Bernadotte 2005, Cru Bourgeois Supérieur, Haut-Médoc
Price In Bond per case £99 SOLD OUT
Château Bernadotte is from the team at Pichon-Lalande and combines Médoc solidity with a touch of elegance and flair. At £99 this is excellent value.
The freshness and elegance of Bernadotte this year was a revelation. Tightly packed black and red currants, with classic hints of mint, leaves and licquorice. With a lovely persistence on the finish, this should drink well over the next 10 to 15 years. ? armit 15.5+points
Space limitations did not allow complete tasting notes for this Cru Bourgeois, but 2005 is the finest vintage for these wines since 1982. The range of scores for these wines should give readers an idea of just how consistent this vintage is at this level. Given the style of the vintage, most of these wines should be accessible young yet evolve for a decade or more because of their concentration and tannic structure. Drink 2016 and after
? Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate 85-87 points
Lots of pretty blackberry fruit, with hints of minerals. Medium- to full-bodied, with fine tannins and a fruity finish. Slightly one-dimensional, but well done. Could move up a notch.
? James Suckling, The Wine Spectator 85-88 points
Good bright ruby-red. High-pitched aromas of raspberry, flowers and mint. Cool, juicy and leanish but with good lift to the pure red fruit flavors. Ultimately conveys a rather austere impression, with the finish showing a tart quality and firm tannic spine. The team did a shorter than normal maceration at cool temperature in search of a fruity wine. - Stephen Tanzer?s International Wine Cellar 86-88 points
Chasse-Spleen 2005, Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel Moulis
Price In Bond per case £160 SOLD OUT
Château Chasse-Spleen is the leading property in Moulis, run by the engaging Claire Villars and an absolute stalwart for claret lovers. It offers excellent value, quality as good as a third growth and versatility in drinking- great vintages last 15-20 years without difficulty and yet it is accessible when young. A 1996 Chasse-Spleen tasted recently was absolutely spot on but with time in hand too. It is Highly Recommended by armit.
Lovely, ripe, juicy fruit intermingled with notes of aniseed, spice and liquorice. Finely structured, grippy tannins and a good solid finish. Proper value for money. ? armit 16 points
Lovely berry, spice and cherry character. Full-bodied, with fine yet chewy tannins and a long finish. Structured and well-formed. ? James Suckling, The Wine Spectator 89-91 points
Dark crimson. Rather open, leafy nose with good lift. Lots of alcohol. Broad and sweet and a bit like stewed raspberries. Not unpleasant if not exactly classic. Fine tannins and lots of fruit and therefore a pleasing whole. Relatively relaxed and unforced, though pretty pinched tannins on the end. Quite concentrated palate with a dry finish after ripe fruit. Still embryonic ? more youthful than many of its peers. Serious, very dry. Baby classed growth? ? Jancis Robinson, jancisrobinson.com 16.5 points
Caronne Sainte Gemme 2005, Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel, Haut-Médoc
Price In Bond per case £89 BUY
Straight talking Cabernet fruit - blackcurrants, cassis and hints of kirsch liqueur. A very fine offering at this price! armit 15.5 points
No note but scored (88-90) points from Robert Parker in the Wine Advocate #164
Lots of berry and chocolate character with hints of vanilla. Full-bodied, with a solid core of fruit and silky tannins. Impressive. Almost hard to believe, it's so good. Almost 92-94. - James Suckling, The Wine Spectator 89-91 pts
Grand Village 2005, Bordeaux Supérieur
Price per case (duty & VAT inc.) £113 BUY
No stranger to armit customers, Grand Village is of course the home property of Jacques & Sylvie Guinaudeau, the dynamic duo behind the legendary Château Lafleur. Grand Village never ceases to amaze us with its value for money and we firmly believe that 2005 is the most successful vintage to date.
Deep colour. Pretty but restrained aroma. Lovely wine, harmonious, generous soft fleshy fruit on the palate. Charming long lasting flavour. The best yet at this château, more harmonious than the 2003. ? John Armit 16+ pts
Plenty of blackberry and milk chocolate aromas. Full- to medium-bodied, with fine tannins and a fresh finish. Refined. Delicious already. - James Suckling, Wine Spectator 89-91 points
Château Potensac 2005, Médoc
Good power, pure, fresh, direct fruit with a spicy edge. High, fragrant notes, well balanced, enticing and serious for its level. Really good. ? armit 16 points
Price per case IB £135 BUY
No note but scored (85-86) points from Robert Parker in the Wine Advocate #164
Currants, minerals and berries follow through to a full bodied palate, with silky tannins and a long, rich finish. Slightly one-dimensional but well done. Another 2003 and 2000. ? James Suckling, The Wine Spectator 85-88 points
(41% merlot, 40% cabernet sauvignon and 19% cabernet franc) Bright ruby-red. Raw black cherry and pepper on the nose. Spicy, pure and juicy, with somewhat austere flavors of cassis, licorice and black pepper. Not especially dense but nicely balanced, pure and brisk. The tannins are firm but not dry. This is a relatively high 13.5% alcohol. - Stephen Tanzer?s International Wine Cellar 87-89 points
Poujeaux 2005, Moulis
Price per case IB £155 BUY
Good structure, fresher and pure, surprising class and quality at this level. Substantial, should develop and well and likely to offer excellent value. ? armit 15.5 points
Space limitations did not allow complete tasting notes for this Cru Bourgeois, but 2005 is the finest vintage for these wines since 1982. The range of scores for these wines should give readers an idea of just how consistent this vintage is at this level. Given the style of the vintage, most of these wines should be accessible young yet evolve for a decade or more because of their concentration and tannic structure. Drink 2016 and after ? Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate 87-89 points
This is a find. Wonderfully silky and refined. Medium- to full-bodied, with lots of spice, mineral and berry character. Long finish. Excellent. ? James Suckling, The Wine Spectator 89-91 points
Saturated medium ruby. Blackberry and bitter chocolate on the nose. Juicy, spicy and tight; still youthfully austere in the middle. Rather linear today, but nicely balanced and not hard. The dense black fruit and violet flavors saturate the palate on the persistent, juicy, firmly tannic finish. - Stephen Tanzer?s International Wine Cellar 87-90 points
