Château Laniote 2015

Appellation Saint-Emilion Grand Cru Classé

2015, a year ending in 5… ’75, ’85, ’95, 2005—four exceptional vintages in Saint-Emilion. If ever there was a pattern, this year confirms it!
The harvest kept the promise offered by the year’s favorable weather: after a cold, dry winter, spring was dry and mild, while the summer was hot, sunny and dry in June and July with occasional storms in August; the growing season concluded with cool and sunny weather.

A dream year with early, rapid flowering and a physiological evolution in the grapes that was both regular and balanced. Vérasion (color change) was rapid and the grapes’ seeds matured very early. In September, sun and cooler temperatures with occasional showers helped in maturing tannins and developing fruity aromas. The grapes’ great sweetness and exceptional richness in polyphenols was readily evident to the taste. Late-September maturity was magnificent, the grapes were perfectly healthy, the weather was fine and we could patiently wait for the optimal date to begin picking.

The first grapes were picked at Laniote on September 30 with the sun shining on our team of harvesters, happy to be bringing in such beautiful grapes.
The Merlot was superb: deep in color, with wonderful aromas of black fruit, spices… The extractability of tannins and other components in the grape skins was excellent and we quickly obtained full-flavored, mouth-filling wines with alcohol levels approaching 15%.

The Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon were no less promising: harvested on October 9, they produced similar levels of alcohol, black fruit and violet aromas, and elegantly smooth tannins.

In short, the wines easily took to their new-oak barrels and after four or five months of aging are already showing a depth and intensity perhaps never before achieved: creamy aromas of black fruit and spice, a great richness in the mouth offering notes of vanilla and light toast, and fully-incorporated silky tannins slowly evolving towards a final structure of great class.