Sauternes & Barsac

Release date: 29/4/2019

There’s not much of the 2018 Château Suduiraut to go around but it’s a beautiful wine. Lovely orange blossom, honeyed apricots, white flowers, and subtle spice aromas and flavors all emerge from thisThere’s not much of the 2018 Château Suduiraut to go around but it’s a beautiful wine. Lovely orange blossom, honeyed apricots, white flowers, and subtle spice aromas and flavors all emerge from this full-bodied, decadent Sauternes that has a layered, pure, beautifully balanced profile. With good complexity, terrific balance, and a clean finish, it’s going to shine for 15-20 years. Rating: 93-95 Jeb Dunnuck, www.jebdunnuck.com(May 2019)

Release date: 24/4/2019

Good nose here loaded with beeswax and honeysuckle. This Follows to the palate. There is quite some thickness and depth to the fruit - but not tropical - not too fruity. On the palate more honeycombGood nose here loaded with beeswax and honeysuckle. This Follows to the palate. There is quite some thickness and depth to the fruit - but not tropical - not too fruity. On the palate more honeycomb and waxy lemons emerge. Good 'Golden Shred' like feel and flavour, not sophisticated nor elegant, but lots to like. L&S(Apr 2019)

Release date: 24/4/2019

Deep and rich but dark too. There is some nice butterscotch and rich marmalade fruit. Apricot too but baked and darkly rich again. Almost molasses - but just some lift-off leaving a caramel-likeDeep and rich but dark too. There is some nice butterscotch and rich marmalade fruit. Apricot too but baked and darkly rich again. Almost molasses - but just some lift-off leaving a caramel-like memory on the palate.L&S(Apr 2019)

Release date: 23/4/2019

This is lovely, a success in the vintage and one of the best on display, offering a silky texture and clear emphasis on precision and grip, with high notes of lime and citrus on the nose. It hasThis is lovely, a success in the vintage and one of the best on display, offering a silky texture and clear emphasis on precision and grip, with high notes of lime and citrus on the nose. It has mango and peach on the attack followed by creamy lemon as it spins out through the palate. The acidity doesn't quite spiral downwards and upwards as in the best years, but you do get great lift through the palate and a persistency to the flavours. This is an estate that really has been doing huge amounts of work on its flavour profiles recently, saving only its very best grapes and terroirs for the sweet wine. Drinking range: 2022 - 2042 Rating: 96 Jane Anson, Decanter(Apr 2019)

Release date: 23/4/2019

Incredible unctuous feel. ToKaji-like viscosity. But the flavour is smart. CLassic Sauternes profile with some burnt sugar on top. Rich and deep but keeps moving. Better vision of noble rot thanIncredible unctuous feel. ToKaji-like viscosity. But the flavour is smart. CLassic Sauternes profile with some burnt sugar on top. Rich and deep but keeps moving. Better vision of noble rot than many. Good, indulgent juice with some depth and impact. L&S(Apr 2019)

Release date: 23/4/2019

A blend of 80% Semillon, 10% Sauvignon Blanc and 10% Muscadelle, the yield here was just 11 hl/ha and the alcohol is 13.6%. A polished, pure, and substantial character on the nose, this is rich inA blend of 80% Semillon, 10% Sauvignon Blanc and 10% Muscadelle, the yield here was just 11 hl/ha and the alcohol is 13.6%. A polished, pure, and substantial character on the nose, this is rich in grilled apricot and yellow peach substance, and the palate shows the same rich depth of character, broad and fresh, with a charming acidity too. An imposing style, fresh and pure, grippy, minerally and bright, a wine of some substance and a pithy, energetic length. It feels classically poised, substantial, with sweetly botrytised fruit and fresh acidity for balance. Delicious, succulent and energetic. Well done. The élevage will be in 100% new oak. Rating: 94-96 Chris Kissack, www.thewinedoctor.com(Apr 2019)

Release date: 17/4/2019

Good cool nose. Nicely restrained then the palate takes off with good pep and energy. Nicely rich, nice slick feel - but spice and soft ginger join the warm lemon and measured sweet peach flesh.Good cool nose. Nicely restrained then the palate takes off with good pep and energy. Nicely rich, nice slick feel - but spice and soft ginger join the warm lemon and measured sweet peach flesh. Smart and serious, particularly when tasted against other 2018s.L&S(Apr 2019)

Release date: 17/4/2019

One of the most successful sweet wines in 2018, Doisy Daëne has done a great job in a tricky year. There is a good nose of quite bright fruit up front, which slowly reveals a line gently botrytisedOne of the most successful sweet wines in 2018, Doisy Daëne has done a great job in a tricky year. There is a good nose of quite bright fruit up front, which slowly reveals a line gently botrytised apricots. In the palate a rich, gold feel rules. A good weight but there is some drive and lift too. The impression is that of a more sloppy, tarter marmalade than the firmer dark stuff, thick cut stuff that we noted elsewhere. Nice really - and for the vintage this has some energy. Good effort.L&S(Apr 2019)

After the frost of 2017 Bérénice Lurton was hoping for a more successful 2018. With the millerandage and the mildew, however, yields were just 5 hl/ha (not the lowest, it has to be said). As usual,After the frost of 2017 Bérénice Lurton was hoping for a more successful 2018. With the millerandage and the mildew, however, yields were just 5 hl/ha (not the lowest, it has to be said). As usual, this was a true barrel tasting. Barrel #1: Picked October 8th. Alcohol 13.2%, residual sugar 73 g/l (very light for Climens), 14% of the crop. Very pure, orange and tangerine. Straight, simple, chalky orange fruit, feels more like second-wine material, but perhaps important freshness for the blend? Barrel #2: Picked October 9th. Alcohol 13.3%, residual sugar 85 g/l (still light), 14% of the crop. A little more dense, more exotic, with chalky fruit. Almost feels Alsatian. Barrel #3: Picked October 10th & 11th. Alcohol 13.7%, residual sugar 75 g/l (still light), 14% of the crop. Denser still, honey and beeswax now, but cool, fresh, bitter and acid-bright. Barrel #4: Picked October 11th & 12th. Alcohol 13%, residual sugar suddenly up to 143 g/l (more like it), 14% of the crop. A pungent and minerally nose, oranges and beeswax, candied fruits, sweet and bitter. A very different character after just one day. Barrel #5: Picked October 12th. Alcohol 13.2%, residual sugar 131 g/l, 7% of the crop. Just four barrels picked on this day. Smoky, minerally, dusty, textured, with pithy orange zest and peach skin. Barrel #6: This was picked nearly two weeks later, on October 24th & 25th, after the rains and after the botrytis had set it. Alcohol 13.2%, residual sugar 209 g/l (serious concentration now), 16% of the crop. An explosive character here; beeswax, toasted nut, caramelised peach, sweet and viscous. Great botrytis character. Barrel #7: Also picked October 24th & 25th. Alcohol 14%, residual sugar 165 g/l, 14% of the crop. Smoky, minerally, botrytis intensity. Lovely elegance, poised with minerals and acids. Very complete. Barrel #8: Picked October 26th. Alcohol 14%, residual sugar 153 g/l, 14% of the crop. Smoky, perfumed, floral, mineral, polished, firm, with a good backbone of structure. The most striking feature of the tasting at Climens this year was the progression, from a light start, to a concentrated finish. Less homogeneity than usual, but still very fine potential. As usual, to reflect the nature of this tasting, I have added a note of caution to my score. Rating: 95 - 97? Chris Kissack, www.thewinedoctor.com(Apr 2019)

This is a blend of 95% Semillon and 5% Sauvignon Blanc, and the alcohol here hits a high at 14.4%. Despite this it has a rather fresh, bright and pure nose, characterised by scents of white peach,This is a blend of 95% Semillon and 5% Sauvignon Blanc, and the alcohol here hits a high at 14.4%. Despite this it has a rather fresh, bright and pure nose, characterised by scents of white peach, lychee and lanolin substance. The palate is fresh, pure, bright and richly polished, with lychee and white peach fruits, wrapped within a beautifully textured substance and sweetness, with bitter grip, some finely grained mineral elements and a bright acid freshness. This is a lovely example of what could be achieved in Sauternes in this vintage, with its deliciously long, sweet and vivacious finish. Excellent, and with more than a nod to the modern style. Rating: 94-96 Chris Kissack, www.thewinedoctor.com(Apr 2019)