Best Sellers New Arrivals Local Events Locations Gift Cards My Account Advanced Search
  • Home
  • : 2005 Carbonnieux, Pessac-Léognan
2005 Carbonnieux, Pessac-Léognan Product Zoom

2005 Carbonnieux, Pessac-Léognan

SKU #1040680 91 points Connoisseurs Guide

On the one hand fairly polished, but in the other a wine of real richness and considerable weight, Carbonnieux speaks straight to what is best in the vintage and delivers plenty of well-ripened fruit within a balanced, classically claret-like frame. It may finish a bit of the astringent side at the moment, but it never dries out under the weight of its tannin, and its deep, long-lasting flavors show the kind of fruity buoyancy to make six to eight years of cellaring a risk-free proposition. (3/ 2008)

91 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

Surprisingly reminiscent of a Burgundy grand cru such as Corton, this 2005 Pessac-Leognan offers a dark ruby hue as well as beautifully sweet, leafy, black cherry, and smoky aromas intermixed with hints of oak and earth. Not a blockbuster, it is a wine of finesse, delicacy, and purity with lovely balance, good acidity, ripe tannin, and a sweetness that permeates the flavors as well as the tannic structure. It should be drinkable at a relatively young age. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2025. (4/ 2008)

90 points Wine Enthusiast

A soft but vivid wine, with spice, tannins and acidity over opulently ripe fruit. It is rounded, a wine that is likely to develop well over the next 5-6 years. Impressively drinkable. (6/ 2008)

Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar

Moderately saturated medium red. Somewhat shallow aromas of redcurrant, plum and tobacco. Soft, plump flavors of redcurrant, smoke, tobacco and earth are given some shape by firm tannins. Finishes clean and persistent. Not bad, but this bottle is not up to the quality of the barrel sample I tried last spring. (6/ 2008)

Wine Spectator

Shows very pretty blackberry, blueberry and mineral aromas. Full- to medium-bodied, with well-integrated tannins and a fruity, fresh and silky finish. Best after 2011. (3/ 2008)

K&L Notes

Lighter style. Sweet and fruity. Easy drinker. Good mid palate. Lots of minerals. (Clyde Beffa, K&L Bordeaux buyer). Five Stars (the most) from Decanter: "Rich and sweet with dark fruit and oaky spice. A flattering first impression. Dense, sweet, ripe, rich palate. Soft, but deep tannins. Still manages to retain a hallmark fragrance. Long, dry, fresh finish. Drink from 2012-25." Jancis Robinson: "Dense and meaty and savoury with lots of dry but not drying tannin. Correct and sappy." (10/2009)

Share |
Price: $39.99
CG 91 RP 91 WE 90

Real Time Inventory by location:

The item you have chosen is not in stock in our retail stores or within our main warehouse.

Product turnaround time varies by location of inventory and your chosen method of shipping/pickup. For a detailed explanation click here.

Product Reviews:

Add your own review of this item
By: Steve Greer |  K&L Staff Member  |  Review Date: 7/5/2011  | Send Email
It’s back! We had this wine earlier this year, and it sold quickly. This wine is about elegance, with mineral, tobacco and dark fruit on the nose, with the dark fruit dominating the palate. There are still some astringent and slightly bitter tannins on the finish, but some of the tobacco and mineral are coming through.

You also might be interested in...

2009 La Lagune, Haut-Médoc

2009 La Lagune, Haut-Médoc
$69.99

2009 de Birot, Côtes de Bordeaux

2009 de Birot, Côtes de Bordeaux
$14.99

2009 Chauvet Rouge, Bordeaux

2009 Chauvet Rouge, Bordeaux
$9.99

2009 Trébiac, Graves

2009 Trébiac, Graves
$14.99

2009 Paloumey, Haut-Médoc

2009 Paloumey, Haut-Médoc
$19.99

Additional Information:

Varietal:

Cabernet Sauvignon and Blends

- Cabernet Sauvignon has come a long way from its role as a blending varietal, however dominant, in the wines of Bordeaux. Today it is the most planted red varietal in the world. Identified as a descendent of Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc, the late-ripening Cabernet Sauvignon needs to be planted in warmer climates to fully ripen. Its small berries can easily be identified for their distinctive blue color, thick skins and high tannins. And while the varietal has its own definitive characteristics: green pepper-like aromas and black currant flavors among them, it is perhaps most prized for its ability to convey terroir, vintage and winemaking. A relatively new varietal, Cabernet Sauvignon started making inroads into the wines of the Médoc and Graves in the late-18th century. Today it is also dominant in the up-and-coming Entre-Deux-Mers region of Bordeaux and can also be found in Southwest France. It is the companion varietal to Sangiovese in Italy's Super Tuscans and is planted all over Europe, stretching to lesser-known winegrowing regions like Russia and Lebanon. In the Americas Cabernet Sauvignon has found champions in every nook and cranny of California and among winemakers in Washington, where it complements plantings of Merlot. In South America, Cab thrives in Chile, but can also be found in smaller amounts in Argentina and even in Mexico.
Country:

France

- When it comes to wine, France stands alone. No other country can beat it in terms of quality and diversity. And while many of its Region, Bordeaux, Burgundy and Champagne most obviously, produce wine as rare, as sought-after and nearly as expensive as gold, there are just as many obscurities and values to be had from little known appellations throughout the country. To learn everything there is to know about French wine would take a lifetime. To understand and appreciate French wine, one only has to begin tasting them. Click for a list of bestselling items from all of France.
Sub-Region:

Bordeaux

- View our bestselling Bordeaux.
Specific Appellation:

Pessac-Leognan/Graves

- Graves is the large red and white wine region located to the southeast of the city of Bordeaux along the Garonne River. Cabernet Sauvignon dominates the red wines from the area, while the whites are mixtures of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon. The most important area within the Graves is the village of Pessac-Leognan. Most of the great chateaux, including Haut Brion, a premier cru and the only wine outside of the Medoc to be included in the 1855 Classification, are located in this small appellation. Graves derives its name from the rocky, stony terrain of the region. Many people believe that the stony soil radiates the day's heat at night and thus makes the grapes ripen earlier than the other regions in Bordeaux.