The 2015 Bellevue Mondotte showed spectacularly well from barrel and is now even better from bottle. One of the most impressive, sexy, opulent wines in the vintage, it boasts a saturated purple color as well as heavenly notes of crème de cassis, blackcurrants, smoked earth and chocolate. The quintessential Saint Emilion, with almost overflow fruit, full body, and a powerful, concentrated style, give bottles a handful of years in the cellar and drink it over the following 2-3 decades.

The 2015 Bellevue Mondotte remains the most tannic and brooding of Gérard Perse's three top Saint-Émilions. Inky blue/purplish fruit, graphite, menthol, licorice, plum and crème de cassis infuse the sumptuous Bellevue Mondotte, which is remarkably nuanced for such a potent wine. Despite its considerable intensity, the 2015 packs a real punch, especially in its searing tannins. Readers will have to be patient with this muscular wine. I can't wait to taste it in another handful of years. The blend is 90% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon from 50-year-old vines. Yields were 20 hectoliters per hectare.

This powerful wine is big, bold and rich. It has serious tannins along with superripe Merlot. The acidity and the berry flavors are almost buried in the structure. It will develop into a rich, balanced and dense wine. Drink from 2026.

A rich and concentrated style, with a mocha and ganache frame that melds slowly but steadily into the core of steeped plum and black currant paste flavors. A loamy hint gives the fruit-laden finish spine, while the ganache edge keeps pace as well. For fans of the style. Best from 2020 through 2030.