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Clos de l'Oratoire 2005

RegionBordeaux
Subregion France > Bordeaux > Right Bank > St Emilion
ColourRed
TypeStill
Grape VarietyMerlot

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Label

Tasting Notes

From the Comte von Neipperg, his wines from this over-achieving estate always deliver an aromatic fireworks display of cedar wood, Christmas fruitcake, roasted herbs, black olive, cassis and sweet kirsch. The 2005 has all that as well as ripe, well-integrated, velvety tannin, and full body in a sexy, luscious, heady style to drink now and over the next 10-15 years. Drink 2015 - 2030.

94
Robert Parker, Wine Advocate (219), June 2015
93
James Suckling, WineSpectator.com, February 2008

Tasted blind. Looks fully mature with a deep ruby core. Interesting fully evolved bouquet. Top note of molasses. Really rather luscious, with masses of interesting savoury fruit and an undertow of dissolving tannins. Tastes like a terroir-informed rather than overly ‘made’ wine. Freshness on the finish. 14%
Drink 2015-2028

16.5+
Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com, March 2017

Good deep red. Truffley aromas of raspberry, mocha and earth. Rich, roasted red fruit and woodsmoke flavors sexed up by sweet caramel. Fleshy, round and sweet but with serious stuffing too. I find this very easy to taste today, but Stephan von Neipperg notes that it has the tannic structure of the '98 made here.

91
Stephen Tanzer, International Wine Cellar

Big ripe and round wine, deftly made, classic Saint-Emilion bouquet, high alcohol content but good overall balance. Drink from 2013.

16
Michel Bettane, Decanter.com, April 2006
Read more tasting notes...

Think of a chocolate fudge ice cream sundae drizzled with coffee, creme de cassis and blackberry liqueur and you’ll have an idea of what this wine smells like. Exotic, full-bodied, fleshy, and sumptuous, this hedonistic blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc was created by Stephan von Neipperg and his brilliant consultant, Stephane Derenoncourt. Inky purple to the rim, with a flamboyant personality, it can be drunk now or cellared for 15+ years. It tastes so good, it may be declared a “banned substance” by neo-traditionalists

93
Robert Parker, Wine Advocate (176), April 2008

Made by owner Stephan von Neipperg with the assistance of consultant Stephane Derenoncourt, this estate’s wines sell for a realistic price given how high the quality has been over the last decade. A blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc, the dense blue/purple-tinged 2005 reveals a sweet perfume of scorched earth, creme de cassis, pain grille, espresso roast, and a hint of chocolate. Opulent, hedonistic, and flamboyant, this is one 2005 that will be delicious young, yet is capable of aging for 15 or more years.

92/94
Robert Parker, Wine Advocate (170), April 2007

Fashioned by Stephan von Neipperg, the 2005 is one of the best Clos de l’Oratoires ever made. A blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon, the yields were small and the fruit was picked very ripe. Along with low acidity as well as loads of tannin, it reveals great fruit, and an exotic, flamboyant bouquet of cedar, spice box, black fruits, and a hint of roasted coffee. This full-bodied, opulent, sumptuous effort will be one of the few 2005s that will be impossible to resist upon release. It should drink well for 10-15 years.

91/94
Robert Parker, Wine Advocate (164), April 2006

Crushed black fruits with strawberry and flowers. Full-bodied, with lovely silky tannins and lots of wonderful fruit. Lots of concentration and excitement. Almost classic quality.

92/94
James Suckling, WineSpectator.com, March 2006

Big and bold and lots of pzazz. Masses of fruit and excitement on the front palate. Slightly dry tannins but lots of fruit too. Well done!

16
Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com, February 2009

Mid to dark crimson. Still very gassy. Sweet and rather sumptuous but it tasted (twice) as though it was still en malo so very difficult to judge. Relatively simple and easy, as though not trying desperately hard. Drink 2010-20

16+
Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com, April 2006
Please note that these tasting notes/scores are not intended to be exhaustive and in some cases they may not be the most recently published figures. However, we always do our best to add latest scores and reviews when these come to our attention. We advise customers who wish to purchase wines based simply on critical reviews to carry out further research into the latest reports.