19th Annual Lyon 10 Year Retrospective

I quit tasting my '05 Bordeaux for a few years starting late in 2011. Tight, closed, tannic, etc, etc. Early in 2015 we tried some with LONG decants...hmmm that's helping. So here we went with decanting starting around 8pm on Saturday for a 1pm Sunday event! We had the usual 2 person "shell game" with the bagged wines to ensure a ringer in every flight and some different appellations as well.

• 2005 Argyle Extended Tirage Brut 94 Points

  USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley

  Another great one in this line! Argyle knows to "de-class" when it's not good enough (and they haven't made this in a couple years), so it was great to see this wine show up, just in time for this tasting. Bought it at the winery on our road trip 2 weeks before the event. Both elegant and deep, it has some classic citrus, tart apple pie w/ crust/bread, and saline notes. Fine mousse and finish. Consensus pick for the bubbly match-up.

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• 2005 Henriot Champagne Brut Millésimé 92 Points

  France, Champagne

  A great wine just a bit outclassed by the Argyle. Not quite the depth of fruit and more chalk/ mineral notes. Some of the same citrus and apple/crust flavors and long finish. Now-2020.

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• 2005 Château du Grand Bos 87 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Graves

  A first for this (19th) tasting: a non-blind red wine to begin the sit down phase; what we are going to call "the First Ice Skater". Pretty much knowing it can't win, we had this nice little Graves to set the stage, break the ice, and otherwise warm up the palate. A "medium" wine in every way (color, depth, fruit, finish, etc.). Tannins there but mellow compared to most of the later wines. May not be on plateau, but I'm not sure there's a lot to be gained from waiting.

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I

• 2005 Château Monbousquet 92 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

  Double decant 17 hours ahead of time and this was the first of the "serious" wines in this tasting: nice deep plum, stone, mocha, and some cedar in balance with the fruit. Tannins moderate now, so they are tamer than my last bottle 3 years ago when I said "WAIT". 92 on day two.

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• 2005 Andrew Will Sorella 90 Points

  USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Horse Heaven Hills

  4 hour double decant as I knew it wouldn't need the time like the '05 Bordeaux in this tasting. More red than black fruit; raspberry, black cherry, and spice. Some obvious oak, lack of classic Bordeaux notes (and the tannins of the vintage) gave it away as the ringer in the first flight. Medium length and very smooth. 89 on day 2.

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• 2005 Château Faugères 93 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

  Over performed a bit in this blind tasting. Deep black fruit, earth, and licorice notes stood out, as did the tannic finish not evident in the previous wine. 93 on day 2, and still tannic after 48 hours.

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• 2005 Château Branaire-Ducru 93 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien

  Still a tight nose but nice deep cassis, black plum, wet stone, cedar, and spice notes. Tannins a bit mellower than some. We correctly guessed Left Bank in this blind tasting. 92 on a day 2.

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• 2005 Château Pontet-Canet 94 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  WOTFlight, this was BIG, dark, and deep with stone notes vying with the cassis, blackberry, earth, and cedar. Tannic and long. Wait, decant (we did 17 hours), and wait some more. Next in 2-3 years. 93 on day 2.

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II

• 2005 Château Kirwan 95 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux

  Over performed in this blind tasting for its beautiful nose (more open than most this afternoon), the depth of black fruit, and some classic Left Bank notes. Some spice/pepper also show up on the very long finish. When unbagged, we were not terribly surprised to see that a wine from Margaux was more ready/drinkable than others. 94 on day 2. Now with long decant-2030.

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• 2005 Château Destieux 90 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

  Seemingly more ripe than many, then the tannins clamp down and bite. Still an outstanding wine with almost jammy black fruit flavors and a touch of cigar. This one finished slightly hot. 89 on day 2.

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• 2005 Beringer Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Chabot Vineyard 93 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley, St. Helena

  My score is from day 2. In the tasting I gave it 92 blind. Black fruit and oak on the nose. I loved the rich smooth, glycerin laden palate. Black velvet coat on your tongue and a nice break from the tannins of the Bordeaux. 4 hour double decant. Now-2025.

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• 2005 Château Calon-Ségur 93 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe

  Maybe a notch better than the bottle 8 mos ago. Same long decant, the savory notes are competing with the big black fruit hits. Tannins are still in charge, like a referee who gets into the fight, instead of patiently watching and advising. 92 on day 2.

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• 2005 Château Bellefont-Belcier 94 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

  I liked this a lot for its more open nose and the deep dusty black fruit, mocha and earth on the finish. Not to mention the TANNINS!!! They moderated substantially on day 2, 93 points. Needs the LONG decant.

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III

• 2005 Château Malescot St. Exupéry 93 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux

  Another Margaux wine drinking well in this tasting. Sexy, long, and smooth with tannins integrating better than many. Blackberry, plum, floral, and earth notes linger. 93+ on day 1, 93 on day 2. Now-2025.

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• 2005 Château la Bienfaisance 92 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

  Significantly better than my last in 7/11. Same flavors noted in my blind tasting notes this time: black fruit, plum, earth, and spice. Tannins are just letting a peek through the door now after a 17+ hr decant. 92 on day 2.

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• 2005 Château La Tour Figeac 91 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

  This had one of the more open noses of the tasting and was very nice and inviting. Ok, I've been invited but where's the party (in your mouth)? There's substantial black fruit and hints of cocoa, wood, and earth. Tannins get serious quickly despite the long decant. Better on day 2, 92pts.

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• 2005 Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon The Montelena Estate 94 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley, Calistoga

  Fascinating to see the evolution of this (and my notes). In this blind tasting it did better than my last three bottles in a fairly clear progression. We got some minty cassis, blackberry, oak and earth notes, all sitting on a glycerin laden palate with tannins more integrated than everything so far. Stood out as a New World'er in the flight for playing nice on the palate. 94 on day 2.

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• 2005 Château Montrose 93 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe

  The 93 score was from day 2. In this blind tasting and despite the 18 hr double decant, this particular bottle was a brute. Very dark, tight, and tannic. You had to use a little imagination to get much out of it. It still has a purple color in its core. There's cassis, cigar box, and some tar mixed with espresso. Blind, I gave it 90 pts during the tasting. It was obviously better on day two and seems to have even more potential, our co-tasters agreed it was great. Give this to your children...

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IV

• 2005 Château Pibran 91 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  There was a little more "sweetness" to the fruit in this wine as opposed to many in this tasting. Black fruit, stone, plum and some pencil. Blind, I thought something from Margaux -- oops. 91 on day 2, the tannins were still holding firm... now-2025.

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• 2005 Anakota Cabernet Sauvignon Helena Dakota Vineyard 91 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Knights Valley

  More ripe and some obvious glycerin made it stand out as the ringer in this flight. Tannins are there but nicely integrated. The fruit leans towards the black and blue end of the spectrum with some nice spice notes, but it seemed a little short. 90 on day 2.

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• 2005 Château Pipeau 92 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

  I was pleasantly surprised when the bag was pulled off this bottle. A great "go-to" Bordeaux annually, you're never sure how it will do blind. Lots of black plum, earth, and cocoa notes made me think Right Bank. Tannins are still huge for a Merlot based wine, it needed all of the long decant. 92 on day 2. Would still wait: 2017-2025

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• 2005 Château Lagrange (St. Julien) 93 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien

  Did a notch better in this tasting than my previous notes. I still love the dark black fruit bouncing off the stone and mineral notes. Just a touch of graphite and earth. Obvious Left Bank origin in this blind tasting. Fell of a bit on day 2, 91 pts.

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• 2005 Château La Confession 94 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

  WOTF (flight winner), this was more suave and sexy than anything lately in this tasting. Black plum, berry, mocha, and smoke with a looong finish. Still more tannic than I'd expect or want from a 10 yr old wine - a recurring theme with '05 Bordeaux. 94 on day 2. 2017-2030, this was about a 19 hr double decant...

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V

• 2005 Château Smith Haut Lafitte 97 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

  WOTN for me in this blind tasting. I ripped it in my 4/11 note but had hope for the future. With an 18 hr double decant and in this setting of so many brute force tannic '05 Bordeaux, this came across magically with deep dark fruit, pencil, stone, mineral, and oak notes. Crazy long, but the balance is what led me to the score. 95 on day 2, unblinded, and still wishing we had more for the "retasting".

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• 2005 The Winemakers' Collection Michel Rolland Cuvée No. 1 Château d'Arsac 93 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Haut-Médoc

  Another nice wine in this flight, and again fairly dark and brooding. Black fruit, plum, earth, spice, and some hints of cigars/cedar. 93 on day 2. Now-2025

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• 2005 Corrina Rayment Shiraz Expatriate 92 Points

  Australia, South Australia, Fleurieu, McLaren Vale

  WHAT? a wine with black and red fruit, pepper, and integrated tannins in this tasting?! Must be a ringer. Very nice wine on it's own and smooth, soft and 90 pts on day 2.

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• 2005 Château d'Aiguilhe 93 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux

  This bottle did REALLY well in this blind tasting, I was bouncing back and forth on scoring it even higher. One of the most open noses helped its cause, and despite how big it is, there's excellent balance. Black fruit, black licorice, black coffee, and 83% cacao dark chocolate (yeah, right). It remains smooth and classic, maybe more defined with some spice on day 2: 93+pts!

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• 2005 Château Rol Valentin 91 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

  Like most of the Bordeaux in this event, the RV needs time. Let it get down the road! Love the black fruit and spice notes, but the tannins did not quit and still clamp down on day 2: 91pts.

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VI

• 2005 Beringer Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Private Reserve 95 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  I can't remember the last time a ringer started a flight in this annual event; it makes you wonder... The nose was more open than most, then the ripe fruit and glycerin give it away as New World. Beyond that, the depth of blackberry, cassis, chocolate cherry, spice and oak notes fruit just pull you back into the glass and make it hard to spit or pour out -- but I must. No, I won't. Second WOTN for me. Now-2025

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• 2005 Château Quinault L'Enclos 90 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

  This bottle was one of the most tannic, in an afternoon of tannins... Black fruit, dark chocolate, and tar was as much as I could get out of it this late in this tasting, despite the 20 hr decant. I would wait (and hope): 2018-2025.

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• 2005 Château Fleur Cardinale 92 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

  I gave this 91 pts blind on day one: it has cassis, stone, cocoa, and spice notes. Even better integrated on day two and hence my 92 rating.

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• 2005 Château d'Issan 93 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux

  Very similar to my 2/15 note. This time I picked up some blueberry in addition to the cassis, cocoa, and earth notes. Despite the 20 hour decant, the tannins are still in need of fatty meat, a long decant, or another decade! 93 on day 2.

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• 2005 Château Lusseau 92 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

  My initial thought was GREAT! Ripe black fruit, some minerals, tar, cigar, and mocha...then bang, the tannins clamp down. In a way, it's appropriate that the tasting ended with that kind of a "tannin bomb", so close to Xmas. No drop on day 2.

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• 2005 Domaine des Baumard Quarts de Chaume Grand Cru 95 Points

  France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Quarts de Chaume Grand Cru

  I still love this, despite whatever BAL I/we had at the end of this 10 year Retro tasting. This is like a liquid SweeTart, with honeyed, ripe stone fruit, pear, and tropical fruit. It has a lush texture and a finish that goes on and on with good acidity to clean up the palate. I can see where some folks would prefer Sauv Blanc to Chenin Blanc as the base for their dessert wine; thank goodness we don't all like the same things! That would make things really $$$...

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Wow! I'm going to try and wait a few more years before hitting any remaining bottles from this vintage again. Perhaps my colder cellar (high 40's in winter, o/w 58) preserved these a bit too well.
It was a great time and it was also fun to have some folks over for day two! Even with that help there was still some wine left for day 3 and despite no formal notes, I can tell you things were hanging on and in some cases, still improving!