This is quite ripe and more complex aromatically than one expects with delicious but serious and structured medium weight flavors and while it's not elegant, it could easily pass for a villages level wine from one of the more generally rustic communes, such as Santenay, Chassagne or Maranges. Recommended and it will age. Drink: 2010+ 86 points, Alan Meadows, Burghound Issue 26
Philippe Prost, Bouchard's winemaker, told me that the "new cuverie is a godsend in terms of being able to analyze quickly and efficiently what we are bringing in as well as to separate out specific parcels within vineyards and then include them or not later as each cuvee merits. We now can also move grapes, must and wine around with zero pumping, which is especially important with grapes as now we don't break the seeds, which in some vintages is critical because they're not always ripe and as such, they can be the source of bitterness.
Thankfully, in the case of 2005 there was excellent phenolic maturity where even the seeds attained a high level of ripeness as well. With the excellent harvest weather and uniform ripeness in most parcels, we had the almost unheard of luxury of harvesting whenever we wanted.
Overall, 2005 is certainly the best vintage since 1999 and perhaps further back than that. I love the vintage and you can sense this extra dimension and real complexity. For me, as one goes up the rankings hierarchy, there is a clear increase in complexity if not necessarily size, weight and power. And what is also clear is that 2005 will age for years and years with no difficulty." As the scores and comments suggest, the Bouchard '05s are flat out stupendous wines and absolutely deserve a place in your cellars. However, as I noted with their '04s, some of the wines are carrying noticeably more oak than usual. Except where noted, the wood should integrate with time but if should you elect to try them young, you'll notice a difference relative to prior vintages. Given the track record of the wines for successfully absorbing the wood, I believe that the benefit of the doubt is in order but in certain cases, the wood is not subtle so purists should be aware that there is more oak influence than usual.
Country:
France
Region:
France- Burgundy Other
Variety:
Wine Red - Pinot noir
Size:
750mL
