Abreu 2005 Madrona Ranch & Thorevilos

David Abreu’s 2005s are in a sweet spot today. They are also absolutely gorgeous. The tannins have softened enough for the wines to be approachable, but the 2005s also have enough depth to drink for another 10-15 years, maybe more.

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Abreu’s long-time winemaker Brad Grimes describes 2005 as a year with high yields that require considerable thinning in the field. Two thousand five was also the first vintage the wines were made with more whole berry fermentation than in the past. Perhaps those are some of the reasons the 2005s come across as a bit light by Abreu standards. That is not really a criticism, but more of an observation. Certainly the 2001s and 2002s were much more forbiddingly tannic at age ten than the 2005s. If I had to compare 2005 to a recent vintage, the year I would choose is 2012 in terms of style and weight. For more on the 2005 vintage in Napa Valley, readers should check out Steve Tanzer’s recently published retrospective.