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Frankrig Bordeaux Collection Collector's Box: Premier Grand Cru Classé 2005 0,75l rød
Chateau Cheval blanc: 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. 100/100 *** Chateau Haut Brion: The mineral-laced 2005 Haut Brion (56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 39% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc) is exquisite. With its elegance and finesse, it is not as powerful as La Mission, but the nobility and complexity of the aromatics, incredible fragrance (subtle smoke and blue, red, and black fruits) that persists in the glass, full-bodied mouthfeel (though very light and delicate on its feet), and incredible length characterize this great Haut-Brion. It is just starting to drink well, and should continue to do so for at least another three decades. It is a tour de force in winemaking, but only 9,000 cases were produced. 100/100 *** Chateau Lafite-Rothschild: Made in an ethereal style, the 2005 Lafite is composed of nearly 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, just under 11% Merlot, and a tiny fraction of Petit Verdot (representing only 40% of the total harvest). It is a deep, structured, linear style of Lafite Rothschild that is in total contrast to the opulence and extravagant richness of the 2003 and the bold, dramatic power of the 2000. The dense ruby/plum/purple-tinged 2005 offers up scents of graphite, flowers, crushed rocks, and loads of berry fruit. Medium-bodied and sweet with high tannin, it represents the quintessentially elegant style of Bordeaux. Another brilliant effort made under the auspices of administrator Charles Chevalier, it should be at its finest between 2015-2050+. 94-98/100 *** Chateau Latour: The colossal 2005 Latour (44% of the total production) is a wine for the ages. A blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, and 1% Petit Verdot, it possesses the highest alcohol of recent vintages. Different both structurally and texturally from the extraordinary 2003 (which I tend to prefer, although Frederic Engerer clearly disagrees), the black/purple-hued 2005 exhibits high tannin, prodigious concentration, unbelievable purity, amazing freshness and vibrancy, and almost surreal definition and nuances for such a young wine. It is a huge, fresh, backward yet incredibly pure effort that represents a modern day classic, but don’t expect the opulence and exotic sweetness of the 2003. It will close down after bottling, and require at least a decade of cellaring before consuming. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2050+. 98-100/100 *** Chateau Margaux: A fabulous effort, the dense purple-tinged 2005 Margaux (85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Merlot) possesses an ethereal lightness reminiscent of the 1996 Margaux and 2005 Lafite-Rothschild. Beautiful aromas of flowers as well as blue and black fruits, silky tannin, full-bodied power, laser-like precision, and superb purity and length are found in this wine of extraordinary integrity and class. While it is one of the few 2005 first-growths that will be approachable within a decade, it should prove to be uncommonly long-lived (even by Bordeaux standards), lasting 50-60+ years. 98-100/100 *** Chateau Mouton-Rothschild: The 2005 Mouton-Rothschild has developed magnificently, and is even better than I remember. The final blend was 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot and 1% Cabernet Franc. Stunning notes of crème de cassis, melted asphalt, roasted espresso and cedarwood are present in this young, full-bodied, powerful, concentrated Mouton. Just beginning to enter its adolescence, it should hit full maturity in 10-15 years and last for 50 or more. The greatness of this vintage is increasingly apparent as the wines throw off their cloaks of tannin. 99+/100
