2005 Griotte Chambertin
By Maison Joseph Drouhin
2005 Griotte Chambertin from Maison Joseph Drouhin, Burgundy, France
Burgundy connoisseurs hold the 2005 vintages in high reverence, and the 2005 Griotte Chambertin from Maison Joseph Drouhin is a quintessential manifestation of this illustrious year. This remarkable Pinot Noir has reached a stage of evolvement that beckons the astute fine wine investor's senses and ambition.
The Quintessence of 2005: Elegance and Longevity Embodied
Traversing the myriad expressions of Burgundy's 2005 vintage reveals an enchanting constellation of wines poised with precision and allure. Griotte Chambertin, a Grand Cru hailing from Gevrey-Chambertin, encapsulates the harmonious balance found in the exceptional 2005 Burgundies. Maison Joseph Drouhin's rendition harnesses the power and finesse instilled by an impeccable growing season - one marked by optimal climatic grace.
The intricate bouquet of the 2005 Griotte Chambertin unfurls with dark cherry and sumptuous earthy tones, adorned with subtle whispers of truffle and forest floor. A sip casts a tapestry of complex flavours across the palate, melding structure with silken tannins in a dance as timeless as Burgundian winemaking itself.
Investment Merits: Wise Beyond Its Years
A wine of such noble lineage as the 2005 Griotte Chambertin from Maison Joseph Drouhin not only represents a treasure for oenophiles; it stands as a stalwart selection among fine wine investors. Its current maturity stage heralds generous dividends to those who appreciate wines that whisper tales of their terroir while promising further unfolding complexities for years to come.
Held in high esteem amongst its peers, this wine is certain to capture interest and palates alike, adding both distinction and depth to any venerable collection. It is an investment piece that eloquently testifies to the venerable virtues of its origin and vintage - an artful assemblage of time, terroir, and tenacious talent.
The narrative of this 2005 Griotte Chambertin is interwoven with that of its renowned producer, Maison Joseph Drouhin, whose dedication to viticultural perfection is etched into every bottle. As this wine continues to thrive within cellars across the globe, it embodies an investment both tangible in its present delight and infinite in anticipated legacy.
Current market price
$7,110.00
12x75cl
Highest score
93
POP score
328.46
Scores and tasting notes
The 2005 Griotte-Chambertin is even brighter and spicier as well as more intense in its pure cherry fruit character than this year’s Charmes. Cherry, cranberry, mint and brown spices in the nose lead to a juicy, fresh-fruited, fruit-pit accented, and overtly chalky palate. Ultra-refined in tannins, this wine – one of several, incidentally, that were vinified with a significant portion of whole clusters – mounts an impressive drive for the finish, scoring blazing fruit intensity and mineral persistence. These 2005s were bottled around two months earlier than usual, says Frederic Drouhin, to retain freshness. (Long-time oenologue Laurence Jobard, incidentally, was replaced this year by Jerome Faure-Brac.) As is always the case, fruit from a great many properties owned or accessed by Drouhin is declassified and blended out, leaving only selected terroirs as the subjects of single-site bottlings. (In 2004, for example, even the Beaune Clos des Mouches – due to hail – was declassified into lip-smacking, remarkably soothing Cote de Beaune.) That said, as befits the quality of 2005, there were more individual bottlings from this vintage than is usual, and I did not taste all of them. (Wines from the Drouhin domaine holdings display a “D” in their listing.) This year’s collection radiates class from top to bottom. Even Drouhin’s ubiquitous, 25,000-case generic “Laforet” displays tender, ripe cherry fruit, a silky palate and iodine-like minerality. Also recommended: 2005 Bourgogne Laforet ($14.00;85). Importer: Dreyfus-Ashby & Co., New York, NY; tel. (212) 818 0770
David Schildknecht - The Wine Advocate, 28 June 2007