Compared to other vintages the 2005 vintage in Bordeaux has been characterized by exceptional climate. The winter was colder than average which caused the buds to break a bit earlier. Then, a hot, sunny spring brought about even vegetation growth which led to a quick flowering. The summer saw only four inches of rain between May 1 and harvest - that is about half the average of the past 30 years. Unlike 2003, the weather was not extremely hot...just very dry. All this lead to very consistent quality across all the appellations as well as up and down the tiers of the various Chateaus, making for especially great buys in the lower levels.

With all the hype of this fantastic vintage and the current status of the dollar, prices for many of the 2005 Bordeaux will reach record levels. With reduced volumes of production and a greater demand for these wines, many of the highly sought after 1st and 2nd growth Bordeaux may be out of reach to most. With this in mind many experts are saying it is hard to find a bad wine from the 2005 vintage in Bordeaux. So take a look at wines other than the top levels. You will be surprised at the number of affordable 2005s that you can find - the price and quality will really surprise you.

As Robert Parker and the people of Wine Spectator have tasted their way through the 2005 vintage, we have also done our share of tasting and came up with quite a few selections that we think you will enjoy. Throughout our tastings, we found some great ones that fall under the $20 price point. We also found other great selections from this vintage that are definitely worth looking at over the $20 mark.

2005 Chateau de Cazenove Bordeaux Superieur ($16.99)
2005 Chateau de la Vieille Tour Bordeaux Superieur ($13.99)
2005 Chateau de Parenchere Cuvee Rapheal ($18.99)
2005 Chateau La Bourree Cotes de Castillon ($15.99)
2005 Chateau Pipeau Saint-Emilion Grand Cru ($49.99)
2005 Chateau Haut-Segottes Saint-Emilion Grand Cru ($43.49)