NYC, Long Island and The Hamptons Receive Free Delivery on Orders $300+

Shop Wine

Shop Wine
Sort:
View as List Grid
per page
2005 giscours Bordeaux Red

This is a beautiful Giscours with tension and finesse. It’s full-bodied and shows plenty of berry and spice character, not to mention a long, silky-textured finish. It seduces you with each sip. Why wait?James Suckling | 95 JSThis chateau gets better and better. The wine has power, but it is harnessed by the intense fruits, the blackberry flavors, the density and the wood. With the power, though, comes elegance, resulting in a wine that is ready to develop over many years.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEThis is a powerful wine with good ageing potential. The nose is ripe and creamy with plenty of dark fruit and spice complexity. The palate is rich, full and gourmand with Cabernet-cassis notes coming through. There’s a big tannic frame that shows the more masculine side of this Margaux. The finesse may be missing but there’s a lot of wine here. Drinking Window 2021 - 2040.Decanter | 94 DECThe 2005 Giscours captures all the natural radiance of the year in its stylish, racy personality. Sweet tannins wrap around a core of sweet red berry fruit, kirsch, rose petal, mint, spice and blood orange. Soft, curvy and sensual, Giscours is a winner in 2005. It doesn’t quite offer the grandeur of the very finest Left Bank 2005s, but it has plenty of that richness.Antonio Galloni | 93 AGDisplays blackberry, cherry and hints of sweet tobacco. Full-bodied, with soft, velvety tannins and a long, caressing finish. Very pretty and solid. This is structured and chewy. Needs time. Best after 2013. 20,830 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WSTasted at the Château Giscours vertical, the 2005 Château Giscours is a blend of 62% Cabernet Sauvignon and 38% Merlot picked between September 22 and October 6. Conspicuously deep in color, both the aromatics and palate replicate the strong performance from earlier this year. The bouquet offers very fine intensity with blackberry and cedar, here a tinge of cassis that becomes accentuated with time. The palate is medium-bodied with fine, slightly grainy tannin. It is very well balanced and almost Saint Julien in style. It is clearly very focused with a sustained, mineral-rich finish that (as I said before) contains real energy. This is an excellent Giscours that will age nicely over the next 20-25 years. Tasted June 2015.Robert Parker Neal Martin | 92 RP-NM

93
WS
As low as $95.00
2005 haut bages liberal Bordeaux Red

Barrel sample. Very opulent, generous and rich. It shows all the glories of the vintage, with huge but sufficiently restrained fruit, and exuberant tannins.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEVery aromatic, showing blackberry and currant aromas, with some licorice. Full-bodied, with supersilky tannins and a rich, decadent, fruity finish. Caresses the palate. Stylish and opulent. Best after 2011. 10,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WSThe 2005 Haut-Bages Libéral is a very young Pauillac that is just beginning to show the first signals of aromatic opening. Sweet dried cherry, mint, spice, licorice and dried flowers all grace this mid-weight Pauillac. Haut-Bages Libéral is not quite as opulent as most other Pauillacs in 2005, and it could have benefitted from a bit more depth, but it is impeccably done and very rewarding today.Antonio Galloni | 91 AGThe 2005 Haut-Bages Libéral offers loads of blackcurrant fruit, licorice, spice and forest floor. It is medium to full-bodied, with supple tannin and an expansive, textured mouthfeel and finish. Drink it over the next 15-20 years.Robert Parker | 90 RP

93
WS
As low as $74.95
2005 la vieille cure Bordeaux Red

In this vintage, this estate (one of the leading properties in Fronsac) produced an opaque/purple blend of 75% Merlot, 22% Cabernet Franc and 3% Cabernet Sauvignon from vines averaging 25 years of age. Offering beautiful black cherry and black raspberry fruit, abundant chalk, minerality, a medium to full-bodied mouthfeel, and a long finish, this over-achieving, full-throttle Fronsac is a brilliant example of the vintage and of this terroir. Give it another several years of bottle age, and drink it over the following 10-15 years. This sleeper of the vintage should prove to be one of the longest-lived vintages of Vieille Cure to date. Kudos to the ownership.Robert Parker | 92 RPDark in color, showing lots of blackberry and licorice aromas, with a hint of tar. Full-bodied, with soft tannins and plenty of ripe fruit and smoky oak. Fun and interesting. Best after 2010.Wine Spectator | 90 WS

93
RP
As low as $64.99
2005 lascombes Bordeaux Red

A joyous Lascombes, this is the first vintage to hit stride since the US investment firm Colony Capital took over in 2001. It’s a meaty wine draped in fragrant tannin, built for long aging. It’s also an exuberant wine, in both the bright, red currant-scented fruit and the bristle of the tannin. A playfully complex flavor lasts for minutes, the wine still youthful and fresh four days after it was opened. Margaux chic.Wine & Spirits | 94 W&SDark in color, with an impressive nose of licorice, toasty oak, chocolate and blackberry. Full-bodied, with silky tannins and a long, caressing finish. Very pretty and structured. Best after 2012. 25,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WS(52% cabernet sauvignon, 45% merlot and 3% petit verdot) Good bright ruby. Blueberry and licorice on the nose, lifted by spicy oak. Chewy, lush and dense, but with a sappy quality giving shape to the fruit. Very tactile, solid wine with a saline quality suggesting energetic extraction. But this offers impressive mouth coverage and finishes broad and long, with nicely restrained sweetness. Wait until 2011.Vinous Media | 89-92 VMLascombes is approaching the form its status as a second growth suggests. This wine is close, packed with dark fruits, figs and juicy black currant extract. The aftertaste has some bitterness, with layers of toast and spice coming through strongly.Wine Enthusiast | 91 WE

93
WS
As low as $155.00
2005 le pin Bordeaux Red

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

94-96
RP
As low as $13,420.00
2005 les carmes haut brion Bordeaux Red

This 2005 offers a fabulous bouquet of forest floor and flowers, a dark plum/ruby/purple color, and medium body. Super-intense but light on its feet, this beauty seems to be close to full maturity. Complex and cerebral, this stunner is just now drinking beautifully and should continue to do so for another 15 or more years.Robert Parker | 93 RPA complete wine, rich and opulent. It has all the right balances of acidity, sweet fruits, black flavors and underlying dry tannins. Excellent.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEMedium red. Ripe aromas of smoky plum, redcurrant, mocha, tobacco and nutty oak. Rich, pliant and fruity, with ripe acids framing the raspberry and subtle game flavors and contributing to the impression of inner-mouth perfume. Offers good volume and a restrained sweetness. Finishes with dusty, serious tannins and very good length.Vinous Media | 91 VMAromas of plum, chocolate and leather follow through to a full body, with a very good richness of fruit and a caressing, medium finish. Not overdone. Balanced and pretty. Best after 2011. 2,500 cases made.Wine Spectator | 90 WS Clean, saturated fruit tannins place this in an international style. But the soil character is embedded in the wine, appearing after several days of air, once the tremendous volume of tannin begins to yield. The supple and generous feel of the wine belies the power of that tannin, needing a decade or more to mature.Wine & Spirits | 90 W&S

93
RP
As low as $189.00
2005 les forts de latour Bordeaux Red

Open-knit yet deep and powerful, the 2005 Les Forts de Latour is striking today. The pedigree of the vintage comes through in spades. Expressive, perfumed aromatics meld into a core of supple, open-knit fruit in a mid-weight, impeccably balanced Forts de Latour. Hints of red fruit, iron, smoke and tobacco add lovely shades of nuance. Latour’s President Frédéric Engerer adds that that 2005 was the easiest and most balanced growing season (including 2009 and 2010) he has seen because his team had the total flexibility of choosing when to harvest.Vinous Media | 94 VMShows blackberry, coffee, cedar, and raisin on the nose, turning to licorice and fresh flowers. Full-bodied, with refined, silky tannins and a long finish. Balanced and juicy. Builds on the palate, with currant, licorice and mineral character, followed by a powerful finish. An amazing second wine. Best after 2015. 13,330 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WSVery classy with plenty of raspberry, currant, and licorice character. This is dense and compacted on the palate. Leave it for at least two or three years from now.James Suckling | 94 JSThe 2005 Les Forts de Latour is another beautiful wine from this estate. Medium to full-bodied, with a dense ruby/purple color, loads of blackcurrant fruit, earth, and spice, the wine is extremely pure, broad, savory, and quite expensive. This is a fabulous second wine, but in essence, this is really of classified growth quality. Drink it over the next 20+ years.Robert Parker | 93 RP(Les Forts de Latour) The 2005 Forts de Latour is a superb and very classic wine in the making. I last tasted this at the château in the spring of 2013, at which time it was still seven to ten years away from really starting to blossom. The bouquet offers up a pure and very promising blend of cassis, dark berries, espresso, cigar smoke, a fine base of dark soil and a deft framing of nutty new oak. On the palate the wine is deep. full-bodied and impressively pure on the attack, with an excellent core of fruit, fine acids, ripe tannins, and superb length and grip on the still youthful finish. I would guess now that another five years or so should be sufficient for this wine to truly start to open up and drink with a modicum of generosity. It will be excellent and long-lived. (Drink between 2022-2060)John Gilman | 92 JGAlways the equivalent of many classed growths, Les Forts de Latour is hardly a second wine, deriving from a particular parcel of the Latour vineyard. This 2005 is beautifully balanced, with lively fresh acidity, dense tannins and ripe, juicy black fruits. The acidity stays right to the end.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WEIt took four days after this bottle was first opened for the wine to shed the tough, reductive character in the tannin and begin to show the plump claret this will become with time. What initially feels dark, ripe and dry-as-a-drought turns toward juicy red and black currant fruit underlined by pleasantly bitter chocolate tannin. Les Forts is produced from the young vines at Latour’s Grand Enclos (the main vineyard) from lots that do not make it into the first wine, plus selections from three other estate parcels.Wine & Spirits | 91 W&S

94
RP-NM
As low as $299.00
2005 louis roederer cristal Champagne

(Louis Roederer Cristal Brut) The 2005 Cristal is a legend in the making, but this wine is still very young and closed and some extended bottle age will be necessary to really allow all of the multi-faceted elements here to blossom and come to the fore. The cépages is the same as for the 2006, fifty-five percent pinot noir and forty-five percent chardonnay, but this does not mean that Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon selected vins clairs from the same crus for the two vintages! The 2005 vintage was considered strongest for chardonnay, so careful selection of pinot noir vins clairs for the Cristal in this vintage was of paramount importance, though the domaine’s superb holdings in Verzenay and Verzy certainly made the selection process a bit easier. The 2005 Cristal offers up a deep, extremely primary and very promising bouquet of apple, pear, a gorgeously complex base of chalky soil tones, incipient nuttiness, citrus peel, smoke, a touch of lavender and a topnote of peach blossoms. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied and absolutely rock solid at the core, with great focus and finesse, very refined mousse, a crisp girdle of acidity and great length and laser-like focus on the poised, primary and utterly refined finish. The 2005 is an utterly brilliant Cristal in the making, but give it time to blossom in the cellar! (Drink between 2019-2060)John Gilman | 97 JGThe iconic Roederer Champagne, Cristal’s latest release, brings a perfect balance of richness and age worthiness. It is full of apple flavor, and the mousse is very fine and almost imperceptible. As so often with a beautifully blended wine like this, a few minutes breathing brings out extra complex flavors. It certainly should age over five years and more.Wine Enthusiast | 97 WEThe complexity and youthful freshness here makes a striking Champagne that offers immense pleasure and a certain richness and depth that reflects the style of the vintage with some warmth reflected in the wine. The nose has rich citrus and stone fruits, some white flowers, light creamy honey notes and fresh sweet pastry, it has a toasty thread that has built quickly in the wine. Plenty of body on the palate, it has a wealth of assertive citrus and more exotic fruits too, the power and concentration undeniable, the length impressive and the balance impeccable. Already great drinking here. Slightly higher chardonnay component at around 45%. -NSJames Suckling | 96 JSEvery vintage can’t be 2002, or even 2004. Even so, this is pretty great, an open, airy, whip-smart delivery of Cristal’s spark, a wine of formidable delicacy. The undertow is there, drawing down a wave of spicy oak notes and heady crème caramel to reveal glints of limestone, the bright shimmer of acidity sustained by the cool rootedness in the soil. In 45 words of my notes on this wine, there’s not a single mention of fruit. Instead, they focus on brightness, subtlety, lusty juiciness, balance and mouthwatering complexity.Wine & Spirits | 95 W&S(L036332A109909): Bright yellow-gold. Heady floral-accented citrus and orchard fruits on the nose, with smoky mineral and floral overtones adding complexity. Velvety and chewy in texture, offering deep, juicy orange and poached pear flavors and suave honey and chamomile nuances. Blends precision with power, finishing with a distinct mineral quality and excellent persistence.Vinous Media | 94 VMVibrant and mouthwatering, this offers a range of patisserie pear and apple fruit, candied lemon zest, pastry dough and marzipan notes set on a finely detailed texture, which imparts a great deal of finesse. The lasting finish echoes a smoky mineral note. Drink now through 2025. 20,000 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 94 WS(Louis Roederer Brut - Cristal Champagne/Sparkling) Like the 2006 this is notably ripe with plenty of yeast, brioche and orchard fruit characters but in this case there is no tropicality. There is fine mid-palate density to the relatively powerful and very rich flavors that possess excellent complexity on the lingering finish that really fans out as it sits in the mouth. Like many 2005s this is not an especially refined vintage for Cristal nor does it possess the effervescent punch it usually does. Those aspects duly noted, this certainly cannot be faulted in terms of richness and complexity and for my taste, this is probably drinking about as well as it’s going to though I underscore that it should drink well for many years to come. (Drink starting 2015)Burghound | 93 BHThe 2005 Cristal stands out for its exceptional inner perfume and elegance. Soft, delicate and pretty, the 2005 is a relatively immediate Cristal with all of the signatures very much in the right place. The 2005 doesn’t have the opulence of the 2002 nor the focus of the 2004, but it is a very pretty, if somewhat small-scaled version of this iconic Champagne. I would drink the 2005 while the 2002 and 2004 age. Although Cristal has an impeccable track record when it comes to aging, personally I would not push it with the 2005. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2020.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RP

94
WS
As low as $400.00
2005 lynsolence Bordeaux Red

From another of the small, well-run properties of proprietor Denis Barraud, the 2005 Lynsolence delivers beautiful plum, black cherry and cassis fruit. Some licorice, underbrush and incense are also present in this complex, medium to full-bodied wine, which has terrific purity, length and overall balance. This wine is just starting to be drinkable and should continue to hold nicely for another 10-12 years.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91 RPThe 2005 Lynsolence is a rich, heady Saint-Émilion loaded with inky dark fruit, dried herbs, chocolate, licorice and spice. Although the 2005 has certainly aged well, this style is more enjoyable where there is more fruit, in my view. The 2005 is not exactly in decline, but its best years are behind it.Vinous Media | 90 VMBlackberry and light vanilla aromas follow through to a medium-bodied palate, with silky tannins and a long, caressing finish. Soft and pretty. Best after 2011. 650 cases made.Wine Spectator | 90 WS

92-94
RP
As low as $59.95
2005 marojallia Bordeaux Red

Billing itself as the first “garage wine” from the appellation of Margaux, this comes from a property owned by Philippe Porcheron. The wine, made with meticulous care by the partnership of Muriel Andraud and Jean-Luc Thunevin, consistently performs well above its pedigree. Still youthful, exuberant and rich, this wine has a dense ruby/purple color and beautiful notes of violets, graphite and crème de cassis as well as some blueberry fruit. It is well-endowed, medium to full-bodied, and stunningly proportioned. This wine should continue to evolve and drink well for another 15 or more years.Robert Parker | 94 RPThis is dark, with intense aromas of crushed blackberry, currant, tar and mineral. Full-bodied, with a superrich palate of ripe berry, raspberry tart and vanilla. Soft and caressing, with loads of fruit. Best after 2012. 1,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WSThis micro-property, vinified by Jean-Luc Thunevin, has produced a huge, dense wine, powered by dark tannins. It's impressive, even if it has little connection with Margaux.Wine Enthusiast | 90 WEDeep ruby color. Very rich, deep aromas of kirsch and chocolate liqueur. Superripe, sweet and concentrated, with surprising lift and energy to the plush, layered flavors of dark berries, fruity dark chocolate and leather. Finishes impressively long, with chewy, firm tannins and enticing sweet oak. A superb vintage for this Margaux. I am partial to this style.Vinous Media | 90-93 VM

94
RP
As low as $135.00
2005 marquis dangerville volnay champans Burgundy Red

(Domaine Marquis d’Angerville Volnay "Champans" 1er Cru Red) Remarkably this has changed relatively little since my initial in-bottle review amost 10 years ago as the ripe raspberry liqueur-like nose evidences hints of spice, violets, earth and underbrush. The vibrant, pure, round and naturally sweet medium-bodied flavors possess excellent intensity on the precise, powerful and mineral-driven finish. There is a beautiful tension to this wine and while there is a serious tannic backbone, this seems supple on the mid-palate because the structure is so well-buffered. This is still very much on the way up and should easily see its 50th birthday (and many more) in superb condition. As such I would strongly advise letting this beauty continue to slumber. (Drink starting 2025)Burghound | 94 BHOne of the three batches that will be blended to make up d ‘Angerville’s 2005 Volnay Champans was still in malo, so I base my assessment on the other two. Scented with cherry and cassis, flowers and fungus, smoke and chalk dust, this displays richness and depth, fine tannins and emerging silkiness, and a youthfully firm but long finish loaded with savory subtleties. Just give it 6-8 years before revisiting. (The outstanding d’Angerville 2004s were also very late to finish malo, and the Champans is especially memorable for its vivid sauteed champignons, alluring ginger spice, marrowy richness, and flattering mouth feel, indeed comparable in quality though lacking the developmental potential of this 2005. As a striking example of mercantile bipolar disorder, I purchased this outstanding 2004 for $49.99 from a merchant whose price on the 2005 thus represented a 350% premium!)Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91-93 RPGood full red. Reticent nose suggests cherry, licorice, flowers and truffle. Displays the copious sweetness of the vintage but with terrific focus and underlying spine. A stony, minerally pinot with real delicacy and cut. The long, noble finish offers a lovely combination of silk and stone and enticing lingering perfume. An archetypical Volnay that combines structure and charm: I wouldn’t be surprised if this merited an even higher score eight or ten years from now.Vinous Media | 93 VMRigid now, with cherry, mineral and smoke notes backed by burly tannins. Yet, it’s elegant in stature, concentrated and built for the long haul. Closed up already, but be patient. Best from 2014 through 2028. 150 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 93 WS(Marquis d’Angerville Volnay “Champans”) By all indications, this will be a great vintage for the Champans chez d’Angerville. This can often be one of the more recalcitrant young wines in the cellar, but it is showing remarkable refinement out of the blocks. The bouquet offers up notes of cherries, red berries, coffee, lovely minerality and a touch of spicy oak. On the palate the wine is deep, fullish and intensely flavored, with again simply striking purity, excellent focus and balance, and a long, moderately tannic and tangy finish. Fine juice. (Drink between 2012-2035)John Gilman | 92-93 JG

94
BH
As low as $299.00
2005 marquis dangerville volnay fremiets Burgundy Red

(Marquis d’Angerville Volnay “Fremiets”) The 2005 Fremiets is also showing atypically black fruity in character, but also offers simply striking focus and purity as well. The bouquet is a mélange of black cherries, plums, bitter chocolate and a truly great expression of minerality. On the palate the wine is medium-full, deep and intensely flavored, with rock solid structure, a sappy core of fruit, and stunning grip on the long, soil-driven and ripely tannic finish. Truly a fine vintage for the Fremiets. (Drink between 2012-2030)John Gilman | 92 JG(Domaine Marquis d'Angerville Volnay Frémiets 1er Cru Red) This is more discreet and reserved with wonderfully pure notes of red, black and blue fruits plus a lovely hint of violets that sit atop dusty, refined and gorgeously delineated flavors supported by an almost pungent minerality on the textured, long and explosive finish. This is more concentrated and structured than usual and should live for a very long time. (Drink starting 2013)Burghound | 91-93 BH

91-93
BH
As low as $185.00
2005 moulin saint georges Bordeaux Red

One of the strongest efforts I have ever tasted from Alain Vauthier, his small St.-Emilion estate, Moulin Saint-Georges, has turned in a gorgeous 2005 with an opaque purple color and a sweet nose of blueberry and black raspberry fruit along with spring flowers. Rich, full-bodied, and still moderately tannic, this is a wonderful sleeper of the vintage and a wine capable of further evolution for at least another 10-15+ years.Robert Parker | 92 RPDeep, dark ruby in color. Superconcentrated aromas of crushed blackberry, black licorice, espresso and leather follow through to a full body, with ultrafine tannins and loads of coffee and fruit flavors. Very long. Best after 2016.Wine Spectator | 92 WSGood deep red-ruby. Very ripe aromas of currant, licorice and minerals. Broad, fresh and mouthcoating, with a juicy quality to the dark fruit, minerals and sweet oak flavors. Finishes broad, with lovely floral persistence. Not especially complex yet but offers a light touch and excellent energy for the vintage.Vinous Media | 91 VM

92
RP
As low as $135.00
2005 petit village Bordeaux Red

Superrich in its dark fruit, black herbs and boldly oaked flavors, this is also firm and, in the end, extremely tannic. It finishes dry, the power of the tannin increasing with air, with a grip that will need long bottle aging to relent. Check on it ten years from the vintage.Wine & Spirits | 92 W&SMilk chocolate and blackberry aromas follow through to a full body, with very soft tannins and a long, caressing finish. This is so delicious now, but has a balance of fruit and tannins. One of the best from this estate in some time. Best after 2014. 2,500 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WSI recall enjoying this wine from barrel, with its fresh fruit aromatics, solid tannins and fine length. Tasted two years ago in Bordeaux, it again showed freshness but lacked density. Tasty, but not at the level of the 2015. A blend of 75% Merlot, 18% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Cabernet Franc. Drinking Window 2018 - 2022Decanter | 90 DECFruity and smoky, this wine succeeds on its charm, with soft tannins, acidity and superripe fruit. With its (for Pomerol) high percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon, the wine certainly has structure, but maybe misses on richness.Wine Enthusiast | 90 WE

90-92
RP
As low as $150.00
2005 Rauzan Gassies

Significantly better from bottle than it was from barrel, the 2005 Rauzan-Gassies appears to be the finest wine this estate has ever produced. Dense purple-hued with a beautiful perfume of camphor, creme de cassis, licorice, bay leaf, and incense, it is a full-bodied, stunningly concentrated, broad, rich Margaux with lovely integrated tannins. This backward 2005 will handsomely repay cellaring. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2030+.Robert Parker | 92 RPSolid, dry tannins, very firm and hard, but they are also ripe. The wine has high extraction, very dark fruit flavors, but resists being too huge. This could well turn out to be a very elegant wine.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WEAll boats rise in a vintage like 2005, and the notoriously sleepy second Rauzan-Gassies turned out to be one of the surprises at our tasting. It starts with a dark scent of tobacco and then cassis pours out of the middle of the wine. At first, the fruit seems a little weak in the finish, but the center feels lush and silken and, with air, the pebbly tannins extend a sleek plummy flavor. You'll get more from the super-seconds, but this is a fine wine on its own terms.Wine & Spirits | 90 W&S

90-93
RP
As low as $120.00
2005 saint pierre Bordeaux Red

Based largely on Cabernet Sauvignon, with roughly 20% Merlot and 5-6% Cabernet Franc, the 2005 Chateau Saint-Pierre is a brooding monster of a wine that gives up full-bodied, powerful notes of black fruits, graphite, and chocolate. This ripe, incredibly concentrated 2005 needs another 3-4 years of bottle age to gain a touch of elegance but will cruise in the cellar for decades in cold cellars.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDPossibly one of two of the most concentrated St.-Juliens (Léoville Las Cases is the other), this 2005 shows wonderfully sweet tannin, a dense ruby/purple color, and lots of crème de cassis, licorice and spice. Full-bodied, opulent, and impressive, it is surprisingly soft, though it will certainly age nicely for 15-20+ years.Robert Parker | 94 RPAt 40 acres, Saint-Pierre is small for the Médoc, but it is certainly performing well. As fine as the 2005, the 2008 is a stylish wine that also packs a firm punch of dense fruit, firm tannins and mouthwateringly juicy acidity. For medium-term aging.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WE A very beautiful red, with blackberry, licorice and currant on the nose. Full-bodied, with velvety tannins and lots of smoke, berry, coffee and dark chocolate flavors on the finish. The best wine from this producer in ages. Best after 2014.Wine Spectator | 93 WSGood red-ruby color. Superripe aromas of plum, mocha and graphite. Silky-sweet, deep and broad, with terrific concentration of currant and licorice flavors complicated by leather, herbs and pepper. Finishes with thoroughly ripe, broad tannins and noteworthy length and power. Costanzo says this wine needs another six months in bottle to gain in nuance.Vinous Media | 92 VM

94
RP
As low as $105.00
2005 sociando mallet Bordeaux Red

The 2005 Sociando-Mallet is a blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc picked between September 19 and October 6. It has a very well defined bouquet of red currant, cranberry and wild strawberry fruit; pressed white flowers emerge later, along with a hint of truffle. The medium-bodied palate shows wonderful definition, good cohesion and a touch of spice and black pepper. The tannins are very fine and focused, and the finish fans out wonderfully. I remember being impressed with this out of barrel, and 13 years later it is seriously fulfilling its potential. Tasted at the vertical tasting at Sociando-Mallet.Vinous Media | 94 VMThis continues to be a firm and structured red with lots of slate, wet-earth and blackcurrant character. Full body, polished, chewy tannins and a flavorful finish. Give it time. Better after 2021.James Suckling | 93 JSIt’s hard not to admire the brilliant Jean Gautreau, who has run this great terroir and estate (just to the north of St-Estèphe’s Château Montrose) with meticulous perfection for decades. The 2005 is a blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Franc. Offering beautifully sweet crème de cassis and blueberries, this is concentrated essence of blue and black fruits, with some underlying minerality, a medium to full-bodied mouthfeel, and stunning texture, length and purity. This is superb Sociando Mallet, with surprisingly sweet tannin, which is even more remarkable in this vintage of high and occasionally hard tannins. Give it another 4-5 years of cellaring, and drink it over the following 30 years.Robert Parker | 93+ RP

94
VM
As low as $95.00
2005 taittinger comtes de champagne rose Champagne (Rose)

(Taittinger Comtes de Champagne Brut Rosé (Reims)) The 2005 Comtes de Champagne Brut Rosé from Champagne Taittinger is a blend of seventy percent pinot noir and thirty percent chardonnay, with fifteen percent of the pinot being red still wine from Bouzy fruit. All of the fruit for this bottling hails from grand cru villages and is first-press. The wine offers up a deep and utterly superb aromatic constellation of strawberries, blood orange, rye toast, complex, chalky soil tones, plenty of smokiness, a touch of orange zest and lovely spice tones in the upper register, with notes of cumin and clove predominant. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied and seamlessly balanced, with a great core, superb complexity, bright acids, superb mousse and great length and grip on the crisp and nascently complex finish. This is still very early days for the 2005 Comtes Rosé, and though it is very easy to drink today, it will be even better with four or five more years of bottle age. Another absolutely brilliant Comtes Rosé from Taittinger. (Drink between 2015-2040)John Gilman | 95+ JGLightly toasty and creamy in texture, this graceful rosé offers a firm backbone of acidity and rich flavors of raspberry coulis, dried strawberry, mille-feuille and graphite. Drink now through 2022. 250 cases imported. — ANWine Spectator | 93 WSThe 2005 Comtes de Champagne Rosé is a wine of contrasts. At first rich and vinous on the palate, the 2005 turns more delicate with time in the glass as its silkier and floral qualities become more evident. Sweet red berry and spice notes linger on the delicate finish.Antonio Galloni | 93 AGThe Taittinger 2005 Brut Rose Comtes de Champagne exhibits a delectable nose of fraise du bois, red raspberry and maraschino discreetly complemented by anise, vanilla, and Ceylon tea. Silken in feel and with exceptionally fine and at once stimulating and caressing mousse, this finishes with luscious abundance of juicy fresh red berries supported by appropriate sweetness, hints of fine, tea-like tannins, crunchy berry seeds, chalk and toasted almond serving for satisfying counterpoint. It should prove rewarding to follow for several years, but don’t miss out on its youthful pleasures!Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RP

93
WS
As low as $319.00
2005 talbot Bordeaux Red

I’m not sure you need me to recap the weather conditions in 2005 as it’s such a famous, and relatively recent, year. Suffice to say, it was pretty close to a perfect year, with spots of heat but generally cool evenings that maintained a sense of freshness and poise. The colour difference is quite remarkable in comparison to the older vintages in the tasting, and even with nearly 15 years of age we are fully in primary colours with this 2005 - rich, purple-reds, not inky but full of life and intensity right through the body of the wine. On the palate you find touches of caramel and sweet, ripe fruit that’s handled expertly. It’s more gourmet than any other on display, but still with gorgeous freshness and traces of black pepper spice that give focus to the finish. It has an effortless balance that just makes you so happy to be drinking this wonderful vintage, from an estate that’s in no hurry to reveal its riches. Outside of the world of Bordeaux wine, Angela Merkel became head of the German government, following on from Gerhard Schroëder. Drinking Window 2018 - 2045Decanter | 94 DECWith its big fruit, and hearty tannins, this is a powerful, ripe wine, having great sweet blackberry flavors, a touch of smoke and a black fruit core. Round and opulent, this is a generous wine already.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEComplex aromas of chocolate, currants, berries and sweet tobacco. Full body with fully integrated tannins that give a silky texture. Lovely tannins, fruit and acid balance. Just opening now. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 93 JSThe 2005 Talbot was picked from 22 September until 10 October. Having tasted this several times, this might be the best bottle. Deeper in colour than other vintages, it offers much more fruit: blackberry, bilberry and raspberry tinged with cedar and a faint estuarine tang. These aromatics just have more substance than other vintages. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, a fine bead of acidity. It is not the most complex 2005 Saint-Julien but there is grip and matière, notes of soy and black pepper lining the finish that will benefit from another two or three years in bottle. Very fine. Tasted at the centenary Château Talbot vertical at the property.Vinous Media | 92+ VMSweet tobacco, berry and currant aromas follow through to a full body, with soft, silky tannins and a fresh, racy aftertaste of currant and mineral. The texture of the tannins is very beautiful. Best after 2016.Wine Spectator | 92 WS

94
DEC
As low as $190.00
2006 calon segur Bordeaux Red

Tasted at Bordeaux Index’s tasting and at the château, the 2006 Calon Segur was current winemaker Vincent Millet’s first vintage. In many ways, you can see it as one of the last of the "old style" Calon Segur wines with a higher percentage of Merlot than nowadays (the 2006 consists of 33% Merlot), while I aver that the tannins are not as fine as they are nowadays. The Merlot component is vividly expressed on the nose with ravishing ripe red cherries, kirsch and strawberry, just slightly smudged by the alcohol. The palate is medium-bodied with chewy tannin, quite sexy in style but it does not have the class of more recent vintages and it seems to have remained tough up on the finish. It will loosen up with time, so afford this another 6-8 years in bottle. Tasted January 2016.Robert Parker Neal Martin | 93 RP-NMNot a wine that will please everyone. This has the austerity and backward thinking of 2006 mixed with the sleek fruit of Calon; rich, dark and not at all showy. Instead, it is subtle, delicate and thoroughly lovely. Drinking Window 2017 - 2038.Decanter | 93 DECFocused and fresh, with violet and blackberry aromas and vanilla undertones. Full-bodied, with very pretty berry fruit character, fine tannins and a long, caressing finish. Refined. Best after 2014. 14,445 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WS(Château Calon-Ségur) The 2006 Calon-Ségur (as noted above) was the first vintage produced under the guiding hand of Vincent Millet and this wine was a return to the classic cépages at the estate of predominantly cabernet sauvignon, after the detrimental increase in the percentage of merlot in the blend between 1990 and 2005. The wine is very, very closed today, but it is going to be a lovely wine with sufficient bottle age, as the wine is very well-balanced and simply needs time alone in the cellar to resolve its considerable chassis of tannin. The deep and still quite youthful nose reluctantly offers up scents of black cherries, curry, blossoming notes of dried eucalyptus, dark soil tones, cigar ash and a stylish base of new wood. On the palate the wine is deep, full- bodied and completely in its dumb phase, with a very good core, ripe, chewy tannins, lovely focus and a very long, currently quite hermetically-sealed finish. This is a good eight to ten years away from blossoming, but it will be excellent if given sufficient patience. (Drink between 2022-2050).John Gilman | 92 JGAromas of perfumes and blueberries with minerals. Medium-to-full body, fine tannins and a tangy, fresh finish. Attractive tension and austerity to this. Savory and juicy. Drink now or hold.James Suckling | 91 JSBright ruby-red. Perfumed, terroir-driven aromas and flavors of redcurrant, licorice, iron, cinders, woodsmoke, minerals and pepper, plus a whiff of meat. At once dense and suave, with herbal and peppery nuances contributing to the wine’s impression of insinuating vinosity and inner-mouth aromatic character. Almost rustic in its soil tones but not in its refined texture. Finishes with building tannins and a juicy freshness. A wine worth following.Vinous Media | 90+ VMThis wine’s rich red fruit rides above firm, stony St-Estèphe tannins, the contrast providing some delicate detail and more serious depth. As the tannins increase their grip with air, the fruit gets redder, like the skin of a ripening plum. Calon-Ségur, on a hill just outside the village of St-Estèphe, often grows vin de garde; this vintage should be a keeper.Wine & Spirits | 90 W&S

94
RP-NM
As low as $150.00
2006 domaine rossignol trapet chambertin grand cru Burgundy Red

(Rossignol-Trapet Chambertin Grand Cru Red) This is backward, primary and almost shut down with its ultra cool and serious nose of mostly dark berry fruit aromas that also offer up notes of spice, pepper earth, animale, smoke and underbrush, all of which resurface on the structured, minerally and firm to the point of being strict on the palate staining and hugely long finish. Wow, this makes an impression as it’s a big and very bad boy that will require plenty of time to harmonize and round out as the tannins are prominent. (Drink starting 2018)Burghound | 91-94 BH(Domaine Rossignol-Trapet Chambertin) The Rossignol-Trapet 2006 Chambertin was also still retaining a bit of its gas post-malo, and so was not as on form to taste as the Latricières. Nevertheless, this is clearly going to be a fine example of the vintage, as the wine offers up a complex bouquet of dark plums, black cherries, lovely minerality, coffee, woodsmoke, a bit of grilled meat, and new oak. On the palate the wine is full-bodied, deep and quite powerfully built, with excellent purity, a rock solid core, firm tannins and a very long, primary and soil-driven finish. This was probably the toughest wines to taste in the cellars in November, but it clearly possesses the raw materials to be quite special. (Drink between 2018-2060)John Gilman | 93-94 JGGood full red. Complex nose melds wild raspberry, tobacco and earth. Suave and fine-grained but youthfully subdued, with ripe balancing acidity giving the broad red fruit and soil flavors a sappy quality and very good snap. Best today on the rising finish, where the tannins are firm but fine and arrive late. A powerful wine but not hard.Vinous Media | 92+ VM

93-94
JG
As low as $519.00
2006 domaine sylvain cathiard vosne romanee 1er cru aux malconsorts Burgundy Red

The 2006 Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Aux Malconsorts from Sylvain Cathiard really blossomed in the glass, unfurling to reveal notes of plums, dark chocolate, rich soil, burning embers and some savory and hard-to-define bass notes, its new oak nicely digested at age 12. On the palate, the wine starts out a little foursquare but opens up to become quite expansive, more taut and controlled than the 2005 En Orveaux tasted the following day, with fine-grained but not yet melted tannins, a deep core of fruit and a long finish. An excellent Malconsorts with a full decade ahead of it.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPGood full red. Darker fruits on the nose, complicated by minerals, violet and sweet oak. Rich and silky but at the same time minerally and firm; boasts impressive volume and texture but comes across as almost weightless. Finishes tight and youthfully closed, with superb mineral energy and toothcoating tannins. Lovely already but this should really be held for five or six years.Vinous Media | 93+ VM(Domaine Sylvain Cathiard Vosne-Romanée Les Malconsorts 1er Cru Red) A gorgeously layered and deep nose of spicy, and once again notably cool black pinot fruit seems to offer up a different nuance with each examination and serves as a classy intro to the supple, rich, round and strikingly pure mouth coating flavors brimming with dry extract on the hugely long finish that exhibits serious power. This is a big yet refined wine that remains the current reference standard for Malconsorts though, happily, there will be more serious competition going forward with Domaines Dujac and de Montille coming to the party. Impressive but note that patience will be required. (Drink starting 2016)Burghound | 93 BH

94
VM
As low as $1,399.00
2006 grand puy lacoste Bordeaux Red

Among the most seductive noses from Pauillac. Strong, cassis-stained palate with a lovely sense of upwards motion and smooth, silky tannins that are starting to ease into the structure. Another vintage that shows why GPL is such a consistent player. Drinking Window 2016 - 2030.Decanter | 96 DECTasted at Bordeaux Index’s annual 10-Year On tasting in London. I raved about the 2006 Château Grand Puy-Lacoste when I tasted it from barrel ten years ago. It has evolved a really quite beautiful, very classic Pauillac bouquet with vivacious blackberry, raspberry and wild mint aromas that deftly absorb the oak. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, perhaps a more forward "GPL" than other vintages, but there is genuine fineness to the tannin and that backward finish has great precision. There is the substance to suggest that it will be a long-term Left Bank and you could probably broach it after another 3-4 years. Tasted January 2016.Robert Parker Neal Martin | 94 RP-NMGood dark red. Perfumed, ineffable aromas of currant, cherry skin, floral oils and incense. Then juicy and penetrating on the palate, with excellent concentration and thrust to the soil-inflected flavors of currant, minerals and iron. Very suave, pure wine with the structure to age.Vinous Media | 91 VMDisplays blueberry on the nose, with a hint of fresh tobacco and some licorice. Full-bodied, with chocolate, berry and toasty oak. Long and very silky. Very pretty and balanced. Best after 2013. 13,750 cases made.Wine Spectator | 91 WS

94
RP-NM
As low as $94.95
2006 la lagune Bordeaux Red

Having just had the 2005 La Lagune, which I think is the greatest La Lagune I have ever tasted, the 2006 certainly loses some prestige in comparison, but this is an outstanding wine and further evidence of just how strong this estate’s wines have become. Sweet plum and red and black currant fruit, intermixed with notes of resiny pine forest and forest floor as well as a hint of barrique, are followed by a wine with gorgeous depth, an attractive, medium-bodied texture, a fresh, poised personality, and a moderately long finish. This is another beauty, not weighty, but pure, savory, and capable of lasting 15 or more years, although it is accessible already.Robert Parker | 91 RPThis is racy for a 2006 with plenty of tobacco, berries and hints of mushroom. Light, stylish earthy character. Medium to full body, fine tannins and a pretty finish with lovely tension. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 91 JS

92-94
RP
As low as $84.95
2006 leoville barton Bordeaux Red

(Château Léoville Barton, St-Julien, Bordeaux, France, Red) 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot. A return to a more classic profile, with silky, dark damson and cassis, more structured tannins and great persistence. A lovely, extremely accomplished 2006, although it is still quite closed and backward right now. (Drink between 2017-2040)Decanter | 94 DECThere’s a great dark color to this, with intense aromas of cedar, wood, new leather and crushed blackberry. Full-bodied, with loads of fruit and a firm, powerful palate. Long and mouthpuckering. A muscular baby. Best after 2015. 18,750 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WSRight at the top of its form, this 2006 is one of the finest wines to come out of the vintage. The wine is structured and dense, but with such heartwarming ripe fruit that the tannins are almost submerged. There is just a hint of wood, but juicy black currant continues right through to the end. In a year, the fruit will lessen, and long aging begin.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WETasted at Bordeaux Index’s annual 10-Year On tasting in London. The 2006 Château Léoville-Barton has a surprisingly rich and opulent bouquet at first, although it calms down with aeration, offering crushed violet and black cherry scents, reminiscent of a fine Margaux. The palate is medium-bodied with a gentle grip in the mouth. Here the class begins to appear with fine balance and poise, but like the Langoa, it lacquers the mouth with tannins and feels very backward, surprising given the vintage. Cellar this for another decade, folks. Tasted January 2016.Robert Parker | 92 RP-NMGood bright ruby-red. Pretty aromas of black cherry, cassis, tobacco leaf, minerals, licorice and violet. Chewy, rich and deep, with good dense mid-palate fruit and excellent concentration. Fuller and sweeter than the Langoa. Finishes long and delineated, with powerful tannic clout and terrific mineral thrust. A serious 2006 for the cellar.Vinous Media | 91+ VM

94
WS
As low as $115.00

Need Help Finding the right wine?

Your personal wine consultant will assist you with buying, managing your collection, investing in wine, entertaining and more.

loader
Loading...