Dark garnet color with slight bricking at the edge. This is so good. It is open and ready to drink. Ripe, lush tannins are fully melded producing a spicy edge to the creamy black cherry and licorice core. This just erupts in your mouth. Beautifully balanced with a tart lift that keeps this Gruaud Larose pure through the finish. Decant for 45-60 minutes.
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This is what I imagine it would’ve been like to drink a decent Bordeaux 2 to 3 decades ago. The tannins have moderated, and the alcohol, 13%, seems slight by modern standards. Well balanced with some jammy fruit, blackberry, and a hint of cherry upfront, over the substructure of tobacco and old leather. A reasonable density of flavor, with a little funk. Not a long finish, but the overall effect is so astoundingly charming that it’s worth it. I gave this a 93 because it does not overwhelm the palate as other recent vintages do, but I rate it higher than that for people who love old-school Bordeaux.
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Jane Anson rates this very highly. But I don't get it and I have tasted it many times. It is a well balanced wine with nice fruit, but it is rather light and has a short finish. Will wait longer in the hope that it improves (but seems unlikely), as is not showing signs of fading.
Last night we had a vertical tasting of the ‘89, 2000, and 2005 with a Spanish tapas dinner. All wines were outstanding and surprisingly vibrant with a fruit core and distinct earthy, herby attribute typical of Gruaud Larose. We and our guests however found the 2000 marginally the best of the three. The 05 improved in the glass immeasurably in the glass and has more years to reach its peak.
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Required a good long decant but this wine performed beautifully. The aromas and palate were classic left bank with a bit of the funk for which this estate is known. Paired wonderfully with a Christmas rob roast. Give it time and it’ll show well
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Decanted for 1 hour and 45 minutes. Aromas of leather, matchstick, blackberry and iron. Flavors of blackberry, currant, iron, cherry and tobacco. Ends with 25+ second finish with iron and blackberry notes. Nice fruit still. Starting the develop a bit more. Never going to be a blockbuster but a very good wine.
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Crimson and correct. Cassis plum and iron filings on the nose (and after significant decanter time, developing tobacco and wet leaf - and my wife picked out a whiff of oak). Super silky tannins (takes me back to Silk Road, Beijing!), medium to full bodied and with well judged acidity. There is plum, cassis and pencil lead on the palate and the finish gives an overall feeling that one is drinking something regal and effortlessly noble. Initially drunk after 1 hour decant with dinner where it was a perfect match. Post dinner without cuisine it seemed more obviously youthful. I would still say "full steam ahead" and reach for these if they are in your cellar - very much good to go - although should keep for a long while. 13% ABV
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Stored properly since release. 2 hours in the glass was about right. I wouldn’t decant this more than an hour as this is certainly in its prime and best consumed within the next 5-7 years. Overall, a well balanced wine that falls short on the finish and is a bit linear mid way through. However, given the price on this, this provides good value for an 18 year old wine with plenty of availability in the US. Revisit 2024
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Opened the next to last bottle 10/19/23. Showing signs of peaking with brown tinge on edges of glassware. Still has lovely fruit and earthy notes but opened up after an hour. Drink up the final bottle.
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Retains good colour; complex nose, secondary notes which include that characteristic Cordier rustic edge; fully integrated palate, harmonious; mature yet depth to age well. Old school, correctly done claret.
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This is in a great place and is firing on all cylinders. Great representation of Bordeaux coming into its own. It’s still so young and packing a lot of fruit, but some secondary notes are starting to come through. Maintains a nice balance and the tannin structure is supportive of the fruit.
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Decanted briefly. Tobacco and forest floor undertones along with dark fruit of brambleberry and accents of red cherry. Mineral layer. The palate with tension and fresh acidity. Soft and well-integrated tannin, appropriate for the maturity. This has entered the prime drinking window now, but felt slightly more rustic than the 2000 which would probably be the better pick.
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Totally agree with collector1855‘s recent note. this is in a great spot. double decanted (1.5h in the decanter). was really accessible from the beginning. typical left bordeaux nose with plum, darkish berries, tobacco, hints of leather and pencil lead. i‘d say this is in a transition phase. while you can easily drink and enjoy it right now with some good amount of tertiary aromas and still primarly fruit, you can for sure keep it for another decade.
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No formal notes taken. The wine had lots of appeal. Typical higher class Bordeaux nose and palate. Very pleasant to drink now but there should be ample time to enjoy the next, and last, bottle.
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Dark ruby, some limited bricking. Nose: darker and deeper than I'd expected for a St J - leather, roasted meat and earth to the fore. Blackcurrant as well, with some red fruit very much in the background. Intense. Some cedar notes poking through. Violet aromatics developed with time.
Palate: medium+ body. Great balance. Concentration good, not excessive. Tannins have softened nicely. Elegant, soft, rounded style. Finish is okay. Excellent.
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The Four Seasons Tasting 2005 Bordeaux Second Growth (Aubergine Restaurant): (Tasted Blind): The Gruaud-Larose shows more of these feral qualities but here joined by tilled soil, dried wood, smoke and blackcurrants. A full-bodied wine, there is a juicy and vibrant acidity that gives a crispness to the wine. The mid-palate continues the feral theme with dried earth, crushed rocks and oak nuances that have a black forest gateau quality to it that gives a sweetness that works rather nicely against the fresh acidity. There is excellent depth of flavour and dense, solid yet fruit-edged tannins that give a cool clay quality. The wine is complex, a more old-school style that works exceptionally well, but the finish isn’t as long as expected—plenty of material to fill out the mid-palate to merit its higher score.
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Deep cassis and dark cherry with liquorice, oak and spices. Pretty nice but feels so young and takes hours to open - the 2hrs in decanter really wasn't enough. Showed better than last time I tried this which was totally shut, but still needs more time!
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Bought en primeur, held in bond till last year, very long cork pefect condition, immediate tannin grape skins and deep fruit after 45 mins,after 2 hours drinking with roast lamb it was delicious and the tannins resolved into the background. Agreed needs time to open up but drink now I say. We have plenty more so plan to drink up over the nexy few years special occasions only
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Not for lovers of fruit bombs as most of the primary fruit has gone. The colour was still quite dark with only a hint of bricking on the edge. The nose was reserved and dusty. The palate was a tad dry and hard with a prunes edge rather than blackcurrant, but there was some tertiary elements of forest floor and complexity. A bit more breathing saw this enhanced. Overall this wine still has life in it yet but certainly on its plateau. More traditional than other Claret perhaps but that still means it was most enjoyable if that is what you are looking for. Needs food.
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JN. Lovely nose but only at the very beginning of its drinking window, if not a little before it. Still a green approach to the fruit. Better with food. Try and leave another couple of years to 2025/6.
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Nice wine. After a few hours it opens up with soft tannins and good balance. Ripe dark and red berries and fine acidity give the wine a pleasant character. However, price and quality are not quite in balance.
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This wine still has some way to go. Need a long decant or just leave it alone for a few more years.
Don't you hate it when half way through, the wine decides to take an afternoon nap. And then it decides to wake up just as you are about to it a night. Well, this was what happened to this bottle.
Full of life upon opening, roaring out of the gate screaming I am from the left bank. Like a little child, it had its fun and decided to slow down during which it lacked body, flavours and energy, quite limpid. Four hours after decanting, it matured to be a wonderful wine with supple tannin, beautiful blackberry and cassis profiles. Spice and some floral notes also sang. A very well proportioned finish.
Drink now (with a long decant) or 10+ years
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Pink rim, dark ruby center. Blackcurrant, mild cedar, liquorice. Tertiary aromas started to emerge but still youthful and tannic. This bottle was a double magnum and thus might have evolved slower than regular 750ml bottle.
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Talbot, Gruaud & Lagrange (Piccolino Exchange Square): Proper claret - this showed well. You really had to get your nose in and sniff to get much out of it, but the effort was worthwhile. Good balance, precise with decent tannin, another one I wish I had a few off in the cellar.
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Talbot/Gruaud/Lagrange at Piccolino (Piccolino, Exchange Square, London): A touch closed, but with rich, dark fruit. Quite full bodied, blackcurrants, earth, spice - rich and mouthfilling, soft tannins, attractive vibrant acidity, carrying an extended and actually already quite harmonious finish. Drinkable now.
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Talbot / Gruaud Larose / Lagrange Dinner (Piccolino, Exchange Square, London): Nose is lovely; in addition to the cedar component there is some gravy granule and something lifted and almost tropical (sliced pineapple?) to complement the dark fruits. With time in the glass a more classical savoury character emerges on the palate after a slow start. Real richness and poise here.
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has stood the test of time and while not the greatest bordeaux on the block was liked by all at our outdoor soiree much better than the fleur cardinale 2005 it was being compared to
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Dinner at the Lumberyard, Mill Valley, CA. From 750ml purchased en primeur. Opened 1 hour prior to consuming.
Closed, and not showing much other than slightly mellow primary fruit and hints of complexity. Interesting to check in on it, but will not disturb my remaining bottles of this wine for many years. While a long decant or slowox would have been helpful, my guess is that this is just too young right now for my palate. Rating deferred.
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Unfortunately my experience was like some of the similarly scoring here: this was simply too closed (and young) to really enjoy.
Nose of muted spices and cassis. Similar on palate with black fruit and spices with vanilla note on finish.
Overall still very closed and rather tannic even with a good 90 mins further to open in glass. Doubtlessly good potential as this is well structured/balanced and will flashes of exciting flavours peaking through. But needs way more time to mature or at minimum a very long decant.
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what a pleasant surprise. I drank a 2005 GL about 8 years ago and it was searingly tannic and unbalanced. It is drinking so beautiffuly now. The tannins have melted leaving a complex balanced perfect example of St. Julien. Bravo!
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Monthly Tasting Group HWS: Bordeaux 2005 vs 2009 (by DJ): A lot of dark berries, oak, graphite and cedar in the somewhat earthy and rustic bouquet. On the palate sweet chocolate, juicy red berries, sweet spices, beautiful oak and cedar, some spiciness, laurel and cassis. Fabulous acidity and beautifully round tannin. A delicious wine with at least another 5+ years of future. 94+
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- Nose: Very closed despite 1h in the decanter. Medium - intense aromas of red and blue fruit, more blue berries, mulberries, vanilla, claystone, a skin of embedded tertiary aromas of cigars, foliage. Comes more and more and the terroir slowly expresses itself. But still strongly marked by primary aromas. - Palate: Filigree and direct but again a little closed. Medium + tannins and medium body. Feminine. Has a lot in it but doesn't come across as quite round. Finishes (medium +) nicely but a little lean. - Context: Compared to the bottle 2 months ago, even more closed (possibly also due to a Lynch Bages 2000 drunk at the same time today). Needs at least 5-10 years to show its true self! - 92 points with a lot of upward potential, even though few 2005 Bordeaux have convinced me completely (due to the generally high ratings).
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Decanted (very necessary given the sediment) for two hours. Good balance to the acidity with some hint of fruit underneath the cedar. Still got some power on the palate with a decent length. Not outstanding but still a good St.Julien
Stored at 11°C since release and accordingly still a very dark colour and a youthful and structured mouthfeel. Some traces of oak and above all the regal balance of vintage 2005, which to me is still the best of the century. However, our bottle seemed to be slightly flawed as despite a two hours decant the earthy cassis fruit remained muted and there was a distracting herbal streak, which did not want to go away. My remaining bottles will sleep for another two to three years. This will be long-lived.
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- Decanted for 4 hours, drunk in parallel with the 2010 vintage. - Nose: Was very closed at the beginning, needed a good 3 to 4 hours to open up. Besides dark fruits, it also has nice red-fruity aromas. But not as intense and powerfull as the 2010 vintage. - Palate: Compared to the 2010 vintage with more acidity and more precise flavours and complexity. Stands out with a lot of freshness and elegance over time. Very cool to drink. Needs to be decanted and still has a lot of development potential! - 2005: 94-95 pts. / 2010: 93-94 pts.
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I had a bottle in July 2021 and also this one. A very nice nose, nice concentration of fruit on the palate - a soft and balanced wine. Leathery, tobacco and anise notes. Presents youthful still with lots of tannins. Took several hours to flesh out a bit (seemed a hair thin at first). Great wine!
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At a 2005 Bordeaux horizontal dinner. A class act with none of the funkiness one associates with older editions of this brand. It is lively and crisp with black pastille notes and like it’s flight mate (Beychevelle) an agile wine for the vintage, already drinking beautifully with a bit more left in the locker. Lovely leafy and graphite notes. This is one under-rated wine ****(1/2) 94
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Jason's 2005 dinner (Noize): Dark, compact and juicy, with some nice floral hints. Quite subtle and undemonstrative, making it a very good drinking Claret, although perhaps also explaining why this wine didn't impress me as much as its flight-mate. Joint group #3
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2005 Bordeaux (Noizé, London): Deep ruby. Cool elegance on the nose. Blackcurrant leaf. Lovely line, sweet dark red fruit with a really dense core. A little more resolved on the finish than some in this flight, but really needs time. **(**)
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This has clamed up since last tasted. Needed 2 hours of air to get going. When open it's a polished dense slightly austere left bank in the house style. Vintage quality shows. Keep
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This bottle confirmed that last year's was flawed. Decanted and aerated for 90 minutes and drank over an hour. Open and opulent nose of dark berries, graphite, cedar and pepper. Lush entry on the palate, black berries and currants mid palate, lots of graphite and cedar, finishes long with soft tannins and a peppery hint. Medium bodied this is fruit forward St Julien. In a good drinking window but can age much further.
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Deep garnet red. A classic bouquet of cedar, dried Autumnal leaves, wet black currant, hint tobacco, marmite with meat extracts and very ripe fruit. Dried spices enter as the wine opens, along with a feral note. Full-bodied, this is a richly textured wine with good delineation and fine-grained but firm tannins. There is a density and some solidness to the wine while it shows still relatively youthful and tight. Some blackcurrants join the spices and twist of liquorice. The finish is med+ but not as long as expected, a tad blunt to be honest. Very good wine, with some complexity and fair concentration, it doesn't give a lot away so perhaps it needs more time in the bottle.
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Rich bouquet with vanilla dark fruit and graphite. Thick legs. Dark purple; no bricking. Very smooth on the palate with blackcurrant and cherry notes. No harsh notes. Tannins all integrated. Very long. Very elegant.
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- Garnet color with medium forming legs. It's somewhat balanced and has flavours of raspberry, strawberry and black currant with a medium body. Narrow texture with a medium finish - This wine is not my favorite. Good, but not great.
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Closed upon opening. 2.5 hours in decanter much better but still feels like it needs time in bottle. Try again in 3 years? Dark red-purple. Pencil shavings/ graphite/ leather/ cocoa prevalent, supported by dark berries. Med bodied and tannins a little grainy.
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I have had three bottles of this wine since having a case delivered in September last year and have come to the grand conclusion that it's just not ready yet. It's still closed down. Whilst not unpleasant by any means, it has a short amount of cassis, a fairly decent amount of acidity and a smooth tannin profile. There was no discernible secondary flavour development.
I will try again in a few years time. I would advise that if you've had your bottles professionally stored, not to open one yet. My score is probably closer to where it is now with a bit of benefit of the doubt about development.
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Surprisingly soft, even muted. Note to file: give it even more time to open up.
Certainly, the bottle was in fine shape, the color consistent through the meniscus, only the tip of the cork dark stained, nose neutral: the wine could easily have been presumed quite young, except for the sediment held back at decanting.
It took quite a while for the bottle to unwind. After an hour, it began to show itself; it needed that time to warm from cellar temperature and to get enough oxygen. Then it began to show those faint wisps of pencil shavings, traces of graphite, blackberry and dark, slightly bitter cherry - all still muted and quiet, no showy exposition. Tannins completely resolved, while still offering just enough acidic balance. But, something was missing - the added dimension of secondary and tertiary notes - the primary fruit was pleasant, nothing more.
Conclusion, it need even more time. I have reserved a half bottle to follow up tomorrow. Stay tuned.
There should certainly be no rush to drink this; years ahead with proper storage, and lots of pleasure in the nearer term, if given time after opening.
Rated +1 on a scale of -1 to +3.
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Anton’s Wine Tasting Notes Gruaud Larose 2005 Winery: Château Gruaud Larose Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon 60%, Merlot 30%, Cabernet Franc 5.5%, Petit Verdot 3%, Malbec 1.5%. Area/Appellation: France, Bordeaux, St. Julien Vintage: 2005 Price: $119/Kansas pricing/from my store inventory. Anton’s Vintage Wine Color: Purple with hints of ruby and a very slight orange tinge Legs: medium Nose: blackberries, truffles, loam, sage, lavender, black cherry, Palate: Cassis, Blackberries, pencil lead, oak, some really dark rich mineral soil, Finish: Tannins are really starting to fine out quite a bit. Lots of oak, currant, cassis leather on the finish. Load more currant and cassis with some toned down oak on the second night, Comments: I’ve noticed from all the cellar tracker notes we may be seeing a LOT of bottle variance which is the major issue i have experienced with 2005 Bordeaux, and in particular, super seconds and thirds. This bottle however, is pretty much where it should be based on my experience with 2005 St. Julien. Pairing Suggestions: Apple bourbon pork tenderloin Score in terms of Vintage: 91 Score for the Wine: 91 Value for the Money: Very good Date Tasted: 11/14/2020 Tasted by:ACK
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This is The End....The End My Friend (Home): Very dark red color. PNP with a bout 2.5 hours of slow -O. Drank a glass plus over 2 hours. Leather, black fruits, cocoa, oak, olive tapenade, graphite and dried beef on the nose. The palate is medium bodied, cassis, dark berries, graphite, leather, mineral, finnnnnne and grainy tannins with medium finish. Nice and classic Bordeaux, drinking pretty well for '05 at this point with minimal air. HAppy to have some of these. Should be even better in 3 to 5 years.
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Deep purple colour. Big legs. Beautiful nose of plums and chocolate, tobacco, maybe a little vanilla and cedar. Complex palate with very pure black fruit. Beautiful silky, smooth and rounded texture, no sharpness at all. Not austere. Beautiful; exuding finesse and charm. Some tannins but very soft. I'm sure will last a couple of decades more...
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Wines Watching the White Sox Beat the Cubs (Riverwoods, IL): Double blind, clearly seemed like Bordeaux, thought it was from 2005 (given 2005 vs 2016 theme) but found it hard and backward, and not from the level I expect of Gruaud Larose.
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Strange bottle. Nose quite open unlike the last bottle. Deep crimson color, some evolution evident. Nose of cassis, pepper, leather, some mint and gravel. Time in the decanter actually harmed the wine surprisingly with lots of green notes on the palate, a bit too much acidity, the wine felt under extracted specially compared to the brilliant Branaire Ducru 05. Lots of tannins on the finish, medium to full body and again very one dimensional. Definitely entering a dull phase at least from the bottles I have had. I will wait a few years and retry.
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Finally- the 05s May be putting on weight. The nose wasn’t revealing much. Definitely fruit- dark fruit but also a freshness that was anything but earthy. Really great mouthfeel and a >60 second finish. Very complex on the palette and the wine evolved over the course of about 90 minutes- becoming more complex and developing a more old world nose. Really enjoyed this.
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This was lovely; the nose shows lovely red leaning fruits, tobacco, earth, bell pepper, and just a hint of violet. The palate is well balanced, good depth, good energy. Drinking well and while this is not a mind-blower its very tasty and perfect with grilled steaks.
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Nose is the weaker part, muted a little, but the body is so complex. Open up nicely after 2 hours bottle breath, Saline, sea salt, very long after taste, crushed stones, minerals, hints of vanilla / condensed milk. Finishing a little dry, good tannic ... very long finishing.
3 hours in bottle, nose starts to shine, perfume ...
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Outstanding: plush, refined, structured, perfectly balanced. Ageing very well, and absolutely approachable. This would be an ideal restaurant wine, and I mean that in a positive way, in that it is drinking well, it totally exemplifies St. Julien, its proportions are food friendly, and it oozes class. It is totally outstanding, but it will never ascend the heights that extraordinary wines can achieve. I just don't think it has the level of complexity. It is modern and beautiful, but not special in that way.
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I agree with some of my fellow cellartrackers that the wine may be entering a dull phase where it is not very open or complex. Beautiful crimson color almost blood like, nose dominated by cassis and red fruits. Not much complexity, acidity quite gripping as well as the tannins, a bit one dimensional at this stage and much less evolved than a few years ago when I had this wine last.
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Opened and decanted for 3 hours. Classic left bank nose. Still too young for our tastes, so we put the cork back in and drank the rest of the bottle the following night, and it had opened up quite a bit. Surprisingly, I think this is less approachable than it was 3-4 years ago, but should be very good in time. One to leave for 5 years
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Took a while to open but after about 3 hours it started to sing and became a classic left bank Bordeaux from a good vintage: Text book Bordeaux! Full bodied yet supple with great, classical bouquet and mouthfeel and long finish. It completely over-shadowed the Rain Fort Ross-Seaview PN we had alongside. This wine, while tasting very good now - is between 5 to 10 years from achieving its full potential. Should make a very fine bottle.
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Textbook Bordeaux characteristics of graphite and cigar box - this seems to be well into its secondary phase, possibly starting the tertiary, as fruit is just starting to dry out a bit. I like this space for Bordeaux, as I don't like when the fruit starts to dry out and leave you wanting for what it was just a few years back. Tannins are very dusty, but still a bit grippy, fruit darker red profile. Really nice with 2 hours of air - I don't see why one would wait on this, frankly.
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- Brick color with slow forming legs and aromas of blackberry. It's somewhat balanced and has flavours of strawberry and chocolate with a medium/full body. Round texture with a medium finish - The nose on this wine is beautiful. Fruit forward.
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Lots of fruit, softens with plenty of air and is very drinkable. Nicely balanced. Has a short finish which I think is the wine itself rather than the stage it is at. It will improve with further age (fruit currently a bit obvious) so I intend to revisit in a couple of years, although it will never be a great wine.
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Cant keep away from this one even though it should have a long life ahead! It does take a while to show so I took the cork out about 10am and we drank it the following day with lunch. Quite delicious!
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This is in a very nice place right now. Very balanced and The light tannic structure on the finish really make it a pleasure. Black currant, a bitof cedar on the palate. Touch of smoke. The only thing lacking is the presence of lingering fruit on the the mid palate and finish. I have a feeling this wine will drink thin in the next 10 years. Drink up. At its peak.
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Vinetasters: 2005 Bordeaux 2nd Growths (Skokie, IL): Served double blind. Darker earth elements on the nose here with slightly subdued fruit character. Fairly austere, this doesn’t seem to have much charm right now. There’s a good amount of earth and leather on the palate, and this seems to be stuck between still having some fruit and that fruit fading out into more of the secondary characteristics. My 6th, group's 3nd.
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Opened and poured and then consumed over 2 days. Better on the second day but marginal. Very well integrated with smooth tannins. Lovely understated Bordeaux. I think/hope that it will be even better in another 5 years.
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Second night - classic left bank blackcurrant dominant, touch of cedar; medium plus bodied, dense core of blackcurrant, graphite, midbodied ripe tannins with a seam of acidity folded underneath, plentiful length. Can drink now, however will continue to evolve for many years - wait for tertiary evolution.
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So young, but so much potential here. Lots of youthful black fruit, cedar, graphite, and some oaky notes that are yet to integrate - but I love the overall sense of freshness to the fruit and the smoky depth that emerges with more time in the decanter. The flavours are still largely primary, but the balance is fantastic and I imagine this should be outstanding with more time in the cellar.
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Decanted and served. Opened up a bit over two hours but showed mostly buoyant acid with restrained, dark fruit. Funky nose with some not unpleasant cheesy notes and tobacco. California fruit lovers will not like this but it had some deliciousness for me.
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Powerful for a GL with excellent precision and cut typical of the vintage. Great dark berry fruit with an opulent texture and strong tannins on the finish. Quite young and very fresh and sets up to be a great GL down the road. 92+
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Monthly Tuesday group "The Dead Sparrow" #026; Bordeaux 2005 (by DJ): Rustic bouquet with some barnyard impressions, red berries, dark berries, cassis and graphite in the bouquet. On the palate the same impressions plus green herbs, juicy acidity and slightly sticky tannin. 93 - 94
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This wine so so young. 1 hour in to decant it really opened up! 3 hours in and it was amazing. We couldn't believe the transformation. I think 5 more years would be amazing!
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Belle robe rubis sombre, sans rebords tuiles. Au nez, à l'ouverture, ce sont des arômes de cerises noires, de framboises, de cuir, de pin et de cassis/poivron. En bouche, l'attaque est franche et un peu rustique, toujours avec beaucoup de tannins. La longueur est bonne sur les arômes perçus au nez, mais aussi avec un côté sang de boeuf. Ce vin n'est pas du tout prêt. Le prochain pas avant 2022 à mon avis. À noter que le reste de la bouteille au frigo était meilleurs après quelques jours, donc si l'on insiste à l'ouvrir aujourd'hui, penser le carafe 4-6 heures au minimum, mais mieux vaut le garder en cave encore 5-10 ans.
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Monthly Tuesday group "The Dead Sparrow" #034: Bordeaux; St. Julien. (By JS and BS): In the youthful bouquet dark berries, cassis, graphite and beautiful oak. On the palate juicy dark berries, vanilla, some pepper, sticky tannin which is slightly drying. Complex and really beautiful. Classical and compact wine with a lot of dark berries and a future of probably another decade. 93 - 94+
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Tasted over two days. Tasted this vintage two years ago and found it impressive. It has since improved. Alongside other quality Bordeaux, this stood out as the most rustic, and with the greatest potential upside. For all its traditional markers (pepper garden, blackberry, blackcurrant, graphite, worn saddle, cut tobacco, black earth, etc.) and charming terroir (impressions of high quality peppercorn medley, dried herbs, light roast coffee grounds, etc.) the wine also features an elegance difficult to pin down, in part textural (weight without heaviness), and in part ethereal (striking charm and finesse for such a traditional offering). Also noteworthy: The wine made the strongest impression on the second day.
Still very young, transitioning into (a classy) adolescence, and while certainly approachable, all elements point to continued development. Recommend tasting now, to set a benchmark, and then follow bottles over the next three to five years. It should last beyond 2040 with ease. 95-96.
It seems the pros whiffed on this.
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Impressive deep colour and rich juicy black fruit nose. A really enjoyable Gruaud, only just ready as tannins still quite pronounced but fruit is open and inviting, my instinct is to be patient for other bottles as silky integration is probably still a few years away, but no denying the flavour and length to be found here. Very similar and equally enjoyable as a bottle consumed about 9 months ago.
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This is a second growth from St Julien and there is no question, from the bouquet and the taste, about its Bordeaux roots. On decanting, the bouquet is headache becomes subtler later, but is always present. The Taste Faithfully communicates the Bordeaux soul and soils. It is not overwhelming, such as a 1989 Chateau Margaux I enjoyed recently, but a pleasure never the last and worth its far more modest price.
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30 minutes of air in the bottle. Dark purple color. Nose of black cherry, meats, and amaretto. Nice body, not too powerful but excellent structure. Finish is long but mildly tart. High quality in my book!
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Dyp rød kjerne med oransje kant. Tobakk, lær, fiken, rips, moreller og blyantspiss. Begynnende modning og fine modne tanniner. Flott balanse. Noe fatdrevet stil, og et litt bittert bitt i ettersmaken. En vin som er på et bra sted, men som trenger noen år til for å roe ned fatpreget.Lang og kompleks. 92
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A very pleasant drink with all the elements one would expect from a classed growth Bordeaux in a great year. The tannins are still prominent, but plenty of fruit to support them as they soften over the next twenty years.
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Drank this at a wine dinner last night at Wah Lok Restaurant. Theme of the night: 1st wine of 2nd growth, or 2nd wine of 1st growth.
Deep garnet with a attractive crimson hue. On the nose the nose presents a nice fruity aroma with black soybean, black cherry and plum notes. On the palate the structure is wonderful and impressive. Twelve years on and the wines are just opening up and presented its youthful side with lots of character and potential.
This is a serious wine with ripe red fruits on the palate and a balanced profile. Some prunes with dark berries and with some chocolate, leather, earthy and toasty notes.
If this is a preview showcase of what the class of 2005 can do, I can't wait to check out the rest of the cohort.
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Consumed out of magnum. A classic Larose, with pure graphite and pencil shaving notes followed by black currant and cassis notes. Still a youngen but with air very enjoyable.
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This has really come around since I last tried it. Still a baby but after a few hours in decanter, this really showed the strength of the vintage. Soft red fruits with plenty of tannic grip still. Long finish. Excited to try this again in a few years.
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Bottom range of the excellent wines : very nice but won't keep in the memories. Does it need more time? Opened the night before with cork back half way which helps a lot rounding the tannin and getting the aromas. still the second glass was better than the first so I think yes it should improve with time.
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p&p - tight nose and quite tart out of bottle, yet underlying dark fruits were there w/o overbearing tannins. Evolution of this wine in the glass from 15, 30, 45 minutes through 2 1/2 hours was fun to enjoy. Has the stuffing to be a star in 5-6 years. Needs two hours air if opening today.
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Bordeaux Wimps, Benoît Chamoux table (La Trompette, London): Quite tight and dense on the nose, a touch of charred beef fat coming through but otherwise a dense blackcurrant. Plenty of grip but not unapproachable. Peaceful hibernation. Lovely balance though, and a touch of dark chocolate emerging with air. Needs time to start opening up with some complexity. **(**)
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Gorgeous with lots of potential for the future. Popped and poured, could have used more time in the cellar though. Come back in 3-5 years for significant improvement.
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whilst this may be infanticide to many, how is it that I keep going back to this, and now have just three bottles left. A lovely drop of juicy ripe blackcurrant juice. Ample, generous, but with the requisite austerity, merged with St Julien elegance. Totally love this wine.
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One of the best St Julien wines I have had in a long while. Combines the elegance of a good Margaux and the power of a blue-blooded Pauillac. Inky garnet colour; strong cassis nose; dry and earthy on the palate with notes of game, truffles and tobacco. Good length on the finish. Vive la France!
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From magnum with Doro and Henrik at the German North Sea coast. Decanted for 3 hours, which is highly recommended. Paired with Raclette.
Parker wrote in 2015: "The 2005 Gruaud Larose has a deep ruby/purple color, excellent concentration, and clean, pure black and red currant fruit, licorice and spice. It is medium to full-bodied, lush, and very soft and round. I’m surprised how drinkable it is already, although it is certainly capable of lasting 15 or more years." (90p)
I agree with Parker on the black currant fruits, licorice and spice. In addition, I noticed oak and leather characteristics and a long finish. Loved it!
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Uncles Fine Wine Club’s - Grand Cru Tasting (Bodø): Quite the contrast to the 78. Camphor candy, ripe cherry, overtones of toasted oak, and bell pepper. Dens and packed with fruit and spices. So much fruit but yet in balance. This one’s a keeper.
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Drank over two days. Expressive bouquet of blackcurrant, light roast coffee beans, assorted peppers, graphite, dark (unsweetened) coco powder, hot gravel, black earth, and unctuous terroir. As potent and strapping a Saint-Julien that I have crossed paths with, featuring tremendous power at the front and middle, transitioning to a gripping back and gritty finish. A wine of medium plus acid and medium plus, powdery tannins. There is no trace of the crème de cassis textural weight that can be found Saint-Julien but this should not detract from an excellent wine. Highly enjoyable now, yet this is the style of great vintage Bordeaux that shows its best when fully mature, a point that it is likely to reach after another two decades. It might improve a little too. 92-94. Delicious!
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Monthly tasting club "The Tasting Club" 2016-02; Bordeaux 2005 (@ DJ): Beautiful and complex bouquet with dark forest fruits like cassis, tar, leather, graphite, vanilla and a pleasant touch of barnyard. On the palate cassis and other dark berries, a bit creamy, some (pleasant) green bell pepper, a touch of sweetness and also a firm dose of acidity as well as firm and still sticky tannin. Overall a very firm, well balanced and complex wine. Already showing a bit what it has in store, but it needs at least another 5 years to show more elegance and refinement. Nevertheless great to taste it in this very youthful stage.
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So we PNP ed from a 750ml and it was pretty damn good. 24 hours later the half bottle that remained was better. The wine has filled out from 12 months ago and is delicate, delicious and finely balanced. I suspect that this improvement will continue and in another 5 years or so it will be stunning.
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Touch of bricking, compared to the 2007 Magnum. The oak is very well integrated here. The wine, a little taciturn, shows obvious depth and ripeness with a mix of berry fruits. Fleshy and sinewy (surprisingly), with great intensity and chewy tannins, toasty/roasted length. On return this still showed that structure but there is generosity and richness apparent, clearly very well-balanced but just needing a little time.
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- Garnet color with medium forming legs. It's balanced and has flavours of strawberry and raspberry with a medium/full body. Silky texture with a medium finish - Very good bottle of Bordeaux. Great nose of berries and well balanced.
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Medium bodied, bright and fresh, with a lean to the red fruit side of the style range, the wine is better on the nose than the palate, finishing with crisp, crunchy, sweet and tart red fruits. This will develop more secondary aromas, but it's probably going to retain its style.
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Slow o'd for a couple hours and then vinturi'd. This seems approachable now, but you'd be better off leaving it alone for a few years. Graphite, meat, loam, sour cherry, red curant, and a fair amount of cedar on the spicy finish.
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Decanted and aerated for two hours. Very open on the nose and the palate for a 2005, one of my favorite vintages of all time but which I find has closed down in much of the past two years. Deep crimson color, nose dominated by cassis, red berries, sweet tobacco, graphite with a hint of pine. On the palate, there the fruit is surprisingly forward, with cassis, meat, graphite dominating, coats the mid palate, medium to full bodied, great balance, acidity and backbone presaging further pleasure down the road, decent length on the finish with silky yet strong tannins. Un vrai vin de garde.
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The smooth tannins are impressive. Lovely medium weight, this has sophistication. Which makes it very easy to drink now but it has yet to blossom. Next time I will give this a decent decant.
13% sealed with cork
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2005 Bordeaux Tasting: nose of breadcrust, cream, vanilla, smoke and dark berries. Smooth with well integrated tannins. Very approachable already. Lagged behind the leoville barton.
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Nice crimson colour. On the nose, timid aromas of black fruit and chocolate. After a few minutes, the chocolate disappears, replaced with a bit of pine and ink. On the palate, the attack is tannic, but with a tightly wound mass of (black) fruit and a certain tartness (sour cherry). It tastes of black fruit, ink but also as a previous taster mentions, beef blood and metal as well as sour cherry. Good length. As this wine has a potent core of dark fruit and a bit of red, I am not concerned about its evolution, unlike other 2005 that I have tasted that seem over extracted. After 2 hours in the glass, nice fruit on the palate, though the nose remains timid. Nice wine with potential, but without the complexity of the 2000 at this point. I'd give it 3-4 hours in a decanter. Next bottle not before mid-2017.
Belle robe carmin sombre. Au nez, à l’ouverture, fruits noirs et un peu de chocolat. Après quelques minutes seulement, le chocolat disparait, laissant seulement du fruit noir, du pin et de l’encre. En bouche, attaque franche et un peu charnue. Il y a des tannins, beaucoup de fruits noir et une bonne vivacité. Ce fruit noir+encre+metal+sang de boeuf ainsi que la griotte se prolonge en une bonne longueur. Ce vin comporte un noyaux puissant de fruit, alors contrairement à d’autre 2005 qui semble sur-extraits, avec celui-ci, je ne me fais pas de soucis à ce qu’il mûrira bien. Après 2 heures d’aération, beau fruit en bouche, nez toujours un peu timide. Beau vin, mais sans la complexité du 2000. Prévoir 3-4 heures dans un décanteur. Ne pas boire la prochaine bouteille avant mi-2017.
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We gave it a 3 hour decant and it was showing pretty well. I think the decant time was about right. A good wine but in no way spectacular and a bit disappointing for the vintage.
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Bordeaux 2005 : Ten years on (Bordeaux Index London): Tasted right next to Palmer and the aromatics are more “animal” in nature! Metallic and even beef blood like. Does not feel as regal as the Palmer to be sure and yet there is freshness and much 2nd growth substance – and you could have a steak and be happy. Still, for a 2005, not as long on the finish or as subtle as some of the others in its league.
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Earthy nose, medium fruity with hint of tobacco, with soft tannin - typical pleasant aged Bordeaux at its drinking window. Somehow, didn't quite stand out on its own.
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Blind tasted, initially with the funk and tannins with pop and pour I thought it was a super tuscan, however after 3-4 minutes open I changed my answer to Left Bank Bordeaux 2005, I guess it tastes like it is which is a good thing :) Silky smooth, great extraction with a good earthy flavor throughout. Good stuff. I would wait 5 years however from this point to drink, it can be had now but if tannins were slightly more resolved it would be perfect.
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à la pêche, offert par Jess. Nez de cuir, de cassis, de poivron, de fumée. Bouche souple, étonnamment ouverte, tanins fondus et une finale en finesse, sur un fruit mûr. Pas encore complexe bien sûr, mais délicieux. 91+ pts
This is a heavyweight wine has muscle and then some. Though a 92 is not deserving of what is most likely going to happen in 4 years and more, this wine has the power to become a head bender.
Big Cabernet cloaks the terroir characteristics of earth and mustiness, as it rules for now. Huge tannins in the very long finish, reminding you that you just pulled the cork too soon. If you can't wait, decant well.
I suspect that this will deserve 97 points in a decade.
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Middle red at the rim, tending to black at the core - cedar and meaty notes on the nose. Medium to full bodied with a savoury palate, a little astringent on the finish - the fruit is well hidden (if there) - not hugely impressed, for the chateau and year this should be better.
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Still very young and needs time. Dark chocolate on the nose with dark fruits. Very fruit forward (berries) and subtle oak wood on the palate. Medium length finish and full body.
A friendly get-together @ Peter Z. (Belgium): Dusty, nutty nose and mouthfeel. Dark chocolate, oak, vanilla. Great structure, but the fruit is hiding at the moment. A melancholic wine in a tight tannic wrap. Needs a lot of time. 18/20
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Reticent nose. Really coats the mouth well, with fleshy and ripe red cherry and plum fruits, and just a hint of earth. The finish begins with good intensity before gearing down a bit, and encouraging another sip. Very nice balance overall. Wine of the flight between a vertical of the 86', 05', and 09'. 92-94+ points.
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Tasted 1986, 2005 and 2009. All three displayed herbaceous aroma with the 2009 being most expressive.
1986 The structure of this bottle dominated the subtle fruit structure leading to tart cherry with firm tannins palate. I tried the 1986 Lynch Bages, and it had similar tannin profiles. Very firm. Great to be paired with a peppered sauce steak.
2005 Here there was enough fruit structure to balance out the medium acidity and fine tannins giving the wine better complexity and depth to flow gracefully while providing some grip to the palate on the finish.
2009 The fruit was front and center giving the wine the perception of a ripe fruit Napa made wine. However, as the wine took in some air over the course of 3 hours, the air integration added more weight to the wine making it fuller and much more enjoyable that the first hour. I would highly recommend decant this bottle 3+ hours.
Overall, all three vintages showed very well. At this point in time, I prefer the 2005 out of the 3.
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Un nez assez puissant, sur le cassis et le cuir avec une touché de boisé. En bouche, belle acidité avec des cerises et du graphite, une pointe de menthol vers la fin. Très long…excellent! Un grand vin en devenir!!!
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My first 2005 - ok, a bit of infanticide, but this is a great bottle of St Julien. Class and elegance, showing lovely dark rich Cabernet fruit - even some Pauillac-esque pencil lead. Delicious.
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Beautiful and classical bouquet with cassis, lead pencil, cedar, mocha, coffee and chocolate. On the palate the same impressions. Beautiful acidity and a bit drying tannin in the finish. The chocolate impressions tell it has some age, but the overall constitution and the tannin and bitterness show that there is still plenty of future. It will be interesting to follow this wine. Try it again around 2015 is probably a good idea.
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Gruaud Larose Masterclass with David Launay (Fine & Rare Wines, London): Young violet red colour. Deep sweet red& black fruit on the nose. Big on the nose open and expressive at this stage. Oak and vanillanotes some mocha and def have increased the new oak in the last few years. Still very young and would suggest waiitng 5-7yrs. 91-92 at the moment but with lots of potential.
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Way too early to drink but structure and body are there. Still quite tannic even after a long decant and fruit on palate and nose are muted. Think this will be a great one though in 5+ years.
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Pretty, showing the same green pepper character that the whole range has on the nose. The most powerful of the bunch, starting to show smoothness; the most harmonious Gruaud tasted today as well. Coffee, mocha notes, very classic Left Bank Bordeaux. 91-92
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Churchill's: Château Gruaud-Larose Vertical (Maumee, OH): Oaky nose, with graphite. Riper. This is still boring red fruits right now. It's way too young and needs more time to develop secondary flavors before it becomes interesting, but it should have enough stuffing to get to the finish line. $60
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Great nose (dark fruits). Nice acidity and balanced tanins with a long finish. Medium body (which was surprising given the vintage and nose). Classic Bordeaux. Had with a simply prepared hanger steak and a great match. Wine has the acidity and fruit to age although drinking great now. Decanted for 2 hours before drinking.
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Bibendum Bordeaux tasting (Lord's Cricket Ground - London): Big nose, elegant and fruit forward with black, red fruits and cassis rising up. This vintage is wonderful and has produced great power. Dry on palate and has good length. Has the ability to grow old with you.
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Full bodied and round. Juicy young fruits. No aggressive tannin although it is firm. Good bitterness as well. At this moment there is no real refinement. I realize this wine is way too young, but we were just curious. I score it for the pleasure of this moment, but to be honest; I wonder if it holds much more for the future. Time will tell.
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Another Set of 2005 Bordeaux (The Wine Club, San Francisco): Dark ruby with a bit of lightening at the edge. Something not pure about the nose with sweat and leather more than fruit. This is so different from the first 2 wines-leaner, more structured, medium weight, sinewy finish. The fruit is subdued. More typical in weight, just not very appealing right now, and I wonder whether the wine will succumb to brett as it ages.
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The Wine Club San Francisco 2005 Bordeaux (San Francisco): Tasted at the Wine Club. Opened 4+ hours but not decanted. Quick notes: There were 3 wines that stood out for me in this tasting, and this was the one that was the most classically made. A pretty and engaging nose of dark fruit with a hint of cold hard plastic. On the palate: dark bramble fruit with a somewhat watery middle with a slightly bitter and tannic finish. This has all the makings for a great wine in a couple of years. I think this will be Very Good.
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Great acidity - structure hits you immediately on the forepalate, blends into sweet fruits, silky midpalate that holds the fruit but with some bitterness, and the finish is LONG! 2 minutes, easily, with acid to keep your mouth literally watering throughout. Looking forward to finishing the bottle tomorrow to see how it evolves.
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Nose of toasty oak, veg, and earth. Sour red berries, coffee, coco, and burt wood. It is drinkable now but not as enjoyable as it may become. If the oak can tone down and come into harmony with the other elements this wine will become very good. 13% Alc. I thought it was the 2nd best wine of the tasting. IMO the price is too high $90. (88-90 pts)
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2005 Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux Tasting (Drake Hotel, Chicago, Illinois): 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petite Verdot. Not as good as the 2000 but slightly better than the 2003. An earthy style which I have always enjoyed. Flavors of tobacco leaf, dried mushroom and black fruit. Medium bodied with some oak on the finish. One of the more open St. Juliens now. 92-93 points.
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(from memory) Very little cabernet flavors on the nose, almost syrah like, lean and berry driven palate but turns dry on the finish, not a lot of complexity, disappointing for the vintage, price and producer
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2005 Bordeaux en Primeur; 3/26/2006-3/28/2006 (Bordeaux France): En Primeur tasting. Black berries, currant and floral aromas. Similar flavors very tasty to start, but then brooding and backward middle to finish. Patience required, 2015 forward, 90-92 point potential.
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4/25/2024 - Lipsman wrote: 96 Points
Dark garnet color with slight bricking at the edge. This is so good. It is open and ready to drink. Ripe, lush tannins are fully melded producing a spicy edge to the creamy black cherry and licorice core. This just erupts in your mouth. Beautifully balanced with a tart lift that keeps this Gruaud Larose pure through the finish. Decant for 45-60 minutes.
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3/27/2024 - Brianknance Likes this wine: 93 Points
This is what I imagine it would’ve been like to drink a decent Bordeaux 2 to 3 decades ago. The tannins have moderated, and the alcohol, 13%, seems slight by modern standards. Well balanced with some jammy fruit, blackberry, and a hint of cherry upfront, over the substructure of tobacco and old leather. A reasonable density of flavor, with a little funk. Not a long finish, but the overall effect is so astoundingly charming that it’s worth it. I gave this a 93 because it does not overwhelm the palate as other recent vintages do, but I rate it higher than that for people who love old-school Bordeaux.
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3/25/2024 - TheGreenFrog Likes this wine: 91 Points
Jane Anson rates this very highly. But I don't get it and I have tasted it many times. It is a well balanced wine with nice fruit, but it is rather light and has a short finish. Will wait longer in the hope that it improves (but seems unlikely), as is not showing signs of fading.
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2/2/2024 - guitarro28 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Last night we had a vertical tasting of the ‘89, 2000, and 2005 with a Spanish tapas dinner. All wines were outstanding and surprisingly vibrant with a fruit core and distinct earthy, herby attribute typical of Gruaud Larose. We and our guests however found the 2000 marginally the best of the three. The 05 improved in the glass immeasurably in the glass and has more years to reach its peak.
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12/25/2023 - A6Rover Likes this wine: 96 Points
Required a good long decant but this wine performed beautifully. The aromas and palate were classic left bank with a bit of the funk for which this estate is known. Paired wonderfully with a Christmas rob roast. Give it time and it’ll show well
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12/10/2023 - slywka7 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted for 1 hour and 45 minutes. Aromas of leather, matchstick, blackberry and iron. Flavors of blackberry, currant, iron, cherry and tobacco. Ends with 25+ second finish with iron and blackberry notes. Nice fruit still. Starting the develop a bit more. Never going to be a blockbuster but a very good wine.
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11/14/2023 - fussyeater Likes this wine:
Crimson and correct. Cassis plum and iron filings on the nose (and after significant decanter time, developing tobacco and wet leaf - and my wife picked out a whiff of oak). Super silky tannins (takes me back to Silk Road, Beijing!), medium to full bodied and with well judged acidity. There is plum, cassis and pencil lead on the palate and the finish gives an overall feeling that one is drinking something regal and effortlessly noble. Initially drunk after 1 hour decant with dinner where it was a perfect match. Post dinner without cuisine it seemed more obviously youthful. I would still say "full steam ahead" and reach for these if they are in your cellar - very much good to go - although should keep for a long while. 13% ABV
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10/23/2023 - N.Bonaparte wrote: 92 Points
Stored properly since release. 2 hours in the glass was about right. I wouldn’t decant this more than an hour as this is certainly in its prime and best consumed within the next 5-7 years. Overall, a well balanced wine that falls short on the finish and is a bit linear mid way through. However, given the price on this, this provides good value for an 18 year old wine with plenty of availability in the US. Revisit 2024
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10/19/2023 - guitarro28 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Opened the next to last bottle 10/19/23. Showing signs of peaking with brown tinge on edges of glassware. Still has lovely fruit and earthy notes but opened up after an hour. Drink up the final bottle.
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10/15/2023 - chbeaumont wrote: 92 Points
Retains good colour; complex nose, secondary notes which include that characteristic Cordier rustic edge; fully integrated palate, harmonious; mature yet depth to age well. Old school, correctly done claret.
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9/16/2023 - gblacave wrote: 94 Points
This is in a great place and is firing on all cylinders. Great representation of Bordeaux coming into its own. It’s still so young and packing a lot of fruit, but some secondary notes are starting to come through. Maintains a nice balance and the tannin structure is supportive of the fruit.
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9/1/2023 - sirpat00 wrote: 93 Points
Decanted briefly. Tobacco and forest floor undertones along with dark fruit of brambleberry and accents of red cherry. Mineral layer. The palate with tension and fresh acidity. Soft and well-integrated tannin, appropriate for the maturity. This has entered the prime drinking window now, but felt slightly more rustic than the 2000 which would probably be the better pick.
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7/26/2023 - europat55 wrote: 91 Points
Opened up with some time in the glass. Likely NOT at peak yet!
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7/12/2023 - sooper65 wrote: 96 Points
Supreme bottle. Hit all the right notes in an opulent without being full on way.
A gem.
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7/9/2023 - La Sprezzatura wrote: 94 Points
Totally agree with collector1855‘s recent note. this is in a great spot. double decanted (1.5h in the decanter). was really accessible from the beginning. typical left bordeaux nose with plum, darkish berries, tobacco, hints of leather and pencil lead.
i‘d say this is in a transition phase. while you can easily drink and enjoy it right now with some good amount of tertiary aromas and still primarly fruit, you can for sure keep it for another decade.
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7/7/2023 - Bandreas Likes this wine:
No formal notes taken. The wine had lots of appeal. Typical higher class Bordeaux nose and palate. Very pleasant to drink now but there should be ample time to enjoy the next, and last, bottle.
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6/15/2023 - Collector1855 wrote: 95 Points
Great aromatics here, early drinking window. I like the light, elegant palate. Best after 2025.
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5/26/2023 - Rupert wrote:
At 67PM: half bottle from Nad's reserves, and this was real textbook claret, cedar, balsam, balckcurrant fruit - surprising mellow for a 2005.
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4/16/2023 - BAJRiley Likes this wine: 94 Points
Dark ruby, some limited bricking. Nose: darker and deeper than I'd expected for a St J - leather, roasted meat and earth to the fore. Blackcurrant as well, with some red fruit very much in the background. Intense. Some cedar notes poking through. Violet aromatics developed with time.
Palate: medium+ body. Great balance. Concentration good, not excessive. Tannins have softened nicely. Elegant, soft, rounded style. Finish is okay. Excellent.
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4/3/2023 - Margaux Bro Likes this wine: 95 Points
Absolutely beautiful, in a great spot now but will likely continue to develop for the next decade plus.
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3/24/2023 - rikipedia Likes this wine: 93 Points
The Four Seasons Tasting 2005 Bordeaux Second Growth (Aubergine Restaurant): (Tasted Blind): The Gruaud-Larose shows more of these feral qualities but here joined by tilled soil, dried wood, smoke and blackcurrants. A full-bodied wine, there is a juicy and vibrant acidity that gives a crispness to the wine. The mid-palate continues the feral theme with dried earth, crushed rocks and oak nuances that have a black forest gateau quality to it that gives a sweetness that works rather nicely against the fresh acidity. There is excellent depth of flavour and dense, solid yet fruit-edged tannins that give a cool clay quality.
The wine is complex, a more old-school style that works exceptionally well, but the finish isn’t as long as expected—plenty of material to fill out the mid-palate to merit its higher score.
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3/22/2023 - remyworldpeace wrote: 92 Points
Deep cassis and dark cherry with liquorice, oak and spices. Pretty nice but feels so young and takes hours to open - the 2hrs in decanter really wasn't enough. Showed better than last time I tried this which was totally shut, but still needs more time!
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3/20/2023 - Wappingwine Likes this wine: 95 Points
Bought en primeur, held in bond till last year, very long cork pefect condition, immediate tannin grape skins and deep fruit after 45 mins,after 2 hours drinking with roast lamb it was delicious and the tannins resolved into the background. Agreed needs time to open up but drink now I say. We have plenty more so plan to drink up over the nexy few years special occasions only
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3/18/2023 - belfast taxman wrote: 90 Points
Not for lovers of fruit bombs as most of the primary fruit has gone. The colour was still quite dark with only a hint of bricking on the edge. The nose was reserved and dusty. The palate was a tad dry and hard with a prunes edge rather than blackcurrant, but there was some tertiary elements of forest floor and complexity. A bit more breathing saw this enhanced. Overall this wine still has life in it yet but certainly on its plateau. More traditional than other Claret perhaps but that still means it was most enjoyable if that is what you are looking for. Needs food.
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3/9/2023 - SaltWine wrote:
JN. Lovely nose but only at the very beginning of its drinking window, if not a little before it. Still a green approach to the fruit. Better with food. Try and leave another couple of years to 2025/6.
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2/17/2023 - Jacob Christoffer Likes this wine: 93 Points
Nice wine. After a few hours it opens up with soft tannins and good balance. Ripe dark and red berries and fine acidity give the wine a pleasant character.
However, price and quality are not quite in balance.
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2/11/2023 - Paul-SA wrote: 93 Points
Still lots of life. Dark fruit smooth and delicious.
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2/7/2023 - vide Likes this wine: 93 Points
This wine is worth more than 91 points. It has a depth of character that brings it into the super second club.
The best GL I have ever drunk.
vide
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1/29/2023 - tanduybui Likes this wine: 91 Points
This wine still has some way to go. Need a long decant or just leave it alone for a few more years.
Don't you hate it when half way through, the wine decides to take an afternoon nap. And then it decides to wake up just as you are about to it a night. Well, this was what happened to this bottle.
Full of life upon opening, roaring out of the gate screaming I am from the left bank. Like a little child, it had its fun and decided to slow down during which it lacked body, flavours and energy, quite limpid. Four hours after decanting, it matured to be a wonderful wine with supple tannin, beautiful blackberry and cassis profiles. Spice and some floral notes also sang. A very well proportioned finish.
Drink now (with a long decant) or 10+ years
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12/9/2022 - Trickyone Likes this wine:
Really nice, mature Bordeaux. Old enough to have developed leathery notes but still retained enough fruit to stay in balance.
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11/2/2022 - GuanYu Likes this wine: 92 Points
Pink rim, dark ruby center. Blackcurrant, mild cedar, liquorice. Tertiary aromas started to emerge but still youthful and tannic. This bottle was a double magnum and thus might have evolved slower than regular 750ml bottle.
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10/15/2022 - lozatron Likes this wine:
Talbot, Gruaud & Lagrange (Piccolino Exchange Square): Proper claret - this showed well. You really had to get your nose in and sniff to get much out of it, but the effort was worthwhile. Good balance, precise with decent tannin, another one I wish I had a few off in the cellar.
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10/12/2022 - Paul D wrote: 93 Points
Talbot/Gruaud/Lagrange at Piccolino (Piccolino, Exchange Square, London): A touch closed, but with rich, dark fruit. Quite full bodied, blackcurrants, earth, spice - rich and mouthfilling, soft tannins, attractive vibrant acidity, carrying an extended and actually already quite harmonious finish. Drinkable now.
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10/12/2022 - Vinumming & Ahhing Likes this wine: 92 Points
Talbot / Gruaud Larose / Lagrange Dinner (Piccolino, Exchange Square, London): Nose is lovely; in addition to the cedar component there is some gravy granule and something lifted and almost tropical (sliced pineapple?) to complement the dark fruits. With time in the glass a more classical savoury character emerges on the palate after a slow start. Real richness and poise here.
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9/17/2022 - bugdoced Likes this wine: 92 Points
has stood the test of time and while not the greatest bordeaux on the block was liked by all at our outdoor soiree
much better than the fleur cardinale 2005 it was being compared to
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9/5/2022 - SaltWine wrote:
Slightly funky nose. Good mid-palate, close to ready
for drinking – plateau starts in 2-3 yrs
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7/7/2022 - Lord Montgomery Does not like this wine: 85 Points
Color: purple plum. Quite dark.
Taste: a bit bland. Nothing flawed about it , but nothing jumping out. Taste of ripe berries.
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7/7/2022 - Ben F wrote:
Dinner at the Lumberyard, Mill Valley, CA. From 750ml purchased en primeur. Opened 1 hour prior to consuming.
Closed, and not showing much other than slightly mellow primary fruit and hints of complexity. Interesting to check in on it, but will not disturb my remaining bottles of this wine for many years. While a long decant or slowox would have been helpful, my guess is that this is just too young right now for my palate. Rating deferred.
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5/7/2022 - JLG Personal Does not like this wine: 86 Points
Y’all. This is just a crappy wine. #sorrynotsorry
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4/20/2022 - remyworldpeace wrote: 86 Points
Unfortunately my experience was like some of the similarly scoring here: this was simply too closed (and young) to really enjoy.
Nose of muted spices and cassis. Similar on palate with black fruit and spices with vanilla note on finish.
Overall still very closed and rather tannic even with a good 90 mins further to open in glass. Doubtlessly good potential as this is well structured/balanced and will flashes of exciting flavours peaking through. But needs way more time to mature or at minimum a very long decant.
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4/16/2022 - spoplack wrote: 98 Points
what a pleasant surprise. I drank a 2005 GL about 8 years ago and it was searingly tannic and unbalanced. It is drinking so beautiffuly now. The tannins have melted leaving a complex balanced perfect example of St. Julien. Bravo!
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4/13/2022 - Zweder wrote: 94 Points
Monthly Tasting Group HWS: Bordeaux 2005 vs 2009 (by DJ): A lot of dark berries, oak, graphite and cedar in the somewhat earthy and rustic bouquet. On the palate sweet chocolate, juicy red berries, sweet spices, beautiful oak and cedar, some spiciness, laurel and cassis. Fabulous acidity and beautifully round tannin. A delicious wine with at least another 5+ years of future. 94+
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3/10/2022 - ProfByron Likes this wine: 92 Points
This really has matured in recent years. Surprisingly so for 2005. Perhaps the vintage is finally opening up?
Complex wine. Not exactly classic, but not shiny and modern either.
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2/12/2022 - Vinsaint Likes this wine: 91 Points
Strong garnet on the meniscus. Decanted for 3.5 hours, opened up a bit. All the notes as previously described. Definitely has a few more years of life
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2/2/2022 - J_H Likes this wine: 92 Points
- Nose: Very closed despite 1h in the decanter. Medium - intense aromas of red and blue fruit, more blue berries, mulberries, vanilla, claystone, a skin of embedded tertiary aromas of cigars, foliage. Comes more and more and the terroir slowly expresses itself. But still strongly marked by primary aromas.
- Palate: Filigree and direct but again a little closed. Medium + tannins and medium body. Feminine. Has a lot in it but doesn't come across as quite round. Finishes (medium +) nicely but a little lean.
- Context: Compared to the bottle 2 months ago, even more closed (possibly also due to a Lynch Bages 2000 drunk at the same time today). Needs at least 5-10 years to show its true self!
- 92 points with a lot of upward potential, even though few 2005 Bordeaux have convinced me completely (due to the generally high ratings).
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1/3/2022 - belfast taxman wrote: 90 Points
Decanted (very necessary given the sediment) for two hours. Good balance to the acidity with some hint of fruit underneath the cedar. Still got some power on the palate with a decent length. Not outstanding but still a good St.Julien
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1/1/2022 - Eric Becker wrote:
Stored at 11°C since release and accordingly still a very dark colour and a youthful and structured mouthfeel. Some traces of oak and above all the regal balance of vintage 2005, which to me is still the best of the century. However, our bottle seemed to be slightly flawed as despite a two hours decant the earthy cassis fruit remained muted and there was a distracting herbal streak, which did not want to go away. My remaining bottles will sleep for another two to three years. This will be long-lived.
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12/23/2021 - J_H Likes this wine: 94 Points
- Decanted for 4 hours, drunk in parallel with the 2010 vintage.
- Nose: Was very closed at the beginning, needed a good 3 to 4 hours to open up. Besides dark fruits, it also has nice red-fruity aromas. But not as intense and powerfull as the 2010 vintage.
- Palate: Compared to the 2010 vintage with more acidity and more precise flavours and complexity. Stands out with a lot of freshness and elegance over time. Very cool to drink. Needs to be decanted and still has a lot of development potential!
- 2005: 94-95 pts. / 2010: 93-94 pts.
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12/23/2021 - ASMB Likes this wine: 94 Points
Drinking incredibly well.
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12/18/2021 - Justinneal654 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Not ready yet. Give it another few years. Delicious but I suspect there is more to come.
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11/16/2021 - trumpet60201 Likes this wine: 93 Points
I had a bottle in July 2021 and also this one. A very nice nose, nice concentration of fruit on the palate - a soft and balanced wine. Leathery, tobacco and anise notes. Presents youthful still with lots of tannins. Took several hours to flesh out a bit (seemed a hair thin at first). Great wine!
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10/23/2021 - Paul-SA wrote: 93 Points
So smooth. All the tabacco flavors from its youth have gone but it still has very good bossy and mouth feel.
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9/9/2021 - Comte Flaneur wrote: 94 Points
At a 2005 Bordeaux horizontal dinner. A class act with none of the funkiness one associates with older editions of this brand. It is lively and crisp with black pastille notes and like it’s flight mate (Beychevelle) an agile wine for the vintage, already drinking beautifully with a bit more left in the locker. Lovely leafy and graphite notes. This is one under-rated wine ****(1/2) 94
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9/9/2021 - NickA Likes this wine: 91 Points
Jason's 2005 dinner (Noize): Dark, compact and juicy, with some nice floral hints. Quite subtle and undemonstrative, making it a very good drinking Claret, although perhaps also explaining why this wine didn't impress me as much as its flight-mate. Joint group #3
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9/9/2021 - SimonG wrote: 93 Points
2005 Bordeaux (Noizé, London): Deep ruby. Cool elegance on the nose. Blackcurrant leaf. Lovely line, sweet dark red fruit with a really dense core. A little more resolved on the finish than some in this flight, but really needs time. **(**)
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6/15/2021 - BDExplorer wrote:
Fine. Not much stood out to me.
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5/22/2021 - Andice wrote: 92 Points
This has clamed up since last tasted. Needed 2 hours of air to get going. When open it's a polished dense slightly austere left bank in the house style. Vintage quality shows. Keep
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5/2/2021 - the player Likes this wine: 92 Points
This bottle confirmed that last year's was flawed. Decanted and aerated for 90 minutes and drank over an hour. Open and opulent nose of dark berries, graphite, cedar and pepper. Lush entry on the palate, black berries and currants mid palate, lots of graphite and cedar, finishes long with soft tannins and a peppery hint. Medium bodied this is fruit forward St Julien. In a good drinking window but can age much further.
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4/1/2021 - rikipedia Likes this wine: 90 Points
Deep garnet red. A classic bouquet of cedar, dried Autumnal leaves, wet black currant, hint tobacco, marmite with meat extracts and very ripe fruit. Dried spices enter as the wine opens, along with a feral note.
Full-bodied, this is a richly textured wine with good delineation and fine-grained but firm tannins. There is a density and some solidness to the wine while it shows still relatively youthful and tight. Some blackcurrants join the spices and twist of liquorice. The finish is med+ but not as long as expected, a tad blunt to be honest. Very good wine, with some complexity and fair concentration, it doesn't give a lot away so perhaps it needs more time in the bottle.
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3/28/2021 - Shoebox Likes this wine: 95 Points
Rich bouquet with vanilla dark fruit and graphite. Thick legs. Dark purple; no bricking. Very smooth on the palate with blackcurrant and cherry notes. No harsh notes. Tannins all integrated. Very long. Very elegant.
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3/26/2021 - Marc S wrote: 87 Points
- Garnet color with medium forming legs. It's somewhat balanced and has flavours of raspberry, strawberry and black currant with a medium body. Narrow texture with a medium finish - This wine is not my favorite. Good, but not great.
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3/18/2021 - senex Likes this wine: 94 Points
Drunk from a magnum over 3 days. Elegant light and delicious. The best showing was on day 3.
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1/26/2021 - RHaz wrote: 91 Points
Closed upon opening. 2.5 hours in decanter much better but still feels like it needs time in bottle. Try again in 3 years? Dark red-purple. Pencil shavings/ graphite/ leather/ cocoa prevalent, supported by dark berries. Med bodied and tannins a little grainy.
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1/18/2021 - AJPHopson wrote: 89 Points
I have had three bottles of this wine since having a case delivered in September last year and have come to the grand conclusion that it's just not ready yet. It's still closed down. Whilst not unpleasant by any means, it has a short amount of cassis, a fairly decent amount of acidity and a smooth tannin profile. There was no discernible secondary flavour development.
I will try again in a few years time. I would advise that if you've had your bottles professionally stored, not to open one yet. My score is probably closer to where it is now with a bit of benefit of the doubt about development.
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11/28/2020 - IJC Likes this wine:
Surprisingly soft, even muted. Note to file: give it even more time to open up.
Certainly, the bottle was in fine shape, the color consistent through the meniscus, only the tip of the cork dark stained, nose neutral: the wine could easily have been presumed quite young, except for the sediment held back at decanting.
It took quite a while for the bottle to unwind. After an hour, it began to show itself; it needed that time to warm from cellar temperature and to get enough oxygen. Then it began to show those faint wisps of pencil shavings, traces of graphite, blackberry and dark, slightly bitter cherry - all still muted and quiet, no showy exposition. Tannins completely resolved, while still offering just enough acidic balance. But,
something was missing - the added dimension of secondary and tertiary notes - the primary fruit was pleasant, nothing more.
Conclusion, it need even more time. I have reserved a half bottle to follow up tomorrow. Stay tuned.
There should certainly be no rush to drink this; years ahead with proper storage, and lots of pleasure in the nearer term, if given time after opening.
Rated +1 on a scale of -1 to +3.
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11/16/2020 - redhead6971 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Anton’s Wine Tasting Notes Gruaud Larose 2005
Winery: Château Gruaud Larose
Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon 60%, Merlot 30%, Cabernet Franc 5.5%, Petit Verdot 3%, Malbec 1.5%.
Area/Appellation: France, Bordeaux, St. Julien Vintage: 2005
Price: $119/Kansas pricing/from my store inventory. Anton’s Vintage Wine
Color: Purple with hints of ruby and a very slight orange tinge
Legs: medium
Nose: blackberries, truffles, loam, sage, lavender, black cherry,
Palate: Cassis, Blackberries, pencil lead, oak, some really dark rich mineral soil,
Finish: Tannins are really starting to fine out quite a bit.
Lots of oak, currant, cassis leather on the finish.
Load more currant and cassis with some toned down oak on the second night,
Comments: I’ve noticed from all the cellar tracker notes we may be seeing a LOT of bottle variance which is the major issue i have experienced with 2005 Bordeaux, and in particular, super seconds and thirds. This bottle however, is pretty much where it should be based on my experience with 2005 St. Julien.
Pairing Suggestions: Apple bourbon pork tenderloin
Score in terms of Vintage: 91
Score for the Wine: 91
Value for the Money: Very good
Date Tasted: 11/14/2020
Tasted by:ACK
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11/4/2020 - rocknroller wrote: 92 Points
This is The End....The End My Friend (Home): Very dark red color. PNP with a bout 2.5 hours of slow -O. Drank a glass plus over 2 hours. Leather, black fruits, cocoa, oak, olive tapenade, graphite and dried beef on the nose. The palate is medium bodied, cassis, dark berries, graphite, leather, mineral, finnnnnne and grainy tannins with medium finish. Nice and classic Bordeaux, drinking pretty well for '05 at this point with minimal air. HAppy to have some of these. Should be even better in 3 to 5 years.
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10/26/2020 - jrt wrote: 85 Points
Only Gruaud Larose could succeed in making a harsh, thin, austere wine in perfect growing conditions.
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10/23/2020 - Gourmet Christian Likes this wine: 92 Points
Excellent
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10/1/2020 - MarcelloW Likes this wine: 92 Points
Pnp...immediately accessible...as usual, red berries are very dominant... in a good spot now...
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9/27/2020 - Shoebox Likes this wine: 95 Points
Deep purple colour. Big legs. Beautiful nose of plums and chocolate, tobacco, maybe a little vanilla and cedar. Complex palate with very pure black fruit. Beautiful silky, smooth and rounded texture, no sharpness at all. Not austere. Beautiful; exuding finesse and charm. Some tannins but very soft. I'm sure will last a couple of decades more...
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9/26/2020 - Burgundy Al wrote:
Wines Watching the White Sox Beat the Cubs (Riverwoods, IL): Double blind, clearly seemed like Bordeaux, thought it was from 2005 (given 2005 vs 2016 theme) but found it hard and backward, and not from the level I expect of Gruaud Larose.
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8/16/2020 - jimyeni Likes this wine: 92 Points
Yeah, good. Vibrant fruit, leather, spices. Something missing to score higher but very solid if I ignore qpr
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8/2/2020 - the player wrote: 89 Points
Strange bottle. Nose quite open unlike the last bottle. Deep crimson color, some evolution evident. Nose of cassis, pepper, leather, some mint and gravel. Time in the decanter actually harmed the wine surprisingly with lots of green notes on the palate, a bit too much acidity, the wine felt under extracted specially compared to the brilliant Branaire Ducru 05. Lots of tannins on the finish, medium to full body and again very one dimensional. Definitely entering a dull phase at least from the bottles I have had. I will wait a few years and retry.
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7/7/2020 - Whinojb wrote: 94 Points
Finally- the 05s May be putting on weight. The nose wasn’t revealing much. Definitely fruit- dark fruit but also a freshness that was anything but earthy. Really great mouthfeel and a >60 second finish. Very complex on the palette and the wine evolved over the course of about 90 minutes- becoming more complex and developing a more old world nose. Really enjoyed this.
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6/10/2020 - jnewman77 Likes this wine:
This was lovely; the nose shows lovely red leaning fruits, tobacco, earth, bell pepper, and just a hint of violet. The palate is well balanced, good depth, good energy. Drinking well and while this is not a mind-blower its very tasty and perfect with grilled steaks.
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6/9/2020 - jskuek wrote: 95 Points
Nose is the weaker part, muted a little, but the body is so complex. Open up nicely after 2 hours bottle breath, Saline, sea salt, very long after taste, crushed stones, minerals, hints of vanilla / condensed milk. Finishing a little dry, good tannic ... very long finishing.
3 hours in bottle, nose starts to shine, perfume ...
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5/27/2020 - Marc wrote: 92 Points
Outstanding: plush, refined, structured, perfectly balanced. Ageing very well, and absolutely approachable. This would be an ideal restaurant wine, and I mean that in a positive way, in that it is drinking well, it totally exemplifies St. Julien, its proportions are food friendly, and it oozes class. It is totally outstanding, but it will never ascend the heights that extraordinary wines can achieve. I just don't think it has the level of complexity. It is modern and beautiful, but not special in that way.
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5/25/2020 - the player Likes this wine: 91 Points
I agree with some of my fellow cellartrackers that the wine may be entering a dull phase where it is not very open or complex. Beautiful crimson color almost blood like, nose dominated by cassis and red fruits. Not much complexity, acidity quite gripping as well as the tannins, a bit one dimensional at this stage and much less evolved than a few years ago when I had this wine last.
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3/7/2020 - GHRM002 wrote: 91 Points
Opened and decanted for 3 hours. Classic left bank nose. Still too young for our tastes, so we put the cork back in and drank the rest of the bottle the following night, and it had opened up quite a bit. Surprisingly, I think this is less approachable than it was 3-4 years ago, but should be very good in time. One to leave for 5 years
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2/8/2020 - Bandreas Likes this wine:
Took a while to open but after about 3 hours it started to sing and became a classic left bank Bordeaux from a good vintage: Text book Bordeaux!
Full bodied yet supple with great, classical bouquet and mouthfeel and long finish.
It completely over-shadowed the Rain Fort Ross-Seaview PN we had alongside.
This wine, while tasting very good now - is between 5 to 10 years from achieving its full potential. Should make a very fine bottle.
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2/4/2020 - Todd French wrote:
Textbook Bordeaux characteristics of graphite and cigar box - this seems to be well into its secondary phase, possibly starting the tertiary, as fruit is just starting to dry out a bit. I like this space for Bordeaux, as I don't like when the fruit starts to dry out and leave you wanting for what it was just a few years back. Tannins are very dusty, but still a bit grippy, fruit darker red profile. Really nice with 2 hours of air - I don't see why one would wait on this, frankly.
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12/23/2019 - Marc S wrote: 89 Points
- Brick color with slow forming legs and aromas of blackberry. It's somewhat balanced and has flavours of strawberry and chocolate with a medium/full body. Round texture with a medium finish - The nose on this wine is beautiful. Fruit forward.
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12/6/2019 - TheGreenFrog wrote: 90 Points
Lots of fruit, softens with plenty of air and is very drinkable. Nicely balanced. Has a short finish which I think is the wine itself rather than the stage it is at. It will improve with further age (fruit currently a bit obvious) so I intend to revisit in a couple of years, although it will never be a great wine.
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12/1/2019 - senex Likes this wine: 94 Points
Cant keep away from this one even though it should have a long life ahead! It does take a while to show so I took the cork out about 10am and we drank it the following day with lunch. Quite delicious!
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11/20/2019 - havana4 🍾🍇 Likes this wine: 92 Points
This is in a very nice place right now. Very balanced and The light tannic structure on the finish really make it a pleasure. Black currant, a bitof cedar on the palate. Touch of smoke. The only thing lacking is the presence of lingering fruit on the the mid palate and finish. I have a feeling this wine will drink thin in the next 10 years. Drink up. At its peak.
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11/13/2019 - Zweder wrote: 93 Points
Monthly Tasting Group HWS #143; Wines from the book "1001 wines you must try before you die" (By BS): The bouquet is not extremely expressive, but shows red berries, blackberries and green herbs and bell pepper. Same on the palate, good and fresh acidity and a bit green tannin. Wait another 5+ years.
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10/6/2019 - acyso wrote: 88 Points
Vinetasters: 2005 Bordeaux 2nd Growths (Skokie, IL): Served double blind. Darker earth elements on the nose here with slightly subdued fruit character. Fairly austere, this doesn’t seem to have much charm right now. There’s a good amount of earth and leather on the palate, and this seems to be stuck between still having some fruit and that fruit fading out into more of the secondary characteristics. My 6th, group's 3nd.
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8/30/2019 - senex Likes this wine: 94 Points
Opened and poured and then consumed over 2 days. Better on the second day but marginal. Very well integrated with smooth tannins. Lovely understated Bordeaux. I think/hope that it will be even better in another 5 years.
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8/13/2019 - lightning wrote: 91 Points
Second night - classic left bank blackcurrant dominant, touch of cedar; medium plus bodied, dense core of blackcurrant, graphite, midbodied ripe tannins with a seam of acidity folded underneath, plentiful length. Can drink now, however will continue to evolve for many years - wait for tertiary evolution.
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3/28/2019 - salil wrote: 91 Points
So young, but so much potential here. Lots of youthful black fruit, cedar, graphite, and some oaky notes that are yet to integrate - but I love the overall sense of freshness to the fruit and the smoky depth that emerges with more time in the decanter. The flavours are still largely primary, but the balance is fantastic and I imagine this should be outstanding with more time in the cellar.
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3/13/2019 - soyhead wrote:
nose -savory &complex
mouth - beautiful, dry long, dark fruits & pencil lead. complex. still quite young. Hold
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3/7/2019 - Quiet Lion Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted and served. Opened up a bit over two hours but showed mostly buoyant acid with restrained, dark fruit. Funky nose with some not unpleasant cheesy notes and tobacco. California fruit lovers will not like this but it had some deliciousness for me.
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3/5/2019 - dream Likes this wine: 92 Points
Powerful for a GL with excellent precision and cut typical of the vintage. Great dark berry fruit with an opulent texture and strong tannins on the finish. Quite young and very fresh and sets up to be a great GL down the road. 92+
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2/19/2019 - Zweder wrote: 94 Points
Monthly Tuesday group "The Dead Sparrow" #026; Bordeaux 2005 (by DJ): Rustic bouquet with some barnyard impressions, red berries, dark berries, cassis and graphite in the bouquet. On the palate the same impressions plus green herbs, juicy acidity and slightly sticky tannin. 93 - 94
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12/29/2018 - Sunocoblue Likes this wine: 93 Points
This wine so so young. 1 hour in to decant it really opened up! 3 hours in and it was amazing. We couldn't believe the transformation. I think 5 more years would be amazing!
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12/22/2018 - ChristopherB Likes this wine: 91 Points
Belle robe rubis sombre, sans rebords tuiles. Au nez, à l'ouverture, ce sont des arômes de cerises noires, de framboises, de cuir, de pin et de cassis/poivron. En bouche, l'attaque est franche et un peu rustique, toujours avec beaucoup de tannins. La longueur est bonne sur les arômes perçus au nez, mais aussi avec un côté sang de boeuf. Ce vin n'est pas du tout prêt. Le prochain pas avant 2022 à mon avis. À noter que le reste de la bouteille au frigo était meilleurs après quelques jours, donc si l'on insiste à l'ouvrir aujourd'hui, penser le carafe 4-6 heures au minimum, mais mieux vaut le garder en cave encore 5-10 ans.
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12/18/2018 - Zweder wrote: 94 Points
Monthly Tuesday group "The Dead Sparrow" #034: Bordeaux; St. Julien. (By JS and BS): In the youthful bouquet dark berries, cassis, graphite and beautiful oak. On the palate juicy dark berries, vanilla, some pepper, sticky tannin which is slightly drying. Complex and really beautiful. Classical and compact wine with a lot of dark berries and a future of probably another decade. 93 - 94+
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10/11/2018 - Motz wrote: 95 Points
Tasted over two days. Tasted this vintage two years ago and found it impressive. It has since improved. Alongside other quality Bordeaux, this stood out as the most rustic, and with the greatest potential upside. For all its traditional markers (pepper garden, blackberry, blackcurrant, graphite, worn saddle, cut tobacco, black earth, etc.) and charming terroir (impressions of high quality peppercorn medley, dried herbs, light roast coffee grounds, etc.) the wine also features an elegance difficult to pin down, in part textural (weight without heaviness), and in part ethereal (striking charm and finesse for such a traditional offering). Also noteworthy: The wine made the strongest impression on the second day.
Still very young, transitioning into (a classy) adolescence, and while certainly approachable, all elements point to continued development. Recommend tasting now, to set a benchmark, and then follow bottles over the next three to five years. It should last beyond 2040 with ease. 95-96.
It seems the pros whiffed on this.
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9/24/2018 - Chimer Likes this wine: 93 Points
Impressive deep colour and rich juicy black fruit nose. A really enjoyable Gruaud, only just ready as tannins still quite pronounced but fruit is open and inviting, my instinct is to be patient for other bottles as silky integration is probably still a few years away, but no denying the flavour and length to be found here. Very similar and equally enjoyable as a bottle consumed about 9 months ago.
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9/12/2018 - Jmf17 Likes this wine: 90 Points
This is a second growth from St Julien and there is no question, from the bouquet and the taste, about its Bordeaux roots. On decanting, the bouquet is headache becomes subtler later, but is always present. The Taste Faithfully communicates the Bordeaux soul and soils. It is not overwhelming, such as a 1989 Chateau Margaux I enjoyed recently, but a pleasure never the last and worth its far more modest price.
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7/7/2018 - PMJak11 Likes this wine: 94 Points
30 minutes of air in the bottle. Dark purple color. Nose of black cherry, meats, and amaretto. Nice body, not too powerful but excellent structure. Finish is long but mildly tart. High quality in my book!
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6/8/2018 - "Rhône Rider" Likes this wine: 92 Points
Dyp rød kjerne med oransje kant. Tobakk, lær, fiken, rips, moreller og blyantspiss. Begynnende modning og fine modne tanniner. Flott balanse. Noe fatdrevet stil, og et litt bittert bitt i ettersmaken. En vin som er på et bra sted, men som trenger noen år til for å roe ned fatpreget.Lang og kompleks. 92
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5/24/2018 - ProfByron Likes this wine: 90 Points
Tannic, but they are ripe soft tannins. Brooding sort of wine. Really a shame to drink now, but still interesting and enjoyable.
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4/15/2018 - Nigel Davies Tas Likes this wine: 92 Points
A very pleasant drink with all the elements one would expect from a classed growth Bordeaux in a great year. The tannins are still prominent, but plenty of fruit to support them as they soften over the next twenty years.
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12/6/2017 - soyhead wrote:
pretty sleek and clean at this stage. elegant more than fruity. paired nicely with dinner. perhaps somewhat closed? I would hold.
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10/31/2017 - stayhappy21 wrote: 92 Points
Drank this at a wine dinner last night at Wah Lok Restaurant. Theme of the night: 1st wine of 2nd growth, or 2nd wine of 1st growth.
Deep garnet with a attractive crimson hue. On the nose the nose presents a nice fruity aroma with black soybean, black cherry and plum notes. On the palate the structure is wonderful and impressive. Twelve years on and the wines are just opening up and presented its youthful side with lots of character and potential.
This is a serious wine with ripe red fruits on the palate and a balanced profile. Some prunes with dark berries and with some chocolate, leather, earthy and toasty notes.
If this is a preview showcase of what the class of 2005 can do, I can't wait to check out the rest of the cohort.
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9/19/2017 - Jptillinghast Likes this wine: 92 Points
Beautiful nose
Currants, chocolate, leather
Still young
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7/29/2017 - jonanator wrote: 92 Points
This wine is excellent. Really have to keep my hands off of it though. It is good now, but is sure going to blossom further with more cellaring
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7/16/2017 - T.E.D. wrote: 92 Points
Consumed out of magnum. A classic Larose, with pure graphite and pencil shaving notes followed by black currant and cassis notes. Still a youngen but with air very enjoyable.
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6/10/2017 - jonanator wrote: 92 Points
This has really come around since I last tried it. Still a baby but after a few hours in decanter, this really showed the strength of the vintage. Soft red fruits with plenty of tannic grip still. Long finish. Excited to try this again in a few years.
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5/13/2017 - Fchurl Likes this wine: 90 Points
Bottom range of the excellent wines : very nice but won't keep in the memories. Does it need more time? Opened the night before with cork back half way which helps a lot rounding the tannin and getting the aromas. still the second glass was better than the first so I think yes it should improve with time.
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5/3/2017 - punter wrote:
p&p - tight nose and quite tart out of bottle, yet underlying dark fruits were there w/o overbearing tannins. Evolution of this wine in the glass from 15, 30, 45 minutes through 2 1/2 hours was fun to enjoy. Has the stuffing to be a star in 5-6 years. Needs two hours air if opening today.
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4/28/2017 - SimonG wrote: 91 Points
Bordeaux Wimps, Benoît Chamoux table (La Trompette, London): Quite tight and dense on the nose, a touch of charred beef fat coming through but otherwise a dense blackcurrant. Plenty of grip but not unapproachable. Peaceful hibernation. Lovely balance though, and a touch of dark chocolate emerging with air. Needs time to start opening up with some complexity. **(**)
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4/4/2017 - bordeaux456 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Gorgeous with lots of potential for the future. Popped and poured, could have used more time in the cellar though. Come back in 3-5 years for significant improvement.
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3/31/2017 - europat55 wrote: 91 Points
5 Decades of Gruaud Larose (Andre and Sabine's House, Mountain View, CA): Nose: B++/A-. Palate: B++
My #9. Group's #9 (104 pts).
Tasted blind.
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3/23/2017 - sooper65 wrote: 94 Points
whilst this may be infanticide to many, how is it that I keep going back to this, and now have just three bottles left.
A lovely drop of juicy ripe blackcurrant juice. Ample, generous, but with the requisite austerity, merged with St Julien elegance.
Totally love this wine.
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2/9/2017 - Saadissimo Likes this wine: 95 Points
One of the best St Julien wines I have had in a long while. Combines the elegance of a good Margaux and the power of a blue-blooded Pauillac. Inky garnet colour; strong cassis nose; dry and earthy on the palate with notes of game, truffles and tobacco. Good length on the finish. Vive la France!
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10/21/2016 - -Tim- Likes this wine: 93 Points
From magnum with Doro and Henrik at the German North Sea coast.
Decanted for 3 hours, which is highly recommended. Paired with Raclette.
Parker wrote in 2015:
"The 2005 Gruaud Larose has a deep ruby/purple color, excellent concentration, and clean, pure black and red currant fruit, licorice and spice. It is medium to full-bodied, lush, and very soft and round. I’m surprised how drinkable it is already, although it is certainly capable of lasting 15 or more years." (90p)
I agree with Parker on the black currant fruits, licorice and spice. In addition, I noticed oak and leather characteristics and a long finish. Loved it!
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10/15/2016 - Torchy Likes this wine: 89 Points
Uncle Fine Wine Club Fall BYO; 10/14/2016-10/15/2016 (Tord House): Delicious and pure fruit with black currant and hints of mint. A bit anonymous palate with red fruit and fine integrated tannins.
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10/14/2016 - Bobhelge wrote: 94 Points
Uncles Fine Wine Club’s - Grand Cru Tasting (Bodø): Quite the contrast to the 78. Camphor candy, ripe cherry, overtones of toasted oak, and bell pepper. Dens and packed with fruit and spices. So much fruit but yet in balance. This one’s a keeper.
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10/7/2016 - Motz wrote: 93 Points
Drank over two days. Expressive bouquet of blackcurrant, light roast coffee beans, assorted peppers, graphite, dark (unsweetened) coco powder, hot gravel, black earth, and unctuous terroir. As potent and strapping a Saint-Julien that I have crossed paths with, featuring tremendous power at the front and middle, transitioning to a gripping back and gritty finish. A wine of medium plus acid and medium plus, powdery tannins. There is no trace of the crème de cassis textural weight that can be found Saint-Julien but this should not detract from an excellent wine. Highly enjoyable now, yet this is the style of great vintage Bordeaux that shows its best when fully mature, a point that it is likely to reach after another two decades. It might improve a little too. 92-94. Delicious!
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4/17/2016 - bugdoced Likes this wine: 90 Points
as new world as good bordeaux gets
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4/2/2016 - canan wrote: 91 Points
BYO US Pinot and Chardonnay (Kong Hans): An okay young Bordeaux wine but nothing more than that. MG bottle.
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2/18/2016 - Zweder wrote: 93 Points
Monthly tasting club "The Tasting Club" 2016-02; Bordeaux 2005 (@ DJ): Beautiful and complex bouquet with dark forest fruits like cassis, tar, leather, graphite, vanilla and a pleasant touch of barnyard. On the palate cassis and other dark berries, a bit creamy, some (pleasant) green bell pepper, a touch of sweetness and also a firm dose of acidity as well as firm and still sticky tannin. Overall a very firm, well balanced and complex wine. Already showing a bit what it has in store, but it needs at least another 5 years to show more elegance and refinement. Nevertheless great to taste it in this very youthful stage.
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2/16/2016 - senex Likes this wine: 93 Points
So we PNP ed from a 750ml and it was pretty damn good. 24 hours later the half bottle that remained was better. The wine has filled out from 12 months ago and is delicate, delicious and finely balanced. I suspect that this improvement will continue and in another 5 years or so it will be stunning.
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10/20/2015 - Shrewsram Likes this wine: 92 Points
Touch of bricking, compared to the 2007 Magnum.
The oak is very well integrated here. The wine, a little taciturn, shows obvious depth and ripeness with a mix of berry fruits.
Fleshy and sinewy (surprisingly), with great intensity and chewy tannins, toasty/roasted length.
On return this still showed that structure but there is generosity and richness apparent, clearly very well-balanced but just needing a little time.
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9/3/2015 - Marc S wrote: 91 Points
- Garnet color with medium forming legs. It's balanced and has flavours of strawberry and raspberry with a medium/full body. Silky texture with a medium finish - Very good bottle of Bordeaux. Great nose of berries and well balanced.
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6/28/2015 - Jeff Leve wrote: 90 Points
Medium bodied, bright and fresh, with a lean to the red fruit side of the style range, the wine is better on the nose than the palate, finishing with crisp, crunchy, sweet and tart red fruits. This will develop more secondary aromas, but it's probably going to retain its style.
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6/21/2015 - jonanator wrote:
Really closed. Hold.
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6/21/2015 - galewskj wrote: 91 Points
Slow o'd for a couple hours and then vinturi'd. This seems approachable now, but you'd be better off leaving it alone for a few years. Graphite, meat, loam, sour cherry, red curant, and a fair amount of cedar on the spicy finish.
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4/25/2015 - the player Likes this wine: 92 Points
Delicious and forward, consistent with previous notes.
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4/11/2015 - the player Likes this wine: 92 Points
Brilliant wine for the money. See previous note.
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4/9/2015 - LWI wrote: 88 Points
Closed
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4/6/2015 - the player Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted and aerated for two hours. Very open on the nose and the palate for a 2005, one of my favorite vintages of all time but which I find has closed down in much of the past two years. Deep crimson color, nose dominated by cassis, red berries, sweet tobacco, graphite with a hint of pine. On the palate, there the fruit is surprisingly forward, with cassis, meat, graphite dominating, coats the mid palate, medium to full bodied, great balance, acidity and backbone presaging further pleasure down the road, decent length on the finish with silky yet strong tannins. Un vrai vin de garde.
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3/14/2015 - ProfByron Likes this wine: 90 Points
Points should go higher over the next 5 years.
The smooth tannins are impressive. Lovely medium weight, this has sophistication. Which makes it very easy to drink now but it has yet to blossom. Next time I will give this a decent decant.
13% sealed with cork
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3/13/2015 - Simple palate wrote: 89 Points
Last bottle (probably).
Mature Bordeaux, competent.
Much the same as previous bottles.
If other 2005 Bordeaux is like this, no big deal on the vintage.
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3/9/2015 - Doni.Bertolami wrote: 92 Points
2005 Bordeaux Tasting: nose of breadcrust, cream, vanilla, smoke and dark berries. Smooth with well integrated tannins. Very approachable already. Lagged behind the leoville barton.
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2/13/2015 - ChristopherB Likes this wine: 91 Points
Nice crimson colour. On the nose, timid aromas of black fruit and chocolate. After a few minutes, the chocolate disappears, replaced with a bit of pine and ink. On the palate, the attack is tannic, but with a tightly wound mass of (black) fruit and a certain tartness (sour cherry). It tastes of black fruit, ink but also as a previous taster mentions, beef blood and metal as well as sour cherry. Good length. As this wine has a potent core of dark fruit and a bit of red, I am not concerned about its evolution, unlike other 2005 that I have tasted that seem over extracted. After 2 hours in the glass, nice fruit on the palate, though the nose remains timid. Nice wine with potential, but without the complexity of the 2000 at this point. I'd give it 3-4 hours in a decanter. Next bottle not before mid-2017.
Belle robe carmin sombre. Au nez, à l’ouverture, fruits noirs et un peu de chocolat. Après quelques minutes seulement, le chocolat disparait, laissant seulement du fruit noir, du pin et de l’encre. En bouche, attaque franche et un peu charnue. Il y a des tannins, beaucoup de fruits noir et une bonne vivacité. Ce fruit noir+encre+metal+sang de boeuf ainsi que la griotte se prolonge en une bonne longueur. Ce vin comporte un noyaux puissant de fruit, alors contrairement à d’autre 2005 qui semble sur-extraits, avec celui-ci, je ne me fais pas de soucis à ce qu’il mûrira bien. Après 2 heures d’aération, beau fruit en bouche, nez toujours un peu timide. Beau vin, mais sans la complexité du 2000. Prévoir 3-4 heures dans un décanteur. Ne pas boire la prochaine bouteille avant mi-2017.
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2/1/2015 - senex wrote: 91 Points
We gave it a 3 hour decant and it was showing pretty well. I think the decant time was about right. A good wine but in no way spectacular and a bit disappointing for the vintage.
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1/29/2015 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine: 92 Points
Bordeaux 2005 : Ten years on (Bordeaux Index London): Tasted right next to Palmer and the aromatics are more “animal” in nature! Metallic and even beef blood like. Does not feel as regal as the Palmer to be sure and yet there is freshness and much 2nd growth substance – and you could have a steak and be happy. Still, for a 2005, not as long on the finish or as subtle as some of the others in its league.
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1/27/2015 - sooper65 wrote: 93 Points
deluxe infanticide - this is young, but oh so tasty
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1/22/2015 - LIE-user wrote: 93 Points
Great Gruaud Larose. Very rich and powerful. Will improve over the next five years or so. Could be one of the big Gruaud Larose in the long run.
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1/17/2015 - EdwardjK wrote: 90 Points
Very smooth wine that did not stand out with a beef stroganoff dinner. It was good, not great, and had a somewhat tart and dry finish.
I give it 90 points, although my wife says only 80. I would not buy another bottle.
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12/24/2014 - Rcapria Likes this wine: 92 Points
excellent with christmas eve dinner....well balanced and smooth
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10/21/2014 - Simple palate Likes this wine: 89 Points
Earthy nose, medium fruity with hint of tobacco, with soft tannin - typical pleasant aged Bordeaux at its drinking window.
Somehow, didn't quite stand out on its own.
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10/19/2014 - stevenjstein Likes this wine: 93 Points
Plenty of dark fruit, a bit of pencil lead, prominent floral notes, soft tannins and acidity. Drinking very well now, but definitely many years left.
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10/5/2014 - pakabear Likes this wine: 92 Points
Blind tasted, initially with the funk and tannins with pop and pour I thought it was a super tuscan, however after 3-4 minutes open I changed my answer to Left Bank Bordeaux 2005, I guess it tastes like it is which is a good thing :) Silky smooth, great extraction with a good earthy flavor throughout. Good stuff. I would wait 5 years however from this point to drink, it can be had now but if tannins were slightly more resolved it would be perfect.
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7/31/2014 - d'Artagnan wrote: 91 Points
à la pêche, offert par Jess.
Nez de cuir, de cassis, de poivron, de fumée.
Bouche souple, étonnamment ouverte, tanins fondus et une finale en finesse, sur un fruit mûr. Pas encore complexe bien sûr, mais délicieux. 91+ pts
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7/21/2014 - jonanator wrote: 90 Points
Felt very tight initially, but started to get better after an hour in glass. I would have thought this would be further along by now
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6/12/2014 - belfast taxman wrote: 89 Points
Too young perhaps - lacked real depth and complexity even after decanting for an hour or so but nice balance and certainly a wine with prospects
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6/6/2014 - danielbleier Likes this wine: 90 Points
Solid wine, probably needs a few more years...still felt tight and firm - but solid dark cherry and plum with tobacco. Try again in 3 years?
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4/17/2014 - sooper65 wrote: 92 Points
Opulent and juicy; dark and very tasty
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3/17/2014 - Purple Tooth wrote: 92 Points
This is a heavyweight wine has muscle and then some. Though a 92 is not deserving of what is most likely going to happen in 4 years and more, this wine has the power to become a head bender.
Big Cabernet cloaks the terroir characteristics of earth and mustiness, as it rules for now. Huge tannins in the very long finish, reminding you that you just pulled the cork too soon. If you can't wait, decant well.
I suspect that this will deserve 97 points in a decade.
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2/15/2014 - mwanasheria wrote: 93 Points
Odds and ends in Munich (Munich, Käfer's): Nose of cassis, tar, truffles. Cassis, cedar, smoke, licorice on the palate. Pretty nice.
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2/7/2014 - Jasper May wrote: 90 Points
Middle red at the rim, tending to black at the core - cedar and meaty notes on the nose. Medium to full bodied with a savoury palate, a little astringent on the finish - the fruit is well hidden (if there) - not hugely impressed, for the chateau and year this should be better.
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1/21/2014 - andrewdl wrote: 88 Points
Too early. An hour of decanting did not open it up. Clear though that will be a great wine in 5-7 years and drink for a long time.
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1/12/2014 - Kris Bouhuijzen wrote: 92 Points
Still very young and needs time. Dark chocolate on the nose with dark fruits. Very fruit forward (berries) and subtle oak wood on the palate. Medium length finish and full body.
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11/28/2013 - tbream Likes this wine: 91 Points
Not mature yet, medium acidity, dark rich fruit
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10/1/2013 - bugdoced Likes this wine: 90 Points
tart fruit ,french earth some barnyard notes
the earth is predominant at this time
medium finish led to good tasting with and without food
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9/20/2013 - jkoenen wrote: 92 Points
A friendly get-together @ Peter Z. (Belgium): Dusty, nutty nose and mouthfeel. Dark chocolate, oak, vanilla. Great structure, but the fruit is hiding at the moment. A melancholic wine in a tight tannic wrap. Needs a lot of time. 18/20
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6/23/2013 - jonanator wrote: 90 Points
Similar notes to before, drinking well right now, but still quite primary. Showed a little better today than last time.
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5/9/2013 - chatters wrote:
United Cellars Grand Bordeaux Tasting 2013 (Royal Automobile Club, Macquarie Street, Sydney): Deep ruby. Medium plus intensity, leather and black fruit, touches of meat and blood. Big, bolshy, savoury, fruity. Medium plus body. Very nice if not a touch frisky.
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5/9/2013 - jonanator wrote: 90 Points
Still too young but has a ton of potential. Will be a 93+ pointer in time
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4/21/2013 - bugdoced Likes this wine: 89 Points
kathie called this an easy drinker;is that a good thing for a wine trying to be great?
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2/2/2013 - Robert Pavlovich wrote: 93 Points
Reticent nose. Really coats the mouth well, with fleshy and ripe red cherry and plum fruits, and just a hint of earth. The finish begins with good intensity before gearing down a bit, and encouraging another sip. Very nice balance overall. Wine of the flight between a vertical of the 86', 05', and 09'. 92-94+ points.
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2/1/2013 - NathanT wrote: 94 Points
Tasted 1986, 2005 and 2009. All three displayed herbaceous aroma with the 2009 being most expressive.
1986
The structure of this bottle dominated the subtle fruit structure leading to tart cherry with firm tannins palate. I tried the 1986 Lynch Bages, and it had similar tannin profiles. Very firm. Great to be paired with a peppered sauce steak.
2005
Here there was enough fruit structure to balance out the medium acidity and fine tannins giving the wine better complexity and depth to flow gracefully while providing some grip to the palate on the finish.
2009
The fruit was front and center giving the wine the perception of a ripe fruit Napa made wine. However, as the wine took in some air over the course of 3 hours, the air integration added more weight to the wine making it fuller and much more enjoyable that the first hour. I would highly recommend decant this bottle 3+ hours.
Overall, all three vintages showed very well. At this point in time, I prefer the 2005 out of the 3.
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11/27/2012 - maxima Likes this wine: 92 Points
Un nez assez puissant, sur le cassis et le cuir avec une touché de boisé.
En bouche, belle acidité avec des cerises et du graphite, une pointe de menthol vers la fin. Très long…excellent!
Un grand vin en devenir!!!
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11/24/2012 - sooper65 wrote: 92 Points
Very primary, but ample and rich blackcurrant fruit - quite hedonistic, and some may say infanticide... bollox... damn tasty RIGHT NOW
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8/30/2012 - sooper65 Likes this wine: 94 Points
My first 2005 - ok, a bit of infanticide, but this is a great bottle of St Julien. Class and elegance, showing lovely dark rich Cabernet fruit - even some Pauillac-esque pencil lead.
Delicious.
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6/10/2012 - Zweder wrote: 92 Points
Beautiful and classical bouquet with cassis, lead pencil, cedar, mocha, coffee and chocolate. On the palate the same impressions. Beautiful acidity and a bit drying tannin in the finish. The chocolate impressions tell it has some age, but the overall constitution and the tannin and bitterness show that there is still plenty of future. It will be interesting to follow this wine. Try it again around 2015 is probably a good idea.
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12/27/2011 - DuVinMD wrote: 88 Points
Très poivrons verts, cassis, confituré au nez. En bouche, tannins assez raids, assez végétal, beau fruit, très belle longueur
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9/27/2011 - Papies wrote: 92 Points
Gruaud Larose Masterclass with David Launay (Fine & Rare Wines, London): Young violet red colour. Deep sweet red& black fruit on the nose. Big on the nose open and expressive at this stage. Oak and vanillanotes some mocha and def have increased the new oak in the last few years. Still very young and would suggest waiitng 5-7yrs. 91-92 at the moment but with lots of potential.
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6/24/2011 - MB Ben wrote:
Way too early to drink but structure and body are there. Still quite tannic even after a long decant and fruit on palate and nose are muted. Think this will be a great one though in 5+ years.
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11/8/2010 - Yagil wrote: 91 Points
very typical aroma, solid, tannins, full-bodied, enjoybale.
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9/20/2010 - amateurwino wrote: 92 Points
Pretty, showing the same green pepper character that the whole range has on the nose. The most powerful of the bunch, starting to show smoothness; the most harmonious Gruaud tasted today as well. Coffee, mocha notes, very classic Left Bank Bordeaux. 91-92
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1/30/2010 - joshwoodward wrote: 88 Points
Churchill's: Château Gruaud-Larose Vertical (Maumee, OH): Oaky nose, with graphite. Riper. This is still boring red fruits right now. It's way too young and needs more time to develop secondary flavors before it becomes interesting, but it should have enough stuffing to get to the finish line. $60
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12/20/2009 - peternelson wrote: 91 Points
Brad’s: Very nice excellent bordeaux; pencil lead, cassis, good bal, high a’s, fine t’s, very wells tructured, could age--very nicely surprised.
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11/7/2009 - IamNotDrinkingAny#@!%Merlot wrote: 92 Points
Very sleek and elegant style. This was infanticide, but wanted to try it at the Bellevue restaurant we were at. A beautiful wine.
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8/21/2009 - cns wrote: 91 Points
Wait, at least 5 years -- then it will be amazing.
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8/9/2009 - CWilliam wrote: 92 Points
Great nose (dark fruits). Nice acidity and balanced tanins with a long finish. Medium body (which was surprising given the vintage and nose). Classic Bordeaux. Had with a simply prepared hanger steak and a great match. Wine has the acidity and fruit to age although drinking great now. Decanted for 2 hours before drinking.
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4/22/2009 - thewineoceros wrote: 90 Points
Bibendum Bordeaux tasting (Lord's Cricket Ground - London): Big nose, elegant and fruit forward with black, red fruits and cassis rising up. This vintage is wonderful and has produced great power. Dry on palate and has good length. Has the ability to grow old with you.
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1/24/2009 - peternelson wrote: 91 Points
UGC LA: Grt complex nose; drk frt, spice, tabacco, silky smth mth, oka influence? 18 mo. 40% new.
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1/14/2009 - Zweder wrote: 90 Points
Full bodied and round. Juicy young fruits. No aggressive tannin although it is firm. Good bitterness as well. At this moment there is no real refinement. I realize this wine is way too young, but we were just curious. I score it for the pleasure of this moment, but to be honest; I wonder if it holds much more for the future. Time will tell.
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1/10/2009 - drwine2001 wrote:
Another Set of 2005 Bordeaux (The Wine Club, San Francisco): Dark ruby with a bit of lightening at the edge. Something not pure about the nose with sweat and leather more than fruit. This is so different from the first 2 wines-leaner, more structured, medium weight, sinewy finish. The fruit is subdued. More typical in weight, just not very appealing right now, and I wonder whether the wine will succumb to brett as it ages.
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1/10/2009 - tanglenet wrote:
The Wine Club San Francisco 2005 Bordeaux (San Francisco): Tasted at the Wine Club. Opened 4+ hours but not decanted. Quick notes: There were 3 wines that stood out for me in this tasting, and this was the one that was the most classically made. A pretty and engaging nose of dark fruit with a hint of cold hard plastic. On the palate: dark bramble fruit with a somewhat watery middle with a slightly bitter and tannic finish. This has all the makings for a great wine in a couple of years. I think this will be Very Good.
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10/16/2008 - Todd French wrote: 93 Points
Great acidity - structure hits you immediately on the forepalate, blends into sweet fruits, silky midpalate that holds the fruit but with some bitterness, and the finish is LONG! 2 minutes, easily, with acid to keep your mouth literally watering throughout. Looking forward to finishing the bottle tomorrow to see how it evolves.
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5/12/2008 - SoCal wrote: 89 Points
Nose of toasty oak, veg, and earth. Sour red berries, coffee, coco, and burt wood. It is drinkable now but not as enjoyable as it may become. If the oak can tone down and come into harmony with the other elements this wine will become very good. 13% Alc. I thought it was the 2nd best wine of the tasting. IMO the price is too high $90. (88-90 pts)
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5/10/2008 - cab blends wrote: 90 Points
AHA Hearts Delight - Bordeaux 2005 Wine Tasting: Heavy tannins with acidic finish
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5/5/2008 - beezer6 wrote: 90 Points
Heritage Grand Wine Tasting (Ritz-Carlton - Chicago, IL): Tasted at the 2008 Heritage Grand Wine Tasting @ The Ritz-Carlton in Chicago.
Very earthy on the nose. Balanced overall.
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3/7/2008 - mbk07 wrote: 93 Points
Strong and bulky, will become a big one
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1/22/2008 - Vino Me wrote: 93 Points
2005 Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux Tasting (Drake Hotel, Chicago, Illinois): 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petite Verdot. Not as good as the 2000 but slightly better than the 2003. An earthy style which I have always enjoyed. Flavors of tobacco leaf, dried mushroom and black fruit. Medium bodied with some oak on the finish. One of the more open St. Juliens now. 92-93 points.
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1/21/2008 - winefool wrote: 91 Points
UGC 2005 Bordeaux Tasting (and dinner) (The Drake): Full deep red color. Medium spicy red friut nose with black spice, leather, and a green note. Good black fruit with coffee note and a green streak.
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1/20/2008 - Jeff Leve wrote: 89 Points
A masculine styled wine with a tannic spine. The finish was rustic. In time, a lot of time, this will improve.
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1/19/2008 - hcampana wrote: 88 Points
2005 Bordeaux @ Union des Grand Crus (San Francisco, CA): Nose is reticent. Full bodied but not rustic. lacking a bit of mid palate coverage. Not nearly as bad as some have reported.
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1/19/2008 - tanglenet wrote:
Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux (San Francisco): Tasted at the Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux in SF. Quick notes: super dry with reticent fruit. Unrated.
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11/17/2007 - EMichels wrote: 91 Points
Red Carpet Wine Tasting: Well balanced and drinking well; However, it doesn't stand out
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11/17/2007 - duchamp wrote: 88 Points
(from memory) Very little cabernet flavors on the nose, almost syrah like, lean and berry driven palate but turns dry on the finish, not a lot of complexity, disappointing for the vintage, price and producer
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4/5/2006 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine: 91 Points
BORDEAUX 2005 / Cabernet rules; 4/5/2006-4/10/2006 (Bordeaux): very cinnamon and spice, with a smooth palate and solid tannic presence. Not incredible, but very good expression of fruit, though slightly metallic, with a fine finish. 90-92
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3/28/2006 - Burgundy Al wrote:
2005 Bordeaux en Primeur; 3/26/2006-3/28/2006 (Bordeaux France): En Primeur tasting. Black berries, currant and floral aromas. Similar flavors very tasty to start, but then brooding and backward middle to finish. Patience required, 2015 forward, 90-92 point potential.
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