2005 Bordeaux

A Review of 4 different 2005 Bordeaux wines

Wonderful tasting at Stockemeyer's farm courtesy of Chris "Anton" Kowalski

A white Bordeaux as a gathering wine

Clos Des Lunes Lune D'Argent Bordeaux 2015

"The 2015 Lune d'Argent is a blend of one-third Semillon and two-thirds Sauvignon Blanc that had been bottled in March 2016. It was cropped at 25 hectoliters per hectare. It has quite a forward, rich, generous bouquet with subtle honeysuckle and apricot notes merging with the apply aromas. The palate is fresh and crisp on the entry, a little grassiness at first, gently opening up to a gooseberry, nettle and green apple-flavored finish. This might be my pick of Olivier Bernard's three 2015 offerings under the Clos des Lunes label and it comes highly recommended." -Neal Martin, eRobertParker.com #224, Apr 2016
Reviewed by: The Wine Advocate - 90 pts

This was a very nice White from France. Nice nose of honeysuckle – bright fresh flavors of some citrus, a touch of grass, apricots and green apple. Good clean finish.

Now the wonderful four from 2005

Chateau Leoville Poyferre 2005

Bordeaux Red Blends from St. Julien, Bordeaux, France

Winemaker's Notes  Elegant, refined, complex and well-balanced wine. Intense color and velvety texture. They are excellent keeping wines.

W&S95

Wine & Spirits - "This wine's heady rush of flavor gave one taster goosebumps. She called it sexy. "Formidable." Other technical descriptions included "the shazam," "has zazz," and "unprintable. That's some serious s#¡†." At the en primeur tastings, this appeared to be chunky and superripe. Now it's massive, with dark extract and exotic spice, a sophisticated wine that ends on sweetness, bitter chocolate and dark berry fruit. With all the flash, it will give a lot of pleasure as a young wine, but it has the plump Poyferré terroir drive to sustain that pleasure for years to come."

WE94

Wine Enthusiast - "Hugely concentrated and packed with tannins, this wine shows considerable amounts of dark, extracted fruit. It wins out on impressive power, driving the fruit through the tannins, giving great richness."

Château Léoville-Poyferré is a winery in the Saint-Julien appellation of the Bordeaux region of France. Château Léoville-Poyferré is also the name of the red wine produced by this property. The wine produced here was classified as one of fifteen Deuxièmes Crus (Second Growths) in the original Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855.

Léoville-Poyferré was once part of the much larger Léoville estate until the time of the French Revolution when it was separated into Château Léoville-Las Cases and Château Léoville-Barton. In 1840, Château Léoville-Las Cases was again divided and Château Léoville-Poyferré created from a piece of the land.

The color is still dark and deep, moderate nose of dark fruits.  Broad red and black fruit; some bramble and dried fig. Fairly long  finish with a little tannin.  Very nice.

Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte 2005

Winemaker's Notes

Château Smith Haut Lafitte's great terroir of deep Gunzian gravel, with old vines sinking several metres into the soil, produced stupendous results: the wines have a concentration, texture, and class never before seen.

Blend: 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 5% Cabernet franc, 1% Petit Verdot.

RP95

The Wine Advocate - "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+."

W&S94

Wine & Spirits - "The Cathiards have invested heavily in this property since they purchased it in the early 1990s. It is one of the great terroirs of the Graves, a raised plateau of gravel where the vines produce a rich and powerful wine. That power is amplified in a vintage like 2005 into a huge, cassis-driven red with the velvet feel of a favorite childhood pillow. The Cathiards do not spare the new oak, a character that dominates this young wine, while the fruit underneath feels healthy and clean, vibrating with tension, set for a long life ahead."

Château Smith Haut Lafitte is a Bordeaux wine from the Pessac-Léognan appellation, ranked among the Crus Classés for red wine in the Classification of Graves wine of 1953 and 1959.^[1] The winery and vineyards are located south of the city of Bordeaux, in the commune of Martillac.

The estate originates in the 14th century with the house of Verrier Du Boscq who planted vines on a gravelly plateau named Lafitte already in 1365. In 1720 it was bought by the Scotsman Georges Smith who added his name to the lieu-dit (English: place-name), and who built the manor house of the property.

The Louis Eschenauer company bought estate in 1958, after having already distributed the wine from the early 20th century. In 1990, Daniel Cathiard bought Smith Haut Lafitte and embarked on an investment programme, including the building of a new cellar.

Big nose of red fruit, cassis and gunpowder.  Mouth feel has a good acid balance with some tannin still remaining; black cherry, black currant power to a chunky finish – compared to the St Julien wine.

Chateau Clerc Milon 2005

Bordeaux Red Blends from Pauillac, Bordeaux, France

11 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2008

The wine has a deep color with a violet tint.The nose opens on pleasant smoky notes, followed by intense and powerful ripe berry fruit aromas, especially cassis and wild strawberry. Full-bodied and expansive on the palate, it displays close-knit tannins and a range of generous, varied flavors including blackberry, cherry, spice and licorice. The ample and well-balanced finish combines the solidity of a well-defined structure with the charm and fullness of rich flavours enfolded in refined and judicious oak.

WS95

Wine Spectator - "Offers fabulous aromas of currant, tar, lead pencil and mineral. Full-bodied, with supersoft tannins that caress the palate. Beautiful and impressive. A fabulous wine. The best Clerc in a very long time. Best after 2014. 10,000 cases made."

W&S93

Wine & Spirits - "On a 107-acre site between Mouton and Lafite, Clerc Milon is part of G.F.A. Baronne Philippine de Rothschild, a group of properties including Mouton and managed by the same team. In 2005, the team produced a great performance from this vineyard, a clean, pure wine with delicacy and energy rather than tannic overload. Not that it isn't laden with tannins, but the bright, wild cherry fruit flavor is a formidable partner, lasting for minutes through a buoyant finish. A supple, lovely wine that will go the distance with some of its more powerful neighbors."

Château Clerc Milon is a property in the Pauillac appellation of the Bordeaux region of France. The wine produced here was classified as one of eighteen Cinquièmes Crus (Fifth Growths) in the Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855.^[1]

Château Clerc Milon is located in the northern part of the Pauillac appellation, with its winery building in the village of Mousset. Clerc Milon is surrounded by two first growth including Château Mouton Rothschild.

The name of the estate is derived from its former owner Jean-Baptiste Clerc, who owned it at the time of the 1855 classification, and the village of Milon. Once Jacques Mondon had come into possession of some vineyards that had previously been part of the Clerc-Milon estate, and after Clerc's death in 1863, he mounted a successful legal challenge to be allowed to use the Clerc-Milon name for his vineyards, which became the origin of the current-day Château Clerc Milon. Mondon subsequently adopted the name Clerc-Milon-Mondon for his estate.

In 1970, Château Clerc-Milon-Mondon was purchased by Baron Philippe de Rothschild, the owner of Château Mouton Rothschild. At this time, the property was in poor shape and consisted of 16.5 hectares (41 acres) of vineyards. Rothschild removed the Mondon part of the name, and subsequently expanded the estate by purchasing additional vineyards that had previously been part of Clerc Milon.

Château Clerc Milon's label is illustrated by a pair of dancers made of precious stones which is displayed in the Museum of Wine in Art at Château Mouton Rothschild. This decorative work belonged to Catherine II, the Empress of Russia and is inspired by characters of the Commedia dell'Arte. Baroness Philippine de Rothschild chose it as the Clerc Milon emblem because of her love of the theatre.

Lighter nose – little lighter in color than previous ones. Smooth flavors of red berries, currants with less tannins and a modest aftertaste.  Silky, but less of a wine than the others.

Chateau Rauzan-Segla 2005

Bordeaux Red Blends from Margaux, Bordeaux, France

An elegant fragrant bouquet, lots of taste on the palate, a well-balanced structure and very great elegance. For this vintage we took our time and were able to be even more meticulous than usual really taking advantage of the sorting tables and competence of the people we have trained.

WS97

Wine Spectator - "Very beautiful aromas of crushed berry, flowers, currant and Indian spices follow through to a full body, with ultrafine tannins and a long, long finish. Extremely polished and beautiful, with a seamless texture. Best after 2014."

WE96

Wine Enthusiast - "A wine with a beautiful mouthfeel and shape. This is rich, gleaming in the ripe black fruits, the touch of spice and mint, as well as the sweet blackberry flavors. The acidity is balanced, showing off the fruit. There is weight and density as well. "

Château Rauzan-Ségla, or Château Rausan-Ségla, is a winery in the Margaux appellation of the Bordeaux region of France. Château Rauzan-Ségla is also the name of the red wine produced by this property. The wine produced here was classified as one of fifteen Deuxièmes Crus (Second Growths) in the original Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855. The alternate name "Rausan-Ségla" was also frequently used until 1994 when the original "Rauzan-Ségla" again became the official name.

Rauzan-Ségla was once part of the vast Rausan estate owned by Pierre de Mesures de Rauzan in the mid-17th century. Over time, this estate was divided, and by the time of the 1855 Classification, had been separated into the estates of Château Rauzan-Gassies, Château Rauzan-Ségla, Château Desmirail, and Château Marquis de Terme.

After a long ownership by the Durand-Dasier family, the estate was acquired by Frédéric Cruse of the Cruse family in 1903 who held ownership until 1957, and until 1989 it belonged to Liverpool shipping magnate John Holt. By 1982 the estate had hired the consultant services of Émile Peynaud, and in 1989 the property was purchased by Brent Walker. In 1994 he sold the estate on to the Wertheimer family of Chanel, who installed a winemaking team led by David Orr and John Kolasa (both from Chateau Latour). Chanel remain the current owners, and they are credited with continuing to push the quality ever higher. In 2014, Nicolas Audebert, the former winemaker at Cheval des Andes, the LVMH property in Mendoza Argentina, was hired to replace John Kolasa.

Nice nose of red and black fruits. Flavor powered by blackberry, black cherry and nuances of spice- cardamom or curry like. Nice length of finish with some tannins remaining. Heavier weight than previous wines – very nice.

The wines were ranked by the attendees in this order:

1. 2005 Chateau Rauzan-Segla Margaux

2. 2005 Chateau Clerc-Milon Pauillac
3. 2005 Chateau Leoville Poyferre Saint Julien
4. 2005 Chateau Smith-Haut Lafitte Graves
All were formidable wines drinking in excellent shape for 11 years of age. Should have then again in a another 5 years or so.  Hope you enjoyed – I’ve included my presentation of the wines as well as my notes.
Till later, keep popping those corks and I’ll meet you out behind the grape vines.

September Wines

Just a few before I describe the 2 verticals I had on Oct 1

2011 Atalon, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, CA

2011 Atalon, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, CA

Brilliant, dark garnet in color. Rich black cherry, blackberry, plum and currant with hints of spice and toast. Sweet oak and cocoa nib integrates into the juicy black fruit. Soft and velvety texture accentuates a luscious, round mouth feel. Great depth of fruit and spice with hints of mineral, dried herbs, milk chocolate and rose petal. Great on its own, but better with grilled meats.

Critical Acclaim

TP91  Tasting Panel - "Juicy and bright with deep plum and earth; spicy, intense and neatly structured; balanced and stylish with finesse and a long finish. "

A Bordeaux-style blend, predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon, from vineyards throughout the Napa Valley. This red is made in a more robust style, the tannins still a tad dry, the fruit earthy in sage and cedar with black cherry and chocolaty spice at the fore.

87 points, Wine Enthusiast (Nov 2014)

Very nice bottle of Cabernet from Napa. Not overly big, very approachable with good fruit balance and a good finish. 2011 was a tough year and this wine needs to be drunk over the next two years. Got a good deal, can be found for around $20.

2009 San Pedro de Yaco chuya, Malbec, Salta, Argentina

Winemaker's Notes

Notes of ripe plum, spice and and light toasty oak. The body is medium with good structure and a long finish.

Coquena Malbec is sourced from high altitude Malbec vines (5400 ft) coming from the Tolombon Estate, just 7 miles south of Cafayate. This was the last estate acquired by the Etchart family in Cafayate.

The grapes are 100% hand-harvested and sorted. The yields are dramatically limited by the extreme conditions. The wine has just a light touch through oak casks previously used for Yacochuya.

The wines are bottled with minimum fining and filtration.  Only 1600 cs made.

Critical Acclaim

RP90  The Wine Advocate - "Good Malbec is grown in the north too; roasted character, dense black fruits, drink now – 8 years. "

Nice bottle of Malbec – still a little tight, though not really very tannic.  Loosened up to have very good fruit and an expressive finish.  Good buy from Argentina. Available around $20.

2007 Vitanza "Tradizione" Brunello di Montalcino

93 points James Suckling

 Rose petals and plums on the nose. Full body, with round and chewy tannins and a ripe finish. Tannic, yet polished texture. Give it two to three years of bottle age. This wine is clearly better in 2007 than 2006.  (1/2012)

93 points Wine Enthusiast

 Thick and dark, with generous fruit, spice, leather and tobacco. This is a wine that does not hold back from an aromatic point of view. Mouthfeel is tight, firm and ends with polished tannins.  (5/2012)

92 points Wine Spectator

 A sinewy, muscular red, hinting at mint and licorice, with a core of cherry and plum flavors. Stiff tannins corral everything on the moderately long finish. Best from 2014 through 2026. B.S.  (6/2012)

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

 The 2007 Brunello di Montalcino Tradizione saturates the palate with layers of dark red cherries, rose petals, spices and licorice. It shows gorgeous mid-palate pliancy and depth all the way through to the finish. The Vitanza wines always have an element of rusticity, but the 2007 Brunello is especially polished. This will always be a fairly full-bodied wine marked by firm, incisive tannins. The 2007 spent 36 months in Slavonian oak. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2025.  (4/2012)

This wine could age longer, but is in a good place right now. Not a lot of tannins, but the black and red fruit make it a sumptuous wine – finish is still long. Well balanced, goes wonderful with a meal or by itself. You can find it for about $30...

2014 Chateau Ste. Michelle Chardonnay, Columbia Valley, Washington

The Columbia Valley blend is made from numerous vineyard lots resulting in a complex, layered Chardonnay.  Malolactic fermentation follows yeast fermentation for added richness and complexity.  47% tank fermented Chardonnay was added to the blend to make a fresh style of Chardonnay.

 Sur lie aged for more than six months in a mix of French and American oak barrels (15% new) with regular stirring to soften the wine and integrate fruit and oak flavors.

“The Columbia Valley Chardonnay is a pleasurable, food-friendly Chardonnay. This is a fresh, soft style of Chardonnay with bright apple and sweet citrus fruit character with subtle spice and oak nuances. We blend Chardonnay grapes from vineyards throughout Washington’s Columbia Valley to make this a complex, interesting wine. The sur lie aging gives it an appealing softness.”

Just a cheap bottle of Chardonnay (my sister-in-laws favorite grape) that was really a very nice little white wine. It was very smooth and creamy, with hints of citrus and green apple without being a big old butterball.  Worth the $10-12 spent on it.

Also had another bottle of 2011 Terra Prima Red from Spain - had it last in February. Last bottle of my $100 case from Jacobs.  Hope you enjoy - I've got to write up notes from a vertical tasting of Kathryn Hall and Chimney Rock - years 2009 - 2012. Until then, keep popping those corks and I'll meet you out behind the grapevines.