Urbane Restaurant, Brisbane
Tasted Wednesday, May 22, 2019 by drjb with 353 views
Our second dinner for the year was the first of 2 parts examining the 2005 Bordeaux vintage focusing on highly rated non-First Growth Wines from the Left Bank. We had 3 excellent savoury courses with the 3 main flights finishing with cheese. The first wine with stand up savouries was to be the Palmer but given a just completed Federal Election, one of the group kindly brought along a celebratory Champagne to toast our good fortune at living in a country where elections are held peacefully and with not too much rancour !
The lingering memory of these wines is purity and classicism with intensity and balance across the whole group. This, for me, places 2005 at the very top of the pile of post 1982 vintages. The wines are still developing and will give pleasure for many years ahead. The 1st Growths will be interesting !
1997 Billecart-Salmon Champagne Cuvée Elisabeth Salmon 93 Points
France, Champagne
Wine Group Dinner #168, Urbane. A celebratory start to a 2005 Bordeaux dinner, this wine had an aged salmon pink colour with a brown edge. The nose was lovely with touches of strawberry, nectarine and nougat and the palate had nice profile and terrific drive but the fruit was slightly faded and the intensity on the palate suffered for that. A good start but best perhaps 10 years back.
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2005 Château Palmer 98 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux
Wine Group Dinner #168, Urbane. This wine remains a deep crimson with a nose that leaps from the glass. It leads with beautiful black currants, dark cherries, licorice and dark chocolate coated violets. The palate is immediately rich and round yet there is a freshness and length that provides symmetry and beauty. The flavours linger for an age and leave a memory of a great Palmer.
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