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Bordeaux 2008: Sauternes & Barsac

As always this region deserves some special consideration, simply because the creation of a great Sauternes requires different circumstances than those necessary for the red wines of Bordeaux. This is the reason that, although there is some cross-over, vintages in which both styles excel, in many cases brilliant sweet wines emerge in a year that is widely disappointing when looking at the red wines...such as in 2007, and also in 1997.

Naturally the climate over the vineyards of Sauternes and Barsac is little different from that for the surrounding Pessac-Léognan, or the other communes of the left bank. Indeed, in 2008 the influences on the harvest are much the same as elsewhere; an early April frost reduced yields dramatically, there was an early threat of mildew, and the weather was frequently dismal. Nevertheless, once ripening is underway and it is time for botrytis to do its work, such inclement weather can be beneficial as the humid conditions encourage the development of noble rot. So in late September, with the vineyards full of botrytis-smothered grapes, the prospects seemed good, and they were only looking better when the fruit and mould began to dry out in the wave of warm weather that arrived across the region, concentrating the juice and the flavour. The first tries took place under these conditions, bringing in a large proportion of the fruit. As time went on, however, it became apparent that this was the best of it. A further light smattering of botrytis after some mid-October rain prompted a second wave of picking, but the conditions did not favour sufficient dehydration to move the fruit into the brown, desiccated, roasted (or rôti) stage, and this was true of subsequent October tries. Picking continued well into November on some estates, although because of rain concentration was down.

Meeting the wines at the UGC 2008 Sauternes tasting, this year again hosted by a Margaux estate, Chateau Dauzac (last year it was Desmirail), it was only natural that I should compare them to my memory of the 2007s tasted this time last year. That vintage was very impressive; fabulous depth, deliciously defined crystalline fruit, hints of botrytis and, importantly for me, punchy acidity to keep the freshness. This year we have a lot less. I asked the charming Laure de Lambert des Granges-Compeyrot of Sigalas-Rabaud how the vintage had gone for her, and her reply, "difficile", was accompanied by a tired expression. Her terroir is favourable it seems, south-facing in places and so the vines escaped the frost, and so here - as everywhere else in Bordeaux - there are always reasons why the wine is better than you might think, but I was impressed by her honest appraisal of the vintage. The yield here was 14 hl/ha; I am quite sure other estates will have even lower figures.

So this is a small year for Sauternes, in quantity and, on tasting the wine, in quality too. Despite that first tri reportedly being endowed with botrytis, this didn't come through well in the wines up for tasting. Few wines had any great definition, although some, like Lafaurie-Peyraguey, Rieussec and others, did have freshness and an appealing acidity. But the wines on the whole lacked depth and concentration. These are appealing sweet wines without great Sauternes character; they lack the depth of botrytis to be great, and I would say to even be distinctive. The one exception, surprise, surprise, was Yquem, which showed delicious tropical fruit complexity, and it certainly had hidden depths. Not a great Yquem, certainly, but a very good wine nevertheless. As for the rest of the wines, if sold at the right price - and that seems unlikely considering the expense incurred in the vineyards and the low yields - they might make appealing drinking, but for vibrancy, depth of flavour and especially richness of botrytis character, especially if you also want a favourable price, look to a different vintage. (22/4/09)

Sauternes & Barsac 2008: Tasting Notes

Tasted in Bordeaux in April 2009. Click to locate stockists.