2005
2005
2005
2005 is a truly great, pure Château Margaux vintage!
First of all, it has all the class one expects from it: that incomparable nose of finesse, grace and depth that belongs solely to its terroir and to a few dream vintages. It also has power: its concentration is exceptional—greater than in 2000 and even 2003! It comes through first in the colour, with unprecedented intensity, and on the palate with extraordinary density and length. And yet, it’s not power that has the final say, but voluptuousness and harmony.
The cabernet sauvignon (85% of the blend) is, of course, largely responsible for this balance, having reached perfect ripeness without exceeding 13% alcohol. The single merlot that joined it (8% of the blend) is the only batch that didn’t reach 14%.
Built for eternity, it has opened up considerably over the past five years, although ideally, we recommend waiting a few more. (February 2025)
Climate
The colder than average winter delayed the bud-break by a week compared with the usual dates. Then, a hot, sunny spring brought about even vegetation growth and led to a quick flowering as from the first days of June on exactly the same dates as the previous year. Thanks to excellent weather conditions, the setting was perfect, but the crop potential turned out to be lower than in 2004, displaying significantly fewer bunches per vine.
The weather was fine and sunny throughout the whole of the summer, and above all, particularly dry: barely 100 millimetres of rainfall between May 1 and the beginning of the harvest! We had never seen such weather before. Luckily, the hot weather was not extreme. It doesn't bear thinking what such a drought would have done to the 2003 vintage! But the great terroirs (and this is partly why they are great terroirs) have an amazing capacity to smooth out nature's excesses. They seem to react with the same sense of moderation and balance which is the hallmark of the wines they produce. (Picking began on September 20th)
2005 is a truly great, pure Château Margaux vintage!
First of all, it has all the class one expects from it: that incomparable nose of finesse, grace and depth that belongs solely to its terroir and to a few dream vintages. It also has power: its concentration is exceptional—greater than in 2000 and even 2003! It comes through first in the colour, with unprecedented intensity, and on the palate with extraordinary density and length. And yet, it’s not power that has the final say, but voluptuousness and harmony.
The cabernet sauvignon (85% of the blend) is, of course, largely responsible for this balance, having reached perfect ripeness without exceeding 13% alcohol. The single merlot that joined it (8% of the blend) is the only batch that didn’t reach 14%.
Built for eternity, it has opened up considerably over the past five years, although ideally, we recommend waiting a few more. (February 2025)
Climate
The colder than average winter delayed the bud-break by a week compared with the usual dates. Then, a hot, sunny spring brought about even vegetation growth and led to a quick flowering as from the first days of June on exactly the same dates as the previous year. Thanks to excellent weather conditions, the setting was perfect, but the crop potential turned out to be lower than in 2004, displaying significantly fewer bunches per vine.
The weather was fine and sunny throughout the whole of the summer, and above all, particularly dry: barely 100 millimetres of rainfall between May 1 and the beginning of the harvest! We had never seen such weather before. Luckily, the hot weather was not extreme. It doesn't bear thinking what such a drought would have done to the 2003 vintage! But the great terroirs (and this is partly why they are great terroirs) have an amazing capacity to smooth out nature's excesses. They seem to react with the same sense of moderation and balance which is the hallmark of the wines they produce. (Picking began on September 20th)
Service & tasting
Discover our tips for serving and tasting your wine in the best conditions.
Service & tasting
Discover our tips for serving and tasting your wine in the best conditions.