Sauternes-Barsac I didn’t travel down to Sauternes this year. But having tasted several examples at the media tasting in Bordeaux, I think it is generally quite an average year. Botrytis did arrive, but many wines were based on the first selection. Ch Suduiraut cropped at only 0.9hl/ha, which shows the dismal economic results. Ch Coutet and Ch La Tour Blanche are excellent. Château Coutet Score 95–96 Pale medium colour. Attractive verbena, camomile, honey aromas with crème brûlée notes. Refined and beautiful apricot glacé, verbena lime honeyed flavours, fine chalky hint al dente textures and fresh linear acidity. Bittersweet notes at the finish. 75% semillon, 23% sauvignon blanc, 2% muscadelle.18 months in new and seasoned French oak. 13% alc Château La Tour Blanche Score 95–96 Pale medium colour. Intense lemon curd, lime, nectarine honey aromas with herb garden notes. Very concentrated with lemon curd, lime, stone fruit flavours, superb honey/ toasty complexity, fine chalky textures and lovely mid-palate viscosity. Finishes sweet, chalky and minerally. Works very well. 69.5% semillon, 22.5% muscadelle, 8% sauvignon. Usually 16 months in 100% new French oak. 13.5% alc Château Sigalas Rabaud Score 94–95 Pale medium colour. Fresh tangerine, white peach apricot aromas with honey vanilla notes. Well concentrated tangerine white peach honey flavours, underlying vanilla oak complexity, fine chalky textures and superb mid-palate viscosity. Finishes sweet and minerally. Very good. 85% semillon, 15% sauvignon blanc. 18 months new (around 25%) and seasoned French oak. 13.5% alc Château Bastor-Lamontagne Score 93–94 Medium pale. Fresh lifted apricot honey aromas with toasty vanilla notes. Generous and supple with intense apricot, nectarine, honey flavours, attractive mid-palate density, chalky textures and fresh linear acidity. Very classical with lovely botrytis complexity and mineral length. 8–12 months in new and seasoned French oak. 13% alc Château Clos Haut-Peyraguey Score 93–94 Pale medium colour. Attractive nectarine apricot sweet apple aromas with honey notes. Generously concentrated and viscous with ample stone fruit honey flavour and fine chalky textures. Very good mid-palate density and integrated crisp acidity. 60% semillon, 40% sauvignon blanc. 20 months in 30% new and seasoned French oak. 13.7% alc
Bordeaux 81
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