2005 Wine

The 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon Madrona Ranch is an extraordinary wine that has a European structural profile imposed on the incredibly rich, pure fruit of Napa. Incense, creme de cassis, licorice, toasty oak, and spring flowers are... Read More

After the mind-blowing 2004 Agharta Syrah, I had high expectations that it would be followed by additional great wines, and those hopes were answered with the 2005 Black Label, a blend of 97% Syrah, 2% Grenache and 1% Viognier.... Read More

This 525-case blend of 90% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon shows notes of white chocolate, mocha, black cherry, and new barrique smells. It is well-made, still somewhat oaky, with medium to full-bodied... Read More

A nose of black raspberries interwoven with floral notes of blackcurrants and spice jump from the glass of this dense ruby/plum/purple wine. This famous vineyard at the northern end of Napa Valley, which in this era was owned... Read More

The 2005 Syrah Eisele Vineyard displays an attractive meaty character along with smoky blackberry fruit and a hint of charcoal. Soft and lush with French-like elegance as well as complexity, and a delicious, long, supple finish,... Read More

I'm not going out on a limb saying the 2005 Ausone is better than the 2003, 2000, etc., but it is certainly at the same level. It is a wine of great intensity with extraordinary extract as well as a seamless integration of... Read More

While no one will confuse the 2005 with this estate's prodigious 1990, it is an outstanding effort from one of St.-Emilion's finest terroirs. In terms of potential, the vineyard is exceeded only by Ausone, Pavie and Belair... Read More

(no tasting note available)

The 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon St. Eden is from an 11-acre vineyard on the foothills north of the Oakville crossroad that has the classic red, rocky soil of this area, essentially in the foothills of the Vaca Mountains that define... Read More

As usual, the 2005 Branaire-Ducru is one of the more distinctive wines of St.-Julien. Proprietor Patrick Maroteaux has turned out another classic. While not as opulent or fleshy as the 2003, and it remains to be seen if it will... Read More

This is the finest Canon produced under the Chanel ownership and John Kolasa's administration. A striking minerality interwoven with black currant and flower aromas jump from the glass of this medium to full-bodied, dense,... Read More

This is the finest Canon produced under the Chanel ownership and John Kolasa's administration. A striking minerality interwoven with black currant and flower aromas jump from the glass of this medium to full-bodied, dense,... Read More

The 2005 Carignan is a blend of 70% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Cabernet Franc. This solidly made, lower-level Bordeaux has good black cherry and chocolaty fruit along with some sweet cassis, licorice and flowers. Dark... Read More

Their special cuvée, the 2005 Prima, has a very dense ruby/purple color and a big, sweet kiss of black fruits, earth and spice as well as a cedary nuance to the aromatics. This medium to full-bodied, rich wine is a real star and... Read More

Another celestial effort from Paul Pontallier and Corinne Mentzelopoulus, the 2005 Margaux, a blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Merlot, boasts a dense opaque blue/purple color as well as an extraordinary bouquet of spring... Read More

Another celestial effort from Paul Pontallier and Corinne Mentzelopoulus, the 2005 Margaux, a blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Merlot, boasts a dense opaque blue/purple color as well as an extraordinary bouquet of spring... Read More

The 2005 from Cheval Blanc is a quintessentially elegant, beautiful, deep bluish/ruby-colored wine from St.-Emilion, with raspberry, blueberry, and floral notes, impressive density, great precision, freshness and purity. Full-bodied,... Read More

No tasting note given. - WA, RP (4/2008)

We haven't seen a Clinet this good since the late Jean-Michel Arcaute's stunning duo of 1989 and 1990. This dense ruby/purple-tinged, exotic 2005 boasts soaring aromas of roasted herbs, plums, black currants, and caramelized... Read More

Clos Fourtet is on a roll, having produced a stunning wine in 2003, and an even more brilliant effort in 2005. Stephane Derenoncourt, the consulting oenologist, has plenty with which to work given the fact that this is a relatively... Read More

Clos Puy Arnaud is nearly always a seriously made as well as potentially long-lived offering, as evidenced by the 2005. This blend of 60% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, and Carmenere boasts... Read More

Colgin is one of the reference points for just what heights mountain-grown Cabernet Sauvignon, Bordeaux varietals, and more recently, Syrah, can achieve in Napa Valley. This beautiful estate and winery overlooking Lake Hennessey... Read More