2005 Italy

This is Alfredo and Luca's flagship (Barbaresco) wine, here expressing the sunny 2005 vintage: from the oldest vines that lie in a tiny, 0.5ha, sunny corner of the vineyard, perfectly expoused on a slight rise - 'Crichet' means 'little hill' in dialect. It's in a different league compared to their Paje and Paje VV: more focus, poise, compact and detail. Pale strawberry red, it enthralls with delicate, hallucinating perfumes of warm straw spice, of tiny red berries, full of sunshine, it's so beautiful and radiant, not dissimilar to 2011. Endless. 
David Berry Green

Approximately 8,000 bottles of Lisini’s Brunello di Montalcino Riserva is produced each year from a single 1.4 hectare vineyard. 2005 Ugolaia is a fine-boned, fragile wine with fragrant licorice aromas, suave tannins and a seared meatiness that typifies Lisini’s wines. Utterly compelling and very fine indeed.
David Berry Green, August 2011

Barolo Gramolere, is Fratellis’ Alessandria Monforte d'Alba vineyard, is a larger site at 4ha out of a total 20, alongside those of Sandrone and Pira. Its elevation is higher than that of Monvigliero at approx 425 metres above sea level, and it enjoys a particularly warm microclimate created by its altitude, tree sheltered location, a south-western aspect and by even steeper sandy clay soils. From 40 year old vines, this Barolo wine is stylistically very different to Alessandria's other vineyard, Monvigliero: broader, denser, more mulberry than raspberry on the nose, the palate has a definite succulence, boasting velveteen tannins; so all in all a richer brew. This cru was first bottled by the Alessandria family only in 2001, so an exciting new addition to the range.
(David Berry Green) The first thing to hit you on the palate is the abundance of sweet red fruit and on the nose hints of cocoa, cloves and mint.  The finish is long, smooth and lavishly rich. This is definitely a wine to be kept.
(Ben Upjohn - Fine Wine Department)

'More savoury red cherry perfumed than the darker fruited 2004, the 2005 vintage was characterised by a mild summer and the threat of rain at harvest time. Mario's 2005 Barolo, a traditional blend of four vineyards Gallinotto, Pozzo, Villero & Valletti, remains unflustered, a deliciously svelte, delicate, gentle, supremely elegant & understated cherry stone wine that captures the vintage perfectly, supporting his philosophy of blending vineyards together to make one Barolo. Still primary, this wine will continue to unfurl over the next 10 years, till 2020. Lamb cutlets would go well.
(David Berry Green)

While vintage 2004 was darker and fulsome, Maria Teresa's 2005 lifts the soul with a spirited spicy red fruit perfume, a delicate, gentle, velvety cherry stone palate and a sublime quality that perhaps only the Cantina Mascarello Bartolo can muster. Getting ahead of the Oct 10th rain seemed key to performing well in 2005, after what was a relatively mild summer. This is perhaps an apt advertisement for the benefits of blending vineyards together, four into one; a philosophy the Cantina holds dear. An Englishman’s Barolo? It's certainly sings of finesse. Drinking till 2020, along with lamb (Maria Teresa's favourite meat).
(David Berry Green)