I’ve recently decided to more actively explore (and buy for storage) Sauternes. While I normally have reserved my “study” for Claret and have been lucky to have some very nice Sauternes (and d’yquem), I’m not very familiar with “typical” characteristics of specific estates. I realise of course that I am asking for wild generalisations that won’t always hold, but here goes anyway!
Specifically, how would you place the big 1er crus on the spectrum (if one exists) of concentration vs finesse? or “sweetness” or any other characteristics one could think of! I wanted to explore the “extremes” as it were
If you’re looking for a top name, a great wine and an amazingly low price, Coutet is a good place to start. Its 2010 - read about it - is available for less than many a Cru Bourgeois claret.
I’ve had several vintages of Lamothe-Guignard, which is always sound, usually good value, but not really with the finesse of the others listed.
I don’t agree with the strictures on buying en primeur. During the period when the Chinese were going a bit mad over red Bordeaux, I managed to buy Rieussec for several years, because it was being forced on intermediaries as a condition of securing an allocation of Lafite, then promptly dumped back into the market at a discount.
Another wine that has reliably been good value en primeur - and GV generally - is Doisy-Vedrines.
And one that flies under radar, but is generally both rich and fine, is Raymond-Lafon.
My partner and I both love Sauternes and have experimented with food matches: we have a risotto with Taleggio and a couple of vegetarian Indian dishes with complex spices that work well, as long as one doesn’t expect anything traditional!
That’s pretty much my impression too – that it’s (relatively) affordable here in Australia is one of the main reasons I’ve tried several vintages too. Imported wines here often double or treble in price compared with France or the UK, particularly from prestigious regions.
I will look out for them, perhaps when I’m next in France.
I have heard that Sauternes can be surprisingly good with certain foods. I’ve even heard it can be good with roast chicken, though I can’t imagine it. I have yet to experiment with matching it with anything other than blue cheeses, especially Roquefort, however… but this is generally a perfect match.
I sometimes roast a chicken with saffron salt on the skin and rosemary and lemon under the skin (plus some more + garlic) inside it. Usually I would pair it with a rose of some sort but a not too sweet Sauternes could be a fascinating match.
Memories of an Yquem dinner as a student where we had it with, amongst various other things, lobster ravioli. Unfortunately I was suffering from food poisoning at the time so really didn’t appreciate it! Climens with duck and figs at another was a great combo.
I quite agree: Doisy-Vedrines is definitely GV (as is Coutet - magnificent stuff), and the 2009 Raymond-Lafon was, to my mind, one of the most delicious Sauternes I have tasted, with perfect balance of sweetness and acidity, and a body just the right side of unctuous.
I absolutely take the point made above about not buying en primeur but I still do it from time to time. Part of me feels that if someone who loves these wines like I do doesn’t buy them then who will. But that is emotional, not rational, and it is perfectly reasonable to disagree entirely!
I was discussing Barsac v Sauternes with Steve Webb (the other partner, along with Bill Blatch, in Bordeaux Gold, specialists in Bordeaux’s sweet wines) when I tasted many of the 2018s in Bordeaux 10 days ago. He concurred that Barsac was often richer and more rounded than Sauternes, though there are of course exceptions. I have a feeling (though cannot give an example off the top of my head) that some Barsac producers put Sauternes on the label, just to make it even less clear-cut.
Wow, thanks all for the responses – many more than I expected!
I’ve found BBR have a 6 bottles case of 2x 1997, 2002, 2004 Coutet for pretty a good price (on BBX) that I’ve just put in a bid for. I drunk some 97 Coutet and 88 Raymond Lafon last week at a dinner and both were lovely (though the Coutet especially). This was at 10cases in London which I would heartily recommend.
Sid, I would be a bit concerned about the 2002 and 2004 Coutet, neither are great years. Although a recent bottle of the 03 was better, I also have not been very impressed by the 03 and 05 Coutets I have drunk, and suspect more recent and possibly older vintages may be better. I did in the past greatly enjoy some 04s (being Raymond Lafon and Doisy Daen) but the couple of bottles I have sampled recently were in my view on the decline. Recently enjoyed Doisy Daen , Doisy Vedrines and Rayne Vigneaux 07s (less happy at the moment with the Lafaurie-Peyraguey 07). One interesting feature I have found with many Sauternes is that they seem to go through a dull patch at the age of 10 and then improve at about the age of 12.
Don’t worry Sid! I have no reason at all to doubt Jeremy’s experience or judgement but personally I find that the difference with Coutet (as with many of the others we are discussing) is between very good and outstanding (unless you consider the price, in which case Coutet is always outstanding!).
Has anyone tried the 2010 Coutet recently? I had to decide between a bottle of 2009 or 2010 Coutet recently, and picked the 2010 as the reviews here read slightly better for that vintage. (Mind you, I’m sure it will be excellent even if I didn’t pick the better of the two.)
