Drank from 1/2 bottle, pulled from the cellar and popped n poured. Dark gold in color. Generous nose of raisins, caramel and burnt sugar. On the palate, syrupy & unctuous tasting much like it smelled: Raisins, molasses, burnt sugar with a definite minerality, particularly on the finish. Good acidity here to balance the thick viscosity of this wine. Long, syrupy finish. Enjoyable. No reason to hold any longer. Drink now
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500 ml bottle, first of 5. These notes are taken after the bottle has been open for a week. Cork in good condition. Deep amber hue. Very intense nose that indicates a high level of botrytis, honey, caramel and just a hint of VA. The palate is superb: high acidity level which "floats" the otherwise heavy aromas, smooth texture, rich without being heavy. The finish is very, very long. This is drinking really well now and, as don't see any way for it to improve, I plan to drink the remaining bottles over the next 3-5 years. This met my high expectations.
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Rich, golden, nutty, powerful. This half bottle was all about the oxidative character over orange marmalade and excellent acidity. Glad I held onto some of these.
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Deep and luminous burnished golden color with a concentrated coppery core. Very big, concentrated and quite developed nose with unctuous aromas of jammy red berries, syrupy treacle, some raisiny notes, a little bit of caramel and burnt sugar tones, light nutty tones, a hint of overripe strawberry and a touch of mushroomy botrytis. The wine is dense, very intense and unctuous yet relatively robust on the palate with moderately full body and super-sweet flavors of syrupy molasses, some burnt sugar bitterness, a little bit of dried pineapple, light blood orange tones, a hint of smoke and a touch of stony minerality. The moderately high acidity keeps the balance in check quite nicely. The finish is remarkably long, sticky and complex with flavors of burnt sugar bitterness, cloying syrupy sweetness, some caramel tones, a little bit of bruised apple, light toffee notes, a hint of blood orange and a botrytized touch of exotic spices.
Like I've said before, this is a super-concentrated, rich and delicious Bonnezeaux with tons of unctuous, botrytized fruit, stony minerality, balancing burnt sugar bitterness and bright acidity. Overall the wine feels quite developed now at 22 years of age, making me question whether the wine will evolve much from here, but most likely the wine is not going to be falling apart either in a long time. Drink or keep - this will keep its cool for many more years, if not decades. Highly recommended.
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Tasting this wine precisely 2 years after the previous time. 13% alcohol.
Deep, luminous and quite developed golden yellow color with a concentrated coppery core. The developed nose feels very concentrated and complex with remarkably intense aromas of orange marmalade, some leathery tones, a little bit of dried pineapple, light wizened apricot tones, a hint of oxidative nuttiness and a lifted touch of nail polish character. The wine feels concentrated, medium-to-moderately full-bodied and rather unctuous on the palate with intense and remarkably sweet flavors of orange marmalade, some dried pineapple, a little bit of caramel, light tangerine-driven citrus fruit notes, light oxidative hints of nuttiness and a touch of steely minerality. The mouthfeel is oily and slightly sticky, but the moderately high acidity lends good sense of balance to the wine. The finish is very sweet, rich and quite sticky with lengthy and intense flavors of orange marmalade, some caramel, a little bit of dried apricots, light tangerine notes, a hint of canned pineapple syrup and a toasty, spicy touch of botrytis.
A delicious, rich and complex Bonnezeaux with remarkable intensity and lovely developed character. As I've written before, the wine isn't big or weighty, but it still delivers all it has at full blast. Most likely the wine is either at its plateau of maturity or close to it. I doubt that there is going to be much development going on here anymore, but neither is the wine going to be falling apart anytime soon. Perhaps a bit oily and unctuous, but still so darn delicious that it's hard not to love it. Outstanding stuff and a bargain at 23€.
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Rich amber colour. Beautifully balanced but vibrant with lovely acidity - you'd never guess this was 20 years old! Mango, honey and pear on nose and palate. Just amazing. Shows why it's worth aging wine in one's cellar.
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Very good. Over the top I think. All the hallmarks of sweet chenin blanc. with botrytis. Cellaring aromas.A small oxidized touch. Honey, burn sugar, Caramel, orange peel. I will drink my last bottle in a year or two.
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Very developed, deep coppery color. Quite mature, complex and nutty nose with botrytis-driven aromas of orange marmalade, beeswax, almond paste, some aged smoky tones, light honey tones, a hint of wizened apple and a touch of tangerine zest. The wine is medium-bodied, very sweet and mellow yet fresh and balanced on the palate with complex and quite unctuous flavors of orange marmalade, syrupy molasses, some stony minerality, a little bit of roasted walnuts, a hint of beeswax and a touch of baked apple. Overall the wine is velvety smooth but also slightly sticky due to its concentrated sweetness. The moderately high acidity keeps the balance in check. The finish is very sweet, long and rather sticky with intense, complex flavors of maple syrup, honey, some tertiary nut biscuit tones, a little bit of cooked creme, a hint of toasty botrytis spice and a touch of orange marmalade.
A beautiful, rich and complex Bonnezeaux with very pronounced sweetness, concentration and intensity. The wine is very complex and wonderfully mature, yet there isn't really any subtlety here - almost everything here goes up to 11 and this is just full blast dessert Chenin Blanc throughout. Sure, it's not particularly big or voluminous in size, but it is just so remarkably concentrated and viscous you really can't help but swoon over this wine. Most likely at its peak or nearing it, so further cellaring probably won't benefit much. Stunningly delicious stuff and a bargain at only 23€.
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Orange, burnt sugar, caramel and some darker tones on the nose. Sweet palate with some body, and a long finish with some bitterness making things more interesting. There's also a slight oxidized feeling lurking in the background, which makes me wonder about bottle variation, which seems to have been a common problem with the producer at this time period. Must check the other bottles I have of this. Based on this bottle, drink up, as this is probably not going to improve anymore.
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Peach, apricot, and botrytis. Orange marmalade and custard. Very sweet and dense, a little closed. Delicious now, but I think it will be best in ten years.
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So this is an exceptional wine, made from late-harvested Chenin Blanc in the Loire Valley that were naturally affected by the Botrytis cinerea fungus. Shining yellow gold in color with on the nose sweet, ripe quince, lemon custard, peaches, honeysuckle and nutmeg. Medium-bodied with an oily, viscous mouth-feel showcasing on the palate multiple layers of fruits and spices such as candied quince, lemon curd, apricots peaches, honey, cinnamon and nutmeg with medium-plus acidity as well as notes spicy vanilla and caramel rising on the long and luscious finish. Incredible, one of the 2-3 best dessert wines I've had. 13% Abv. 95-96
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Enormously concentrated. Loaded with apricots, orange peel, polishing wax, botrytis, butterscotch and caramel. Beside the sweetness there is good acidity to balance it. Has an enormous length. Have one more bottle and no hurry at all.
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I heard about this bottle and when I saw it available in a wine store, I could not help myself and had to pick up a bottle. The wine is a 375ml bottle and is worth every penny that I paid for it.
I must say that if I was told this was made from Chenin grapes, without seeing the bottle, I would have laughed at the person telling me. No way, this wine is pure botrytis and is all about sauterne to me. NOPE! This is a Chenin wine and is begging for some foie gras and blue cheese (not at the same time if you eat kosher)!
The nose on this dark colored wine screams with intense honey, honeysuckle, peach, apricot, ripe summer fruits, dried fruits, and tea. The mouth on this full bodied wine is richly layered with crazy sweet funk, followed by acid, more sweet summer fruits, honeyed notes, a body that keeps on giving with depth and concentration and a viscous body that is mind blowing with an acidic core that does not stop! BRAVO! The finish is long and sweet with a density, citrus, a drop of orange peel, and nectarine jam covered with vanilla. Truly an honor to have enjoyed this wine with my friends! BRAVO!!!
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Quite a deep gold yellow, almost Amber. Lovely nose filled with honey, tropical fruits and spiced tea. Palate is as intense with similar flavour profiles. There is a lingering hint of bitterness in the end palate. Acidity appeared lower compared to previous bottle drank 4 years ago.
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Brilliant wine. I feared that like some of my other 97 Loire sweeties this might be getting a bit old but not a bit of it! Glowing gold colour, fabulous purity and very enticing. There's oodles of flavour and aroma across the usual Chenin spectrum (quince, acacia, broom, apricot) with the luxurious texture from the botrytis happily off-set by fine red apple acidity. A wine to marvel at.
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The '97 is quite impressive now. The wine has now developed several layers of dried fruits, honey and tea, but as good as the concentration and the complexity is, the most impressive is that is full in body, but seems light as a feather on the tongue. This wine is well underway to becoming a big one. Drink now or within the next 25 years. This is extraordinary!
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Incredible deep golden color. Dust, apricot, flowers, honey and more honey, toasted nuts on the nose with a dose of creamy oak. Very interesting - I provided this double blind and figured it would get pegged as Sauternes but that was nixed and someone called it Quarts du Chaume instead. Very nice stuff with incredible synergy with blue cheese.
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Great orange caramel nose. Slightly fungal from Noble Rot. Showing good oxidation and honey notes. Med. high acid with rich sweet notes up front. Long finish.
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Mature Bordeaux Indulgence @ my place (Netherlands): Wow, gorgeous wine. More elegant than expected, might even mistake this one for a noble rot Riesling. White sultana's, almond paste, orange zest, honey and acacia honey. Stony minerality, considerable sugar levels are tamed by lovely acidiy and bitterness. Super soft, rounded and very fruity. Has a great future, but is already delicious. 18/20
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Caramel, apricots, citrus, pear, and honey. Medium plus finish. Went well with an assortment of cheeses, with a pear sorbet, and all by its lonesome. A fun sweetie!
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Glorious, fully ripe but holding on to dear life. Gold in the glass, sweet smells of apricot. Intense taste lifted by fine acidity. What more could you wish for?
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Bright golden hue. Honey, citrus, apples, apricots, and vanilla. Sweet goodness that helped wash down multiple desserts. Would like some of this in our cellar. 375ml
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drank from a 375ml. What a great way to end a night of wine and food. Notes are a bit sketchy but was beautiful almond colored in the glass. A slightly oxidized with a mouth coating honeyed apricot, necterines and citrus notes. Was spot on with three different dessert cakes and was completely satisfying.
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Orangey gold that seemed to deepen w air - intense honeyed, biscuity, carmelized orange peel nose - great balance, exc acidity, it is very sweet but the significant acid keeps it mostly but not wholly in check - great length with a lovely iron filing minerality streaking thru - gobs of tropical/mango fruit, with a citrus rind edge - lovely stuff.
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nose: honeyed and deep nose filled with sweet tones of peaches, nectarines, apricots and creamed pears. Very complex and roaring from the get go
taste: fuller bodied with rich and layered tones of peaches, nectarines, warm honey, and loads of creamed pears and a touch of white fruits. Medium acidity backs this up with a lot of great botrytis flavors
overall: This was a gorgeous wine that felt like it was just starting to show off what it has. This had a nice solid gold color in the glass and was beautiful right off pop n pour
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Yellow gold. Smells of aged honey and orange peel. Medium to full bodied. Sweet nectar on the palate with honey, caramelised sugar and citrus fruits. Fresh and acidic enough to keep it from being coying. Very long length. We enjoyed it very much.
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I had the pleasure of tasting this wine recently and am sadly down to my last bottle. In addition to the more famous Sauternes and Barsac dessert wines, wines from the Bonnezeaux region also produce magnificent Botrytis wines. This sensuous wine from the Layon Valley is more intensely sweet than typical Sauternes like the Guiraud, but contains plenty of bracing acidity that reins in the abundant sweetness. Wonderful notes of nectarines, pineapple, white peaches, vanilla and honey along with hints of licorice. An awesome match to some of my favorite all time foods – Foie Gras, fruit tarts, salty cheeses or Canard à l'Orange.
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Delicious stuff; dominated by caramel, spicy and honeyed botrytised flavours over quince, mandarin orange and tropical fruits, viscous and full bodied - though remarkably well balanced for a wine of this richness and sweetness with really good acidity and serious length.
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Dinner with friends (Eriks apartment): Intense apricot nose with a similar palate. Great taste of apricot kernels (bitterness) with a great intensity and full body. A hint of caramel finishes off the wine nicely.
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Bought on sale at Sam's in 2009 so not sure about provenance. A bit dissapointing. I love Fesles, but this bottle was drinkable but a bit tired, just underwhelming.
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375ml. This is just dripping with botrytis to the point of masking any semblance of chenin. It's jam packed with tropical fruit, is extremely dense, and is very sweet but does have enough acidic backbone to make things interesting.
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This wine has such a rich honey-vanilla flavor that it is a gracious dessert wine experience. You can also taste some remnants of pineapple and melon in the background. The finish lasts for 30 seconds. This is one of the best dessert wines I've ever had. A truly enjoyable experience.
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Exploring Chateauneuf-du-Pape @ Peter Z. (Belgium): Very rich and deep, great pourriture. A strong foundation of acidity supports the wealthy and voluptuous structure. Very impressive and delightful. 18/20
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Holy crow! Admittedly from 375, but this puppy is absolutely ready to drink, with massive 97 ripeness, and unctuous (thanks, Parker) botytised notes reminiscent of Bordeaux. Wow, it's hard to even discern the Chenin here. Deep dark color, deep orange taste...
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Pegau Vertical (Larsa's Mediterranean Restaurant - Skokie, IL): Gold in color with a nose of fresh white fruits, boytris and some orange peel. Palate has a sexy texture and shows honey, caramel, brown sugar and spice. Rich, medium bodied with a lively underlying structure that keeps it light-on-its-feet.
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The color was a deep orange-gold, with a nose that included pineapple and spices. On the palate the pineapple was largely replaced by apricot, with noticeable honeyed flavors and more spices. My tongue experienced a somewhat tannic impression. The mouthfeel had a glycerine sensation while the finish was long but mostly about sweetness. Acidity was there but a little more might have tightened up the balance to offset the residual sugar. Unquestionably a lovely wine for a two or three ounce sipping pour, more than that and the sensation is more cloying. Still a very nice wine, nonetheless.
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First ever Bonnezeaux - Wow is this good! I bought two of these on a recommendation from K&L Wines. Wish I woul've bought a case, it's that good. Incredibly this had a nose of buttered rye toast, really interesting, really pleasant, not at all sweet. The palate was a completely different story - orange marmalade (homeade), candied apricot, candied tsatsuma orange, dried apples. (I guess everything was candied except the apples.) :) This was a wonderful wine with a moderately powerfull finish that tapered off ever so slowly. Worth seeking out.
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Lucque’s: Dark clear, beaut. gold; classic sweet chenin blanc--light apricots, but big petrolly nose, hone, bees wax, super thick and sticky; lots of elegance, despite lots of sugar!
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1/31/2021 - cephomer Likes this wine: 92 Points
Drank from 1/2 bottle, pulled from the cellar and popped n poured.
Dark gold in color. Generous nose of raisins, caramel and burnt sugar. On the palate, syrupy & unctuous tasting much like it smelled: Raisins, molasses, burnt sugar with a definite minerality, particularly on the finish.
Good acidity here to balance the thick viscosity of this wine. Long, syrupy finish. Enjoyable. No reason to hold any longer. Drink now
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1/3/2021 - vagrantone Likes this wine: 94 Points
500 ml bottle, first of 5.
These notes are taken after the bottle has been open for a week.
Cork in good condition.
Deep amber hue.
Very intense nose that indicates a high level of botrytis, honey, caramel and just a hint of VA.
The palate is superb: high acidity level which "floats" the otherwise heavy aromas, smooth texture, rich without being heavy. The finish is very, very long.
This is drinking really well now and, as don't see any way for it to improve, I plan to drink the remaining bottles over the next 3-5 years.
This met my high expectations.
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1/8/2020 - andtheodor wrote: 93 Points
Rich, golden, nutty, powerful. This half bottle was all about the oxidative character over orange marmalade and excellent acidity. Glad I held onto some of these.
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8/21/2019 - forceberry wrote: 94 Points
13% alcohol.
Deep and luminous burnished golden color with a concentrated coppery core. Very big, concentrated and quite developed nose with unctuous aromas of jammy red berries, syrupy treacle, some raisiny notes, a little bit of caramel and burnt sugar tones, light nutty tones, a hint of overripe strawberry and a touch of mushroomy botrytis. The wine is dense, very intense and unctuous yet relatively robust on the palate with moderately full body and super-sweet flavors of syrupy molasses, some burnt sugar bitterness, a little bit of dried pineapple, light blood orange tones, a hint of smoke and a touch of stony minerality. The moderately high acidity keeps the balance in check quite nicely. The finish is remarkably long, sticky and complex with flavors of burnt sugar bitterness, cloying syrupy sweetness, some caramel tones, a little bit of bruised apple, light toffee notes, a hint of blood orange and a botrytized touch of exotic spices.
Like I've said before, this is a super-concentrated, rich and delicious Bonnezeaux with tons of unctuous, botrytized fruit, stony minerality, balancing burnt sugar bitterness and bright acidity. Overall the wine feels quite developed now at 22 years of age, making me question whether the wine will evolve much from here, but most likely the wine is not going to be falling apart either in a long time. Drink or keep - this will keep its cool for many more years, if not decades. Highly recommended.
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12/8/2018 - forceberry wrote: 94 Points
Tasting this wine precisely 2 years after the previous time. 13% alcohol.
Deep, luminous and quite developed golden yellow color with a concentrated coppery core. The developed nose feels very concentrated and complex with remarkably intense aromas of orange marmalade, some leathery tones, a little bit of dried pineapple, light wizened apricot tones, a hint of oxidative nuttiness and a lifted touch of nail polish character. The wine feels concentrated, medium-to-moderately full-bodied and rather unctuous on the palate with intense and remarkably sweet flavors of orange marmalade, some dried pineapple, a little bit of caramel, light tangerine-driven citrus fruit notes, light oxidative hints of nuttiness and a touch of steely minerality. The mouthfeel is oily and slightly sticky, but the moderately high acidity lends good sense of balance to the wine. The finish is very sweet, rich and quite sticky with lengthy and intense flavors of orange marmalade, some caramel, a little bit of dried apricots, light tangerine notes, a hint of canned pineapple syrup and a toasty, spicy touch of botrytis.
A delicious, rich and complex Bonnezeaux with remarkable intensity and lovely developed character. As I've written before, the wine isn't big or weighty, but it still delivers all it has at full blast. Most likely the wine is either at its plateau of maturity or close to it. I doubt that there is going to be much development going on here anymore, but neither is the wine going to be falling apart anytime soon. Perhaps a bit oily and unctuous, but still so darn delicious that it's hard not to love it. Outstanding stuff and a bargain at 23€.
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12/13/2017 - Duncan H Likes this wine: 96 Points
Absolutely sensational.
Rich amber colour. Beautifully balanced but vibrant with lovely acidity - you'd never guess this was 20 years old! Mango, honey and pear on nose and palate. Just amazing. Shows why it's worth aging wine in one's cellar.
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7/9/2017 - Tikkanen Likes this wine: 93 Points
Very good. Over the top I think. All the hallmarks of sweet chenin blanc. with botrytis. Cellaring aromas.A small oxidized touch. Honey, burn sugar, Caramel, orange peel. I will drink my last bottle in a year or two.
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12/8/2016 - forceberry wrote: 94 Points
13% alcohol.
Very developed, deep coppery color. Quite mature, complex and nutty nose with botrytis-driven aromas of orange marmalade, beeswax, almond paste, some aged smoky tones, light honey tones, a hint of wizened apple and a touch of tangerine zest. The wine is medium-bodied, very sweet and mellow yet fresh and balanced on the palate with complex and quite unctuous flavors of orange marmalade, syrupy molasses, some stony minerality, a little bit of roasted walnuts, a hint of beeswax and a touch of baked apple. Overall the wine is velvety smooth but also slightly sticky due to its concentrated sweetness. The moderately high acidity keeps the balance in check. The finish is very sweet, long and rather sticky with intense, complex flavors of maple syrup, honey, some tertiary nut biscuit tones, a little bit of cooked creme, a hint of toasty botrytis spice and a touch of orange marmalade.
A beautiful, rich and complex Bonnezeaux with very pronounced sweetness, concentration and intensity. The wine is very complex and wonderfully mature, yet there isn't really any subtlety here - almost everything here goes up to 11 and this is just full blast dessert Chenin Blanc throughout. Sure, it's not particularly big or voluminous in size, but it is just so remarkably concentrated and viscous you really can't help but swoon over this wine. Most likely at its peak or nearing it, so further cellaring probably won't benefit much. Stunningly delicious stuff and a bargain at only 23€.
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12/8/2016 - blaahhi wrote:
Orange, burnt sugar, caramel and some darker tones on the nose. Sweet palate with some body, and a long finish with some bitterness making things more interesting. There's also a slight oxidized feeling lurking in the background, which makes me wonder about bottle variation, which seems to have been a common problem with the producer at this time period. Must check the other bottles I have of this. Based on this bottle, drink up, as this is probably not going to improve anymore.
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7/22/2016 - rmalloy Likes this wine: 93 Points
Peach, apricot, and botrytis. Orange marmalade and custard. Very sweet and dense, a little closed. Delicious now, but I think it will be best in ten years.
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5/26/2015 - MichaelDW Likes this wine: 93 Points
Amazing don't remember when I bought it but should have bought more
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4/9/2015 - Gabriel Geller Likes this wine: 95 Points
So this is an exceptional wine, made from late-harvested Chenin Blanc in the Loire Valley that were naturally affected by the Botrytis cinerea fungus. Shining yellow gold in color with on the nose sweet, ripe quince, lemon custard, peaches, honeysuckle and nutmeg. Medium-bodied with an oily, viscous mouth-feel showcasing on the palate multiple layers of fruits and spices such as candied quince, lemon curd, apricots peaches, honey, cinnamon and nutmeg with medium-plus acidity as well as notes spicy vanilla and caramel rising on the long and luscious finish. Incredible, one of the 2-3 best dessert wines I've had. 13% Abv. 95-96
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12/24/2014 - Zweder wrote: 93 Points
Enormously concentrated. Loaded with apricots, orange peel, polishing wax, botrytis, butterscotch and caramel. Beside the sweetness there is good acidity to balance it. Has an enormous length. Have one more bottle and no hurry at all.
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12/1/2014 - raccah Likes this wine: 94 Points
I heard about this bottle and when I saw it available in a wine store, I could not help myself and had to pick up a bottle. The wine is a 375ml bottle and is worth every penny that I paid for it.
I must say that if I was told this was made from Chenin grapes, without seeing the bottle, I would have laughed at the person telling me. No way, this wine is pure botrytis and is all about sauterne to me. NOPE! This is a Chenin wine and is begging for some foie gras and blue cheese (not at the same time if you eat kosher)!
The nose on this dark colored wine screams with intense honey, honeysuckle, peach, apricot, ripe summer fruits, dried fruits, and tea. The mouth on this full bodied wine is richly layered with crazy sweet funk, followed by acid, more sweet summer fruits, honeyed notes, a body that keeps on giving with depth and concentration and a viscous body that is mind blowing with an acidic core that does not stop! BRAVO! The finish is long and sweet with a density, citrus, a drop of orange peel, and nectarine jam covered with vanilla. Truly an honor to have enjoyed this wine with my friends! BRAVO!!!
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8/23/2014 - Yme wrote:
Quite a deep gold yellow, almost Amber. Lovely nose filled with honey, tropical fruits and spiced tea. Palate is as intense with similar flavour profiles. There is a lingering hint of bitterness in the end palate. Acidity appeared lower compared to previous bottle drank 4 years ago.
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8/3/2014 - VinoVeloVinyl Likes this wine: 95 Points
Brilliant wine. I feared that like some of my other 97 Loire sweeties this might be getting a bit old but not a bit of it! Glowing gold colour, fabulous purity and very enticing. There's oodles of flavour and aroma across the usual Chenin spectrum (quince, acacia, broom, apricot) with the luxurious texture from the botrytis happily off-set by fine red apple acidity. A wine to marvel at.
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4/13/2014 - andtheodor wrote: 92 Points
Peachy, honeyed, vanilla, penetrating sweetness and a dryish finish. Delicious, somewhere between QdC and Sauternes.
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12/1/2013 - Dan & Krista Stockman Likes this wine: 90 Points
Complex and wonderful, but probably needed a bit more acid to balance the intense sweetness.
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8/26/2013 - Zweder wrote: 93 Points
Weekly tasting group #085; A mixed set: white, red and sweet. (@ My place): Concentrated bouquet with apricots, honey, orange peel, botrytis and butterscotch. On the palate enormously concentrated with the same impressions. A lot of sweetness beautifully balance by fine and fresh acidity.
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9/27/2012 - Vintjener wrote: 96 Points
The '97 is quite impressive now. The wine has now developed several layers of dried fruits, honey and tea, but as good as the concentration and the complexity is, the most impressive is that is full in body, but seems light as a feather on the tongue. This wine is well underway to becoming a big one. Drink now or within the next 25 years. This is extraordinary!
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8/25/2012 - viborg wrote: 95 Points
Color like cognac!
Nose: sweet burnt figues, Leon curd & caramel
Palette: Honey, Elderflower, caramel, exotic fruits, abricot, lime hints
Absolutely great! Can cellar forever ;-)
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6/4/2012 - andtheodor wrote: 91 Points
Incredible deep golden color. Dust, apricot, flowers, honey and more honey, toasted nuts on the nose with a dose of creamy oak. Very interesting - I provided this double blind and figured it would get pegged as Sauternes but that was nixed and someone called it Quarts du Chaume instead. Very nice stuff with incredible synergy with blue cheese.
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2/27/2012 - Corey.polyoka wrote: 88 Points
Great orange caramel nose. Slightly fungal from Noble Rot. Showing good oxidation and honey notes. Med. high acid with rich sweet notes up front. Long finish.
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2/3/2012 - jkoenen wrote: 92 Points
Mature Bordeaux Indulgence @ my place (Netherlands): Wow, gorgeous wine. More elegant than expected, might even mistake this one for a noble rot Riesling. White sultana's, almond paste, orange zest, honey and acacia honey. Stony minerality, considerable sugar levels are tamed by lovely acidiy and bitterness. Super soft, rounded and very fruity. Has a great future, but is already delicious. 18/20
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12/10/2011 - Vinsant wrote:
Caramel, apricots, citrus, pear, and honey. Medium plus finish. Went well with an assortment of cheeses, with a pear sorbet, and all by its lonesome. A fun sweetie!
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11/17/2011 - BillB656 wrote:
richly honeyed, great flavor but too muc botrytis
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10/18/2011 - jim dixon wrote: 92 Points
Awesome value. The complexity of a very good aged Sauternes for a fraction of the price.
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6/25/2011 - roelof.ligtmans@gmail.com wrote: 95 Points
Glorious, fully ripe but holding on to dear life. Gold in the glass, sweet smells of apricot. Intense taste lifted by fine acidity. What more could you wish for?
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5/24/2011 - Vinsant wrote: 93 Points
Bright golden hue. Honey, citrus, apples, apricots, and vanilla. Sweet goodness that helped wash down multiple desserts. Would like some of this in our cellar. 375ml
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5/22/2011 - bajayngo wrote:
drank from a 375ml. What a great way to end a night of wine and food. Notes are a bit sketchy but was beautiful almond colored in the glass. A slightly oxidized with a mouth coating honeyed apricot, necterines and citrus notes. Was spot on with three different dessert cakes and was completely satisfying.
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5/14/2011 - Duncan H wrote: 91 Points
Very fine indeed. Bracing acidity combined with a mouthfilling lychee fruit. Still many years' life left in this.
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4/26/2011 - tarheel17 wrote:
STG Loire (My house): fat and sweet. Yummy, but not really defined and lacking in acid. Tasted like honey from the jar. best chilled.
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4/26/2011 - winot wrote: 93 Points
Orangey gold that seemed to deepen w air - intense honeyed, biscuity, carmelized orange peel nose - great balance, exc acidity, it is very sweet but the significant acid keeps it mostly but not wholly in check - great length with a lovely iron filing minerality streaking thru - gobs of tropical/mango fruit, with a citrus rind edge - lovely stuff.
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3/27/2011 - Ardross wrote: 94 Points
Superb . Rich honey with apples yet with Chenin acidity keeping it in check . Almost like a fine tarte tatin in a glass .
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11/25/2010 - KeithAkers wrote: 93 Points
nose: honeyed and deep nose filled with sweet tones of peaches, nectarines, apricots and creamed pears. Very complex and roaring from the get go
taste: fuller bodied with rich and layered tones of peaches, nectarines, warm honey, and loads of creamed pears and a touch of white fruits. Medium acidity backs this up with a lot of great botrytis flavors
overall: This was a gorgeous wine that felt like it was just starting to show off what it has. This had a nice solid gold color in the glass and was beautiful right off pop n pour
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8/23/2010 - Yme wrote: 91 Points
Yellow gold. Smells of aged honey and orange peel. Medium to full bodied. Sweet nectar on the palate with honey, caramelised sugar and citrus fruits. Fresh and acidic enough to keep it from being coying. Very long length. We enjoyed it very much.
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7/23/2010 - FLI wrote: 90 Points
Color of honey. Great balance.
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6/21/2010 - Yossie's Corkboard wrote:
I had the pleasure of tasting this wine recently and am sadly down to my last bottle. In addition to the more famous Sauternes and Barsac dessert wines, wines from the Bonnezeaux region also produce magnificent Botrytis wines. This sensuous wine from the Layon Valley is more intensely sweet than typical Sauternes like the Guiraud, but contains plenty of bracing acidity that reins in the abundant sweetness. Wonderful notes of nectarines, pineapple, white peaches, vanilla and honey along with hints of licorice. An awesome match to some of my favorite all time foods – Foie Gras, fruit tarts, salty cheeses or Canard à l'Orange.
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5/12/2010 - salil wrote: 91 Points
Delicious stuff; dominated by caramel, spicy and honeyed botrytised flavours over quince, mandarin orange and tropical fruits, viscous and full bodied - though remarkably well balanced for a wine of this richness and sweetness with really good acidity and serious length.
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12/30/2009 - Shorepower wrote:
Det söta vinet var en liten överraskning. Otroligt mörkt men ännu så ungt, frisk, fruktig med honung ädelsötma.
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12/16/2009 - canan wrote:
Dinner with friends (Eriks apartment): Intense apricot nose with a similar palate. Great taste of apricot kernels (bitterness) with a great intensity and full body. A hint of caramel finishes off the wine nicely.
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11/10/2009 - Mark Larson wrote: 88 Points
Bought on sale at Sam's in 2009 so not sure about provenance. A bit dissapointing. I love Fesles, but this bottle was drinkable but a bit tired, just underwhelming.
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7/12/2009 - ACS Driffield wrote:
Excellent, honeyed, botrytised wine, with a little quincy chenin character showing through. Tremendously long. Enough acidity not to be cloying.
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2/7/2009 - Slics wrote: 96 Points
Brilliant. Deep golden colour with powerful nose of honey, botrytis and tropical fruit. Good weight on the palate with long wonderful finish.
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10/15/2008 - BillB656 wrote:
375ml. This is just dripping with botrytis to the point of masking any semblance of chenin. It's jam packed with tropical fruit, is extremely dense, and is very sweet but does have enough acidic backbone to make things interesting.
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3/16/2008 - jonradus wrote: 94 Points
This wine has such a rich honey-vanilla flavor that it is a gracious dessert wine experience. You can also taste some remnants of pineapple and melon in the background. The finish lasts for 30 seconds. This is one of the best dessert wines I've ever had. A truly enjoyable experience.
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12/31/2007 - Zweder wrote: 94 Points
Enormous. Pure botrytis, enormous concentration and all the (sub)tropical fruits you can imagine. By far the best de Fesles I know.
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8/18/2007 - jkoenen wrote: 92 Points
Exploring Chateauneuf-du-Pape @ Peter Z. (Belgium): Very rich and deep, great pourriture. A strong foundation of acidity supports the wealthy and voluptuous structure. Very impressive and delightful. 18/20
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1/24/2007 - The Klipper wrote: 86 Points
Holy crow! Admittedly from 375, but this puppy is absolutely ready to drink, with massive 97 ripeness, and unctuous (thanks, Parker) botytised notes reminiscent of Bordeaux. Wow, it's hard to even discern the Chenin here. Deep dark color, deep orange taste...
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10/4/2006 - Nanda wrote: 92 Points
Pegau Vertical (Larsa's Mediterranean Restaurant - Skokie, IL): Gold in color with a nose of fresh white fruits, boytris and some orange peel. Palate has a sexy texture and shows honey, caramel, brown sugar and spice. Rich, medium bodied with a lively underlying structure that keeps it light-on-its-feet.
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3/31/2006 - hcampana wrote: 88 Points
Eclectic tasting in Hermosillo (Hermosillo, Mexico): Don't remember much about this wine, but it is not in the same class as other top Loires I've had from Baumard.
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4/26/2005 - Xavier Auerbach wrote: 94 Points
Very much like the Roulerie 1997 tasted the other day but with even more finesse - the quality of the terroir shines through.
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4/15/2005 - whostler wrote:
The color was a deep orange-gold, with a nose that included pineapple and spices. On the palate the pineapple was largely replaced by apricot, with noticeable honeyed flavors and more spices. My tongue experienced a somewhat tannic impression. The mouthfeel had a glycerine sensation while the finish was long but mostly about sweetness. Acidity was there but a little more might have tightened up the balance to offset the residual sugar. Unquestionably a lovely wine for a two or three ounce sipping pour, more than that and the sensation is more cloying. Still a very nice wine, nonetheless.
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4/8/2005 - Tubbs wrote: 93 Points
First ever Bonnezeaux - Wow is this good!
I bought two of these on a recommendation from K&L Wines. Wish I woul've bought a case, it's that good.
Incredibly this had a nose of buttered rye toast, really interesting, really pleasant, not at all sweet. The palate was a completely different story - orange marmalade (homeade), candied apricot, candied tsatsuma orange, dried apples. (I guess everything was candied except the apples.) :) This was a wonderful wine with a moderately powerfull finish that tapered off ever so slowly. Worth seeking out.
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7/17/2003 - peternelson wrote: 93 Points
Lucque’s: Dark clear, beaut. gold; classic sweet chenin blanc--light apricots, but big petrolly nose, hone, bees wax, super thick and sticky; lots of elegance, despite lots of sugar!
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