This article focuses on all the top 2005 Bordeaux wines tasted at 10 years of age. These are the best wines of the 2005 Bordeaux vintage. The wines were tasted in many cases from pristine bottles from the chateaux in Bordeaux and also from bottles from my cellar and with friends from their cellar as well. This article provides, current detailed comments, tasting notes and ratings to help you know which are the best 2005 Bordeaux wines you need to taste and buy, as well as which 2005 Bordeaux wines you do not need in your cellar. The wines as you can see cover all the important appellations; 2005 Pauillac, 2005 St. Estephe, 2005 St. Julien, 2005 Margaux, 2005 Pessac Leognan, 2005 Pomerol and 2005 St. Emilion. We also managed to taste a few of the best 2005 Sauternes as well! This will help you find the best 2005 Bordeaux wines to buy and which wines you might want to avoid. We will also let you know which 2005 Bordeaux wines are ready to drink today, and of course which wines require more aging time, before they are ready to drink.
2005 Bordeaux is considered one of the true vintages of the decade by many tasters. In fact, 2005 Bordeaux is highly acclaimed by numerous tasters, consumers and wine critics who feel that 2005 Bordeaux wines have the makings to be one the best vintages of the century! And why not? 2005 Bordeaux has much of what it takes to deserve its legendary status. What does that mean? For a start, for a vintage to be truly great, it needs at a minimum the ability to hit certain benchmarks.
The vintage must have great wines at all price points. The Petits Chateau and small wines must be as strong at their own relative level as the best wines are at their more expensive price points. 2005 Bordeaux clearly is a remarkably consistent vintage from top to bottom in the pricing category.
2005 Bordeaux wine hits another key benchmark as the wines are also strong in both banks. 2005 Pomerol and 2005 St. Emilion produced wines of sublime quality. In the Left Bank, 2005 Bordeaux shines brightly as well. However, many of the best wines in the vintage seem to have emanated from the Right Bank, with wines of sublime quality coming from Saint Emilion and Pomerol. As another point of reference, 2005 Bordeaux is also stunning for dry white Bordeaux wine and Sauternes.
2005 Bordeaux hits another important benchmark, the wines need the ability to age and improve. Clearly, 2005 is developing at a slow and steady pace. Obviously 2005 Bordeaux hits all the check marks needed for a great vintage.
For a detailed overview on the 2005 Bordeaux vintage, growing season and harvest please read our 2005 Bordeaux Wine Vintage Report
More importantly, for a vintage to be truly sublime, the wines need that elusive uniqueness of character in style. 2005 Bordeaux combines all of the important key benchmarks for greatness. But there are also drawbacks. On the one hand, I find many, but not all of the Right Bank wines to already show well due to their ripe fruit, tannins and concentration, even if they are still primary. However, that is not the case with the wines from the Left Bank. They remain stubbornly young and tannic and demand more time in the cellar. Generally speaking, the small wines are already at peak, or even slightly past their peak and require consumption.
20 Mille – Soft, smooth and fully mature, the wine has retained its round texture and sweetness. There is no reason to age it any longer. If you have any bottles, pop a cork! 88 Pts
Domaine de l’A – Fully mature, finesse in style, the wine is smooth, elegant and lively, with a fresh, sweet, earthy, cherry profile. There is no reason to age this further. 90 Pts
2005 d’Armailhac – With aromas of cedar wood, tobacco, blackberry, earth and spice, the wine is already developing and showing its open, fresh, cassis fueled, elegant, fresh, Pauillac charm. 91 Pts
2005 Angelus – If it’s true, that you taste with your eyes first, the deep color and glycerin tears dripping down the side of the glass lets you know this is going to be a stunner. Licorice, truffles and plum liqueur entice you to know more. On the palate, the wine is rich, concentrated and the texture of velvet. With layers of perfectly ripe, sweet, black fruits that remain on your palate for close to 60 seconds, this is a treat! Still young, another 5 – 10 more years in the bottle will add even more complexity and silk to this stunner. 99 Pts
2005 Barde Haut – Truffle, licorice and black cherries abound in this soft, polished, lush wine that finishes with sweet, ripe cherries and cocoa. This is drinking in the sweet spot today. 92 Pts
2005 Batailley – Classic Pauillac, with tannin, structure. freshness, crisp fruit, firm elegance and a blast of cassis, cedar and tobacco. Still young, and seems to be holding some of its cards in reserve. Clearly, this has improved over the past decade and will definitely be more interesting to drink with another 5 years of bottle age. 92 Pts
2005 Beau-Sejour Becot – From a blend 70% Merlot, 24% Cabernet Franc and 6% Cabernet Sauvignon, this is showing better than ever. Lush, sexy textures, crushed stone, sweet, fresh, vibrant black cherry, licorice and cocoa on the nose, a long, fresh, silky finish are what you find in this beauty. 94 Pts
2005 Beausejour Duffau – Earthy, spicy, truffle and black plummy nose. The wine is fresh, soft, medium bodied and drinks well. But it clearly lacks the wealth of fruit and sensuous textures found in the wine since 2009. 90 Pts
2005 Belgrave – Slightly better on the nose with its smoky, blackberry, earth and tobacco character, than on the palate, due to the rustic tannins, in the crisp, fresh, finish. 87 Pts
2005 Berliquet – Medium bodied, fresh, easy drinking, soft, cherry and red berry dominated wine that is showing well today. There is no reason to age this any longer. 88 Pts
2005 Beychevelle – Medium/full bodied, with a classic cassis, cedar and tobacco profile, along with strict tannins and crisp fruit in the finish. Still young, and better on the nose than than the palate today, this old school Bordeaux styled wine, will appeal to some tasters more than others with its firm, classical approach. The wines being made at the property today offer a lot more excitement. 90 Pts
2005 Bon Pasteur – Open and serving up a generous display of lush, silky, ripe, dark red berries, licorice, chocolate and earth, the wine is all about pleasure to the senses, in the nose and on the opulent palate. Drink it now, or age it for even more complexity. 93 Pts
2005 Branaire Ducru – Cedar wood, flowers, tobacco and dark red fruits are hidden and require coaxing in the nose. On the palate, the wine is silky, elegant and fresh. This is still quite young and shows a lot of promise. The wine is however, clearly letting you know, there is a nice future ahead if you give it another 3-5 years of bottle age. 93 Pts
2005 Brane Cantenac – Medium bodied, elegant in style, with a focus on freshness and purity, coupled with silky, smooth textures, cherries, black raspberries, plum tobacco and smoky, earthy notes. This is just now starting to get going. Another 5 years will add more complexity and depth to the wine. 92 Pts
2005 Branon – Fat, rich, dense and lush, with a lot of concentration, smoke, ripe, dark fruits, espresso and earth. The wine coats your palate with fruit. Low in acid, it’s almost too much of a good thing. This is quite young and will only get better with more time in the cellar. 94 Pts
2005 Calon Segur – Mushroom, truffle, cedar wood, forest floor and spicy cassis are found in the nose. Full bodied, fresh, crisp and tannic, with a stern, masculine edge to its character, the wine demands at least another decade before it is fun to drink. The wine was produced from a blend of 43% Merlot, 43% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. 91 Pts
2005 Canon – From 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc, the wine is starting to show some lightening in the color. Truffle, cherry blossoms, tobacco and forest scents are already peeking through the cloak of sleep. Elegant and refined on the palate, the wine is soft, round and shows fresh red fruits, spice and stone in the finish. Still young, this will be even better in 10 years. 92 Pts
2005 Canon La Gaffeliere – This best showing yet for this voluptuous, black cherry, licorice, truffle and earth stained wine. Silky, suave and with room to improve, you ca drink it now, or age it for more complexity and additional velvety textures. The wine was made from a blend of 55% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. 95 Pts
2005 Les Carmes Haut Brion – Spicy, forest floor, truffle and blackberry notes create the perfume. On the palate, the wine is medium bodied, soft, fresh, developed and ready for drinking. 90 Pts
2005 Cantenac Brown – With coaxing you find the truffle, cigar box, cassis and forest floor aromatics. More interesting on the nose than the palate, the wine is full bodied, tannic and fresh, with a fine, dusty texture in the crisp finish. Give it another 5 years to soften and come together and this could be even better. Over the past few years, the estate has clearly upped their game. 89 Pts
2005 Cheval Blanc – Blending 52% Merlot and 48% Cabernet Franc, the wine pops with licorice, truffle, tobacco, flowers and fresh, ripe black and red fruits. Silky, soft, refined, elegant, supple, exotic, young and fresh, there is a long kirsch, griotte and black raspberry liqueur sensation that expands in the mouth and on the palate in the finish. As good as this is now, it’s only going to get better as it continues to age. 98 Pts
2005 Petit Cheval – From a blend of 57% Cabernet Franc and 43% Merlot, the wine pops with caramel, black cherry and mint on the nose. There is a nice sweetness to the fruit, round textures and a medium body that makes this ready for prime time drinking today. 91 Pts
2005 Clerc Milon- Silky, smooth, delicious, polished, sweet, dark red fruits and tobacco with some, refined tannins left to resolve and a kick of fresh, juicy cassis in the finish. Give this a few more years to develop. 92 Pts
2005 Clinet – Soft, silky and sensuous, medium/full bodied, with a wealth of ripe, juicy, sweet, fresh plum, chocolate, truffle and black cherry notes, complicated by floral notes, truffle and chocolate accents. You can drink this now, or age it a few more years for additional complexity. This is the best showing yet for this wine, as I did not expect it to turn out this well. 94 Pts
2005 Clos Dubreuil – Earthy, with cocoa, espresso, plum, licorice, wet earth and black raspberry in the nose. This quickly moves to a fresh, soft, sweet, silky, lushly textured wine with a blast of fresh cherries and chocolate in the finish that can be enjoyed now, or aged for further development. 93 Pts
2005 Clos Fourtet – Showing some lightness to the color, the wine serves up truffle, licorice, black plums, cherry liqueur and cigar box, with burning embers in the nose. The wine is youthful, fresh, mouth filling, long and rich. There is fruit, freshness and flavor galore. Still young, give this just a few more years and enjoy the fireworks. 96 Pts
2005 Clos L’Eglise – If you’re in the mood for smoky truffles, licorice and dark plums, you came to the right place. Especially if you’re seeking lush, sweet, silky berries, and a touch of oak along with some tannin that remains needing to resolve. The wine is offering great pleasure now and will only get better with a more time in the cellar. 94 Pts
2005 Le Conseiller – Drink this sooner than later to grab the last of its remaining sweet, cherry and licorice personality. 85 Pts
2005 Cos d’Estournel – Showing some lightening around the edges, the wine pops with cigar box, tobacco, dark chocolate, Asian spice and earthy aromatics. Fresh, ripe, sweet, long, clean, focused fruits easily move from black to red and return to black. The present tannins are smooth. The wine remains young and fresh. 5 years in the cellar will add a lot to this beauty, if you can keep your hands off it. 97 Pts
2005 Corbin – With a developed nose showing its tobacco, earth, forest and leafy character, the wine is medium bodied, elegantly styled with a cherry and wild strawberry finish. 88 Pts
2005 Croix Mouton – Slightly past its peak, with tobacco and olive tapenade notes in the finish, the wine requires consumption before the remaining fruit fades. 83 Pts
2005 La Croix St. Georges – Round, soft and plummy, with an open, smoky, espresso, black cherry, earth and plum filled core of fruit, the wine is soft, silky and earthy, but there is still some oak that need to become better integrated into the wine. 92 Pts
2005 Domaine de Chevalier – Even though this clearly needs more time, with coaxing, earth and dark red berries with smoky cigar box aromatics come out from hiding. Polished, medium bodied, elegant, refined, fresh and still youthful, give this another 5 or more years before you pop a bottle. 94 Pts
2005 Domaine de Chevalier Blanc – This sublime wine continues improving with age. The nose, with its mineralistic, fresh, crisp citrus and honeysuckle notes pairs perfectly with the full, rich, lush, sweet, ripe, crisp, fresh, lemon and pomello fruits on the palate. This is good now, but it’s going to get better and better with more age. 95 Pts
2005 Ducru Beaucaillou – Showing development in the color, the forest floor, camp fire, cigar box, earth, roasted dark red fruit and cassis is something you can spend time with. Sweet, soft, packed with fruit and ripe, silky tannins, drink this now if you prefer young, tannic wines as they are just starting to develop secondary notes. Or age it for years for more complexity and softness. 96 Pts
2005 Croix de Beaucaillou – Drinking in the sweet spot, with an earthy, truffle character, there is sweet, soft, medium bodied, plum and dark cherry note in the soft, finish. Fully mature, there is no reason to age it any longer, but there is no real hurry to drink it either. 91 Pts
2005 Lalande Borie – At full maturity, while smooth and easy drinking, there is no reason to age this any longer, as it now requires consumption. 87 Pts
2005 Duhart Milon – The first vintage announcing the reemergence of Duhart Milon is medium bodied, finesse styled and displays an elegant, fresh, bright, crisp, cassis, black cherry, earthy nosed profile, there is good freshness to the fruit and a softness to the tannins. The wine was made from a blend of 71% Cabernet Sauvignon and 29% Merlot. 92 Pts
2005 L’Eglise Clinet – Poke your head into a flower shop filled with roses, walk into the restaurant next door when they are serving their winter, truffle menu, end the meal with the perfect clafoutis with some licorice on the side, and light up an aged Cuban Cigar to accompany the glass of kirsch liqueur you have been waiting for and you have the nose on this wine. The wine is powerful, intense, silky, velvety and incredibly hedonistic. This is pure decadence in a glass. However it’s really young and you can easily wait 5 to 10 years before popping a cork. I’ve tasted this wine a fair amount of times, (yes, I know how lucky I am!) and this is the best showing yet. Insane… 100 Pts
2005 l’Evangile – Deep in color, with a truffle, black cherry, plum, licorice and earthy nose to get things started. This lush, rich, concentrated, velvet textured has volume, length and density, leaving you with silky, plummy, chocolate sensations long after the wine has left the glass. The wine was produced from a blend of 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc. 96 Pts
2005 Faugeres – Lush, round and silky, with loads of ripe, black cherry, cocoa and earthy tones, the wine ends with sweet, dark red fruits and chocolate. This is ready from prime time drinking. 90 Pts
2005 Figeac – Tobacco, with thyme, forest floor, mint and cherries in the nose. The wine is medium bodied, open and delivers a short, finish with some rusticity in the tannins. This style of wine will definitely appeal to tasters seeking out more of a classic style of Bordeaux. 89 Pts
2005 La Fleur de Bouard Le Plus – This Pomerol look alike is packed with ripe juicy black cherries, dark chocolate, truffle and plums. The texture is silky tannins and lush plums that leave a lasting impression. You can drink this now, or age it for a few more years. 93 Pts
2005 Fleur Cardinale – Licorice, cocoa, black cherry, plums, truffle and chocolate scents create the nose. On the palate, this luscious, sensuous, rich wine leaves a silky, smooth, plush sensation that lingers. 93 Pts
2005 Fombrauge – Smooth and soft, this medium bodied, round textures wine is open, and ready for drinking with a blast of oak, licorice, cocoa and cherries in the finish. 90 Pts
2005 Fonplegade – Just starting to come alive, with its earthy, black cherry, plum, tobacco and truffle nose, the wine is soft, silky and packed with earthy, fresh, round plums. You can drink this now, or wait a few more years. 92 Pts
2005 Giscours – Medium to full bodied, with elegant, silky textures, refined tannins and core of fresh, softly polished cassis and blackberries that carry through from start to finish. This is starting to wake up and promises to be even better with more time in the cellar. This is still quite young and should be even better with a few more years in the cellar. 92 Pts
2005 Gloria – Showing light ruby with bricking in the color, the earthy, tobacco and cedar chest nose, with its medium bodied, soft, red berry finish is clearly in a good place today. However, a few more years could help soften the tannins and bring out a bit more in the nose. 90 Pts
2005 La Gomerie – Right where you want it to be, if you’re seeking lush, sexy, supple, textures, truffles, fresh, ripe and over ripe black cherries, a hint of oak, earth and chocolate. 93 Pts
2005 Grand Puy Lacoste – Forest floor, leaf, cedar chest, spice, cassis, tobacco and blackberry create the nose. On the palate, the tannins are refined. The wine is starting to soften and offer the right amount of tension balancing ripe fruit and freshness to make this a real treat. If you like your wines young, you can drink this now. But I’m waiting at least another 5 years or more to start opening my bottles. 95 Pts
2005 Gruaud Larose – Medium bodied, bright and fresh, with a lean to the red fruit side of the style range, the wine is better on the nose than the palate, finishing with crisp, crunchy, sweet and tart red fruits. This will develop more secondary aromas, but it’s probably going to retain its style. 90 Pts
2005 Haut Bailly – Sporting a deep ruby color, tobacco and cigar box notes, coupled with cassis, tar and blackberry scents that easily pop without decanting. On the palate, the wine is full bodied, deep, fresh, concentrated and silky, with a long, clean, fresh, earthy, sweet, black plum finish. The wine was made from a blend of 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot and 6% Cabernet Franc, reaching 13% alcohol. Give this 3-5 more years in the cellar and you’ll see a lot more fireworks. 96 Pts
2005 Haut Batailley – Tobacco, cherry and cigar wrapper on the nose, with a medium bodied, sweet, cherry and cassis finish that is already showing well today. 91 Pts
2005 Haut Bergey – Displaying a lightness in color, there is a mature, softness to the dark berries, with a perfume of earth, cherries and fresh herbs that feel round and soft in the berry, filled finish. This is not a wine to hold for further aging. 90 Pts
2005 Haut Brion – Leather, smoke, tobacco, cigar box and an array of red and black fruits create the complex nose that pops with little effort. The wine is silky, smooth, ripe, concentrated and opulent, displaying a youthful, pure essence of fruit. 98 Pts
2005 Haut Brion Blanc – Showing maturity in color, the wine pops with vanilla, grilled nuts, honeysuckle, citrus and toast. Refined, rich and still young, the ripe, sweet, fresh, mineral drive, fruit packed finish stays with you. 97 Pts
2005 Haut Brisson – The truffle and licorice nose get you going. Simple, smooth and easy drinking, this is showing at a good level of potential today. 89 pts
2005 Hosanna – Sensuous, silky and smooth, with a wealth of plush fruits, oak and earthy, this sexy wine can be enjoyed now, or if you delay your gratification, you’ll be rewarded with even silkier textures and complexities. 95 Pts
2005 d’Issan- Starting to show secondary notes of tobacco, thyme, plum, cedar and earth on the nose. This has really filled out and improved over the past decade. There is a beautiful purity to the fruit, silky, soft tannins and a fresh, fruit filled finish that tastes as good as it feels. The wine was made from a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot. 94 Pts
2005 Lafite Rothschild – Looking quite young, with only a minor change of color, the wine is slowly starting to develop secondary characteristics, with tobacco, cedar, charcoal, wet earth, forest floor and cassis in the bouquet. The wine has the smoothness of silk, with layers of soft, polished, ripe, sweet cassis in its long finish. Still young, this will be better in 15 years, or is that 30 years? 97 Pts
2005 Lafleur – The wine was made from a blend of 61% Merlot and 39% Cabernet Franc, making this one of the highest percentages of Merlot in the decade. The complex nose shows cherry pipe tobacco, stone, flowers and cherry liqueur in abundance. Full bodied, silky, smooth, supple, and fresh, there is a beautiful sense of purity in the exotic, plum and cherries in the long finish. The wine remains in your mouth for close to 50 seconds. 99 Pts
2005 Pensees de Lafleur – Showing some age in the color, earth, confiture, smoke, cherry and thyme create the perfume. This medium bodied, round, soft wine is drinking at the right place today. The wine was produced from a blend of 53% Merlot and 47% Cabernet Franc. 90 Pts
2005 La Clotte – Mineral drive, soft, fresh and sweet, there is ample complexities and ripe fruits to keep you busy. This is drinking well today. 91 Pts
2005 La Confession – Truffle, smoke, tobacco, plum, vanilla bean, coffee and wild strawberry on the nose. The wine is soft, round and ready to drink, with a soft, supple textured, fresh, sweet cherry finish. This is ready to drink. 92 Pts
2005 La Conseillante – Violets, truffle, creamy chocolate, smoke and dark berries have so much to offer, you find yourself looking for other sensations in the complex perfume. The velvety, sensuous, sexy red fruits are impossible not to like. Your glass is empty before you know it. This was too good to spit. You can drink this with pure pleasure now, or age it for more complexity. 97 Pts
2005 La Dominique – The color is light ruby with some bricking. With a mature nose filled with secondary notes of truffle, tobacco, plum and earth. Medium bodied, soft and silky, smooth in texture, the earthy, red berry finish shows just a bit too much oak in the end note at this time. 90 Pts
2005 La Fleur Morange Mathilde – The best buy of the vintage is still going strong, with its earthy, plum, licorice and dark cherry nose and its black cherry filled finish. This winner was a whopping $14 on release! 91 Pts
2005 La Lagune – Cedar wood, tobacco and cassis on the nose. With its soft, fresh, cigar box, black plum and cassis flavors coming to the forefront, you can drink this for pleasure today, or age it for a few more years to gain more tertiary sensations. 92 Pts
2005 Larcis Ducasse – Deep ruby in color, with blast of fresh, sweet, vibrant, juicy, mouthful , fleshy, supple berries, silky textures and a lively finish that is just getting started. Drink this now, or give it a few more years for additional layers of softness and complexity. 96 Pts
2005 La Mission Haut Brion – Stunning in every way, the wine perfectly balances intensity, incredible levels of concentration, power and purity. Mouth coating, palate staining and harmonious, this is a future legend. Still young, the tannins are so ripe, you can pop a cork now to experience the wine in its impressive youthful stage. Else you can wait decades for an incredible experience that will be hard to equal when this reaches maturity. That might take 15-20 years, but it’s going to be worth the wait. 100 Pts
2005 Latour – With a depth of color that still looks young, with coaxing you find, tobacco, cigar box, cedar chest, forest floor, smoke and caramel notes in the nose, but it takes effort to find everything at 10 years of age. The wine is powerful, tannic, full bodied, young and mouth filling. The wine offers concentration, intensity, length and refined textures, but if I gave the impression it’s ready to drink, it’s not. It’s more serious than fun to taste today, so give it time and air. From a blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot and 1% Cabernet Franc, the wine reached 13.5% alcohol and was produced from just 44% of the harvest. 99 Pts
2005 Forts de Latour – Produced from blending 76% Cabernet Sauvignon and 24% Merlot, the wine reached 13.2% alcohol and represents 45% of the production. Ruby in color, with cedar wood, earth, forest and blackberry, the soft, fresh, cassis filled wine is medium bodied and ready for prime time drinking. 92 Pts
2005 Langoa Barton – Approachable with its medium/full bodied, fresh, red berry charm, the wine is fresh, crisp and bright, finishing with ample tannins amidst the buckets of fresh picked cherries in the finish. 90 Pts
2005 Laville Haut Brion Blanc – Fresh, sweet, waxy, lemon, honeysuckle and grapefruit fill your nose. On the palate, there is a sweetness to the fruit coupled with freshness that keep this lively, refreshing and focused. 93 Pts
2005 La Tour Carnet – Cigar box, tobacco, black raspberry, medium bodied, soft and ready for business. 90 Pts
2005 Les Grands Chenes – Easy to drink and like, with its sweet, red cherry and black raspberry and cigar box nose, coupled with its soft textured, red berry character. 87 Pts
2005 Le Gay – Luscious, sumptuous, sensuous and sexy, this is what you want to find in Pomerol. Rich, fresh, sweet and velvety, drink this now, or age it. You cannot go wrong either way, although I’ll be aging mine for at another 3-5 years. 96 Pts
2005 Leoville Barton – Espresso bean, cassis, spice, earth, cedar and tobacco open the nose. With a serious tannic backbone that demands more time in the cellar, give this powerful, structured, masculine wine another 5-10 years to soften and become fun to drink. It’s going to be worth the wait. 93 Pts
2005 Leoville Las Cases – Deep ruby in color, with just a bit of lightening on the color, the wine is big, powerful and concentrated. Everything is balance. The ample level of tannins are ripe, the fruit is fresh. The fruit really lingers on your palate, leaving you with a finish that remains for 50 seconds or more that sings with fresh, ripe cassis and spicy blackberries. This needs at least another decade, or more in the cellar. But even now, it’s easy to see the high level of quality in the wine here. 98 Pts
2005 Clos du Marquis – Forest floor and cedar chest notes are easy to find. On the palate, a generous dose of ripe cassis and black cherries is young, yet approachable, due to the high quality of the tannins. 91 Pts
2005 Leoville Poyferre – Cigar box, tobacco, cassis, blackberry and wet earth scents pop as soon as the wine hits the glass. The fruit and tannins need more time and air before they can really be coaxed from their deep slumber. On the palate, the wine is powerful, full bodied and concentrated, with refined tannins, plush textures and layers of sweet, ripe, juicy, spicy fruits. If you enjoy young wines for their crisp fruit, you can drink this with a few hours of air, else this very strong wine will be much better, softer and more complex with another 5 more years of age. The wine was produced from a blend of 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Merlot and 6% Petit Verdot. The wine reached 13.5% alcohol. 95 Pts
2005 Lynch Bages – Cigar box, tobacco, cassis and cedar notes are the first thing you notice. Ripe tannins and freshness, with good volume, richness and depth, which is still quite young. Give this at least a few hours of air, or let it age for another 8-10 years. 94 Pts
2005 Malartic Lagraviere – Medium bodied, with a nose packed with tobacco, smoke, dark red fruits and wet earthy aromatics. The wine is slightly more intriguing on the nose, than on the fresh, cherry centered finish. 91 Pts
2005 Chateau Margaux – Intoxicating scents of caramel, violets, smoke, licorice, plum and maraschino cherries take almost no time to find. Pure silk and velvet on the palate, the wine is seriously concentrated with an elegant, refined, fresh, tannic, rich, well defined, profile that has a lot more to say than it lets on for the moment. If I had to sum the wine up in a single word, compelling wold not do it justice. 5-10 years will add a lot to this already sublime wine. 100 Pts
2005 Pavillon Rouge du Chateau Margaux – Soft, smooth and ready for prime time, with its elegant, fresh, cherries, floral and earthy profile. 90 Pts
2005 Pavillon Blanc – With a nose of fresh squeezed citrus, honeysuckle, vanilla and grapefruit in the nose, the wine is fresh, lively and packed with sweet lemons that offer bracing acidity with sweetness. 92 Pts
2005 Magrez Fombrauge – Licorice, stone, smoke, wet earth, plum and vanilla in the nose, the sweet, fleshy, ripe, round, silky wine shows well today and is only going to get better with a few more years of age. 93 Pts
2005 Malescot St. Exupery – Starting to show its secondary characteristics with tobacco, earth and forest floor notes that peek through the fog of sleep. Silky, spicy, soft and polished, this luscious wine needs time to wake up and develop more complexity. 95 Pts
2005 La Mondotte – Full bodied, rich and intense, this concentrated, silky, sensuous, charismatic wine is packed with layers of velvety, black cherries, crushed stone, plum and earthy scents that are only made better when the wine hits your palate and stays there. 97 Pts
2005 Montrose – A big, juicy, mineral driven, blackberry filled, tobacco, smoke, cigar box, Asian spice, Cuban cigar and cassis filled perfume lets you know you’re not in OZ anymore. This is concentrated, full bodied, powerful, rich, intense and very tannic. Yet, the tannins are so ripe, there is so much rich fruit, the wine can be enjoyed today if you like a primary drinking experience. It’s lush, mouth filling, regal and refined. 96 Pts
2005 Dame de Montrose – Tannic, fresh, crisp, cassis, tobacco and spicy notes with an earthy background is delivering its pleasure today. Drink it now while waiting for its big brother to grow up. 90 Pts
2005 Mouton Rothschild – If you like power, elegance, concentration, velvety textures, ripe, silky, fresh fruits with spicy, exotic flavors, this is going to be your style of wine. From a blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot and 1% Cabernet Franc. Give this a decade and you’ll be drinking in grand style! 98 Pts
2005 Aile d’Argent – Golden in color, plush in texture and displaying honey and dried apricot notes. The wine should be drunk up sooner than later. 87 Pts
2005 Le Petit Mouton Rothschild – Medium bodied, soft, forward, approachable and ready for current consumption with its elegant cedar, cassis cherry and tobacco profile. 91 Pts
2005 Nenin – Wet earth and plums in the nose, paired with fresh, tannic, red plums and herbs in the finish. This structured style of Pomerol needs another 5 more years to develop and soften. 90 Pts
2005 Ormes de Pez – With a developed, earthy, tobacco scented nose, the fresh, crisp, spicy, bright cassis filled wine is classic in style, with a stern, traditional St. Estephe charm. 87 Pts
2005 Palmer – The wine pops with an attention seeking nose of truffle, cigar box, licorice, wet earth that are the first thing you notice. I took my first taste and right off the bat, there was no way I was spitting this beauty. I really cannot say if it was the pure silk and velvet, texture, or the wealth of perfectly ripe, sweet fruits that won me over. Frankly, it was so good, I did not care. All I wanted was more wine in my glass. I reached for the bottle and poured it too! 98 Pts
2005 Palmer Alter Ego – Fully in its prime, with silky soft, elegant textures, floral and cherry notes and a medium bodied, refined palate feel. 91 Pts
2005 Pape Clement – Secondary aromas of smoke, tobacco, wet earth, dark red fruits and lead pencil are already showing. Full bodied, concentrated and rich, the wine is silky, lush and the oak has mostly integrated into the wine, leaving you with sweet, velvety, ripe dark red fruits on the palate. 94 Pts
2005 Pape Clement Blanc – This continues developing nicely. The complex nose kicks off with fresh citrus, peach, honeysuckle and vanilla notes that bring you to a fresh, lemony blast of fruit that is kept fresh, due to its ample levels of acidity. This is drinking well now and has room for improvement. 95 Pts
2005 Pavie – Truffle, tobacco, earth, espresso, cigar box, and sweet black, blue and red fruit scents are the first thing you notice Powerful, concentrated, tannic, yet balanced, complex, young and fresh. This mineral driven wine is obviously very good, but it’s even more obvious that this is oh, so young. Give it 10 to 15 more years. 97 Pts
2005 Pavie Macquin – The nose explodes with truffle, smoke, licorice, blackberry, plum and wet earth. Full bodied, silky and intense, this silky, smooth wine lingers and expands on your palate making a really nice impression on all your senses. Still young, there is so much fruit and lush textures going on, this is a treat to taste today. If you have patience, it’s only going to get better and better from here! 97 Pts
2005 Pichon Baron – Cedar, truffle, cigar box and lead pencil scents are already coming to the forefront. The wine is powerful, full bodied, concentrated and long, with a richness of character and a seamless, finesse style that make this a delicious treat that will age for decades. Keep your hands of it for another decade, if you can Due to its richness, you can enjoy it young, but there is so much potential here, it’s only going to get better and better. 96 Pts
2005 Pichon Lalande – Cedar, tobacco, flowers, blackberry and wet earth on the nose, with a medium body and a lightness in the fruit, the wine lacks the concentration found in the better wines from the vintage. The finish has dusty tannins and plums in the end note. 89 Pts
2005 Pierre de Lune – Mature, with an earthy, truffle, cocoa, black cherry, licorice and smoke filled nose, this round, open wine is ready to drink. 91 Pts
2005 Le Pin – Walk into a truffle store, light up a Cuban cigar, pick up a basket of fresh blackberries and plums, take the fruit and remove all the water so you’re left with only the simple, pure essence of the berries, drizzle fresh tangerine juice, add velvet textures and soak your palate in it and you are tasting 2005 Le Pin. If this wine is this good now, I can only imagine what it will be like in 10 years. 97 Pts
2005 Poujeaux – Tobacco, smoke and cigar box on the nose, the wine is medium/full bodied, with a sweet and tart, dark, red berry finish that is ready to drink. However, there is no hurry as this should remain fun to drink for at least another decade or longer. 90 Pts
2005 Pontet Canet – Full bodied and intense, this mouth filling, luscious treat is packed with layer after layer of rich, dark, dense, perfectly ripe fruits, soft, refined tannins and the stuffing and structure to age and evolve for decades. You can drink it now, but I’m waiting another 5 years before I start popping corks. 95 Pts
2005 Potensac – Still young and holding on to its firm profile, the wine is powerful, tannic, classic, old school Bordeaux with a tannic, austere finish that demands time. 88 Pts
2005 Quinault l’Enclos – Ripe, black cherries and espresso in the nose, the wine is soft in texture, with too much oak in the end note as the wine feels a little dry and woody. 89 Pts
2005 Rauzan Segla – Showing some lightness in color, with truffle, tobacco, earth, cigar box, licorice and black fruits in the nose. Sleepy, but not closed, this structured, age worthy wine needs serious air or another 5-10 years, before it truly starts to show all its considerable, soft, supple charms and complexities. 94 Pts
2005 Roc de Cambes – Peppery, earthy, truffle and tobacco scents in the nose with a stony, earthy, cherry driven character, this is ready to drink. 90 Pts
2005 Saint-Pierre – Fully mature, this medium bodied wine shows an earthy, oaky, black cherry driven character with tobacco and cocoa in the dusty finish. I’ve enjoyed subsequent vintages a lot more. 90 Pts
2005 Smith Haut Lafitte – Coffee, smoke, baked cherries, tar, caramel and thyme open the nose. Combining round textures with freshness, this can be enjoyed now, as you can see from the secondary notes, if you allow it an hour or two of air. But a few more years will add more softness and complexity along with additional time to integrate the oak into the wine. 94 Pts
2005 Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc – Showing a golden hue, the wine, with its apple pie and apple and cashew notes tastes like a 20 year old wine that is fading. Based on this bottle, this requires consumption. 88 Pts
2005 Suduiraut – Still quite young, decanted 4 hours in advance, this is still young, fresh and lively. Loads of pineapple, apricot, vanilla and honey in the perfume. The wine is unctuous in texture and long in the finish. 93 Pts
2005 du Tertre – Already open and serving up its tobacco, earth, cherry and wild strawberry charms, the wine has a softness to the tannins on the palate. The end is focused on its fresh, bright and almost, crisp, cassis and cranberry finish. 90 Pts
2005 Tertre Roteboeuf – With its earthy, black raspberry, caramel center, fresh black raspberry liqueur, truffle, smoke and herb finish, this full bodied, concentrated, ripe, plush, sensuous, opulently textured wine is already starting to show well. If you’re lucky enough to have a few bottles in your cellar, another 2-4 years of sleep will add a lot more complexity to the wine. 97 Pts.
2005 Tronquoy Lalande – At its peak today, the wine offers soft, earthy, black fruits and freshness. This is ready to drink. 90 Pts
2005 Troplong Mondot – Inky in color, this is rich, intense, sensuous, luscious, silky and decadent. Packed with layers of velvet drenched plums, black cherry, dark chocolate, licorice and black cherry liqueur, this is only now starting to strut its ample charms. This pure, bottled hedonism and will continue getting better and better for at least another 2 decades. 98 Pts
2005 Trotanoy – Sexy, sensuous and silky, the explosion of truffle dark chocolate, plum liqueur and floral scents is just the opening act. The grand finale is the ocean of velvet textured fruits on your palate that waves of pleasure. 96 Pts
2005 Valandraud – Lush, rich and silky, with layers of dark chocolate coated black cherry and plum, with truffle in the nose get you going. The intensity of plush, ripe fruit on the palate is even better as it coats your palate and expands. 95 Pts
2005 Vieux Chateau Certan – Straddling the fence between hedonistic and intellectual, the truffle, rose, violet, tobacco and dark plum nose gets you, holds you and makes you take another sniff before you sip. Full bodied, concentrated, silky, smooth and still young, there is still tannin to soften. But there is so much ripe fruit you can drink it today. But if you have patience, give it 5 to 10 more years and you’re going to be taste pure magic. 96 Pts
2005 La Vieille Cure – Open, round, sweet, fresh and still going strong, popped and poured, this is still delivering a sensuous lush wine of pleasure. There is no need for decanting. 91 Pts
2005 d’Yquem – With a nose that won’t let go, due to the intense floral, apricot, honey, pineapple, vanilla, custard and white peach aromas that take over the room. On the palate, the wine is rich, sweet, intense, long and fresh, serving up the difficult combination of honey coated fruit and acidity. 97 Pts
