Bordeaux 2015: Neal Martin's final notes
Neal Martin left at the beginning of the year Wine Advocate to join the team of Vinous also composed of former members of Robert Parker's team. Before his departure, he submitted his final report on the 2015 Bordeaux wines. Unfortunately, no longer being part of Parker's team, his ratings will not be the official ratings of The Wine Advocate; they will be those of editor-in-chief Lisa Perotti.Brown which will be indicated on Robert Parker's official website and therefore under the mention Parker / WA on our site.
Neal Martin's notes, however, serve as a benchmark because they allow us to see how his ratings have evolved between the En Primeur tasting and the bottled wines. Furthermore, Vinous is gaining traction, so it's important to follow Neal Martin's opinion.
Neal Martin gives castles a 100. Haut-Brion And Canon !
For Neal Martin, it's undeniable: 2015 is the best vintage in Bordeaux since 2010. However, the vintage isn't as consistent as 2009 or 2010. He also hints that the 2016 vintage holds some pleasant surprises...
In this great 2015 vintage, two châteaux received a perfect score of 100: Château Haut-Brion in Pessac-Léognan and Château Canon In Saint-Émilion, the wines are generally magnificent, marked by remarkable aromatic intensity, exceptionally fine tannins, and a well-represented expression of terroir. These wines will be delicious throughout their long lives thanks to perfect balance, lovely freshness, and a structure that allows for extended cellaring to bring out their full potential.
Neal Martin highlights the appellations Margaux And Saint-Julien in the Médoc region. Château Margaux scores 99/100 with its collector's bottle, Homage to Paul Pontalier. Pessac-Léognan offers some real gems, including, of course, the Château Haut-Brion 2015! It would seem that it will come out on top among the Premiers Crus Classés for this vintage!
As far as the Right Bank is concerned, the big winner of the Saint-Emilion appellation is the Château Canon After two or even three tastings, the score was a perfect 100! In Pomerol, these are the châteaux... Lafleur, The Church Clinet, Hosanna, Petrus or even Vieux Château Certan. He deservedly earned a score of 99/100!
Top 10 Neal Martin Notes
| Château | In Brief | Notes from 28/02/2018 | Parker Official Notes |
| Canon | 98-100 | 100 | 96 |
| Haut-Brion | 98-100 | 100 | 100 |
| Lafleur | 97-99 | 99 | - |
| Margaux | 98-100 | 99 | 99 |
| Vieux Château Certan | 98-100 | 99 | - |
| Petrus | 98-100 | 98+ | 100 |
| Cheval Blanc | 97-99 | 98 | 100 |
| Figeac | 97-99 | 98 | 97+ |
| Mission Haut Brion | 97-99 | 98 | 98 |
| Mouton-Rothschild | 97-99 | 98 | 98 |
Best improvements in En Primeur ratings - Bottles
| Château | In Brief | Notes from 28/02/2018 |
| Saint Peter | 91-93 | 94 |
| Lagrange | 90-92 | 93 |
| Armailhac | 89-91 | 92 |
| High Bages Liberal | 88-90 | 91 |
| Lagoon | 88-90 | 91 |
| Langoa Barton | 88-90 | 91 |
It's always interesting to observe wines that receive a final score outside the En Primeur range. They often hold pleasant surprises, and prices sometimes rise unexpectedly.
Neal Martin's notes on the 2015 Bordeaux will not be officially published on the Wine Advocate website and will only appear as an article. It will be interesting to follow Wine Advocate's evolution in the future. Robert Parker was known for his impact on château prices. Will we continue to see this trend?
We will also be closely monitoring developments in Neal MartinAt Vinous, two leading critics will be publishing reviews of Bordeaux. Antonio Galloni, founder of Vinous, and Neal Martin will each contribute a separate report on this beautiful region. What will Vinous's ratings be like? Won't having two internationally renowned critics covering the same region create a risk of duplication? Stay tuned!