Wine Review 2010

Lot # Wine Year M D Comment
Cellar Offering 181
the “Stellar” vintage of Bordeaux, 2005 By Kenneth Christie, M.W.
A large number of the wines in this offering came from the wonderful vintage of 2005. As I have a home in southern Europe, I was able
to visit Bordeaux on many occasions throughout the whole of the early growing season, the flowering, the development of the fruit and the
period of the eventual harvest. Day after day, and week after week, the weather was close to perfect for the vines and grapes. Sometimes
temperatures reached high levels that tended to over-ripen and partially dehydrate the fruit. This was balanced by some welcome showers in
September that allowed the fruit to recover and for all of its components – sugar, acidity, solids and tannins – to reach perfect maturity at the
same moment.
One morning in late September, I stood overlooking the grape crusher at Château Léoville Barton in Saint Julien, Médoc. The team members
designated to take out any rotten or imperfectly ripened bunches stood idly by, as practically all of the fruit was perfect and needed none of
their attention.
Four and a half years after that warm early Autumnal moment when the wines were born, (they have now been in bottle for more than two
years) their components have settled down and joined in harmony and they have emerged from the post bottling period of “bottle sickness”,
a time when aroma and flavour retreats and the wines appear dumb. Now we can see how good they are.
First, they are not truly typical of Bordeaux from an average vintage. The tangible, testable extracted fruit characters are higher than normal
and they have plenty of ripe berry notes that seem closer to Sonoma than Saint-Émilion. Tannins are ripe, the balance is assured, and these
are wines that quite clearly come from a very “senior” vintage.
As is normal with such wines, from the most expensive to the more modestly priced, they are very easy to enjoy as their fruit is so accessible.
They are also wines with plenty of weight and concentration that will allow them to be put away, lying on their sides, if possible within their
original cases or cartons as the packaging provides good insulation against rapid temperature changes. They can then be stored until you
decide they are perfect for you. That is, of course, the moment when you will decide that you should have purchased more of this delicious vintage.
4483 Château Saint-Christoly, Cru Bourgeois, 2005 7 7 Drink through to 2015.
AC Médoc
4484 Château Haut Bergeron, AC Sauternes 2005 6 8 Great pleasure, will last forever.
4485 Château Les Dames de la Renardière, 2006 8 9 Good wine, well made.
AC Entre-Deux-Mers
4486 Château les Bois Noirs, AC Bordeaux 2007 8 9 Progressing towards softness. Not very intense.
4487 Château Les Dames de la Renardière 2005 7 7 Leave awhile for it to develop and broaden its flavours.
4488 Château le Pré de la Lande, Cuvée Diane 2005 7 7 Very nice, small wine. Perfectly harmonious.
4489 Château Lavergne, AC Côtes de Castillon 2005 8 8
4490 Château Le Breuil, AC Côtes de Bourg 2005 7 7 Good wine. Well balanced.
4491 Château Viramon, 2006 6 7 Showing well and will continue for a good number of years.
Saint-Émilion Grand Cru
4492 Château Ferrand, AC Pomerol 2006 6 7 Will last well into the late teens of this decade.
4493 Château du Vallier, AC Premières Côtes 2005 8 8 Very fine wine. Good extract. Balanced and harmonious.
de Bordeaux, Founders’ Choice
4494 Château Pique-Sègue Blanc, 2007 9 10 Ready now.
AC Montravel
4495 Château Pique-Sègue Blanc 2007 7 7
4496 Château Pique-Sègue Rosé, AC Bergerac 2007 10 10 Drink very soon.
4497 Château Pique-Sègue Rouge, 2006 7 8 Very good. One of the best wines from one of Bergerac’s
AC Bergerac finest properties.
4498 Château Dauzan la Vergne, 2005 6 7 Much better than it appears at earlier tastings. Drink between
AC Côtes de Bergerac 2012 and 2016.
4499 Terre de Pique-Sègue, « Anima Vitis », 2004 7 8 Now very fine and ready.
AC Montravel
4500 Château Dauzan la Vergne 1996 10 10
(2 bottles each vintage) 1999 9 10 Mixed case. All three vintages are mature.
2000 8 9
4501 Château Richemont Blanc, AC Bordeaux 2006 8 8 Drink through 2010 and 2011.
4502 Château de Sours Blanc, AC Bordeaux 2006 8 8
Wine Review 2010