A kaleidoscopic and utterly dazzling nose features an array of red and black cherry, cassis, plum and subtle earth notes replete with beguiling Asian spice cabinet aromas and essence of rose petal. The intense, powerful and breathtakingly concentrated flavors possess a taut muscularity before culminating in a palate coating finish of simply huge length. Not surprisingly, this is still structured to the point of being chewy yet it is never rustic or coarse because the gorgeously detailed palate impression is buffered by buckets of dry extract. As readers know, I often use the word Zen to describe the kind of inner harmony of a great vintage of Romanée-Conti but rarely with La Tâche yet in 2005, the LT has this element of inner calm and grace as well. In sum, I remain confident that this huge but utterly classy and stylish wine will go down as one of the all-time great LT's provided that you have the patience to wait as it is going to be a very long distance runner.

A dark side emerges with La Tâche, revealing profound scents of violet, black currant, bilberry and licorice. Definitely meaty and solid--as the French would say, carrée (square)--yet with great depth, richness and length, along with sweet fruit. A fabulous La Tâche, like a well-tuned Ferrari, this is a red Burgundy of classic proportions. (BS)

The 2005 La Tache epitomizes the unique mysteries of Pinot (not to mention the character of a great site), with its aromas of game, musk, iris, star anise, vanilla, allspice, and naturally also an abundance of sweet, ripe, implosively tiny-berried fruit. Imagine a black Riesling. On the palate, a vivid freshness of fruit, pungency of spice and flowers, and melting away of what in point of analytical fact are abundant tannins, all engender an almost white wine dynamic of fruit-mineral call-and-response and clear, incisive penetration of flavors to every recess of the mouth. This is a T.R. sort of wine -- you just don’t feel the stick. (DS)