2015 Tuscany Vintage

After the relentlessly cool and rainy 2014, the 2015 growing season offered welcome relief across Tuscany. The winter was wet and cold, building strong soil moisture reserves. Spring was regular without excessive rain or heat, promoting healthy flowering and fruit set. From late June onward, a hot, dry summer set in, bringing some hydric stress in susceptible sites on tufa-based soils. Critically, there was appreciated rainfall in August that refreshed the vines, followed by a warm, largely stable September and October that allowed slow, complete phenolic ripening. Cooler nights throughout the summer helped preserve aromatic freshness in the Sangiovese, and harvest timing became the key decision for producers seeking to balance rising sugars against phenolic maturation.

• Wet winter and regular spring built soil reserves and supported healthy flowering
• Hot, dry summer from late June created concentration but required careful canopy management
• Beneficial August rainfall refreshed vines before the crucial ripening window
• Warm September and October delivered ripe, healthy fruit at harvest

Brunello di Montalcino was the undisputed star of the vintage, with critics describing a combination of vivid fruit, seamless tannins, and impressive freshness that set a new benchmark for the appellation. James Suckling called 2015 a fairy-tale vintage and a historical year for Brunello. Chianti Classico also excelled: Wine Spectator's Bruce Sanderson declared it the best vintage since 1997, and Fontodi owner Giovanni Manetti described the harvest as perfection. Higher-altitude Chianti Classico sites at 500 to 600 metres above sea level showed superior freshness and balance over lower-elevation parcels, where the hot summer reduced acidity. Vino Nobile di Montepulciano received five stars from its Consorzio, with leading producers expressing strong excitement about the quality achieved.

• Brunello di Montalcino: Exceptional, with density, tannin, and freshness in rare combination
• Chianti Classico: Outstanding, best since 1997 according to Wine Spectator; altitude was decisive
• Vino Nobile di Montepulciano: Five-star rating from the Consorzio, among the best in a decade
• Super Tuscans and IGT wines also performed at a very high level across the region

Siro Pacenti Brunello di Montalcino Vecchie Vigne 2015 was named James Suckling's Wine of the Year for 2019, scoring a perfect 100 points. Eredi Fuligni Brunello di Montalcino 2015 and Giodo (Carlo Ferrini) Brunello 2015 also received 100 points from Suckling, with Fuligni's Roberto Guerrini describing the vintage as one of density, tannins, and freshness. In total, James Suckling awarded 11 perfect scores across 187 Brunellos tasted, an unprecedented number. In Chianti Classico, Castello di Ama's Vigneto Bellavista Gran Selezione 2015 received 99 points from Suckling. Masseto Toscana 2015 also earned 99 points, confirming that the vintage's greatness extended well beyond the traditional Sangiovese heartland. For Vino Nobile, producers such as Dei and Avignonesi delivered wines of real depth and freshness.

• Siro Pacenti Vecchie Vigne 2015 (100 pts, Suckling): James Suckling Wine of the Year 2019
• Eredi Fuligni Brunello 2015 (100 pts, Suckling): Described as the winemaker's wine of a lifetime
• Castello di Ama Vigneto Bellavista Gran Selezione 2015 (99 pts, Suckling): Benchmark Chianti Classico
• Masseto Toscana 2015 (99 pts, Suckling): Confirmed vintage greatness across all styles

Brunello di Montalcino 2015 was released to market from January 2020, having completed its mandatory minimum aging of four years including at least two years in oak and four months in bottle. Now approaching its 10th birthday, the wines are entering a beautiful period of mid-life expression, with top examples still holding considerable tannic structure and fruit intensity. Wine Spectator's Bruce Sanderson revisited the wines in late 2025, noting they are aging well, with the warmer vintage producing broad, dense wines balanced by good acidity. Most 2015 Chianti Classico and Riserva are in or approaching their plateau of pleasure, with higher-altitude examples offering further development. Brunello Riservas from 2015 were released no earlier than January 2021 and will reward cellaring well into the 2030s and beyond for the finest examples.

• Brunello di Montalcino: Peak drinking broadly 2025-2045; top examples will reward patience beyond that
• Brunello Riserva 2015: Released from January 2021; finest examples built for decades of cellaring
• Chianti Classico: Most bottles at or approaching peak now; structured Riservas through 2030s
• Vino Nobile di Montepulciano: Best drinking 2023-2035 for the finest riserva-level bottles

The 2015 vintage improved dramatically on the challenging 2014, which was marked by cool, rainy conditions that prevented full ripening. Producers who compare 2015 and 2016 side by side, including Carlo Ferrini and Giancarlo Pacenti, note that 2015 produced riper, more opulent wines with more lavish fruit, while 2016 was slightly cooler with higher acidity and greater diurnal temperature variation, potentially giving 2016 a slight edge in ultimate aging potential. James Suckling has called 2015 and 2016 the greatest back-to-back vintages Brunello di Montalcino has ever seen, surpassing the celebrated 2006 and 2007 pair in balance and precision. The 2015 vintage compares favorably with 2010, another outstanding balanced year, but with more opulence and approachability in youth.

• Far superior to the difficult, rain-affected 2014 vintage across all Tuscan appellations
• More opulent and immediately generous than the slightly cooler, more structured 2016
• Suckling considers 2015 and 2016 the greatest back-to-back vintages Brunello has ever seen
• Comparable to the excellent 2010 but with greater richness and youthful approachability