2005 Bordeaux
Château Beychevelle
Saint-Julien Red Bordeaux Blend 2005
#AgedWineTuesday
Dark ruby in color with a short reddish rim.
Nose of blueberries, black plums, cooked cherries, oak, licorice, earth, tobacco leaf, herbs, peppercorn and mediterranean spices.
Medium plus in body with medium acidity.
Dry on the palate with black currants, black plums, blackberries, light cedar, earth, herbs, dark chocolates, tobacco leaf, light forest floor and black pepper.
Long finish with fine grained tannins and tangy raspberries.
This 21 year old 4th growth Bordeaux is drinking beautifully now. Still showing enough fruits to balance the earth notes. Rich, elegant and very complex and engaging.
This iconic 2005 vintage is drinking very nicely now, and drinking at its peak. Will continue to drink nicely in the next 10 years. Nicely balanced with a soft mouthfeel.
I had this vintage 2 years ago, and it is drinking much better now, and very approachable right out of the bottle.
Wine Enthusiasts 93 points. Wine Advocate 93 points.
Good by itself as a sipping wine or with food.
A blend of 47% Cabernet Sauvignon, 46% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, 4% Petit Verdot.
13% alcohol by volume.
93 points.
$200. — 3 months ago
Château Cos d'Estournel
Saint-Estèphe Red Bordeaux Blend 2005
Presented to me, double-blind. The wine pours a deep garnet color with an opaque core; medium viscosity with moderate staining of the tears, and some signs of light sediment. On the nose, the wine is vinous with a mix of ripe and desiccated, mostly dark fruits: cassis, black cherry, plum, mixed brambles, old leather, pipe tobacco, pencil shavings, and fine baking spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin (that is mostly integrated) and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long.
Initial conclusions: this could be a Cabernet-based Bordeaux blend, Tempranillo (or based blend) or Grenache-based blend from France, Spain or the United States. I feel like this leans more towards its fruit than its structure, even though it is a fairly well balanced wine in both regards. As a result, I am calling this a Cabernet-based Bordeaux blend from the United States, California, Napa Valley, Howell Mountain from a producer like Dunn, 2006. Shiiiiiit. To be honest, I’m not terribly surprised since this is Cos and from a warm vintage no less. Drinking well now and should through 2050+. — 9 months ago
Château Margaux
Pavillon Rouge Margaux Red Bordeaux Blend 2005
Medium ruby garnet , quite thin garnet ruby rim . Quite rounded blackberry , cassis , red plum , violet, cedar and burnt embers . On the palate this is quite elegant and red fruited ,red plum , cherry , blackberry and hint of red currant . Quite rounded and generous , balanced acidity and suave , velvety tannins . Medium length , with slightly smoky red fruit finish . This is showing well now , and is the middle of its drinking window . Now and over the next 5 years or so — a year ago
Château Léoville-Las Cases
Grand Vin de Leoville du Marquis de las Cases Saint-Julien Red Bordeaux Blend 2005
Still super tight yet magnificent in its posture and non-negotiable place in time. Enjoy a bottle now but save the rest for your grandchildren. - at Paradisea — 2 days ago
Château Lascombes
Margaux Merlot Blend 2005
So much lighter than the CA wines but delightful. Possible WOTN. — 4 months ago
Château Mouton Rothschild
Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 2005
Tasted blind . Slightly more mature colour than 1 . Ruby with some garnet and a more garnet tinged rim . Cooler more mineral on the nose , touches of grafite and wet rocks , sea spray , with some dark spicy cassis . On the palate this is more dark cassis , spicy grafite , cedar , touch of iron filings . Good roundness on the palate , with dusty tannins and balanced acidity, intense and saline . Long cedar tinged grafite length . Quite intense and stlight sterner overall , a little more aloof , more Cabernet , darker in style. Better in 5-10 years and will last well a further 10-20. Had this as Margaux . My 5th placed wine . — 5 months ago
Château Figeac
St. Émilion Red Bordeaux Blend 2005
Funky on the nose, smooth on the tongue — 8 months ago
Château Palmer
Margaux Red Bordeaux Blend 2005
2 hour decant(little fine sediment). A splendid dark magenta with some bricking. On the nose: subdued but enticing notes of blackberry, cassis, cigar wrapper, clove, pine, maybe a touch of brett. Taste: silky, still youthful at 20 wine with blackberry, red fruit, graphite, spice, and a medium smokey licorice tar finish. YUM..good but expecting more for the year..will wait a few years for next attempt. — a year ago
Château Montrose
Saint-Estèphe Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2005
Garnet with transparency. Complexity including earthy fig leather forest floor. Fruits still can be found. Aged matured berry and cherry. Completed!!Fruitiness M Sweetness M Acidity M Tannin M Bitterness M Body M+ Finish M %
Elegant Balanced Château Montrose Saint Estephe Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 05 @1430/G, T Enoteca, 260925 — 11 days ago
Château Pavie
Saint-Èmilion Grand Cru Red Bordeaux Blend 2005
+2 hour decant(loads of sediment). A splendid dark crimson color. On the nose: Intense notes of stewed ripe red fruit, clove, soy sauce, pencil lead, meat. Taste: silky, rich, hedonistic style with some plum/blackberry, licorice, mineral, graphite, soil,and a spiced earthy medium plus dry finish. Enjoyed it more 3 years ago as the opulent fruit fades with this very extracted wine. — 2 months ago
Château Margaux
Premier Grand Cru Classé Margaux Red Bordeaux Blend 2005
Tasted blind . Médium deep ruby with medium wide ruby rim , slightly younger looking than the rest. Quite spicy dark fruits , touch of pain grillé , mineral , grafite , cedar . On the palate this has a lot of grip and density , but also great balance . Spicy dark fruits , touch of grafite and earthy cedar . Quite rounded mouthfeel. Balanced acidity and grippy ripe tannins . Long balanced finish . Overall this showed well , with a roundness and balance , lovely fruit still , really quite open and fresh . With more time this show a floral character with lovely precision . Of all the wines this though very young is probably showing the most today . Even better in 5-10 years and will last well a further 10-20. Had this down as Haut Brion . This took the silver medal . 96
— 5 months ago
Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande
Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 2005
I remember when the 2005 Pichon Lalande was reviewed by RP, 89. I saw that & said, you would have to get in the way of the 2005 Bordeaux vintage to be that sad. I still bought 6 at a bargain basement price. A very good idea post 20 yrs+. Both Pichon’s don’t have a modern day history of getting in the way of a good vintage.
I also bought this one. 18 yrs in bottle and still acending. This will hold 5 more yrs and will last another 10 yrs properly stored.
I have visited Bordeaux 11 times. This chateau visually is still my favorite. It was showing a picture of this chateau to Sofia that launched our first visit. Sofia loved it and we have stared at it multiple times on every visit.
It was in our visit in 2007, I stood in the estate vineyard, looked & tasted their soils. After doing so, I said, “I get it.” I understood everything about what I was tasting in Left Bank Bordeaux’s early in my wine journey.
Sofia and I had dinner w/ Christian Moueix not long after the 2005 vintage was hyped/released. She asked him, when did you know you had something special?” He said, “as soon as I tasted the fruit at harvest.”
Tonight, it shows that it is a close relative, a sibling to Pichon Longueville. Cork, perfect.
The nose shows; classic left bank traits. Ripe, dark, brooding fruits, bright, mid berries, red cola, leather, tobacco, sandalwood, leather, led pencil, dark rich earth, limestone, dry river stone, hint of mushrooms, dark, red, fresh & withering florals.
The fruits on the palate show everything outstanding from the 2005 growing season. Ripe, juicy, brilliant; dark currants, blackberries, black raspberries, black plum skin, black cherries, baked/poached strawberries & some hovering raspberries. Dark chocolate bar to pudding, red cola, anise, dark spices w/ palate heat, dark, rich earth w/ dry leaves, pronounced graphite, dry tobacco, leather, limestone, dry twig, dry river stone, moist clays, moist herbs, cedar to sandalwood, withering & dry, dark flowers, red roses, some lavender & violets, beautiful rainfall acidity, excellent; balance, tension, structure, length w/ an elegant finish that lasts minutes and lands on spice & earth.
13.4 ABV. Nice.
#TheTwoHourRibcap
This held up vacuumed sealed the same night, refrigerated & enjoyed exactly a week later. — 8 months ago
Somm David T
Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator
This is well beyond critical reviews young.
Sofia & I became friends with Jean D’Anjoy (photo to right). Winemaker who now runs all the Rothschild properties. He was the Assistant Winemaker at Opus One for 10 yrs. He had many offers to be a Napa Winemaker but refused. Had he, he would have been demeeded a Napa Winemaker when he wanted to always go back to Bordeaux as a Winemaker. Opus was fine as it is 1/2 French owed. He later became the the Clerc Milon Winemaker in 09. What a first vintage. He simultaneously built the new facilities at Clerc Milon. He is also perhaps the best & kindest human being I’ve ever met.
He arranged for Sofia & I to pick the Mouton Merlot and work all phases of the 2012 Clark Milon vintage. So, you might wanna not buy the 2012 vintage of Mouton & Clerc. 😂 He also arranged for us to sit at the Baroness’s table for the harvest luncheon where they poured the last of the filtered bottom of the barrels of 82 Mouton. I asked Sofia to pinch me. The Baroness sadly died two years later.
The nose is sweet and a touch sour; blackberries & black raspberries. Floral & slightly candied; dark and light cherries, juicy strawberries, raspberries and some circling baked rhubarb. Understated new oak barrel powder, beautiful baking spices-clove, nutmeg, cinnamon and vanilla, dry leaves and twig, baking powder, fresh and dry herbs, lead pencil shavings, limestone, dark soils, dry pebbles, red, and dark florals set in liquid violets.
The palate shows medium plus well rounded, softened, resolved tannins. The fruit is ripe and juicy. Blackberries & black raspberries. Floral & slightly candied; dark and light cherries, juicy strawberries, raspberries and some circling baked rhubarb. Understated new oak barrel powder, beautiful baking spices-clove, nutmeg, cinnamon and vanilla, dry leaves and twig, baking powder, mid, dark spices with a shade of heat, fresh and dry herbs, lead pencil shavings, moist to dry tobacco, used leather, limestone, dark soils, dry pebbles, red, and dark florals set in liquid violets, perfect acidity and a grand elegant, well balanced, integrated finish that lasts 90 seconds and lands on spice & earth.
An elegant beauty if I ever had one. Has another 5-7 yr ahead depending on storage.
Photos of; the new facilities at Clerc Milon, Jean D’Anjoy and their vineyards, barrel room and tasting/entertaining lounge.
Delectable & IOS 27 isn’t a good fit today. — 3 days ago