Chateau Peby Faugeres 2015

ANTONIO GALLONI: "An extravagant, flamboyant wine, Silvio Denz's 2015 Péby Faugères hits all the right notes. A rich concoction of black cherry, plum, new leather, mocha and sweet tobacco nearly covers the wine's huge tannins, but there is plenty of structure underneath. The wine's unbridled explosive energy is impossible to miss. This is a spectacularly rich, visceral wine from Silvio Denz and winemaker Michel Rolland. Even with all of its intensity and decidedly modern personality, the 2015 is going to need the better part of the next decade to start showing all it's got. Péby Faugères is 100% old-vine Merlot from the heart of Denz's Saint-Émilion property. Tasted two times."

DECANTER: "This is intense and rich, reminiscent of rolled oats dipped in vanilla, with accompanying notes of cedar and cassis purée. This bristling wine needs to bed down for a few years, but there is clear quality on display here. Drinking Window 2023 - 2038"

FALSTAFF: "Tiefdunkles Rubingranat, opaker Kern, violette Reflexe, zarte Randaufhellung, schwarze Beerenfrucht, ein Hauch von Edelholz, feine Gewürznuancen, reife Pflaumenfrucht, zarter Nougat unterlegt, dezente Kräuterwürze. Saftig, reife Kir­schen­frucht, präsente, fordernde Tannine, mineralisch-salzig unterlegt, bleibt gut haften, gutes Reifepotenzial."

JAMES SUCKLING: "A very intense yet playfully ripe and balanced expression of dark plums, dark stones and blackberries. Then wait for the dark, leafy notes of dark tea and charcoal as well as deeply integrated wood aromas of violets and cloves. The palate moves on a very energized and fluid bed of tannin that builds very smoothly into an ascending finish. Plush, impressive and very composed. Super long and focused finish. Try from 2022."

JEB DUNNUCK: "The 2015 Château Peby Faugeres is a blockbuster that’s up with the top wines from this estate. As with the 2016, it’s 100% Merlot raised in 90% new oak. A big wine that checks in north of 15% alcohol (you’d never know it by tasting it), it offers a huge bouquet of cassis, graphite, bouquet garni, scorched earth, and toasty oak. With a full-bodied, layered, seamless style on the palate and awesome purity of fruit, it has the concentration, balance, and freshness to improve for 7-8 years and keep for two decades. Tasted twice."

THE WINE CELLAR INSIDER: "If inky colored wines are your thing, you came to right place. Especially if you dig decadent textures, rich, full bodied, concentrated, ripe, fleshy wines that coat your palate and stay there, with a cornucopia of ripe, sweet, fruits, licorice, chocolate and smoke."

THE WINEADVOCATE: "Produced from 100% Merlot and matured for 18 months in 65% new and 35% one-year-old French oak barrels, the 2015 Peby Faugeres is medium to deep garnet-purple in color with a strikingly gorgeous nose of exotic spices, baked blackberries, plum preserves, cherry cordial and fragrant earth with smoked meats, lavender, licorice and tapenade hints. The boldly fruited, full-bodied palate features opulent, totally decadent spiced black and blue fruits with a very firm yet ripe structure and finishes with incredible depth and length. Stefan von Neipperg consults on the vineyard management here, while Michel Rolland focuses on harvest dates, winemaking, aging and the final blend - a big "bravo" to them both on this 2015!"

WEINWISSER: "100 % Merlot. Undurchdringliche Farbe Violett-Schwarz. Delikat und wuchtig zugleich, hochreife Fruchtkomponenten zeigend, von Cassis über Waldbeeren bis hin zu einem süsslichen Grenadinetouch. Im zweiten Ansatz wunderschöne Kräuternoten und konfierte Früchte, vermischt mit einem Hauch Jasminduft. Im Gaumen Power und Finesse in Einem, das Extrakt wirkt dropsig und parfümiert, alles ist wie ein frisch gehackter Beerencocktail auf der satten, stoffigen Zunge. Ein sehr präziser Péby mit einem beachtlichen Potenzial."

WINESPECATOR: "Alluring, with a lush display of creamed raspberry, boysenberry and blackberry fruit, infused with notes of alder, tobacco and chalk. The long finish has well-embedded grip to support the rather showy fruit. Best from 2023 through 2040."