Bordeaux Index London
Tasted Thursday, January 29, 2015 by PanosKakaviatos with 3,479 views
Bordeaux 2005 was when Bordeaux started getting really expensive en primeur, but not yet when top brands began to sell wines to negociants at sky high prices, leaving little margin interest - and leading to much frustration and end-client recrimination, the effect of which lingers today.
Of course when you talk about top tier Bordeaux, you talk about money, but let's get to the quality.
2005 is worthy of "vintage of the century" status in spite of all the inflated critic scores (and the other vintages of the century of the 2000-2010 decade) that leave you searching for 120-point scales.
Yes, from humble cru bourgeois level wines like Poujeaux to the most extraordinary wines Lafite Rothschild and Petrus, you find much to love in 2005.
Can we make some generalizations?
For me, 2005 marked the beginning of the High Alcohol Merlot trend in Saint Emilion, leading to some less worthy performances from this storied appellation. Some writers, like Will Lyons in the Wall Street Journal, address high tannins "masking fruit" on the Right Bank, but for me it is a question of some properties combining high alcohol and new oak, extracting some drying tannins that is the problem (see more detailed notes on my website Wine-Chronicles.com), but you find gems in Saint Emilion too. For me, fresher styles one encounters in Canon and Figeac are positive references in 2005 while Cheval Blanc is my overall favorite.
Nearby Pomerol seemed to be more judicious in terms of alcohol levels, rarely going beyond 14%, and extractions. At least among the few bottles of Pomerol I tried from bottle in London at Bordeaux Index, I found greater consistency and elegance, from Conseillante to Trotanoy, leading to one of my two most favorite wines of the January tasting: Petrus.
Overall, my favorite wines for consistency and quality are from the Left Bank - particularly from Pauillac - but also from Saint Julien and Graves.
Many of the wines that I had tasted from bottle in 2008 once again in this tasting seem marvelous as most had seemed from barrel: these rather commonly positive reflections over time bode well for 2005.
Many thanks to Giles Cooper of Bordeaux Index for the tremendous opportunity to retaste over 60 Bordeaux 2005 from bottle, nearly 10 years on. It was a pleasure to see familiar Bordeaux writers taking part in this memorable tasting, from dear friends Jane Anson and Adam Lechmere to the Wine Advocate's Neal Martin and Jancis Robinson, to assess these treasures. The pleasure was palpable. "This is not too bad," Martin said about the Petrus. Indeed...
2005 Château Pavie Decesse 89 Points
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Tasted with Canon La Gaffefliere, which seemed fresher by comparison as this wine was dominated by oak derived tannins not so well integrated. Certainly had intensity of flavor and a broad texture but drying tannin on the finish. Shall we say the Lascombes of the Right Bank? Score higher if you like the style.
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2005 Château Monbousquet 87 Points
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Once again, I could not get past the oak domination and drying finish, quite pronounced here. As with Pavie Decesse, score higher if you like that style, but not sure where it is heading...
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2005 Château Canon-la-Gaffelière 93 Points
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
By comparison to Pavie Decesse, this is fruit purity in bottle. Although a bit heady, it is rich, savory and delicious. Nice job!
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2005 Château Magdelaine 92 Points
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Tasted side by side with Angelus and what a difference! In successful vintages like 2005, this wine excels in being richer than normal yet nuanced and subtle in its flavors. I still find it strange that the Moueix owners later merged this with Belair (later Belair-Monange) after years of defending its terroir, and even if it can be somewhat bland in lesser vintages such as 2007.
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2005 Clos Fourtet 92 Points
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Primary, red fruit and very pronounced flavors. Rich and full bodied. A bit of over extraction on the palate? It does feel a touch drying on the finish, but the mid palate is so savory and there is a long finish. I get the feeling that the fruit will likely last over time and the wine will evolve positively with further bottle aging so potential higher score. I have six bottles and look forward to tasting them over the years.
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2005 Château Canon 94 Points
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Canon looks just a bit more evolved than Clos Fourtet, in terms of color, yet comes across as juicier on the palate, with greater freshness. Delicious. Rich. Ripe. But also mineral and an excellent Saint Emilion in 2005: a no brainer. I own a few bottles of both Canon and Clos Fourtet and it will be interesting to compare their evolution, seeing that their vineyards are so close to each other, albeit with different expositions (and winemaking styles). One other thought: as the vines at Canon get older, this wine will only get better, given the wine making philosophy towards freshness and the exquisite limestone terroir.
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2005 Château Figeac 94 Points
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Fresh and elegant if somewhat closed at this stage, as compared to when I enjoyed it in a vertical some three years ago in Washington D.C. Quite reassuringly tannic. Give it time! Potential for higher score. I'm happy to own a case.
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2005 Château Angélus 92 Points
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Powerful and very broad shouldered. Impressive winemaking indeed, and rather modern in style, but not as fresh and elegant as, say, Canon. I liked it from bottle perhaps a bit more in 2008 and have six bottles. Let’s see where it goes…
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2005 Château Pavie
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
What a great terroir! But why the feeling of it being over oaked, over extracted? Yes, it has full body and broad shoulders on the mid palate. But it dries on the finish. Cross your fingers, and I hope I am wrong. Note reserved, check again in five years ...
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2005 Château Ausone 96 Points
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Rich and powerful. Tannins are foreboding and over time, the terroir will shine through. At this stage more structure than anything else. Tasted from bottle along with the other ultra expensive elites of 2005, including Le Pin and Petrus, it seems to lack the "extra class" of, say, Lafite or Petrus, to county among a "top five 2005" list... But give it time.
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2005 Château Cheval Blanc 97 Points
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Spherical and smooth, tannins present yet bright and rich. Tasted next to Ausone, just another style - another terroir. Greater elegance and grace. A Margaux among Saint Emilions in 2005 and I love it.
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