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Another stellar wine, the 2004 Dom Pérignon is just starting to show the first signs of aromatic development, as well as a bit of added weight it did not have as a young wine. The 2004 remains a bright, mid-weight DP built on persistence and length more than overt volume. I have always had a soft spot for the 2004. This tasting does nothing to dampen that enthusiasm.Vinous Media | 97 VMA return to regular form after the wild 2003 edition, this is business as usual in terms of the composed and complex swagger that is a hallmark of Dom. Good deep autolysis here, toasty yeasty characters wrap around a wealth of grapefruit and pithy lemon citrus notes; the chardonnay rings clear as a bell at around half of the blend. The palate has assertive, driving power and fully formed deep-seated phenolic presence with a chord of acidity steering it through a long, fresh and gently nutty finish. Classic Dom is back! Best drunk around 2019.James Suckling | 96 JS(Dom Pérignon Brut (Moët et Chandon)) The 2004 Dom Pérignon is another great classic in the making, and this is one of those vintages that will truly deserve all of thirty years’ worth of bottle age, so that it can fully blossom and deliver fully its formidable potential. The beautiful bouquet delivers a refined still youthful constellation of green apple, menthol, salty minerality, white flowers, a touch of iodine and already, the first hints of the crème patissière to come with more bottle age. On the palate the wine is pure, full and very racy in personality, with a lovely core, excellent complexity, refined mousse and superb focus and grip on the very long and energetic finish. This is still a puppy and needs several more years in the cellar to start to blossom, but it will be stunning once it reaches its plateau of peak maturity. Expect it to first start to properly open at age twenty and really hit its stride at age thirty and beyond. (Drink between 2024-2075).John Gilman | 96+ JGWith all the lush plenitude of the 2004 vintage, this wine’s explosive flavors give it a bold, broad, layered impression on the palate. But the tight structure and edgy tension of the acidity reins it in, capturing the wine’s aromatic power and extending it into graceful length. This is a precise and sophisticated Champagne suited to the cellar.Wine & Spirits | 96 W&SA graceful Champagne, with minerally drive. Firm acidity and a rich vein of smoky mineral meshes with the plush texture, offering finely woven flavors of mirabelle jam, toasted brioche, crunchy pear, honey and smoked almond. Delivers a long, mouthwatering finish. Drink now through 2029.Wine Spectator | 95 WSThe 2004 Dom Pérignon is one of the more reductive, autolytic vintages of this wine to have been released in the last decade, offering up a toasty bouquet of pears, green apple, iodine, peach and smoke. On the palate, it’s medium to full-bodied, satiny textured and fleshy, with a sweet core of fruit, a fine mousse and a vinous profile. The 2004 is drinking well today: as I wrote earlier this year, between the rich, ripe 2002 and the powerful but racy 2008, the 2004 is an excellent but more classically proportioned example of Dom Pérignon.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPIn 2004, quality and quantity were happy bedfellows, especially in the vineyards of the Côte des Blancs. Geoffroy said that by now he had the confidence and experience to stand back a little and allow nature to do its worst, or in this instance, its best. He describes ’04’s appeal in terms of a ‘substantial embrace’ and there’s certainly a generous, almost sensual character to this wine. It’s finely manicured with a glorious nose, the faintest touch of reduction and woodsmoke held in perfect counterpoint by a nascent fruit character. Dramatic tension cedes to radiance and harmony. Served from jeroboam. Drinking Window 2019 - 2035.Decanter | 93 DEC(Moët & Chandon Brut - Dom Perignon (magnum) Champagne/Sparkling) In the same fashion as the 2006, here too there is noticeable reduction though in contrast to its younger brother, the reductive notes completely dominate. Otherwise there is very good intensity to the particularly well-delineated middle weight flavors that are supported by an admirably fine mousse while delivering good if not sensational length on the youthfully austere, linear, compact and notably dry finish. I appreciate that this is exceptionally primary and this sense of youthful backwardness is of course enhanced by the magnum format. That said, this seems to lack nuance and the nose is so reduced that it’s not easy to imagine how that level of funk eventually dissipates. In short, while this may eventually come together I found the ’04 Dom to be somewhat disappointing. (Drink starting 2024).Burghound | 90 BH

Combining subtleness with complexity, the coolish Krug 2004 Brut opens with a highly elegant, fascinatingly clear, bright and refreshing bouquet of ripe (apple) fruits. Dense and round, with a delicate mineral soul, the pure but perfectly balanced 2004 reveals great finesse and weightless elegance with a long and round finish. This is a gorgeous Krug vintage that is 14 years old but still on the rise. Tasted from ID 316034 in New York in November 2018.At the beginning of November 2018 I met Olivier Krug early on a Friday morning (even before breakfast) in New York’s beautiful Simon & The Whale hotel. If you get the chance to have some Krug cuvées, you will not miss your breakfast too, I suppose. Olivier insisted on naming the 166th edition of the Krug Grande Cuvée as "166ème Édition" and not as "Number 166" or just "Krug 166." Olivier said that "the cuvée represents the history of Krug and is the result of blending potentially 250 base wines from a time span of 20 or 25 years." He also doesn’t like to speak of the 2004 as a vintage Champagne or of the two Clos as single-vineyard wines. "Single-vineyard wines are not our objective, nor are vintage Champagnes," he explains. "We produce Krug, and only the repeated blind tastings of all our 250 or so base wines by five to seven tasters decides which cuvées we are going to produce. If the vintage doesn’t reflect the soul of the vintage, we will not produce it. If we don’t detect the extraordinary quality and singularity of the one or the other Clos, we will not produce it. The two Clos exist because of Krug. There wouldn’t be any Clos without Krug," Olivier added, underlining that there is no hierarchy in the Krug offerings. The tastings of the 2004 vins clairs, however, crystallized the 2004 Brut because it represents the "luminous freshness" of the vintage, as Olivier describes it. Our morning tasting started with the still very young and uneasy or somewhat restless Krug Grande Cuvée 166ème Édition, which was followed by the 2004 Krug. In turn, the 20014 Krug was followed by the outstanding Grande Cuvée 160ème Édition, which is predominantly based on the 2004 harvest and shows the complexity of the cuvée combined with the purity and freshness of the 2004 vintage. Krug fans should download the Krug App, as it includes detailed information about the cuvée, the vintage and the blending partners that can be found by entering the ID code. The first three digits of the ID code represent the date of disgorgement, so that ID316 translates to the third quarter of 2016Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPKrug’s 2004 Vintage is absolutely mesmerizing. Layers of bright, chiseled fruit open up effortlessly as the wine fleshes out with time in the glass. Persistent and beautifully focused, with a translucent sense of energy, the 2004 captures all the best qualities of the year. Moreover, the 2004 is clearly superior to the consistently underwhelming 2002 and the best Krug Vintage since 1996. Readers who can find it should not hesitate, as it is a magical bottle.Antonio Galloni | 97+ AGID: 214041 This is an extremely fresh edition and remains in a restrained mode with an intense serve of chardonnay’s lemon citrus dominating the nose alongside lime zest, bright florals, grassy elements, fresh dough, white stones and very subtle background spice. The palate has a svelte and elegant shape. Smoother than the 2002, it shares the same quality of precision but not the raging power of that vintage. The poise is unquestionable, the wine very reserved, with plenty of lemon-infused citrus flavors, hints of fresh cashew and a lot of potential. Acidity holds superbly, the dosage is exactly where it should be. This is a classic release. It’s all about chardonnay. Best from 2022 and will mature gracefully in linear style in bottle for several decades.James Suckling | 97 JS2004 was a late harvest year, and this vintage Krug, composed of 39% Chardonnay, 37% Pinot Noir and 24% Pinot Meunier, possesses an impressive aromatic richness of hazelnuts, white fruit and spring flowers. There’s both density and freshness on the palate, and an engaging counterpoint between vinosity and tension achieves a compelling, harmonious balance. Worthy of an audacious match with sea urchins! Drinking Window 2018 - 2030Decanter | 96 DEC(Krug Brut Millésime (Reims)) The 2004 Krug Brut Millésime is a superb example of the vintage. The cépages this year is thirty-nine percent chardonnay, thirty-seven percent pinot noir and twenty-four percent pinot meunier. It was aged twelve years sur latte prior to disgorgement and preparation for market. The wine has been out now for more than a year and is really starting to blossom nicely, offering up a deep and complex bouquet of apple, pear, sourdough bread, a superb foundation of minerality, caraway seed and a smoky topnote. On the palate the wine is bright, full-bodied and impeccably balanced, with a superb core of fruit, fine mineral drive and grip, elegant mousse and a long, vibrant and complex finish. Some 2004s are in a slightly leaner phase of their development right now, but this is most emphatically not the case with the 2004 Krug, which is drinking very well indeed, despite it still being early on in its journey to complete maturity. (Drink between 2020-2085).John Gilman | 96 JGA graceful Champagne, wowing more for its elegance and fine integration than the underlying power and tension. The delicate mousse caresses the palate, carrying flavors of blackberry, candied kumquat and lemon sorbet with rich accents of espresso crema, pastry cream and chopped almond. Fresh and focused on the lasting, spiced finish. Disgorged autumn 2017. Drink now through 2030.Wine Spectator | 95 WSPrecision sets this wine apart, as if the flavors had diamond-cut clarity. Whatever cool earthiness or spicy-lees broadness there may be is focused and lifted by the structure, so that the wine’s flavors feel restrained and elegant. Deliciously fresh, with an undercurrent of chalky tension and a citrus sting, this would be a great partner to Cantonese dim sum. Moët Hennessy USA, NYWine & Spirits | 94 W&S

A meaty and decadent Lynch with very ripe currant aromas on the nose. Full body, velvety-textured tannins and a powerful finish. It shows so much structure and fruit yet remains polished and focused. Lovely now to drink but better in 2017.James Suckling | 96 JSTextbook, with mouthfilling and slightly gutsy black currant, fig and blackberry fruit flavors bound together by singed cedar, iron and tobacco notes. Features a tug of loam followed by a second wave of fruit through the finish. This is just starting to stretch out.—Blind ’01/’03/’05 Bordeaux retrospective (December 2017). Best from 2020 through 2040. 35,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 96 WSClassic Lynch-Bages with just a bit of extra power and richness. While the tannins are structured, it is the velvety fruit that rolls around the mouth that is the most dominant character. It is coming together into a wine that will be big and dense, but never over the top.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEThe 2005 Lynch-Bages is a surprising wine. Whereas so many 2005s have begun to enter their first plateau of early maturity, the 2005 comes across as still young and in need of further cellaring! The purity of the fruit is striking. Readers who want to get the full Lynch-Bages experience will have to wait at least a few more years. The 2005 is a wine of substance and depth, with all of the raciness that is typical of this wine. It is one of the dark horses of the vintage, and still has room to go. Impressive.Antonio Galloni | 95+ AGAlmost forward but still young; spicy cassis lifts and lengthens its rich dark berry flavours. One of the best Lynch-Bages ever.Decanter | 94 DECAs for the 2005 Lynch-Bages, it is a sexy, surprisingly soft and accessible style of wine, with a deep ruby/purple color, loads of crème de cassis, cedar wood and forest floor notes, medium to full body, ripe tannin and a long, fleshy finish. Drink it over the next 15+ years.Robert Parker | 92 RP

This really does have a wonderful texture that is reminiscent of great pinot noir while remaining obviously cabernet franc and merlot. It shows a seductive nose of cream, berries, chocolate and flowers. It’s full-bodied, very intense and seamless in length. Pure class. Drink now and enjoy but will improve for years ahead.James Suckling | 98 JSThe 2005 La Conseillante is powerhouse effort that’s still youthfully ruby/plum colored and possesses a lively, vibrant style. Deep, concentrated, full-bodied, and incredibly well balanced, it offers a killer bouquet of dark fruits, kirsch, toasty oak, incense, and licorice. While just now at the early stages of maturity, it has another two decades of longevity and is certainly a match for the 2000 and 1990.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDDisplaying spectacular aromatics of mulberry, blueberry and raspberry fruit, a dense ruby/purple color, and sweet floral notes, in the mouth the 2005 La Conseillante is not as broad and powerful as Petrus, Trotanoy, Hosanna or Lafleur, but it is gorgeously silky, elegant and stylish. This medium-bodied, savory wine is a graceful, provocative and compelling Pomerol to drink now and over the next 25 years.Robert Parker | 97 RPThe 2005 La Conseillante is a rich, heady Pomerol. Crème de cassis, lavender, chocolate, leather, espresso, licorice and sweet French oak infuse the 2005 with tremendous character. The 2005 is, naturally, a wine of its era. There is quite a bit of extraction and tannin, and yet the wine has aged impeccably. Time in the glass brings out energy and aromatic lift to round things out nicely. The 2005 just got better and better with time, so I suggest giving it a good bit of air. I would prefer to drink it over the next decade or so.Antonio Galloni | 97 AGThis is decadent and wild on the nose, with fresh cèpe, raw steak and wild berry. Full-bodied, with loads of velvety tannins, yet refined and caressing in every way. A beautiful, balanced red. The best young wine ever from this producer. Best after 2017. 4,165 cases made.Wine Spectator | 97 WSBeautifully creamy in texture, well balanced with some gentle white pepper spice, truffles and soft raspberries along with saffron and smoke edging. This is a great moment to drink, particularly because there was a little less density overall in La Conseillante during this era, and so it has reached a drinking window a little earlier than it tends to do in years from 2010 onwards. Effortless balance. A yield of 38hl/ha. 100% new oak. Drinking Window 2021 - 2038.Decanter | 96 DECConseillante is breathtaking in 2005, a terroir performing at the peak of its potential. The wine is compressed and powerful, layered in sweet merlot tannin and pure, wild berry fruit. It feels cool and dynamic, monstrous at one moment, resonant the next. This was a little disjointed en primeur, and though it has come together in bottle, it still needs long cellar time for the layers of extract to unfold. It seems to take its tremendous sophistication directly from the ground.Wine & Spirits | 96 W&S(Château La Conseillante (Pomerol)) The 2005 vintage of La Conseillante is a great wine in the making, with this estate’s elegant and always transparent personality very much in evidence in this outstanding year. The bouquet is deep, pure and superb, offering up notes of raspberries, black cherries, gravelly soil tones, tobacco leaf, a touch of menthol and a judicious framing of spicy new wood. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and very pure on the attack, with a fine core, superb soil signature, tangy acids and great length and grip on the poised and moderately tannic finish. This is a brilliant vintage for La Conseillante. (Drink between 2020-2055)John Gilman | 95 JGTasted in early 2006, the barrel sample of this wine was disappointing. But the wine has now shown the sweetness and richness of its fruit, packed with juicy, ripe Merlot, and is held together by sweet tannins. Developing well; drink in another four years.Wine Enthusiast | 90 WE

This small jewel of a property owned by the Garcin family has been making great wine for a number of years, with the only problem being its very limited availability. Their beautifully deep 2005 has a dark purple color and displays charcoal, blackberry and cassis fruit, with some smoky barbecue notes in the background. This full-bodied, opulent wine is still youthful at age 10, and promises to continue to evolve for another 15-20 years. Pure and stunning, this is a great wine of the vintage.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96+ RPVery good saturated deep red. Cherry, plum, smoke and warm earth on the nose, lifted by spices and menthol. Fat, sweet, lush and impressively concentrated; comes across as more powerful but less pliant today than the 2006, with a firm tannic structure for a wine from this property. Not at all over the top; in fact, this gives the impression of a lower pH than the 2006 today. May be even better than it’s showing now.Vinous Media | 92+ VMAromas of crushed blackberry, tobacco and wet earth follow through to a full body, with velvety tannins and a clean, fruity finish. There’s lots of chocolate, vanilla bean and fruit in the aftertaste. Best after 2012. 665 cases made.Wine Spectator | 91 WS

Gorgeously pure blueberry and blackberry fruit along with some notes of cassis, charcoal and licorice jump from the glass of this inky purple wine. An absolutely fabulous success for Malartic Lagravière, this full-bodied wine has sweet tannin, and is complex and long. Drink it over the next 25 years. Bravo!Robert Parker | 95 RPA modern, lush wine, the 2005 Malartic Lagraviere packs a serious punch. Inky red/purplish fruit, leather, smoke, tobacco and mocha all race out of the glass. This is an especially flamboyant style shaped by a good deal of new French oak, but the wood is now nicely balanced. I am pleasantly surprised to see how youthful the 2005 is. I would prefer to drink this succulent, racy Pessac-Léognan over the next decade or so.Antonio Galloni | 93 AGA deliciously black currant-flavored wine, with juicy fruit, plum skins and spice over the firm tannins. Great balance already shows through; a finely poised wine.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WEA little shy still but shows very pretty dark berry and wet earth with hints of stones. Medium-to-full-bodied with fine tannins and a fresh, delicately fruity finish. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 90 JSThere's beautiful blackberry and toasty oak on the nose, with hints of licorice and meat. Full-bodied, with velvety tannins and a dark chocolate, fresh herb and currant aftertaste. Best after 2013. 8,330 cases made.Wine Spectator | 90 WS

The concentration and intensity has slowly but noticeably been increasing over the last few vintages as the vines begin to achieve a higher average age and it’s particularly evident in 2005. Here the nose is unusually expressive rather than its usual brooding character with pretty, even elegant aromas of spicy red pinot and purple fruit and warm earth notes that can also be found on the powerful but detailed, indeed almost nervous flavors that possess excellent precision and a very attractive underlying tension on the explosive finish that delivers flat out incredible length. 2005 is the best vintage for this wine that I’ve seen since Mugnier took over.Burghound | 96 BHBright ruby-red. Knockout nose offers strawberry, blueberry, musky herbs and brown spices, with an almost liqueur-like sweetness. Wonderfully sweet and plush, with a bottomless quality to its fruit. This is amazingly expressive today, but it’s hard to imagine that this wine won’t shut down within the next year or two. An outstanding vintage for this cuvee, finishing with great length and lift. Half of these vines were planted in 1981 and 1987, while the rest are considerably older. Mugnier has never liked these latter clones, but notes that they continue to improve with age.Vinous Media | 95 VMI have never tasted a better example of Bonner-Mares from Monsieur Mugnier than the 2005, as the combination of this vineyard’s more reserved terroir and the velvety, perfumed elegance of the vintage have combined to make a truly special bottle. The bouquet is deep, refined and utterly seductive, as it offers up a stunningly pure mélange of black cherries, red plums, roses, cocoa powder, a touch of woodsmoke, a lovely base of soil and a judicious framing of vanillin oak. On the palate the wine is full-bodied, pure and sappy to the core, with an attack of velvet, great acids for brightness and focus, and utterly supple tannins on the backend that will carry the wine for decades, and yet seemingly never cause deferment of gratification. Just a beautiful bottle of elegant, intensely flavored Bonnes-Mares. This wine is nearly irresistible out of the blocks, but I would be inclined to certainly try and bury it in the cellar for a bit and let its secondary and tertiary layers of complexity build. (Drink between 2015 - 2050)John Gilman | 94 JGThe Mugnier 2005 Bonnes-Mares (of which there will be only around 125 cases) leads with aromas of ripe mulberry, blackberry, roasted meat, black tea, horehound and musky florality. This is one of those decidedly darkly-hued 2005s, and lacks the refreshment, the treble high-tones, or quite the focus of its siblings. Where this wine looks likely to shine is in its depth of mineral and earthy (stone and humus) manifestations, which already dominate the finish. Certainly this represents a dramatic departure in character from most other Bonnes-Mares of the vintage, which I am at a loss to explain.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 90-92 RP

Very beautiful aromas of crushed berry, flowers, currant and Indian spices follow through to a full body, with ultrafine tannins and a long, long finish. Extremely polished and beautiful, with a seamless texture. Best after 2014. 10,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 97 WSThe 2005 Rauzan-Ségla is captivating right from the very first taste. Soaring aromatics and bright veins of minerality confer energy to this statuesque Margaux. The 2005 is still a very young wine. In fact, I would cellar it for a few years. I am blown away by its energy, vibrant and sheer character. Bright red-toned fruit, spice, rose petal, blood orange and crushed rocks literally soar out of the glass. The 2005 captures the richness of the year, but it remains a classically built, mid-weight wine of remarkable freshness and tension. Rauzan-Ségla might very well be the most under the radar Left Bank wine in 2005. Magnificent.Vinous Media | 97 VMThis is showing really well right now with an exuberance and richness that verges on extravagance. It’s full body, firmly textured with a ripe and rich fruit too. So much berry, spice, chocolate and incense character. Love to drink it now but a long life ahead of it.James Suckling | 97 JSOne distinguishing factor of this vintage is that it managed to create a wine such as this: a finely tailored, seamless Margaux that has the textural caress of silk while its tannins explode in a long, slow roundhouse punch so that you don’t notice them until they are all that you see. And yet it doesn’t feel crass or aggressive. The spiciness of the wine brings anise to mind; the flavor depth carries dark fruit into mineral territory. Completely of a piece, Rauzan is significantly more expressive than it was en primeur. This has an unaffected stamina that will keep it going for 25 years or more.Wine & Spirits Magazine | 96 W&SA wine with a beautiful mouthfeel and shape. This is rich, gleaming in the ripe black fruits, the touch of spice and mint, as well as the sweet blackberry flavors. The acidity is balanced, showing off the fruit. There is weight and density as well. Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEDeep garnet in color, the 2005 Rauzan-Ségla sings of plum preserves, redcurrant jelly, raspberry pie, kirsch and blackcurrant cordial with nuances of dried lavender, rose hip tea, hoisin and incense. The medium to full-bodied palate is densely packed with rich, expansive black fruits with loads of incense and exotic spice sparks, finishing long and layered. Still quite youthful, I anticipate a long life ahead for this perfumed beauty!Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPThe finest wine made at this estate since 2000, the 2005 Rauzan-Ségla checks in as a brilliant blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 39% Merlot, and the balance Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. It has a touch of lightening at the rim, but it’s still youthfully ruby-colored and offers a fabulous bouquet of cassis, toasted spices, dried tobacco, and graphite. It has lots of sweet tannins, a full-bodied, opulent mouthfeel, terrific density, and a great finish. It has some maturity and is drinking great today, yet I’d say it has upwards of another two decades of longevity. It’s a beautiful wine and one of the gems in the lineup.Jeb Dunnuck | 95 JD

The 2005 Pichon-Longueville Baron is another concentrated, full-bodied 2005 that’s starting to drink well. Cassis, black cherries, tobacco leaf, cedar and classic Pauillac lead-pencil characteristics all emerge from this ripe, sexy, surprisingly rounded effort that has a stacked mid-palate and sweet, polished tannin. It’s impressive today but is going to cruise for another two to three decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JDBaron was trapped in its oak en primeur, seeming flashy, luscious and soft. Now bottled and shipped, it has the unremitting tannic power of the vintage, balanced by unrelenting purity of fruit that somehow manages to anesthetize the monstrous tannin, to soften the extremely dry, mineral-bound finish into a caress. The wine may be bombastic, but it’s also succulent and as sweet as a ripe black raspberry. It’s easy to imagine this wine 50 years from now, in impeccable condition. Diageo Château & Estate Wines, NYWine & Spirits | 96 W&SA great, classic Pauillac, with its dark, dense, almost black currant flavors stirred together with immense tannins. The layers of dryness, fresh fruits, acidity and ripeness are all coming together into a magnificent structure.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEWeeks of sunshine preceded an entirely healthy harvest, leading to high expectations that have been fulfilled. This is still opaque red in colour, the resplendent black-fruit nose accompanied by toasty oak, though still a bit reserved. Very rich and velvety, it is highly concentrated with lavish tannins. Broad-shouldered and chocolatey, it has moderate acidity and is now beginning to open up, though it remains imposing and a bit monumental. Textured and long. Drinking Window 2020 - 2038Decanter | 95 DECThe 2005 Pichon Baron is in a gorgeous spot right now. Aromatically expressive and open, the 2005 is so expressive. Cedar, sweet pipe tobacco, mint, dried flowers, mocha and sweet red cherry fruit all meld together in a creamy, wonderfully expressive Pauillac. A long, persistent finish with terrific saline energy rounds things out in style. The 2005 is a super classic Pichon Baron that delivers so much pleasure.Antonio Galloni | 95 AGOffers crushed currant and blackberry on the nose, turning to tar and licorice. Full-bodied, with a solid core of ripe fruit and seamless tannins. Goes on and on. Very, very beautiful. A cross between the 2000 and fabulous 2003. Best after 2013. 20,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WSThe 2005 Pichon Baron has a dense ruby/purple color, sweet crème de cassis fruit, lots of cedar wood and forest floor, medium to full body, ripe tannin, and a long finish of a good 30+ seconds. This is a beauty and one of the most successful Pauillacs of this vintage. Drink it now through 2035.Robert Parker | 93 RP

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

A sexy, style of wine from the Lurtons at Brane-Cantenac, this wine (a blend of 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 41% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Franc) has a stunning nose of forest floor, licorice, blackcurrants, plums and spring flowers. Soft tannin, full-bodied opulence and beautifully textured, lush richness, make for a brilliant wine from this large, 180-acre vineyard. In spite of the wine’s stunning forward fragrance and lushness, the color still looks as if it is 3-4 years old, rather than a decade. This is a big-time winner in 2005 and should drink well for at least another 25+ years.Robert Parker | 95 RPThe 2005 Brane-Cantenac is fabulous. Effusive and explosive to the core, the 2005 possesses tons of energy and pedigree to burn. Crushed flowers, mint, gravel, red/purplish fruit, sage and mocha abound. In 2005 Brane-Cantenac is remarkably deep and vivid. It also comes across as needing a bit more time to soften. Readers will find one of the most distinguished wines of the Left Bank. I especially admire its drive and mid-weight classicism. Hints of cedar and sweet pipe tobacco linger.Antonio Galloni | 94 AGThe fruit has become the main attraction here--layers of ripeness, tempered with an elegant smoothness. The tannins are certainly present in this powerful wine, but they are here to lend support, not dominate. With herbs and very clean black fruits, this is a wine to follow.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEWith its classic Left Bank profile, this blend of 51% Cabernet and 43% Merlot along with 8% Cabernet Franc aged in 70% new casks opened with a bit of tomato and some slightly herbal notes initially but gradually developed aromas of redcurrant, bright cherries, and spice. The texture on the palate was dense and tannic, pointing to a promise of future development—surprisingly good value. Drinking Window 2021 - 2040Decanter | 92 DECShows mineral and blackberry aromas, with hints of licorice. Full-bodied, with soft, silky tannins and a long, smoky, earthy, meaty and fruity aftertaste. Long and stylish. Very refined and beautiful.Wine Spectator | 92 WS

(Taittinger Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut (Reims)) The 2005 Comtes de Champagne is a stunning young wine. The bouquet is deep, pure and youthfully complex, as it offers up a very classy blend of pear, delicious apple, fresh almond, incipient notes of crème patissière, chalky minerality, brioche and just a whisper of vanillin oak in the upper register. On the palate the wine is full-bodied, focused and rock solid at the core, with exquisite balance, refined mousse, crisp acids and simply superb length and grip on the seamless, youthful and oh, so promising finish. The style of the 2005 vintage gives this some early accessibility that was not evident with the more tightly-knit 2004 out of the blocks, but this wine has the structure to also age long and very, very gracefully. It has been a year since I last tasted this wine and it has started to show more precision to go along with its early generosity and is a classic in the making. My gut feeling today is that it will be superior to the 1989 version, to which I compared it to a year ago. Brilliant wine. (Drink between 2015-2045)John Gilman | 95+ JGThe 2005 Comtes de Champagne is a deep, rich, full-bodied beauty that packs serious amounts of fruit and texture, while never seeming heavy or rustic. Loaded with notions of orchards fruits, toast, caramelized citrus and distinct minerality, it has a broad, expansive, yet fine mousse, beautiful mid-palate depth and a great, great finish. It’s well worth seeking out. (Drink between 2017-2032)Jeb Dunnuck | 95 JDWith just a touch of bottle age giving a toasty character, this impressive wine is already showing some maturity. That said, the apple and citrus character, the mineral tight texture and crisp acidity promise some aging. The wine conveys a sense of elegance, intensity and richness. Drink now, but the wine will also age. Wine Enthusiast | 95 WE(Taittinger, Comtes de Champagne, Champagne, France, White) The cold dry winter was followed by a warm and wet July, and then a cooler than usual August. The temperature then escalated, turning extremely hot towards the end of August. The nose is surprisingly restrained, with lime blossom tea and herbaceous notes. The palate is a bit richer, with a creamy, fat mouthfeel and toasted characters lifted by a cleansing acidity, followed by a chalky, mineral finish. (Drink between 2020-2035)Decanter | 94 DEShows lovely balance, with a chinalike backbone of acidity, finely meshed with a creamy mousse and rich and toasty flavors of roasted hazelnut, creamed apple, lemon parfait and spun honey. A vein of smoky minerality echoes on the finish. Drink now through 2028. 700 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 94 WSTaittinger fans will want to stock away at least a few bottles of the 2005 Comtes de Champagne, if nothing else to satisfy the urge while some of the more important recent vintages continue to age in the cellar. The 2005 is immediate, deep and nicely textured, with overt fruit and fewer of the intense floral, mineral-driven notes that are typical. The first signs of aromatic development appear to off on the horizon by a few years, but at the same time, I don't expect the 2005 to be one of the more long-lived vintages here. Comtes de Champagne remains the best value in grand marque Tête de Cuvée Champagne.Antonio Galloni | 93 AGA flashy, stylish Blanc de Blancs, this has exotic, dark tones to its mature fruit and toasty lees. Severe at first, like a brooding supermodel, this relents with air and gives a little plumpness, sharing some of its riches in a supple, elegant texture. With its heady complexity, this is a Champagne to serve with blini and smoked salmon.Wine & Spirits | 93 W&SThe 2005 Comtes de Champagne has a beautifully composed nose that is extremely cool, mineral and precise and attracts with highly elegant and discreet bright and fresh fruit aromas (white apples, lemons, grapefruits) along with chalk and hazelnut flavors and nougat. Full-bodied, lovely, pure and quite complex on the palate, this is a fresh, buoyant and firmly structured Comtesse with a persistent minerality and an impressive clarity and freshness. It is quite reduced at the moment and lacks, perhaps, complexity but there is a touch of sweetness and a good chance for further development.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RP

With a gorgeous nose of super-concentrated black cherry/kirsch liqueur, this wine offers notes of licorice, crushed rock and flowers followed by a full-bodied, powerful, rich finish with a boatload of tannin. This is a long-distance runner and a sensational effort in the vintage. Drink it over the next 25-30 years.Robert Parker | 97+ RPBeautiful crushed berry, spice and raspberry tart character follows through to a full body, with silky tannins and a long, caressing finish. A pretty wine. Best after 2013.Wine Spectator | 91 WS

The Château Canon 2005 has a more complex nose than the Clos Fourtet tasted alongside. It is tightly wound at first with black cherries and dried violet petals, terracotta tiles and brown spices. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins and very well-judged acidity. This is very harmonious in the mouth, nicely structured with great precision and persistence. There is a sense of reserve here, but it has a compelling complexity that will surely be enhanced with bottle age. It’s wines like these that remind you why this has such as devoted following that includes yours truly among its number.Robert Parker Neal Martin | 96 RP-NMThe 2005 Canon is all brawn and muscle. Chunky tannins give the 2005 a decidedly virile feel. There is plenty of depth and freshness - this is after all one of the very best sites in all of Bordeaux - so the 2005 will hold for many years to come. Dark fruit, leather, smoke, gravel, crushed rocks and spice linger on the potent finish. Tasting the 2005 today really highlights how far Canon has come in recent yearsVinous Media | 95 VMThe 2005 Château Canon is beautiful, although I think it checks in behind vintages such as 2009, 2015, 2016, and 2017. Revealing a deep ruby/purple hue as well as mineral-laced notes of black raspberries, black cherries, white flowers, crushed rock, and Asian spice, it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, incredible purity, and flawless balance. It stays more compact and tight, with little in the way of baby fat, but it’s incredibly elegant and pure. A gorgeous, layered, seamless wine that blossoms with a decant, it unquestionably has another 20-25 years of prime drinking.Jeb Dunnuck | 95 JDAromas of fresh cep mushrooms, berries, spices, roses, and sous bois, give way to hints of milk chocolate and vanilla. Full and rich, with beautifully balanced tannins and a long finish. Loads going on in this wine, yet it remains subtle and beautiful. This needs time. Pull the cork after 2015.James Suckling | 94 JS(Château Canon) While the 2006 Canon is still open and quite easy to project on into its future, the 2005 has gone into hibernation and is not particularly forthcoming at the present time. The bouquet reluctantly yields up scents of black cherries, dark chocolate, tobacco leaf, some gravelly soil tones and a bit of spicy new wood that is buried deep in the other aromatic elements. On the palate the wine is very full-bodied, deep and rock solid at the core, with the vintage’s beautiful taught acidity really sealing up this beauty from the mid-palate back. The finish is long, firmly tannic and superbly well focused, with excellent grip and a palate-staining persistency. Today this wine is hermetically sealed, but it will be superb at its apogee. (Drink between 2025-2075)John Gilman | 92-94+ JGShows a lightly roasted edge at first, with raspberry and boysenberry confiture notes laced with melted licorice, singed alder and firm graphite details. Reveals a fine chalky hint, but this has more bass than treble overall. Still rather tight.—Non-blind Canon vertical (December 2016). Best from 2020 through 2030. 4,200 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WSFreshness and richness combine in this wine. There’s a eucalyptus freshness that goes with the intense acidity. But alongside this is the dark, dense blackberry fruit that layers with the hints of wood. Keep this for six years before tasting, and then for many more.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WE

This is so creamy, almost milky in feel, with toasted coconut and cashew notes giving way to sweet peach, apricot and glazed pear flavors that glide along, while ginger, green tea, lychee and kumquat flavors extend through the finish. Shows terrific range and definition. Feels like it’s just starting to open, and is in no rush. Drink now through 2035. 2,665 cases made.Wine Spectator | 96 WSTasted blind at the 10-Year On Tasting in Sauternes. The 2005 Château de Fargues has a rich and intense bouquet with layers of honey, dried peach, beeswax and acacia that soar from the glass. The palate is powerful and authoritative: intense botrytis-rich honeyed fruit with compelling mineralité underneath. It fans out in glorious fashion – a stunning de Fargues that is now beginning to show its talents. As I remarked a couple of years ago, just afford it a couple more years so that it can fully absorb the vestiges of oak.Robert Parker Neal Martin | 95 RP-NMThe nose is sumptuous but still conspicuously oaky, though the oak doesn’t suppress the lovely apricot fruit. Indeed it confers aromatic elegance. Very sweet and intense on the palate, this is creamy and concentrated, with excellent purity of fruit, but a lively acidity, which gives the wine its finesse. Well balanced. Drinking Window 2021 - 2030.Decanter | 93 DECMedium yellow. Exotic, high-toned apricot, spices and flowers on the nose, complemented by coconutty, toasty oak. Very sweet and unctuous, with exotic, nobly rotten flavors of pineapple, apricot and coconut and an impression of elevated alcohol. Not quite as racy, fruity or structured as the 2007; conveys an impression of softer acidity, and yet this maintains a light touch. Finishes with suggestions of vanilla and marzipan.Vinous Media | 92 VMNo written review provided. | 92 W&S

A complete and sexy wine with very polished and refined tannins yet there’s an energy and posture that gives the wine such intrigue. Buy it. James Suckling | 96 JSVery grapey on the nose, with mineral, tarragon and fresh flowers. Full-bodied, with very well-integrated tannins and a light vanilla, berry and milk chocolate aftertaste. Subtle and balanced. The best Nenin in years. Best after 2012.Wine Spectator | 93 WSA very smooth, rich wine, with a slight touch of pepper from the alcohol. The tannins are huge but submerged by ripe fruit. There's almost Napa-like ripeness, but also delicious acidity.Wine Enthusiast | 91 WEAn attractive minty, almost eucalyptus nose, with red cherry brightness; however, it’s not as dense or long as the 2015. Indeed, while the 2015 is a little closed, the tannins here come across almost hard by comparison, making the wine less charming than you’d expect from a Pomerol. The blend contains 74% Merlot and 26% Cabernet Franc. Drinking Window 2018 - 2030.Decanter | 90 DEC

This appears to be the synthesis of the fabulous 2001 and 2003. It shows wonderful aromas of botrytis spice, honey and citrus rind. Lots of fruit with a tropical fruit undertone of mango and papaya on the palate. Intense finish. Too excellent not to drink.James Suckling | 97 JSDelivers lots of botrytis spice, with lemon tart and cooked apple. Full-bodied, with loads of cream and vanilla and an intense tropical fruit and honey aftertaste. Long and viscous, with a layered and beautiful spicy finish. Hard not to drink it now. Best after 2014. 8,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 97 WSTypical of the huge power of Guiraud, this is one of the richest Sauternes in 2005. The wine is rich and intense, the dry edge of botrytis just dominating the sweetness. Flavors of honey, almonds and peaches give the wine extra complexity.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WESeething with power, there’s baritone richness to this wine’s complex fruit, a deeper tone to the surface of honey and citrus. It feels clean, fresh and bright, the structure holding the wine’s complexity tight for now, waiting to release it with age.Wine & Spirits | 95 W&S(Château Guiraud) Château Guiraud has long been one of my favorite estates in Sauternes, with its higher percentage of sauvignon blanc in the blend always producing an exotically styled wine with more grassiness and wild herbaceous tones than is customarily found in wines from this region, but which I find both unique and compelling. It seems to me that the flip side of a higher percentage of sauvignon blanc in the blend at Guiraud demands that the wine be given a bit more bottle age than some of its neighbors, and I often find that Guiraud can be overlooked a bit at early horizontal tastings of a new vintage of Sauternes, as its youthful reticence and grassy profile can stick out a bit amongst more classically profiled wines such as Climens, Suduiraut or Rieussec. But in my experience it certainly deserves to be ranked up with those fine properties. However, the 2005 Guiraud is uncharacteristically showing charmingly right out of the blocks, as it offers up a complex and beautiful bouquet of pear, oranges, gentle herbal tones, incipient notes of honey, soil and a nice framing of vanillin oak. On the palate the wine is full-bodied, pure and elegant, with lovely mid-palate depth, sound acids and lovely length and grip on the very refined finish. Lovely juice. (Drink between 2020-2050)John Gilman | 92 JGFull golden-yellow. Orange oil, clove, ginger, mint and minerals on the perfumed, vibrant noise. Superrich but juicy and vibrant, with an exotic hint to the fresh apricot and peach flavors. This boasts an exhilarating sugar/acid balance and finishes with terrific life and grip. Lafaurie-Peyraguey.Vinous Media | 92+ VMTasted blind at the 10-Year On Tasting in Sauternes. The 2005 Château Guiraud has a rich nose of dried honey, orange blossom and buttercup that is nicely defined but does not quite have the intensity of the best Sauternes 05s. The palate is fresh and lithe on the entry, smooth and honeyed both in taste and texture with a long orange zest, vanilla and almond finish that is sensual and persistent. It meliorates in the glass, forages more zest and vitality, so don’t be afraid to aerate/decant this for an hour or two.Robert Parker Neal Martin | 92 RP-NM

Beautiful ruby red colour, rapsberry puree and cocoa dusting aromatics, still young, a wonderfully embracing tannic frame, rapsberrry, blueberry and loganberry fruits, slate-scraping minerality, just a gorgeous wine that is bursting out of the glass and still has so much more to give. Balanced, mouthwatering, persistent, just at the start of its long and pleasure-filled life, showcasing so much that is wonderful about 2005. Get on board. This is a 2 point higher score than the last time I tasted in April 2021, reflecting that the 2005s are just right now beginning to open up.Jane Anson | 96 JATight and dense still but so integrated and seamless in texture. Aromas of chocolate, hazelnuts, dried spices and currants. Full body, superfine tannins and a texture that is so caressing and beautiful. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 94 JSTasted from an ex-château bottle at BI Wine & Spirits Calon-Segur dinner in London, the 2005 Calon Segur is on par with the wonderful 2000. The only real difference is that this needs more time in bottle. It has a captivating nose: blackberry and boysenberry fruit coming at you at full pelt; dried blood and bacon fat developing as secondary aromas just behind. There is fine delineation here - an underlying mineralité sure to surface with time. The palate is very intense and disarmingly youthful, almost ferrous on the entry with layers of ripe black fruit that segue into an earthy finish (with a curious light tang of Marmite on the aftertaste!). It is a fabulous Calon Ségur, though the millennial wine might ultimately possess greater precision. We will see. Tasted March 2015.Robert Parker Neal Martin | 94 RP-NMHas a beautiful nose of crushed berry, spices and nutmeg, with a hint of coffee. Then turns to licorice. Full-bodied, with supersilky tannins and a long finish of vanilla, berry and cinnamon. Beautifully crafted. Best after 2014. 17,500 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WSFirm and structured, the Calon-Ségur remains surprisingly muscular. Produced from a blend of 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc and a splash of Petit Verdot, all aged in new casks, this shows a bright redcurrant and mint nose with a bit of spice and smoke. The feel on the palate is tannic and firm, perhaps lacking a bit of generosity at this point, but the rich extract suggests that with time it should come around. Drinking Window 2021 - 2040.Decanter | 93 DEC(Château Calon-Ségur) The 2005 vintage at Calon-Ségur was comprised of more than fifty percent merlot, and while the wine is a good wine in its way, it lacks the brightness, soil signature and classic profile of the wines from 2006 forwards. The bouquet is deep, reserved and shows admirable depth in its constellation of dark berries, tobacco leaf, woodsmoke, espresso, herb tones, a touch of hoisin sauce, dark soil and nutty new wood. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and nascently complex, with good purity at the rock solid core, firm tannins and excellent length and grip on the black fruity and still very youthful finish. Qualitatively, this is clearly the equivalent of the 2006, but I have a far stronger preference for the style of the latter vintage, as this is just missing a bit of spark from all of its merlot in the blend. A very good wine, but not a classic Calon-Ségur. (Drink between 2022-2050)John Gilman | 92 JGDeep, bright ruby-red. Deeply pitched aromas of black raspberry, black cherry, leather, smoked meat, earth and menthol. Chewy, brooding and deep, with concentrated black cherry, menthol, mineral and leather flavors framed by a powerful spine of acids and tannins. Really saturates the palate on the tannic back end. I’d give this classic St. Estephe a decade of aging, at which time this wine may well merit an even higher score.Vinous Media | 92+ VM

The pale to medium lemon-gold colored 2005 d’Yquem opens with a provocative, mineral and earth-tinged nose of chalk dust, wet pebbles and dried wild mushrooms over a core of warm apricots, green mango, honeyed toast, ginger and pink grapefruit plus wafts of honeycomb, orange blossoms and saffron. The palate confirms the wine is still a little closed and shut down, offering achingly gorgeous glimpses at the tightly wound, intricate layers structured with a racy acid line and wonderfully creamy texture, finishing incredibly long and perfumed. This decadent flavor bomb still needs a good five to seven years in bottle before it is set to go off, but oh what a spectacle it will give then!Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPThis has a deliciously pure feel, with juicy, inviting green plum, ginger, heather, creamed pineapple and Jonagold apple flavors all melded together and gliding through the lengthy finish, which echoes with lilting flowers and dried citrus notes. Best from 2015 through 2045. 12,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 97 WSThis isn’t sweet, but just so wonderfully rich. It’s the concentration of botrytis that makes the wine. The texture is velvet, but with a spicy bite to it. Apricot, honey and marzipan all contribute to a wine that will age over decades.Wine Enthusiast | 97 WEThe 2005 Yquem is limpid golden in hue. The bouquet is gorgeous, finely-tuned and precise with clear honey, vanilla pod and saffron, less of the almond that I have noticed previously. The palate is built around its exquisite poise, the acidity keeping this Yquem on its tip-toes. As I have noted before, it appears to be gaining in concentration and viscosity with age, lovely fig and tangerine notes combining with a slight nuttiness on the finish. Tasted at 67 Pall Mall in London.Vinous Media | 96 VMWhat an incredible nose of flowers, honey, spices such as clove, and sandalwood. With time, decadent aromas of apple tart and crumble develop. Full and very round on the palate, this is medium sweet with a velvety texture. Flavors of honey, apple and pear tart appear on the long finish. This is so beautiful, hard not to drink now but will greatly improve with more time. 140 grams of RS.James Suckling | 95 JSThe summer heat that led to such outstanding wines from Bordeaux in 2005 was not ideal for Sauternes, as the onset of botrytis was fairly late and sporadic. Also the hot conditions kept acidity on the low side. Nonetheless d’Yquem made a finely balanced wine, with discreet apple and apricot aromas that are still reticent. It’s suave, textured and very concentrated, with elegant oak and no overbearing viscosity or heaviness. Very long, it will keep well, but may not be among the very greatest Yquems. Drinking Window 2019 - 2035Decanter | 94 DEC

This needs time in the glass, but unfurls to reveal cedar, cinnamon, tobacco, cassis and rose notes. It’s heady and confident stuff that I’ve tasted several times over the past few months and have been hugely impressed by, especially with food. 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot. Drinking Window 2018 - 2040Decanter | 96 DECThe Chateau Pichon-Lalande 2005 that was so divisive at birth but as I expected right from the beginning, this is maturing into a lovely Pauillac. It offers compelling tobacco and graphite scents on the nose, belying the Merlot content of this blend, reserved at first but opening gloriously in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with very fine tannin and well-judged acidity. There is an effortlessness quality about this Pichon-Lalande. ‘tis not the most powerful or decadent Pauillac but its is very sophisticated and refined.Robert Parker Neal Martin | 95 RP-NMIn recent years, Pichon Comtesse has developed an elegance all its own, with great style, smoothing out the real intensity of the wine. This 2005 continues in that tradition, a spice, fruity wine, which has restraint as well as hidden power.Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEJuicy and sleek in feel, with a gloss of singed vanilla and alder over the core of lively blackberry, fig and black currant paste flavors. Singed charcoal and sweet tobacco notes score the finish and leave a mouthwatering feel. A tough decision whether to drink now or wait, as both choices will be rewarded.—Blind ’01/’03/’05 Bordeaux retrospective (December 2017). Drink now through 2035. 22,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WSWhat a nose on this, with orchids and currants, this is very perfumed and pretty. Full-bodied, with bright and lively acidity. Rose petals and citrus fruit on the palate give way to a long and intense finish. Wait and see where this goes.James Suckling | 93 JS

Always showing well, this bottle of 2005 Château Pontet Canet was just about pure perfection in a glass. Still youthful ruby/purple-hued, with a gorgeous core of pure cassis and darker currant fruits, it’s full-bodied and has a stacked mid-palate, building tannins, and textbook Pauillac graphite, lead pencil, and subtle tobacco and cedar aromas and flavors. It’s a big, rich, powerful 2005 with flawlessly integrated tannins, remarkable purity, and a finish that won’t quit. While it’s still another 5-10 years away from being completely mature, it unquestionably offers incredible pleasure today.Jeb Dunnuck | 98 JDClass in glass. Deep ruby, youthful tone. Such sumptuous red berry, cassis and tobacco aromas. Juicy and full bodied, with smoothly textured tannins. The creamy mid palate texture is framed by an impressive arc of tension and balancing acidity, ensuring long life. Long finish. Super! Aged 50% new oak.Decanter | 97 DECPossibly the youngest wine of all the 2005 Médocs in terms of its evolution, at age 10 the inky purple 2005 Pontet-Canet tastes more like a two-year-old wine. Loads of pure blueberry, blackberry and cassis fruit are present along with a hint of licorice and background oak. It is full-bodied, ripe, and excruciatingly fresh, vigorous and exuberant. This is a tour de force, and a sensational effort that rivals the first growths. Give it another 5-10 years of cellaring, and drink it over the following 30-40 years.Robert Parker | 97+ RPThe 2005 Pontet-Canet is a heady, exotic wine. Inky dark fruit, mocha, chocolate, licorice, spice and tobacco are front and center. Readers will find an unabashedly opulent, full-throttle 2005 with quite a bit more oak influence and overall extraction than is the norm these days. Even so, the 2005 is a young, young wine with a bright future. This is one sexy Pauillac, that’s for sure.Antonio Galloni | 96 AGWarm, fleshy and inviting, featuring a gush of blackberry, fig and boysenberry compote flavors that are both primal and approachable, with light anise, sweet tobacco and ganache notes filling in behind. Shows a serious, deeply buried iron and cedar spine, as the fruit is just pumping forth now.—Blind ’01/’03/’05 Bordeaux retrospective (December 2017). Drink now through 2035. 20,830 cases made. Wine Spectator | 96 WSDespite its core of strength and power and obvious aging ability, this is already a delicious wine, with mint aromas, ripe fruit masking the solid tannins. This estate has been on a roll for several years, and this 2005 shows why.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEDrawn into a tannic trance, this wine’s fresh black raspberry flavor moves through blueberry skin into a graphite, mineral blackout. Before the tannin, it shows a deep reservoir of fruit and the rich espresso-roast scent of fine oak. The texture is meaty, the structure set for long evolution in the cellar. Diageo Château & Estate Wines, NYWine & Spirits | 90 W&S

A fabulous GPL. Perhaps better than the legendary 1982? It shows laser-guide precision on the palate with aromas of currants, cedar, mint, flowers and chocolate. Full-bodied and extremely finely textured on the palate, lasting for minutes. A joy to drink now. Get some.James Suckling | 97 JSMedium red. Very ripe aromas of plum and musky brown spices; redder in character and less precise than the 2006. Then big, sweet and plump on the palate, with full, mellow flavors of red berries, tobacco and mocha, plus a light smoked meat note. Finishes with sweet tannins and lingering, fully ripe fruit. This is showing its lush side today and is hiding its underlying structure.Vinous Media | 93 VMHas subtle blackberry, licorice and currant on the nose, with hints of mint. Full-bodied, with silky tannins and a very pretty texture. Caresses everything. Refined and balanced. A beautiful wine that’s hard to keep your hands off now. Best after 2012. 14,165 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WSPure crème de cassis, licorice and spice are all present in this wine from Xavier Borie. Medium to full-bodied and ripe, with sweet tannin and a nicely textured mouthfeel, this is a beauty that should continue to drink well for another 15 or so years.Robert Parker | 92 RPNo written review provided. | 90 W&S

Extremely lively palate, really quite bright, bold, powerful, chewy tannins fill the mouth but you get such power and concentration here. Feels more alive, slightly linear than the 2008, real tension still, so lively with energy that shoots across the palate. Such depth and just so drinkable. Tannins are mouth filling no doubt, they completely cover the mouth but so expressive, and elegant. Such refinement here but also such power. Only just at the start of its drinking window but one to carry on ageing, . First vintage with Didier Thormann as cellar master. 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Merlot, 6% Petit Verdot.Decanter | 97 DECVery clear and translucent with currants, blueberries and fresh mushrooms. Full-bodied with velvety tannins that are layered and beautiful. Together and polished with plushness and beauty. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 96 JSThis wine’s heady rush of flavor gave one taster goosebumps. She called it sexy. ’Formidable.’ Other technical descriptions included ’the shazam,’ ’has zazz,’ and ’unprintable. That’s some serious s#¡†.’ At the en primeur tastings, this ap­peared to be chunky and superripe. Now it’s massive, with dark extract and exotic spice, a sophisticated wine that ends on sweetness, bitter chocolate and dark berry fruit. With all the flash, it will give a lot of pleasure as a young wine, but it has the plump Poyferré terroir drive to sustain that pleasure for years to come.Wine & Spirits | 95 W&SHugely concentrated and packed with tannins, this wine shows considerable amounts of dark, extracted fruit. It wins out on impressive power, driving the fruit through the tannins, giving great richness.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WELéoville Poyferré’s dense ruby/purple 2005 is soft, round and juicy, with lots of blackcurrant fruit, plum and Asian spice. It is medium to full-bodied and, along with Léoville Las Cases and Saint-Pierre, probably one of the best St.-Juliens I tasted in this retrospective. It is surprisingly supple and accessible. Drink it over the next 15 or so years.Robert Parker | 93 RPThe 2005 Léoville-Poyferré really needed a number of hours to come together. An old school, powerful Saint-Julien, the 2005 Léoville-Poyferré packs a serious punch. Inky dark red fruit, iron, smoke, cedar, mint and white pepper lend striking aromatic depth. This virile, tannic Saint-Julien is a bruiser, but it is also pretty impressive. Tasting it feels like taking a step back in time.Antonio Galloni | 93 AGDark ruby red in color, with aromas of currant, blackberry, toasty oak and light cappuccino. Full-bodied, with ultrafine tannins and a beautiful, caressing aftertaste. Touches every part of the palate. Outstanding, but slightly disappointing after such a great showing from barrel. Best after 2009. 18,915 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WS

Stunning now. A fabulous nose of currants, crushed raspberry and blackberry. Full- bodied, with perfectly integrated tannins and a long, caressing finish. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 96 JSThe tannins dominate this dark, brooding wine. At this stage, it seems to have closed up, leaving the fruit and acidity buried. But with this concentration, the future looks promising. There is a long aging potential here.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WELagrange produced a joyous cabernet in 2005, with the lovely textural fatness and kindness of tannin that places it clearly in St-Julien. The dark fruit has youthful energy, the tannins a woodsy undertone, like biting into a fresh grilled porcini. The purity of the flavor makes it delicious; that fruit purity is the factor distinguishing the best wines of the vintage. In the case of Lagrange, it will make the wine approachable through the course of a long life; though if you find pleasure in the details, wait on this until it’s at least ten years old and check on it at twenty.Wine & Spirits | 94 W&SThe 2005 Lagrange was picked from 21 September until 10 October. It has a harmonious and vigorous bouquet with blackberry, cedar, tobacco aromas and just a light estuarine scent that emerges with time. The palate is medium-bodied with fine grain tannins and much more mid-palate presence than prior vintages. There is more body and grip, a sense of boldness towards the finish that should stand it in good stead for long-term ageing. Superb. Tasted at the Lagrange vertical at the estate.Vinous Media | 93 VMCurrant, mineral, plum and light toasty oak follow through to a full body, with ultrasilky tannins and a long, caressing finish. This is thoroughly beautiful. Superbalanced and very pretty. Best after 2011. 24,165 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WS(Château Lagrange (St. Julien)) I really like the 2005 vintage of Château Lagrange, which will be an outstanding example of the vintage in due course. The bouquet is starting to show some nice secondary signs of development, though the wine remains still quite youthful on the palate. The nose wafts from the glass in a mix of black cherries, dark berries, cigar smoke, dark soil tones, nutty new oak and a topnote of tobacco leaf. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied and rock solid at the core, with fine focus and grip, nascent complexity and a long, ripely tannic and tangy finish. The 2005’s fairly firm tannins and good acidity are going to make this an extremely long-lived wine, but they will also demand a bit more patience before starting to drink the ’05 Lagrange. (Drink between 2025-2085).John Gilman | 92+ JGLagrange 2005 is an impressive effort, if perhaps trying just a bit too hard. If the nose still shows a fair bit of wood, although the wine has the ripe blackcurrant fruit to balance this out. The tannins are firm and somewhat angular on the palate, giving a slightly austere feel to the finish. The blend is 46% Cabernet Sauvignon and 45% Merlot with 9% Petit Verdot, picked from 21 September, and aged in 60% new casks. Drinking Window 2021 - 2040.Decanter | 92 DEC