Château Magrez Fombrauge 2005

The quintessential garagiste offering from proprietor Bernard Magrez, this blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc receives such Burgundian treatments as a cold pre-fermentation maceration, malolactic in barrel, aging on its lees, and no fining or filtration. Offering a dense purple color along with huge creosote, smoke, melted licorice, fudge, blueberry, graphite, and coffee characteristics, it represents full-throttle, modern winemaking at its most intense, and is likely to cause neo-traditionalists to suffer from migraines. Expect this beauty to hit full maturity around 2014, and keep until 2030+. Score - 95. (Robert Parker Jr., erobertparker.com, Apr-08)