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Inventory updated: Fri, Jul 24, 2026 04:02 PM cst
We are sorry, but that item has sold out. Please see other wines from this grower and region/vintage below.
| Producer |
Vint. |
Wine |
Price |
Qty |
Order |
| | Bordeaux Red |
| Les Forts de Latour |
1998 |
Pauillac (12x750ML) 
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$2,273.98 |
1 |
|
| |
| WA 88 (4/2001): Latour's second wine exhibits a dark ruby/purple color as well as a nose of black fruits, ketchup, earth, and minerals. Moderately tannic and closed, it is reminiscent of its bigger brother. Give it 4-5 years of cellaring and enjoy it over the next two decades. |
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|
2000 |
Pauillac (1.5 L) Scuffed Label |
$500 |
1 |
|
| |
| WA 91 (4/2003): A brilliant Forts de Latour, the 2000 boasts a dense ruby/purple color along with a vibrant nose of black currants intermixed with minerals, tobacco, and spice box. Medium to full-bodied, with loads of glycerin and fat (that nearly obscure some serious tannin), it will be drinkable between 2007-2020. |
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|
2002 |
Pauillac (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$2,884.97 |
1 |
|
| |
| WA 92 (4/2005): A classic second wine that shows Outstanding potential, the dark ruby/purple-colored 2002 has notes of cedar wood, black currants, earth, and truffles in a medium to full-bodied, supple-textured, beautifully concentrated style that can be drunk now or cellared for 10-15 years. |
|
|
2003 |
Pauillac |
$209 |
5 |
|
| |
WA 92 (4/2006): The 2003 Les Forts de la Tour possesses a dense ruby/plum/purple color in addition to notions of cold steel, lead pencil shavings, and creme de cassis. Full-bodied, opulent, heady, rich, and lush, it can be drunk now or cellared for 15+ years. What can one say about proprietor Francois Pinault and his manager, Frederic Engerer? A strong argument can be made that in 2001, 2002, 2003, and 2004, Latour produced the wine of the vintage, although it has plenty of competition in the Northern Medoc in 2003. Moreover, the bargains are the estate’s least expensive cuvee, Pauillac, followed by Les Forts de Latour, Latour’s second wine which continues to increase in quality.
VM 91 (6/2006): Deep ruby-red. Wonderfully vinous and sappy for the vintage, with aromas of redcurrant, mineral and spice. Sweet, rich, lush and exotic but with good spice character giving lift to the flavors. A very fine-grained wine that will give relatively early pleasure, but it can't match the 2004 or 2005 for backbone. Finishes dry and classic, with plenty of richness. |
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|
2004 |
Pauillac (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$2,111.97 |
1 |
|
| |
VM 91 (6/2007): Deep red. Aromas of blueberry, plum, leather, tobacco and mocha. Sweet, plummy and pliant, with a creamy, fine-grained texture for the vintage. Very plush wine, richer than the 2006 and at least as long. Finishes with big but ripe tannins.
WA 90 (6/2007): The estate’s second wine continues to go from strength to strength. The 2004 Forts de Latour (includes 75% Cabernet Sauvignon) reveals a deep ruby/purple hue, classic evolved cedary, lead pencil, and cassis characteristics, medium body, beautiful sweetness of fruit, and a more forward, evolved character than its big sibling. Enjoy it over the next 15+ years. |
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|
2004 |
Pauillac (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,025.97 |
1 |
|
| |
VM 91 (6/2007): Deep red. Aromas of blueberry, plum, leather, tobacco and mocha. Sweet, plummy and pliant, with a creamy, fine-grained texture for the vintage. Very plush wine, richer than the 2006 and at least as long. Finishes with big but ripe tannins.
WA 90 (6/2007): The estate’s second wine continues to go from strength to strength. The 2004 Forts de Latour (includes 75% Cabernet Sauvignon) reveals a deep ruby/purple hue, classic evolved cedary, lead pencil, and cassis characteristics, medium body, beautiful sweetness of fruit, and a more forward, evolved character than its big sibling. Enjoy it over the next 15+ years. |
|
|
2005 |
Pauillac (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$2,484.97 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 92 (4/2008): The 2005 Forts de Latour (10,000 cases produced) possesses much of the same character as Latour, but sweeter tannins, more obvious and forward fruit, medium to full body, and a more seductive, plusher style, but not the great stature, richness, and architectural precision of its bigger brother. Nevertheless, it is a gorgeous Pauillac that should drink well for two decades or more.
VM 92 (6/2008): Good red-ruby. Exotic aromas of roasted plum, currant and graphite. Big, round and sweet but with the broad shoulders of the year. The silky flavors of currant, tobacco and sweet oak show extraordinary baby fat and volume. Wonderfully rich, expressive wine with a very long, silky, aromatic back end. "Better than the 2007 Latour today, and almost as long," says Engerer. (The 2006 Forts de Latour had just been fined.) |
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|
2006 |
Pauillac (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$2,192.97 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 92 (2/2009): The brilliant second wine, the 2006 Les Forts de Latour, a blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Merlot, possesses a dense ruby/purple color, a beautiful bouquet of asphalt, cassis, cedar, truffles, and earth, and a full-bodied, dense, beautiful style that is similar to a 1996 Pauillac. It will age effortlessly for 15 years.
VM 91 (6/2009): Deep ruby-red. Black fruits, licorice, minerals, tobacco and iron on the complex nose. The wine's sweetness almost comes as a shock, but the creamy blueberry and blackberry fruit flavors are given lift and clarity by firm acidity and solid underlying minerality. Finishes with sweet tannins and subtle persistence. An unusually accessible young Forts de Latour, and riper than it appeared to be in the early going: as I recall, its supple character is partly attributable to the fact that it includes a good bit of declassified Latour merlot but less Latour press wine than usual. |
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|
2006 |
Pauillac (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,166.97 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 92 (2/2009): The brilliant second wine, the 2006 Les Forts de Latour, a blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Merlot, possesses a dense ruby/purple color, a beautiful bouquet of asphalt, cassis, cedar, truffles, and earth, and a full-bodied, dense, beautiful style that is similar to a 1996 Pauillac. It will age effortlessly for 15 years.
VM 91 (6/2009): Deep ruby-red. Black fruits, licorice, minerals, tobacco and iron on the complex nose. The wine's sweetness almost comes as a shock, but the creamy blueberry and blackberry fruit flavors are given lift and clarity by firm acidity and solid underlying minerality. Finishes with sweet tannins and subtle persistence. An unusually accessible young Forts de Latour, and riper than it appeared to be in the early going: as I recall, its supple character is partly attributable to the fact that it includes a good bit of declassified Latour merlot but less Latour press wine than usual. |
|
|
2007 |
Pauillac (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$2,192.97 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 90 (4/2010): The Outstanding 2007 Les Forts de Latour reveals a touch of graphite and black currant fruit intermixed with an unmistakable minerality. It is a generous, silky textured, medium to full-bodied, evolved, elegant, and pure offering that is ideal for drinking over the next 10-12+ years.
VM 90 (8/2010): Good full, deep red. Aromas of cassis, licorice and pepper. Supple and sweet but serious, with a slightly medicinal cast to the flavors of cassis, tobacco leaf, sassafras and leather. Finishes with supple tannins, a subtly sappy quality and very good length. |
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|
2007 |
Pauillac (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,125.97 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 90 (4/2010): The Outstanding 2007 Les Forts de Latour reveals a touch of graphite and black currant fruit intermixed with an unmistakable minerality. It is a generous, silky textured, medium to full-bodied, evolved, elegant, and pure offering that is ideal for drinking over the next 10-12+ years.
VM 90 (8/2010): Good full, deep red. Aromas of cassis, licorice and pepper. Supple and sweet but serious, with a slightly medicinal cast to the flavors of cassis, tobacco leaf, sassafras and leather. Finishes with supple tannins, a subtly sappy quality and very good length. |
|
|
2008 |
Pauillac (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$2,040.99 |
3 |
|
| |
JS 92 (12/2010): Caramel and flowers and currants and berries on the nose. Full and velvety with a good density and lots of fruity elegance and balance. Very pretty. Give it four years of bottle age please.
WA 91 (5/2011): A strong effort, this 2008 exhibits a dark ruby/purple color, more minerality than the 2010 and hints of cedarwood, black currants, underbrush and forest floor. This round, generous blend of 66.5% Cabernet Sauvignon and 33.5% Merlot should easily last for two decades or more.
VM 91 (8/2011): Deep red-ruby. Oaky aromas and flavors of sweet berries, licorice and spices. Silky and sweet on entry, then quite broad and suave in the middle, with ripe balancing acids giving shape to the wine's flavors. Finishes with broad, serious, building tannins and excellent length. A strong showing for this wine, which is built to age. |
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|
2008 |
Pauillac (6x1.5L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$2,160.98 |
2 |
|
| |
JS 92 (12/2010): Caramel and flowers and currants and berries on the nose. Full and velvety with a good density and lots of fruity elegance and balance. Very pretty. Give it four years of bottle age please.
WA 91 (5/2011): A strong effort, this 2008 exhibits a dark ruby/purple color, more minerality than the 2010 and hints of cedarwood, black currants, underbrush and forest floor. This round, generous blend of 66.5% Cabernet Sauvignon and 33.5% Merlot should easily last for two decades or more.
VM 91 (8/2011): Deep red-ruby. Oaky aromas and flavors of sweet berries, licorice and spices. Silky and sweet on entry, then quite broad and suave in the middle, with ripe balancing acids giving shape to the wine's flavors. Finishes with broad, serious, building tannins and excellent length. A strong showing for this wine, which is built to age. |
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|
2009 |
Pauillac (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$2,644.97 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 95 (2/2012): Possibly the best second wine ever made at Latour (and I love how the 1982 is drinking at age 30), the 2009 Les Forts de Latour is composed of two-thirds Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest Merlot blended with a tiny dollop of Petit Verdot, and finished at 13.5% alcohol. Juicy notes of creme de cassis, licorice, camphor, smoke and crushed rocks are followed by a rich, unctuously textured, thick, juicy, exceptionally pure, long wine. This beauty will be at its finest in several years and should keep for three decades.
JS 95 (2/2012): The aromas are so floral, with currants and blueberries as well. Succulent. Full and very balanced, with super velvety tannins and a long and lovely finish. Frederic Engerer, president of Latour, uses the word “succulent” to describe it. He’s right. I like the word gorgeous as well. Try in 2018, but hard not to drink.
VM 90+ (7/2012): Ruby-red. Pungently fragrant aromas of blackcurrant and cedar complicated by quinine and bay leaf. Rich, dense and suave, with rather brooding flavors of blackberry, plum liqueur, aromatic herbs and forest floor. This has shut down since the Primeurs and will need patience. Lacks only the generosity of the grand vin but should be Outstanding. And it's a remarkable second wine. |
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|
2009 |
Pauillac (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,356.97 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 95 (2/2012): Possibly the best second wine ever made at Latour (and I love how the 1982 is drinking at age 30), the 2009 Les Forts de Latour is composed of two-thirds Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest Merlot blended with a tiny dollop of Petit Verdot, and finished at 13.5% alcohol. Juicy notes of creme de cassis, licorice, camphor, smoke and crushed rocks are followed by a rich, unctuously textured, thick, juicy, exceptionally pure, long wine. This beauty will be at its finest in several years and should keep for three decades.
JS 95 (2/2012): The aromas are so floral, with currants and blueberries as well. Succulent. Full and very balanced, with super velvety tannins and a long and lovely finish. Frederic Engerer, president of Latour, uses the word “succulent” to describe it. He’s right. I like the word gorgeous as well. Try in 2018, but hard not to drink.
VM 90+ (7/2012): Ruby-red. Pungently fragrant aromas of blackcurrant and cedar complicated by quinine and bay leaf. Rich, dense and suave, with rather brooding flavors of blackberry, plum liqueur, aromatic herbs and forest floor. This has shut down since the Primeurs and will need patience. Lacks only the generosity of the grand vin but should be Outstanding. And it's a remarkable second wine. |
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|
2010 |
Pauillac (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$2,484.97 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 97 (2/2019): 2010 was a very dry vintage of exceptional quality, producing incredibly structured and complex wines that are a little formidable when young but should age incredibly. Deep garnet-purple colored, the nose of the 2010 Les Forts de Latour is broody with subtle notes of licorice, tar, crushed black berries and plums with hints of spice cake and hoisin. Full-bodied, firm and grainy with an impenetrable core of muscular fruit, it finishes with fantastic persistence. Give it 5-7 years at least, and then it may well outlive the 1970 Les Forts that I recently tasted with Latour's CEO, Frederic Engerer!
JS 96 (11/2013): Aromas of currants, blueberries and blackberries with a dark chocolate undertone. Perfumes and beautiful. Full body, with velvety tannins that are fine-tuned and tentative. It lasts for minutes. Gorgeous fruit and richness. Perhaps the greatest Les Fort ever? Try in 2018.
VM 90 (7/2013): Deep red. Sweet red cherry, cassis, cedar and graphite on the showy nose. Sweet and chewy in the mouth, with red fruit liqueur and Oriental spice elements carrying through on the tactile, long finish. Much better than the Pauillac, which is the estate's third wine. Stephen Tanzer. |
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|
2010 |
Pauillac (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,356.97 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 97 (2/2019): 2010 was a very dry vintage of exceptional quality, producing incredibly structured and complex wines that are a little formidable when young but should age incredibly. Deep garnet-purple colored, the nose of the 2010 Les Forts de Latour is broody with subtle notes of licorice, tar, crushed black berries and plums with hints of spice cake and hoisin. Full-bodied, firm and grainy with an impenetrable core of muscular fruit, it finishes with fantastic persistence. Give it 5-7 years at least, and then it may well outlive the 1970 Les Forts that I recently tasted with Latour's CEO, Frederic Engerer!
JS 96 (11/2013): Aromas of currants, blueberries and blackberries with a dark chocolate undertone. Perfumes and beautiful. Full body, with velvety tannins that are fine-tuned and tentative. It lasts for minutes. Gorgeous fruit and richness. Perhaps the greatest Les Fort ever? Try in 2018.
VM 90 (7/2013): Deep red. Sweet red cherry, cassis, cedar and graphite on the showy nose. Sweet and chewy in the mouth, with red fruit liqueur and Oriental spice elements carrying through on the tactile, long finish. Much better than the Pauillac, which is the estate's third wine. Stephen Tanzer. |
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|
2011 |
Pauillac |
$215 |
2 |
|
| |
JS 90 (3/2012): Aromas of dried berries and fresh herbs such as lemongrass. Full body with firm, chewy tannins and a chocolate, pie-crust, berry and mineral character. A little salty and mineral. Needs at least five to six years.
WA 90-92 (4/2012): One of the finest second wines now being made, Les Forts de Latour comes from the same parcel every year. The 2011 is composed of 61.5% Cabernet Sauvignon and 38.5% Merlot. Forty-three percent of the Latour production was relegated to this cuvee. Its opaque purple color is accompanied by a big, sweet nose of creme de cassis, underbrush, licorice and incense. Medium to full-bodied, deep, fleshy and already appealing, this 2011 should gain complexity over the next 5-7 years, and last for 15-20. |
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2011 |
Pauillac (6x1.5L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$3,044.97 |
1 |
|
| |
JS 90 (3/2012): Aromas of dried berries and fresh herbs such as lemongrass. Full body with firm, chewy tannins and a chocolate, pie-crust, berry and mineral character. A little salty and mineral. Needs at least five to six years.
WA 90-92 (4/2012): One of the finest second wines now being made, Les Forts de Latour comes from the same parcel every year. The 2011 is composed of 61.5% Cabernet Sauvignon and 38.5% Merlot. Forty-three percent of the Latour production was relegated to this cuvee. Its opaque purple color is accompanied by a big, sweet nose of creme de cassis, underbrush, licorice and incense. Medium to full-bodied, deep, fleshy and already appealing, this 2011 should gain complexity over the next 5-7 years, and last for 15-20. |
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2012 |
Pauillac Ex-Negociant |
$239 |
23 |
|
| |
JS 92 (2/2015): Perfumed and bright with mineral, currant, raspberry and citrus character. Full body, fine tannins and a crisp finish. Orange peel. Better in 2017.
WA 90 (4/2015): The second wine, from vineyards outside of their famous walled l'enclos, the 2012 Les Forts de Latour (75% Cabernet Sauvignon and the balance mostly Merlot) is a beautiful, elegant wine with a dense purple color, notes of sweet black cherries and blackcurrants, subtle background minerality and no evidence of oak. This medium to full-bodied, beautifully constructed and layered Les Forts de Latour should drink nicely for 15 or more years. |
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2012 |
Pauillac (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,128.99 |
2 |
|
| |
JS 92 (2/2015): Perfumed and bright with mineral, currant, raspberry and citrus character. Full body, fine tannins and a crisp finish. Orange peel. Better in 2017.
WA 90 (4/2015): The second wine, from vineyards outside of their famous walled l'enclos, the 2012 Les Forts de Latour (75% Cabernet Sauvignon and the balance mostly Merlot) is a beautiful, elegant wine with a dense purple color, notes of sweet black cherries and blackcurrants, subtle background minerality and no evidence of oak. This medium to full-bodied, beautifully constructed and layered Les Forts de Latour should drink nicely for 15 or more years. |
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2013 |
Pauillac (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,464.99 |
1 |
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| |
JS 92 (2/2016): A tannic and savory red with currant, blackberry and stone character. Full body, chewy texture and a fresh finish. Bright acidity. Iodine, oyster shell and black currant. Drink in 2019.
VM 89-91 (4/2014): Dark red cherries, plums, smoke and tobacco meld together gracefully in the 2013 Les Forts de Latour. Layered, supple and caressing on the palate, this is one of the juicier 2013s readers will come across. With its expressive floral and spiced notes, the soft, resonant finish is especially appealing. The blend is 62.7% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35.1% Merlot and 2.2% Petit Verdot. Antonio Galloni.
WA 87-88 (8/2014): The second wine, the 2013 Les Forts de Latour, is a blend of 62.7% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35.1% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Franc. Approximately 44.5% of the production made it into this wine. Easygoing and supple, it reveals cedary, tobacco leaf notes intermixed with notions of black currants and fresh walnuts. It possesses a Pauillac-like character, but it is neither deep nor long. Drink it over the next 5-6 years. |
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2014 |
Pauillac (3x1.5L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,438.97 |
4 |
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| |
JD 93 (11/2017): The second wine of the estate is the 2014 Les Forts De Latour and this beauty is better than most estate grand vin. Made from 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot, and the balance Petit Verdot, this straight up classic Pauillac is loaded with notions of red and black currants, lead pencil shavings, roasted coffee, graphite, and Asian spices. Deep, medium to full-bodied, impressively concentrated, and layered, it’s a seriously good wine that’s going to continue drinking beautifully for two to three decades.
WA 93 (3/2020): The 2014 Les Forts de Latour is a blend of 71.4% Cabernet Sauvignon and 28.6% Merlot. Deep garnet-purple colored, it needs a little coaxing to reveal expanding scents of blackcurrant pastilles, baked plums and boysenberries with suggestions of wood smoke, fragrant earth, cast-iron pan and charcuterie plus a faint waft of black truffles. Medium-bodied, the earthy/savory palate has loads of lively black fruit with a refreshing line and firm, grainy tannins, finishing on a lingering ferrous note.
VM 93 (4/2020): The 2014 Les Forts de Latour is one of those wines that deserves an hour to open and then observe it coalescing in the glass. The bouquet is initially high-toned and then mellow to reveal attractive scents of red fruit, cedar and incense. The palate is maybe a more malleable than I anticipated, clearly a Les Forts that is primed for drinking, although there is sufficient depth to suggest that it will give 15 years of pleasure, maybe more. Suave and surprisingly rounded for a 2014, this is a fine late released Deuxième Vin from the First Growth although I uphold my remark in my previous notes that I would have liked more Pauillac DNA. Tasted from ex-château bottle. Neal Martin.
JS 94 (2/2017): Glorious aromatics with currants, flowers, stones and light mushrooms. Medium to full body and fine tannins that are long and polished. Super linear, structured and long. Drink in 2019. |
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2015 |
Pauillac (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,223.99 |
2 |
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| |
WA 94+ (3/2021): Composed of 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35.6% Merlot, 0.5% Cabernet Franc and 0.9% Petit Verdot, the 2015 Les Forts de Latour needs a fair bit of air to unlock a profound, powerhouse nose of blackcurrant cordial, boysenberries, plum preserves and dark chocolate, with suggestions of Chinese five spice, clove oil, violets and crushed rocks. The palate packs an absolute flavor wallop, bursting with rich, ripe black fruits and loads of spicy sparks, while framed by beautifully plush tannins, finishing long and minerally. Not at all heavy, on the contrary, the Les Forts is both expansive AND tantalizingly refreshing. In terms of evolution, it has barely budged since I last tasted it in 2017. While it's drinking very well right now, it easily has a good 20 years of cellaring ahead, maybe more. Impressive.
JD 94 (3/2021): The true second wine of the estate is the 2015 Les Forts De Latour and it's slightly more Cabernet dominated with 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35.6% Merlot, and then less than one percent each of Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. This ripe, sunny vintage delivered loads of terrific wines and the 2015 reveals a vivid purple/opaque color as well as fabulous cassis and jammy currant fruits intermixed with lots of cedarwood, leafy herbs, earth, and graphite. Medium to full-bodied, concentrated, and nicely structured, it has a wealth of fruit, building yet sweet tannins, no hard edges, and a great, great finish. This is a stunning Les Forts de Latour that can be drunk today or cellared for 20-25 years or more.
VM 93 (3/2021): The 2015 Les Forts de Latour was picked from 15 September to 10 October, commencing with the Merlot and finishing with the Cabernet Sauvignon. This bottle correlates closely to the one that I tasted blind in January 2019. There is a mixture of blackberry, graphite and cedar on the nose, very well defined and focused. The palate is medium-bodied with very fine tannins, a mixture of red and black fruit with superb mineralité and lip-smacking salinity. Velvety in texture, this is wonderfully poised with great persistence on the finish. Excellent. Neal Martin. |
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2016 |
Pauillac (6.0 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$2,245.98 |
1 |
|
| |
VM 96 (1/2022): The 2016 Les Forts de Latour is the clear highlight among these new releases from Latour. The first thing that is evident about the 2016 is the pedigree of the vintage. Undisputedly great. Readers will find a potent, dark Forts de Latour endowed with massive concentration and tons of depth. The 2016 won't be ready to drink anytime soon, but it holds tons of promise. Hints of gravel, sage, licorice and pencil shavings linger. The 2016 was impressive a few years ago. It is even better today. Antonio Galloni.
JD 95 (2/2019): The winner of the best second wine in the vintage goes to Château Latour. Their 2016 Les Forts de Latour is a match for just about anything out there. It shares its bigger siblings stature and class, with a sensational perfume of cedarwood, black currants, graphite, and lead pencil. Seamless, ultra-pure, and medium to full-bodied, it too needs a good 5-7 years of bottle age and will keep for 2-3 decades.
WA 95 (3/2022): The 2016 Les Forts de Latour is superb, unwinding in the glass with notions of blackcurrants, wild berries, sweet loamy soil, cigar wrapper and English walnuts. Medium to full-bodied, deep and layered, it’s concentrated and tightly wound, with superb depth at the core, lively acids and ripe, powdery tannins. This is an impeccably balanced, utterly classical Forts de Latour worth a special effort to seek out.
JS 96 (1/2019): The fresh currant and violet aromas are so complex and beautiful on the nose. Full body, ultra-refined tannins and lovely tannin tension. Shows focus and such finesse. Beautiful finish. Try after 2024. |
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2016 |
Pauillac (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,322.99 |
1 |
|
| |
VM 96 (1/2022): The 2016 Les Forts de Latour is the clear highlight among these new releases from Latour. The first thing that is evident about the 2016 is the pedigree of the vintage. Undisputedly great. Readers will find a potent, dark Forts de Latour endowed with massive concentration and tons of depth. The 2016 won't be ready to drink anytime soon, but it holds tons of promise. Hints of gravel, sage, licorice and pencil shavings linger. The 2016 was impressive a few years ago. It is even better today. Antonio Galloni.
JD 95 (2/2019): The winner of the best second wine in the vintage goes to Château Latour. Their 2016 Les Forts de Latour is a match for just about anything out there. It shares its bigger siblings stature and class, with a sensational perfume of cedarwood, black currants, graphite, and lead pencil. Seamless, ultra-pure, and medium to full-bodied, it too needs a good 5-7 years of bottle age and will keep for 2-3 decades.
WA 95 (3/2022): The 2016 Les Forts de Latour is superb, unwinding in the glass with notions of blackcurrants, wild berries, sweet loamy soil, cigar wrapper and English walnuts. Medium to full-bodied, deep and layered, it’s concentrated and tightly wound, with superb depth at the core, lively acids and ripe, powdery tannins. This is an impeccably balanced, utterly classical Forts de Latour worth a special effort to seek out.
JS 96 (1/2019): The fresh currant and violet aromas are so complex and beautiful on the nose. Full body, ultra-refined tannins and lovely tannin tension. Shows focus and such finesse. Beautiful finish. Try after 2024. |
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2016 |
Pauillac (3x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$707.99 |
2 |
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| |
VM 96 (1/2022): The 2016 Les Forts de Latour is the clear highlight among these new releases from Latour. The first thing that is evident about the 2016 is the pedigree of the vintage. Undisputedly great. Readers will find a potent, dark Forts de Latour endowed with massive concentration and tons of depth. The 2016 won't be ready to drink anytime soon, but it holds tons of promise. Hints of gravel, sage, licorice and pencil shavings linger. The 2016 was impressive a few years ago. It is even better today. Antonio Galloni.
JD 95 (2/2019): The winner of the best second wine in the vintage goes to Château Latour. Their 2016 Les Forts de Latour is a match for just about anything out there. It shares its bigger siblings stature and class, with a sensational perfume of cedarwood, black currants, graphite, and lead pencil. Seamless, ultra-pure, and medium to full-bodied, it too needs a good 5-7 years of bottle age and will keep for 2-3 decades.
WA 95 (3/2022): The 2016 Les Forts de Latour is superb, unwinding in the glass with notions of blackcurrants, wild berries, sweet loamy soil, cigar wrapper and English walnuts. Medium to full-bodied, deep and layered, it’s concentrated and tightly wound, with superb depth at the core, lively acids and ripe, powdery tannins. This is an impeccably balanced, utterly classical Forts de Latour worth a special effort to seek out.
JS 96 (1/2019): The fresh currant and violet aromas are so complex and beautiful on the nose. Full body, ultra-refined tannins and lovely tannin tension. Shows focus and such finesse. Beautiful finish. Try after 2024. |
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2017 |
Pauillac (1.5 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$390.99 |
3 |
|
| |
JD 94 (3/2021): The true second wine of the estate is the 2015 Les Forts De Latour and it's slightly more Cabernet dominated with 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35.6% Merlot, and then less than one percent each of Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. This ripe, sunny sexy vintage delivers loads of terrific wines and the 2015 reveals a vivid purple/opaque color as well as fabulous cassis and jammy currant fruits intermixed with lots of cedarwood, leafy herbs, earth, and graphite. Medium to full-bodied, concentrated, and nicely structured, it has a wealthy of fruit, building yet sweet tannins, no hard edges, and a great, great finish. This is a stunning Les Forts de Latour that can be drunk today or cellared for 20-25 years or more.
VM 94 (3/2020): Powerful and dark in the glass, the 2017 Les Forts de Latour is super-impressive. Black cherry, plum, spice, chocolate and leather are just some of the many aromas and flavors that flesh out as this ample, heady Pauillac shows off its considerable personality. Medium in body, yet with terrific depth and substance, the Forts de Latour is an absolute winner in 2017. Antonio Galloni.
WA 94 (3/2020): A blend of 65.2% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, 0.8% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot, the 2017 Les Forts de Latour is deep garnet-purple in color and strides confidently out of the glass with classic notes of plum preserves, warm cassis and pencil shavings with nuances of mulberries, pencil lead, Indian spices and forest floor. Medium-bodied, the palate packs a lot of fruit into a very elegant, tightly knit palate, delivering expressive blackberry and spicy flavors with a firm frame of grainy tannins and bold freshness, finishing long with a peppery kick. |
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|
2018 |
Pauillac (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,390.99 |
5 |
|
| |
WA 94+ (3/2021): The 2018 Les Forts de Latour is made up of 65.6% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot and 0.4% Petit Verdot, with 14.2% alcohol and an IPT (total polyphenol index) of 77. It was aged in 60% new oak. Deep garnet-purple in color, it needs a fair bit of swirling to reveal notions of baked black cherries, cassis and blackberry pie with hints of pencil lead, clove oil, cardamom and allspice with a waft of violets. Medium to full-bodied, the palate delivers impressive density with velvety tannins and a lively backbone supporting the generous black fruits, finishing long with all the earthy nuances coming through at the very end.
JD 94-96 (5/2019): Stepping up on the serious scale, the 2018 Les Forts De Latour checks in as a mix of 65.6% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot, and just a splash of Petit Verdot. It boasts a deeper purple color as well as powerful notes of high-class smoke tobacco, graphite, crushed rocks, and ample black and blue fruits. Rich, full-bodied, concentrated, and yet still perfectly balanced, it's another brilliant second wine from Latour that competes with most estates’ top wines.
VM 94 (2/2024): The 2018 Les Forts de Latour is surprisingly approachable. It boasts serious concentration because of the warm dry summer and ensuing low yields, yet the intensity of the fruit pretty much covers the tannins, quite unusual for young Forts de Latour. Dark-toned fruit, gravel, incense, licorice and scorched earth add to the wine's distinctive sepia-toned personality. The 2018 turned out beautifully. Antonio Galloni.
JA 93 (2/2021): As with Pauillac de Latour, the dominant feel on the attack is the sinew and juice that runs through the wine, along with carefully spliced tight black fruits that are a little closed right now. This is concentrated, showing cassis and black pepper spice as it opens. They had yields of 24hl/ha, so pretty generous compared to some of the organic properties in this difficult year for mildew, but still low overall. 42% of production. 2.4% press wine. 74IPT. |
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|
2019 |
Pauillac 2025 ex-Chateau Release; Prooftag |
$188.95 |
21 |
|
| |
VM 95 (1/2025): The 2019 Forts de Latour is a tannic, backward wine, as it has always been. Blue/purplish fruit, lavender, graphite, sage and mocha open with a bit of coaxing. Even so, the 2019 is incredibly tight at this stage. Despite its imminent release, I would not dream of touching a bottle any time soon. Rain just before harvest in this warm vintage helped keep things in check and resulted in fairly generous yields of 45 hectoliters per hectare. At the same time, the mid-palate is a bit compact, while the tannins are imposing. (Drink between 2029-2049). Antonio Galloni.
WA 95+ (2/2025): The 2019 Les Forts de Latour appears to have tightened up a little since I last tasted it a few years ago. Unwinding in the glass with aromas of sweet cassis fruit mingled with hints of cedar, iris, orange zest and new oak, it's medium to full-bodied, lively and nicely concentrated, with a ripe core of fruit underpinned by chalky structuring tannins. While it's approachable after a decant, it certainly merits additional patience. As readers will remember, this bottling mostly derives from dedicated parcels located further inland from Latour's famous "Enclos," next to Château Haut-Batailley.
JA 94 (2/2024): Inky, great depths with a vivid violet rim, this is exceptional, balanced and full of character. Coming out of its serious early years, showing fleshy plum, damson and cassis fruits, along with graphite, slate, fennel and toast. If you like your wines particularly powerful, you can go for it now and over the next few years, but it will age for a good few decades from here. Chiseled, very much speaking of its Pauillac heritage. 70% new oak for ageing, 39% of Latour's production in this vintage. Hélène Genin technical director, second year certified organic.
JD 93+ (3/2025): The 2019 Les Forts De Latour is more open, expressive, and complex, with a medium to full-bodied style as well as terrific aromatics of ripe currants, leather, graphite, and cedary spice. I love its overall purity, and it has fabulous balance and outstanding length. Coming from slightly less ideal parcels (those farther from the Gironde estuary), it doesn't have the density of the 2020 or 2022 but shines for its overall equilibrium and elegance, while still bringing some solid Pauillac power. |
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|
2019 |
Pauillac (3.0 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$960.98 |
6 |
|
| |
VM 95 (1/2025): The 2019 Forts de Latour is a tannic, backward wine, as it has always been. Blue/purplish fruit, lavender, graphite, sage and mocha open with a bit of coaxing. Even so, the 2019 is incredibly tight at this stage. Despite its imminent release, I would not dream of touching a bottle any time soon. Rain just before harvest in this warm vintage helped keep things in check and resulted in fairly generous yields of 45 hectoliters per hectare. At the same time, the mid-palate is a bit compact, while the tannins are imposing. (Drink between 2029-2049). Antonio Galloni.
WA 95+ (2/2025): The 2019 Les Forts de Latour appears to have tightened up a little since I last tasted it a few years ago. Unwinding in the glass with aromas of sweet cassis fruit mingled with hints of cedar, iris, orange zest and new oak, it's medium to full-bodied, lively and nicely concentrated, with a ripe core of fruit underpinned by chalky structuring tannins. While it's approachable after a decant, it certainly merits additional patience. As readers will remember, this bottling mostly derives from dedicated parcels located further inland from Latour's famous "Enclos," next to Château Haut-Batailley.
JA 94 (2/2024): Inky, great depths with a vivid violet rim, this is exceptional, balanced and full of character. Coming out of its serious early years, showing fleshy plum, damson and cassis fruits, along with graphite, slate, fennel and toast. If you like your wines particularly powerful, you can go for it now and over the next few years, but it will age for a good few decades from here. Chiseled, very much speaking of its Pauillac heritage. 70% new oak for ageing, 39% of Latour's production in this vintage. Hélène Genin technical director, second year certified organic.
JD 93+ (3/2025): The 2019 Les Forts De Latour is more open, expressive, and complex, with a medium to full-bodied style as well as terrific aromatics of ripe currants, leather, graphite, and cedary spice. I love its overall purity, and it has fabulous balance and outstanding length. Coming from slightly less ideal parcels (those farther from the Gironde estuary), it doesn't have the density of the 2020 or 2022 but shines for its overall equilibrium and elegance, while still bringing some solid Pauillac power. |
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|
2019 |
Pauillac (6.0 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,863.98 |
1 |
|
| |
VM 95 (1/2025): The 2019 Forts de Latour is a tannic, backward wine, as it has always been. Blue/purplish fruit, lavender, graphite, sage and mocha open with a bit of coaxing. Even so, the 2019 is incredibly tight at this stage. Despite its imminent release, I would not dream of touching a bottle any time soon. Rain just before harvest in this warm vintage helped keep things in check and resulted in fairly generous yields of 45 hectoliters per hectare. At the same time, the mid-palate is a bit compact, while the tannins are imposing. (Drink between 2029-2049). Antonio Galloni.
WA 95+ (2/2025): The 2019 Les Forts de Latour appears to have tightened up a little since I last tasted it a few years ago. Unwinding in the glass with aromas of sweet cassis fruit mingled with hints of cedar, iris, orange zest and new oak, it's medium to full-bodied, lively and nicely concentrated, with a ripe core of fruit underpinned by chalky structuring tannins. While it's approachable after a decant, it certainly merits additional patience. As readers will remember, this bottling mostly derives from dedicated parcels located further inland from Latour's famous "Enclos," next to Château Haut-Batailley.
JA 94 (2/2024): Inky, great depths with a vivid violet rim, this is exceptional, balanced and full of character. Coming out of its serious early years, showing fleshy plum, damson and cassis fruits, along with graphite, slate, fennel and toast. If you like your wines particularly powerful, you can go for it now and over the next few years, but it will age for a good few decades from here. Chiseled, very much speaking of its Pauillac heritage. 70% new oak for ageing, 39% of Latour's production in this vintage. Hélène Genin technical director, second year certified organic.
JD 93+ (3/2025): The 2019 Les Forts De Latour is more open, expressive, and complex, with a medium to full-bodied style as well as terrific aromatics of ripe currants, leather, graphite, and cedary spice. I love its overall purity, and it has fabulous balance and outstanding length. Coming from slightly less ideal parcels (those farther from the Gironde estuary), it doesn't have the density of the 2020 or 2022 but shines for its overall equilibrium and elegance, while still bringing some solid Pauillac power. |
|
|
2019 |
Pauillac (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,274.98 |
13 |
|
| |
VM 95 (1/2025): The 2019 Forts de Latour is a tannic, backward wine, as it has always been. Blue/purplish fruit, lavender, graphite, sage and mocha open with a bit of coaxing. Even so, the 2019 is incredibly tight at this stage. Despite its imminent release, I would not dream of touching a bottle any time soon. Rain just before harvest in this warm vintage helped keep things in check and resulted in fairly generous yields of 45 hectoliters per hectare. At the same time, the mid-palate is a bit compact, while the tannins are imposing. (Drink between 2029-2049). Antonio Galloni.
WA 95+ (2/2025): The 2019 Les Forts de Latour appears to have tightened up a little since I last tasted it a few years ago. Unwinding in the glass with aromas of sweet cassis fruit mingled with hints of cedar, iris, orange zest and new oak, it's medium to full-bodied, lively and nicely concentrated, with a ripe core of fruit underpinned by chalky structuring tannins. While it's approachable after a decant, it certainly merits additional patience. As readers will remember, this bottling mostly derives from dedicated parcels located further inland from Latour's famous "Enclos," next to Château Haut-Batailley.
JA 94 (2/2024): Inky, great depths with a vivid violet rim, this is exceptional, balanced and full of character. Coming out of its serious early years, showing fleshy plum, damson and cassis fruits, along with graphite, slate, fennel and toast. If you like your wines particularly powerful, you can go for it now and over the next few years, but it will age for a good few decades from here. Chiseled, very much speaking of its Pauillac heritage. 70% new oak for ageing, 39% of Latour's production in this vintage. Hélène Genin technical director, second year certified organic.
JD 93+ (3/2025): The 2019 Les Forts De Latour is more open, expressive, and complex, with a medium to full-bodied style as well as terrific aromatics of ripe currants, leather, graphite, and cedary spice. I love its overall purity, and it has fabulous balance and outstanding length. Coming from slightly less ideal parcels (those farther from the Gironde estuary), it doesn't have the density of the 2020 or 2022 but shines for its overall equilibrium and elegance, while still bringing some solid Pauillac power. |
|
|
2019 |
Pauillac (12x375ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,324.98 |
2 |
|
| |
VM 95 (1/2025): The 2019 Forts de Latour is a tannic, backward wine, as it has always been. Blue/purplish fruit, lavender, graphite, sage and mocha open with a bit of coaxing. Even so, the 2019 is incredibly tight at this stage. Despite its imminent release, I would not dream of touching a bottle any time soon. Rain just before harvest in this warm vintage helped keep things in check and resulted in fairly generous yields of 45 hectoliters per hectare. At the same time, the mid-palate is a bit compact, while the tannins are imposing. (Drink between 2029-2049). Antonio Galloni.
WA 95+ (2/2025): The 2019 Les Forts de Latour appears to have tightened up a little since I last tasted it a few years ago. Unwinding in the glass with aromas of sweet cassis fruit mingled with hints of cedar, iris, orange zest and new oak, it's medium to full-bodied, lively and nicely concentrated, with a ripe core of fruit underpinned by chalky structuring tannins. While it's approachable after a decant, it certainly merits additional patience. As readers will remember, this bottling mostly derives from dedicated parcels located further inland from Latour's famous "Enclos," next to Château Haut-Batailley.
JA 94 (2/2024): Inky, great depths with a vivid violet rim, this is exceptional, balanced and full of character. Coming out of its serious early years, showing fleshy plum, damson and cassis fruits, along with graphite, slate, fennel and toast. If you like your wines particularly powerful, you can go for it now and over the next few years, but it will age for a good few decades from here. Chiseled, very much speaking of its Pauillac heritage. 70% new oak for ageing, 39% of Latour's production in this vintage. Hélène Genin technical director, second year certified organic.
JD 93+ (3/2025): The 2019 Les Forts De Latour is more open, expressive, and complex, with a medium to full-bodied style as well as terrific aromatics of ripe currants, leather, graphite, and cedary spice. I love its overall purity, and it has fabulous balance and outstanding length. Coming from slightly less ideal parcels (those farther from the Gironde estuary), it doesn't have the density of the 2020 or 2022 but shines for its overall equilibrium and elegance, while still bringing some solid Pauillac power. |
|
|
2020 |
Pauillac (3.0 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,010.97 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 96 (3/2026): A blockbuster of a Les Forts, the 2020 Les Forts de Latour is based on 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26.5% Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot and aged 18 months in 60% new French oak. Its deep ruby/plum hue is followed by textbook Latour notes of currants, melted crayon, graphite, and lead pencil shavings. Medium to full-bodied, dense, and concentrated on the palate, it has a powerful, structured mouthfeel, remarkable purity, perfectly ripe tannins, and a great, great finish. It might be the finest Les Forts I've tasted. Hitting 13.1% alcohol, it's approachable today yet has another 30 years of longevity. Drink 2026-2056.
VM 95 (1/2026): The 2020 Les Forts de Latour is superb. Hints of gravel, dried herbs,game and licorice weave through a core of dark red/purplish fruit.Spice, cedar and sweet pipe tobacco follow. The purity of the flavors is just striking. Initially a touch reticent, the 2020 fleshes out beautifully with a bit of air. I would give this at least another year or two in bottle. A magnificent Forts de Latour. Antonio Galloni.
JA 95 (1/2026): Love the texture and depth on display from the first momebt, a brilliant vintage to track down a bottle of Les Forts de Latour. This is packed with delicious and sappy blackberry, damson and cassis fruit, coupling concentration and elegance.
WA 94 (4/2023): The 2020 Les Forts de Latour is composed of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26.5% Merlot and 3.5% Petit Verdot, incorporating a 64-hectoliter tank of Merlot that would normally have been included in the Grand Vin but which didn't fit with this year's blend. Unwinding in the glass with aromas of minty cassis, plums, licorice, pipe tobacco and vanilla pod, it's medium to full-bodied, rich and velvety, with terrific depth at the core and a somewhat more textural, granular profile than the suave 2019. |
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|
2020 |
Pauillac (6.0 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,937.98 |
2 |
|
| |
JD 96 (3/2026): A blockbuster of a Les Forts, the 2020 Les Forts de Latour is based on 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26.5% Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot and aged 18 months in 60% new French oak. Its deep ruby/plum hue is followed by textbook Latour notes of currants, melted crayon, graphite, and lead pencil shavings. Medium to full-bodied, dense, and concentrated on the palate, it has a powerful, structured mouthfeel, remarkable purity, perfectly ripe tannins, and a great, great finish. It might be the finest Les Forts I've tasted. Hitting 13.1% alcohol, it's approachable today yet has another 30 years of longevity. Drink 2026-2056.
VM 95 (1/2026): The 2020 Les Forts de Latour is superb. Hints of gravel, dried herbs,game and licorice weave through a core of dark red/purplish fruit.Spice, cedar and sweet pipe tobacco follow. The purity of the flavors is just striking. Initially a touch reticent, the 2020 fleshes out beautifully with a bit of air. I would give this at least another year or two in bottle. A magnificent Forts de Latour. Antonio Galloni.
JA 95 (1/2026): Love the texture and depth on display from the first momebt, a brilliant vintage to track down a bottle of Les Forts de Latour. This is packed with delicious and sappy blackberry, damson and cassis fruit, coupling concentration and elegance.
WA 94 (4/2023): The 2020 Les Forts de Latour is composed of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26.5% Merlot and 3.5% Petit Verdot, incorporating a 64-hectoliter tank of Merlot that would normally have been included in the Grand Vin but which didn't fit with this year's blend. Unwinding in the glass with aromas of minty cassis, plums, licorice, pipe tobacco and vanilla pod, it's medium to full-bodied, rich and velvety, with terrific depth at the core and a somewhat more textural, granular profile than the suave 2019. |
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|
2020 |
Pauillac (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,422.98 |
20 |
|
| |
JD 96 (3/2026): A blockbuster of a Les Forts, the 2020 Les Forts de Latour is based on 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26.5% Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot and aged 18 months in 60% new French oak. Its deep ruby/plum hue is followed by textbook Latour notes of currants, melted crayon, graphite, and lead pencil shavings. Medium to full-bodied, dense, and concentrated on the palate, it has a powerful, structured mouthfeel, remarkable purity, perfectly ripe tannins, and a great, great finish. It might be the finest Les Forts I've tasted. Hitting 13.1% alcohol, it's approachable today yet has another 30 years of longevity. Drink 2026-2056.
VM 95 (1/2026): The 2020 Les Forts de Latour is superb. Hints of gravel, dried herbs,game and licorice weave through a core of dark red/purplish fruit.Spice, cedar and sweet pipe tobacco follow. The purity of the flavors is just striking. Initially a touch reticent, the 2020 fleshes out beautifully with a bit of air. I would give this at least another year or two in bottle. A magnificent Forts de Latour. Antonio Galloni.
JA 95 (1/2026): Love the texture and depth on display from the first momebt, a brilliant vintage to track down a bottle of Les Forts de Latour. This is packed with delicious and sappy blackberry, damson and cassis fruit, coupling concentration and elegance.
WA 94 (4/2023): The 2020 Les Forts de Latour is composed of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26.5% Merlot and 3.5% Petit Verdot, incorporating a 64-hectoliter tank of Merlot that would normally have been included in the Grand Vin but which didn't fit with this year's blend. Unwinding in the glass with aromas of minty cassis, plums, licorice, pipe tobacco and vanilla pod, it's medium to full-bodied, rich and velvety, with terrific depth at the core and a somewhat more textural, granular profile than the suave 2019. |
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|
2020 |
Pauillac (12x375ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,356.98 |
9 |
|
| |
JD 96 (3/2026): A blockbuster of a Les Forts, the 2020 Les Forts de Latour is based on 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26.5% Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot and aged 18 months in 60% new French oak. Its deep ruby/plum hue is followed by textbook Latour notes of currants, melted crayon, graphite, and lead pencil shavings. Medium to full-bodied, dense, and concentrated on the palate, it has a powerful, structured mouthfeel, remarkable purity, perfectly ripe tannins, and a great, great finish. It might be the finest Les Forts I've tasted. Hitting 13.1% alcohol, it's approachable today yet has another 30 years of longevity. Drink 2026-2056.
VM 95 (1/2026): The 2020 Les Forts de Latour is superb. Hints of gravel, dried herbs,game and licorice weave through a core of dark red/purplish fruit.Spice, cedar and sweet pipe tobacco follow. The purity of the flavors is just striking. Initially a touch reticent, the 2020 fleshes out beautifully with a bit of air. I would give this at least another year or two in bottle. A magnificent Forts de Latour. Antonio Galloni.
JA 95 (1/2026): Love the texture and depth on display from the first momebt, a brilliant vintage to track down a bottle of Les Forts de Latour. This is packed with delicious and sappy blackberry, damson and cassis fruit, coupling concentration and elegance.
WA 94 (4/2023): The 2020 Les Forts de Latour is composed of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26.5% Merlot and 3.5% Petit Verdot, incorporating a 64-hectoliter tank of Merlot that would normally have been included in the Grand Vin but which didn't fit with this year's blend. Unwinding in the glass with aromas of minty cassis, plums, licorice, pipe tobacco and vanilla pod, it's medium to full-bodied, rich and velvety, with terrific depth at the core and a somewhat more textural, granular profile than the suave 2019. |
|
|
2020 |
Pauillac (3x1.5L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,422.98 |
3 |
|
| |
JD 96 (3/2026): A blockbuster of a Les Forts, the 2020 Les Forts de Latour is based on 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26.5% Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot and aged 18 months in 60% new French oak. Its deep ruby/plum hue is followed by textbook Latour notes of currants, melted crayon, graphite, and lead pencil shavings. Medium to full-bodied, dense, and concentrated on the palate, it has a powerful, structured mouthfeel, remarkable purity, perfectly ripe tannins, and a great, great finish. It might be the finest Les Forts I've tasted. Hitting 13.1% alcohol, it's approachable today yet has another 30 years of longevity. Drink 2026-2056.
VM 95 (1/2026): The 2020 Les Forts de Latour is superb. Hints of gravel, dried herbs,game and licorice weave through a core of dark red/purplish fruit.Spice, cedar and sweet pipe tobacco follow. The purity of the flavors is just striking. Initially a touch reticent, the 2020 fleshes out beautifully with a bit of air. I would give this at least another year or two in bottle. A magnificent Forts de Latour. Antonio Galloni.
JA 95 (1/2026): Love the texture and depth on display from the first momebt, a brilliant vintage to track down a bottle of Les Forts de Latour. This is packed with delicious and sappy blackberry, damson and cassis fruit, coupling concentration and elegance.
WA 94 (4/2023): The 2020 Les Forts de Latour is composed of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26.5% Merlot and 3.5% Petit Verdot, incorporating a 64-hectoliter tank of Merlot that would normally have been included in the Grand Vin but which didn't fit with this year's blend. Unwinding in the glass with aromas of minty cassis, plums, licorice, pipe tobacco and vanilla pod, it's medium to full-bodied, rich and velvety, with terrific depth at the core and a somewhat more textural, granular profile than the suave 2019. |
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|
2020 |
Pauillac (3x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$720.98 |
6 |
|
| |
JD 96 (3/2026): A blockbuster of a Les Forts, the 2020 Les Forts de Latour is based on 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26.5% Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot and aged 18 months in 60% new French oak. Its deep ruby/plum hue is followed by textbook Latour notes of currants, melted crayon, graphite, and lead pencil shavings. Medium to full-bodied, dense, and concentrated on the palate, it has a powerful, structured mouthfeel, remarkable purity, perfectly ripe tannins, and a great, great finish. It might be the finest Les Forts I've tasted. Hitting 13.1% alcohol, it's approachable today yet has another 30 years of longevity. Drink 2026-2056.
VM 95 (1/2026): The 2020 Les Forts de Latour is superb. Hints of gravel, dried herbs,game and licorice weave through a core of dark red/purplish fruit.Spice, cedar and sweet pipe tobacco follow. The purity of the flavors is just striking. Initially a touch reticent, the 2020 fleshes out beautifully with a bit of air. I would give this at least another year or two in bottle. A magnificent Forts de Latour. Antonio Galloni.
JA 95 (1/2026): Love the texture and depth on display from the first momebt, a brilliant vintage to track down a bottle of Les Forts de Latour. This is packed with delicious and sappy blackberry, damson and cassis fruit, coupling concentration and elegance.
WA 94 (4/2023): The 2020 Les Forts de Latour is composed of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26.5% Merlot and 3.5% Petit Verdot, incorporating a 64-hectoliter tank of Merlot that would normally have been included in the Grand Vin but which didn't fit with this year's blend. Unwinding in the glass with aromas of minty cassis, plums, licorice, pipe tobacco and vanilla pod, it's medium to full-bodied, rich and velvety, with terrific depth at the core and a somewhat more textural, granular profile than the suave 2019. |
|
| Producer |
Vint. |
Wine |
Price |
Qty |
Order |
| | Bordeaux Red |
| Ch. L' Arrosee |
2005 |
St. Emilion |
$75 |
2 |
|
| |
WA 93 (4/2008): This estate’s new proprietor has hit a home run, producing l’Arrosee’s finest wine since the early eighties, when a bevy of top clarets (1982, 1985, 1986) were produced. Somewhat reminiscent of a Burgundy, the deep ruby/purple-tinged 2005 offers up sweet raspberry and forest floor characteristics along with a hint of toasty oak. It hits the palate with beautiful finesse, elegance, and sweetness. Medium to full-bodied with loads of black currant and raspberry fruit, substantial but sweet tannin, zesty acidity, and a long finish, this beauty is filled with purity, symmetry, and balance. It should hit its plateau of maturity in 7-8 years, and last for three decades.
VM 90 (6/2008): Medium red. Sexy aromas of redcurrant, graphite and smoky, nutty oak. Supple, lush and soft but with harmonious acidity giving shape to the currant and smoke flavors. One senses some thoroughly ripe cabernet here. Finishes with sweet tannins, lingering red fruits and good cut. The best vintage in a long time for this chateau. |
|
| Ch. Beau-Sejour Becot |
2005 |
St. Emilion (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,613.97 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 94+ (6/2015): A beautiful wine from Beau-Sejour Becot, the color of the 2005 is an opaque purple and the wine is loaded with notes of cedar wood, Asian spice, blackberry and cassis fruit. Full-bodied and tannic, but broad, huge, and massive, this wine is still an infant and needs another 7-10 years of cellaring. This is a 40- to 50-year wine from the Becot family.
VM 92 (6/2008): Good ruby-red. Very ripe but lively aromas of kirsch, licorice, bitter chocolate, nuts and violet. Dense and sweet but vibrant, with a medicinal reserve and terrific grip to the superripe fruit and bitter chocolate flavors. Wonderfully rich, pliant wine with late-arriving tannins and a terrific spine for a slow evolution in bottle. Much more tightly wound today than the Becot family's La Gomerie, but there's plenty of fat fruit lurking. |
|
| Ch. Beausejour (J. Duffau-Lagarosse) |
2005 |
St. Emilion (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,125.97 |
1 |
|
| |
VM 91+ (6/2008): Medium red-ruby. Very ripe aromas of black cherry and licorice; slightly liqueur-like. Intensely flavored and gripping, with impressive power and a serious spine to the sweet black cherry flavors. Finishes with sneaky length and excellent backbone for aging. Aeration brought more minerality and more sweetness.
WA 91 (4/2008): 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 for micro-climate and exposition. A beautiful dark ruby/purple color is accompanied by an ethereal nose of blueberry liqueur, spring flowers, melted licorice, raspberries, and crushed rocks. Medium-bodied with good acidity, sweet but high tannin, a broad mouthfeel, and admirable elegance as well as freshness, this beauty should age easily for 25+ years. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2035. |
|
| Ch. Boyd-Cantenac |
2005 |
Margaux (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,085.97 |
1 |
|
| |
| WA 92 (4/2008): This chateau, which is often under the radar (production is only 5,500-6,000 cases), has fashioned a terrific, inky/blue/purple-hued 2005 with a beautiful bouquet of spring flowers, creme de cassis, pain grille, and blueberries. Powerful and concentrated with full-bodied richness, stunning purity, and a tannic, 40+-second finish, this beauty requires patience. Anticipated maturity: 2017-2030+. |
|
| Ch. Brane-Cantenac |
2005 |
Margaux (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,761.97 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 94 (4/2008): This is the finest Brane-Cantenac I have tasted in over thirty years. Unusually perfumed and already approachable (atypical for most 2005 Medocs), it reveals a deep plum/purple color as well as a stunningly flamboyant bouquet of smoked herbs, licorice, camphor, black cherries, currants, and notions of plums and blackberries. Elegant with silky tannin and medium body, it is clearly a classic statement on the Margaux appellation. While not a powerhouse, it is beautifully concentrated, stunningly balanced, and surprisingly forward. It could be drunk now after several hours of decanting, but it should age easily for 20+ years.
VM 91+ (6/2008): Good bright red-ruby. Subdued but pure aromas of currant, dark chocolate and sexy oak. Moderately sweet, medium-bodied and vinous, with ripe acidity and a floral element providing mid-palate lift. Still a bit medicinal and unevolved, but this has the serious structure to develop slowly and well in bottle. Finishes long and firm. |
|
| Ch. Calon-Segur |
2005 |
St. Estephe (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,990.97 |
4 |
|
| |
JA 96 (6/2022): The classic Gasqueton years, when Calon was for the initiated, and they held on fervently to their insider status. 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. 50% new oak.
WA 94 (3/2015): Tasted 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 mineralite 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 Segur, though the millennial wine might ultimately possess greater precision. We will see.
VM 91 (6/2025): The 2005 Calon Ségur, which was matured in 75% new oak, has a powerful and burly nose: quite intense black fruit meet star anise and cough candy scents. This has fine delineation, even if a little rustic compared to the wines nowadays. The palate is smooth on the entry, and the tannins have softened since I last tasted this. With its higher percentage of Merlot driving the flavours, you might well place this on the Right Bank. Touches of black truffle emerge towards the finish and there is decent aftertaste. This just comes across as rather "tough" compared to contemporary Calon Ségur. Tasted at the château. NEal Martin. |
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|
2005 |
St. Estephe (6x1.5L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,949.98 |
2 |
|
| |
JA 96 (6/2022): The classic Gasqueton years, when Calon was for the initiated, and they held on fervently to their insider status. 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. 50% new oak.
WA 94 (3/2015): Tasted 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 mineralite 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 Segur, though the millennial wine might ultimately possess greater precision. We will see.
VM 91 (6/2025): The 2005 Calon Ségur, which was matured in 75% new oak, has a powerful and burly nose: quite intense black fruit meet star anise and cough candy scents. This has fine delineation, even if a little rustic compared to the wines nowadays. The palate is smooth on the entry, and the tannins have softened since I last tasted this. With its higher percentage of Merlot driving the flavours, you might well place this on the Right Bank. Touches of black truffle emerge towards the finish and there is decent aftertaste. This just comes across as rather "tough" compared to contemporary Calon Ségur. Tasted at the château. NEal Martin. |
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| Ch. Les Carmes Haut Brion |
2005 |
Pessac Leognan |
$135 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 92 (4/2008): A gorgeous effort from this tiny gem, the 2005 Les Carmes is their best wine since 1998 and 2000. Situated in a beautiful park behind Haut-Brion, this estate fashioned a deep ruby-colored 2005 boasting a brilliantly projected set of aromatics (kirsch, smoke, scorched earth, chocolate, leafy tobacco, and creosote). Its full body is somewhat unexpected given the aromatics’ delicacy and nuance. Zesty acidity, sweet tannin, and a light but substantial, classic, traditional style are found in this offering, which represents a synthesis in style between a grand cru Cote de Beaune Burgundy (such as a Corton) and a great Graves. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2028.
VM 91 (6/2008): Medium red. Ripe aromas of smoky plum, redcurrant, mocha, tobacco and nutty oak. Rich, pliant and fruity, with ripe acids framing the raspberry and subtle game flavors and contributing to the impression of inner-mouth perfume. Offers good volume and a restrained sweetness. Finishes with dusty, serious tannins and very good length. |
|
| Carruades de Lafite |
2005 |
Pauillac (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$3,559.97 |
1 |
|
| |
VM 91 (6/2008): Good deep red. Pungent aromas of currant, cherry skin, leather, graphite, olive and flowers. Suave, minerally and penetrating, with lovely energy and floral lift. Not at all a fleshy style but classic, vibrant and firmly built, finishing with excellent lift.
WA 89 (4/2008): A classic example of a second wine, the 2005 Carruades de Lafite reveals a dark ruby hue with some pink showing at the rim. The moderately intense nose of graphite, forest floor, and sweet black currant fruit is followed by a medium-bodied, elegant wine with light to moderate tannin. Drink it over the next 10-15 years. |
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| Ch. Cheval-Blanc |
2005 |
St. Emilion (6.0 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$14,077.97 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 100 (6/2015): 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, but extremely light on its feet, I don’t mean to gush, but it is super-intense, rich and just so meticulously crafted! This is another fabulous wine and a perfect expression for this vintage. It is difficult to forget the gorgeous blueberry and raspberry fruit, full body, sweet tannin, a multi-layered texture, and purity and palate presence of this stunning wine. Drink it over the next 20 years. P.S. In 2005, this was 50% Cabernet Franc and 50% Merlot.
VM 100 (11/2015): The 2005 Cheval Blanc is another wine that is utterly mesmerizing from the moment it is opened. Exquisite in its aromatics, the 2005 Cheval is sublime on the palate, where the interplay of Merlot and Cabernet Franc proves to be captivating. In a night of truly spellbinding wines, the Cheval makes a deep impression because of its overall finesse and nuance. Along with the Margaux and Haut-Brion, the Cheval speaks to total refinement and polish. The Cheval is of course not one of the bigger, more imposing wines of the night, but it is among the most complete, which makes it the perfect wine to close out an incredible night. When we first opened the 2005, I thought it might very well be the wine of the night. A few hours later, it was every bit as impressive. Antonio Galloni.
JS 98 (11/2015): Always a fabulous nose of black fruit, dark chocolate, nuts and spices. It's full-bodied with beautifully dense tannins reminiscent of cashmere. A long, long finish rounds out this beautiful wine. It would be better to leave it alone until 2020 but so hard not to revel in its splendor now. |
|
|
2005 |
St. Emilion (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$12,756.97 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 100 (6/2015): 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, but extremely light on its feet, I don’t mean to gush, but it is super-intense, rich and just so meticulously crafted! This is another fabulous wine and a perfect expression for this vintage. It is difficult to forget the gorgeous blueberry and raspberry fruit, full body, sweet tannin, a multi-layered texture, and purity and palate presence of this stunning wine. Drink it over the next 20 years. P.S. In 2005, this was 50% Cabernet Franc and 50% Merlot.
VM 100 (11/2015): The 2005 Cheval Blanc is another wine that is utterly mesmerizing from the moment it is opened. Exquisite in its aromatics, the 2005 Cheval is sublime on the palate, where the interplay of Merlot and Cabernet Franc proves to be captivating. In a night of truly spellbinding wines, the Cheval makes a deep impression because of its overall finesse and nuance. Along with the Margaux and Haut-Brion, the Cheval speaks to total refinement and polish. The Cheval is of course not one of the bigger, more imposing wines of the night, but it is among the most complete, which makes it the perfect wine to close out an incredible night. When we first opened the 2005, I thought it might very well be the wine of the night. A few hours later, it was every bit as impressive. Antonio Galloni.
JS 98 (11/2015): Always a fabulous nose of black fruit, dark chocolate, nuts and spices. It's full-bodied with beautifully dense tannins reminiscent of cashmere. A long, long finish rounds out this beautiful wine. It would be better to leave it alone until 2020 but so hard not to revel in its splendor now. |
|
|
2005 |
St. Emilion (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$6,320.97 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 100 (6/2015): 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, but extremely light on its feet, I don’t mean to gush, but it is super-intense, rich and just so meticulously crafted! This is another fabulous wine and a perfect expression for this vintage. It is difficult to forget the gorgeous blueberry and raspberry fruit, full body, sweet tannin, a multi-layered texture, and purity and palate presence of this stunning wine. Drink it over the next 20 years. P.S. In 2005, this was 50% Cabernet Franc and 50% Merlot.
VM 100 (11/2015): The 2005 Cheval Blanc is another wine that is utterly mesmerizing from the moment it is opened. Exquisite in its aromatics, the 2005 Cheval is sublime on the palate, where the interplay of Merlot and Cabernet Franc proves to be captivating. In a night of truly spellbinding wines, the Cheval makes a deep impression because of its overall finesse and nuance. Along with the Margaux and Haut-Brion, the Cheval speaks to total refinement and polish. The Cheval is of course not one of the bigger, more imposing wines of the night, but it is among the most complete, which makes it the perfect wine to close out an incredible night. When we first opened the 2005, I thought it might very well be the wine of the night. A few hours later, it was every bit as impressive. Antonio Galloni.
JS 98 (11/2015): Always a fabulous nose of black fruit, dark chocolate, nuts and spices. It's full-bodied with beautifully dense tannins reminiscent of cashmere. A long, long finish rounds out this beautiful wine. It would be better to leave it alone until 2020 but so hard not to revel in its splendor now. |
|
|
2005 |
St. Emilion (6x1.5L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$14,259.97 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 100 (6/2015): 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, but extremely light on its feet, I don’t mean to gush, but it is super-intense, rich and just so meticulously crafted! This is another fabulous wine and a perfect expression for this vintage. It is difficult to forget the gorgeous blueberry and raspberry fruit, full body, sweet tannin, a multi-layered texture, and purity and palate presence of this stunning wine. Drink it over the next 20 years. P.S. In 2005, this was 50% Cabernet Franc and 50% Merlot.
VM 100 (11/2015): The 2005 Cheval Blanc is another wine that is utterly mesmerizing from the moment it is opened. Exquisite in its aromatics, the 2005 Cheval is sublime on the palate, where the interplay of Merlot and Cabernet Franc proves to be captivating. In a night of truly spellbinding wines, the Cheval makes a deep impression because of its overall finesse and nuance. Along with the Margaux and Haut-Brion, the Cheval speaks to total refinement and polish. The Cheval is of course not one of the bigger, more imposing wines of the night, but it is among the most complete, which makes it the perfect wine to close out an incredible night. When we first opened the 2005, I thought it might very well be the wine of the night. A few hours later, it was every bit as impressive. Antonio Galloni.
JS 98 (11/2015): Always a fabulous nose of black fruit, dark chocolate, nuts and spices. It's full-bodied with beautifully dense tannins reminiscent of cashmere. A long, long finish rounds out this beautiful wine. It would be better to leave it alone until 2020 but so hard not to revel in its splendor now. |
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|
2005 |
St. Emilion (3x1.5L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$11,499.97 |
5 |
|
| |
WA 100 (6/2015): 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, but extremely light on its feet, I don’t mean to gush, but it is super-intense, rich and just so meticulously crafted! This is another fabulous wine and a perfect expression for this vintage. It is difficult to forget the gorgeous blueberry and raspberry fruit, full body, sweet tannin, a multi-layered texture, and purity and palate presence of this stunning wine. Drink it over the next 20 years. P.S. In 2005, this was 50% Cabernet Franc and 50% Merlot.
VM 100 (11/2015): The 2005 Cheval Blanc is another wine that is utterly mesmerizing from the moment it is opened. Exquisite in its aromatics, the 2005 Cheval is sublime on the palate, where the interplay of Merlot and Cabernet Franc proves to be captivating. In a night of truly spellbinding wines, the Cheval makes a deep impression because of its overall finesse and nuance. Along with the Margaux and Haut-Brion, the Cheval speaks to total refinement and polish. The Cheval is of course not one of the bigger, more imposing wines of the night, but it is among the most complete, which makes it the perfect wine to close out an incredible night. When we first opened the 2005, I thought it might very well be the wine of the night. A few hours later, it was every bit as impressive. Antonio Galloni.
JS 98 (11/2015): Always a fabulous nose of black fruit, dark chocolate, nuts and spices. It's full-bodied with beautifully dense tannins reminiscent of cashmere. A long, long finish rounds out this beautiful wine. It would be better to leave it alone until 2020 but so hard not to revel in its splendor now. |
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| Ch. La Clemence |
2005 |
Pomerol |
$125 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 91 (6/2015): From proprietor Christian Dauriac, this wine, which has a tendency to be very oaky, has evolved nicely, with the oak well-measured and restrained. The color is a dense purple and the wine full-bodied, rich, heady and youthful. There is still plenty of meat, tannin and body, so this wine would probably be best cellared for another few years. Forget it for now and drink it between 2020 and 2035.
VM 89-92 (5/2006): Moderately saturated ruby-red. High-toned aromas of black cherry, violet, licorice and menthol, plus a whiff of smoked meat. Pliant, nicely delineated flavors of black cherry and spices offer an insidious sweetness. Finishes firmly tannic and persistent, with lovely violety lift. The best young vintage I've tasted to date from this chateau. |
|
| Ch. Clinet |
2005 |
Pomerol (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$3,243.97 |
1 |
|
| |
| WA 96 (6/2015): The opaque ruby/purple 2005 Clinet offers incredibly fragrant aromatics, an opaque ruby/purple color, and a wonderfully sweet nose of flowers, blackberries, licorice, truffle and caramel. Full-bodied, powerful and rich, it is not as nuanced or complex as the top four or five Pomerols, but close. This is a broad, meaty, masculine, super-rich and concentrated wine, with lavish plum, blackcurrants and blackberries. Drink it five years from now, and over the following 30 or more years. |
|
| Ch. Conseillante |
2005 |
Pomerol (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$4,428.97 |
1 |
|
| |
JS 98 (11/2015): 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.
WA 97 (6/2015): Displaying 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.
VM 96 (11/2015): Tasted after the Clos L'Eglise, the 2005 La Conseillante simply has more of everything. More richness, body and texture, but at the same time, there is a striking element of underlying minerality that confers freshness. The Conseillante is one of the riper wines of the night, yet all the elements are very much in the right place. A host of dark, jammy flavors meld into the effortless, flamboyant finish, where a kick of sweetness from the French oak adds the closing nuances. What a gorgeous wine this is. Antonio Galloni. |
|
| Ch. Cos d'Estournel |
2005 |
St. Estephe (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$3,037.99 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 98 (11/2018): The 2005 Cos d'Estournel is blended of 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot and 3% Cabernet Franc. Deep garnet colored, it is still a little closed and youthfully shy. With coaxing, the nose is just beginning to offer glimpses at vivacious kirsch, red roses, violets, licorice and mocha scents over a crème de cassis, blackberry pie and chocolate-covered cherry core with wafts of chargrill, mossy bark and truffles. Full-bodied, concentrated and wonderfully complex in the mouth, the palate is just beginning to reveal the true potential of this wine, with tightly wound layers of perfumed black fruits and earthy notions bound by a rock-solid frame of firm, grainy tannins and finishing with epic persistence. This still needs 5-6 years, but I love how this beauty is shaping up!!
VM 97 (11/2015): I have been fortunate to taste the 2005 Cos d'Estournel three times in recent weeks and it has never been anything less than stunningly beautiful, as it is once again on this night. The interplay of dark, ripe fruit and the more mineral, savory-inflected nuances typical of Saint-Estèphe yield a compelling, wonderfully complete Bordeaux that simply has it all. An exotic melange of graphite, gravel, smoke, cured meats and dark-fleshed fruits flow through to the explosive finish. Riveting today, the 2005 Cos will continue to thrill those fortunate enough to own it for several decades. Given its price vis-à-vis many of the high-flying wines of the year, the 2005 Cos remains a terrific relative value in its class.
VM 96 (6/2008): Good ruby-red. Knockout nose combines currant, plum, minerals, licorice and graphite. Wonderfully sweet, rich and deep, but with near-perfect balancing acidity to frame the wine's lush fruit. This superb 2005 has it all. Finishes with noble, sweet tannins and palate-saturating persistence. On my most recent visit, Prats told me he considered 2005 to be superior to the 2003, and that the '05 may be "our best wine ever." |
|
| Ch. Croizet Bages |
2005 |
Pauillac (6X750ML) 6-bottle OWC |
$390 |
1 |
|
| |
| WA 86 (3/2017): Tasted at Château Rauzan-Gassies. The 2005 Croizet Bages, a blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc, has a light, slightly herbaceous bouquet that is quite leafy and austere. The palate is medium-bodied with a pointed, spicy entry. There is a sweet core of mulberry and red plum fruit with a leafy veneer, moderate length and quite austere on the saline finish. Drink now and over the next 5-8 years. |
|
| Ch. Destieux |
2005 |
St. Emilion |
$79 |
2 |
|
| |
| WA 94 (6/2015): A well-known and consistent wine from the estate of Christian Dauriac, this big, plump, opulent 2005 is one of the best wines I have ever tasted from this estate. It is full-bodied and multi-dimensional, with a big, juicy texture and loads of plum, blackcurrant, spicy oak and minerality. Full and rich, with the tannins just beginning to show some resolution and better integration, this is a big-time sleeper of the vintage that should drink well for another 15-20 years.\ |
|
| Ch. Duhart Milon |
2005 |
Pauillac (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,400.97 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 94 (4/2008): The finest Duhart-Milon ever made? This structured, tannic, dense ruby/purple-tinged Pauillac offers up hints of cassis, licorice, chocolate, and earth. Medium to full-bodied with good purity, strong tannins, and undeniable elegance, it reveals a character not dissimilar from its renowned sibling, Lafite-Rothschild. A blend of 71% Cabernet Sauvignon and 29% Merlot, it is unquestionably Outstanding, but to my taste, slightly less opulent than the estate’s ethereal 2003. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2030.
VM 91+ (6/2008): Medium ruby. Superripe aromas and flavors of blueberry, blackberry, bitter chocolate, licorice, menthol and Asian spices. Big, chocolatey and rich; much broader and more backward than the Carruades I tasted next to it but without that wine's perfume and light touch. Finishes chewy and youthfully medicinal, with a classic dryness and substantial tannins that call for seven or eight years of cellaring. |
|
| Ch. L' Eglise Clinet |
2005 |
Pomerol (3.0 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$2,668.98 |
3 |
|
| |
WA 100 (4/2008): A sensational effort from proprietor Denis Durantou, this 2005 is a compelling wine, but purchasers should wait at least a decade to begin the magical liquid tour. One of the monumental wines of the vintage, it boasts a dense purple color as well as a glorious perfume of caramelized blackberries, blueberries, and raspberries, a hint of toast in the backward, fully integrated oak, full body, and exceptional density and richness. Prodigiously concentrated, this layered, broad Pomerol reveals a seamless integration of acidity, tannin, alcohol, and wood. It is a massive, yet remarkably elegant wine that is as singular as it is exhilarating. Anticipated maturity: 2017-2040.
VM 95+ (6/2008): Saturated ruby-red. Superripe, deep aromas of black cherry, mocha, bitter chocolate, licorice pastille and menthol; almost porty in its ripeness. Hugely concentrated and sweet, with perfectly integrated acidity giving shape and verve to the dark berry, violet and licorice flavors. A very powerful, ageworthy wine with terrific grip and flavor definition. The serious but fine tannins arrive very late and coat the front teeth. It will be fascinating to taste this alongside the great 1998 in a decade or so. |
|
|
2005 |
Pomerol (6.0 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$5,293.98 |
3 |
|
| |
WA 100 (4/2008): A sensational effort from proprietor Denis Durantou, this 2005 is a compelling wine, but purchasers should wait at least a decade to begin the magical liquid tour. One of the monumental wines of the vintage, it boasts a dense purple color as well as a glorious perfume of caramelized blackberries, blueberries, and raspberries, a hint of toast in the backward, fully integrated oak, full body, and exceptional density and richness. Prodigiously concentrated, this layered, broad Pomerol reveals a seamless integration of acidity, tannin, alcohol, and wood. It is a massive, yet remarkably elegant wine that is as singular as it is exhilarating. Anticipated maturity: 2017-2040.
VM 95+ (6/2008): Saturated ruby-red. Superripe, deep aromas of black cherry, mocha, bitter chocolate, licorice pastille and menthol; almost porty in its ripeness. Hugely concentrated and sweet, with perfectly integrated acidity giving shape and verve to the dark berry, violet and licorice flavors. A very powerful, ageworthy wine with terrific grip and flavor definition. The serious but fine tannins arrive very late and coat the front teeth. It will be fascinating to taste this alongside the great 1998 in a decade or so. |
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2005 |
Pomerol (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$5,013.98 |
2 |
|
| |
WA 100 (4/2008): A sensational effort from proprietor Denis Durantou, this 2005 is a compelling wine, but purchasers should wait at least a decade to begin the magical liquid tour. One of the monumental wines of the vintage, it boasts a dense purple color as well as a glorious perfume of caramelized blackberries, blueberries, and raspberries, a hint of toast in the backward, fully integrated oak, full body, and exceptional density and richness. Prodigiously concentrated, this layered, broad Pomerol reveals a seamless integration of acidity, tannin, alcohol, and wood. It is a massive, yet remarkably elegant wine that is as singular as it is exhilarating. Anticipated maturity: 2017-2040.
VM 95+ (6/2008): Saturated ruby-red. Superripe, deep aromas of black cherry, mocha, bitter chocolate, licorice pastille and menthol; almost porty in its ripeness. Hugely concentrated and sweet, with perfectly integrated acidity giving shape and verve to the dark berry, violet and licorice flavors. A very powerful, ageworthy wine with terrific grip and flavor definition. The serious but fine tannins arrive very late and coat the front teeth. It will be fascinating to taste this alongside the great 1998 in a decade or so. |
|
| Ch. L' Evangile |
2005 |
Pomerol (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$3,401.97 |
2 |
|
| |
JS 100 (3/2018): The classicism in this L'Evangile has always seduced me with its subtle brown sugar, black olive, cedar, black truffle and dark fruit. Full body yet tight and extremely polished. Very layered and fine-grain textured. A perfect example of Pomerol. Always a perfect wine. Just opening now.
WA 96 (6/2015): The 2005 L’Evangile’s gorgeous aromatics consist of spring flowers, black raspberries, licorice, truffle and graphite. The wine is full-bodied, rich, still youthful and backward, with sweet tannin and a long, layered, full-bodied mouthfeel. This stunner is capable of another two to three decades of longevity. The greatest L’Evangile since the 1982 and before the heroic duo of 2009 and 2010?
VM 94 (6/2008): Good deep red-ruby. Knockout nose combines black raspberry, plum, minerals, truffle and smoked meat, complicated by torrefaction notes of coffee and chocolate; very ripe but not at all roasted. Enters sweet and silky, with an almost weightless impression, then saturates the palate with seamless flavors of dark berries, minerals and cocoa powder. Finishes long and fresh, with sophisticated, fine-grained tannins and piquant minerality. A beauty. Stephen Tanzer. |
|
| Ch. Figeac |
2005 |
St. Emilion |
$245 |
3 |
|
| |
VM 92 (6/2008): Good full medium ruby. The nose offers blackcurrant, licorice, graphite, violet, minerals and exotic spices. Broad, suave and fine-grained on the palate, with fleshy but sharply focused flavors of currant, minerals and tobacco. Finishes classically dry and very long. This is St. Emilion with Pauillac and Graves qualities-and a superb vintage for this chateau, whose wine is easy to underrate in the early going.
WA 90 (4/2008): The 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. |
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|
2005 |
St. Emilion (3.0 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,464.99 |
1 |
|
| |
VM 92 (6/2008): Good full medium ruby. The nose offers blackcurrant, licorice, graphite, violet, minerals and exotic spices. Broad, suave and fine-grained on the palate, with fleshy but sharply focused flavors of currant, minerals and tobacco. Finishes classically dry and very long. This is St. Emilion with Pauillac and Graves qualities-and a superb vintage for this chateau, whose wine is easy to underrate in the early going.
WA 90 (4/2008): The 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. |
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| Les Forts de Latour |
2005 |
Pauillac (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$2,484.97 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 92 (4/2008): The 2005 Forts de Latour (10,000 cases produced) possesses much of the same character as Latour, but sweeter tannins, more obvious and forward fruit, medium to full body, and a more seductive, plusher style, but not the great stature, richness, and architectural precision of its bigger brother. Nevertheless, it is a gorgeous Pauillac that should drink well for two decades or more.
VM 92 (6/2008): Good red-ruby. Exotic aromas of roasted plum, currant and graphite. Big, round and sweet but with the broad shoulders of the year. The silky flavors of currant, tobacco and sweet oak show extraordinary baby fat and volume. Wonderfully rich, expressive wine with a very long, silky, aromatic back end. "Better than the 2007 Latour today, and almost as long," says Engerer. (The 2006 Forts de Latour had just been fined.) |
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| Clos Fourtet |
2005 |
St. Emilion |
$200 |
2 |
|
| |
WA 98 (6/2015): Dense ruby/purple, with notes of crushed rock, blueberry and blackberry fruit intermixed with some licorice and chocolate, this full-bodied, massive wine from proprietor Philippe Cuvelier coincides with the resurrection of this premier grand cru classe in St.-Emilion. As the wine sits in the glass, notes of espresso roast and chocolate emerge. This full-bodied classic should continue to drink well for another 25 years. This is a killer effort.
VM 92 (6/2008): Good deep red-ruby. Reduced nose offers redcurrant, plum, coffee and smoke. Sweet, lush and creamy on entry, then chewy and tactile if a bit closed in the middle, with suggestions of darker fruits and mocha. Impressively broad on the back, showing a serious wave of finishing fruit, but the tannins are a bit sullen today. Give this very lush, long wine at least seven or eight years of cellaring. Stephen Tanzer. |
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| Ch. La Gaffeliere |
2005 |
St. Emilion (5.0 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,130.98 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 96 (4/2008): The finest La Gaffeliere I have ever tasted, the prodigious 2005 boasts a dense ruby/purple color in addition to a flamboyant bouquet of lead pencil shavings, creme de cassis, blackberries, smoked meats, incense, and Asian spice. Fabulously deep and full-bodied as well as ethereal and exceptionally elegant for its explosive richness and intensity, its lightness of being reflects the vineyard’s sensational terroir. This succulent beauty appears to be approachable, but that belies some significant tannins. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2030+.
VM 91 (5/2008): Medium ruby-red. Pure aromas of dark berries, graphite, licorice and spices. Spicy, very dark flavors of cassis, blackberry, minerals and spices, complicated by a musky espresso note and a whiff of smoked meat. Given lovely definition by a firm tannic spine that calls for patience. |
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| Ch. Le Gay |
2005 |
Pomerol (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$2,496.99 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 95+ (4/2008): The finest Le Gay produced since the post World War II era, the 2005 even eclipses the fabulous 1982 and 1989. This inky/purple-hued effort reflects the commitment of proprietress Catherine Pere-Verge. An extraordinary perfume of blueberries, blackberries, flowers, truffles, and a touch of steely minerality is followed by a massive wine of exceptional concentration, a multilayered texture, phenomenal purity, and a finish that lasts for nearly a minute. It is a massive, old style, pure, rich Pomerol that should only be purchased by patient connoisseurs as gratification will need to be deferred for at least a decade. Anticipated maturity: 2018-2040+.
VM 92 (6/2008): Dark red-ruby. Plum, mocha, minerals and coffee on the nose. Supple, lush and sweet, with captivating flavors of raspberry, toffee, coffee, mocha and iron. Wonderfully pliant and appealing Pomerol, finishing with sweet, tongue-dusting tannins and excellent length. (A second bottle of roughly equal quality showed a more serious tannic spine and appeared to be in the process of shutting down.) |
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| Ch. Grand Puy Ducasse |
2005 |
Pauillac (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,155.99 |
2 |
|
| |
| VM 88 (6/2006): Full bright ruby. Cool aromas of blackberry, kirsch, licorice and fresh herbs; slightly inky. Moderately dense and juicy, with medicinal black cherry and herbal flavors that are a bit dominated by the wine's structure today. Finishes with reasonably ripe tannins and good length, but shows a hint of dryness. Stephen Tanzer. |
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| Ch. Grand Puy Lacoste |
2005 |
Pauillac (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,843.98 |
1 |
|
| |
JS 97 (11/2015): 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.
VM 93 (6/2008): Medium 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. Steohen Tanzer. |
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|
2005 |
Pauillac (6x1.5L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,892.98 |
2 |
|
| |
JS 97 (11/2015): 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.
VM 93 (6/2008): Medium 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. Steohen Tanzer. |
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| Ch. Grand Tayac |
2005 |
Margaux Wine-Stained Label |
$59 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Sarget de Gruaud Larose |
2005 |
St. Julien Lightly Scuffed Label |
$50 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Ch. Haut Bages Liberal |
2005 |
Pauillac (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$819.97 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 90 (4/2008): This deep ruby/purple-colored 2005 is a classic Pauillac. A big, sweet kiss of road tar aromas interwoven with cedarwood, smoke, spice box, herbs, and black currants emerges from the glass of this unexpectedly precocious, up-front Pauillac. Fleshy, with medium to full body as well as good acidity and structure, it lacks complexity, but offers a generous mouthful of wine at a realistic price. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2022.
VM 89 (6/2008): Good ruby-red. Cool aromas of blueberry, licorice and shoe polish. Sweet and lush, but with very good energy to the rather high-pitched flavors of dark berries, spices and licorice. Dry and classic wine, finishing with substantial, slightly tough tannins that call for patience. |
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| Ch. Haut Bailly |
2005 |
Pessac Leognan (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$2,030.97 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 95 (7/2017): The 2005 Haut Bailly is rapidly turning into a glorious wine. You instantly fall in love with the purity on the nose, luscious red cherries, wild strawberry and blueberry. This is still youthful and beautifully defined. The palate is medium-bodied with quite a structured opening like many in this vintage. It exerts a gentle grip in the mouth, quite tensile and linear and perhaps just tightening up a tad toward the finish. It is biding its time, but it will repay those who cellar this outstanding 2005 for another four or five years.
JS 95 (4/2012): This shows a great purity of fruit; firm and direct notes of raspberries, strawberries, and blackberries that open to intense notes of fresh flowers. Full-bodied, with velvety tannins. This wine is tight and long -- you know this is good immediately. Pull the cork after 2016.
VM 92+ (6/2008): Good bright medium ruby. Deep aromas of plum, currant, tobacco, mocha and menthol. Superripe and rich but with superb ripe acidity and firm tannins currently keeping the fruit and mineral elements under wraps. Just this side of severe today: here's a 2005 that appears already to have shut down in the bottle. Best today on the back end, where the wine really spreads out horizontally to saturate the palate. I'd give it a good 12 years of aging; it should be very long-lived. Classy, sharply chiseled Haut-Bailly with noteworthy elegance. Stephen Tanzer. |
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| Ch. Haut Batailley |
2005 |
Pauillac (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,274.99 |
2 |
|
| |
WA 92 (7/2016): Tasted at a vertical tasting at the château. The 2005 Haut Batailley obviously has a more intense bouquet than the 2004 with blackberry, wild hedgerow and cold gravel scents. It is still quite tight, but there is very fine precision here. The palate is medium-bodied with supple, ripe earthy black fruit. It is actually more approachable than I was expecting for a 2005 having loosened its tie in recent years. There is great depth here and fine mineralite, completing what is a classy and sophisticated Pauillac that should repay further bottle age. Chapeau!
VM 89 (5/2008): Medium red-ruby. Ripe, smoky aromas of plum and caramel; this smells opulent! Fat and sweet in the mouth, with a slightly roasted character to the supple plum and leather flavors. In a heavier style than the 2006 but with a reasonably fine-grained texture. Finishes with dusty tannins. I find this less refined than the 2006, but there's more material and ripeness here. Stephen Tanzer. |
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| Ch. Haut Brisson |
2005 |
St. Emilion La Reserve |
$59 |
4 |
|
| |
WA 93 (6/2015): This well-run property of the Kwok family has produced some great wines in their short tenure as owners. The 2005 La Réserve is an open-knit, sexy, opulent style of wine. Very forward, it exhibits a dense ruby/purple color and plenty of crème de cassis, kirsch, licorice and new saddle leather. Spicy and full-bodied, it is best drunk over the next 7-10 years. This will not be one of the longer-lived wines of the vintage.
VM 91 (4/2021): The 2005 La Reserve from Haut-Brisson is a dense, packed wine. Black fruit, espresso, chocolate, leather and licorice abound. This is a decidedly heady, extracted style. While the 2005 has aged relatively well, it is also a bit one-dimensional. I would prefer to drink it over the next handful of years, before the slightly mature notes that are present today become overly dominant. Time in the glass brings out attractive floral and blood orange accents that add just enough complexity to make the 2005 interesting. (Drink between 2021-2027). Antonio Galloni. |
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| Ch. Haut-Brion |
2005 |
Pessac Leognan (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$10,098.98 |
3 |
|
| |
WA 98 (4/2008): Another profound effort from Haut-Brion, the 2005 (a 9,000-case blend of 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 39% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc) has bulked up to the point that it is fair to compare it to the great successes of 1989, 1990, 1995, 1996, 1998, and 2000. A dark ruby/purple color is followed by a nuanced, noble bouquet of blue and red fruits interwoven with wet stones, unsmoked cigar tobacco, scorched earth, and spring flowers. The wine is full-bodied, pure, and complex as well as exceptionally elegant with laser-like precision. The tannins are still serious and substantial, and in that sense, this is a completely different style of Haut-Brion than the opulent, silky-textured 1989 and 1990. As I have written before, it comes across as an improved, more concentrated and structured version of the 1995 or 1998. Patience will be required for this stunner. Anticipated maturity: 2017-2040+.
VM 97 (6/2008): Bright ruby-red. Wonderfully expressive nose combines black raspberry, mocha, hot stones, caramel and tobacco. Lush, fat and full but with terrific definition and suavity to its extravagantly dense black raspberry, stone and licorice flavors. As large-scaled as this is, it's not at all overly sweet. Expands impressively on the back half, finishing with substantial tannins that are thoroughly covered by fruit. A great vintage for Haut-Brion. |
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| Ch. Hosanna |
2005 |
Pomerol (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,849.98 |
2 |
|
| |
WA 95 (4/2008): A thrilling bouquet of subtle menthol intermixed with black raspberries, vanillin, smoke, spring flowers, and a hint of mocha soars from the glass of this blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc. A small estate producing only 1,200-1,500 cases, this site was previously the tenderloin sector of Chateau Giraud before it was acquired by Christian Moueix and divided into two vineyards, Hosanna, the better section, and Certan Marzelle. This supple-textured, medium to full-bodied 2005 is a wine of great nobility, class, and grace boasting velvety tannins and gorgeous concentration. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2028.
VM 91-94 (6/2006): Full ruby-red. Flamboyantly ripe, expressive aromas of raspberry and cherry, musky espresso, minerals, roasted meat and licorice. Fat, sweet, rich and expansive, with harmonious acidity and underlying minerality giving the middle palate an airy quality. As sweet as this is, there's an essential elegance and lightness to it that is utterly captivating. Finishes sweet, graceful and very long, with terrific mouth coverage and very fine tannins. The most promising vintage yet for this Moueix wine, the first vintage of which was the 1999. (Moueix purchased Chateau Certan Guiraud and after making the 1998 vintage sold off two of the property's three parcels of vines, retaining only the one on the Pomerol plateau to create Hosanna.) |
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| Ch. d' Issan |
2005 |
Margaux (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,687.97 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 96 (6/2015): The more serious grand vin twin, the 2005 d’Issan, has a stunning nose of spring flowers, blackcurrant and blue/black fruits galore, and an impressively opaque dark plum/purple color. With a rich, concentrated and pure mouthfeel, wonderfully sweet tannin, full-bodied density and richness, but elegance in abundance, this is a stunner, and one of the great Margaux of the vintage. Drink it now and over the next 20 years.
VM 89 (6/2008): Good ruby-red. Currant and game on the slightly jammy nose. Sweet, rich and suave, with good intensity to the game, jammy fruit and nutty oak flavors. In a soft style, finishing with substantial ripe tannins. |
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| Clos des Jacobins |
2005 |
St. Emilion |
$69 |
3 |
|
| |
JD 91 (4/2024): Ripe black fruits, sweet black cherries, leather, savory herbs, chocolate, and earthy nuances all emerge from the 2005 Clos Des Jacobins, a medium-bodied, classic, complex, incredibly satisfying effort. It's drinking beautifully today yet should keep through 2030 with ease. (Drink between 2024-2030).
WA 89+ (6/2015): This is a fruit-driven, medium to full-bodied St.-Emilion, with a dark ruby/purple color, ripe plum and black cherry fruit, good spice and earthiness. This 2005 represents the beginning of the resurrection of this famous estate, which was once owned by the huge Cordier firm, but now produces wine under the auspices of the brilliant consultant Hubert de Boüard. Anticipated maturity: now-2028 |
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| Ch. Lafite Rothschild |
2005 |
Pauillac (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$9,173.97 |
2 |
|
| |
JS 100 (2/2011): An incredible nose, so subtle with red fruits, mint, minerals, and all sorts of flowers give way to Cohiba cigar tobacco. The palate has such freshness and density, with perfectly polished tannins. Slightly leathery, like a wonderful Hermes bag. What a wine, please leave this for another ten years. Pull the cork in 2020. 10% Merlot. Find the wine
VM 97 (4/2021): The 2005 Lafite-Rothschild is a gorgeous wine, but it is also very young. Readers lucky enough to own it will find a very classic, gracious Lafite-Rothschild that still needs a few years to be at its best. Bright red-toned fruit, crushed rocks, mint and licorice open first, followed by darker aromas and flavors that develop as the wine gains volume with air. Tasted next to its peers, Lafite is so typical of itself and less marked by the year. And that is one of the signs of a truly great terroir. Lafite-Rothschild is not as showy as many other wines in this vintage, but it is so true to its own identity, and that is the highest compliment I can pay it. The 2005 is 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot and 1% Petit Verdot, done in 100% new oak, which is not at all noticeable. At the time, the Cabernet percentage was quite high, but that has now become the norm. Tasted two times. Antonio Galloni.
WA 96 (6/2015): Beautiful, elegant red, blue and black fruits (89% Cabernet Sauvignon and 11% Merlot) as well as some graphite and spice notes jump from the glass of the 2005 Lafite Rothschild. Medium-bodied, with superb purity and texture, this is not a blockbuster by any means, but a meticulously made, lovely-textured Pauillac. Long and pure, this wine should drink well for 25-30 years. There is no danger in pulling the cork on it today. |
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| Ch. Lafleur |
2005 |
Pomerol (1.5 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$4,743.99 |
1 |
|
| |
JS 100 (4/2011): The nose on this wine is classic. Floral notes of lilacs and violets, citrus fruits, raspberries, and blackberries. On the palate this is full bodied, with incredible power and density. A very impressive silky texture underneath the intense fruit flavors that gives way to an excitingly long, long finish. It’s hard to believe the classic structure in this. Impeccable balance. Don’t touch this for 10 years. Find the wine.
WA 95+ (4/2008): The 2005 Lafleur is tight and austere at present, but unquestionably enormously endowed. It displays a dense ruby/purple hue as well as a beautiful bouquet that only emerges with coaxing. Aeration is essential in order to release the subtle, restrained scents of licorice, kirsch liqueur, black truffles, and flowers. In the mouth, there is compelling richness, depth, and intensity, but the wine’s power, full body, forbiddingly backward style, and high tannins suggest significant cellaring will be required. Anticipated maturity: 2020-2050.
VM 95 (6/2008): Saturated, bright ruby-red. Brooding, liqueur-like aromas of blackberry, cassis, smoked meat, licorice and menthol. Compellingly dense, sweet and concentrated, with silky fruit that saturates the entire palate without any excess weight. A very backward, firmly structured wine that offers an uncanny combination of early sweetness and firm but harmonious acidity. The wine's dark fruit and licorice flavors spread out impressively on the back end, which features huge but smooth tannins and terrific length and verve. Wow! This will be long-lived. |
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|
2005 |
Pomerol (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$15,302.99 |
1 |
|
| |
JS 100 (4/2011): The nose on this wine is classic. Floral notes of lilacs and violets, citrus fruits, raspberries, and blackberries. On the palate this is full bodied, with incredible power and density. A very impressive silky texture underneath the intense fruit flavors that gives way to an excitingly long, long finish. It’s hard to believe the classic structure in this. Impeccable balance. Don’t touch this for 10 years. Find the wine.
WA 95+ (4/2008): The 2005 Lafleur is tight and austere at present, but unquestionably enormously endowed. It displays a dense ruby/purple hue as well as a beautiful bouquet that only emerges with coaxing. Aeration is essential in order to release the subtle, restrained scents of licorice, kirsch liqueur, black truffles, and flowers. In the mouth, there is compelling richness, depth, and intensity, but the wine’s power, full body, forbiddingly backward style, and high tannins suggest significant cellaring will be required. Anticipated maturity: 2020-2050.
VM 95 (6/2008): Saturated, bright ruby-red. Brooding, liqueur-like aromas of blackberry, cassis, smoked meat, licorice and menthol. Compellingly dense, sweet and concentrated, with silky fruit that saturates the entire palate without any excess weight. A very backward, firmly structured wine that offers an uncanny combination of early sweetness and firm but harmonious acidity. The wine's dark fruit and licorice flavors spread out impressively on the back end, which features huge but smooth tannins and terrific length and verve. Wow! This will be long-lived. |
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|
2005 |
Pomerol (3x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$6,688.99 |
2 |
|
| |
JS 100 (4/2011): The nose on this wine is classic. Floral notes of lilacs and violets, citrus fruits, raspberries, and blackberries. On the palate this is full bodied, with incredible power and density. A very impressive silky texture underneath the intense fruit flavors that gives way to an excitingly long, long finish. It’s hard to believe the classic structure in this. Impeccable balance. Don’t touch this for 10 years. Find the wine.
WA 95+ (4/2008): The 2005 Lafleur is tight and austere at present, but unquestionably enormously endowed. It displays a dense ruby/purple hue as well as a beautiful bouquet that only emerges with coaxing. Aeration is essential in order to release the subtle, restrained scents of licorice, kirsch liqueur, black truffles, and flowers. In the mouth, there is compelling richness, depth, and intensity, but the wine’s power, full body, forbiddingly backward style, and high tannins suggest significant cellaring will be required. Anticipated maturity: 2020-2050.
VM 95 (6/2008): Saturated, bright ruby-red. Brooding, liqueur-like aromas of blackberry, cassis, smoked meat, licorice and menthol. Compellingly dense, sweet and concentrated, with silky fruit that saturates the entire palate without any excess weight. A very backward, firmly structured wine that offers an uncanny combination of early sweetness and firm but harmonious acidity. The wine's dark fruit and licorice flavors spread out impressively on the back end, which features huge but smooth tannins and terrific length and verve. Wow! This will be long-lived. |
|
| Ch. Lagrange |
2005 |
St. Julien (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,202.98 |
2 |
|
| |
JS 96 (7/2014): 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.
VM 93 (12/2020): The 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. Neal Martin. |
|
| Ch. Langoa Barton |
2005 |
St. Julien (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,223.99 |
2 |
|
| |
VM 90 (6/2008): Good ruby-red. Rich plummy aroma. Deep and chewy if a bit youthfully sullen, with sweet flavors of redcurrant, mocha and tobacco. Finishes with chewy tannins. Distinctly fatter than the 2006 but a bit less chocolatey and dark in its flavor presentation.
WA 86+? (6/2015): The 2005 Langoa Barton is tannic, leathery and spicy, with a dense ruby/purple color, excruciatingly high tannin, medium body, and good ripeness, but the tannins are questionable and the overall balance possibly suspect. We’ll see what age does, but after ten years, this remains a hard, angular and austere wine. |
|
| Ch. Larcis-Ducasse |
2005 |
St. Emilion (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$3,099.99 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 100 (6/2015): With an unbelievable nose of licorice, tapenade, black cherry and blackcurrant liqueur, as well as full body, super-sweet tannin, and astonishing richness and length, this prodigious effort in 2005 announced the resurrection of this great terroir on the slopes near Château Pavie. Dark garnet/plum/purple, this is compelling stuff and drinkable already, but capable of lasting another 25-30 years. This beauty is not to be missed! Only 3,000 cases were produced, from a blend of 78% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc and 2% Cabernet Sauvignon.
VM 94 (6/2008): Ruby-red. Superripe, vibrant nose offers cherry, blueberry, blackberry, mocha and fruity dark chocolate. Rich and wonderfully fine-grained, with excellent acidity leavening the impression of superripeness and giving cut to the intense dark berry, plum and mineral flavors. Finishes very long and lush, with a fine dusting of tannins and noteworthy subtlety. With its 14.5% alcohol, this is a big boy, but its energy and balance are impressive for such an opulent wine. |
|
|
2005 |
St. Emilion (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,521.98 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 100 (6/2015): With an unbelievable nose of licorice, tapenade, black cherry and blackcurrant liqueur, as well as full body, super-sweet tannin, and astonishing richness and length, this prodigious effort in 2005 announced the resurrection of this great terroir on the slopes near Château Pavie. Dark garnet/plum/purple, this is compelling stuff and drinkable already, but capable of lasting another 25-30 years. This beauty is not to be missed! Only 3,000 cases were produced, from a blend of 78% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc and 2% Cabernet Sauvignon.
VM 94 (6/2008): Ruby-red. Superripe, vibrant nose offers cherry, blueberry, blackberry, mocha and fruity dark chocolate. Rich and wonderfully fine-grained, with excellent acidity leavening the impression of superripeness and giving cut to the intense dark berry, plum and mineral flavors. Finishes very long and lush, with a fine dusting of tannins and noteworthy subtlety. With its 14.5% alcohol, this is a big boy, but its energy and balance are impressive for such an opulent wine. |
|
| Ch. Lascombes |
2005 |
Margaux |
$109 |
1 |
|
| |
| WA 88+ (6/2015): Spicy oak, earth and cedar wood jump from the glass of this fruity, medium-bodied wine. It is not showing quite the density I would have expected, but it is still well-endowed and more evolved than some of the top efforts from the Margaux appellation. It has a dark, ruby/plum color, a slightly narrow finish, and less intensity than I remember. For whatever reason, this didn’t jump out of the horizontal tasting of the appellation of Margaux in 2005. Moreover, I loved this wine from barrel and post-bottling. |
|
|
2005 |
Margaux (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,433.99 |
1 |
|
| |
| WA 88+ (6/2015): Spicy oak, earth and cedar wood jump from the glass of this fruity, medium-bodied wine. It is not showing quite the density I would have expected, but it is still well-endowed and more evolved than some of the top efforts from the Margaux appellation. It has a dark, ruby/plum color, a slightly narrow finish, and less intensity than I remember. For whatever reason, this didn’t jump out of the horizontal tasting of the appellation of Margaux in 2005. Moreover, I loved this wine from barrel and post-bottling. |
|
| Ch. Latour |
2005 |
Pauillac (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$9,597.97 |
1 |
|
| |
VM 100 (4/2021): The 2005 Latour was mind-blowingly profound in two recent tastings for this report. Deep and sensual to the core, the 2005 is utterly captivating. All the elements are so seamlessly put together. Graphite, crème de cassis, licorice, dark spice and lavender infuse the 2005 with so much energy. More than anything else, though, the 2005 is a Latour of texture and resonance. Even after several hours, the 2005 is fresh and full of energy. Wines like this are just life affirming. That's about all I can really say. Tasted two times. Antonio Galloni.
JS 99 (10/2019): Very open and beautiful now with currants, light chocolate and spices. Incense as well. Full-bodied, tight and reserved with a fantastic center palate of fruit and firm tannins. Closed and hiding behind the structure and depth. Needs time to open still but already a joy to taste (drink!).
JD 98 (4/2020): A massive, powerful wine that tastes like the essence of the great estate, the 2005 Château Latour is based on 87% Cabernet Sauvignon and the balance Merlot and Petit Verdot brought up in new barrels. It reveals a saturated purple/plum color as well as a gorgeous bouquet of blackcurrants, graphite, gravelly earth, tobacco, lead pencil, and chocolate. Dense, full-bodied, and massively concentrated, it has the more austere, masculine style of the estate front and center, yet has gorgeously sweet tannin, a stacked mid-palate, and a great, great finish. This profound, regal 2005 can be drunk any time over the coming 40-50 years, and I suspect even longer.
WA 98+ (2/2019): 2005 was a very dry, warm and sunny vintage, causing vine stress in some areas of Bordeaux. Harvested from September 26 to October 6, the tannin/IPT levels were very high this year. The 2005 Latour is blended of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, with the rest Merlot and Petit Verdot. It is the biggest surprise of this tasting—until now, the wine was relatively closed and broody, but today the wine is just starting to reveal its personality—and what a stunner! Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, it opens with provocative floral scents of roses and violets over a core of fresh blackcurrants, chocolate-covered cherries and black raspberries with hints of fertile loam, unsmoked cigars and black tea. Medium to full-bodied, firm, grainy and packed with muscular fruit, it has an epically long, savory finish sparked by floral notes. 12,000 cases were made. |
|
|
2005 |
Pauillac (3x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$2,642.99 |
1 |
|
| |
VM 100 (4/2021): The 2005 Latour was mind-blowingly profound in two recent tastings for this report. Deep and sensual to the core, the 2005 is utterly captivating. All the elements are so seamlessly put together. Graphite, crème de cassis, licorice, dark spice and lavender infuse the 2005 with so much energy. More than anything else, though, the 2005 is a Latour of texture and resonance. Even after several hours, the 2005 is fresh and full of energy. Wines like this are just life affirming. That's about all I can really say. Tasted two times. Antonio Galloni.
JS 99 (10/2019): Very open and beautiful now with currants, light chocolate and spices. Incense as well. Full-bodied, tight and reserved with a fantastic center palate of fruit and firm tannins. Closed and hiding behind the structure and depth. Needs time to open still but already a joy to taste (drink!).
JD 98 (4/2020): A massive, powerful wine that tastes like the essence of the great estate, the 2005 Château Latour is based on 87% Cabernet Sauvignon and the balance Merlot and Petit Verdot brought up in new barrels. It reveals a saturated purple/plum color as well as a gorgeous bouquet of blackcurrants, graphite, gravelly earth, tobacco, lead pencil, and chocolate. Dense, full-bodied, and massively concentrated, it has the more austere, masculine style of the estate front and center, yet has gorgeously sweet tannin, a stacked mid-palate, and a great, great finish. This profound, regal 2005 can be drunk any time over the coming 40-50 years, and I suspect even longer.
WA 98+ (2/2019): 2005 was a very dry, warm and sunny vintage, causing vine stress in some areas of Bordeaux. Harvested from September 26 to October 6, the tannin/IPT levels were very high this year. The 2005 Latour is blended of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, with the rest Merlot and Petit Verdot. It is the biggest surprise of this tasting—until now, the wine was relatively closed and broody, but today the wine is just starting to reveal its personality—and what a stunner! Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, it opens with provocative floral scents of roses and violets over a core of fresh blackcurrants, chocolate-covered cherries and black raspberries with hints of fertile loam, unsmoked cigars and black tea. Medium to full-bodied, firm, grainy and packed with muscular fruit, it has an epically long, savory finish sparked by floral notes. 12,000 cases were made. |
|
| Ch. Leoville Barton |
2005 |
St. Julien (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,794.97 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 98 (8/2022): The 2005 Léoville Las Cases is a classic that numbers among the wines of the vintage in the Médoc. Wafting from the glass with notes of dark berries, cassis, incense, burning embers, sweet soil tones, dark chocolate and cigar wrapper, it's medium to full-bodied, deep and layered, with a vibrant core of fruit, lively acids and sweet, powdery tannins. More elegant and refined than the hulking, uncompromising 2006, the 2005 is nevertheless a powerful, tightly wound wine that will reward further bottle age, even if it's actually quite expressive today.
VM 98 (4/2021): The 2005 Léoville Las Cases is a classic that numbers among the wines of the vintage in the Médoc. Wafting from the glass with notes of dark berries, cassis, incense, burning embers, sweet soil tones, dark chocolate and cigar wrapper, it's medium to full-bodied, deep and layered, with a vibrant core of fruit, lively acids and sweet, powdery tannins. More elegant and refined than the hulking, uncompromising 2006, the 2005 is nevertheless a powerful, tightly wound wine that will reward further bottle age, even if it's actually quite expressive today. Antonio Galloni.
JS 96 (12/2010): This offers aromas of spices, dried dark fruits, meat and berries. Full and muscular on the palate, with strong tannins and a long, long finish. This is very powerful and chewy, but a little bit tight. This is a wine for the cellar. Don't touch this until 2018. |
|
| Ch. Leoville Las Cases |
2005 |
St. Julien (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$3,401.98 |
1 |
|
| |
JS 99 (8/2012): A stunningly complex and complete nose of flowers, dark fruits, and minerals. Very perfumed and subtle at the same time. The palate is full, yet tight and powerful with perfect tannins and a long, long finish. The quality of the tannins is phenomenal, please leave this alone for ten years. Pull the cork in 2020.
VM 98 (11/2015): A wine for the ages, the 2005 Leoville Las Cases is slow to come out of the gate, but its beauty and pedigree are evident. The 2005 Las Cases is one of the only wines in this tasting that still needs time in bottle, something that won't come as a surprise to fans of this St. Julien estate. The 2005 offers plenty of the typical Las Cases power, but it is also remarkably nuanced and translucent for a wine of its sheer size. When all is said and done, it is in my top three or four wines of the night. Antonio Galloni.
WA 97+ (6/2015): This is a prodigious effort. A blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon and the balance Merlot and Cabernet Franc (only 37% of the crop qualified for Las Cases), this dense ruby/purple wine has a stunningly pure bouquet of dark fruit, wet rocks, graphite, and subtle background toast/vanillin. Full-bodied, masculine, and very deep and concentrated, this titanic effort is at least 8-10 years away from its plateau of maturity. The Delon family have produced another legend. Anticipated maturity: 2023-2050+. |
|
| Ch. Lynch Bages |
2005 |
Pauillac (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$2,395.97 |
1 |
|
| |
VM 95+ (4/2021): The 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.
JS 96 (11/2015): 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.
WA 92 (6/2016): As 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. |
|
| Ch. La Mission Haut Brion |
2005 |
Pessac Leognan (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$6,245.98 |
1 |
|
| |
JS 95 (5/2012): This shows a beautiful balance between concentration and ripeness. The wine is full-bodied, showing fine and rich tannins with tons going on. This is long and beautiful. I remember this being more muscular, but nevertheless this has taken on a wonderful finesse and richness. Pull the cork after 2020.
WA 97 (4/2008): There are slightly more than 5,000 cases of the 2005 La Mission-Haut-Brion, a blend of 69% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, and a touch of Cabernet Franc. While there is little difference between La Mission and Haut-Brion’s terroirs (their vineyards are only separated by a two-lane road), La Mission possesses more fat, texture, and intensity. An enormously endowed wine with huge tannin and structure, the 2005 offers a quintessential Graves bouquet of burning embers, charcoal, blackberries, truffles, black currants, and a meaty character. Reminiscent of the 1989, with more structure as well as a longer window of drinkability, the 2005 may be a modern day, improved version of a vintage such as 1955, which was well-endowed, very tannic, and took a long time to come around. While fabulously full-bodied and unctuous, the 2005 will not provide much charm in its youth. It needs 8-10 years of cellaring, and should age effortlessly for 30-40 years.
VM 94+ (6/2008): Deep ruby-red. Black raspberry and licorice on the nose. Dense and sweet but youthfully tight; a serious young wine with terrific verve and the acid/tannin backbone to support a long and glorious evolution in bottle. Very long on the back end, with mouth-saturating fruit and tannins. Like La Chapelle-and in direct contrast to Bahans and Haut-Brion-this is quite backward today, and almost certain to merit a higher rating in the future. |
|
| Ch. Monbousquet |
2005 |
St. Emilion |
$99 |
4 |
|
| |
WA 95 (4/2008): From a less than noble terroir in Saint-Sulpice de Faleyrens, Gerard Perse has accomplished miraculous things at Monbousquet. Prior to his acquisition of this property in the mid-nineties, this wine tasted like watered-down Beaujolais, but Perse has turned it into one of the more stunning, modern-styled wines of Bordeaux. A blend of approximately two-thirds Merlot, one-third Cabernet Franc and 8-10% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2005 exhibits plenty of toasty oak, roasted herb, meat juice, blackberry, cherry, and spice characteristics along with a touch of incense. Full-bodied and opulent, with an atypically rigid structure, this is a remarkable achievement for such a humble terroir. It admirably reflects Gerard Perse’s obsessive commitment to excellence. Look for this 2005 to hit its stride in 7-8 years, and last for 15-20.
VM 93 (6/2008): Full ruby-red. Captivating aromas of black raspberry, smoked meat, mocha and licorice. Wonderfully sweet, dense and fat but with excellent vinosity and inner-mouth perfume to the flavors of berries, mocha and licorice. A compellingly tactile vintage for Monbousquet, with the substantial but sweet tannins buffered by the wine's chewy mid-palate material. This was aged in 80% new oak, compared to 60% to 65% in 2006 and 2007. Really transcends its less-than-ideal terroir in Saint Sulpice de Faleyrens. |
|
| Ch. Mouton-Rothschild |
2005 |
Pauillac (6.0 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$5,910.98 |
1 |
|
| |
VM 98+ (5/2016): One of the highlights in this vertical, the 2005 Mouton Rothschild is exceptional. Dark, powerful and explosive on the palate, the 2005 is endowed with magnificent depth and richness. Just at the early part of its drinking window, the 2005 is sure to drink well for many years from here, especially if it is given a little bit of air. The 2005 is a stunning Mouton, but it needs time to fully blossom. Harvest took place between September 21 and October 6. The blend is 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot and just 1% Cabernet Franc. Antonio Galloni.
WA 98 (10/2019): Technical Director/Chief Winemaker Philippe Dhalluin said this was a special year for him, because he considers it his first great vintage—he started in 2004. Deep garnet with hint of brick, the 2005 Mouton Rothschild is evolving into unabashed, flamboyant notes of Christmas cake, plum preserves, chocolate-covered cherries, eucalyptus and crème de cassis with beautifully fragrant wafts of potpourri, incense, Indian spices and cigar box. Full-bodied, the palate performs vinous pirouettes with dazzling exotic spice, floral and earthy nuances, framed by firm, grainy tannins and fantastic freshness, finishing very long and mineral laced.
JS 98 (10/2015): This accelerates on the palate with incredibly ripe tannins and finesse. Full body, roasted fruit, leather and grilled meat. Dried flowers, too. It shows superb tannin backbone and polish. Tight and youthful. Just starting to open. Currant and berry undertones with lead pencil are impressive. Better in 2018 but so delicious now. |
|
|
2005 |
Pauillac (3x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$2,079.97 |
1 |
|
| |
VM 98+ (5/2016): One of the highlights in this vertical, the 2005 Mouton Rothschild is exceptional. Dark, powerful and explosive on the palate, the 2005 is endowed with magnificent depth and richness. Just at the early part of its drinking window, the 2005 is sure to drink well for many years from here, especially if it is given a little bit of air. The 2005 is a stunning Mouton, but it needs time to fully blossom. Harvest took place between September 21 and October 6. The blend is 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot and just 1% Cabernet Franc. Antonio Galloni.
WA 98 (10/2019): Technical Director/Chief Winemaker Philippe Dhalluin said this was a special year for him, because he considers it his first great vintage—he started in 2004. Deep garnet with hint of brick, the 2005 Mouton Rothschild is evolving into unabashed, flamboyant notes of Christmas cake, plum preserves, chocolate-covered cherries, eucalyptus and crème de cassis with beautifully fragrant wafts of potpourri, incense, Indian spices and cigar box. Full-bodied, the palate performs vinous pirouettes with dazzling exotic spice, floral and earthy nuances, framed by firm, grainy tannins and fantastic freshness, finishing very long and mineral laced.
JS 98 (10/2015): This accelerates on the palate with incredibly ripe tannins and finesse. Full body, roasted fruit, leather and grilled meat. Dried flowers, too. It shows superb tannin backbone and polish. Tight and youthful. Just starting to open. Currant and berry undertones with lead pencil are impressive. Better in 2018 but so delicious now. |
|
| Clos de l' Oratoire |
2005 |
St. Emilion |
$79 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 94 (6/2015): From the Comte von Neipperg, his wines from this over-achieving estate always deliver an aromatic fireworks display of cedar wood, Christmas fruitcake, roasted herbs, black olive, cassis and sweet kirsch. The 2005 has all that as well as ripe, well-integrated, velvety tannin, and full body in a sexy, luscious, heady style to drink now and over the next 10-15 years
VM 93 (4/2021): The 2005 Clos de L'Oratoire is a huge, bombastic wine. Its concentration and depth are impressive, to be sure. But I find the 2005 monolithic, heavy and one-dimensional. Copious new oak, espresso, blackberry jam and dried herbs are all amplified in this decidedly hedonistic Saint-emilion. Some readers will surely appreciate this style more than I do, but I find it hard to get too excited about the 2005, although I must add that the wine showed well, even after having been opened more than 24 hours. Antonio Galloni. |
|
| Ch. Pape-Clement |
2005 |
Pessac Leognan (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$2,596.97 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 99 (6/2015): Owned by Bernard Magrez, this great terroir a few miles from Haut Brion and La Mission Haut Brion has produced one of the superstars of the vintage. A blend of 55% Merlot and 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, Pape Clement’s 2005 has an opaque purple color and smoky barbecue and chocolaty notes intermixed with cassis and blackberries. There is also some underlying minerality in this full-bodied, super-concentrated wine, which has wonderfully sweet, well-integrated tannins. This majestic, multidimensional wines is one of the great, great wines of the vintage. It should drink well for at least another 25 years.
VM 97 (11/2015): The 2005 Pape Clement is a fabulous contrast to the Haut-Brion. The former represents modernism at its best, while the latter is one of the archetypes of classicism. Both are striking. Compelling and seductive from the outset, the 2005 Pape Clement races out of the glass with notable opulence and ripeness. Soft contours and heady aromatics make the 2005 a real joy to taste today. Just beginning to show the first signs of aromatic complexity, the 2005 Pape Clement looks like it won't be as long-lived as some of the other wines in this tasting, but it is extraordinarily beautiful today. The style is unapologetically flamboyant, yet all the elements are in the right place. When it comes to pure hedonistic pleasure, it's hard to match the 2005 Pape Clement. Antonio Galloni. |
|
|
2005 |
Pessac Leognan (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,521.97 |
2 |
|
| |
WA 99 (6/2015): Owned by Bernard Magrez, this great terroir a few miles from Haut Brion and La Mission Haut Brion has produced one of the superstars of the vintage. A blend of 55% Merlot and 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, Pape Clement’s 2005 has an opaque purple color and smoky barbecue and chocolaty notes intermixed with cassis and blackberries. There is also some underlying minerality in this full-bodied, super-concentrated wine, which has wonderfully sweet, well-integrated tannins. This majestic, multidimensional wines is one of the great, great wines of the vintage. It should drink well for at least another 25 years.
VM 97 (11/2015): The 2005 Pape Clement is a fabulous contrast to the Haut-Brion. The former represents modernism at its best, while the latter is one of the archetypes of classicism. Both are striking. Compelling and seductive from the outset, the 2005 Pape Clement races out of the glass with notable opulence and ripeness. Soft contours and heady aromatics make the 2005 a real joy to taste today. Just beginning to show the first signs of aromatic complexity, the 2005 Pape Clement looks like it won't be as long-lived as some of the other wines in this tasting, but it is extraordinarily beautiful today. The style is unapologetically flamboyant, yet all the elements are in the right place. When it comes to pure hedonistic pleasure, it's hard to match the 2005 Pape Clement. Antonio Galloni. |
|
| Ch. Pavie |
2005 |
St. Emilion (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$4,560.97 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 98+ (4/2008): Now that the 2005 Pavie is in the bottle, I would place it, qualitatively, a notch below the prodigious 2000, and a few notches above the blockbuster 2003. There are 7,000 cases of this 70% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon blend. Disregarding the blatant jealousy of his success as well as his “outsider" status, proprietor Gerard Perse has pushed the envelope of quality, fashioning first-growth quality wines from one of Bordeaux’s finest terroirs. In St.-Emilion, only Ausone can be considered to have greater potential in terms of micro-climate and terroir. Pavie’s 2005 exhibits a thick-looking purple color to the rim as well as an exquisite perfume of blueberry and blackberry liqueur, unsmoked cigar tobacco, crushed rocks, damp earth, and hints of truffles and incense. The vineyard’s limestone soils have provided massive concentration, a laser-like precision, fresh, zesty acidity, and massive tannin. Despite the wine’s enormous concentration and intensity, there is a lightness to its style. As Perse has made clear, he is trying to produce modern day versions of such great vintages as 1921, 1929, 1945, and 1947, wines that lasted 50 or more years. I do not understand why Perse receives so much criticism. In the blind tastings of each new vintage conducted by the Grand Jury European, Pavie usually wins against 100 or so other great Bordeaux. As they say, the truth is irrefutable - this is one of the world’s most Outstanding wines, and the 2005 Pavie should take its place among the greatest achievements of Bordeaux in the last 50 years. Anticipated maturity: 2020-2060.
VM 96 (6/2008): Saturated, deep ruby-red. Knockout nose combines blackberry, minerals, crushed rock, truffle, vanillin oak and flowers; showing none of the porty quality of the sample I tried last year. A hugely concentrated essence of a wine, offering an incredible combination of sweetness, vibrancy and precision of fruit, thanks to strong acidity and powerful underlying minerality. The chewy tannins are totally buffered by the wine's material on the explosive back end. This wine has it all! Compared to the Pavie-Decesse, which essentially comes from a single block of old vines on limestone, this wine has clearly benefited by being an assemblage of soil types, with fruit from the foot of the slope contributing texture and richness. The 2005 Pavie should easily last for three or four decades. |
|
|
2005 |
St. Emilion (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$2,522.97 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 98+ (4/2008): Now that the 2005 Pavie is in the bottle, I would place it, qualitatively, a notch below the prodigious 2000, and a few notches above the blockbuster 2003. There are 7,000 cases of this 70% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon blend. Disregarding the blatant jealousy of his success as well as his “outsider" status, proprietor Gerard Perse has pushed the envelope of quality, fashioning first-growth quality wines from one of Bordeaux’s finest terroirs. In St.-Emilion, only Ausone can be considered to have greater potential in terms of micro-climate and terroir. Pavie’s 2005 exhibits a thick-looking purple color to the rim as well as an exquisite perfume of blueberry and blackberry liqueur, unsmoked cigar tobacco, crushed rocks, damp earth, and hints of truffles and incense. The vineyard’s limestone soils have provided massive concentration, a laser-like precision, fresh, zesty acidity, and massive tannin. Despite the wine’s enormous concentration and intensity, there is a lightness to its style. As Perse has made clear, he is trying to produce modern day versions of such great vintages as 1921, 1929, 1945, and 1947, wines that lasted 50 or more years. I do not understand why Perse receives so much criticism. In the blind tastings of each new vintage conducted by the Grand Jury European, Pavie usually wins against 100 or so other great Bordeaux. As they say, the truth is irrefutable - this is one of the world’s most Outstanding wines, and the 2005 Pavie should take its place among the greatest achievements of Bordeaux in the last 50 years. Anticipated maturity: 2020-2060.
VM 96 (6/2008): Saturated, deep ruby-red. Knockout nose combines blackberry, minerals, crushed rock, truffle, vanillin oak and flowers; showing none of the porty quality of the sample I tried last year. A hugely concentrated essence of a wine, offering an incredible combination of sweetness, vibrancy and precision of fruit, thanks to strong acidity and powerful underlying minerality. The chewy tannins are totally buffered by the wine's material on the explosive back end. This wine has it all! Compared to the Pavie-Decesse, which essentially comes from a single block of old vines on limestone, this wine has clearly benefited by being an assemblage of soil types, with fruit from the foot of the slope contributing texture and richness. The 2005 Pavie should easily last for three or four decades. |
|
| Le Pin |
2005 |
Pomerol (3.0 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$18,519.98 |
2 |
|
| |
| JD 98 (4/2024): ) The 2005 Château Le Pin is all Merlot from a tiny vineyard just across from Vieux Château Certain and was raised in new barrels. It has a massive nose of ripe blackberries, kirsch, saddle leather, smoked tobacco, and Mediterranean herbs that turns more floral and violet-laced with air. Medium to full-bodied and beautifully balanced on the palate with ultra-fine tannins, it has an almost Burgundian-like elegance and seamlessness as well as incredible length. It’s not the biggest example from vineyard yet it shows the inherent quality and elegance of the Chateau. Drink bottles over the coming 15-20 years. |
|
|
2005 |
Pomerol (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$22,231.98 |
2 |
|
| |
| JD 98 (4/2024): ) The 2005 Château Le Pin is all Merlot from a tiny vineyard just across from Vieux Château Certain and was raised in new barrels. It has a massive nose of ripe blackberries, kirsch, saddle leather, smoked tobacco, and Mediterranean herbs that turns more floral and violet-laced with air. Medium to full-bodied and beautifully balanced on the palate with ultra-fine tannins, it has an almost Burgundian-like elegance and seamlessness as well as incredible length. It’s not the biggest example from vineyard yet it shows the inherent quality and elegance of the Chateau. Drink bottles over the coming 15-20 years. |
|
| Ch. Rol Valentin |
2005 |
St. Emilion (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$753.97 |
4 |
|
| |
| WA 92 (6/2015): A sexy, full-bodied, very drinkable style of 2005, Eric Prissette’s 2005 Rol Valentin displays loads of black cherry fruit, licorice, Christmas fruitcake and spice. Full-bodied and opulent, it can be drunk over the next 10-15 years. |
|
|
2005 |
St. Emilion (3x1.5L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$550.97 |
1 |
|
| |
| WA 92 (6/2015): A sexy, full-bodied, very drinkable style of 2005, Eric Prissette’s 2005 Rol Valentin displays loads of black cherry fruit, licorice, Christmas fruitcake and spice. Full-bodied and opulent, it can be drunk over the next 10-15 years. |
|
| Ch. Smith Haut Lafitte |
2005 |
Pessac Leognan (6.0 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$2,357.97 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 95 (4/2008): One can’t say enough about the accomplishments the Cathiards have achieved at this property since 1990. Prior to their purchase of the property, appallingly diluted, vegetal, fruitless, charmless wines were produced, but they have turned Smith-Haut-Lafitte into a showcase Pessac-Leognan. The inky/blue/purple-tinged 2005's extraordinary nose reeks of charcoal, incense, scorched earth, abundant blackberry, blueberry, and cherry fruit, toast, and spice. Good acidity, huge but sweet tannin, and fabulous precision as well as definition characterize this full-bodied, super-concentrated effort. It should prove to be among the longest-lived wines yet made by the Cathiards. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2030+.
VM 93 (6/2008): Good fresh red-ruby color. Reticent but pure aromas of plum, mocha and tobacco. This began sweet and dense but a bit sullen, then exploded with aeration to show sharply delineated flavors of plum, tobacco, hot stones and smoked meat. Wonderfully fat and full wine that spreads out on the back to saturate the entire palate. This makes the '07 seem peppery and high-pitched in comparison. Very long on the aftertaste. I asked technical director Teitgen to name his favorite recent vintages in Pessac-Leognan, and he listed 1998, 2001 and 2005. |
|
|
2005 |
Pessac Leognan (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$2,332.99 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 95 (4/2008): One can’t say enough about the accomplishments the Cathiards have achieved at this property since 1990. Prior to their purchase of the property, appallingly diluted, vegetal, fruitless, charmless wines were produced, but they have turned Smith-Haut-Lafitte into a showcase Pessac-Leognan. The inky/blue/purple-tinged 2005's extraordinary nose reeks of charcoal, incense, scorched earth, abundant blackberry, blueberry, and cherry fruit, toast, and spice. Good acidity, huge but sweet tannin, and fabulous precision as well as definition characterize this full-bodied, super-concentrated effort. It should prove to be among the longest-lived wines yet made by the Cathiards. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2030+.
VM 93 (6/2008): Good fresh red-ruby color. Reticent but pure aromas of plum, mocha and tobacco. This began sweet and dense but a bit sullen, then exploded with aeration to show sharply delineated flavors of plum, tobacco, hot stones and smoked meat. Wonderfully fat and full wine that spreads out on the back to saturate the entire palate. This makes the '07 seem peppery and high-pitched in comparison. Very long on the aftertaste. I asked technical director Teitgen to name his favorite recent vintages in Pessac-Leognan, and he listed 1998, 2001 and 2005. |
|
| Ch. St. Pierre |
2005 |
St. Julien (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,169.97 |
2 |
|
| |
WA 94 (6/2015): Possibly one of two of the most concentrated St.-Juliens (Leoville Las Cases is the other), this 2005 shows wonderfully sweet tannin, a dense ruby/purple color, and lots of crème de cassis, licorice and spice. Full-bodied, opulent, and impressive, it is surprisingly soft, though it will certainly age nicely for 15-20+ years.
VM 92 (6/2008): Good red-ruby color. Superripe aromas of plum, mocha and graphite. Silky-sweet, deep and broad, with terrific concentration of currant and licorice flavors complicated by leather, herbs and pepper. Finishes with thoroughly ripe, broad tannins and noteworthy length and power. Costanzo says this wine needs another six months in bottle to gain in nuance. |
|
| Ch. Troplong Mondot |
2005 |
St. Emilion (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$3,827.97 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 99 (4/2008): This estate was justifiably elevated to a Premier Grand Cru Classe in the new St.-Emilion classification thanks to the exceptional efforts of proprietress Christine Valette over the last two decades. The 2005 is one of the monumental wines of the vintage, and may eclipse their prodigious 1990. Inky/blue/purple-colored with an exceptional bouquet of Asian spices, blueberries, blackberries, truffles, cold steel, graphite, and charcoal, it hits the palate with exceptional purity, laser-like precision, a compellingly concentrated, multilayered mouthfeel, a broad, savory texture, terrific acidity, and substantial, but sweet tannins. It lives up to everything it revealed in barrel, and appears set to live for a half century or more. Anticipated maturity: 2018-2050.
VM 96 (6/2008): Full ruby-red. Spectacularly ripe nose offers plum jam, minerals, licorice, mocha and a whiff of game, all lifted by exotic flowers. Explosively ripe and sweet in the mouth, with uncanny fullness and depth to the flavors of raspberry, smoke and milk chocolate. A blockbuster of a wine with a three-dimensional texture and Outstanding weight but with almost magically ripe acidity giving great precision to the flavors and drawing out the finish. Incredible melting tannins saturate the palate and front teeth. Wonderfully suave wine, the best I've ever tasted from this chateau. |
|
| Ch. Trotte Vieille |
2005 |
St. Emilion Ex-Negociant |
$169 |
1 |
|
| |
| WA 93 (6/2015): Owned by the Castéja family, Trottevieille has one parcel of some of the oldest vines in St.-Emilion. Dense purple, the 2005 is better at age 10 then earlier. The wine has beautiful blueberry, plum and blackcurrant fruit, an attractive underlying minerality, medium to full body, sweet tannin, and a long, layered, complex finish. Drink it over the next 15-20 years. |
|
| Ch. Valandraud |
2005 |
St. Emilion (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$3,905.97 |
1 |
|
| |
| VM 94 (5/2008): Saturated, deep ruby-red. Very complex aromas of plum, mocha, iron and minerals, lifted by a floral topnote. Wonderfully lush and smooth in the mouth, with fully ripe flavors of black raspberry, currant, licorice and mocha perfectly supported by ripe acidity. This boasts terrific balance and somehow manages to hide its 14.5% alcohol. Finishes impressively long, with big but thoroughly ripe tannins. The pH here is a very reasonable 3.6, notes Jean-Luc Thunevin. A splendid vintage for Valandraud, and likely to evolve slowly. Stephen Tanzer. |
|
| Vieux Chateau Certan |
2005 |
Pomerol (6.0 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$2,936.98 |
1 |
|
| |
JS 97 (5/2012): This begins with a sexy roasted fruit character on the nose, then opens up to hints of spice, chocolate, wet earth, and dried flowers. The palate is incredible, with a concentration that builds, and a finish that remains agile and racy. Very defined and beautiful wine with great length and freshness. This still needs some time in the bottle. Pull the cork in 2018.
WA 95 (4/2008): A stunning effort from Alexander Thienpont, the 2005 Vieux Chateau Certan (a blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc) reveals an inky/blue/purple color along with a rich, sumptuous perfume of black olives, lavender, roasted herbs, licorice, pain grille, and oodles of truffles as well as creme de cassis. In the mouth, hints of chocolate and charcoal also make an appearance along with good acidity, fabulous purity, and a full-bodied, powerful mouthfeel. In keeping with the style of this terroir, the wine is reserved and restrained, but deep. It should develop magnificently, and age for 30-40 years. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2035.
VM 92+ (6/2008): (80% merlot) Bright ruby-red. Very closed nose hints at licorice and nutty oak. Sweet and broad in the mouth, with a chocolatey ripeness but less energy and grip than the 2006. This is more mouthfilling, and more sexy today in the middle palate, but may ultimately be less complex. Or is it just more reserved today? Finishes with substantial tannins that call for at least several years of aging. |
|
|
2005 |
Pomerol (12x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$3,547.99 |
1 |
|
| |
JS 97 (5/2012): This begins with a sexy roasted fruit character on the nose, then opens up to hints of spice, chocolate, wet earth, and dried flowers. The palate is incredible, with a concentration that builds, and a finish that remains agile and racy. Very defined and beautiful wine with great length and freshness. This still needs some time in the bottle. Pull the cork in 2018.
WA 95 (4/2008): A stunning effort from Alexander Thienpont, the 2005 Vieux Chateau Certan (a blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc) reveals an inky/blue/purple color along with a rich, sumptuous perfume of black olives, lavender, roasted herbs, licorice, pain grille, and oodles of truffles as well as creme de cassis. In the mouth, hints of chocolate and charcoal also make an appearance along with good acidity, fabulous purity, and a full-bodied, powerful mouthfeel. In keeping with the style of this terroir, the wine is reserved and restrained, but deep. It should develop magnificently, and age for 30-40 years. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2035.
VM 92+ (6/2008): (80% merlot) Bright ruby-red. Very closed nose hints at licorice and nutty oak. Sweet and broad in the mouth, with a chocolatey ripeness but less energy and grip than the 2006. This is more mouthfilling, and more sexy today in the middle palate, but may ultimately be less complex. Or is it just more reserved today? Finishes with substantial tannins that call for at least several years of aging. |
|
| Producer |
Vint. |
Wine |
Price |
Qty |
Order |
| | Germany |
| Weingut Hermann Donnhoff |
2005 |
Niederhauser Hermannshohle Riesling Auslese (375 ML) |
$69 |
3 |
|
| |
| VM 93+ (2/2007): Rich golden yellow. Bright, crisp nose dominated by candied peach, lemon oil and acacia honey. The lusciously sweet tropical-fruit palate maintains a remarkable delicacy in spite of the wine's richness and depth. The long, glossy finish is underscored by a refined spiciness. |
|
|
2006 |
Niederhauser Hermannshohle Riesling Auslese (6x1.5L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$836.98 |
3 |
|
| |
|
|
2006 |
Niederhauser Hermannshohle Riesling Auslese (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$429.98 |
5 |
|
| |
|
|
2007 |
Niederhauser Hermannshohle Riesling Auslese (12x375ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$432.97 |
1 |
|
| |
| WA 95 (10/2009): Donnhoff's 2007 Niederhauser Hermannshohle Riesling Auslese leads with an unusually floral aromatic display, and the palate impression is so honeyed you'd think it were Bienenauslese (selected by bees). There is remarkable density here, with site-typical layering of flowers, orchard fruits, citrus, berries, along with smoky, peat-like, stony mineral suggestions that become more prominent as the wine takes on air. The finish is almost luxuriantly rich by Hermannshohle standards. But I am sure this wine will find more to say with time and not fall silent for 30 years or more. |
|
|
2010 |
Niederhauser Hermannshohle Riesling Auslese (375 ML) |
$50 |
4 |
|
| |
VM 94 (2/2012): Rich golden yellow. Luscious aromas of candied pineapple, lemon oil and acacia honey on a bed of smoky botrytis. The succulent weight of papaya fruit is levitated by crisp minerality on the palate. A fine balance of creamy fruit and herbal spice on the seductive, very long finish.
WA 93 (12/2011): Smoky black tea wafts over quince preserves and almost overripe pear on the nose and the glossy, subtly creamy, yet bright palate of Donnhoff's 2010 Niederhauser Hermannshohle Riesling Auslese Gold Capsule. Nut paste and a savory smoked meat dimension contribute complexity to this lusciously lingering Auslese, but one that " like its Brucke counterpart' does not capture the dynamic spirit of the 2010 vintage to quite the extent of its Spatlese siblings, and would benefit (might well, in time) from a bit more focus. Still, this will impress regardless for at least two decades. |
|
|
2012 |
Niederhauser Hermannshohle Riesling Auslese (375 ML) |
$45 |
4 |
|
| |
| VM 91 (12/2013): Rich golden yellow. Luscious aromas of candied pineapple, lemon oil and acacia honey. The succulent weight of papaya fruit levitates with crisp minerality on the palate. Finishes with a fine balance of creamy lingering fruit and herbal spices. Joel B. Payne. |
|
|
2015 |
Niederhauser Hermannshohle Riesling Auslese (375 ML) AP 77530102016 |
$39 |
3 |
|
| |
| VM 93 (11/2017): Headily decadent aromas of overripe peach and musk melon, peony and lily set the tone for a creamy, enveloping, lusciously fruit-saturated palate. There is enough fresh fruit acidity and salinity to lend the long finish animation and mouthwatering savor, though for now this misses the dynamic or the focus of its Spätlese counterpart, let alone of the Brücke Auslese. (Drink between 2017-2036). David Schildknecht. |
|
|
2018 |
Niederhauser Hermannshohle Riesling Auslese (375 ML) AP 7753010 24 19 |
$45 |
3 |
|
| |
| VM 95 (6/2020): Like its Brücke counterpart, this Auslese reflects genuinely botrytis-free grapes, said Dönnhoff, but ones that were too numerous and too high in sugar to use elsewhere, “and certainly not in the Grosses Gewächs, which would then have ended up with 14% alcohol.” Sea breeze on the nose intimates the sweet-saline savor of raw scallop that emerges on this wine’s lusciously lingering, mouthwateringly umami-rich finish. White peach and quince preserves feature throughout, reinforced on the soothingly creamy palate by nougat-like nut essences. There is an animating, juicy fresh-fruit aspect as well, and a wonderful sense of both focus and transparency to stony and ore-like nuances. (Drink between 2020-2050). Dvid Schildknecht. |
|
|
2007 |
Niederhauser Hermannshohle Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel (12x375ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$429.98 |
3 |
|
| |
|
|
2022 |
Niederhauser Hermannshohle Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$712.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2006 |
Niederhauser Hermannshohle Riesling Beerenauslese (12x375ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,208.98 |
2 |
|
| |
|
|
2016 |
Niederhauser Hermannshohle Riesling Grosses Gewachs (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$676.97 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2017 |
Niederhauser Hermannshohle Riesling Grosses Gewachs (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$826.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2021 |
Niederhauser Hermannshohle Riesling Grosses Gewachs (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$823.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2022 |
Niederhauser Hermannshohle Riesling Grosses Gewachs (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$714.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2007 |
Niederhauser Hermannshohle Riesling Spatlese (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$750.97 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 96 (10/2009): Gardenia, peony, and resinous herbs in the nose of Donnhoff's 2007 Niederhauser Hermannshohle Riesling Spatlese give way to a palpably extract-rich palate of vibratory intensity, suffused with stony, saline, and tactile suggestions of mineral matter, yet at the same time rich orchard fruits. If the Krotenpfuhl was painted with water colors, the medium here is definitely oil, exhibiting both dynamic and intricate brush work as well as dense layering. This masterpiece - picked simultaneously with the corresponding Grosses Gewachs - was only beginning to show its depth in the spring and needed almost six months in bottle to really shine forth. Take as long as fate permits you to savor this; I can't imagine it disappointing a quarter century or more from now.
VM 93+ (2/2009): Tantalizing aromas of papaya, sweet herbs and incense. Discreet but intense black cherry fruit rises from the mid-palate, accompanied by brilliant acidity. Animated and finely spiced, with a deep, long finish. I may be underrating this. |
|
|
2012 |
Niederhauser Hermannshohle Riesling Spatlese |
$55 |
6 |
|
| |
|
|
2019 |
Niederhauser Hermannshohle Riesling Spatlese (1.5 L) |
$149 |
1 |
|
| |
| JS 100 (8/2020): All of nature's springtime joy and the epitome of autumnal ripeness somehow combine with summer-morning dew to offer one of the greatest off-dry German wines made in modern times. Breathtaking finish, so wonderfully light and filigree. From organically grown grapes with Fair'n Green certification. Drink or hold. |
|
|
2013 |
Norheimer Dellchen Riesling Auslese (375 ML) AP 77530102214 |
$49 |
5 |
|
| |
| WA 93 (1/2015): Only made in vintages with a high ripeness (a pre-selection of the GG) the 2013 Norheimer Dellchen Riesling Auslese offers ripe and shortly cooked apple as well as pineapple aromas along with some volcanic rocks on the nose leading to a sweet, rich and piquant Riesling which shows its great talents not before the finish which is pure and salty but again sweet and sensual. The finish displays citric flavors and black bread but there is no heaviness or botrytis opulence at all in this wine. |
|
|
2016 |
Norheimer Dellchen Riesling Grosses Gewachs (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$540.97 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2012 |
Norheimer Kirschheck Riesling Spatlese |
$49 |
6 |
|
| |
|
|
2019 |
Norheimer Kirschheck Riesling Spatlese (3x1.5L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$304.97 |
3 |
|
| |
|
|
2019 |
Norheimer Kirschheck Riesling Spatlese (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$256.97 |
5 |
|
| |
|
|
2021 |
Norheimer Kirschheck Riesling Spatlese (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$276.97 |
6 |
|
| |
|
|
2005 |
Oberhauser Brucke Riesling Auslese (375 ML) AP 7753010 14 06 |
$59 |
6 |
|
| |
| VM 92 (2/2007): Rich golden- yellow color.The nose offers l uscious yellow plum, honeysuckle and sweet spice, layered with a delicate hint of botrytis.Smoky pineapple jam and an elevated minerality animate the palate. Dense, juicy and long on the finish. Joel B. Payne. |
|
|
2006 |
Oberhauser Brucke Riesling Auslese (6x1.5L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$786.98 |
2 |
|
| |
|
|
2007 |
Oberhauser Brucke Riesling Auslese (12x375ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$750.99 |
4 |
|
| |
WA 98 (9/2009): Incredible nose of candied orange peel, preserved ginger and honeysuckle with a touch of wet pebbles. The palate is packed with minerals and spiced fruits. A high level of lively acidity perfectly balances the seductive sweetness. Very long, minerally finish.
VM 94 (2/2009): Rich golden yellow. Passion fruit, a floral nuance and a bit of licorice on the nose. Pineapple and honey give way to brisk spicy acidity on the palate. A well-balanced, vivid auslese that finishes smoky and long, with an almost salty minerality. |
|
|
2010 |
Oberhauser Brucke Riesling Auslese (375 ML) |
$50 |
5 |
|
| |
| WA 94 (12/2011): Picked-out, like its Hermannshohle counterpart, in the last, early-November days of harvest, Donnhoff's 2010 Oberhauser Brucke Riesling Auslese gold capsule was, he estimates, "perhaps 50% affected by botrytis, and dry botrytis, no mere rot." Candied lime rind and marzipan; lily and honeysuckle; white peach and salted caramel inform this wine's haunting nose and rich yet buoyant palate, with the mouthwatering savor that characterized the corresponding Spatlese undiminished. This needs some time in bottle to better focus, and it will be interesting to see whether it develops more sense of cut and brightness. But it's already irresistible, and almost sure to prove worth following for a quarter century or more. |
|
|
2013 |
Oberhauser Brucke Riesling Auslese AP 77530102114 |
$99 |
3 |
|
| |
| WA 94+ (1/2015): The 2013 Oberhäuser Brücke Riesling Auslese has a very clear and precise bouquet of slightly cooked apples and lemons. Piquant on the palate this is a very bright, firmly structured and salty wine with a great and complex length. It is precise and very juicy but always piquant and salty. A great and stimulating Auslese. |
|
|
2006 |
Oberhauser Brucke Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel (12x375ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$592.97 |
1 |
|
| |
| VM 92 (1/2008): Rich golden yellow. Luscious aromas of passion fruit, pineapple and sweet lime mingle with a delicate hint of botrytis. A bright spiciness along with elevated minerality enliven the palate. Finishes smoky and long. Joel B. Payne. |
|
|
2007 |
Oberhauser Brucke Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel (12x375ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$545.97 |
4 |
|
| |
| WA 98 (9/2009): Incredible nose of candied orange peel, preserved ginger and honeysuckle with a touch of wet pebbles. The palate is packed with minerals and spiced fruits. A high level of lively acidity perfectly balances the seductive sweetness. Very long, minerally finish. |
|
|
2006 |
Oberhauser Brucke Riesling Beerenauslese (12x375ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,125.98 |
3 |
|
| |
|
|
2019 |
Oberhauser Brucke Riesling Beerenauslese (3x375ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$917.99 |
2 |
|
| |
|
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2019 |
Oberhauser Brucke Riesling Beerenauslese (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$3,344.99 |
1 |
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2009 |
Oberhauser Brucke Riesling Spatlese (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$249.98 |
2 |
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2011 |
Oberhauser Brucke Riesling Spatlese (3.0 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$440.97 |
1 |
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| WA 96 (2/2013): High-toned, distillate-like herbal extracts along with ripe fresh strawberry, apple and quince inform the scintillating nose and electrical charged palate of Donnhoff’s 2011 Oberhauser Brucke Riesling Spatlese. “We were able to just keep waiting on this site," he explains, “so that even this lightest wine from the Brucke was picked only in the last days of (regular) harvest." Hints of pits and seed, along with black tea, nut oils, zesty citrus, and myriad mineral impingements add to a sense of quickening that goes well beyond mere invigoration in this gem’s strikingly persistent, shimmeringly vibrant finish. I was left with salivary glands palpitating and arms covered in gooseflesh. It will probably be hard to resist such a wine at any point over the next quarter century, but those with the requisite remaining life expectancy should make an effort to defer for the duration the pleasure of at least the last bottle or two. |
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2012 |
Oberhauser Brucke Riesling Spatlese |
$49 |
6 |
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2019 |
Oberhauser Brucke Riesling Spatlese (6x750ML) |
$330 |
1 |
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| JS 97 (8/2020): If you dream of the great German rieslings of the 1970s and 1980s, then this is a wine for you, even though it is riper and more concentrated than those icons of the past. In spite of the abundant generosity, this has a very long, distinctly cool finish. From organically grown grapes with Fair'n Green certification. Drink or hold. |
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2019 |
Oberhauser Brucke Riesling Spatlese |
$55 |
4 |
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| JS 97 (8/2020): If you dream of the great German rieslings of the 1970s and 1980s, then this is a wine for you, even though it is riper and more concentrated than those icons of the past. In spite of the abundant generosity, this has a very long, distinctly cool finish. From organically grown grapes with Fair'n Green certification. Drink or hold. |
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2022 |
Oberhauser Brucke Riesling Spatlese (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$332.99 |
4 |
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2011 |
Oberhauser Leistenberg Riesling Kabinett (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$908.99 |
1 |
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2021 |
Schlossbockelheim Felsenberg Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$617.97 |
1 |
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2007 |
Schlossbockelheim Felsenberg Riesling Beerenauslese (12x375ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,125.98 |
2 |
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WA 99 (10/2009): The over-ripe pear and quince featured in other nobly sweet wines of this collection are very much present in Donnhoff's 2007 Schlossbockelheimer Felsenberg Riesling Beerenauslese, along with aromas of distilled gentian, gardenia, lemon oil, freshly baked bread, and white truffle. The intensity of inner-mouth perfume here - orchard fruit, floral, and herbal distillates - is nearly beyond belief. Pear nectar, quince preserves, apple jelly, liquid gardenia, brown spices, and a certain saline and smoky suggestions of things mineral inform a finish of trance-inducing duration. This amazing elixir - harvested largely in the Turmchen section of the site - should be worthy of 40 years cellaring. When Donnhoff laughingly referred to this as the year of Felsenberg, he was not in fact kidding, nor was he referring just to the sheer number of bottlings!
VM 97 (1/2009): Rich golden yellow. Sublime aromas of candied citrus fruits, lemon oil and acacia honey. The succulent weight of papaya fruit levitates over the wine's understated minerality. The palate-staining finish boasts an impeccable balance of creamy fruit, smoky botrytis and herbal spices. An Outstanding effort for the vintage! |
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2018 |
Schlossbockelheim Felsenberg Riesling Spatlese (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$431.99 |
4 |
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2022 |
Schlossbockelheimer Felsenberg Riesling Grosses Gewachs (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$395.99 |
5 |
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2007 |
Schlossbockelheimer Kupfergrube Riesling Spatlese (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$354.99 |
3 |
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2018 |
Weingut Hermann Donnhoff Niederhauser Hermannshohle Riesling Grosses Gewachs |
$119 |
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2019 |
Weingut Hermann Donnhoff Niederhauser Hermannshohle Riesling Spatlese |
$69 |
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2018 |
Weingut Hermann Donnhoff Norheimer Dellchen Riesling Grosses Gewachs |
$119 |
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