Bordeaux 2005: 23 top wines tasted two decades on

There is something truly special about this Mouton Rothschild. A wine that initially holds itself back, gently revealing the ripe fruits and beautiful incense. Although there is power and structure here, the palate absolutely dances with its silky tannins. There is a lively tension and energy in this iconic Pauillac that finishes with incredible length, balance and just with a whisper of rose and umami. A triumph, even in such a lauded vintage.

As you would expect from a wine of its stature in a monumental vintage, this is a stately wine of great power, exuberance and pedigree. Very much still in its early stages of evolution, even at twenty years of age. A long and all-encompassing palate culminates in a graphite grip that nicely balances the ripe fruit. A goliath of a wine.

A pair of balancing scales - one side depicting the sun, the other rain - is etched into the bottle, with the sun slightly winning out. At the northern boundary of Pauillac, abutting St-Estèphe, I’m always amazed at how this wine can exude such elegance compared to its peers a mile or two further south. This example of Lafite 2005 was reported to have significant bottle variation at the tasting. The bottle I tasted showed beautiful blueberry, leather and violet notes on the nose – a touch sage and thyme show after time. On the palate the Lafite touch comes in bounds – a beautifully elegant, lifted finish that reveals its class and grandiosity. A gloriously long finish. A classic Lafite for the long term.

This is the pick of St-Estèphe in 2005. A beautiful strawberry, blackcurrant and mineral nose that intertwines with a medley of forest fruits, nicely rounded tannins and beautiful balance. As you would expect from Montrose this is serious wine with ample structure framed by a palate of rose and mushroom culminating in a brilliantly precise and pure finish.

Cheval Blanc often needs twenty or more years to show the totally intoxicating Cabernet Franc perfume. A powerful wine encased in a velvet glove of incense, violet and rose. There is huge concentration here which is softened by a beautiful creaminess on the palate, giving way to great finesse and elegance. This is clearly a landmark Cheval Blanc that will continue to give pleasure for decades to come.

As to be expected at this lauded estate, there is an intoxicating aroma which belies the great power and intensity enveloped in this sensual wine. Hugely complex and refined, there are great swathes of black fruit with leather and rose adding a lovely lift. The palate is impeccably precise and brilliantly balanced with flawless integration of oak. A long finish and a glorious Margaux.

A very fine nose of damson, plums and cream, intermingled with rosemary, lavender and rose petal. Powerful and intense on the nose but does not overwhelm. This beautiful Haut Brion dances across the palate with a glittering finish that tapers into a precise whisper, displaying its class and pedigree. One for the ages.

An inviting, classical nose. A touch of red currant provides a pleasing counterbalance to swathes of strawberries, blackberries and cream. There is a purity and balance showing wonderful elegance on the palate. A long finish laced with strawberries and rhubarb. A great Figeac.

A bloody, slightly ferrous nose with the riper end of black fruit leaning into a touch of rose to balance out the powerful, mineral mouthfeel. Although this Cos d’Estournel is very much in its youth, there is promise of reward for the patient. Currently this is all about the power but with a wealth of purity behind the intensity of fruit and structure. Needs time.

As with so many monumental vintages of Leoville Las Cases, and in the mould of their 1986, this wine was not giving much away. A slightly awkward teenager at present, but with great potential. Oak still a little dominant, but I suspect that will resolve in time. A powerful palate, and a mid-palate that should pad out with further ageing. A powerful, lingering tannin structure that requires time.

A lovely classical Pessac nose with some herbal notes that sneak in. There is a pleasing nervosity to this wine. A lot going on here with a touch of soft cashmere creaminess. The palate gives way to great power that culminates in a refreshing finish and umami hit that makes it pleasingly drinkable. An exceptional Haut Bailly.

A heady, exuberant wine. Very expressive and chockablock full of violets and swathes of flowers. Shows great Margaux typicity. The elegance gives way to an inky and powerful palate, that once again reminds you of its Margaux terroir with the lovely long, floral and fine finish that dabbles in lavender, strawberry and red currant.

As expected from such an esteemed estate this is a huge overachiever. A lovely sandalwood note on the nose shows signs that the wine is beginning to evolve. The palate has a beautiful shape, structure and richness to it and ends in a refreshing note that lingers with a touch of perfume and grip. A sensational second wine.

A classic St-Julien that exhibits a dabble of perfume, incense and florality which complement the blackberry and blackcurrant fruits. A beautifully silky palate and well-integrated tannin structure leave a fine finish. Perhaps on the exuberant end of the 2005s, but nicely in balance and will provide pleasure for decades to come.

This is always a wine that has split opinion in 2005. In this example I found a beautifully balanced nose of subtle black fruit showing great power and intensity. A rustic edge. Menthol and eucalyptus help deliver some refreshing notes that bely the power. The palate has silky fine tannins, with an inky and blackberry filled finish. An exceptionally good Gruaud.

As you might suspect from a powerhouse of St-Emilion like Angelus, this is a solid wine at present showing its power and tannin with all its might. There is a huge concentration of oak here that still remains unresolved on the palate. Sandalwood and rose give a touch of grace to this forceful wine. Definitely one for the long haul.

As you would expect from this archetypal Pauillac, this is an inky wine of blackcurrants, forest fruits and plenty of concentration. A touch of creamy oak frames a delicious palate, leading to a nice finish that balances out this understated, classy Claret. As it so often is, this is a delicious wine.

As Pomerol in ripe vintages so often can be, this is very 'heady', and undoubtedly a wine for the hedonist. The overt swathes of violet and geranium hint at a more new world style. There is freshness on the palate that just about holds the opulence in check with a deft balance and refreshing finish.

The power you’d expect from this estate. Black fruits dominate in its youth but with very good potential. A little extra coaxing reveals some sandalwood and finishes with a silky tannin.

As we have to expect from Lynch Bages, there is an inherent typicity here that is the absolute hallmark of classical Pauillac. Powerful, youthful and straight in style, with a lift of eucalyptus the reinforces freshness. A lovely hit of grippy graphite, but the oak is still a little unresolved. A long life ahead and one that I will follow keenly.

There are black fruit undertones on the nose, with a touch of strawberry giving lift. The tannins and oak are well integrated, leading to a very nice, refreshing finish that completes the wine and brings balance to the juicy, ripe hit of fruit.

This is a wine that displays the warmth of the vintage with an opulent show of sweet juicy fruit and sweet oak. A medley of red and black currant gives a nice tart touch to an otherwise ripe wine. This is delicious now but lacks freshness to see out the long term.

There is a ripeness here that is indicative of the vintage, but there doesn’t appear, at this stage at least, to be the structure and freshness to balance it out. The palate is supple and juicy but falls a little flat on the finish. As one of the stalwarts of Pauillac I hope this is simply a slightly poor sample rather than an indicator of where this wine is going.