French Dessert Wines

France produces a wonderful array of dessert wines, the most prestigious being those from the top estates in Sauternes and Alsace.   The region of Jurançon is the leader in sweet wines from the Southwest, but there are other very interesting wines coming from that area.  The Rhône and Loire Valley regions also produce some marvelous sweet wines.

SAUTERNES & BARSAC, etc.

In the best vintages, there is a substantial amount of Botrytis cinerea (the French call this pourriture noble) which makes these majestic, rich, wonderfully sweet wines of liquid gold. 

Not every year produces a fabulous wine.  Some vintages have lots of Botrytis, while other years lack the mold-encouraging fog, producing wines which are sweet and powerful, but not especially honeyed.  Sometimes there is rain, which can cause a less-than-noble rot and wipe out the crop nearly totally. 

The top estates can afford the army of harvesters it takes to comb the vineyards on a daily basis, bringing back only the fruit affected with botrytis.  This is a costly process and making wine from dehydrated grapes produces but a small yield.    

Sauternes and Barsac (the other communes in the general region are Bommes, Preignac and Fargues) are made predominantly of the grape Sémillon.  It is said to make a wine with a somewhat "waxy" character.  Its partner in this venture is Sauvignon Blanc, which is said to add a certain amount of vitality to the rather rich Sémillon.    A third variety accounts for a tiny part of the production, Muscadelle.    Though contributing a somewhat flowery note to the wine, it is not related to the various varieties of Muscat grapes. 

In researching the various estates, it's interesting to note most have 60-80% Sémillon in their vineyards.  A few have Sémillon exclusively.  Most have 2-10% of the Muscadelle, with the balance of the vineyard being planted to Sauvignon Blanc. 

CHATEAU D'YQUEM

2004 375ml  $169.99

1985 750ml $439.99

1999 750ml $329.99

I'm not sure what I can add to the volume of knowledge about this extraordinary wine that hasn't already been written.
In their quest for owning luxury products, the giant French firm of Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy has recently acquired ownership of this estate from the Comte Alexandre de Lur Saluces, whose family has owned the property since the late 1700s. 
The book called "Noble Rot," a wonderful fly-on-the-wall tome chronicles the sale of the estate.  The book was banned in France at the request on Monsieur Lur Saluces.  

Chateau d'Yquem is one of those rare wines you can put on the table and even the uninitiated will have their eyeballs pop out of their sockets when they taste it. 
We were in the neighborhood in the winter recently and snapped this photo of the vineyard at d'Yquem.

The wine is rather expensive to produce. If you are ever fortunate enough to visit (they usually have to check your blood type and bank account status before allowing you on the property), they'll drill it in to you that their production amounts to "one glass of wine per grapevine." The reason is that they make d'Yquem only from heavily botrytized grapes. As these are so dehydrated, the volume of liquid is rather small, accounting for the concentration and "oily" texture which sets d'Yquem apart from others. The vineyards are about 80% Semillon and 20% Sauvignon Blanc. The juice is fermented entirely in brand new oak barrels and then matured in wood for about 3 years.

We had the pleasure of visiting many years ago. The manager, Pierre Meslier, owns a neighboring estate, Chateau Raymond-Lafon. We saw the vineyards, the cellar and finally he opened a bottle of the superlative 1975 vintage. Being "The Fastest Glass in the West," my glass was much appreciated and empty. So was the glass of one of my partners-in-crime. Monsieur Meslier noticed these were empty and was just pulling the cork out of the bottle, when the third partner-in-crime said, "You know, this is so rich, you could really only have one glass," at which point Monsieur Meslier jammed the cork back into the bottle and thanked us for our visit. Once out in the parking lot, we pummeled this poor woman (figuratively speaking) and she has not lived down this amazingly silly faux pas. She is reminded of it every time d'Yquem finds its way onto a table shared by the three of us.

I told my story to a friend who writes for a national food publication. He had been told to be at d'Yquem for a rendezvous only to get there and discover the owner was not expecting him. 
They ended up setting an appointment some hours later for dinner in a nearby restaurant. 

 

The visiting scribe, knowledgeable of food and wine, ordered his menu, allowing for the presentation of Chateau d'Yquem at each course.

The people of Sauternes will tell you their sweet wines are not exclusively serviceable with desserts.  Paired, for example, with foie gras, Sauternes actually tastes dry due to the richness and fat content of the goose liver.

So, to continue the story, the first course comes and no d'Yquem.  
The main plate, a rich salmon and lentil preparation, arrives, but the d'Yquem doesn't.  

 

After cheeses he's thinking, "Aha!  They will show me the d'Yquem in its classical place: with dessert!"  

He then orders a dessert to show off the magnificent d'Yquem and Monsieur Lur Saluces leans forward and says, "You'll have coffee, won't you?"

So you can understand his ire upon learning that a mere peasant, such as myself, was privileged to taste d'Yquem, but that a more "noble" visitor was not!

The 1999 vintage is really fine here.  This shows why d'Yquem stands taller than its neighbors.  The wine is of the quality most vintners would be pleased to have in even the best vintages.  D'Yquem made a fantastic wine in 1999.  

The 2001 fetches stupid prices and we don't have room for this sort of wine with the "scarcity tax" being so high.

A generous friend shared a bottle of the 1967 (photo above) which we opened in November of 2006.  This was a deep gold color and had a lovely fragrance reminiscent of crème brûlée, dried apricots and honey.  The flavor was long and rich on the palate with a finish that lingered for quite a while.  

 

An old vine at d'Yquem, pruned severely to limit the crop.

CHATEAU LAFAURIE-PEYRAGUEY 1989  Sold Out
CHATEAU LAFAURIE-PEYRAGUEY 1990  Sold out

The firm of Cordier owns this 40-hectare property in Bommes, the chateau being an old fortress constructed in the 13th century.  The vineyards are 90% Semillon, with the balance split evenly between Sauvignon Blanc and Muscadelle.  Despite it being in the hands of the same owners since 1917, it's been only since the early 1980s that they've been making exemplary Sauternes.  I have read that their vines are particularly susceptible to botrytis.  We currently have two exceptional vintages in stock, both being oily, very honeyed and quite rich.  Choosing between the two is a difficult task.
 

CHATEAU RIEUSSEC 
1971 $139.99 (1 bottle remains)
2001 $89.99 (375ml)
2003 $69.99 (750ml)
2002 "Carmes de Rieussec"  $25.99 (sale price 750ml)

The Rothschilds of Lafite purchased this estate in 1985, taking over control from Monsieur Albert Vuillier, who had assumed the reins in 1971.   At the time, good Sauternes sold for ridiculously modest prices, especially given the amount of effort it takes to make this wine.  Insiders reported that the new ownership also purchased large quantities of d'Yquem, holding it off the market, causing the price of that wine to climb higher due to its sudden "shortage."

In doing so, the neighboring estates of fine quality, such as Rieussec, Suduiraut, Climens, etc., also escalated in price, immediately making the purchase of Rieussec a smart financial move.  

The property covers some 75 hectares and is about 90% Semillon with two or three percent Muscadelle and the rest devoted to Sauvignon Blanc.  

 

The 2002 Carmes de Rieussec is a delight.  The name "Carmes" refers to a monastic order which had been centered in nearby Langon and which actually owned the Rieussec estate in the 1700s.   The wine is predominantly Sémillon, of course, with about 10% Sauvignon Blanc and 5% Muscadelle.  It's matured for approximately 18 months in oak.  The wine is beautifully balanced, being sweet, but not sticky sweet.  Nice fruit, nice acidity and a nice price tag make for a most attractive combination.

The 2001 was given a high numerical score by The Wine Spectator and, suddenly, people who never buy Sauternes were somehow obliged to seek out the wine.  As a result, prices for the 2001 are significantly higher than they had been.  It is a very fine bottle of wine, though.  

I tasted the 2003 recently and found it to be in the realm of "very good" to "excellent" and so we're delighted to have bottles of that wine.  It's a showy wine now, in its youth, and it's likely to age handsomely over the next decade, or so.

We periodically have a lovely dry "Sauternes" (though it takes but the appellation of "Bordeaux" of Rieussec.  It is labeled "R" = d'Yquem's is called "Y" and Guiraud makes a dry wine called "G"=) and it's a non-oaky, crisp, flavorful white which matches nicely with seafood.  I can order the "R" for you, but it's not presently in the shop.

CHATEAU SUDUIRAUT
1990 750ml  $89.99 (three bottles remaining)
Castelnau de Suduiraut 2003 $14.99 (375ml)

Suduiraut is now under the ownership of "AXA" an insurance company which also holds the key to the cellar doors of Chateaux Lynch-Bages and Pichon Baron, amongst others.  With its 88-hectare vineyard planted primarily to Semillon (I've read conflicting stats...some saying 10% Sauvignon Blanc and other sources reporting 20%), Suduiraut is located in Preignac.  If you run across a bottle of 1991, 1992 or 1993 vintages of Suduiraut, you're holding a rarity...Suduiraut did not bottle any of those vintages!  

While in college, I remember the 1967 vintage of this costing the amazing sum of $7/bottle.  We used to drink this as our "house Sauternes" (can you believe it?!?!?!).  That classic vintage now fetches staggering prices (upwards of several hundred bucks a bottle!).  

Over the years I can't say vintages from 1970 to the early 1980s caught my fancy.  The 1988 vintage marked a noteworthy change for the better.  The 1989 vintage was quite good, but 1990 seemed exceptionally oily and more intensely honeyed. 

Not to be too obnoxious, but after first tasting the 1990 we had stacks of it in 750ml format for a very low price.   That is why it pays to shop in "wine merchant" establishments as people who are keen tasters can tip you off to the best buys or undervalued wines.  At any rate, the 1990 will live well into the 2020's and maybe beyond!  It is still available for a rather good price.

 

They now make a "second" label called "Castelnau de Suduiraut."   Pierre Montégut, the technical director of Suduiraut, told me "It's really not a 'second' wine.  Castelnau is a section of our vineyard and most of the wine comes from that parcel.  We make a selection of the main part of Suduiraut and Castelnau.  And what don't find to be our 'Suduiraut quality' we sell in bulk."

 Apparently some rather fine juice got "declassified" here as 2003 is a remarkable bottle for such a modest price.  It is moderately honeyed and rather weighty for the vintage.  It is a wine such as this which makes one turn away from the "Sauternes substitutes."  This displays a lovely bit of honeyed fruit and it even has a touch of oak.  

CHATEAU GRILLON 2001 $14.99 (375ml)

This is a relatively new property to us. It covers some eleven hectares of vines in Barsac. The nose is unusually fresh and flowery, hinting at lime and pineapple, with a touch of honey.   This may be due to the high percentage of Sauvignon Blanc (the estate is planted with something like 85% Sauvignon, with Semillon only in small amounts).  Though it is certainly not as weighty as many of the top, richest Sauternes, the wine is beautifully balanced and may be served immediately.  The 2001  is our fifth vintage of Grillon and it's as charming a wine as have been the first four.  (How could it not, in a vintage such as 2001?)

CHATEAU COUTET
2004 SALE $29.99 (750ml)  last bottles
1997 (List $90_ Sale $79.99

Chateau Coutet is a very old property with a long history.  Its vineyard covers some 38.5 hectares in the region of Barsac.  In the classification of Bordeaux estates in 1855, Coutet and Climens were the only two properties in Barsac to be designated as premier cru producers.  At one time the property was under the same ownership as Chateau Lafite, though long before the Rothschild's.

In Thomas Jefferson's days, Coutet sold for about the same money as d'Yquem! 

In fact, it was, during Napoleon's time, owned by the Lur-Saluces family, the same people who, until recently, owned Chateau d'Yquem.  Today the estate, I believe, is owned by a family from Alsace who have an interest in trucking and hotels. 

The property is adjacent to Doisy-Daëne and is in a single parcel. 
The reputation of the property is very high, especially in France.  Americans seem to embrace Climens, Suduiraut and Rieussec with greater enthusiasm, so sometimes Coutet can be a relatively good value.
Their 1996 is a stellar wine, one of the best vintages I can ever recall tasting from this producer.  It is rather oily and creamy, with a rich, honeyed finish.  The wine is certainly less oaky than Climens or Suduiraut, as they use but one-third new barrels.   This wine should have a long life ahead of it.  Impressive now in its youth, however. Not sure if we will see more of the 1996.

I bought some 2004 to taste and this is a delight.  It's fresh, mildly honeyed and has notes of pineapple and citrus.  It's delicious now and will cellar well for a decade, or so.
The price is ridiculously low, too...

CHÂTEAU DOISY-DAËNE

The Dubourdieu family has owned this Barsac estate since the 1920s.  The estate is located on a plateau called the Haut Barsac and planted with Sémillon predominantly.

Georges bought the property in 1924 and his son Pierre ran the winery for many years.  Today his son Denis takes care of the place and now his sons are active in the wine business.

Denis Dubourdieu is an enology professor, so he'd better not sully his reputation with slacker wines.  In fact, he was instrumental (and still is) in improving the vinification of dry white wines in the region.   Of course, he's very open to experimentation and always seems to have some new project going, be it cultivating "forbidden" grape varieties or fermenting juice with new strains of yeast.  His father, one year, wrapped part of the vineyard in plastic sheets to create a bit of a greenhouse effect.  There was little in the way of botrytis that vintage (1978, I think) and the grapes shriveled nicely and were picked in late December.  This was a nice little Vin de Noël and illustrates the experimental spirit going on at Doisy-Daëne.  

The wines from this property are typically a bit more elegant and refined than powerfully honeyed and rich.  They do make a reserve bottling in years where there's a lot of botrytis and this wine is called L'Extravagant de Doisy-Daëne.  Extravagant, indeed, as the wine costs a small fortune if you can find it.  

We currently have the 1997 Doisy-Daëne in stock.  This is a medium-yellow Sauternes, a bit less 'golden' in color than many at ten years of age.  But that's part of the style of Doisy-Daëne...it's not a rock 'em, sock 'em style of wine.   Yet they seem to age magnificently.  

Currently in stock:  1997 Doisy-Daëne Sale $54.99 (last bottles)

CHÂTEAU de FARGUES

If you find the label of de Fargues reminiscent of the label of d'Yquem, you're not alone.

The wines both bear the names Lur Saluces, a family whose roots in Sauternes go back more than 500 years.  The family once owned not only d'Yquem and this property, but also de Malle, Coutet and Filhot.  But that was then and this is now.  

Alexandre Lur Saluces ran d'Yquem for several decades before the family sold the place out from under him.  But he still owns Château de Fargues and makes a superb Sauternes rivaling d'Yquem.   The property was given life by Bertrand de Lur Saluces, Al's late uncle, back in the 1930s.  He slowly planted a few hectares and the first wine was made during World War II.  Over the years the quality has improved, though if you taste de Fargues alongside d'Yquem, you'll see it's similarly styled but typically a shade or two less powerful.  This is, in part, due to the geology of the vineyards.   Still, we've had memorable bottles of de Fargues and the wine certainly recalls the majestic and concentrated wines of its 'cousin.'

You might call this "poor man's d'Yquem," but you still need some cash to obtain a bottle of de Fargues.  

We have the excellent and remarkably fine 2003 in stock.  Here was a hot vintage which was saved by a spot of rain in early September and careful and constant monitoring of the vines throughout the harvest.  It's a bright golden color and shows wonderfully honeyed and vanilla sugar notes on the nose and palate.  There are some pineapple tones on the palate and the wine is remarkably showy now and probably has a couple of decades ahead of it!

A bottle of two of the 1989 are in stock, as well.  This wine shows lots of richness, with nice oily, honeyed textures on the palate.  The last bottle we opened had flavors of candied citrus.  Very fine!

Currently in stock:  2003 DE FARGUES Sauternes $89.99
1989 DE FARGUES Sauternes $99.99

 

 

CHATEAU GUIRAUD

This 100 hectare estate has about 82 of those hectares in the Sauternes appellation.  Two-thirds of the vines are Sémillon and the rest is Sauvignon Blanc.  Running the show at this estate is Xavier Planty, a fellow who came on board at the estate when the Canadian family, the Narby's, bought the place in the early 1980s.  We visited shortly after the Narby's took over and met Hamilton Narby.  He was an engaging fellow, but he apparently didn't get along well with the neighbors.  Eventually he even rubbed his folks the wrong way and he's no longer affiliated with the property, though he worked to bring a serious upgrade in quality at Guiraud.

The 1988 vintage is exceptional for Guiraud.  It's deep in color, very honeyed and rich.  But since we only have it in magnum format, I suppose you'll have to round up a few friends and share.

Currently in stock:  1988 Château Guiraud Sauternes $99.99 (magnum)
1999 Château Guiraud Sauternes $41.99 (750ml)
1989 Château Guiraud Sauternes $79.99 (last bottle)

 

CHATEAU LA TOUR BLANCHE
1999 Sauternes $49.99 (750ml)-one bottle remains

In 1909 the owner, Daniel Iffla (known as Osiris...don't ask me why), of La Tour Blanche donated the property to the Institut Pasteur one one condition:  a school of viticulture and enology be set up.  It is operated by the Ministère de l'Agriculture.  They have about 70 hectares, half of which is Sauternes.  The property is primarily planted with Sémillon, Muscadelle accounting for but 3% and Sauvignon amounting to 20%.  

Located due south of Chateau d'Yquem, not every vintage is "declared."  The juice is barrel-fermented and, like d'Yquem, only new wood is used. 

We have some 1999 in the store.  It's a rather rich, nicely honeyed Sauternes...drinkable now (and how!) and yet with some additional cellaring potential.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CHATEAU NAIRAC
1997  Barsac  Sold Out

This is a rather highly-regarded estate in the Barsac region.  Owned by Nicole Tari, the winemaker is Nicolas Heeter-Tari.  From some 17 hectares, annual production amounts to but about 2,000 cases.  The vineyard is about 90% Sémillon, with just 6% Sauvignon and 4% Muscadelle.   Some percentage of new oak is employed for the primary fermentation of the juice and this accounts for some of the complexity and power of this wine.  

We included this in a blind-tasting of 1997 Sauternes in mid-2001 and the wine was the first-place finisher, ahead of Rieussec, Climens, Coutet, Suduiraut and others.  For good reason!  The fragrance and flavors are intense, showing honey, ginger and vanillin.  Nairac '97 may be consumed in its youth (and how!) with desserts, Foie Gras or Roquefort cheese.  I find it difficult to predict the life span of this wine as the acidity doesn't seem especially high.  Perhaps the sugar and alcohol will preserve it well into the next decade, but opening a bottle now is a decadent treat that will make fans of Sauternes those who claim to "not like dessert wines."  

 

CHÂTEAU TIRECUL LA GRAVIERE 2000 Monbazillac $36.99 (500ml)

The Dordogne isn't exactly known for its wine production, though the region does send one fairly prominent "ambassador" out into the world of wine: Monbazillac.  People have long looked at the wines of this region as "Poor Man's Sauternes" and, in fact, some are wines worthy of that description.

The estate of Claudie and Bruno Bilancini cannot be classified as "Poor man's anything," since it's easier to find a Sauternes for less money than you'll pay for Tirecul La Graviere.  In fact, the Bilancini's "reserve" wine, Cuvée Madame will set you back nearly as much as a bottle of Château d'Yquem!

Bilancini takes more care than most of his neighbors, so if you're looking for something budget-priced, this property is not a likely source.  The wines are based on a blend similar to that of Sauternes and Barsac.  Oak is used here, though it's not dominating the wine.  I find a mild spice note, somewhat reminiscent of ginger, along with the honeyed character one expects of late-harvested dessert wines.

CHÂTEAU HAUT-BERGERON
2001 $23.99 (375ml)  SOLD OUT

This is a label owned by the Lamothe family and it's a wine which rarely gets much publicity from various eno-scribes, yet we've always been impressed by their wine.

That said, it's interesting to note that you can typically find wines from their more famous neighbors, often for a little less money.  Still, the local importer sells out with great regularity because the wine appeals to those who've taken the plunge and bought a bottle (or two).

 

The estate is about 17 hectares.  Predominantly old vine (60 years is the average age, supposedly) Sémillon, with only a tiny percentage of Sauvignon Blanc and Muscadelle.  I read in one journal they use about 50% new oak, which is surprising because the wine doesn't show the wood.  

The 2001 vintage is magnificent.  Deep in color, the visual aspects tip off the astute taster that there's a good chance of a fair bit of botrytis here.  The nose doesn't disappoint, displaying lots of honey, apricot and "sweet" fragrances.  The palate is rich, oily and the finish is quite long.  

The local importer told me "As you know, the appellation is small enough that just about every estate could claim to be a "neighbor of d'Yquem". In this instance, the Chateau does have a rather large vineyard just next to d'Yquem as well as vineyards near the Chateau in Preignac. In fact, they once showed me an old label that actually stated "contigu d'Yquem". They also own a parcel in Barsac  next to Climens. In any event they make consistently good Sauternes."

Luscious wine!

 

CHÂTEAU LA COLLINE
"Confit de la Colline"  $17.99 (375ml)  Sold Out Presently

The Dordogne is wonderfully pretty terrain and, if you poke around a bit, you can find some rather nice wines there.

One such treasure are the wines from Charles Martin of Château de La Colline.  This fellow makes some dynamite red wines and we have them in the shop.  As Bergerac is not so far from Sauternes, there's a bit of Sémillon planted and some of it is "risked" in hopes of producing sweet wines.

Martin has done just that and brilliantly, we might add.  His wine is dubbed "Confit de la Colline" and it's a gem!  Made entirely of Sémillon, the wine is sweet, honeyed and has notes of dried apricots.  You can serve this with Foie gras, if you like, or pair it with an apple or pear dessert (Tarte Tatin comes to mind).  It is delicious now, in its youth.

Bob Gorman paired this recently with a fantastic fruit bowl for dessert...a superb combination!

CHÂTEAU de RAYNE VIGNEAU
1996 $39.99 (750ml)

This estate first gained fame in 1867 when it was called Vigneau-Pontac and it garnered the grand prize at the Paris fair.  I don't know what became of it after that, but it's an estate which sometimes offers rather good Sauternes.

I just tasted the vaunted 2001 and was not impressed.  Maybe the sample shown by the estate was not ready.  But I can tell you the 1999 is marvelous!  Rayne-Vigneau has a fair bit of Sauvignon in it, so the wine is rarely as rich and oily as its neighbors.  But the 1999 is pretty complete and deep;  sweet but not heavy or cloying.  It is delicious now and ought to remain in good condition (and even grow a bit) with several more years in the bottle.

The 1996 is a well-developed bottle...it's quite ready to drink now and not hugely sweet, but quite good.

 

CHÂTEAU GRAVAS
2001 (List $20) SALE $14.99 (375ml)

This property is located nearly directly across the street from Doisy-Dubroca and Doisy-Daëne, a couple of moderately well-known Barsac estates.

Château Gravas gets its name from the rather gravelly soil at this 11 hectare property.  The vineyards are approximately 80% Sémillon and 10% each of Sauvignon and Muscadelle.  The wine is not made in a big, rich style, but displays overtones of pineapple-like fruit.  It's sweet, but not especially sticky.  Wood is not a major part of this wine, it having been matured in stainless steel and large wooden casks.  The 2001 is delicious now and should develop a bit more complexity with three to five more years of bottle aging.  

DOMAINE LA HITAIRE

The Grassa family is to the Gascony region what Robert Mondavi has been to the Napa Valley. 

They make oodles of table wines under whatever label you'd like and the over all quality is pretty good.  We see a number of wines from the family presented by all sorts of importers, for example.

The Grassa family's La Hitaire wine was one I first ran into at the lovely restaurant of Bernard Daubin in Gascony.  The Grassa's, apparently, are fans of Bernard's soulful cooking and he has a number of their products on his wine list (not to mention an Armagnac, or two).  

La Hitaire is a special project and we rather fancy their "Jardin d'Hiver," a slightly sweet wine made of both Gros Manseng and Petit Manseng.  It's sort of a flatlanders version of some of the mountain wines of the nearby region of Jurançon.  The fragrances are sweet and you'll expect a rich impression on the palate.  The wine starts sweet on entry, but you'll find the finish is far drier than you might have expected.  Though we list this on our dessert page, keep in mind this wine as a suitable bottle for Foie Gras.

Currently in stock:  2003 La Hitaire "Jardin d'Hiver" $14.99 (375ml)

 

DOMAINE LAFFONT

The white wine called Pacherenc du Vic-Bihl is about as obscure as you might hope to find.  It's a marvelous wine from Gascony and is produced in both dry and sweet formats.  I suspect "sweet" is the more traditional as back in 1745 the law did not permit the harvest for this wine to commence until November 4th!  Recent statistics show the production of sweet wine outstrips that of dry wines in the appellation by a 2 to 1 margin.

Pierre Speyer, one of our favorite Madiran producers, sent a few bottles of his precious, nectar-like Pacherenc.  It's made entirely of Petit Manseng, though one might blend Arrufiac, Courbu, Sauvignon Blanc and/or Sémillon if one cared to.

Laffont's wine offers an exceptional fragrance.  It's honeyed to a degree, with notes of white flower fragrances and ripe, tropical fruit.  In Gascony, of course, this sort of wine is consumed with Foie Gras.  Here in California, where state legislators have passed a bill to outlaw the production of Foie Gras, you might want to pair this with a rich dessert.  Sheep's milk cheese is said to pair well with Pacherenc.  

Currently available:  2004 Pacherenc du Vic Bihl $16.99 (last bottles)

CHÂTEAU LE THIBAUT

The Monbazillac appellation covers about 2500 hectares of vines and the wines made there have long been viewed as "poor man's Sauternes."  

We view this estate's wine as "smart shopper's Sauternes," since the quality is exceptional in 2003 and the price is reasonably ridiculous.

Case in point:  A sales rep brought in a sample of a rather famous, prestigious sweet wine from Italy.  The wholesale price on his wine was $45 for a half bottle and it was a nice wine.  I can't imagine paying that price for such a rather simple wine.

I then poured a taste of Château Le Thibaut for the rep whose first statement was "Wow!" when he sniffed the wine and then he guessed this as having about a $25 price tag.  In fact, nobody has guessed this as costing just ten bucks for a half bottle.

Monbazillac wines come from Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc and Muscadelle and the soils are clay and limestone.  This wine, as I understand it, is about half Sémillon, 40% Muscadelle and 10% Sauvignon.  The nose is gorgeous...honeyed, floral and fruity.  The wine is fairly sweet, but not syrup. 

 

Currently in stock:  2003 CHÂTEAU LE THIBAUT "Monbazillac"  $17.99 (750ml)  Half bottles are now sold out...

 

CHÂTEAU HAUT-MAYNE

Small, relatively unknown properties around the world of wine tend to try to associate themselves with more famous neighbors.
Virtually every estate in Sauternes is described as being "close to Château d'Yquem."  The marketing notion is that some of d'Yquem's luster might rub off on the other wineries.

Some wineries will tell you they buy barrels from a famous neighbor, again trying to associate the quality of their wine with that of the famous vintner nearby.  This is simply a form of voodoo.

Château Haut-Mayne is not too far from d'Yquem, though.  And they're actually pretty near Château Suduiraut.  But only someone with a lead palate would mistake Haut-Mayne's wine for the nectars made by the famous neighbors.

The good news, though, is that Haut-Mayne's Sauternes is quite fine and it arrives here for a sensible price.  The property encompasses some 7.5 hectares of Sauternes and they make some Bordeaux Supérieur as well.

The estate is owned by the Roumazeilles family.  These folks also own Château Grillon, a Barsac estate whose wines we've had for a number of vintages.  The 'secret' of the Haut-Mayne estate is that its vineyards are about 70 years old.  The property is predominantly Sémillon with about 10% of the estate devoted to Sauvignon Blanc.
No Muscadelle at Haut-Mayne.

 

Low yields, of course.  And the wines are typically affected with botrytis cinerea due to the property being close to the river.  While estates such as d'Yquem have the financial resources to selectively harvest the grapes, sending pickers through numerous times, a small property such as this one harvest in two, three or four passages.

About 30% of the juice is fermented in wood.  It usually takes about 3 weeks to ferment before the yeast die of exhaustion (and alcohol).  The wine is then matured in oak for about a year and a half.  Barrels are employed for about four or five years.  

 

We have the delicious, honeyed, apricot-like 2005 vintage.  The wine is nicely balanced and I wouldn't guess it to have spent much time in wood.  It's sweet and fairly unctuous without being heavy or cloying.  Of course, foie gras might be a fine accompaniment.  But you could also serve this with fruit desserts such as an apple tart, strudel or pie.  Apricot and peach desserts would also work handsomely.

Currently in stock:  2005 CHÂTEAU HAUT-MAYNE Sauternes $18.99 (375ml)

 

We also have some other Sauternes in half and full bottle format (as well as some magnums of Guiraud).  Stop by to check out the current offerings.

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Last modified: April 22, 2008