Wines

93 Points! The 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon Champoux Vineyard is the most expressive of the Cabernets. Opaque purple, it has a superb bouquet of toasty oak, smoke, spice box, black currant, blackberry, and plum. Full-bodied and layered, it will develop for another 4-6 years. It, too, combines power with elegance. - Jay Miller, robertparker.com

92+ Points! The 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon Ciel du Cheval Vineyard offers similar aromatics but more structure. This dense, full-flavored wine will offer peak drinking from 2015 to 2030. - Jay Miller, robertparker.com

95 Points! Displays beautiful aromas of ripe fruit, with currant, plum and blackberry. Complex and full-bodied, with soft, polished tannins and a long, long finish. This shows a deft hand in the winemaking. - Wine Spectator

95 Points! Still very young. Shows complex aromas of ripe fruit, blackberries, plums and currants. Polished, with soft tannins, a full body and a very long finish. - James Suckling, 2013

94 Points! The 2005 Ornellaia opens with striking, compelling aromatics that draw the taster in. Still deep, rich and intense throughout, the 2005 has held up beautifully. Sweet herbs, tobacco, spices, sage and plums add shades of dimension to a core of super-ripe, exotic fruit that is one of the vestiges of a late-ripening vintage in which the fruit was allowed to hang until the very end. The 2005 remains an infant. It should drink well for another 15+ years. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous, 2015

The 2005 Proprietary Red reflects a pivotal moment in the early evolution of Palazzo Wine, showing growing confidence and refinement in Scott Palazzo’s blending philosophy. Built on his admiration for Bordeaux-inspired red blends, this wine emphasizes balance, structure, and age-worthiness while beginning to show greater precision and polish than earlier vintages. Produced in very limited quantities, the magnum format was reserved exclusively for Palazzo’s private members and carefully cellared from release. This marks the first time these mature library magnums have been made available to the public, offering collectors a rare opportunity to experience a foundational Palazzo wine with two decades of graceful evolution.

Tasting Note:
The wine opens with expressive aromatics of dried cherry, blackberry, and plum layered with notes of cedar, tobacco, and gentle spice. On the palate, it is smooth and fully integrated, delivering savory red and dark fruit supported by softened tannins and balanced acidity. Hints of cocoa, leather, and earthy complexity add depth as the wine unfolds. The finish is long, polished, and harmonious, with the magnum format preserving freshness and cohesion while highlighting the wine’s maturity and elegance.

95 Points! The 2005 Barolo Bric del Fiasc is a huge, muscular wine. In 2005 the wine shows a decidedly fruit-driven, fresh style. The purity of fruit here is remarkable. The dark, brooding quality that is often present in the wine is absent, while floral, perfumed elements dominate in this vintage. The fruit remains dense, ripe and primary. From start to finish, this is a remarkable Bric del Fiasc. - Antonio Galloni, robertparker.com

96 Points! Scavino's 2005 Barolo Riserva Rocche dell'Annunziata is all class, not to mention one of the wines of the vintage. Silky, nuanced and polished to the core, the Rocche oozes class. An exotic mélange of dark red cherry, pomegranate, sweet spice, mint and rose petals blossoms in the glass. The balance of fruit, acidity and tannin is absolutely compelling, but it is the wine's centeredness and overall poise that elevate it to its lofty standing. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media, 2015

95 Points! The 2005 Les Pavots (3,600 cases of 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Cabernet Franc, 12% Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot) is a sensational wine, with a style that suggests a hypothetical blend of a great St.-Emilion and Pomerol. Chocolatey cassis notes intermixed with incense, licorice, and a hint of black olive are present in this wine. When it hits the palate, it comes across as very Pomerol-like, with lushness, full body, and opulence. The tannins are sweet, the pH high, and the wine gorgeously full, pure, dense, and long. It’s a terrific example of non-interventionalist winemaking that has turned out a beautiful, silky-textured wine that should age effortlessly for 15+ years. Like so many 2005s, this wine has really put on weight since I tasted it last year. - Robert Parker, robertparker.com

94 Points! The 2005 The Tempest (52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, and 18% Petit Verdot) offers attractive aromas of blueberry jam, cassis, and a creamy, espresso/chocolatey character. This opulent, round, hedonistic, voluptuously-textured, super-pure 2005 will provide pleasure over the next 12-15 years. - Robert Parker, robertparker.com