CHATEAU D'AIGUILHE 2005 COTES DE CASTILLON
This huge, historic property, owned by Stephan von Neipperg, appears to have produced their finest wine to date. The dense purple-tinged 2005 offers up notes of creme de cassis, charcoal, camphor, and espresso roast. A sleeper of the vintage, it is a full-bodied, layered, super-concentrated, smooth as silk blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc. Enjoy this superb bargain-priced claret over the next 8-10 years.
BAHANS HAUT BRION 2005 PESSAC WINE ADVOCATE 89 POINTS - "The second wine, the 2005 Bahans-Haut-Brion, is a fruit-forward, deliciously soft, round, stylish offering possessing hints of figs, plums, black currants, cherries, and minerals. Soft, with supple tannin, it is ideal for drinking over the next 12-15 years." By the way, in 2007, this cuvee’s name will be changed to Le Clarence de Haut-Brion.
BARDE HAUT 2005 ST. EMILION WINE ADVOCATE 93 POINTS - "A tasty, opulent 2005 from proprietress Helene Garcin, this sexy wine exhibits a dense ruby/purple color followed by a sweet bouquet of licorice, black cherries, blackberries, oak, and licorice. Medium to full-bodied, opulent, fleshy, and disarming, it will drink well in 2-3 years, and should age for 12-15."
WINE SPECTATOR 90 POINTS - "Displays aromas of tobacco, berry, chocolate and spice. Full-bodied, with sweet fruit, silky tannins and a spicy currant aftertaste. Best after 2012. 3,330 cases made."
By the way, I have recently begun sampling my 1998 Barde-Haut, which is just emerging from its adolescent stage. It, too, is a beauty!
CHATEAU BIENFAISANCE 2005 ST. EMILION (WA 92)
"A simple wine, with berry and tobacco character. Medium-bodied, with a slightly austere, hollow finish. Some bottle age will mellow this." Best after 2008. –JS
BORDEAUX 2006 COLLECTION CASE
This wonderful collecters case consists of 1 bottle each of the following 2006 bordeaux's.
Mouton Rothschild
Robert Parker 98 points Lafite Rothschild
Robert Parker 97 points Latour
Robert Parker 95 points Margaux
Robert Parker 94 points Haut Brion
Robert Parker 96 points Cheval Blanc
Robert Parker 95 points Petrus
Robert Parker 93+ points d'Yquem
Robert Parker 96-98+ points La Mission Haut Brion
Robert Parker 95 points
A great way to get 1st Growth wines and there super friends! Special order. Arrives in about a week.
CHATEAU BOYD CANTENAC 2005 MARGAUX (WS 92-94) This is, without a doubt, the finest Boyd-Cantenac
ever! Classic Margaux nose and fruit! Robert Parker 91-93 Boyd-Cantenac consistently fashions powerful clarets that often fly under the radar of consumers. That’s a shame as Bordeaux lovers should be purchasing it as it is one of the least expensive cru classes in the marketplace. An inky/purple color is followed by aromas of pen ink, blackberries, cassis, licorice, spring flowers, and truffles. Powerful and dense, with fabulous intensity, purity, structure, and tannin, like many of these muscular 2005s, this classic will require patience. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2030+.
BRANAIRE DUCRU 2005 ST. JULIEN 1.5 LITER WINE ADVOCATE 95 POINTS - "As usual, the 2005 Branaire-Ducru is one of the more distinctive wines of St.-Julien. Proprietor Patrick Maroteaux has turned out another classic. While not as opulent or fleshy as the 2003, and it remains to be seen if it will eclipse the 2000, the 2005 is a big, structured, intensely rich effort with raspberry, blueberry, and spring flower garden characteristics, stunning purity, full-bodied power, and good underlying acidity as well as harmony. The hard tannins suggest 8-9 years of cellaring will be beneficial; it should last for three decades. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2030+."
WINE SPECTATOR 92 POINTS - "Very floral, showing blueberry, licorice and mineral on the nose. Full and very silky, with beautifully polished tannins. Long and caressing. This is always very well done and good value for the quality. Best after 2010."
BRANAIRE DUCRU 2005 ST. JULIEN 6 LITER WINE ADVOCATE 95 POINTS - "As usual, the 2005 Branaire-Ducru is one of the more distinctive wines of St.-Julien. Proprietor Patrick Maroteaux has turned out another classic. While not as opulent or fleshy as the 2003, and it remains to be seen if it will eclipse the 2000, the 2005 is a big, structured, intensely rich effort with raspberry, blueberry, and spring flower garden characteristics, stunning purity, full-bodied power, and good underlying acidity as well as harmony. The hard tannins suggest 8-9 years of cellaring will be beneficial; it should last for three decades. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2030+."
WINE SPECTATOR 92 POINTS - "Very floral, showing blueberry, licorice and mineral on the nose. Full and very silky, with beautifully polished tannins. Long and caressing. This is always very well done and good value for the quality. Best after 2010."
BRANE CANTENAC 2005 MARGAUX WINE ADVOCATE 94 - "This is the finest Brane-Cantenac I have tasted in over thirty years. Unusually perfumed and already approachable (atypical for most 2005 Medocs), it reveals a deep plum/purple color as well as a stunningly flamboyant bouquet of smoked herbs, licorice, camphor, black cherries, currants, and notions of plums and blackberries. Elegant with silky tannin and medium body, it is clearly a classic statement on the Margaux appellation. While not a powerhouse, it is beautifully concentrated, stunningly balanced, and surprisingly forward. It could be drunk now after several hours of decanting, but it should age easily for 20+ years."
CALON SEGUR 2005 ST. ESTEPHE ROBERT PARKER 92+ POINTS -"Calon is another traditionally-fashioned wine that has been on an upswing that began with their superb 2000 and continued on through their magnificent 2003. The 2005 is another return to glory having garnered top-notch scores and prose from both Parker (92+ points) and Spectator (93 points). Parker notes, "A formidably endowed and broodingly tannic wine with noticeable acidity and a structured, nearly impenetrable mouthfeel." Suckling references, "A beautiful nose of crushed berry, spices and nutmeg with a hint of coffee. Full-bodied with super silky tannins and a long finish of vanilla, berry and cinnamon. Beautifully crafted!" As Calon is noted for its youthful intractability, we suspect both scores are a bit conservative and thus recommend (highly!) the 2005 Calon as the quintessential cellaring candidate."
CANON 2005 ST EMILION WINE ADVOCATE 90+ POINTS - "With a saturated deep ruby color, but less intense than some other St.-Emilions, this is probably the best Canon in a number of years. It is still made in a relatively austere, tannic style, but strong black cherry and loamy soil notes intermixed with some licorice and background subtle oak lead to a rich, elegant, stylish effort that is closed and in need of cellaring. Give this wine, which clearly reveals the minerality of this top-notch vineyard, at least 7-8 years of bottle age and drink it over the following 20-25 years."
CAP DE FAUGERES 2005 COTE CASTILLON ROBERT PARKER 89 POINTS - "Always one of the top Cotes de Castillons, the 2005 Cap des Faugeres is revealing more rustic tannin than it did from barrel, but it is a weighty, deep, rich effort offering a flamboyant nose of black fruits, coffee, chocolate, and toasty oak. While dense and full-bodied, the rough tannin in the finish suggests it will benefit from another year or so of bottle age; it should keep for a decade."
CAP DE FAUGERES 2005 COTE CASTILLON 1.5 CAP DE FAUGERES 2005 COTE CASTILLON ROBERT PARKER 89 POINTS - "Always one of the top Cotes de Castillons, the 2005 Cap des Faugeres is revealing more rustic tannin than it did from barrel, but it is a weighty, deep, rich effort offering a flamboyant nose of black fruits, coffee, chocolate, and toasty oak. While dense and full-bodied, the rough tannin in the finish suggests it will benefit from another year or so of bottle age; it should keep for a decade."
CHATEAU BAHANS-HAUT-BRION 2005 PESSAC-LEOGNAN WINE SPECTATOR 92 POINTS - "Soft and balanced, showing lovely velvety tannins and lots of coffee, chocolate, toasty oak and mushroom character, with bright fruit underneath. Full-bodied, round and unctuous. The second wine of Haut-Brion. Best after 2013."
By the way, in 2007, this cuvee’s name will be changed to Le Clarence de Haut-Brion.
CHATEAU BEAU-SEJOUR BECOT 2005 ST. EMILION WINE ADVOCATE 94 POINTS - "The bottled 2005 Beau Sejour Becot confirms that this is the finest effort from this estate in the thirty years I have been covering Bordeaux. A classic blend of 70% Merlot, 24% Cabernet Franc, and 6% Cabernet Sauvignon, it is an intense, full-bodied St.-Emilion revealing notes of espresso roast, chocolate, blackberries, licorice, and truffles. With sweet but noticeable tannins, good acidity, and a powerful, long finish, this textbook St.-Emilion cuts a swath between the modern school of winemaking and the traditionalists. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2030+."
WINE SPECTATOR 92 POINTS - "Offers aromas of blackberry, coffee and tar, with a full body, silky tannins and a blackberry, mineral and light vanilla aftertaste. Balanced, refined and pretty. Best after 2014. 5,830 cases made."
CHATEAU CANTINOT 2005 COTES DE BLAYE
55%MERLOT-35%CABERNET-10%CAB FRANC
Full-bodied aromatic style with notes ot red currant,blackberry and figs. Concentrated blackberry and blueberry flavors combine with soft tannins for a long and flavorful finish.
CHATEAU D'ARMAILLAC 2005 PAUILLAC 750ml/B>
2005 brings us what could very well be the best
d’Armailhac ever! We loved this from the get-go! Exhibits blackberry, currant and licorice on the nose. Full and velvety, with plenty of good fruit. A balanced, fruity red. Best after 2012.
ROBERT PARKER 90+ POINTS - "This powerful, tannic, structured effort from Mouton-Rothschild’s stable is a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Its dense ruby/purple color is followed by an earthy nose dominated by black currants and toasty, smoky oak. Medium to full-bodied with relatively high tannin, decent acidity, and a fine finish, it should be at its best between 2014-2030."
CHATEAU FONBADET 2006 PAUILLAC CRU BOURGEOIS SUPERIEUR
Brilliant, intense purple robe. Intense, fruity nose of blueberries, black currant, elder trees, and lead pencil, in the tradition of outstanding Pauillacs. Classic, elegant palate, full of charm, with excellent balance and smooth, silky tannins.
CHATEAU HAUT BRION 2006 PESSAC
ROBERT PARKER 96 POINTS:"The 2006 Haut-Brion performed even better from bottle than it did from barrel. Sixty-four percent of the production went into this wine, and while it displays the vintage’s powerful tannins and structure, it possesses superb concentration, and the minerality/scorched earth notes of a great Haut-Brion. Medium to full-bodied, with perhaps not quite the fleshiness of the 2005 or 2000, it is built more along the lines of the 1998 and 1996. It is a brilliant effort displaying sensational purity, texture, and length that should be exceptionally long-lived. Anticipated maturity: 2017-2035 . "
CHATEAU L'ARROSEE 1990 ST. EMILION WINE ADVOCATE 93 POINTS - "Both vintages of L'Arrosee performed slightly better than my original tastings. The impressive 1990 L'Arrosee offers up a provocative, penetrating, super-fragrant nose of minerals, truffles, black fruits (jammy raspberries), and high quality, toasty oak. Rich, sweet, and full-bodied, with well-integrated, moderate tannin, this lush, complex, layered wine has turned out to be super effort in this top quality vintage. Anticipated maturity: now-2015."
CHATEAU LA GAFFELIERE 2005 ST. EMILION WINE ADVOCATE 96 POINTS - "The finest La Gaffeliere I have ever tasted, the prodigious 2005 boasts a dense ruby/purple color in addition to a flamboyant bouquet of lead pencil shavings, creme de cassis, blackberries, smoked meats, incense, and Asian spice. Fabulously deep and full-bodied as well as ethereal and exceptionally elegant for its explosive richness and intensity, its lightness of being reflects the vineyard’s sensational terroir. This succulent beauty appears to be approachable, but that belies some significant tannins. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2030+."
WINE SPECTATOR 93 POINTS - "Has a fabulous, opulent nose of crushed blackberry, wild licorice and flowers. Full-bodied, with velvety tannins, lots of fruit and a long finish. A flavorful young red. Best after 2013."
CHATEAU LA REVERENCE 2006 ST EMILION
50% MERLOT 50% CABERNET FRANC
ONLY 600 CASES MADE
Intense red color near black hues. Powerful bouquet of ultra-ripe fruit and cloves. Well-balanced palate with rich spice and cherry notes. Good structure, long finish and lovely silky tannins.
CHATEAU LATOUR 2006 PAUILLAC
ROBERT PARKER 95 POINTS:"The 2006 Latour performed even better from bottle than from barrel. Only 38% of the production (10,000 cases) made it into the grand vin, a blend of 86% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest primarily Merlot and a small amount of Cabernet Franc. From barrel, I thought it was a modern day version of the 1996 or 1986, and certainly the 1996 comparison still holds. I thought it was somewhat austere from barrel, but that is no longer an issue. This is a beautifully rich Chateau Latour boasting a dense ruby/purple color, a sweet, smoky, charcoal, cassis, graphite, and forest floor-scented nose, full body, an attractive freshness, and sweet, noble tannins. This layered Latour is one of the vintage's top dozen or so wines. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2030. "
CHATEAU LEOVILLE POYFERRE 2005 ST. JULIEN (1.5 LITER)WINE ADVOCATE 93
Although I still prefer the 2003, the 2005 Leoville Poyferre is a gorgeously opulent, approachable wine that is far less massive and austere than its two siblings. The most seductive, approachable, and charming of the three Leovilles, it exhibits a dense purple color as well as a sweet bouquet of mocha, black chocolate, creme de cassis, licorice, and toasty oak. Full-bodied with gorgeous upfront fruit in addition to impressive levels of melted, well-integrated tannin, it should be at its finest between 2015-2035.
CHATEAU LUCAS 2005 COTE DU CASTILLON
The Côtes de Castillon region is situated right next to St. Emilion and many of the wines resemble those of St. Emilion in that they are made with higher percentages of Merlot and Cabernet Franc than Cabernet Sauvignon. This great value red has a very dark color. On the nose you find hints of cedar and black cherries. Ripe black fruit flavors and some toast from the oak barrels lead to a long finish. This is a tasty red at a great price. Perfect for barbecued burgers and tri-tip.
CHATEAU MARGAUX 2006 MARGAUX
ROBERT PARKER 94 POINTS:"It is worth noting that when the bottled 2006 Chateau Margaux, which appeared closed and less impressive than I had predicted from barrel, was retasted alongside the remarkable 2008, I elevated my score to 94+. It does not possess the size or power of the 2008 or 2005, but the 2006 exhibits impressive density, a deeper color, and the beautifully textured, pure style that is a hallmark of this estate. Moreover, it is relatively precocious, and can be drunk now or cellared for 25+ years."
