2005 Chateau La Tour Haut-Brion Cru Classe, Pessac-Leognan

The final vintage for La Tour Haut-Brion, but what a way to go! Limpid purple opaque hue. The nose is very tight and sulky, but there is masses of fruit concentration: blackberry, raspberry and well-integrated vanillary oak. Just a hint of dark chocolate developing in the glass. Again, very good balance; firm quite solid tannins, very good delineation and freshness. One of the most backward, broody La Tour Haut-Brion's that I have tasted. Certainly a wine with the structure and weight to suggest long-term cellaring with a tannic finish and a dash of black pepper just to give it a kick. Fabulous: a wine for those who like more cerebral, challenging wines. Tasted April 2006.

Shows interesting aromas of chocolate, meat and berry, with hints of fresh cèpe. Turns floral and aromatic. Full-bodied, with soft, velvety tannins and a medium finish. Very balanced and pretty. Elegant and seductive. This is the last year of LTHB.

Red-ruby. Cherry, mocha, espresso and warm gravel on the nose. Deep, broad and sappy, with dark fruit, smoke, spice and mineral notes supported by a very firm underlying structure. Finishes with big but horizontal and lush tannins and excellent length. Wonderfully dense and full but not at all heavy. This has put on weight since last spring.

Ruby-red. Plum, black raspberry and cedary oak on the nose. Pure but a bit tightly wound, with lovely texture and uncompromising dryness to the dark raspberry and tobacco flavors. With aeration, this gained in depth and breadth and showed lovely sweetness, but there's very firm acidity here for the vintage. Built to age. Should make an excellent last vintage for this bottling. May 2008

The final vintage for this wine, before it was decided to blend in with the second wine of La Mission Haut Brion serves up a smoke filled, tannic, slightly rustic wine with tobacco, forest and black cherry aromas. Give it at least 5-10 more years to soften and develop. Tasted May 2013

Beginning in 2006, this vineyard became part of La Mission-Haut-Brion’s second wine, so 2005 will be the final vintage of La Tour Haut-Brion. That’s a shame as many superb, under-the-radar wines were produced under this moniker in the forties, fifties, sixties, seventies, and early eighties. The 2005 is a 2,000-case blend of 41% Cabernet Franc, 32% Merlot, and 27% Cabernet Sauvignon, a relatively high amount of Cabernet Sauvignon for a Pessac-Leognan property. It offers classic notes of scorched earth, asphalt, smoky black cherries, and roasted herbs. Medium-bodied and tannic, it is an excellent, but not inspirational claret that should be at its finest between 2013-2025.

Mid garnet with a rim that is fading. Manly, savoury nose and tannins starting to recede. No excess of tannins, alcohol or sweetness. Very savoury and fresh. Far from heavy. Needs food. Drink 2016 - 2030
JR - April 2017