Bellefont Belcier 2005

A marvelous sleeper of the vintage from Dominique Hebrard, this 2005 exhibits a dense ruby/purple color, a smoky, blackberry liqueur-filled nose with hints of licorice, earth, and truffles, full body, powerful flavors, and dramatic, but sweet tannin. Moreover, this beauty is still available at a realistic price. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2030.

Good deep red-ruby. Currant, smoke and roast coffee on the expressive nose. Suave and sweet, with a fine-grained texture and enticing inner-mouth perfume to the flavors of redcurrant and tobacco. Finishes with fine tannins and very good length.

I was not able to taste this wine last year because it was just finishing malolactic, but the wait was well worth it as it is unquestionably a big-time sleeper of the vintage. Dominique Hebrard, the son of Cheval Blanc’s former general manager, Jacques Hebrard, runs this property, and his impressive 2005 is the finest wine I have yet tasted from Bellefont-Belcier. It boasts a dense purple color along with a sumptuous nose of black cherry liqueur, smoke, licorice, crushed rocks, and flowers. Full-bodied with powerful flavors, sensational concentration, high tannin, and an attractive liqueur of mineral character, it will be drinkable in 5-6 years, and should last for three decades.