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No written review provided. | 98 W&SThe 2001 Petrus has always been winemaker Jean-Claude Berrouet’s favourite vintages. It has developed a truly exquisite bouquet that is both svelte and sensual without any sense of being overbearing. It is almost unaware of its beauty. It gradually opens with tinctures of dried blood merging with ebullient and disarmingly pure red fruit with brilliant delineation. The palate is medium-bodied with slightly grainy tannin, quite forceful red fruit gripping the senses and then letting go, allowing a subtle savory/cooked meat note to flourish towards the finish. Maybe this bottle was a touch more foursquare than previous ones that I have encountered although that will melt away with time. Tasted at the Petrus dinner at the Épure restaurant in Hong Kong.Vinous Media | 97 VMThere’s not many 2001s I know of that will compete with the 2001 Chateau Petrus. Still youthfully ruby in color, it offers an incredibly complex perfume of blackcurrants, forest floor, white truffles and Asian spices. These give way to a full-bodied, beautifully concentrated, opulent, hedonistic, yet also elegant 2001 that has loads of sweet tannin, beautiful mid-palate depth, and a great, great finish. Drink it anytime over the coming 2-3 decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDThe 2001 Petrus (2,160 cases produced) exhibits more depth and richness than any other Pomerol I tasted. Its deep saturated ruby/plum/purple color is accompanied by a tight but promising bouquet of vanilla, cherry liqueur, melted licorice, black currants, and notions of truffles and earth. Rich, full-bodied, and surprisingly thick as well as intense, there is plenty of structure underlying the wealth of fruit and extract. Give it 3-6 years of cellaring, and drink it over the following two decades as it promises to be one of the longest-lived wines of the vintage, not to mention one of the most concentrated.Robert Parker | 95 RPThis is very youthful, almost like a barrel sample. Some might say it is still in a dumb stage, yet there’s plenty of body and richness, with blackberry and toasted oak character, verging on coffee. Very long. A beauty.--Pétrus non-blind vertical. Best after 2007. 2,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WS

2001 was a vintage that very much suited Pomerol, and the Merlot here takes precedence over the Cabernet Franc, expanding sideways, juicy and smiling. This is a show stopper of a wine, from the very first moment that you pour it. Concentrated and powerful, it gathers pace through the palate with flavours of truffle, cinnamon, toasted almonds, rich plum and damson. The texture is of cashmere and silk, the fruit palate varied and balanced. You can open it now, but there’s no rush, even at close to 18 years on. Drinking Window 2018 - 2035.Decanter | 100 DECThis wine possess great beauty, it is almost Burgundian with its soft tannins and sweet fruit. Pure class and finesse in this, it is round and thick, long and very yummy. No need to wait on this, pull the cork. This vintage had more Merlot than the 2000 and you can tell. A subtle wine.James Suckling | 96 JSNo written review provided. | 95 W&SThe 2001 Vieux Château Certan is one of Alexandre Thienpont’s favorite vintages, and it is easy to see why. It has a classy bouquet, brambly red fruit, quite luscious in style and aromatics that are determined to seduce. The palate is medium-bodied with a firm backbone that will guarantee this as a long-term Pomerol. There is wonderful tension from start to finish, less sinewy than the 2000, more agile and one could say, "athletic". It is a wonderful wine that is now nipping at the heels of the previous vintage. Tasted from a bottle taken from my own cellar bought on release.Vinous Media | 94 VMA brilliant effort from Alexandre Thienpont, this blend of 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc is a deep purple-colored, fleshy, layered effort offering a sweet nose of creosote, incense, Christmas spices, plenty of red and black fruits, and hints of licorice as well as new oak. Rich, medium to full-bodied, with tremendous purity in addition to nobility, give it two more years of cellaring and drink it over the next following 15-18 years.Robert Parker | 93 RPThis is grippy and earthy at first, with tobacco, warm stone, mulled currant and fig fruit notes. Settles down with time in the glass, showing more polish and a pretty violet detail through the finish.—Blind ’01/’03/’05 Bordeaux retrospective (December 2017). Drink now through 2027. 4,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WS

Fantastic aromas of black licorice and sweet tobacco change to raspberries and follow through to a full-bodied palate, with lovely silky tannins and a long, caressing finish. Multilayered. A beauty. Best after 2008. 3,330 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WSSmoky, earthy, sweet red and black currant, fig, and menthol notes jump from the glass of this dark ruby/plum-hued, medium-weight Cheval Blanc. Possessing sweet tannin, medium body, and undeniable elegance as well as nobility, this beautifully made effort appears slightly superior (at least to my taste) to the more hyped 2003. Interestingly, yields were 27 hectoliters per hectare in 2002, and 30-31 hectoliters per hectare in 2003. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2018.Robert Parker | 90 RP

One of the candidates for the Pomerol of this challenging vintage, Le Pin’s 2002 boasts a deep plum/purple color in addition to sweet aromas of dried herbs, roasted coffee, chocolate, plums, and sweet cherries. This luscious offering possesses terrific fruit, medium body, low acidity, and a long, heady finish. Drink it over the next 12-15 years. It is an amazing wine for the vintage!Robert Parker | 93 RPFull red-ruby. Ripe aromas of plum, dark raspberry, chocolate and espresso. Fat, lush and fruity, with a lovely pliant texture and impressive richness for the vintage; hints of espresso and roasted herbs. Alexandre Thienpont likes this wine very much but told me he gives the edge to the 2001, so I was pleasantly surprised by the high quality of this bottle.Vinous Media | 91 VM

Gorgeous subtle aromas of crushed raspberries and light vanilla, with hints of spices. Medium- to full-bodied, with wonderfully seductive, silky tannins. Beautiful slinky finish. Pétrus is very fine indeed in this vintage. Not overdone, all in the right place. Best after 2009. 1,665 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WSThe 2002 Petrus is poured from magnum but even the larger format does not quite elevate what is essentially a rather ordinary Pomerol, at least by this cru’s standards. It has a pleasant, well-defined nose that is just missing the complexity and “je ne sais quoi” of other vintages. The palate is balanced with plenty of dusky red fruit laced with cedar and tobacco, just a little tapering towards the finish with modest length. It is a perfectly decent Petrus, although it just leaves you wanting more. Tasted at the Petrus dinner at the Épure restaurant in Hong Kong.Vinous Media | 91 VMA relatively strong effort for this vintage, but hardly one of the profound examples of Petrus, this wine exhibits a dark plum color and a somewhat monolithic, foursquare personality with notes of plums, black cherries, licorice, and some herbs and damp earth. Medium-bodied, muscular, and tannic, but lacking some charm and sweetness, it should age nicely for 12-15 more years and possibly be even better than my score. Readers who buy it should not even attempt opening a bottle for at least 4-5 years.Robert Parker | 90 RP

Amazing! The limestone soils of Ausone appear to have been the perfect foil for resisting the extreme heat and drought of June, July and August, 2003. This black/purple-colored effort boasts a glorious nose of violets, truffles, lead pencil shavings, blueberry and blackberry liqueur. Full-bodied with staggering concentration, a voluptuous texture, low acidity and well-integrated, melted tannins, this deep, multidimensional, profound Bordeaux is beginning to drink exceptionally well. It should continue to do so for another two decades or more.Robert Parker | 100 RPLoads of blackberry, plum and strawberry. Intense fruit. Full-bodied, with velvety tannins and layers of everything. Wonderful balance and refinement. Closed up already. Very serious wine. Best after 2012. 1,375 cases made.Wine Spectator | 96 WSFull ruby. Black raspberry, mocha, minerals, graphite and nutty oak on the superripe nose. Extravagantly rich and sweet in the mouth without coming off as heavy. This boasts extraordinary fruit intensity and verve (it’s hard to imagine cabernet franc better than this), and finishes with great palate-staining persistence. But this powerfully tannic wine may already be starting to shut down in the bottle. Like the 2005, it will need a decade of aging at a minimum, and possibly a lot longer.Vinous Media | 95+ VM

This is very fresh and clean. Full bodied and juicy, with loads of fruit starting with strawberry jam and ending with baskets of fresh fruits. This is exotic and crisp, a truly fabulous 2003 with incredible finesse. Pull the cork on this one after 2014.James Suckling | 96 JSMenthol, tobacco and incense aromas give way to warm plum, blackberry and black cherry compote flavors. Loam and cedar notes ride through the finish, with the supple fruit lingering. Admirably seductive for the vintage.—Blind ’01/’03/’05 Bordeaux retrospective (December 2017). Best from 2020 through 2035. 5,055 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WSThere have been more complete Cheval Blancs than this, but this 2003 does have power. Huge fruit, huge solid tannins, concentration - maybe some charm would create a better wine.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEThe 2003 Cheval Blanc, a blend of 56% Cabernet Franc and 44% Merlot, reveals an exquisite bouquet of mulberries, forest floor, new saddle leather, spice box and spring flowers. The first-growth quality aromatics are followed by a complex medium-bodied wine with more density than anticipated. The wine seems fully mature although there is an unexpected freshness and underlying depth of fruit. This beauty should continue to drink well for another 7-8 years.One of the principal theories of the bizarre, historically hot and dry summer of 2003 is that grapes planted in gravelly and sandy soils were the least successful. If that was true 100% of the time, Cheval Blanc would have made a horrible wine. In fact, both the grand vin and second wine at Cheval Blanc did well in this vintage. It was the earliest harvest in over 110 years at this estate, and the resulting wine is a beauty.Robert Parker | 92 RPGood full, deep red. Sexy aromas of mocha, tobacco and milk chocolate, with a suggestion of roasted nuts. Suave, fine-grained and sappy, with lovely vinosity in the context of this heatwave vintage. Redcurrant and milk chocolate flavors linger impressively on the finish, which shows noteworthy energy and length, with sweet tannins. With its high percentage of 55% cabernet franc, this was very closed at the beginning, notes Berrouet, but is now "more human." But today I don’t find enough complexity to merit an even higher score.Vinous Media | 91 VM

This controversial wine is fresh and bright still, unlike many of the overrated 2003s. Full-bodied, tight and polished with beautiful intensity and verve. Blackberry and sweet tobacco. Wet earth. Subtle and complex. Straight and direct. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 97 JSThis is a stunner, with the warmth of the vintage marrying ideally with the relative coolness of the terroir to deliver a wide range of vivid plum, boysenberry, raspberry and cherry paste flavors that have energy and drive, carried by a long graphite note and backed by a roasted apple wood accent that has been fully absorbed. Powerfully ripe, but not heady, with a sense of poise through the finish. A jaw-dropper.--Non-blind Pavie vertical (March 2017). Best from 2020 through 2040. 7,500 cases made.Wine Spectator | 97 WSCertainly this was a wine born under considerable controversy, receiving accolades and kudos from me and several of my American colleagues, but generally excoriated by the British press. The French wine critics were very positive. This wine has calmed down considerably as it was a blockbuster, somewhat of a Bordeaux fruit bomb in its youth, and now has toned itself down to a serious candidate for one of the wines of this rather bizarre, but interesting, vintage. 2003 offered everything, from pathetically dilute and thin wines to some massive blockbusters. That was true especially in the Northern Médoc and from the limestone hillsides of St.-Emilion (where Pavie is situated). The color is a dark garnet, with a touch of amber beginning to appear on the edge. The wine has a stunning nose of roasted herbs, grilled meats, charcoal, blackberry and blackcurrant fruit, with some oak still present. Dense, full-bodied and very succulent and lush, this wine seems to be in late adolescence, ready to enter a relatively mature stage. There is always a suspicion because of the extreme heat in July and August that these wines will crack up very quickly, and certainly that will always be a worry, but this one looks set for at least another 10-15 years of drinkability.Robert Parker | 96 RPImpressive full medium ruby color. Quite locked up on the nose following the February bottling; hinted at currant, smoked meat and roasted nuts as it opened in the glass. Extremely powerful but a bit chunky today, conveying an impression of extraordinary solidity. One senses but does not taste the minerals and primary berry fruit. But this painfully closed wine already offers uncanny sweetness. The major mouthful of tannins calls for at least six to eight years of cellaring. A classic extreme 2003 that is currently in a sullen stage. This is sure to controversial-at least until it begins to recover from the bottling. My score may prove to be conservative, but today it’s the dried fruit character that dominates.Vinous Media | 92+ VM

Extraordinary nose of berry, chocolate and flowers. Amazing, jaw-dropping quality. Full-bodied, with supersilky, seductive tannins and a finish that lasts for minutes. Out of this world. Best after 2014. 2,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 98 WSOne of the great successes of 2003, and a surprise given the problems with Merlot in Pomerol. This is a powerfully huge wine, but its fruit is so rich, so superb that the tannins have just become part of a complete whole.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEAn early September harvest in this hot year produced a 2003 that has reached full maturity. It offers notes of roasted coffee, melted chocolate, figs and black cherry jam. There are some rustic tannins in the finish, but this expansive, rich Petrus displays far more intensity and complexity than most expected given the difficulties in Pomerol in 2003. It should be consumed over the next 4-6 years.Robert Parker | 93 RPThe 2003 Petrus was born in a difficult vintage for Pomerol, although its blue clay a.k.a “smectite” soils probably gave Christian Moueix and Jean-Claude Berrouet a slight advantage given its propensity to retain moisture and prevent hydric stress. That said, I would not mark it down as a top tier Petrus. After a timid opening it settles down with attractive mulberry, wild strawberry and clove scents, quite rich but not overpowering. I would argue that it is not as detailed as other vintages. The palate is very well balanced and surprisingly well defined considering the heat of that summer. Rich and opulent for Petrus (maybe the most opulent that Jean-Claude Berrouet ever made) and yet it retains a sense of symmetry and freshness on the finish that I think is unique to this Pomerol. Who says there is no such thing as terroir? Tasted in London with a Bordeaux merchant.Vinous Media | 92 VM

Troplong Mondot’s 2003 is a brilliant success in this vintage, largely because of the limestone soils and incredibly low yields. There are nearly 70 acres of vines in production, yields were tiny, and the harvest was early. Nevertheless, there is an opulence and youthfulness in this wine that suggest it has at least a decade of life left. A luxurious effort with high glycerin, loads of blueberry, mulberry, black currant, licorice and charcoal ember-like notes, full body, low acidity and sweet tannin, this beauty is close to full maturity and can be drunk now as well as over the next decade.Robert Parker | 94 RPRed-ruby. Sappy aromas of very ripe redcurrant, tobacco and minerals. Fat, sexy and deep, with flavors of redcurrant, plum, tobacco and spice lifted by the wine’s mineral component. Wonderfully rich, full-blown wine, finishing with serious toothcoating tannins that call for at least four or five years of patience. This is close to 14% alcohol, but even this vintage of Troplong-Mondot has more acidity than the 1990.Vinous Media | 92 VMBeautiful plum, berry and raspberry aromas follow through to a full-bodied palate, with refined tannins and a long, caressing finish. Very nicely done. Best after 2009. 3,915 cases made.Wine Spectator | 91 WS

This is certainly one of the stars of the vintage. With its solid tannins and dark, smoky character, it is going to be powerful, but with such elegance. The fruit flavors combine richness and freshness in fine harmony.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEIntense aromas of tar, blackberry and wet earth, with just a hint of tobacco and flowers. Full-bodied, chewy and long. Extracted, yet turns caressing and velvety in texture. Broad-shouldered and muscular for this estate. This is better than the 2000. Best after 2012. 3,500 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WSThe 2004 Cheval Blanc has always been a wine that I felt needed patience on behalf of the wine lover, and so it is proving to be the case. Served blind I remarked upon a surprisingly Burgundy-like bouquet with ample red cherries, candied strawberry and redcurrant scents, the Merlot clearly more conspicuous than the Cabernet Franc, at least for now. The palate is medium-bodied with just a touch of coarseness on the entry. I appreciate the weight and balance here and belatedly the Cabernet Franc begins to express itself on the latter half, lending structure and grip, a dash of spice and a bit of sinew. Whilst it will never have the persistence of other vintages and regrettably continue to be dwarfed by the 2005, it remains a very fine Cheval Blanc from Pierre Lurton and his team. Tasted September 2016.Robert Parker Neal Martin | 92 RP-NMGood bright ruby-red. Subdued but pure aromas of plum, flowers, licorice, menthol and Asian spices. Suave on entry, then dry and tight in the middle; extremely backward and shut down. Most impressive now for its finesse of texture. But today there’s little sign of the fleshiness the wine showed in the spring after the harvest. Lock this one away for a while and forget about it. This vintage has more cab franc than merlot.Vinous Media | 90+ VM

There are 580 cases of the exotic, flamboyant 2004 Le Pin. Its dense plum/ruby color is accompanied by sweet aromas of kirsch, cassis, smoke, earth, and roasted herbs. Super-opulent for the vintage, it possesses wonderful fruit and glycerin, medium to full body, and a fleshy personality. It should drink well young, yet age nicely for two decades or more. The Pomerol of the vintage?Robert Parker | 95 RP(tasted from cuve Classic Le Pin perfume of raspberry, cocoa powder and toasty oak, with an ineffable topnote of orange peel. Wonderfully delicate and precise in the mouth, with flavors and texture that reminded me of great Burgundy. The vibrant, utterly pure flavors of crushed raspberry, minerals, flowers and spices go on and on on the aftertaste, which does not show the oaky torrefaction of the young 2005. A great and subtle expression of merlot on the Pomerol plateau. I am not sure that the 2005 will surpass this.Vinous Media | 92-94 VMThe gorgeous mulled raspberry, bay, singed sandalwood and black tea aromas are very expressive, with a supremely silky feel from start to finish. A flicker of incense gilds the finish, which glides effortlessly. At a really beautiful point in its development now. Not as dense as ’05, but shows more finesse, as well as superb length and freshness.--Non-blind Le Pin vertical (December 2015). Drink now through 2025. 580 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WS

is a classic. Vintage 2004 has given beautifully ripe Merlot, perfectly poised, but also showing the dryness and power. It is hugely intense, structured, bringing in blackberry flavors, fresh acidity and complex wood, perfumed and rich, concentrated. The aging potential? At least 20 years.Wine Enthusiast | 97 WENo written review provided | 95 W&SThe dark plum/ruby-tinged 2004 Petrus possesses high acidity as well as copious amounts of sweet cherries and black currants intermixed with hints of cola, earth, and truffles. Deep, medium-bodied, concentrated, ripe flavors are excruciatingly firm and tannic. This backward, structured, muscular Pomerol requires a decade of cellaring, but it possesses the potential to be the longest lived wine of the vintage, lasting 30-40 years. Anticipated maturity: 2017-2035.Robert Parker | 93 RPOffers crushed berries, with chocolate and light vanilla. Full-bodied, with a solid core of fruit, silky tannins and a caressing texture. Very harmonious and pretty, with a balanced palate. Best after 2008. 2,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WSThe 2004 Petrus is not one of the strongest wines of the decade, though it remains a fine Pomerol. The bouquet does not hold back with splendid fruit concentration: floral top notes with pressed violets and shaved black truffles, traits I observed in previous bottles. The palate is gracefully moving into its secondary phase with touches of tobacco and warm gravel infusing the red fruit. However, there is a conservative element to this Petrus that opts to play it safe. You do not feel as if it will evolve into something more, which begs the question whether you should continue cellaring it? I see no harm in pulling bottles now, larger formats later. Vinous Media | 92 VM

The 2005 Ausone is a perfect wine of the vintage. It displays crushed rock, spring flowers, blueberry and blackberry fruit, a full-bodied mouthfeel, stunning purity and richness, and perfect harmony among all of its component parts (acidity, tannin, wood, alcohol and extract). Still youthful, but oh, so promising, this wine should be set aside for another decade and drunk over the following 50-75 years.Robert Parker | 100 RPI love the tobacco, berry, cigar box, toasty oak, ripe fruit and fresh mushroom flavors in this full-bodied red, which has ultralayered tannins and vanilla, new oak and berry character. Powerful and superconcentrated, with great length. This is a muscular, full-throttle wine, racing very, very fast. Best after 2019. 1,330 cases made.Wine Spectator | 100 WSDeep ruby-red. Penetrating aromas of cassis and minerals. The nose does not prepare one for this huge, improbably sweet, palate-saturating wine, whose pungent minerality and epic intensity makes it solid as a rock. The three-dimensional texture here is uncanny, and the wine’s explosive finishing flavors of dark berries, bitter chocolate and minerals persist for minutes. This must be one of the three or four greatest young Bordeaux I’ve ever tasted. The numbers here: 14.28% alcohol, 3.55 pH and an IPT between 80 and 85. This will go on for several decades, and I would not be at all surprised if it shut down in bottle for a very long time.Vinous Media | 98+ VMA superb wine that brings together all the qualities of this vintage. It has great fruit, layers of acidity, dark tannins and a velvety texture, without losing the sense of place that sets great Bordeaux apart.Wine Enthusiast | 98 WE

Made from 85% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2005 Clos Fourtet is a powerhouse that does everything right and is borderline perfection in a glass. Awesome notes of blackcurrants, black cherries, graphite, tobacco, and scorched earth all flow to a full-bodied, thrilling concentrated, textured beauty that has sweet, sweet tannins, a deep, layered mid-palate, and a finish that won’t quit. I think it’s drinking perfectly today, but it has two more decades of prime drinking ahead of it. Don’t’ miss this stunning bottle of wine!Jeb Dunnuck | 99 JDDense ruby/purple, with notes of crushed rock, blueberry and blackberry fruit intermixed with some licorice and chocolate, this full-bodied, massive wine from proprietor Philippe Cuvelier coincides with the resurrection of this premier grand cru classé in St.-Emilion. As the wine sits in the glass, notes of espresso roast and chocolate emerge. This full-bodied classic should continue to drink well for another 25 years. This is a killer effort.Robert Parker | 98 RPThe 2005 Clos Fourtet is a dramatic, sweeping Saint-Émilion endowed with tremendous depth and unctuous intensity. Dark cherry, plum, cedar, tobacco and woodsmoke build as this rapturous, deeply textured wine shows off its allure. Silky, plush and wonderfully expressive, Clos Fourtet is fabulous in 2005. Bright saline notes, that are such a signature of Saint-Émilion’s plateau, balance all of the natural richness of the year. Readers lucky enough to own it can look forward to another several decades of exceptional drinking. This is a superb effort from the Cuvelier family.Vinous Media | 97 VMFeatures a lovely smoldering feel, with the currant and fig paste notes now melded seamlessly with apple wood and graphite details. Long and rich, this is starting to hint at a secondary phase, showing flashes of mulled spice, tobacco and tar. The structure has brightness and energy, but moves slowly to the background. Approachable now.—Blind ’01/’03/’05 Bordeaux retrospective (December 2017). Drink now through 2035. 3,833 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WSA perfumed, sweet wine, immediately attractive. Behind this friendly exterior is a dark core of firm tannins, along with spice, blackberries, and new wood—not too much, just right. This chateau is firmly back on form.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WENo written review provided. | 92 W&S

Of the recent, highly-praised vintages in Bordeaux- 2000, 2005, 2009 and 2010, only the 2005 vintage stands out for me as a truly great vintage on the Gironde, with the others masquerading power and overripe fruit as if it were true greatness in the making. However, 2005 is a completely different animal and this is really and truly a great year, but one that is built for the very long haul. It is very rare for a Bordeaux vintage to offer outstanding acidity and excellent ripeness in the same vintage (unless it is a pruney drought year like 2010, which is okay if one wants Amarone, rather than claret). The 2005 Figeac is a perfect example of just how great this vintage is on both sides of the Gironde, as it offers up a deep and stunning bouquet of black cherries, plums, dark chocolate, tobacco leaf, dark soil tones, woodsmoke and toasty new oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and rock solid at the core, with lovely nascent complexity peeking out from behind its closed structure. The finish is very, very long, tangy and ripely tannic, with impeccable balance and enormous potential. A great Figeac and a great homage to the superb job that Éric d’Aramon did during his days at the helm here. (Drink between 2025-2100)John Gilman | 97 JGInteresting aromas of cedar, tobacco, dark fruits, cinnamon, and cigar box. Full and solid, with chewy tannins. A very direct, straight, and pure wine with lovely freshness. This is starting to close, give this some time.James Suckling | 95 JSThe tightrope stage of a wine as it shifts from young to mature, the tertiary notes coming to the fore are very welcome in its second decade, although it is perhaps just a little more evolved than I would expect. But this is stunning, there is so much hidden power, with layers of complex cedar, rose petal and soft woodsmoke. As it opens in the glass, the slight dryness on the finish becomes more apparent, but so does the sweet gentleness of this vintage. It can clearly still age for a good few decades, but would also be ready to drink with some decanting first. The 36hl/ha yield in this vintage is due mainly to the extremely dry summer.Drinking Window 2017 - 2038Decanter | 95 DECThis is plush and warm in feel, with lots of currant and fig preserve flavors rolling through, inlaid with tobacco, warm stone and bittersweet cocoa notes. Shows a hefty dose of roasted alder on the finish, but in general this has been absorbed, making this a step ahead in terms of evolution, but there’s no rush, as a racy iron streak is just starting to show up.—Blind ’01/’03/’05 Bordeaux retrospective (December 2017). Drink now through 2035. 8,333 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WSThe predominance of Cabernet Sauvignon in Figeac has won out in 2005. It shows in the delicious black currant fruits and very fresh, vibrant acidity. The tannins, curiously, are less apparent—maybe all that fruit overwhelms them. Only on the finish is there some austerity and firmness. Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEA silken, elegant Merlot, this has a youthful blue tinge to its color and luscious energy to its plummy fruit. It’s bold and powerful, but it doesn’t feel pushed. The pinpoint detail of the tannins provides a beautiful richness that expands with air. A touch exotic, that richness brings Kobe beef to mind, a match for this wine when it’s had some time to mature.Wine & Spirits | 93 W&SThe finest Figeac since the 1990 and 1982, the restrained, but complex 2005 exhibits notes of black olives, new saddle leather, tobacco leaf, and sweet cherry and black currant fruit. The wine is medium-bodied with racy tannins as well as a streamlined style built on finesse and delicacy rather than on power and concentration. Consume it over the next 15-20 years.Robert Parker | 90 RP

The nose on this wine is classic. Floral notes of lilacs and violets, citrus fruits, raspberries, and blackberries. On the palate this is full bodied, with incredible power and density. A very impressive silky texture underneath the intense fruit flavors that gives way to an excitingly long, long finish. It’s hard to believe the classic structure in this. Impeccable balance. Don’t touch this for 10 years.James Suckling | 100 JSThis amazing wine puts on a display of fireworks in terms of its aromatics, with a stunning nose of blue and black fruits, forest floor, flowers and earth. Dense purple, full-bodied, rich, moderately tannic and super-concentrated, this is a profound Pomerol that still needs another decade of cellaring. This is possibly the greatest Lafleur of the modern era, rivaling the 1982 and 2000. Forget it for another 5-10 years and drink it over the following quarter-century.Robert Parker | 100 RPExhibits a complex nose of crushed blackberry, dried flowers and dark chocolate. Full-bodied, with a rich, powerful palate. Tannic and muscular, with great length. Superracy. Builds and goes and goes. So fine and beautiful. Mythic. Best after 2017.Wine Spectator | 100 WSJacques Guinaudeau describes 2005 as the ’deckchair vintage’: ’It was such a perfect harvest that we only had to let nature take its course.’ That said, this is an utterly brilliant and sublime Lafleur, and for me is one of the standout wines of this great vintage. Interestingly there is a higher percentage of Merlot, at 61%. It has a floral, liquorice nose with ink and cassis notes, while the palate is full, sweet and mouthfilling, with flavours of dark chocolate, plum skin, graphite and creamy, ripe black fruits. Exquisitely sculpted tannins are offset by bright, racy acidity, giving this wine a gorgeously seamless texture, balance and a mind boggling finish. Utterly graceful and rivetingly compelling. Drinking Window 2018 - 2050Decanter | 99 DECThe 2005 Lafleur is quite a bit less showy than most Pomerols in this vintage. I suspect the high percentage of Cabernet Franc may have something to do with it. Aromatically intense, but also austere, the 2005 feels like it needs more time. The bouquet is captivating, but huge tannins make Lafleur much less accessible today than most of its peers. Time brings out gorgeous hints of blood orange, mint, cinnamon, cedar and sweet pipe tobacco, but those are mere illusions, as the 2005 remains quite tannic. It will be interesting to see what time brings. Both bottles I tasted showed consistently.Antonio Galloni | 96+ AG

With an unbelievable nose of licorice, tapenade, black cherry and blackcurrant liqueur, as well as full body, super-sweet tannin, and astonishing richness and length, this prodigious effort in 2005 announced the resurrection of this great terroir on the slopes near Château Pavie. Dark garnet/plum/purple, this is compelling stuff and drinkable already, but capable of lasting another 25-30 years. This beauty is not to be missed! Only 3,000 cases were produced, from a blend of 78% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc and 2% Cabernet Sauvignon.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 100 RPI’ve had many brilliant bottles of the 2005 Château Larcis Ducasse but it’s never shown as spectacularly as on this occasion. It’s a magical, phenomenal Saint-Emilion that couldn’t get any better. Stunningly pure crème de cassis, white truffle, white flowers, cedar pencil, and smoked earth nuances all emerge from this incredibly powerful, opulent wine that has the hallmark minerality, freshness and focus of this great terroir. Don’t miss this!Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDThe 2005 Larcis Ducasse is one of the great surprises of this retrospective of nearly two hundred 2005s. A wine of shocking intensity, power and structure, the 2005 is still an infant. Inky dark fruit, gravel, lavender, leather and spice all hit the palate. In the glass, the 2005 is marvelously deep, rich and dark. I am not sure if the tannins will ever fully soften, but so what? The 2005 Larcis Ducasse is an epic wine that shows just how magical this estate is. Superb.Antonio Galloni | 97 AGThis merits taking your time, letting it open and express itself, you can easily wait longer before drinking this if you have a bottle. It’s still young but very elegant, vibrant and gentle but beguiling and seductive. The very first hints of tertiary truffle notes are starting to de displayed here yet still with the wonderful smile of a young wine. It’s also worth pointing out that there were lots of chateaux in St-Émilion at this point that were still going at 200% roaring through the gears, and this is a lovely reminder that you didn’t need to do that. 55% new oak was used. Drinking Window 2019 - 2040Decanter | 94 DECThis is well-stuffed, with juicy bramble, cassis bush, blackberry paste and plum sauce flavors that are nicely backlit by floral and mineral notes. Still very compact on the finish but with excellent energy, this stands out from the pack, showing more briar than chalk in the structure. A mouthwatering, vivacious wine that will stretch out nicely with some extended cellaring.--Larcis Ducasse non-blind vertical (December 2012). Best from 2020 through 2030. 3,080 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WSA prizefighter from St-Emilion, this vintage of Larcis Ducasse packs tannin in the aroma straight through to the end. That tannin is ripe and potent, with a pungent minerality that is almost brutal. The extract hides the rest of the wine, unrelenting after days of air. For the long haul.Wine & Spirits | 90 W&S

The 2005 Le Pin is a very pretty wine, perhaps a bit more floral and savory and less opulent than it often is. Crushed raspberry, wild flowers, mint and dried herbs all lift from the glass effortlessly. Like most of its peers, the 2005 needs several hours of aeration to be at its best. It is an especially gracious, translucent wine that stands apart stylistically from the typically richer wines that have been made here.Antonio Galloni | 94 AGShows berry tobacco and coffee character on the nose with hints of mushroom and light toasty oak. Full-bodied with lots of berry chocolate and light dried spice character followed by a long finish. Not the 1998 or even the 2001 but outstanding. Best after 2013.Wine Spectator | 94 WSWhile I would not rank the 2005 Le Pin as highly as the 2001, 2000, 1998, 1989, 1983, or 1982, it is still a beautiful wine offering a deep ruby/purple color along with an open-knit nose of caramel, coconut, coffee, melted chocolate, and sweet, jammy black cherry and currant fruit. The alluring fragrance is followed by an opulent, luscious Pomerol with flamboyant flavors of ripe black fruits intermixed with hints of roasted herbs, meat juices, plums, and Asian spices. Unfortunately, the world’s billionaires quickly gobble up Le Pin’s 500 cases, even at preposterously high prices. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2025.Robert Parker | 93 RP

This is monumental. Just a baby with a fresh and intense mouthfeel and density. Full-bodied, velvety and layered. Decadent and rich. A folly of a wine. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 100 JSEven more flamboyant and sexy than the 2000, the 2005 Pavie has everything you could ever want from a wine. Deep, inky purple-colored, an awesome perfume of cassis, blackberries, toasty oak, graphite, and incredible minerality, full body, sweet tannin, and a blockbuster finish all make for an extraordinary Saint-Emilion. It’s still a baby but offers incredible pleasure today. It’s going to last for another 3-4 decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDGérard Perse believes this is the greatest Pavie he’s made to date, although certainly I would argue that list includes the 2000, as well as the 2009 and 2010, among his superstars. This wine, which I had both in the 2005 horizontal report in the Wine Advocate, and at a mini-vertical with Perse at the restaurant Maison Boulud in Montreal, looks to be a 75- to 100-year wine. Dense, opaque purple to the rim, with a gorgeously promising nose of blackberries, cassis, graphite and cedar wood just beginning to emerge, it tastes more like a three-year-old than wine that is already a decade old. This beauty is intense and full-bodied, with magnificent concentration, a majestic mouthfeel and a total seamless integration of tannin, wood, alcohol, etc. Beautifully rich, full and multidimensional, this is a tour de force in winemaking and certainly one of the top dozen or so 2005 Bordeaux...Robert Parker | 100 RPExplosive and sumptuous in the glass, the 2005 Pavie captivates all the senses with its extraordinary beauty. The flavors are deep, racy and boldly sketched throughout. Tobacco, roasted coffee beans, smoke, black cherries and plums are some of the notes that are pushed forward in this seductive, flamboyant wine. Immensely powerful and gratifying, the 2005 has it all. This is an especially youthful bottle of the 2005, a wine that will drink well for decades. There is an immediacy to Pavie that makes it pretty much impossible to resist today. It is one of the showiest wines of this night.Antonio Galloni | 99 AGShows a frankly roasted edge, with steeped fig and boysenberry fruit inlaid liberally with roasted apple wood and juniper notes. The structure is a touch austere, which leaves it standing a bit apart from the core of fruit. Very weighty in feel, this is layered and dense, but also more on the muscular, extracted side of the ledger. Perhaps this is in a tough phase today. Will certainly hang around for a while, so there’s time to wait it out. But not quite in the class of the ’10 or ’03 for me.--Non-blind Pavie vertical (March 2017). Best from 2020 through 2040. 7,100 cases made.Wine Spectator | 96 WS

The 2005 Petrus is dazzling. Rich, ample and explosive, the 2005 possesses magnificent density from start to finish. An exotic mélange of cedar, blood orange, spicebox, mint and dried flowers leads into a core of deep, concentrated fruit. All the elements meld together seamlessly in a Petrus that simply has it all. Readers fortunate enough to taste it will find a statuesque, monumental Petrus that is both powerful and refined. The 2005 continued to improve as I tasted it into the second day. It is without question one of the standout wines of 2005.Antonio Galloni | 100 AGA sleeping giant. Dark ruby in color, showing aromas of blackberry, cèpe and green olive, with a hint of mineral. Full-bodied, with ultrafine tannins and a supercaressing mouthfeel. Turns to coffee, dark chocolate and berry. Chewy yet balanced. Very, very long in the mouth. The finish is absolutely breathtaking. Best after 2013.Wine Spectator | 100 WSAs so often, Pétrus has the ability to charm and impress, to seduce and overwhelm. This 2005, one of the greatest vintages from this great chateau, is massive and concentrated, with flavors of ripe black figs, chocolate and dark plums. Put that all together and the result is the utmost deliciousness, freshness and elegance. A major wine.Wine Enthusiast | 100 WEOffering pure black cherry and blackcurrant fruit, the inky ruby/purple 2005 Petrus is still very young and unyielding, but super-concentrated, powerful, full-bodied and primordial. It is much more backward than the likes of Lafleur, Trotanoy or Hosanna. Nevertheless, it is super-rich, extracted, beautifully balanced and pure. Forget it for another 10-15 years, and drink it over the following half-century. This may well be among the longest-lived wines of 2005.Robert Parker | 97+ RP

Tasted at Bordeaux Index’s annual 10-Year On tasting in London.The 2006 Château Cheval Blanc is a blend of 55% Merlot and 45% Cabernet Franc. It has the most floral bouquet of the four Serié A Grand Cru Classé: an explosion of crushed violets and potpourri, hints of leather and cigar box, the Cabernet Franc clearly lending this complexity and character. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin. It feels wonderfully structured and comes with an insistent grip that coats the mouth. This is backward and almost surly, but you have to stand back and admire the precision and arching structure on the mineral-rich finish. Top-dog Saint Emilion? That’s for sure. Tasted January 2016.Robert Parker Neal Martin | 97 RP-NMDark chocolate and mocha flavors, very dark and intense, this is a big, concentrated wine, flavored with bitter cherries and structured. Certainly a great Cheval Blanc.Wine Enthusiast | 97 WEDisplays lots of milk chocolate, cedar, berry and cappuccino aromas. Full-bodied, with chewy tannins, this is structured and layered for the vintage. Mouthpuckering. Needs time. This is one of the wines of the vintage. Best after 2015. 5,400 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WSA supple and heady vintage of Cheval, this gains power and amplitude over the course of several days. What sets it apart is the relaxed sophistication cabernet franc can yield from these 50-year-old vines. That adds vinosity to the Cheval’s tight build, while the beautiful richness of the wine is classic merlot. It’s the color of a black cherry, with the ripe flavor of that fruit darkened by the scent of figs, brightened by a floral note of violets. The tannins are supple, with a depth that will sustain the wine for decades.Wine & Spirits | 95 W&SGood deep ruby-red. Captivating nose combines blackberry, menthol, licorice, bitter chocolate, violet and a flinty, iron-like element. Densely packed and very fresh, with superb energy and definition to the complex flavors of cassis, blackberry, licorice, menthol and minerals. A floral element contributes to the impression of vibrancy. This is more impressive than it was at any stage of its elevage, offering surprising chewy richness and sweetness for a brand-new Cheval. Finishes with broad, toothdusting tannins that mount slowly and saturate the palate. This wonderfully smooth wine gained in precision and floral perfume with 24 hours in the recorked bottle and should be at its best roughly between 2015 and 2035.Vinous Media | 94 VMA blend of 55% Merlot and 45% Cabernet Franc, the 2006 Chateau Cheval Blanc is a classic wine from this under-the-radar vintage and offers a perfumed, complex bouquet of red and black fruits, dried flowers, earth, spice box, and tobacco. With medium to full-bodied richness, a pure, elegant texture, ripe tannin and impressive length, it’s approachable today yet will keep for two decades or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDSeptember rainfall hit St Emilion quite hard, and there was some dilution in the grapes, and careful selection and sorting were required. The 2006 Cheval Blanc has recently shown well but this bottle was not entirely satisfactory, though far from faulty. The nose is ripe and intense, with a grapy raspberry character and considerable poise and finesse. On the palate it’s still firm and tannic; it’s certainly concentrated, but quite grippy too and lacks the charm of the nose. A long chewy finish makes one wonder how the wine will evolve, but mature Cheval Blanc is unlikely to disappoint. Drinking Window 2019 - 2032.Decanter | 92 DEC

One of the greatest wines of the vintage is, not surprisingly, from proprietor Denis Durantou. A remarkable effort in every sense, the 2006 l’Eglise Clinet is not far off the quality of the prodigious 2005. Its inky/ruby/purple color is accompanied by a powerful nose of mocha, caramelized red and black fruits, smoke, graphite, and truffle. Massive and rich with full-bodied power, excellent focus and definition, and moderately high tannin, this is an “outlier” for the vintage (as Malcolm Gladwell would say) with unbelievable length and richness. Unfortunately, patience will be essential as it needs a minimum of 5-6 years of cellaring. It will age effortlessly for three decades.Robert Parker | 96 RPThe 2006 L’Eglise-Clinet was picked 15 to 21 September and matured in 80% new oak. It has quite a deep color and a little more turbidity than other vintages. It offers brambly red fruit on the nose, secondary aromas of black tea and truffle, not as powerful as the 2009 but with fine precision. The palate is medium-bodied with a slightly candied opening, more a playful l’Eglise-Clinet with finely chiseled tannins, moving towards more secondary notes of liquorice and a light marine note (seaweed?) towards the finish. Tasted at the l’Eglise-Clinet vertical at the château in April 2018.Vinous Media | 95 VMNot quite up to the soaring standards of 2005, but still there is confidence, poise and stunning depth. Sit back and feel your palate slicing through the fruit, layer by layer, getting down to clean minerality and charcoal smokiness. Don’t waste this – give it further ageing in bottle and share it with friends who will be patient through what is not the easiest of approaches. Drinking Window 2016 - 2035Decanter | 95 DECViolet, black licorice and berry aromas follow through to a full body, with chewy tannins and a powerful finish. Layered and rich or the vintage. Needs time to develop. Best after 2014. 1,350 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WS

The 2006 Lafleur, which I had not tasted from bottle prior to this visit, merits 95 points. One of the vintate’s most brilliant wines, this blend of 61% Merlot and 39% Cabernet Franc is neither as dense nor complete as the 2008, but it is structured, closed, and austere (as are many 2006s at present). It reveals a plum/purple color along with a beautifully sweet nose of black and red fruits intermixed with incense as well as a steely/iron-like smell. More open on the palate than the 2008, with more obvious spice and earthy undertones, this powerful Lafleur should be drinkable in 5-7 years, and will last for three decades.The tiny Lafleur vineyard, which was harvested between October 8-14, produced a wine with an atypically high percentage of Cabernet Franc. Proprietor Guinadeau stated that the Cabernet Franc was among the finest he had ever harvested.Robert Parker | 95 RPGood full, deep red. Brooding aromas of black cherry, cherry pit and licorice, plus a note that reminded me of a liqueur of flowers. Sweet, chewy and very ripe, but with restraint and focus to the youthful, mineral-driven flavors of dark fruits, licorice and pepper. This shows the cooler, medicinal cast of a classic young Lafleur and although almost surprisingly silky now, this really calls for extended cellaring.Vinous Media | 93+ VMOn the nose this shows many of the floral and dark berry notes of the 2005, but less intense. Full and silky, with beautiful juicy fruit on the palate and a long, delicate finish. I love how this prepares your palate for pleasure. Don’t touch this until 2015.James Suckling | 93 JSThis starts off very slow, then opens to violet and lilac, with crushed raspberry and strawberry. Full-bodied, with racy, intense acidity and tannins. Powerful and layered, with wonderful, subtle fruit and a long finish. Best after 2015.Wine Spectator | 93 WS