Sauternes

My take on the 2009 Sauternes will be slightly different from the majority view. I completely agree with the assessment that these wines are rich, unctuous and luscious. But I would be slightly more hesitant to unreservedly applaud them for that. For me, the 2007 and easily the 2001 remain better wines, in that they offer more acidity, more delicacy and more ‘drinkability’. What 2009 undoubtedly gives is the perfect Sauternes experience for Sauternes-lovers. These are not Sauternes for beginner drinkers, these are full and rich and will not convince many younger consumers that this is the year to rediscover the joy of sweet wines. But there are undoubtedly some wonderful wines among them... and Yquem is possibly the best I have ever tasted.
 

Chateau  d’Yquem 

The nose is piercingly direct, with an incredibly svelte mouthfeel of orange, lime and lemon blossom. There is enormous richness to it and great length, but the freshness really cuts through it all and seems to further build in the mouth after the liquid has gone. This is close to a perfect Yquem, definitely on a par with the 2007, and maybe with the 2001 - just with an extra kick of exuberance. As usual, a vast majority of semillon, with a tiny touch of sauvignon blanc. 97-100.There was very little point putting the spittoons out in this rooms. Five passes through the vineyard this year, as usual a vast majority of Semillon, tiny touch of sauvignon blanc. 97-100.

(Also tasted a 1989 Yquem, rich apricot colour, unbelievably dark at 21 years old. This requires some thought – it is very complex, very difficult to separate the old from the young on the palate – there are apricots and fresh mangoes against treacly rich marmalade and the beginnings of black truffles. What unbelievable power and length. All bodes rather well for the 2009!)

UGC

Chateau d’Arche

This has immensely rich fruits. And very nice grip of acidity – a good start, although in fact the finish is a touch sweet rather than sour. Lovely length, with exotic fruits, maple syrup and marmalade flavours. Consultant Henri Boyer. 91.

Chateau Bastor-Lamontagne

A slightly deeper golden colour. Lovely nose that is very subdued, but with biting power underneath. Again, it is the sweet, syrupy flavours that dominate. I would like more tang to the wine, but there is a good beat of acidity underneath. Can see there is enormous quality here, and long life. 91.

Chateau Broustet

Again this rich golden colour. The mid palate is less plumped out here; this is subtle, you have to sit with it to get the full impact, but I like the lemon-lime finish, they have gone for the lift. 70% Sémillon, 25% Sauvignon and 5% Muscadelle, clearly a more modern style Sauternes from owner Guillaume Fourcade. 92. (I also tried the dry white from this estate, and can thoroughly recommend it, crisp and zingy but with plenty of complexity).

 

Chateau Caillou

Some greener hints in this colour, against the golden yellow. I like the balance on this. Very rich, sweet honey with citrus peel and lime blossom, and here is the good sour finish. 92-93.

Chateau Doisy-Daene

There is plenty of apricot fruit in this Denis Dubourdieu owned estate, but for me I didn’t enjoy it as much as the 2007 from here, and felt the overt sweetness meant it would get lost against most desserts. Still, with a good salty appetiser, it would come into its own. 90.

Chateau Doisy-Vedrines

Owned by Olivier Casteja, I really like the nose on this, some really good lime blossom. This is a very nice balance of sweet and sour, some delicious fat fruit, but not too heavy. An elegance on the finish, and real charm for me. 93-94.

Chateau Filhot

Very different flavour profile on the nose. More crab apple than exotic fruits. I actually like this, although there is a shot of pure sweet fruit that is almost overpowering on the attack. It is supported by a blast of fresh air afterwards that saves things from heading down to syrup, and is in fact very accomplished. 92+.

Chateau Lamothe

The rich mouthfeel of all of these is apparent simply from looking at the glass. This one is a little too sweet for me, there needs to be a far more bracing shot of acidity to really pump things up. This is soft, smooth, very seductive, but it’s a little soporific. 90.

Chateau Lamote-Guignard

I like the nose on this one. A lovely fresh shot of passion fruit pips and that lovely slightly sharp hit of papaya. The residual sugar in all of these must be enormous, but here there is a lovely structure and a really attractive seam of acidity that keeps things lively. 90% Semillon, 5% Sauvignon Blanc, 5% Muscadelle. Very good. 93-94.

Chateau de Malle

This is being tasted at a slightly colder temperature than the rest, which gives it an unfair advantage in the freshness stakes. Good lime and a twist of lemon that gives a real interest to the palate. Dripping in mango underneath, and the sticky sweetness is clear. 91.

Chateau de Myrat

Quite an overpoweringly open nose compared to many of the others here. This is more like a truly great Sauternes, with the lift and acidity that you want underneath a savoury-sweet mid palate, with not only sweet fruits but some savoury mushrooms and truffles. Excellent. Owned by Jacques de Pontac, the blend is 88% Sémillon, 8% Sauvignon Blanc and 4% Muscadelle 94+.

Chateau Nairac

Plenty of sweetness and exotic fruits, but without the belt-tightening fresh backbone. 90% Sémillon, 6% Sauvignon Blanc and 4% Muscadelle, from the Heeter-Tari family. 90.

Chateau Romer du Hayot

Some good structure evident, it’s definitely not a wallflower, and has good power and a rich mouthfeel, but it needs the focus that would come from a bigger burst of acidity. 89-90.

Chateau Suau

Same issue for me. These are good wines, they must have high residual sugar, high alcohol, plenty going for them, lots of rich flavours and complexity – here you have good lychees, good mangoes and a very nice aromatic palate. But without the bite of acidity, it doesn’t deliver excitement. 91.

Chateau de Fargues

More promising on the nose again, I like this one a lot. It has excellent well defined fruits, and is very clear in where it is going, which has been missing in some. Lovely finish, great uplift, very good. 80% Semillon, 20% Sauvignon Blanc from the Lur Saluces family. 95.

Chateau Coutet

Another goodie, giving me a renewed sense of optimism for the 09 Sauternes. It is heavy and rich, these are really spread them-on-toast wines. But this has a very nice structure, and again you can pick out the individual strands, and see them build into something cohesive. 75% Semillon, 23% Sauvignon, 2% Muscadelle. 92+.

Chateau Guiraud

Jointly owned by the Peugeot family, winemaker Xavier Planty and Stephan von Neipperg from Canon La Gaffelière. Good weight of fruit, with lashings of apricot, mixed with an attractive lime edge. The high levels of Sauvignon manage every year to keep this wine in exactly the right balance of succulent and edgy. 93.

Clos Haut Peyraguey

Very rich colour, a deep golden hue. A good fruit burst, this does have nice tingly finish of acidity, which has been lacking in many. The sweetness is the most overpowering impression, but it is carried by little tiny lime leaves that keep things fresh and light. Good. 92.

Chateau Lafaurie-Peyraguey

Even deeper, richer and more stately in colour. I like the complexity of the palate here, this definitely has a very rich array of flavours, and they are managing to pin-point each one. And there is a good lift, if not quite as high as I’d like. But all in all, a successful, smooth wine. 91.

Chateau La Tour Blanche

Lacks definition, from what is usually a very successful estate - all the rich stone fruit flavours are here, and the luscious mouthfeel, but this is all about sweetness, and needs about three more lemons to twist things up. 89+

Chateau Rabaud-Promis

A lovely soft, floating wine that absolutely caresses you, very nice texture, and not too intrusive with the sweetness, as some have been.  Like this a lot, a very cohesive experience, and one that would be adaptable with different foods. I tasted it again at the end, because wanted one with a lift to finish on, and it delivered. 80% Sémillon, 18% Sauvignon Blanc and 2% Muscadelle, from owner Philippe Dejean. 93.

Chateau de Rayne Vigneau

Another goodie. This has a nice blend of freshness and slightly (overly) decadent sweetness. It has a nice attack, but dips down a little too hard on the finish, and sits in the stomach not the brain. 89.

Chateau Rieussec

There is a nice fresh start, and some interesting lime blossom and honeysuckle flavours – in fact strongly honeysuckle as the glass gathers pace. Ends well, on a lift, a very accomplished wine from the Lafite stable. Blend is 90% Sémillon, and the rest an equal split of Muscadelle and Sauvignon Blanc. 93+.

Chateau Sigalas-Rabaud

Some good bite here, this is definitely heading in the right direction, and there is an excellent grip that holds you as the sweetness steps up a pace. This is good, has complexity and rich seams of honey. 85% Semillon, 14% Sauvignon, 1% Muscadelle, from winemaker Georges Poly. 91-92.

Chateau Suduiraut

A robust wine, with some very silky textures and good rich exotic fruit aromas. But it’s slightly slippery, and again heads down to the stomach not up to the brain. Still this has a lovely finish, and great length. 93% Semillon, 7% sauvignon blanc. Three passes through the vines – most important was the one after the rains at the beginning of September. 93-94.

S de Suduiraut (dry white)

Lovely candyfloss aromas, very candied fruits -  55% sauvignon blanc 45% Semillon. Really had to pick during the first week of September, after that the sugar level rose too high. 20% new barrels, 40% barrels of one wine, and 40% barrels of two wines. Some battonage. This is a very successful white wine. 92.