(96-98 points) My notes on the 2005 Musigny Vieilles Vignes represent a composite impression from a selection of barrels. There can be little question that this deep, dark wine displays its class of origin, indeed a class of its own in this year’s collection. Fresh black raspberry, pomegranate, blackberry, and iris dominate the nose and stain the palate. A wealth of spice, mineral, chalky and bitter-sweet floral nuances persistently wreath the fruit at all stages. This shows lovely creaminess of texture in counterpoint to the persistent freshness of fruit. The intensely rich yet refreshing palate saturation and tenacious cling exhibited auger well for extended cellaring yet don’t detract from an impression of utmost elegance and refinement. The domaine will begin bottling the wines in spring and all will, as usual, receive “the minimum, gentlest possible” filtration. - DS

Bright, dark, saturated red-ruby. Pungent, noble aromas and flavors of raspberry, flowers, white pepper and powdered stone. Enters the palate with a wonderful lightness, then mounts impressively toward the back and saturates the entire mouth with fruits, spices, minerals and earth. As flamboyantly sweet as this wine is today, it's most remarkable for its power, definition, energy and cut. The tannins are still a bit youthfully spiky but this extremely backward wine finishes with superb thrust, grip and persistence. It's hard to imagine that this wine won't gain in texture and complexity over the next 20 to 30 years of aging in a cold cellar. - ST