You’ll always be pleased when stocking the wine cellar or cooler with an excellent red wine like Chateau Faugeres, St. Emilion, Grand Cru, 2005.

After being owned by the Guisez family from 1823, Chateau Faugeres was purchased in 2005 by the Swiss entrepreneur, Silvio Denz.

Beginning in the financial markets, Denz went on to create Switzerland’s largest chain of perfume stores before selling it in 2000. His new vision is wineries and with a budding portfolio of four spread across Tuscany, Costa Brava and Bordeaux, Denz’s business talents are benefiting wine consumers.

I tasted the range of Chateau Faugeres wines on two occasions. First, in late winter with winemaker Alain Dourthe and his 2003, 2004, and 2005 Chateau Faugeres; the 2005 “Peby”, a special cuvee of Chateau Faugeres; and Cap de Faugeres, 2004.

Spring brought Silvio Denz to Manhattan for a more extensive tasting of vintages ranging from 1998 to 2005 of the three Chateau Faugeres wines. The two tastings revealed each wine’s primary characteristic: Cap de Faugeres’ easy-to-like style; Chateau Faugeres’ elegance; and “Peby’s” nod to a bigger, New World texture.

Like winemakers throughout Bordeaux, Alain Dourthe’s biggest challenge in 2005 was not to mess up the beautiful fruit that Nature gave that year. He didn’t.

At both tastings, the 2005 Chateau Faugeres, St. Emilion, Grand Cru was bright purplish-red with alluring aromas of lilac and fruit that Denz should capture for his former perfume stores. The black cherry and black berry flavors displayed the ripeness of the 2005 vintage; yet what made the wine irresistible was its elegance: perfect harmony between the ripe fruit, fully developed tannin, and soft acidity.

Along with Alain Dourthe, Denz has contract with the consulting enologist Michel Rolland and Stephan von Neippeg, owner of the outstanding Chateau Canon-La-Gaffeliere, also in St. Emilion. For my money – and I have owned many vintages of Canon-La-Gaffeliere – it is the latter that is a brilliant choice.

At both tastings, I found my right hand drawn back to the glass of 2005, Chateau Faugeres, St. Emilion, Grand Cru. It’s a movement worth experiencing.

The 2005 Bordeaux vintage is one of the most sought after. Some prices can be breath taking but we are getting used to that sensation every time we buy gasoline, and the latter doesn’t taste nearly as good.

The 2005 Chateau Faugeres, St. Emilion, Grand Cru retails for about $74.