LVMH Vins d'Exception Limited Edition 2015

In April 2020, when the Pandemic-induced uncertainty was at its height, to raise funds to support restaurant workers, LVMH produced 300 sets of a limited edition collectors' case featuring 3 of the flagship labels in its wine portfolio: Château Cheval Blanc, Château d'Yquem, Domaine des Lambrays.

In 2021, to continue the tradition of presenting a colletible set of some of the world's best wines, LVMH added a Napa Valley gem (Colgin IX Estate) from its portfolio, and we proudly present the LVMH Vins d'Exception:

• 1 x Château d'Yquem 2015
• 1 x Château Cheval Blanc 2015
• 1 x Domaine des Lambrays : Clos des Lambrays Grand cru 2015
• 1 x Colgin : IX Estate 2015

"Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, the 2015 Cheval Blanc is still incredibly primary at this very youthful stage. With coaxing, it unfurls to reveal beguiling notions of ripe black cherries, mulberries, licorice, baking spices and smoked meats with touches of incense and potpourri plus wafts of cast iron pan and crushed rocks. Full-bodied, very rich, very firm/taut and with very ripe, fine-grained tannins, it allows a glimpse at its incredible depth of flavors with a very long multi-layered finish. Wow." - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (8/31/2018, Issue 238), Ratings: 100, Drink: 2027-2067

"As many readers may know, 2015 was the first year since 1988 that Cheval Blanc did not produce its second wine, Petit Cheval. This said, parts of two of the Cheval Blanc blocks were not used at all—Plot 17A and the north part of Plot 10—which had problems with water availability during the dry spell, and the fruit was sold for bulk. Therefore, this vintage of the Grand Vin equates to roughly 90% of the total production, making it one of the most complete expressions of Cheval Blanc ever produced. Composed of 53% Merlot and 47% Cabernet Franc, the deep garnet-purple colored 2015 Cheval Blanc slowly opens up to reveal plum preserves, black forest cake, blackberry pie and pronounced licorice notes with suggestions of cloves, cinnamon stick, star anise, dried Provence herbs and lavender plus wafts of iron ore and dusty soil. Medium to full-bodied, rich and densely packed with incredible layers of black, red and blue fruits, it completely fills the palate with energy and expression, framed by very ripe, wonderfully velvety tannins and a racy line of acid, finishing with incredible length and poise. At once achingly graceful and captivatingly cerebral, this is a legendary vintage for this great estate." - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (2/21/2018, Interim Issue), Ratings: 100, Drink: 2022-2058

"Following a very long harvest stretching nearly two months, the 2015 Château d'Yquem came in at 13.9% alcohol and 144 grams per liter of residual sugar, sporting a pH of 3.65 and six grams per liter of tartaric acid. None of these numbers, however, even remotely begin to tell you how profound this wine is. The nose opens with electric notes of ripe pineapples, green mango, orange blossoms and lemon tart with hints of fungi, lime zest, crushed rocks and jasmine. The freshness on the palate is just astonishing, permeating and lifting layer upon layer of tropical fruits and earthy notions, all encased in a sumptuous texture and culminating in a very, very long, mineral-tinged finish. Truly, this is a legendary vintage for d'Yquem. I've been conservative with my drinking window here, and I would not be at all surprised if our descendants are drinking this vintage well into the next century." - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Advocate (4/27/2018, Issue 236), Ratings: 100, Drink: 2025-2065

"The 2015 “IX Estate” is exotic and intoxicating. Dark notes of chocolate truffle are infused with bright, lively aromas of lavender, mint, and dark cherry. Savory aromas of fresh and dried herbs fuse together with the soil-driven flavors of iron and crushed rock. A hint of acidity on the palate underlies the silky texture, leading to a prolonged finish. The 2015 "IX Estate" exudes a liveliness with its bright, bold fragrance, reflecting a vintage with full ripeness." - Colgin Estate

"Another perfect wine from this estate is the 2015 IX Estate which is 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Cabernet Franc, 15% Merlot and the rest Petit Verdot. This inky purple-colored beauty has everything: incredible aromatics, huge richness, insane purity, and a singular character that needs to be tasted to be believed. Crème de cassis, blueberries, violets, flowers, and lead pencil shaving-like notes all soar from the glass and it hits the palate with a youthful, full-bodied, beautifully concentrated style that builds incrementally, has fine tannin, and integrated acidity. It needs 4-5 years of bottle age but will keep for 3-4 decades." - Jeb Dunnuck  (12/29/2017), Ratings: 100, Drink: 2023-2063

"The 2015 Clos des Lambrays Grand Cru continues to show very well, unfurling in the glass with a rich bouquet of ripe plums, blackberries, dark chocolate and forest floor. On the palate, it's full-bodied, satiny and powerful, with an ample chassis of fine structuring tannins and a deep core of fruit, but the wine is shutting down and is more inscrutable than it was six months earlier. Readers with bottles in their cellars are sitting on a great example of Clos des Lambrays, one of the best produced since the 1970s, but a decade's patience is advised." - William Kelley, The Wine Advocate (12/28/2018, Issue 240), Ratings: 95, Drink: 2028-2050