David, thanks for the note on the 2005 Larcis. I bought 3 several years ago. Tried one, enjoyed it and have kept the others, and look forward to trying them again. I also really liked the 2020 Larcis, and have a few that will be sleeping for awhile.
I think the only example I have had of that is the 1998, which was quite nice, although not made the same (bigger!) way as Dr. G’s example would have been. Recently I went to the offsite and pulled a few 2005 right banks for consumption this fall; 20 years is a nice time to enjoy them as nearly all should be mature/complex/mature.
I got lucky with this bottle of 2005 Prieure Lichine [Margaux] which is just wonderful over a couple winter nights. It’s 13.5% abv, medium bodied, with a heavily sedimented / caked bottle, that offers sandalwood and cedar on the bouquet, then sweet red berries on the tongue. Tannin is resolved, and the acid is just right with the fruit, offering a sense of liveliness. The blend here is 55% cabernet, 40% merlot and 5% petit verdot (!); that latter aspect is not objectionable/green/weedy or even noticeable. This is such a polished Deroncourt wine - actually having a feel reminiscent of a recent Clos d’Oratoire - that is drinking a point today. This is a solid A example for me, needing no excuses. I had purchased this EP, but my bottle seems to have been intended for sale in France, and even has a ‘private collection’ sticker on the back.
It’s a great example of a modern Margaux, combining finesse and flavor depth.
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Agree, I had a bottle last year that was also wonderful
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- 2005 Château Clerc Milon - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac (1/8/2026)
Almost 3yrs from my last bottle. This is nearing the zone and starting to drink very well. Tannins are mellow but certainty still present. What stands out is very fresh acidity and attack despite the age and concentration. Starting to develop lovely bdx aromatics of cigar box, menthol and flinty notes. As mentioned palate is fresh, still structured but stating to soften. Finish is penetrating and lengthy, but repeating and while complex, without the stature of the great chateaux. As delicious as this is now I think there's still clear upside, will try to wait 2+ yrs until my next bottle. (94 points)
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I’ve been drinking 2005 Pape Clement for the past couple of years with consistent results: excellence! While it is a bold wine it is an exercise in complexity and elegance. Those who ponder only ethereal Bordeaux might find it a little overextracted but it you are more eclectic you will certainly enjoy it.
I could say exactly the same of 2005’s Clos Fourtet.
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2005 Château Malescot St. Exupéry
3rd time I have had this wine. Cork broke in half. Not decanted. Very little sediment. This 3rd growth is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Crimson color. This was drinking beautifully. Integrated tannins at 20 years old. Earthy red and black fruit with some tar nuances on the finish. 96 points.
VM
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ThaThanks for the fine and helpful note, Joshua!
It’s a birth year wine for my son, so I have about half a case. I’ve been waiting, but it’s good to hear that it’s coming along so nicely. Maybe I’ll wait until your next report before trying one, since it’s more my son’s wine than mine.
So he’s 21? It’s drinking well, no reason not to crack one if he’s interested. But I think this will go another 10-20 easy. For those that still like a little primary fruit it’s good now. But it does not have the full horizontal palate coating sensation you get with truly mature bdx; it’s still rather vertical if that makes sense. So might not be for those who generally drink more Napa style cab.
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I was surprised, shocked even, at how poorly this vintage showed at Andy’s tasting in July
We did a 2005 Bdx tasting dinner in London in May, my notes:
DDC Blanc – healthy bright hue, some maturity but youthful, lemon and limes/lime cordial, with some tropical fruit notes, super mouthfeel and good finish but with a bitter twist. Excellent … 92 (13% abv, 85% sauvignon blanc, 15% semillon)
Right bank
Beauregard – some recognisable Pomerol plumy notes, some secondary development, quite full-bodied with burly tannins and a bit of VA. But a bit gloopy and fell well short of the excellent bottle we enjoyed in 2021… 88 (13%)
Belair – very different from the first bottle of the case opened last July which was refined and elegant – this was the opposite with a strange nose of clotted cream, uber ripe, round, inexpressive and an amorphous blob of wine. Really disappointing, especially after that previous excellent bottle showed marvellous restraint…very confusing, for this bottle 85 (13%)
Sanctus – the super cuvee of Ch La Bienfaisance, it has a dusty nose with a ripe roasted note. Overripe, overwrought and over-extracted, thick and a bit fuzzy – bit of a poster child for the unfolding calamity in St-Emilion at the time – 86 pts (13% according to J&B but 14% according to another source)
After this flight we felt like a football team which was 2-0 after 20 minutes in the cup final. At least the Beauregard had some passing resemblance to Pomerol, while the two St-Emilions could have been Chilean or Bulgarian.
Graves and Margaux
DDC Rouge – some recognisable sour Graves, scorched earth and coal dust on the nose. On the palate thick textured, full bodied and lacking in focus and finesse. Feels unnecessarily manipulated, not very Bordeaux-like, and because it is quite youthful and awkward, not particularly pleasant to drink now. It will probably benefit from further aging, however, but I am not sure I would ever want to drink it….give me the ‘96, ‘98 or ‘02 DDCs any time over this…89 (13%)
Dufort Vivens – Broad tannic and acidic frame, quite thick textured and clumsy like its flight mates. I was hoping for a lot better here…89 (13.5% abv)
Du Tertre – Quite a roasted baked quality about this – some discussion around the table over whether this may have been flawed or heat damaged – a long way behind the bottle we had in 2021 – like its flight mates thick textured and lacking in focus and precision, but in a way quite tasty…89 (13%)
At the half time whistle, we are still 2-0 down…surely it can only get better from here?
St-Julien
Gloria – kindly added at short notice by Kevin. Quite nicely resolved and quite full-bodied, but a little bit on the warm side. Had a thick 2005 signature. Better than any of the reds that came before it but outclassed by its flight-mates and what followed…90
Langoa Barton – finally a wine that does not in any way feel forced, it is classical mature St-Julien with a touch of exuberance, but showed the class and balance that was lacking up to now and which is the hallmark of good Bordeaux…Langoa tends to do well in hot and so-called trophy vintages…92 (13%)…
Leoville Barton…whereas Leoville Barton often excels in lesser vintages. Previous times I have tasted this and it has been it a bit awkward and out of sorts. But now aged 20, this seems finally to be in a good place and at the beginning of its drinking window. Real line, intensity and above all precision here…94 (13%)
Pauillac
Batailley…very similar to the excellent bottle we had in 2021 which outclassed GPL 2005. Big frame and acidity with raw hide and beefy Bovril notes; old school, classical Pauillac and a great Batailley…92 (13%)
Duhart Milon…aka poor man’s Lafite, tends to do well in hot vintages like this because it has one of the coolest micro climates in the region. This is youthful and cool fruited, with black currants, cassis, earth and cedar notes but unlike so many 2005s has excellent poise, class and harmony. It just got better and better in the glass…94 (13%)
Pichon Baron – pitch black and sucking in the light, great purity of cabernet fruit from the plot the Baron shares with Latour and LLC. Impressive density, power and class here, reminiscent of the now legendary 1990 Baron. Surely a slam dunk for wine of the night? But if you told me it was from Napa I wouldn’t doubt you…less classically Bordeaux than either the Leoville Barton or the Duhart Milon…but these three were the stand out wines of the night (Yquem excepted of course!)…94 (13.5%)
St Estephe
Calon Segur – a lot of love for this around the table which I didn’t quite get – it is ripe and full-bodied with berry, graphite and charcoal notes, but didn’t quite do it for me, and some distance behind the top three imo…91 (13%)
Haut Marbuzet – I slightly preferred this wine, a lowly cru bourgeois to its more illustrious flight mate. Nicely mature, savoury and relaxed in its own skin, and drinking beautifully…this got my honourable mention 92 (13.5%)
Sauternes
Yquem – a youthful pale, brooding, powerful, full-bodied thick-textured, racy, expressive and melliferous Yquem…what a way to finish…96
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I think '05 is a vintage where the generally-excellent producers generally made excellent wines. It’s a vintage that raised many ships, but also presented opportunity to make poor decisions … so you get a mix, and that’s reflected in your notes – thanks for posting them. It’s nice to see the positive comments on the Barton, in particular.
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I’ve liked the ones from northern medoc I’ve had. I did NOT like ‘05 Canon or Pavie. I suspect I won’t care for most on the right bank
Yes. Although, when reading Ian’s post, it seems like he liked the Pauillacs and St. Juliens but not the St. Emillions or the wines from Margaux. The first three clearly could be winemaking but also could be different microclimates in different appellations. As I have liked 2005s from D’Issan and Brane Cantenac, my guess is that issues with the Margauxs likely would be winery specific.
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I read Ian the same as you do. St. Emilion is the poster child for Bad Decisions in 2005. The thing about Margaux is this — there are many Margaux producers who simply aren’t making archetypical Margaux wines — this is true in many vintages, not the least of all 2005. This isn’t to say they’re Bad Wines, per se, but they’re not your father’s Margaux, either, and that doesn’t appeal to some.
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During the holidays, a friend decided to open a 2005 Chateau Latour despite our concern that it wouldn’t be in an optimal window, and we were totally blown away. Easy 100 points.
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Wow. Color me surprised that it was rocking and rolling already.
Also, can you please let your friend know I am available for adoption!
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how long was the decant ?
It was fairly open when it hit the decanter, but we started drinking in earnest after it had been open for 2 hours.
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