February 26, 2022 - Why 62 is less than 61 (Wine Watch, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida): Half bottle. Demure, fragrant, light to medium weight, nicely balanced and not too sweet. I would have liked a bit more concentration and intensity which perhaps it had a decade ago.
January 10, 2021 - Beautiful wine in a great place. Still full of life but with caramel and very mature/dried fruit notes.
November 26, 2020 - Like a light black iced tea in color. The nose is straightup dark toffee. Nuts. Someone’s cooking orange marmalade far off in the kitchen. Rich mouthfeel with plenty of remaining acid. Time to begin building a cellar of Sauternes!
February 16, 2018 - Tampa Spring Break III; 2/16/2018-2/18/2018 (Tampa FL): This was a really fun bottle to try. The bottle itself looked like it had lived quite a life - if glass could talk:-) The color was dark caramel. On the palate it reminded me of "Bit-o-Honey" candy from the 1970's - butterscotch a burnt caramel - with just a touch of sweetness. Lots of toasty notes - really fun to try - but in reality probably past its prime drinking window.
February 16, 2018 - Tampa Spring Break (the third); 2/16/2018-2/18/2018 (Various Tampa locations (Seasons 52, Capital Grille, Berns etc.)): Just for fun. This is perhaps a bit over the hill, but it's also kindof fun to try (and older than many of the ppl at the table). A touch oxidated. Some caramel but without the sweet. Interesting.
November 16, 2015 - [Grand Millesime's Bordeaux:The Legendary Years 1928-1961 dinner at Circa Restaurant, Melbourne] Mid orange-bronze, brilliant limpidity. Honeyed botrytis amidst poached apricot bouquet with crème caramel, barley sugar, fig & date notes. Mature palate showing good depth & concentration of remnant stone & citrus fruits and lots of secondary and tertiary nuances; very slightly sweet with fine acidity in exemplary balance. Long clean persistent finish.
January 10, 2014 - We decided to splurge at our food and wine posse Indian dinner. This bottle, despite outward appearances, was superb.
Extremely Dark golden,a most a medium brown in appearance. Wonderfully complex, not as syrupy as expected. Caramel, apricots and a nutty Seville orange marmalade quality - good acidity. Tremendously balanced and smooth.
June 16, 2013 - Father's day 2013 and I decided to open a couple of treasures just as I did last year. I guess this will be a tradition from now on. Also the 1 year anniversary since I began writing CT notes; figured I use everyone else's notes enough, I should be contributing too! (167 notes in year #1, not too bad I guess)
Color: deep amber -> diffuse yellow/gold rim. Alluring bouquet of apricots, caramelized brown sugar, toffee, a hint of pineapple. Palate of brown sugar, black tea, barley sugar and apricots soaked in Armagnac. Plump (still!), full bodied (still!), silky texture with a long, long, sweet (still!) finish. Fabulous acidity to counterbalance the sweetness. Not cloying at all and still plenty of life left. On par with Climens and Y'quem in 1962 and showing how well Suduiraut could perform years ago.
March 10, 2013 - From a nice looking bottle with a VHS fill, this wine had a tawny/orange center with yellow rims. The high intensity nose exhibited oranges, caramel, pear, and soil.
In the mouth, showed a bit of excess alcohol when it was first opened but it developed nicely with a couple hours of air. It was very viscous, had nice acidity and a lovely finish. It certainly had a Rieussec quality about it.
This is at its peak. While it will last for a while there is no reason to defer gratification.
September 18, 2012 - The Semicentennial Birthday "Season"; 9/16/2012-9/18/2012 (San Francisco and the Napa Valley): Deep rust in color, this "sticky" struts an impressive nose of tropical fruits, caramel, apricots and violets. There is not much detectable botrytis influence, but the palate shows outstanding acidity and equally attractive fruit flavors. This is a medium-bodied, medium-sweet Sauternes with a solid middle and medium crisp finish. Enjoy a well-cellared bottle now and over the next 10-15 years. Drink now-12/27.