2005 Red Wine

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 93 points: The best bottle I've ever had, the 2005 Hermitage la Chapelle showed much more density and concentration than I recall. Peppery herbs, currants, dried blood and licorice flow beautifully to a medium to full-bodied wine...

Wine & Spirits, 91 points: A sweet violet aroma adds to this wine's finesse while gravelly tannins give it a classical St-Estèphe profile. It feels sleek firm and finely crafted with meaty density of fruit that will sustain it for years to come.

Vinous, 100 points: 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...

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 94 points: The first bottle of 2005 Bellevue that I tasted had a maderized, oxidized nose that was off-putting. This note is from a second bottle. This second bottle showed absolutely no trace of oxidation, but did offer plenty of...

Wine Spectator, 93 points: Dark in color with an impressive nose of licorice toasty oak chocolate and blackberry. Full-bodied with silky tannins and a long caressing finish. Very pretty and structured. Best after 2012. 25000 cases made. –JS

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 94 points: 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...

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 97 points: If the Dr. Crane Vineyard is La Mission Haut-Brion, the 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard is a classic first-growth and, for Napa, a Pauillac-like offering. It has a dense purple color and is as...

Wine Enthusiast, 97 points: Power and elegance merge effortlessly in this superb wine. Its pure black currant fruit is tightly coiled supported by just the right amount of firm tannins. Great aging potential. A triumph. - R.V.

jamessuckling.com, 98 points: The aromas to this are stunning with dried strawberry, stone and fresh mushroom. Full body and very tight with incredible depth and structure. It goes on for minutes. One of the greatest ever? The new 1964? Available...

Wine Enthusiast, 93 points: This sleeping beauty of a chateau is showing signs of awakening. With its great terroir, it deserves to make wine like this 2005, dense, perfumed, very ripe, powered with sweet, purple fruit and juicy flavors. It will...