2015
A warm and mostly generous year — 2015 produced bold, structured wines in many regions, especially strong for reds with aging potential.
🗓️ Historic Moments
🌍 Paris Climate Agreement signed by 196 countries
📱 Apple launches the first Apple Watch
🎤 Adele releases “Hello,” breaking YouTube records
📈 Global markets roil after China’s stock market crash
💒 U.S. Supreme Court legalizes same-sex marriage nationwide
🛢️ Oil prices drop below $40/barrel, triggering energy layoffs
🚀 SpaceX lands a reusable rocket booster for the first time
🇫🇷 Bordeaux (2015)
🌡️ Temperature Summary: Maritime | 75–85°F (24–29°C) avg daytime highs
Weather Summary: Warm, dry, and sunny — ideal flowering and steady ripening
Challenges/Highlights: Drought stress in July, but cooler nights in August preserved balance
Harvest Window: Mid-September to early October
Reception & Scores: Widely praised; Left Bank powerful, Right Bank opulent and plush
Aging Potential: High for top châteaux; structured and cellar-worthy reds
🇫🇷 Burgundy (2015)
🌡️ Temperature Summary: Continental | 75–90°F (24–32°C) avg daytime highs
Weather Summary: Hot and dry with low yields and early harvest
Challenges/Highlights: Sunstroke and drought; small berries = concentration
Harvest Window: Late August to early September
Reception & Scores: Excellent vintage for reds; whites ripe but less vibrant
Aging Potential: Red Burgundies built to age, with muscle and depth
🇫🇷 Rhône Valley (2015)
🌡️ Temperature Summary: Mediterranean | 80–95°F (27–35°C) avg daytime highs
Weather Summary: Hot, dry growing season with perfect harvest conditions
Challenges/Highlights: Northern Rhône excelled with structured Syrah; South saw richness
Harvest Window: Early to mid-September
Reception & Scores: Northern Rhône a standout; Côte-Rôtie and Hermitage praised
Aging Potential: Long-lived for top reds, especially from northern sites
🇫🇷 Champagne (2015)
🌡️ Temperature Summary: Cool Continental | 68–78°F (20–26°C) avg daytime highs
Weather Summary: Warm and dry, but drought affected yields
Challenges/Highlights: Rain at harvest required careful sorting; Chardonnay strongest
Harvest Window: Early to mid-September
Reception & Scores: Variable; some houses skipped vintage bottling
Aging Potential: Limited vintage releases; best are precise but not long-term stars
🇮🇹 Piedmont (2015)
🌡️ Temperature Summary: Continental | 75–88°F (24–31°C) avg daytime highs
Weather Summary: Hot summer balanced by cooler harvest nights
Challenges/Highlights: Water stress in June–July; August rains helped vines recover
Harvest Window: Mid-September to early October
Reception & Scores: Strong for Barolo and Barbaresco; ripe, modern style
Aging Potential: Medium to long; generous tannin and fruit support development
🇮🇹 Tuscany (2015)
🌡️ Temperature Summary: Mediterranean | 80–92°F (27–33°C) avg daytime highs
Weather Summary: Warm and balanced year with excellent phenolic ripeness
Challenges/Highlights: One of the best of the decade for Sangiovese
Harvest Window: Late September to early October
Reception & Scores: Super Tuscans and Chianti Classico widely celebrated
Aging Potential: Excellent; ripe yet structured reds with 15–25+ year potential
🇪🇸 Rioja & Ribera del Duero (2015)
🌡️ Temperature Summary: Continental | 80–95°F (27–35°C) avg daytime highs
Weather Summary: Classic warm vintage across much of Spain
Challenges/Highlights: Ribera saw low yields; Rioja’s balance better preserved
Harvest Window: Late September to mid-October
Reception & Scores: Modern, fruit-driven style with aging ability
Aging Potential: Medium to long; polished and concentrated wines
🇩🇪 Mosel (2015)
🌡️ Temperature Summary: Cool Continental | 70–80°F (21–27°C) avg daytime highs
Weather Summary: Warm and dry, with perfect conditions for late-ripening Riesling
Challenges/Highlights: Considered one of the great Riesling vintages
Harvest Window: October through early November
Reception & Scores: Brilliant acidity and fruit purity; high acclaim
Aging Potential: Very long; high-acid, sugar-balanced wines built for decades
🇺🇸 Napa Valley (2015)
🌡️ Temperature Summary: Mediterranean | 85–100°F (29–38°C) avg daytime highs
Weather Summary: Drought year with early budbreak and low yields
Challenges/Highlights: Shatter reduced crop size; concentration was exceptional
Harvest Window: August to early September
Reception & Scores: Small but mighty vintage; highly rated
Aging Potential: High; density and structure for long-term cellaring
🇺🇸 Sonoma (2015)
🌡️ Temperature Summary: Maritime | 75–90°F (24–32°C) avg daytime highs
Weather Summary: Early season with cool nights and drought conditions
Challenges/Highlights: Quality over quantity; Pinot and Chard shined
Harvest Window: Mid-August to mid-September
Reception & Scores: Excellent wines, especially from cooler sites
Aging Potential: Moderate to long for reds; whites bright and age-worthy
🇺🇸 Willamette Valley (2015)
🌡️ Temperature Summary: Maritime | 80–95°F (27–35°C) avg daytime highs
Weather Summary: Record heat and dry weather led to the earliest harvest ever
Challenges/Highlights: High sugar levels but preserved acidity in good hands
Harvest Window: Late August to mid-September
Reception & Scores: Rich, ripe Pinots with bold fruit and surprising balance
Aging Potential: Medium; fruit-forward but some have structure for aging
🇺🇸 Washington State (2015)
🌡️ Temperature Summary: Hot Continental | 85–100°F (29–38°C) avg daytime highs
Weather Summary: One of the hottest years on record
Challenges/Highlights: Early harvest, sun stress; best results from experienced winemakers
Harvest Window: Mid-August to early September
Reception & Scores: Structured, powerful reds; high marks for Syrah and Cab
Aging Potential: Long; dense, age-worthy wines with bold character
🇦🇺 Barossa Valley & Margaret River (2015)
🌡️ Temperature Summary: Barossa ⎯ Mediterranean | 90–100°F (32–38°C) avg daytime highs
🌡️ Temperature Summary: Margaret River ⎯ Mediterranean | 75–85°F (24–29°C) avg daytime highs
Weather Summary: Warm but stable vintage in both regions
Challenges/Highlights: Barossa saw early harvest; Margaret River cool and even
Harvest Window: February to March
Reception & Scores: Barossa bold and spicy; Margaret River elegant and refined
Aging Potential: Barossa long-lived; Margaret River shows finesse and aging promise
🇿🇦 South Africa (2015)
🌡️ Temperature Summary: Mediterranean | 80–95°F (27–35°C) avg daytime highs
Weather Summary: Dry and warm — near perfect in many areas
Challenges/Highlights: Low disease pressure; quality was uniformly high
Harvest Window: February to March
Reception & Scores: One of the best vintages in decades
Aging Potential: High; age-worthy reds and complex Chenin Blancs
🇦🇷 Argentina - Mendoza (2015)
🌡️ Temperature Summary: Continental | 80–95°F (27–35°C) avg daytime highs
Weather Summary: Wet summer followed by cooler-than-average conditions
Challenges/Highlights: Mildew and rot risks; high-elevation vineyards fared better
Harvest Window: March to early April
Reception & Scores: Mixed; top sites produced elegant, lower-alcohol wines
Aging Potential: Moderate; depends on site and producer
🇨🇱 Chile - Maipo Valley & Casablanca (2015)
🌡️ Temperature Summary: Maipo ⎯ Mediterranean | 85–95°F (29–35°C) avg daytime highs
🌡️ Temperature Summary: Casablanca ⎯ Cool Coastal | 70–80°F (21–27°C) avg daytime highs
Weather Summary: Dry and stable with even ripening
Challenges/Highlights: Classic conditions in Maipo; Casablanca whites retained freshness
Harvest Window: March
Reception & Scores: Strong vintage for structured reds and crisp whites
Aging Potential: Moderate to long; classic profiles with balance
