Drink 2017-2057
-Parker's Wine Buyer's Guide No 7

This tiny gem of a property, cropped at 15 hectoliters per hectare, is composed of 5 acres of 45-year old Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and a tiny parcel of Cabernet Sauvignon. It has produced one of the vintage’s most compelling wines in 2005. Sadly, there are only 4,000 bottles of this inky/purple-hued St.-Emilion. It boasts an extraordinary perfume of graphite, blackberries, cassis, and sweet kirsch intermixed with notes of incense, spice box, licorice, and subtle wood. Stunningly rich with full body, zesty acidity, and high but velvety tannins, the final blend is composed of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. This monumental St.-Emilion requires a decade of cellaring, but it should last for 4-5 decades. It will unquestionably be one of the vintage’s immortals. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2035.

The Château Bellevue-Mondotte 2005 is brutal and backward on the nose, but with aeration is gradually opens and displays more delineation and terroir expression than the Monbousquet. The palate is full-bodied and dense, assertive tannin although unlike the Monbousquet it is backed up by intense black fruit. It is a heady, at the moment quite oppressive Bellevue-Mondotte. In 10 or 15 years time it will either blow your socks off of leave you wondering why you didn’t buy the sumptuous Château Pavie '05.

Dark, narrow rimmed red; very full, firm, tannic; very ripe fruit, very tannic frame, the dry wood texture dominates the fruit, difficult therefore, to see the ‘wine’. Not sure quite what to make of this …. Except that it is very tough for the fruit that is there …. more wood than wine.