2005 - Clos des Lambrays Grand Cru, Domaine des Lambrays

Medium red; the fullest color to this point. Knockout nose combines black raspberry, blueberry, licorice, espresso, wild herbs and underbrush complemented by mocha and meat nuances. Wonderfully broad and rich on entry, then powerful and penetrating in the mid-palate, with its very ripe dark fruit, mocha and espresso flavors accented and enlivened by black pepper, crushed rock and dusty herbs. Not quite opulent or thick but densely packed. Finishes classically dry and youthfully backward, spreading out to saturate the palate with a serious dusting of tannins. This wine's fruit is developing nicely but it would appear to have the backbone for a graceful evolution in bottle. In fact, the wine's tannic structure reminded me a bit of Cabernet. (13.5% alcohol; 3.45 pH; 3.5 g/l acidity)

Served from magnum, the 2005 Clos des Lambrays Grand Cru offers up a youthfully reserved bouquet of raspberries, cassis, creamy new oak and espresso roast. On the palate, the wine is beginning to unwind, as it's much less closed than it was when I last tasted it three years ago, displaying good concentration and depth at the core, a fine-grained tannic chassis and a long, generous finish. This ranks as the finest Clos des Lambrays between the 1970s and the 2010, and in a couple more years it will begin to drink in style.

On the nose it is still unformed but on the palate there is real depth and potential – without too much tannin despite the vintage and rank. Extremely serious and dry (as opposed to sweet) but reverberant and suggestive of a very bright future. But even 2020 may be too early to open it to optimise enjoyment. (JR)