STOLPMAN - Brown Derby International Wine Center

The Vineyard, September/October, 2007
B urgundy 2005
On your marks
John Stimpfig, Decanter Magazine, Allen
Meadows, Burghound and Steve Tanzer,
International Wine Review report on a must-buy
Burgundy vintage.
“Collectors have been chomping at the bit for more
than a year to get their hands on these wines…
‘It will become a collector’s vintage,’ says Christian Honorez of Genesis Wines. ‘I have tasted young
Burgundy for more than 20 years and 2005 must be one of the best, with seductive, fragrant fruit
but also great acidity and tannins; all markers of superb ageing potential.’…the growing conditions
were virtually faultless. ‘It has been good everywhere,’ says Louis Fabrice Latour of the eponymous
négociant house. In Gevrey-Chambertin, the grower Gérard Harmand asserted that, ‘if you find a
bad 2005 Burgundy you will have found a bad winemaker.’
This optimistic outlook applies not only to all appellations, but also to all quality levels from
grand cru down to generic Bourgogne. In particular, top grower’s village wines are superb this year
and should offer extremely good value - in much the same way that Bordeaux second wines do in
great years.
Already, many are already comparing 2005 to the great 1999 and 2002 vintages. For the reds,
some are even comparing it favorably to 1990. Others are calling it a ‘one-off’ because it was so
perfect.” John Stimpfig, Decanter
“2005- Arguably the best vintage in a generation…
Let’s cut directly to the chase while passing Go (be sure to collect your $200 as you’re going to need
it) - 2005 is quite simply the best top to bottom vintage that I have ever seen, period, full stop. Yes,
I understand perfectly well that is a bold and heavy duty statement but there it is in all its unequivocal
nakedness. 2005 is a brilliant vintage with virtually nothing to dislike (except perhaps the
prices) and here is the key point, it’s also great from top to bottom.” Allen Meadows, Burghound
“At the risk of throwing another log on an already
raging fire, I’d have to say that 2005 is potentially
the greatest red Burgundy vintage I’ve yet tasted
from barrel… and I’ve been sampling these wines in depth every year since the 1987
vintage. Growers who couldn’t make excellent wines in 2005 should find another line of work.”
Steve Tanzer, International Wine Review
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