I found the 2005 Jean Edwards to be different from their debut vintage, the 2004 Jean Edwards, which I thought was an excellent wine to drink immediately, scoring a 92/94 points, and an outstanding QPR at $50 per bottle.
My notes for the 2004 Jean Edwards Stagecoach Cabernet as posted in 2007:
The taste reminded me of Cherries Jubilee with that blue flamed fire of the cognac, together with flavors of chocolate and spice, & with the vanilla scent, all made for a fragrent bouquet.
Although opened immediately after delivery, the improvement over the next four hours was impressive, and my scores kept changing. It may even be premature to assign a score, but I think the quality of this wine is evident, and I would estimate 92/94 score! Anyway, this is an outstanding QPR!
The 2005 Jean Edwards appears to be built for the long term and is not as approachable as the 2004 vintage. Both wines have similar taste charcateristics with dark cherries, raspberries, spices, and vanilla, but the 2005 vintage is still tannic and needs time to shed those tannins before opening, or needs significant decanter time.
I would imagine the 2005 Jean Edwards has a longer life ahead than the 2004 vintage, but for now I would leave it in the bottle...Also, WS rated the 2005 87 points, and while I understand their score and notes, IMO the 2005 Jean Edwards Stagecoach could mature into a wine better than 87 points.
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