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Bordeaux 2005

Bordeaux 2005s – filling in the gaps

Julia Harding
Julia Harding MW
Tuesday 10 November 2009
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Amazingly, there were still a few gaps in the 200 bordeaux 2005s I re-tasted in bottle last January and on which I reported in the Southwold tasting articles. Accordingly, Julia took advantage of last week's tasting of 2005 bordeaux organised by the Institute of Masters of Wine in London to plug those gaps and bring you the following tasting notes, left bank first, then right bank. Please note that these wines were not tasted blind.  JR


LEFT BANK

Ch Beaumont 2005 Haut-Médoc 16.5
Chocolatey dark fruit, a little savoury and spiced. Lighter than expected on the palate. Harmonious, fresh and full of pleasure. (JH)
Drink 2010 – 2015
Ch Bel Orme Tronquoy de Lalande 2005 Haut-Médoc 16
Lots of pencil lead and leafy notes. But not dry on the palate. Fresh and leafy but still has good fruit and a fine grip. (JH)
Drink 2011 – 2017
Ch Le Boscq 2005 St-Estèphe 15
Savoury and slightly spiced with dark meaty beginnings. Dry fine grip, quite fragrant on the mid palate compared with the nose. Tannins only just ripe on the finish. (JH)
Drink 2012 – 2018
Ch Brown 2005 Pessac-Léognan 16.5
Restrained, a little fragrant, dusty and slightly leafy dark fruit. More depth on the palate than expected. Very fresh and fruit still fresh. Tannins still gripping but smooth and chocolate textured. Juicy and finely balanced. Good length. (JH)
Drink 2010 – 2019
Ch Clarke 2005 Listrac-Médoc 16
Bright cassis and just a little leafy. Hint of sweet dark meatiness developing. Thick pile tannins, fresh and muscular. (JH)
Drink 2013 – 2018
Ch Croizet-Bages 2005 Pauillac 15.5
Very herbaceous nose, verging on green. Not green on the palate but very very leafy and surprising for this vintage. (JH)
Drink 2011 – 2017
Ch de France 2005 Pessac-Léognan 16
Light, dusty damson fruit. Nicely structured and just enough flesh. Acidity quite marked but not uncomfortable. Tight and zesty. (JH)
Drink 2011 – 2018
Ch La Garde 2005 Pessac-Léognan 16.5
Fragrant, lightly floral dark fruit. Dusty. Tannins a little tough but there's nicely scented dark fruit on the mid palate. Finishes a bit dry but there's more to come. Really quite dense and long. (JH)
Drink 2012 – 2019
Ch Grand-Puy-Lacoste 2005 Pauillac 17
Lightly perfumed and spicy, with some dark plum fruit on the nose but really pretty restrained. Elegant and rounded. A nice whole and quite approachable – long and fine tannins though the wine is well structured for the longer term. (JH)
Drink 2012 – 2022
Ch Les Grands Chênes 2005 Médoc 16
Fresh and expressive – bright clean fruit. Much more chocolatey on the palate. Rounded and whole with fresh dark fruit at the end and attractive fruit sweetness. (JH)
Drink 2010 – 2015
Ch de Pez 2005 St-Estèphe 16
Restrained dark fruit then surprisingly soft and rounded on the palate. Well balanced and a fine fresh finish. (JH)
Drink 2012 – 2018
Ch Potensac 2005 Médoc 15.5
Markedly floral over dark sweet fruit. A bit disappointing on the palate – less fragrant. Fresh but not a great deal of depth. Finishes a bit short. (JH)
Drink 2011 – 2015
Ch Preuillac 2005 Médoc 15.5
Lively and fresh on the nose but rather an abrupt grip on the palate. Tannins not tough but seem to arrest the progress of the wine to the back palate. But there's nice fruit behind that. (JH)
Drink 2011 – 2017
Ch Soudars 2005 Haut-Médoc 16
Strong coffee notes over ripe dark fruit. Chocolate-smooth and thick texture though still with quite a grip. A bit abrupt, perhaps. (JH)
Drink 2011 – 2018
Ch La Tour Haut-Brion 2005 Pessac-Léognan 18
Fragrant cassis and cassis leaf and a sweetness of damson. Firm but so smooth. Lovely dense but fine fruit and fine-fruited perfume right across the palate. Long, rich and harmonious. Very good length and depth but still elegant and beautifully fresh. (JH)
Drink 2012 – 2025
Ch Verdignan 2005 Haut-Médoc 15
Dark and a little brooding. Held back. A bit drying on the palate. Rather forbidding. Dusty finish. (JH)
Drink 2012 – 2015

RIGHT BANK

Ch Balestard La Tonnelle 2005 St-Émilion 16
Fine perfume, becoming more meaty. Really moreish, dry and quite firm. Perhaps a little more structure than fruit. (JH)
Drink 2014 – 2018
Ch Cap de Mourlin 2005 St-Émilion 15.5
Smells very youthful: sweet fruit and toasty oak. Thick but smooth grip, fruit a little subdued compared with the nose. Dry but not drying finish. Could do with a little more flesh in the middle. (JH)
Drink 2012 – 2018
Ch Clos L'Église, Esprit de l'Église 2005 Pomerol 16.5
Distinctive nose – some cough linctus but quite bright cassis fruit. Fine fruit depth, quite rich but not fat. Meaty aftertaste and rich fruit at the very end. Dense and smooth. (JH)
Drink 2013 – 2022
Clos René 2005 Pomerol 15.5
Light herbal, even lavender note, a little leathery on the nose and palate. Dry and fine-grained tannins. Quite restrained and a bit dry at the very end. (JH)
Drink 2012 – 2017
Ch Corbin 2005 St-Émilion 15.5
Perfumed and very ripe but not overripe dark fruit assails you from the glass. Ripe damson. Then surprisingly dry on the palate and much less expressive. Finishes a bit hard. (JH)
Drink 2012 – 2017
Ch Dassault 2005 St-Émilion 16
Sweet oak-spiced fruit. Still a little toasty and still fresh. Firm but succulent and marked mocha flavour and chocolate texture on the palate. A deep cushion of flavour. Lots of pleasure. (JH)
Drink 2012 – 2019
Ch du Domaine de l'Église 2005 Pomerol 15.5
Rich, spicy dark fruit. Smooth, rounded, harmonious. Not terribly exciting. (JH)
Drink 2012 – 2018
Ch La Fleur de Boüard 2005 Lalande-de-Pomerol 16
Leafy fresh dark fruit. Classic claret nose. Touch of cedar. Fine-grained, hovering between light and elegant, dry tense finish. (JH)
Drink 2012 – 2018
Ch Haut-Corbin 2005 St-Émilion 14.5
Slight green note at first on the nose. Then dry and a bit green on the palate. (JH)
Drink 2012 – 2017
Ch Nénin 2005 Pomerol 17.5
Pure, intense black fruit. Rich aromas with a hint of vanilla and violets. Succulent and moreish – tannins are rich and ripe and upright but very come-hither. Delicious. (JH)
Drink 2012 – 2025
Ch Petit Faurie de Soutard 2005 St-Émilion 14.5
Fresh but a little green on the nose. Also a bit green and hard on the palate. I'd expect better fruit in a 2005. Dry finish. (JH)
Drink 2012 – 2016