The 2005 Carbonnieux Rouge has been uncorked...

[Blanquito]

Lovely aromas of black cherry and thyme are immediately evident...

[Blanquito]

There's also a scent of tar... and thankfully, no oak at all...

[Blanquito]

Ok, other than a little firmness, this isn't a tannin monster at all. It dances between elegance and richness very deftly, with elegance prevailing in the end.

I'll keep following this bottle with more air time, but I am very pleased by this wine. Undoubtedly, it will be better in another 5+ years, but in a primary way, it's very approachable now.

[DavidG]

This sounds really nice. Quite a contrast to Jim's Lagrange.

[JimHow]

I once loved this wine.
To the point that I bought a case.
The Lagrange is nothing like this puppie.

[Blanquito]

The bouquet keeps improving with air, adding notes of cinnamon, black pepper and flowers, and maybe some green olives. There must be a good dose of alcohol to get such lifted, expressive aromas (the label claims 13.5).

Ya know, the richness is growing too, enough that maybe California just begins to come to mind? There's an intensity of pure black cherry fruit here and a tongue-coating glycerin, but no heaviness. There's pretty good acidity as well.

Really nice, again it's young, but I could drink this everyday (and I paid something like $16 per half bottle).

[Blanquito]

The tannins are finally arriving on the finish, but only as flavors (like long-steeped black tea), not as hardness or structure... It's like a really good, deep Oregon Pinot right now. I wonder what the blend is, the Cabernet Sauvignon seems kinda low.

It passes the tannins test, but its obvious-if-contained ripeness does make me pause and wonder how a more flamboyantly-styled chateau would show (Carbonnieux is known for its elegant even light-bodied wines, right?).

[AlexR]

I went to Carbonnieux with Harry Karis 2 years ago and we were both impressed with this wine. In fact Harry bought a bottle and gave it to me as a gift. I'll keep it for a while yet before popping the cork.

The 2005 Carbonnieux is the best red wine from that estate I can ever remember tasting. I'd be interested to see if they have kept up the good work.

If so, this has to be one of the best deals among great growth Bordeaux.

Best regards,
Alex R.

[Houndsong]

That's it, I'll stop eyeing and start buying. I was actually put off just a bit by P's and a few other notes talking about how this was "elegant" which can sometimes be a nice way of saying "not very good." But maybe elegant is the way to go in 05?

Also, like the Haut Bergey, it's a Pessac. Maybe that region did well? I have said of the Haut Bergey that even right off the boat it seemed a lighter, more classic style of Bdx compared to the other then-"gooey" 05s I sampled.

[JimHow]

I liked the 2005 Haut Bailly.

[JimHow]

(Then again, what vintage of Hait Bailly do we not like?)

[Bacchus]

I like the 05 Haut Bailly too -- have most of a case. And I agree that 05 was good to Pessac: SHL and DomChev also worth the price of admission. Has anyone taken a look at St Estephe north? Is it not true that they're normally less gooey/sweet, if not down right hard as nails: Sociando, Calon Segur, etc? Maybe that's the home of the tannic monsters. I haven't tried a single 05 from that end of the Medoc (okay, along with Jim's Lagrange. And I'm willing to bet Lascombes is on the dental plan too, although I haven't tried it so don't know for sure). I also like 05 Margaux for their luxuriousness, but of all the left side 05s that I have tried, it could be argued that they fit the gooey side of the equation. But that's okay because every now and then you need to pamper yourselves.

[Houndsong]

Gooey was just my immediate impression, summed up nicely by the Cambon Pelooze. But these wines have all dried up quite a bit as they shut in. So ultimately they should be pretty good I'd like to think.

[DavidG]

I've got the '05 Haut Bailly. Count me with Ian in thinking it's infanticide to drink that one now. '05 Carbonnieux is available locally for $40. Hmmm....

[JonB]

Nice note on the 2005 Carbonnieux, Blanquito. This is one '05 I didn't buy.

From cellartracker notes Haut Bailly seems to be still shut down. I'm still awaiting prearrivals from Premier Cru of a couple cases of this.

[Nicklasss]

Sound delicious!

Seems like 2005 is a vintage everyone likes, except Jim... too bad for him. But I agree, great wines from this vintage will needs a minimum of 14 years in the cellar.

For example, the 1995 Rauzan-Ségla was ok for many years, but so closed and weird. Last time I had it this summer, it has now blossomed into a really nice Margaux.

Nic

[robertgoulet]

Haut Bailly , I tried '04...... 2years ago...completely shut down....dumb as a box of rox

'05 Carbonnieux, tasted at bottle shock premier....awesome, slightly addicting....tasted one year later....a bit shy
I have one bottle still waiting.

But like Jimhow, I to am not sold on the '05 vintage. '04 much better for me in the 2000's.

[Blanquito]

Final word: a very good wine, offering something for everyone (BWEers, neophytes, pinot lovers, etc.). I'd say 90-91 points last night, maybe going to 92-93 once mature. And it will mature sooner than wines from the Medoc, no doubt about that.

JJBuckley and K&L have this wine for $35, a reasonable price for a wine of this quality. I'd get more if I wasn't already well stocked. David, since it's available locally, try a bottle (after a good decant, my half-bottle got better and better with an hour or two of air) and let us know what you think!

[Bacchus]

I wish I had access to it. I doubt K&L will ship to Canada!

[JimHow]

I think they ship to Japan, but they don't ship to Maine.

[DavidG]

Patrick, if it really tastes like a Pinot, I may take back my "Hmmm..." and buy some '05 Burgs instead.

Any of you who are coming to BWE '12 in DC and have shipping issues please feel free to email me for discussion/advice. d b g at comcast dot net.

[robert goulet]

FYI

'06 carbonnieux tasted this about a year ago, not a very good showing, no formal notes just a feeling of disappointment.