Vintage - 2005, Calvados, Cabe...

Lots of red and black fruits, tobacco, saddle leather, and a kiss of iron all emerge from the 2005 Château Lagrange, a beautiful Saint-Julien that has polished tannins, a great mid-palate, and outstanding length. I love its overall purity, as well as its complexity, and it's in the early stages of its prime drinking window with another 15-20 years of prime drinking ahead of it. JEB DUNNUCK, TASTED 2024

Stunning now. A fabulous nose of currants, crushed raspberry and blackberry. Full- bodied, with perfectly integrated tannins and a long, caressing finish. Drink or hold. JAMES SUCKLING

Tasted single blind at Southwold. A very fresh, well-defined nose with blackberry, damson, graphite and cedar - natural and elegant. The palate displays superb concentration even compared to the strong line-up of Saint Julien 2005s. Cedar and blackberry on the entry, a little earthiness that I have not notice previously but still that superb balance and focus with a harmonious finish. Succinct. Wonderful. Drink 2012-2030. NEAL MARTIN

Once again the provocative words "the best ever made" appear in my tasting notes. In twenty-eight years, I have never tasted a Lagrange as amazing as this 2005. Its dense ruby/purple color is accompanied by pure notes of creme de cassis, cedar, spice box, and a hint of cherries. Full-bodied, powerful, and opulent, with high tannin as well as extract in addition to great freshness, definition, and length, this long-lived beauty should be at its finest between 2012-2030. WINE ADVOCATE

The 2005 Léoville Las Cases is a classic that numbers among the wines of the vintage in the Médoc. Wafting from the glass with notes of dark berries, cassis, incense, burning embers, sweet soil tones, dark chocolate and cigar wrapper, it's medium to full-bodied, deep and layered, with a vibrant core of fruit, lively acids and sweet, powdery tannins. More elegant and refined than the hulking, uncompromising 2006, the 2005 is nevertheless a powerful, tightly wound wine that will reward further bottle age, even if it's actually quite expressive today. (98) WILLIAM KELLEY, The Wine Advocate

The 2005 Léoville-Las-Cases is one of my favorite wines of the night. Now, after 17 years, the 2005 is in a place where it is not a crime to open a bottle. Elegant and regal in bearing, the 2005 Las-Cases is simply everything Las-Cases can and should be. This is a great, great bottle. I loved it. (98) ANTONIO GALLONI, Vinous