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Bordeaux 2004: Sauternes & Barsac
Bordeaux 2004
At Two Years
Sauternes & Barsac
Towards Maturity
This vintage is not one that had the vignerons of Sauternes and Barsac in a bullish mood. The warm, damp months of summer, combined with the heavy, compact bunches, encouraged rot other than the noble variety, and the sorting out of good fruit from the diseased was a feature of the early tries. Nevertheless there was botrytis to be found, and a lengthy first pass brought in some good quality fruit. Good conditions ensued, and the immediately subsequent tries were also of good quality. Then followed the rains of October, which gradually became heavier; once these had passed, it was November before any further tries through the vineyards were effected. There was more botrytis, but less concentration, and as is often the case the harvest at this point was certainly of lesser quality.
Tasting the wines, nevertheless, shows the results to be good, although certainly it lacks the intensity and character of the 2003 vintage. Nevertheless there are one or two stars, most notably Climens, which sits comfortably apart from its peers in this line up. I was also quite taken by Suduiraut, but it certainly didn't have the panache of the 2003. (10/11/06)
Sauternes & Barsac 2004: Tasting Notes
Tasted at the UGC de
Bordeaux tasting in October 2006. Click
to locate stockists.
Chateau Bastor-Lamontagne 2004: Blood oranges, something I seem to
find in every vintage of Bastor! Rather lifted and certainly fresh on the nose.
Light in style on the palate though, fresh and lean, crisp acidity, peppery.
Firmly styled, no seductive fat here. Merely good. 15/20
Chateau de Fargues 2004: There is a lovely depth on the nose here,
showing some rather subtle botrytis, in a very fat style. Some deep, quince and
botrytis notes on the palate with considerable quality of flavour. Rich and
meaty, vibrant with fresh acidity too. A very fat style. This is very good. 17+/20
Chateau Guiraud 2004: Expressive, deep, concentrated, honeyed nose.
Big Guiraud style, freshly structured, although there is a little volatility
coming through and plenty of brutal fruit. Ripe, certainly touched by botrytis,
creamy, with very good cutting acidity which the wine needs. This has a rich and
structured, masculine style. It may come really good with time. 16/20
Chateau La Tour Blanche 2004: Beautiful, well delineated, floral and
honeyed fruit, expressive, with some nice botrytis. Gorgeous, welcoming, rich
and fat atyle with moderate acidity. Nicely poised with purely simple fruit at
present. This is lovely and has good potential. 16.5+/20
Chateau Lafaurie Peyraguey 2004:
A very reticent nose here today, showing a little flowery fruit and oak. Lovely
weight on the palate, huge texture, rolling across the palate, carrying and
honey and barley sugar character. Very big and rich style, with good acidity. A
lovely Lafaurie. 17+/20
Chateau de Malle 2004: Quite an evocative nose here, with honey,
apricot and quince on the nose. Fat, with rather low acidity, although still
showing a fresh character. Subtle botrytis, honeyed fruit, but it has depth
behind this facade. Lovely style, and very good potential. 17/20
Chateau de Rayne-Vigneau
2004: A floral nose, exotic fruits, sweet
with vanilla oak notes. Lovely freshness immediately apparent on the palate,
although this goes hand-in-hand with a leaner style, with sweet but simple
pineapple and peach fruit. Nice acidic cut, though. Not much botrytis.
Complexity may come with time. Good wine. 16+/20
Chateau Sigalas-Rabaud 2004:
Honey and barley sugar nose here, with a white pepper nuance. Fresh style,
elegant, with a creamy fatness. Honey, botrytis, flower petals with well
delineated acids. Good potential. It has good style. 16.5+/20
Chateau Suduiraut 2004:
Compared to the other wines on show, this has a welcoming, open, fresh and
vibrant nose, with aromas of honey, cashew nuts and barley sugar, the last point
being something I noticed when I last tasted this six months ago. The palate is
really very fat and creamily viscous, with bright honey, barley sugar, pineapple
sweetness. Not heavy with botrytis, but fresh and hugely appealing. This has
really very good potential. Not the success of the 2003 though! 17.5+/20
Chateau Climens 2004:
This has a very deep, almost meaty nose, certainly showing a huge amount of
depth and complexity rather than just primary notes. Lovely style on the palate,
again showing great depth and complexity, with soft acidity melded with honey,
stone fruit, quince and pineapple, roasted together in a very complete panoply
of flavour. Very distinct style in this vintage, huge and really incomparable;
there is not a wine here close to this. 18+/20
Chateau Doisy-Daëne 2004: A complex nose here, smoky, meaty, and also
a little volatility showing. Rather fat, rich and creamy, deeply flavoured,
rather low acidity, all very appealing, and it certainly has vitality. But there
is less focus than some other wines perhaps. Good wine with some complexity. 16.5/20
Chateau Doisy-Védrines 2004: A very expressive nose here, with some
good botrytis character, and lots of honeyed, apricots and quince. Rich, fat and
unctuous on the palate, with acidity on the low side again. Lacks a little
balance and focus perhaps, but remains quite fresh despite this. Honeyed fruit,
with great depth on the finish. Good wine, with potential. 16.5+/20
Chateau Nairac 2004: Much more depth on the nose here, with some
peppery oak and honeyed fruit. Creamy, good depth of sweet, honey coated
peachy-apricot fruit. Still a trace of oak, lovely depth, suggestive of
complexity unrevealed as yet. Vibrant, barley sugar finish. Very good style. 16.5+/20
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