2005 Red Wine

jamessuckling.com, 93 points: Aromas of minerals, ripe fruit, a delicate floral character. On the palate it is fresh and fabulous with a long finish. Lots going on here.

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 94 points: This beautiful wine from Fleur Cardinale performed great in its youth, both from barrel as well as post-bottling. A gorgeous blend of 70% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon made by the Decoster family...

Wine Spectator, 91 points: Aromas of mineral blackberry and licorice lead to a full body with lots of racy tannins and a long flavorful finish. There's plenty of character with a polished refined style yet tannic. Best after 2011. 9830 cases made...

James Halliday, 95 points: Rich, fleshy fruit in abundance, but not the least jammy; indeed, borders on outright elegance; good balance and structure.

Antonio Galloni's Vinous, 97 points: (fermented in large oak tanks and aged for six years in new French and American oak barriques) Saturated ruby. Explosively perfumed aromas of fresh ripe red fruits, floral oils, pipe tobacco and incense take on sexy...

Wine Spectator, 91 points: Has an impressive nose with wonderful aromas of currant toasty oak and flowers. Full-bodied with velvety tannins and a long caressing finish. There's lots of new wood in the aftertaste but also juicy fruit. The second...

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 100 points: The 2005 La Mission Haut-Brion is pure perfection. It has an absolutely extraordinary nose of sweet blackberries, cassis and spring flowers with some underlying minerality, a full-bodied mouthfeel, gorgeously velvety...

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 96 points: 96+ The back strapping 2005 Shiraz “House Block – Rare” is purple/black in color. It reveals aromas of cedar, wood smoke, cassis, blackberry, and blueberry compote. Full-bodied, thick, and rich, this opulent wine is...

jamessuckling.com, 99 points: The purity of fruit in this is fascinating with plums, currants and other dark fruits. Then there is another layer of spices and chocolate. So much cassis. Full and very layered with chewy polished tannins and a long...

Wine & Spirits, 100 points: How rare to confront a wine of this inner strength and perfect form. Grown at a 116-acre vineyard at the southern border of Pauillac, some of the vines now reaching 100 years of age on a gravel bar overlooking the...

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 95 points: D'Arenberg's most famous wine is its flagship The Dead Arm Shiraz. The 2005 The Dead Arm Shiraz is sourced from ancient head-pruned vines. It was aged for 22 months in a mix of new and used French and American oak. It is...

jamessuckling.com, 96 points: 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...

jamessuckling.com, 93 points: A very attractive, quite traditional-styled wine which still has fine fruit in spite of more than a decade of age. Drink now.