I have had two halves of VCC 2005. The first with Panos a couple of years ago was almost completely dumb. The second last June was just, and I mean just, a little more showy. I have a case of halves to keep messing around with before I get to the bottles and magnums.
As one of my wines of this fantastic vintage, I bought several cases. I am looking forward to it n full maturity.
Hi all -
This is my first post on this board. It’s very nice to see so many familiar names from the old Squires board, on which I was fairly active 10-15 years ago. Several on this thread. I took a break from wine as a hobby since then, though I promise I’ve kept drinking steady enough and now I’m rekindling my interest. I’m sure there are folks here who I’ve raised a glass with over the years, and I look forward to reconnecting virtually or even better in person. I have a lot of catching up to do. Meanwhile, since someone asked:
2005 Chateau Lanessan: Pop and pour, I have it in front of me now. It’s still youthful but drinking pretty well. Very classic clarety black cherry, leafy, pencil lead profile. Stilll good tannins and it hasn’t really evolved much. Always ages very well – might even improve still – this is a very nice little wine for the money. No rush, but no crime popping it now.
I’ve pulled a few and am ready to start sampling. Rauzan Gassies and Prieure Lichine are on the rack. Age 15 should be pretty good for most of them. I drank up most of my lower cru bourgeois early, and loved them, in particular Charmail, Cambon Pelouse, and a few others.
I had an 05 Fleur Cardinale recently that was exceptional.
November 16, 2019 - Dark Crimson in color. 14% ABV. Stunning nose of red and black fruits, molten licorice, leather and earth. Full bodied and opulent with layers of gorgeous fruit. Roasted cherries, black currants, plums and minerals on the palate. Tremendous length on the finish. This wine was a darling of the ’05 Bordeaux QPR crowd and has thoroughly delivered upon expectations. Best over the next 2-4 years.
Tom
I have Batailley tucked away was contemplating an exploratory bottle next year. It always needs time. (And is a great QPR IMHO).
So agree on waiting.
We had a 2005 Langoa Barton a few weeks ago and it was surprisingly approachable and very nice.
Ed
Drank a Montrose the other night. My palate has changed so much, I disliked the cold earthy nature of the wine tremendously. I’m sad about it too…
The last bottle of Bordeaux I purchased was from vintage 2005. I realised around that time that my palate was changing. Been curious how the wines would age (or maybe my taste would change again) as I still have a reasonable number of bottles from the 1995-2005 period. But I’m afraid my view is the same as yours.
Your palates have changed to what? Mind if I ask your ages?
I look for brighter, higher toned fruit, generally higher acidity, less oak influence. Often this points me in the direction of Italy.
I have recently entered the second half of my first century.
Hi Robert. I’m 61, and started drinking and collecting wine in the early 1980’s. My epiphany wine was 1978 Mondavi Reserve. I drank my share of Bordeaux, Harvey (and Richard) at the Marin Wine Cellar sold me lots of 82’s, including a case of Mouton.
I believe that I have had every important California Cab since the 1960’s, and love those wines, and many of them have alcohol levels under 13%.
I bought cases of 2000 Bordeaux - including first growths, and some 2003, and have rarely opened a bottle of anything I have enjoyed. Over the past ten years I have drank my share of Bordeaux, but increasingly I find the vast majority of them vegetal, green and dirty. I am not criticizing the wines, they are just not for me.
Happy Holidays.
Interesting! Fortunately, my palate has not changed over the recent four decades.
And the ironic thing is that Bordeaux and global warming have been eliminating green and vegetal flavors.
My dad’s palate shifted in his mid-60s, from classic French to more modern, riper wines.
My palate changes all the time and in recent years, has actually gone towards rather than away from slightly green flavours! Only a few years ago, I must have had a dozen Loire reds in all, whereas now they account for 20% of my cellar. This has been accompanied by a decrease in the number of Bordeaux, although I still have far too many. There are several reasons, taste being only one, but I certainly have moved away from the wood and overripe flavours I got bored of on the Right Bank. Each to his own!
Hope all of you in the US have a great holiday weekend with oodles of fine wines!
Mark - you are probably correct - but I’m too old to cellar current Bordeaux releases.
I have seen major changes in friends’ palates as they reach middle age. Mine grew more traditional, but I would say the vast majority are the same as you, going for more modern, bigger wines. In fact I left one group where I had been a member for fifteen years, as the tastings became mired in heavy duty Zins and Cabernets.
I am stuck with all these 1986, 1989, 1990, 2000, and 2005 Bordeaux, bought when cheap and nobody cared. Now, my palate favors only old-styled Napa and Sonoma reds.
I opened my first bottle from a case of the 05 LMHB, and while it was a very educational experience, I won’t touch another bottle for at least 5 years. We double decanted about 3 hours before dinner. A great wine, but still very reserved…so much potential! I think it will be chasing perfection in 2030.
I’ve opened two 05s, which has convinced me to bury them as deep as possible in the metaphorical cellar.