2017 Sauternes retasted

 2017 Sauternes

Sauternes and Barsac retasted in bottle, and the wines have, unusually, lighter bodied in bottle from what I remember from primeur. Most Sauternes houses aim at 14% alcohol to get that fullbodied rich mouthfeel that Sauternes is famed for, but I think all wines tasted below has 13,5 alcohol on the label. That gives an unusually bright expression, almost lifted and some feel ethereal but some may argue that they rather have the style with more weight. 2017 is a vintage where even the Sauternes feel like Barsac’s. 

Barsac always have that brighter and somewhat crisper nuance to them, and this year, all the tasted wines had that feel. Unfortunately some were missing, so I did not get to retaste the “entire picture”, but most of the important ones are here. I think it will be a vintage that will be lovely all the way, and it will be fascinating to hopefully follow this vintage over the next decades and see how they age. They are a bit unusual in their style, yet have the freshness to liven things up. Way back when, Sauternes was a sort of aperitif, and a vintage like this is at least more or less perfection on a hot summer afternoon in the shade somewhere in the garden. 

I taste and drink far more Sauternes than most, and love that I got to taste a few estates that I very rarely do taste. D’Arche, Lamothe Guignard and Suau are very rare birds around here, but even Nairac that I do taste occasionally when I can find a bottle showed up. Most of the others I enjoy frequently. Sauternes, the most underrated wines on this planet. Not by wine critics, but by you, consumers! If you enjoy life, you can’t resist Sauternes. Of that I’m sure! 

2017 Château d’Arche

Pale golden. Fruit driven, apricots, peach and faintly spicy nose. Fresh acidity, peach, vanilla, spices, lighter bodied, caster sugar, leaner, good length. 89

2017 Château Broustet

Pale golden. Light nose of peach, apricots and and light vanilla nose. Fresh acidity, peach, apricots, pineapples, lighter bodied, touch bitter in the finish, good length. 88

2017 Château Clos Haut Peyraguey

Pale golden. Light nose of peach, fruit driven, some light spicy notes, pineapples nose. Fresh acidity, peach, pineapples, elegant texture, bit lean finish. 91

2017 Château Coutet

Pale golden. Peach, apples, elegant nose, some vanilla, lighter nose for Coutet. Fresh acidity, peach, some vanilla, apricots, elegant and refreshing, i like the brightness of it this vintage, very pure feel if a bit less intense. 93

2017 Château Doisy Daëne 

Pale golden. Bright nose, nuanced and detailed, elegant pure fruit, tropical, peach and pineapples, very bright expression. Fresh acidity, peach and pineapples, bright, pure, a lightweight with superb balance, long finish. 94

2017 Château Filhot

Pale golden. Apricots, light vanilla, fruit driven nose if leaner, apples. Fresh acidity, apples, peach, lemons, elegant and fruit driven, lighter bodied, lovely texture, bit short. 89

2017 Château Guiraud

Golden. Apricots, peach, fruit driven, vanilla, pineapples, nuanced nose. Fresh acidity, fruit driven, peach, apricots, detailed, elegant texture, long finish. Elegant style for Guiraud, lighter and brighter. 93

2017 Château Lamothe Guignard

Pale golden. Apricots, fruit driven, peach, vanilla, fruit driven nose. Fresh acidity, fruit driven, apricots, peach, vanilla, light bodied but elegant, a lovely Lamothe Guignard, even if still a lighter Sauternes. 89

2017 Château de Myrat

Pale golden. Peach, fruit driven, apricots, faint floral and vanilla nose. Fresh acidity, apples, fruit driven, peach and pineapples, faintly spicy, long finish if narrower. 91

2017 Château Nairac

Pale golden. Peach, apricots, pineapples, some spices nose, nuanced, some vanilla. Fresh acidity, fruit driven, peach, apricots, fruit driven, long finish. 92

2017 Château de Rayne Vigneau

Golden. Vanilla, apples, peach, grilled pineapples, faint cinnamon touch nose. Fresh acidity, creamy, pineapples, smooth and rounded, elegant texture, lovely balance, subtle, long finish. 93

2017 Château Sigalas Rabaud

Pale golden. Apricots, peach, apricots, tight nose, some vanilla and spices. Fresh acidity, peach, apples, elegant texture, a gracious Sauternes, a ballet danced tiptoeing over the tongue, long finish, and everything is transparent and tender. A beauty! 94

2017 Château Suau

Golden. Apricots, fruit driven, peach nose, lighter. Fresh acidity, light bodied, rounded, elegant texture, good length. 88

2017 Château Suduiraut

Golden. Apricots, pineapples, vanilla, fairly intense, nuanced, bright and detailed nose. Fresh acidity, peach, pineapples, intense, bright, elegant texture, detailed, bright, long finish. 95

2017 Castelneau de Suduiraut 

Golden. Peach, fruit driven, apples, pineapples, vanilla, nuanced, detailed, elegant nose. Fresh acidity, peach, spices, nuanced, bright, pure feel, long. 91

2017 Lions de Suduiraut 

Golden. Peach, apricots, pineapples, peach, some vanilla and spices nose, fruit driven. Fresh acidity, fruit driven, peach, pears, pineapples, elegant texture, long. 90

2017 Château La Tour Blanche

Golden. Apricots, vanilla, peach, pineapples, some spices, a lighter nose for La Tour Blanche. Fresh acidity, peach, pineapples, fruit driven, lighter bodied, nuanced, long. 94