2005 Olivier
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Tasting notes
The 2005 Olivier is loaded with black fruit, chocolate, leather, licorice, worn-in leather, cloves and scorched earth. I imagine the 2005 will keep for some time given its sheer heft, but the bouquet is starting to fray and the wine is heading into a place where its balance is precarious. I would prefer to finish any remaining bottles sooner rather than later. The oak may have been a bit much here.
Critic scores
Average Score
Wine Spectator
Robert Parker
More reviews and scores
Tasted blind. Healthy garnet. Some real vitality on the nose. Borderline gamey/bretty but also rather satisfying. I like it but technocrats would probably run a mile. Still quite a bit of tannin and mintiness. (JR)
A healthy dosage of new oak can be found in this dark ruby/purple wine, which doesn’t have the complexity of the top wines in the appellation, but is well-endowed. Medium-bodied, concentrated and well-crafted, if not terribly complex, it can be drunk over the next 15-20 years.
About the producer
Ch. Olivier is one of the few actual castles in Bordeaux – coming with a moat and drawbridge. Since Alexandre de Bethmann took over here in 2012, the château has been given a new lease of life, with quality on the rise.