2005 Dominique Laurent Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Les Beaumonts Vieilles Vignes, France, Burgundy, Cotes du Nuits, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2005
Score: 
94
Grade: 
A

Great showing for this Premier Cru from the excellent 2005 vintage.  Ruby/purple in color, clear and bright.  The nose is nice with cherries, chervil and spice.  Medium bodied. On the palate, this is bigger than on the nose.  Cherries, black cherries with some spice.  Long finish.  Drinking well at age 17, this should go another ten to fifteen more years.  Better with food, this would work well with a seared Tuna Steak with a seared crust.

2005 Domaine / Maison Vincent Girardin Vosne-Romanée Vieilles Vignes, France, Burgundy, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2005
Score: 
88
Grade: 
B+

This is one of those bottles that is both good and disappointing at the same time.  It is a very good bottle, but considering the vintage, the region and yes, the price ($60 on release), it should have been better.  Still, it was good.  Deep ruby in color.  The nose has cherries, mushrooms/earthiness and spice.  On the palate, this has nice cherry fruit.  A bit of depth.  No tannins.  Decent acidity.  OK finish.  This will work better with food and fowl would be a particularly good match.  No real signs of development but no real sign of age either.