Wine Boys - 2005 Bordeaux plus some Ringers
Tasted June 27, 2019 by df1962 with 179 views
Introduction
Wine Spectator - Vintage Overview
James Suckling
Mar 31, 2008
The 2005 vintage in Bordeaux will go down in the history books alongside other great modern classics for the region, including 2003, 2000, 1995, 1990, 1989 and 1982. Yet there has not been a vintage since 1989 in which the area's reds, whites and sweeties have all been of such high quality. This may be why many producers compare 2005 to that earlier year, which I rate 98 points on the Wine Spectator 100-point scale.
But I think 2005 is actually superior to 1989. The wines are not only better made, they were better born. They were produced in one of the best periods in the history of Bordeaux winemaking; even compared with only a few years ago, wine producers are paying closer attention to just about every aspect of viticulture and enology.
Is 2005, though, better than the postmodern classic 2000? On the Right Bank (centered around St.-Emilion and Pomerol), the answer is yes. I rate 2005 99 points for this region (compared with 97 points for 2000), thanks largely to the mind-blowing quality in Pomerol. On the Left Bank, which includes the Médoc and Pessac-Léognan, not quite. I give 2005 98 points in this region (compared with 99 points for 2000) because some of the big names in the Médoc underperformed slightly. Yet the extraordinary success of 2005 is underscored by the total number of wines that earned perfect 100-point scores—eight overall, with seven reds and one dry white—the most I've ever given in a tasting of young Bordeaux.
The 2005 reds show complex aromas of ripe fruits, tobacco and minerals, intensely flavored palates, and seamless textures of powerful yet ultrafine tannins and fresh acidity. They are in total harmony in their structure as young clarets. The dry and sweet whites are equally impressive, with the '05 Sauternes bridging the gap between the structured 2001s and the superripe 2003s.
With all the interest over 2005 in terms of style and quality, the vintage should be a benchmark for a very long time. The fact that many of its wines sold at record-breaking prices only adds to the notoriety. Try some and see what the excitement is about.
Flight 1 (5 notes)
Tasted blind.
Clear medium garnet.
Ashy plum blackberyy nose.
Chewy cassis blackberry raspberrycough drop and rosemary on the palate. Really nice.
Remainder of the bottle waaaay better three days later (93pts). Wish I had more.
Tasted blind.
Clear medium garnet.
Cassis leather tobacco on the nose
Dry fading tobacco casiss and dried strawberry on the palate.
One of the least favourite of the night. Showed a bit tight. Rest of the bottle and bit better 3 days later (+2pts.). Seems to still have another few years of life. But would drink up sooner rather than later.
Tasted blind.
Clear medium garnet.
Funky tobacco raspberry and cassis nose.
Last bottle.
Earthy tobacco mineral and black raspberry on the nose. Nice but not the wow of previous bottles. Suggestions that this is past its optimal drinking window are confirmed.
Tasted blind.
Clear medium garnet.
Cassis plum and violets on the nose.
Ripe plummy cassis on the palate. Still young.
Tasted blind.
Clear medium garnet.
Oaky cassis plum tar and green pepper on the nose.
Chewy cassis raspberry herbal mineral on the palate. I guessed New World.
Was expecting a lot more from this. Still tight with lots of life ahead. Hands off my last bottle for at least five years.
Flight 2 (5 notes)
Tasted blind.
Clear medium ruby.
Clean fleshy plum and tobacco on the nose.
Fleshy cassis and cedar on the palate.
Guessed Merlot dominant.
Tasted blind.
Clear medium ruby.
Clean ripe with plum cassis and herbs on the nose.
Ripe round fleshy with cassis and plum on the palate.
PnP 2/3 of the bottle let air for 90 mins.
Tasted blind.
Clear medium ruby.
Clean fresh cassis raspberry closed herbal note on the nose.
Tight dry cassis plum and herbal on the palate.
PnP 2/3 of the bottle let air for 90 mins.
Tasted blind.
Clear medium ruby.
Clean green pepper cassis strawberry on the nose.
Oaky cedar cassis and plum on the palate. Lots of life ahead.
Guessed Cabernet Sauvignon dominant.
PnD 2/3 of the bottle let air for 90 mins.
Tasted blind.
Clear medium garnet.
Clean mineral green pepper herbal red currant on the nose.
Oaky green awkward cassis sharp finish.
Drink up this is not going to get better.
Guessed Cabernet Sauvignon dominant and New World.
Closing
Impressive tasting even if most of the wines needed more air and food to show there best. Vandiner getting the banks mixed up was overcome and made for a nice first world problem.