robert goulet** » Fri Jan 04, 2019 7:50 am

Blanquito wrote:Thanks for sharing, Roberto. Dissent is always worthy/interesting.

As a frame of reference, have you had much in the way of 2015 northern Rhônes that you’ve liked? One that comes to mind is the Faury VV 2015, which I am quite high on, but requires a certain JimHow toughness to really grok now.

Likewise, have you had any 2015 red Bordeaux so far that you’ve liked? Given the general alignment of our palates, I am genuinely curious (i.e. this isn’t a series of questions meant to undermine your credibility, knowledge nor character).

2015 is a B-I-G year across France it seems, which is a good thing for my palate in places like Chinon and Cote de Brouilly.

I have actually enjoyed '14 chinon more than '15 at this point...nust as Bobby luvs '14 bordeaux...'14 chinon comes off as much more of a classic style

OrlandoRobert · Post by **OrlandoRobert** » Fri Jan 04, 2019 12:28 pm

Blanquito wrote:Thanks for sharing, Roberto. Dissent is always worthy/interesting.

As a frame of reference, have you had much in the way of 2015 northern Rhônes that you’ve liked? One that comes to mind is the Faury VV 2015, which I am quite high on, but requires a certain JimHow toughness to really grok now.

Likewise, have you had any 2015 red Bordeaux so far that you’ve liked? Given the general alignment of our palates, I am genuinely curious (i.e. this isn’t a series of questions meant to undermine your credibility, knowledge nor character).

2015 is a B-I-G year across France it seems, which is a good thing for my palate in places like Chinon and Cote de Brouilly.

You probably suspect my responses from our discussions on WB.com, but I'll lay out my thoughts here.

Yes, 2015 appears to be a "big" year across France, which is my wine country of choice. What makes France so compelling, is the diversity of wine and terroir. A ripe year may produce blowsy wines in one region, and amazing wines in yet another. I think 2015, while not 2003, is a year for palates like mine to pick with some precision.

I have not had that many 2015 Bordeaux. That did not start out as a vintage preference, but more of the realization that at 53, and liking Bordeaux with 20+ years on them, I really need to stop with new releases and just backfill appropriately. I also bet, and won in a big way, on 2014. The 2014 Bordeaux vintage is my wheelhouse. I bought quite a bit, more than any other vintage since 2005. And qualitatively, I would rank it today second behind 2005 only as the best vintage since 2000. My big wins were Lalande, Sociando, GPL, Lanessan. I bought about 15 or so wines in futures, but these four stood out as worthy of yet more purchases. In fact, I have reloaded on Sociando and Lanessan 3 times now. Drink the 2014 and 2015 Lanessan side by side, and tell me what you think. I did not buy any more of the 2015 after trying it, and then reloaded again on 2014, at a Total Wine discount of $18 per. A stupid stupid value that I will now being enjoying for a long time, sorta like I have the 2009 Lanessan. And while I like wines with age on them, both vintages of Lanessan are killer in their youth, too. If I had more storage, I'd go 3 cases deep on each.

Like you, I think 2015 Chinon and Beaujolais, while some purists say too ripe, sing like crazy. The 2014 vintage in Chinon produced a more classicly structured Cab Franc, and I went deep in that vintage, but then after trying some Baudry 2015, I reloaded with focus on 2015 Chinon. Some really sexy wines. The Baudry Guillot is amazing. I also think 2014 produced excellent, and classic Beaujolais, but again, some real sexy ones were produced in 2015. The 2015 Thivin is stunning. But then again, when is Thivin not stunning? Actually, let me make a provocative statement: Is there ever a vintage in Chinon or Beaujolais that is too ripe? I generalize, of course, but hard for them to get too ripe, IMHO. I was not a fan of 2003.

I went way deep - broad and deep - in 2015 Northern Rhone. I definitely bought into some hype, plus the run on the market, and making sure that I locked down the unicorns like Juge, Gonon, Benetiere, etc. I've popped quite a few of these Rhones, and like most of them very much, but let's not kid ourselves, these wines are dense, structured and ripe. I personally think 2010 and 2013 are better in this most recent string of strong vintages, and 2016 could be more my style as well. What I like about these artisanal Rhones - compared to Rollandized Bordeaux - is that they seem to express vintage variations far better, creating far more interest for those of us that buy select wines in most years. Incidentally, I am really enjoying the 2011 vintage and have since day one - great transparency, rocks over fruit.

Sorry for the long write!

Nicklasss · Post by **Nicklasss** » Fri Jan 04, 2019 3:45 pm

Different point of vue + respect = a better World.

I hear you OrlandoBobby. As much as i like the 2015 I had to now, you're right they are ripe, primary, packed with fruit, with good oak but not overwhelming the fruit. On the other hand, they already have good definition, complexity and taste where they are coming from (Margaux smell and taste like Margaux, Pauillac like Pauillac, Pessac like Pessac...). This is why i like them and is very positive about their future. The 2015 Pichon Lalande is so long, fruity but also loaded with graphite...

Nicklasss · Post by **Nicklasss** » Fri Jan 04, 2019 3:45 pm

But in the holiday time, i just loved the 2004 Léoville Las Cases, making me thinking i should have bought more 2014 or 2008.

Nic

robert goulet · Post by **robert goulet** » Fri Jan 04, 2019 4:00 pm

OrlandoRobert wrote:
Blanquito wrote:Thanks for sharing, Roberto. Dissent is always worthy/interesting.

As a frame of reference, have you had much in the way of 2015 northern Rhônes that you’ve liked? One that comes to mind is the Faury VV 2015, which I am quite high on, but requires a certain JimHow toughness to really grok now.

Likewise, have you had any 2015 red Bordeaux so far that you’ve liked? Given the general alignment of our palates, I am genuinely curious (i.e. this isn’t a series of questions meant to undermine your credibility, knowledge nor character).

2015 is a B-I-G year across France it seems, which is a good thing for my palate in places like Chinon and Cote de Brouilly.
You probably suspect my responses from our discussions on WB.com, but I'll lay out my thoughts here.

Yes, 2015 appears to be a "big" year across France, which is my wine country of choice. What makes France so compelling, is the diversity of wine and terroir. A ripe year may produce blowsy wines in one region, and amazing wines in yet another. I think 2015, while not 2003, is a year for palates like mine to pick with some precision.

I have not had that many 2015 Bordeaux. That did not start out as a vintage preference, but more of the realization that at 53, and liking Bordeaux with 20+ years on them, I really need to stop with new releases and just backfill appropriately. I also bet, and won in a big way, on 2014. The 2014 Bordeaux vintage is my wheelhouse. I bought quite a bit, more than any other vintage since 2005. And qualitatively, I would rank it today second behind 2005 only as the best vintage since 2000. My big wins were Lalande, Sociando, GPL, Lanessan. I bought about 15 or so wines in futures, but these four stood out as worthy of yet more purchases. In fact, I have reloaded on Sociando and Lanessan 3 times now. Drink the 2014 and 2015 Lanessan side by side, and tell me what you think. I did not buy any more of the 2015 after trying it, and then reloaded again on 2014, at a Total Wine discount of $18 per. A stupid stupid value that I will now being enjoying for a long time, sorta like I have the 2009 Lanessan. And while I like wines with age on them, both vintages of Lanessan are killer in their youth, too. If I had more storage, I'd go 3 cases deep on each.

Like you, I think 2015 Chinon and Beaujolais, while some purists say too ripe, sing like crazy. The 2014 vintage in Chinon produced a more classicly structured Cab Franc, and I went deep in that vintage, but then after trying some Baudry 2015, I reloaded with focus on 2015 Chinon. Some really sexy wines. The Baudry Guillot is amazing. I also think 2014 produced excellent, and classic Beaujolais, but again, some real sexy ones were produced in 2015. The 2015 Thivin is stunning. But then again, when is Thivin not stunning? Actually, let me make a provocative statement: Is there ever a vintage in Chinon or Beaujolais that is too ripe? I generalize, of course, but hard for them to get too ripe, IMHO. I was not a fan of 2003.

I went way deep - broad and deep - in 2015 Northern Rhone. I definitely bought into some hype, plus the run on the market, and making sure that I locked down the unicorns like Juge, Gonon, Benetiere, etc. I've popped quite a few of these Rhones, and like most of them very much, but let's not kid ourselves, these wines are dense, structured and ripe. I personally think 2010 and 2013 are better in this most recent string of strong vintages, and 2016 could be more my style as well. What I like about these artisanal Rhones - compared to Rollandized Bordeaux - is that they seem to express vintage variations far better, creating far more interest for those of us that buy select wines in most years. Incidentally, I am really enjoying the 2011 vintage and have since day one - great transparency, rocks over fruit.

Sorry for the long write!

Rocks over fruit all day brother....like I have said in the past when they discuss these vintages of tbe century they talk about the perfect fruit.. fruit fruit fruit..fruit this fruit that....i do not drink fuqn bordeaux for the fruit(well except for maybe margaux, I'll get to that)..No I drink for the earth...the leather..the graphite..the tobacco...the loam...the rocks....the minerality...if I want to drink fuqn fruit and oak Ill go to Napa....ok, coming back to my earlier statement...if its for the fruit with bordeaux then for me its for those marguax-berries...unfortunately I do not find them enough..oh my those captivating velvety little black raspberries...Heaven...just Heaven

Blanquito · Post by **Blanquito** » Sat Jan 05, 2019 3:36 am

Great posts, Bobby^2. So much to unpack...
Is the northern Rhône less Rollandized than Bordeaux overall (I agree that it is)?...
Is 2014 a “better” vintage than 2015 in Bordeaux (it seems to be at least when price is factored in. I haven’t had many 2014 Bordeaux but what I’ve tried I’ve enjoyed very much. I need to try a Sociando and Lanessan)? Many wise Bordeaux drinkers have long repeated the (generally) sage advice to buy the modernist chateau in lighter years and the classical producers in the big years...
Fruit vs. rocks (can one have both?)?...
Is the 2015 Siran “hot” (I don’t get any heat on it, but it is lifted and shows some menthol notes, so maybe that’s it. It is the 2009 in the vintage in Bordeaux where I’ve found the most heat, especially on the finish, far more even than other hot years like 2003. The Siran has lots of dark fruit and has some borderline heaviness, but it has good acids and it eschews my personal pitfalls of obvious new oak and glossy tannins— rather, it’s a bit rough around the edges which I like and I didn’t get any real wood signature)...

It has taken me a long time to come around to Chinon and Beaujolais, but I think the 2015 vintage sealed the deal for my palate. I’ve struggled to see the charm in these regions sometimes, but a recent bottle of the 2015 Baumard domaine was so terrific, followed by a 2015 Thivin that was even better (and an absolutely stellar bottle of the 1990 Picasses not long ago as well, though I’ve not liked that wine when I’ve tried more recent vintages... maybe it needs lots of cellar time). I’ve not tried any 2014 Chinon, I will look to change that.

I’ve always loved the northern Rhone though, but I am less sensitive to producer there then some as I have thoroughly enjoyed many wines from Chapoutier (who seems to get booed a lot over on WB) over the years up through the 2005 vintage (and I think there are few varietals worse suited to new oak than Syrah). I’ve also enjoyed many Guigal bottlings, but they use too much oak sometimes and I think they’vd gone even more rogue since 2005. Overall, I think I will like the 2015 northern Rhônes, but man did the prices shoot up. I’d rather look for some 2013s, like the wonderful Levets (that producer is fast becoming a fav), and I’ll try to get some 2016s before they escalate. Man is the 2015 Faury VV serious stuff. It was served blind a recent tasting and it was almost garish in that context, someone guess Shiraz! But I am still a believer than 10 years will work wonders on it.

AKR · Post by **AKR** » Sat Jan 05, 2019 11:37 pm

I wouldn't 'worry' about the 15 Faury's -- whatever the bottling is -- and just be patient.

Didn't get any rarities or go deep like OrlandoBobby in 2015 No.Rhones, but have a good spectrum across the board. I like Chapoutier and Guigal (boo hiss on the WB board!) but still have not seen their smaller Crozes get released. I quite liked the 03 Guigal C-H and wanted a few of the 15's figuring they would similar. And I've never really understood the distribution strategy for Chapoutier's wines, on release. Or perhaps more realistically, I'm not important enough to get the email offers as/if/when they happen.

Even though the internet, winesearcher etc. have made it easier to find wines, I still think its much harder to find Rhones later on, compared to BDX, so I'd rather spend the 'space' on them. On that note I had a lovely, mineral driven 2009 St. Joe the other day -- Durand's "Lauraret" bottling. Not overly traditional, not too modern. The region seems to be making wines that can keep a little longer now.

marcs · Post by **marcs** » Sun Jan 06, 2019 3:46 pm

OrlandoRobert wrote:I’ll reserve judgment until tomorrow, this thing is so smack in my face with raw, primary fruit, structure and tannins. Will see if it settles down overnight. You boys are Masochists!

I'm with Orlando Bobby on this one (I think I even predicted on another thread that the Siran would be too in-your-face for him). Be warned Bobby, there are many on BWE who talk AFWE but drink like Jeff Leve.

In general I've found 2015 to be a super fruity year that has not calmed down yet, and when I had a Siran I found it to be particularly rambunctious and somewhat unbalanced on the finish compared to other 2015s. Good value but only if you love your fruit.

I followed the hype and bought a mixed case of 2015 Margauxs (three each of Giscours, Malescot, Brane Cantenac, d'Issan, and Siran...guess that's a bit over a mixed case). But based on trying one each of Giscours and Siran I am going to let all the rest sleep for a decade or so.

OrlandoRobert · Post by **OrlandoRobert** » Sun Jan 06, 2019 4:20 pm

Blanquito wrote:Great posts, Bobby^2. So much to unpack...
Is the northern Rhône less Rollandized than Bordeaux overall (I agree that it is)?...
Is 2014 a “better” vintage than 2015 in Bordeaux (it seems to be at least when price is factored in. I haven’t had many 2014 Bordeaux but what I’ve tried I’ve enjoyed very much. I need to try a Sociando and Lanessan)? Many wise Bordeaux drinkers have long repeated the (generally) sage advice to buy the modernist chateau in lighter years and the classical producers in the big years...
Fruit vs. rocks (can one have both?)?...
Is the 2015 Siran “hot” (I don’t get any heat on it, but it is lifted and shows some menthol notes, so maybe that’s it. It is the 2009 in the vintage in Bordeaux where I’ve found the most heat, especially on the finish, far more even than other hot years like 2003. The Siran has lots of dark fruit and has some borderline heaviness, but it has good acids and it eschews my personal pitfalls of obvious new oak and glossy tannins— rather, it’s a bit rough around the edges which I like and I didn’t get any real wood signature)...

It has taken me a long time to come around to Chinon and Beaujolais, but I think the 2015 vintage sealed the deal for my palate. I’ve struggled to see the charm in these regions sometimes, but a recent bottle of the 2015 Baumard domaine was so terrific, followed by a 2015 Thivin that was even better (and an absolutely stellar bottle of the 1990 Picasses not long ago as well, though I’ve not liked that wine when I’ve tried more recent vintages... maybe it needs lots of cellar time). I’ve not tried any 2014 Chinon, I will look to change that.

I’ve always loved the northern Rhone though, but I am less sensitive to producer there then some as I have thoroughly enjoyed many wines from Chapoutier (who seems to get booed a lot over on WB) over the years up through the 2005 vintage (and I think there are few varietals worse suited to new oak than Syrah). I’ve also enjoyed many Guigal bottlings, but they use too much oak sometimes and I think they’vd gone even more rogue since 2005. Overall, I think I will like the 2015 northern Rhônes, but man did the prices shoot up. I’d rather look for some 2013s, like the wonderful Levets (that producer is fast becoming a fav), and I’ll try to get some 2016s before they escalate. Man is the 2015 Faury VV serious stuff. It was served blind a recent tasting and it was almost garish in that context, someone guess Shiraz! But I am still a believer than 10 years will work wonders on it.

I don't think Northern Rhone has been impacted by the (terrible) influence of Rolland/Bouard/Derenoncourt for Bordeaux and Cambie in Southern Rhone. Most of the great, artisanal Northern Rhone remain true and honest. I mean, could you imagine Levet or Allemand going to the dark side like such esteemed, and historical houses like Figeac and Conseillante? It's unthinkable, really, and still baffles me that those Chateaux would do that. Guigal and Chapoutier are a different animal and style, just not for me.

The 2015 vintage in Northern Rhone is one of the ripest that I have seen. I bought deeply, but producers like Levet that, to be candid, can handle a little bit more fruit at times. I have not tried Faury, Gilles, Jaboulet, Balthazar, et al, but have them in my lockers. I think they need time to settle down, as well. Gonon is killer in 2015, not then again, it is killer in 2016, 2013, 2011 and 2010 as well. The Gonon Iles Feray is a knock-out in 2016. I think 2016 shows better for my palate.