Vinous - Antonio Galloni (94)

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 (92-94)

(this holding, mostly from vines planted in 1990, yielded 28 hectoliters per hectare in 2005, according to Lignier) Deep, bright ruby-red color. Highly nuanced, very pure nose combines briary black cherry, brown spices and licorice, with soil-inflected pepper, dried flowers and eucalyptus. Suave on entry, then complex, tactile and intensely flavored in the middle palate, showing more finesse of texture than the Faconnieres and a juicy core of dark fruits. This mounts and gains in thickness toward the back, finishing with firm tannins and lovely subtle complexity. Lignier says he would wait eight years to drink the crus in 2005.

Wine Spectator (94)

Pure aromas and flavors of black cherry, blackberry and plum, with a dense profile and supple texture. Tightly wound now, with red currant and mineral elements that move in on the finish. Should become more elegant with time. Best from 2014 through 2035. 130 cases imported. -BS

Wine Advocate (92-94)

Alluring scents of ripe purple plum, black currant, clove, and star anise mark Jadot’s 2005 Vosne-Romanee Beaux Monts. Smoked and roasted meat flavors ally themselves to dark fruits and exotic spices on the palate, with subtle hints of caramel and vanilla from the oak accenting rather than intruding. This displays a warmer, more obviously rich and opulent character than many young 2005 Vosnes and than nearly any other 2005s from Jadot. Deep, fat folds of fruit persist with spices and low-toned roasted meat into an imposingly long, sumptuous finish. One could enjoy this soon if it does not close up, but it certainly has the concentration and potential to reward at least five years’ patience.

James Suckling (96)

The 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%.

James Suckling (96)

The 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%.

Jancis Robinson (17.5)

Rich, indulgent, baked character on the nose. Long, toasty palate. Certain minty freshness. Understated as yet

Wine Enthusiast (96)

A beautifully balanced wine that exudes elegance as well as richness. It is drier than previous vintages of Cristal Rosé, yielding a bright, crisp and layered wine. Red fruits are married with orange zest and tight acidity. It can be drunk now, but it is a young wine and will certainly age well through 2022.

Wine Enthusiast (96)

A beautifully balanced wine that exudes elegance as well as richness. It is drier than previous vintages of Cristal Rosé, yielding a bright, crisp and layered wine. Red fruits are married with orange zest and tight acidity. It can be drunk now, but it is a young wine and will certainly age well through 2022.

The Lucien Boillot Gevrey Chambertin 1er Cru 2005 is an unforgettable Pinot Noir hailing from the esteemed vineyards of Burgundy's Côte de Nuits. Crafted by venerated producer Lucien Boillot, this is a wine steeped in an exemplary pedigree. The Gevrey Chambertin 1er Cru exemplifies Boillot's stringent selection process, utilizing only premier cru quality grapes from deftly-managed, older vines.

The wine boasts an alluring complexity, harmoniously blending rich, dark fruit character with hints of spice and earthy undertones indicative of its limestone soil origins. Following traditional Burgundian methods, the wine was matured in French oak barrels, imparting an additional layer of depth as well as a refined finish.

Its stellar 2005 vintage is received by critics as one of the most distinguished vintages, promising concentrated flavours and ageing potential. Luxuriously indulgent yet nuanced, the Lucien Boillot Gevrey Chambertin 1er Cru 2005 is a profound testament to Burgundy's inimitable terroir.

Wine Spectator (96)

Textbook, 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.

Wine Spectator (96)

Textbook, 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.

Vinous - Ian D'Agata (94+)

(a blend of 95% merlot and 5% cabernet franc; 3.53 pH; IPT 65; 13.8% alcohol): Bright ruby. Sexy, compelling nose of blackcurrant, violet, white pepper and minerals is an absolute knockout. Then very refined on the palate, with a delicate spiciness to the blackcurrant, red plum and mineral flavors, but with noteworthy fleshiness and ripeness lifted by harmonious acidity. This is a very great and impeccably balanced Magdelaine in the making. Finishes long and silky, with a persistent strawberry note. Jean-Claude Berrouet considers this to be a classic Magdelaine: very well balanced and delicious. I think this is an excellent example of just how easy it is to misjudge Magdelaine on release and how well it develops in bottle in strong vintages.

The Wine Cellar Insider (100)

Intoxicating scents of caramel, violets, smoke, licorice, plum and maraschino cherries take almost no time to find. Pure silk and velvet on the palate, the wine is seriously concentrated with an elegant, refined, fresh, tannic, rich, well defined, profile that has a lot more to say than it lets on for the moment. If I had to sum the wine up in a single word, compelling wold not do it justice. 5-10 years will add a lot to this already sublime wine.

The Wine Cellar Insider (100)

Intoxicating scents of caramel, violets, smoke, licorice, plum and maraschino cherries take almost no time to find. Pure silk and velvet on the palate, the wine is seriously concentrated with an elegant, refined, fresh, tannic, rich, well defined, profile that has a lot more to say than it lets on for the moment. If I had to sum the wine up in a single word, compelling wold not do it justice. 5-10 years will add a lot to this already sublime wine.

The Wine Cellar Insider (100)

Intoxicating scents of caramel, violets, smoke, licorice, plum and maraschino cherries take almost no time to find. Pure silk and velvet on the palate, the wine is seriously concentrated with an elegant, refined, fresh, tannic, rich, well defined, profile that has a lot more to say than it lets on for the moment. If I had to sum the wine up in a single word, compelling wold not do it justice. 5-10 years will add a lot to this already sublime wine.

Jancis Robinson (19)

Smudgy crimson. Quite raw still on the nose - although wonderfully subtle and gorgeous on the palate. Dry finish and slightly crackling tannins - sort of taffeta. Great intensity but very noble. Almost grating energy but wonderful intensity. Fantastic texture, intensity and complete. Hidden. Liquorice.

Wine Spectator (90)

Currant, fresh berry and rose petal aromas lead to a medium body, with fine, silky tannins and a long, caressing finish. There's a pretty texture to this, and length as well. Best after 2011. 29,165 cases made. -JS

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (88)

The 2005 Mazeyres is a tough wine to taste. Hard tannins and wild, gamy notes dominate the wine's balance. Mazeyres is 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc. It may be that the vegetal qualities of Franc were too much for the wine's balance. This is an awkward showing,

Vinous (92-95)

Good full medium ruby. More exotic on the nose than the Brulees, showing an aroma of blackberry liqueur. Large-scaled and fat but youthfully unevolved, with inky depths to its brooding, chocolatey flavor. A wine of compelling richness but not yet showing the personality of the Brulees. Broad, slow-mounting finish reveals surprisingly strong acidity (the pH here is a low-for-the-cellar 3.35). This is likely to require at least a decade of bottle aging.

Vinous (89-92)

Bright medium ruby-red. Pure aromas of blackberry, licorice and violet. Ripe, dense and sweet, with firm underlying minerality giving definition to the dark fruit and chocolate flavors. Finishes with substantial ripe tannins. Meo believes this may turn out to be his best Chaumes to date.

Vinous (94+)

Deep red with ruby highlights. Distinctly purple aromas of blackberry, violet and menthol. Silky on entry, then considerably subtler and suaver than the Chateau des Ducs, with lovely finesse of texture and superb building fruit. Highly concentrated, young and impeccably balanced Volnay, finishing with sweet tannins and a whiplash of fruit. Much more accessible today than the Chateau des Ducs, but this too will reward extended cellaring.

Tantalise your taste buds with the Moet & Chandon Dom Perignon Tokujin Yoshioka Rose 2005, a resplendent expression of craftsmanship and refinement. Hailing from the fertile soils of Épernay, the heart of Champagne, France, it is a masterful amalgamation of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. The year 2005 was characterised by contrasted weather, bestowing complexity and intensity to the grapes. Resting in the Moet & Chandon cellars for no less than twelve years, this Rose has attained a perfect maturity, brimming with distinctive ripe berry and cocoa notes.

An exquisite collaboration with Japanese artist Tokujin Yoshioka, the aesthetic also evokes an enchanting element. The luminosity of the bottle, crisscrossed with vibrations, awakened by the bright rose colour of the wine, reflects the sensorial experience enclosed within. With each sip of Moet & Chandon Dom Perignon Tokujin Yoshioka Rose 2005, evoke the essence of sophistication, a must for discerning palates.

Jane Anson Inside Bordeaux (98)

The last year for Montrose under the Charmolüe family, before the Bouygues bought in 2006. Inky plum in colour, moreish from the very first sip. So juicy, such well controlled extraction, balanced but intense and concentrated, with layers of still-vibrant cassis, bilberry, eucalyptus and cocoa bean. You can now clearly see where this is heading, but it will continue to build over the next few years, and then stay on the plateau for decades. Proof that whatever the Bouygues paid for it the following year, they were getting one of the greatest estates in the Médoc. 60% new oak.

Jane Anson Inside Bordeaux (98)

The last year for Montrose under the Charmolüe family, before the Bouygues bought in 2006. Inky plum in colour, moreish from the very first sip. So juicy, such well controlled extraction, balanced but intense and concentrated, with layers of still-vibrant cassis, bilberry, eucalyptus and cocoa bean. You can now clearly see where this is heading, but it will continue to build over the next few years, and then stay on the plateau for decades. Proof that whatever the Bouygues paid for it the following year, they were getting one of the greatest estates in the Médoc. 60% new oak.

Jane Anson Inside Bordeaux (100)

This is pure pleasure, with tiny pulses of electricity, brushed leather, sulphur, loam, truffle, blackberry, black cherry, with touches of silky tannins, smoked caramel and black chocolate. A wine that makes you smile, so much depth and power, barely out of its primary phase, but we are starting now to get the whole picture of what it will become. There is a lush edge to the tannins now that was not the case even two years ago. Such a different expression from the 2009 and 2010 Mouton, with this a little more old school in its charms, and for me you can now project yourself foraward, more like the 1986, a little dry and strict at first, but finessed and gorgeous, delivering grip, punch and magic. Eric Tourbier and Philippe Dhalluin on the technical team. 63% first wine, extremely low for the time (lowest since 1975, whereas today they are regularly below 50%). If you are going to open this anytime soon, think of it as a bottle to enjoy very slowly over four or five hours seeing the nuances develop. 100% new oak.