2005 was the year of drought par excellence. The cold, dry winter threatened an ultimate lack of moisture in the soil. The hot spring weather at the beginning of April brought about a fast, even bud-break. The flowering, thanks to hot, dry weather, took place in a matter of days in the majority of our plots and promised an excellent harvest. The 2005 spring was really dry, and it was undoubtedly these conditions that made the vines gradually adapt and eventually avoid suffering from any brutal moisture deficit in the soil during the summer. One of the direct consequences of this water constraint was the small size of the berries, in particular that of the Cabernet Sauvignon. The color change in the grapes also took place quickly and evenly, and the August drought brought about an early halt in vine vegetation growth, consequently favoring good ripening of the grapes.

We began the picking of the Merlot on September 21, and on October 8, we started harvesting the Cabernet Sauvignon, finishing on October 19th. Between these two varieties we picked our precious Petit Verdot. As we had expected, the juice yields were low for the Cabernet Sauvignon, though we managed to bring in a nice yield of 40 hl / ha. For once, we did not introduce any modifications to the vat cellar in 2005. Perhaps we have reached a level of certain perfection? We continue to sort the grapes meticulously before and after de-stemming followed by the adding of carbonic snow before the berries went up to the second floor to be crushed and sent into vats. The cold pre-fermentation maceration was followed by the alcoholic fermentation and the vatting period subsequently lasted 25 to 30 days. The result of all this work was a deep-colored, rich, dense wine with very ripe fruit flavors and sufficient acidity to achieve a supreme overall balance. The wine was racked into barrels throughout the month of November, and the malolactic fermentation was done in the barrels. In 2005, the top wine has once again been aged 100% in new oak barrels. The beginning of the aging involves our traditional method of ageing on the lees for four months, followed by the racking and blending in March. The 2005 vintage is made up of 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot and 3% Petit Verdot.

The dark, beautifully deep color displays brilliant purple hues. After swirling, a subtle nose of spices, black fruits and licorice comes through, enveloped by subtle toasty notes with roasted coffee beans. The palate, after a supple entry, is explosive whereas the discreet oak comes through subtly in the background, leaving the way for the fruit to come to the fore front. The 2005 vintage is structured around a perfect balance of freshness, power, roundness, smoothness and very elegant tannins, which together make up an ideal harmony. As every year, the Chevalier de Lascombes is made in such a way that it can be enjoyed in the medium term. The Chevalier de Lascombes 2005 is no exception and can be enjoyed for its fruit and suppleness, whilst maintaining a concentration and elegance worthy of a Margaux wine.