Critic Notes
This has less alcohol than the 2014, but is just as rich and concentrated, with bold, mouthcoating sweetness, flavours of wax, toast and acacia honey and tropical fruit concentration balanced by fresh acidity. Deliciously opulent, decadent stuff. Apr 2016, www.timatkin.com, Drink: 2018-2030
Score: 95-/100Tim AtkinDrinking Window: 2018-2030
Shows energy and intensity with dried apple, pineapple character. Medium to full body, very sweet and a spicy, botrytis aftertaste. Excellent. Mar 2016, www.JamesSuckling.com
Score: 93-94/100James Suckling
Big and honeyed, with vanilla, tropical fruit and caramel hints – at once concentrated and complex. La Tour Blanche hardly misses a beat these days. Apr 2016, Ian D'Agata, www.Decanter.com, Drink: 2019-2031
Score: 93-/100DecanterDrinking Window: 2019-2031
The 2015 La Tour Blanche has a noticeably deeper color than the other barrel samples that I tasted. The bouquet is quite intense, although I feel that it does not quite have the complexity of its peers. The palate is much better: smooth and unctuous on the entry, layers of honeyed fruit tinged with peach and almond, delivering a very composed and powerful finish that lingers long in the mouth. Give this 3-4 years in bottle until the aromatics find their voice. Apr 2016, www.robertparker.com
Score: 92-94/100Neal Martin
Shows good intensity, with a bitter orange note adding some cut to the core of peach, mango, quince and papaya flavors. The long finish lets everything drape pleasantly. Mar 2016, James Molesworth, www.WineSpectator.com
Score: 91-94/100Wine Spectator
Notably dark with an orange gold note. Putty and massive sweetness. Lower acid than some. Big and bold. Though not as complex as the best. A little trying at the moment. Very weighty. Not the delicacy of, eg, Suduiraut. Apr 2016, www.JancisRobinson.com, Drink: 2028-2042
Score: 17-/20Jancis RobinsonDrinking Window: 2028-2042
