It is not often that I have a chance to taste aged red Bordeaux wines. I purchased 5 wines in the past during the Bordeaux releases. Four wines are from the Right Bank of Bordeaux and one is from the Left Bank. The wines’ vintages are either 2005 or 2008, which makes the wines, 16 and 19 years old. I’ve kept the wines in dark, cool conditions since I purchased them, but opening them with friends, I was worried that some of these wines may be past their prime. I expected to see wines with definite bricking on the rim and maybe in the core, and with tertiary aromas and flavours of leather and dried fruits. Right Bank wines, which are Merlot dominant, do not typically have the longevity of Left Bank wines, which are Cabernet Sauvignon dominant. I was completely wrong. And completely thrilled.
The five wines that I purchased many years ago are:
- Chateau Puy Blanquet St. Emilion Grand Cru St. Emilion Bordeaux 2005
- Chateau Puy Blanquet St. Emilion Grand Cru St. Emilion Bordeaux 2008
- Chateau Chauvin Grand Cru Classe St. Emilion Bordeaux 2005
- Chateau d’Angludet Margaux Bordeaux 2008
- Chateau Cote de Baleau St. Emilion Grand Cru Bordeaux 2005
The Chateau d’Angludet Margaux Bordeaux 2008 is from the Left Bank while the other wines are all Right Bank wines.
Vintage Report
The weather has a major influence on the grape ripeness and overall quality of a vintage. The 2005 Bordeaux vintage is widely regarded as one of the best of the decade, and many consider it a classic. The winter was mild, and the spring saw early flowering with no major weather disruptions. The summer was warm and dry, which helped the grapes ripen beautifully. There was a lack of excessive rainfall, which kept the vines healthy and reduced the risk of diseases. The weather in the run-up to the harvest was perfect, with a few rains in September helping to ensure full maturity of the grapes.
The 2008 Bordeaux vintage is known for being a challenging but ultimately rewarding year. The 2008 growing season in Bordeaux was marked by a cool and wet spring, which caused some concerns for the quality of the grapes. There were several bouts of rain, which increased the risk of mildew and other vine diseases. The summer was variable, with a mix of warm and cool periods. The temperatures during the growing season were generally cooler than in more exceptional years. However, there was a notable improvement in conditions during September, which was warm and dry. This helped the grapes reach good levels of ripeness before the harvest.
My Wine Tasting Notes
I tasted the first two wines together from the same winery, but different vintages; a mini-vertical. My tasting notes:
Chateau Puy Blanquet St. Emilion Grand Cru St. Emilion Bordeaux 2005 – This wine has a medium-intensity dull garnet colour. Leather and ripe berries on the nose. Dry, medium body, smooth and soft mouthfeel. Fresh red fruit flavours and light spice and oak. As the wine was left in the glass, I picked up leather and green pepper flavours as well. Medium length with red apples on the finish. 
Chateau Puy Blanquet St. Emilion Grand Cru St. Emilion Bordeaux 2008 – A medium-minus dull garnet colour. Medium-intensity aromas of red fruit and aged oak. This wine is dry and smooth with a lean mouthfeel. Fine, medium-plus intensity tannins. Red fruit on the palate.
We had no consensus on which of these two wines we preferred. We all vacillated between the two wines. I gave the 2005 a slight edge over the 2008.
The next pairing was the Chateau Chauvin Grand Cru Classe St. Emilion Bordeaux 2005 with the Chateau d’Angludet Margaux Bordeaux 2008. I did this pairing to show my guests the difference between Right Bank and Left Bank wines. There truly was a big difference between these two wines. Let me tell you about them.
Chateau Chauvin Grand Cru Classe St. Emilion Bordeaux 2005 – This wine has a deep garnet colour. Deep rich red fruit nose and integrated oak. Fuller body, thick with a round, smooth, soft mouthfeel. Medium tannins. Rich, dark fruit flavour, peppery, and a touch of capsicum. Medium-plus length. A wonderful wine. – 
Chateau d’Angludet Margaux Bordeaux 2008 – A deep garnet colour. Strong leather, earthiness and dark fruit aromas. This wine is fuller-bodied, smooth with medium-intensity tannins. Leather, black fruit and a touch of capsicum on the palate. This wine had a firmer, structured feeling.
The last wine, Chateau Cote de Baleau St. Emilion Grand Cru Bordeaux 2005, was tasted on its own.
Chateau Cote de Baleau St. Emilion Grand Cru Bordeaux 2005 – A deep garnet colour in the glass. Deep aroma of ripe black fruits. Dry, medium-plus body with medium tannins and acidity. Dark fruit flavours and light pepperiness. Medium length.
Each wine still could be aged another five years in my opinion. The Right Bank wines were the favourite compared to the single Left Bank wine. Clay wins over gravel soil. The variation in the growing season between 2005 and 2008 did not seem to make a big difference when we tasted these wines. Possibly, the aging time in the bottle helped to even out initial wine aromas, flavours, and structure.
If you find some aged Bordeaux wines (Grand Cru level) in your wine cellar from the early to mid 2000’s feel free to open them with family or friends and have an enjoyable meal. These wines I had were not too tannic or overly fruit-forward and would be perfect to enjoy with food. One of my guests was a chef. He recommended pigeon or duck with the first two wines. I thought the Margaux would pair nicely with a grilled steak.
If you would like to find out the history of these Bordeaux wineries, I recommend you visit www.thewinecellarinsider.com and type in the names of the wineries. Quite interesting.
You won’t be able to buy these vintages in your local wine shop, but you could purchase the current vintages of these wines. Enjoy.
