"As fine a Franc Mayne as I have ever tasted, the 2005 displays cedary, black currant, leafy tobacco characteristics intermixed with licorice, smoke, pain grille, and earth. There is great fruit on the attack, medium to full body, and loads of intensity as well as length. It should drink well for 15 or more years. “Rated 90-92 Robert Parker Robert Parker The Wine Advocate

Aromas of blackberry and toasted oak. Full-bodied and chewy, with fresh acidity and lots of smoky wood. Long. Score range: 89-91 The Wine Spectator

WOWEE. I can’t say this often enough. The cornerstone of every great cellar is Bordeaux wines because of their high quality and their longevity and there is no better year to start that cellar than with the 2005 vintage.

I was back in Bordeaux a couple of weeks ago and the growers are still marveling at the 2005 vintage. Every other sentence seemed to be” “well, of course, it’s no 2005” or “well, you have to understand the 2005 were PERFECT so it’s unfair to compare anything to THAT.” And so on and so on.

Franc Mayne is one of 46 Grand Cru Classé wines. St Emilion’s latest ranking of their wines just came out in September of 2006 (St Emilion re-evaluates only every decade so you better get it right). Franc Mayne has consistently gotten it right.

The vineyard is a single parcel mostly on the prestigious and favored limestone and clay Plateau of St Emilion. Many say it is here that the Merlot grape reaches it highest expression. Indeed Franc Mayne capitalizes on this with a blend that is 70% Merlot.

Franc Mayne has been on the ascent for a while, but when Michel Rolland was hired to consult in 2005, the wine achieved major lift-off