2017 Primeur Sauternes and their dry counterparts

One perfect scoring wine in this appelation even if I found this vintage particularly and unusually hard to taste during primeurs. The wines are very charming, very pure and bright with playful and often mouthwatering acidity. But I felt quite a few lack some of the complexity and concentration and even length that I expect from truly great vintages of Sauternes. I tasted several wines twice with similar feelings towards them.

2017 Château d’Arche

Pale golden. Apples, apricots, pineapples, fruity nose. Fresh acidity, fresh, fruity, apples, some minerals, playful, long finish. 89-91

2017 Château Bastor Lamontagne

Pale golden. Peach, fruity nose, lighter. Fresh acidity, fresh, fruity, lively, bit lean and could be more complex, good length. 87-89

2017 Château Broustet

Pale golden. Fruity, fresh, lighter nose. Fresh acidity, fresh, fruity, lighter, playful, good length. 87-89

2017 Château Cantegril

Pale golden. Apples, fruity, minerals, peach and apricots nose. Fresh acidity, fruity, apples, fruity, pure and elegant, lovely balance. 88-90

2017 Château Climens

Not madet his year.

2017 Château Coutet

Pale golden. Apricots, pineapples, pure fruity nose. Fresh acidity, fruity, apples, apricots, nuanced, elegant, long. Playful. 91-93

2017 Château Doisy Daëne

Pale golden. Apples, peach, apricots, pineapples, pure and bright fruity nose. Fresh acidity, fresh, detailed, playful, bright, elegant, lovely balance, long. 92-94

2017 L'Extravagant de Doisy Daëne 

Pale golden. Peach, apricots, pineapples, focused and linear, nuanced nose. Fresh acidity, nuanced, detailed, playful, marvelous acidity actually, bright, layered, subtle yet intense, mouthwatering, incredible length. Sauternes of the vintage once again. This is incredibly pure and filigree. The utter greatness of this one can be difficult to detect. If you ever get to try it. Enjoy it while meditating. The energy in this one is in a class of its own. 100

2017 Château Doisy-Védrines

Pale golden. Fruity, apples, apricots, lighter nose. Fresh acidity, fruity, playful, elegant, lighter, refreshing. 88-90

2017 Château de Fargues

Pale golden. Apricots, pineapples, peach, fruity, elegant and bright nose. Fresh acidity, fresh, fruity, detailed, beautiful, lively, nuanced and long. Superb purity. 94-96

2017 Château Filhot

Pale golden. Light fruity, pears nose, easy going. Fresh acidity, fresh, fruity, lighter, playful, good length. 87-89

2017 Clos Haut-Peyraguey

Pale golden. Apricots, peach, fruity, nice but lighter nose. Fresh acidity, fruity, apples, rounded, elegant texture, long. 91-93

2017 Château Guiraud

Pale golden. Apricots, pineapples, fruity nose, pure. Fresh acidity, fresh, fruity, ripe, detailed, creamy texture, lovely balance, long. 92-94

2017 G de Guiraud

Pale lemon yellow. Grapefruits, minerals nose, fresh. Fresh acidity, minerals, fruity, some grapefruits, leaner, good length. 86-88

2017 Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey

Pale golden. Apricots, fruity, peach, tight nose, pure. Fresh acidity, fruity, apricots, pineapples, detailed, fruity, long. 93-95

2017 Château Lamothe Guignard

Pale lemon yellow. Light peach and pineapples nose. Fresh acidity, playful, fruity, bright elegant if lighter, a lovely Lamothe Guignard. 87-89

2017 Château Liot

Apples, fresh, pears and leach nose. Fresh acidity, fruity, fresh, apples, peach, elegant. 

2017 Château de Malle

Golden. Apricots, fruity, peach and pineapples nose. Fresh acidity, playful, fresh and bright, superb playfulness, mouthwatering, just a bit short. Lovely. 90-92

2017 Château de Myrat

Tasted twice. Pale golden. Apples, apricots, peach, pineapples, pure fruity nose, scented. Fresh acidity, fresh, fruity, apples, playful, leach, lovely balance, playful. 91-93

2017 Château Rabaud-Promis

Pale golden. Fruity, apples, peach, apricots, fairly intense nose. Fresh acidity, fresh, fruity, apples, lively, long. 89-91

2017 Château Raymond-Lafon

Pale golden. Apricots, some spices, pineapples, detailed and intense, layered, lovely nose. Fresh acidity, apples, fruity, rounded, bit riper, elegant, nuanced, detailed, long. 92-94

2017 Château Rayne Vigneau

Pale golden. Apricots, floral, peach, intense nose. Fresh acidity, fruity, floral, peach, tropical, long. Not too complex but the concentration and balance keeps it interesting. 91-93

2017 Château Rieussec

Pale golden. Apricots, peach, fruity, elegant and nuanced nose. Fresh acidity, fruity, apples, peach, detailed, playful, intense, long. 92-94

2017 Château Sigalas Rabaud

Pale golden. Apricots, pineapples, fresh, fruity, peachy nose, pure. Fresh acidity, fresh, fruity, apples, pineapples, lively, detailed and playful, long. 91-93

2017 Château Suau

Pale gold. Fruity nose, fresh, pineapples and peach. Fresh acidity, fresh, fruity, elegant, playful, good length. 88-90

2017 Château Suduiraut

Tasted twice Pale golden. Apricots, pineapples, fruity, nuanced, detailed, pure nose. Fresh acidity, fruity, apples, pineapples, nuanced, pure and lively, mouthwatering, long. Juicy. 93-95

2017 S de Suduiraut

Pale lemon yellow. Apples, grapefruits, minerals, detailed nose. Fresh acidity, fruity, apples, grapefruits, minerals, elegant, refreshing, good length. 88-90

2017 Le Blanc Sec de Suduiraut

Pale lemon yellow. Apples and ripe gooseberries nose. Fresh acidity, fresh, fruity, lighter, rounded. 85-87

2017 Château La Tour Blanche

APR 18 Pale golden. Apricots, pineapples, fruity, detailed and intense nose. Fresh acidity, fresh, fruity, apricots, detailed, playful and long. 92-94

2017 Château d’Yquem

APR 17 Pale gold. Apricots, fruits, pineapples, peach, pure nose, nuanced yet tight. Fresh acidity, fresh, fruity, pineapples, pure, detailed, intense, layered, transparent almost feel to it yet quite dense and concentrated, long. 95-97