2005 Wine

View From The Cellar, 97 points: The 2005 Cristal is a legend in the making, but this wine is still very young and closed and some extended bottle age will be necessary to really allow all of the multi-faceted elements here to blossom and come to the...

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...

Wine Spectator, 93 points: Lithe and focused, layering its black cherry, plum and dark spice flavors on a polished frame, the tannins beautifully submerged to let the fruit and savory notes sail through the finish and keep singing. Best from 2009...

Wine Enthusiast, 96 points: A beautifully balanced wine that exudes elegance as well as richness. It is drier than previous vintages of Cristal Rosé, yielding a bright, crisp and layered wine. Red fruits are married with orange zest and tight...

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 Enthusiast, 90 points: A full, firm, ripe wine that shows considerable style and richness. There are fine, dusty tannins, masking the full-bodied black fruits, licorice flavors, and a firm, smooth aftertaste.

TheWineCellarInsider.com, 100 points: Poke your head into a flower shop filled with roses, walk into the restaurant next door when they are serving their winter, truffle menu, end the meal with the perfect clafoutis with some licorice on the side, and light...

Vinous, 92 points: (92+ points) The 2005 Talbot was picked from 22 September until 10 October. Having tasted this several times, this might be the best bottle. Deeper in colour than other vintages, it offers much more fruit: blackberry...

Wine Spectator, 96 points: There's fabulous fruit on the nose which is very pure with crushed blackberry and blueberry. Full-bodied with superrefined tannins and a long caressing finish. A very classy wine. This is so long and beautiful. Lasts for...

Wine Spectator, 90 points: Gorgeous aromas of crushed blackberry, Indian spices and cherry follow through to a full body, with firm, round tannins, sweet fruit and a pretty, caressing finish. Juicy and delicious. Best after 2011. 12,500 cases made.–JS

Wine Enthusiast, 96 points: Cellar Selection. If Standish's Relic is the feminine side of Shiraz, this is in a more masculine vein, with slightly coarser tannins and more weight, but still possessing great intensity without any heaviness. Cassis...