Monthly tasting club "The Tasting Club" 2016-02; Bordeaux 2005

We all had to bring a 2005 Bordeaux or donate an amount. We only knew the wine we brought and not when it was poured. We tasted all wines blind.

• 2005 Château Latour-Martillac 90 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

  Beautiful bouquet with red and dark forest fruits, vanilla and licorice. On the palate concentrated and ripe dark forest fruits, some red berries as well, sweet spices, chocolate, licorice and vanilla. A bit dusty. Firm acidity and fairly soft tannin with still a good bite. Good length. Beautiful wine.

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• 2005 Château du Gaby

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Canon-Fronsac

  Third note on this wine and again completely different impressions. Is there so much bottle variance or is the wine developing enormously quickly? In the bouquet the wine shows very mature impressions of lovage, coffee and chocolate. On the palate lovage, coffee, mocha, chocolate, sweet licorice root, truffle, sweetness, ok acidity and tannin. The wine is full bodied but the overly lovage/mature impressions dominate too much. No score.

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• 2005 Château Bonalgue 89 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol

  Garnet red color. In the bouquet red and dark forest fruits, vanilla, chocolate, sweet licorice and some rustic flavors. On the palate a slightly sweet start, red and dark forest fruits, sweet spices, vanilla, chocolate, mild and juicy, good acidity as well as round and soft tannin with still a pleasant bite and some length in the finish. The wine is ready now, but there is no real hurry. Drink within 2 years is probably wisest.

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• 2005 Clos du Clocher 91 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol

  Beautiful bouquet with dark forest fruits, vanilla, sweet spices, sweet licorice and some caramel. On the palate a slightly sweet start, creamy dark berries, sweet spices, pleasant well integrated oak and tannin, good acidity. A full bodied, round and well balanced wine. The tannin still has enough bite for this to last at least until 2020 – 2022+. Hope to taste again by then.

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• 2005 Château Cantemerle 88 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Haut-Médoc

  The bouquet is a bit locked and dusty. There are good cassis, sweet spices, vanilla, autumn forest and a touch of barnyard. On the palate red and dark forest fruits, some chocolate, a lot of vanilla from the oak, firm red fruit acidity and slightly sticky tannin. Overall the wine is a bit musty, but better than on previous occasions.

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• 2005 Château Brane-Cantenac 90 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux

  Beautiful bouquet with dark forest fruits, sweet spices, sweet licorice root, beautiful oak and a touch of pleasant barnyard. On the palate dark berries, some metal. sweet spices, chocolate and coffee. There is good acidity and still sticky, slightly drying tannin. Will probably improve a bit with some more ageing. Around 2020? 90+

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• 2005 Château Labégorce-Zédé 90 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux

  The bouquet is still a bit locked with dark forest fruits, smoke, vanilla and beautiful oak. On the palate soft ripe fruits, sweet spices, chocolate, cherry liquor bonbon, good acidity and round and soft, but also still firm tannin. Some bitterness in the finish. Beautiful wine in its young maturity stage now. Will continue to improve over the next 2 - 3+ years. 90+

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• 2005 Château du Tertre 91 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux

  The bouquet shows creamy dark berries and cherries. On the palate also creamy dark forest fruits like blueberries. Some plums, soft licorice, vanilla and toast. Beautiful balance between acidity and sweetness, round tannin with still a good bite. Good length. Early maturity now, but the wine is still developing for the better. 90-91

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• 2005 Château Gruaud Larose 93 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien

  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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• 2005 Château Lafon-Rochet 92 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe

  Beautiful bouquet with dark forest fruits, licorice and vanilla. On the palate a full bodied and round wine with dark forest fruits, good acidity and firm tannin with a lot of bite. Good length. Overall a well balanced and beautiful wine, but still much too young. Wait until 2020.

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• 2005 Château Rocher Bellevue Figeac 88 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

  Beautiful and refined bouquet which shows some development. On the palate red and dark berries, sweet licorice, sweet spices, a touch of sweetness and good acidity. Soft and round tannin. The wine is halfway its maturity stage now and can last another 2 – 3 years as well.

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• 2005 Château Haut-Sarpe Flawed

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

  This is a well structured wine and as far as I can tell the oak still has to integrate. But unfortunately the wine was slightly corked, so no more notes and no score.

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• 2005 Château Grand Corbin-Despagne 90 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

  In the bouquet concentrated dark forest fruits, coffee and chocolate. On the palate juicy dark berries, salty licorice, vanilla, coffee and some toast. A touch of pleasant sweetness and firm acidity and tannin which is a bit drying. In its young maturity stage now. Will still be lovely around 2020.

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• 2005 Clos de l'Oratoire 91 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

  Expressive bouquet with dark forest fruits, licorice, toast and some rustic flavors. On the palate loaded with juicy dark berries, cherries, toast, tar, vanilla, beautiful oak, firm acidity and still sticky tannin. Early maturity stage now and already a pleasure, but this can certainly last until 2020.

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• 2005 Château Beau-Séjour Bécot 93 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

  The bouquet is still locked but shows dark forest fruits, sweet spices and vanilla. On the palate a bit locked as well and also dark berries and sweet spices, some chocolate as well. Firm beautiful acidity and tannin. Probably wise to wait until 2022+. 92 – 93 for today.

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