Vinetasters: 2000 Bordeaux (Park Ridge, IL): Served double blind. Unequivocally Sauternes, but I thought this was a decade older based on the colour and the maturity this showed on the palate. Not too sweet, and I really like the bitter marmalade notes on the palate here, giving this quite a bit of balance. I admit to be slightly shocked at how advanced this was showing given the vintage.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
1st of 12, pnp, perfect cork and level - golden, unctuous, youthful brightness; peach, apricot, touch of marmalade, hint of sprice, some citrus, balanced and complex; fullish for Barsac, wonderful length, persistence and concentration, complex and intriguing, surprisingly fresh, upside, 25+ years. F+ (18).
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Deep yellow, honey coloured. Dense, almost sirupy in the glass. In the nose heavy extracted (sandal) wood, honey and apricot. Intense, full bodied, creamy in the mouth, with wood and nut aromas immediately assaulting your palate. Sweet dried prunes, raisins, dates, spicebread, candied orange, sandalwood, stewed apricots, walnuts, candied ginger. I shunned Sauternes and Barsacs for a long time, because of their exuberant sweetness, but this bottle was a welcome reconciliation, reminding me of the enormous aromatic complexity at the origin of their fame.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
4 Rosé Unicorns & 6 Mature Bordeauxs: Five red Bordeauxs from 1978 to 1998 + one Sauternes 2001. All tasted double blind. Winner - by a margin - was the L’Evangile 1982 (98 pts). Best bottle so far, this showed a lot of intensity and substance combined with a perfect precision. The Pichon Baron 1989 is a quintessential Pauillac in its prime. The complete package. Complex, precise, super harmonious. The Pontet Canet 1996 (95 pts) showed surprisingly layered and seductive. The 1998 Ducru Beaucaillou (94 pts) showed the typical earthy, mineral and herbal profile but had some alcohol notes and showed overall more modern and ripe than today’s DBs. The Gruaud Larose 1978 (92 pts) had a nice fruit core with lots of tertiary aromas wrapped around it but compared to the others was lacking definition and complexity. The Dosiy Daene 2001 (96 pts) is another stunning 2001 Sauternes with a perfect balance of sweetness and freshness.
TN: This is fantastic! There is a lot of substance, so much fruit purity with quince, peach, citrus, lime and even some floral aromas in addition to the wonderful saffron and spice layer. Very expressive on the nose and palate and perfect balance between the sweetness of the fruit, the tartness of the citrus fruits and a perfectly round acidity. Due to the high aroma intensity and the layerdness I directly thought that this might be an Yquem - which says a lot. The same happened also some time ago with an almost perfect bottle of Suduiraut 2001 (98 pts). These 2001 Sauternes are just fabulous and worth any search. World class Sauternes from a great vintage and still available for no money.
Decanting: A short 30 minutes in the decanter should be enough.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Part of a small Bordeaux 20+ years of age line-up. Had this for the second time in a short period of time with pretty consistent notes. Very Sauternes, showcasing quince, saffron and candid peach. Super creamy and perfectly balanced, but again not as layered and finely knit as the best of the best.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Had this at a social event hence only brief notes from memory. Candid stone fruit, saffron, caramel and marzipan. Rich and dense, great balance and a velvety texture. In a great spot right now. Maybe a touch less layered and intense than Suduiraut 2001 and lacks the freshness and refinement of Yquem 2001, but this makes for excellent drinking today. Will revisit in a few days…
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Consumed over two nights, with the first night being in isolation, and the second being an unusual food challenge, Panang Curry. On its own there was the usual vanilla tinged botrytis spice, medium body, and a long finish which is where the wine really shone. With the curry it acted very much like a German Gold Capsule Auslese, balancing the heat and salt of the curry against its rich sweetness. I wish I had saved a couple of sips to taste later the second night, but from half bottle it was gone too soon. A very nice 2001 Barsac, but not a challenger for the big guns of the vintage.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Colour evolving and sweetness dropping out but retains wonderful richness. This was overpowered by a sweet Raspberry Souffle but would have coped well with something more savoury
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This is a charming if slightly inconsequential wine. Lovely clear burnished gold colour; nose = delicate honey and petal; taste = very light, understated and lacking in depth or complexity. For those who do not like deeply-unctuous Sauternes, this will hit all the bills. But, taking a wider perspective, D-D have done better than this.
I suppose you might keep it for ever, but it won't get any better.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Mrs H loved this! Absolutely delicious, but I have a hint of a reservation that it wasn't quite as fine as I remembered from previous bottles. My vinous faculties might well have been impaired tho'...
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
375. medium orangeish-gold. heavy, rich but rather montonic apricot & orange nose is pleasant but not very interesting; becomes duller with air: all the freshness, delicacy, and lilt of earlier bottles some years ago is gone. flavour is better: ripe, delicious but also seemingly simpler than when younger; richest and most concentrated ever tasted from this property; intense apricot, orange tinged taste in perfect conformity with nose; slightly deficient in acid; quite sweet but but botrytis bitterness sets it off fairly effectively. aftertaste is long and harmonious continuation of straightforward palate.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Epic 2001 Sauternes Horizontal (San Francisco): Tasted single-blind. From a 375. Golden-orange; limited aromatics, slight glue; palate is full bodied, slightly bitter, medium sweetness, orange citrus fruit but on the simpler side; medium finish. Not bad, but not as good as expected. 86
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
94+ at Gary and Judy's: From 1/2 bottle, this wine lacked sweetness and was quite crisp. I'd imagine this would go better with chinese food than trying to serve it for dessert. Slightly medicinal. One taster suspected it's in a shut-down phase right now. I hope so. I've not had good luck with this producer, and this is one of the worst 2001 Sauternes I've had.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Honey, golden raisin, orange zest, and saffron in the aromas here, and quite sweet on the palate without being heavy in the least. This is far sweeter than the Rieslings and Loire dessert wines I'm more accustomed to, and while I enjoyed it, I think it might be a bit out of my palate comfort zone.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This seems fully ready. A lovely dark gold colour and seamless ease on drinking - no astringent end any more. For me it is too easy, too sweet and too low acid, to be a great Sauternes. I will be drinking the rest of these ASAP.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Not impressed with this bottle. Toffee colour and a little toffee flavour, but no apparent oxidation. Very smooth and quite sweet, but very little depth of flavour and not complex. Far too little acidity. I couldn't detect any particular flaw, but will refrain from rating until I try another. 82 on this showing.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Very dry on opening, no lush sweetness to offset the botrytis. Past bottles have balanced out after extended air time, but this one was absorbed among numerous guests very quickly, leaving no time to observe its development.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Right in the zone right now. Crammed with apricots, drizzled with honey. Rich, sweet and unctuous but cut with minerally acid. fantastic length of flavour.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Purchased 2007, perfect cork and fill. Medium gold color, great nose of apricot and pineapple creme brûlée. Medium-full body, mouth-coating ripe fruit with beautiful interplay between sweetness and acidity. Nice long fish. Beautiful match with the fruit tart, especially the pineapple. Still on the upswing. Outstanding.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Opened by Otis. Last had this 9 years ago. This has improved and developed since that time. Golden color. Notes of kumquat, apricot and pineapple held together by a fine acidity. No rush to drink. 92-93 points
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Ripe and over ripe tropical fruits, apricot, orange, vanilla and honey with the right blast of acidity keeps this alive, fresh and interesting. This will get better, but it's already showing very nice today.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
A touch of brown sugar. Lovely delicate tropical fruit. Huge sweet intensity - it is tightly defined and beautifully sculpted, tight and precise sweet concentration across a base that is quite mineral. Real length and shimmering concentration
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
BU avec du foie gras, des fruits secs et confits et du melon enveloppé de jambon de Parme! En paralelle avec Chateau La Tour Blanche 2001 et Cru Barréjats 1996. Beau nez sur le miel, les agrumes avec une pointe florale! En bouche, c’est velouté et bien équilibré. De belle notes de pêches avec une super belle acidité et une touche poivré…c’est très long! Très bon Sauternes.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Tasted along side a '89 Château Bastor-Lamontagne. Clearly a difference in color. The 89 seemed to have more going on with the nose where this had more going on in the palate. Really liked the mouthfeel with just enough viscosity to interplay with the acids. Would definitely seek out to buy.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Pale mid amber-gold. The nose lacked freshness, slightly flattened with oxidation, later relaxing into hugely perfumed yellow flowers, botyrised nose. Richly bodied but light mouthfeel, great acidity, ciitrus, good length. Slightly disappointing.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Nose: impressive, dried yellow stone fruit, flowers, honey, botrytis. Palate: smooth, with apricots, marzipan, honey. A touch too sweet in my view, a little lacking the acidity that I find attractive with this style of wine. The nose is wonderful, it could be a little fresher, more balanced though.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Monthly Tasting Group LTB 2012-10; Mature Sauternes (By VD): The bouquet is a bit reticent, but beautiful and concentrated with botrytis. Same on the palate. Some marzipan and almonds. A wine with a great future. For now 91, but in 5+ years from now it could score a bit higher.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Mid gold. Fine pineapple, honey, creamy caramel. Lots of lovely acidity, great elegance and balance. Not over ripe or too sweet. Botrytis present of course but not overpowering. Great length. A very nicely judged wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Previously enjoyed this wine on a couple of occasions & nervous when serving to visiting family whether it would be as good. No need to worry. The vintage & property delivered once again. no detailed note. Superb colour, exuberant nose; on the palate real depth, powerful but with grace. Beautifully balanced, finishes a touch stern - a sign of youthfulness & more to come?
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Interesting musky cheese aroma (which is much more pleasant than it sounds), coupled with tropical fruits. Very easy to drink, very smooth, well integrated. In its prime, good to drink.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Drank over several days and an aperitif, from 375. Excellent for this purpose: balanced sweetness, not to rich, but neither thin. Great with salty spreads and crudites.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
From a half. Golden color; nose is very fragrant with honey, lanolin, light citrus, fresh; palate has great dense orange marmalade fruit at first, then transitions to a fantastic clean acidic midpalate with plenty of spice; finish is medium length, very balanced, palate cleansing but also flavorful with good peppery spice. This sauternes lives up to the 2001 vintage quality. The main strength of this wine is the fabulous tension and balance with great flavors along with the complex nose. The main thing holding it back (although not that much...) is it lacks superb-level complexity on the palate which it may develop with time. This wine is in early maturity, still likely improving. I'll wait 3-5 years before my last half. Compared to the 01 doisy vedrines, I think this is younger tasting and a notch better. 93
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Three Dinners: Popped and poured for sipping outside around the fire. Fresh and clean. Great balance. Drinking really well now and unlikely to improve.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
2001 Bordeaux Masterclass with Michael Schuster (Bordeaux Index, London): Elegant yet restrained and lean nose, especially vs Sauternes of 2001. Balanced, rich , harmonious we would say. Drinks very well now and has this fwd style to it. Drink from now and won't be disappointed at all! 91
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Luscious, rich and heady with aromas and flavours of honey, lavender and marmalade. Beautifully balanced as abundant acidity, commensurate with the level of intense fruit, adds poise and spine. After coating the inside of my mouth with rich, creamy bleu d’Avergne, I rolled a little of this glorious nectar around the gums to follow, I was indeed in gastronomic nirvana.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
We sipped on this while playing cards, and it showed pretty well. Lacking the depth of flavor and complexity I would have expected from such a great vintage, but maybe that will come in time.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Pop and pour from a 375ml. Gorgeous golden color, looks like an aged chardonnay. Wonderful nose of pureed apricot, peach skin, warm honey, a hint of vanilla laden oak. Creme brulee topping, a touch of white pepper and light toffee. More fresh apricot on the palate, orange zest, toasted almonds, with some peaches and cream. Nice and fat in the middle with a long finish, wonderful fresh acid, white flowers and a touch of oak. A gorgeous wine that is drinking nicely now and will easily improve for years to come.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Seemed a bit flabby and flat. Lacking acidity and bright fruit flavours that I seem to get in 01. Might be in a funny stage right now, needs more time.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Consistent with the last bottle. A tad more spice and oak influence on the back end which I did not pick up on the first bottle. Good acidity and fruit, nice bottle.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
gorgeous nose of candied apricots, sweet honey, orange marmalade and lemon zest. More melon fruits on the nose as it warmed up in the glass; mango, peach and pineapple. Palate is light on its feet, yet packs nice viscosity and acidity. Tons of fresh cream, lemon meringue and peach pastry. Nice wine for the price.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
You bring 'em - we'll drink 'em (Fayette Street Grille): Lovely aromas of peach and coconut leap from the glass. Overtly sweet on the initial attack with primary flavors of peaches, apricots and a hint of coconut that I'm guessing is oak-driven. I freely admit I'm dogmatic about acidity and structure in desert wines - and this doesn't have the acidity to balance the sweetness in my opinion.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Trip to Boston; 6/4/2008-6/9/2008: bit young, rough with oak profile - vanilla and coconut, apricots layers, bitter touch on finish, perhaps needs time?
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Good, but not that good. One of those wines I end end up enjoying more than a more critical or objective analysis of the wine's qualities would indicate. Perhaps not as intense as some, and I prefer a bit more clean zip and 'bite', but it went down well. Classic slightly caremlised marmalade notes and a lovely lightness of touch on the palate.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Well done, but it lacks complexity and structure to compete with the better ones from this vintage. A good early drinking Sauternes and good value for the money IMO.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Massive, big in every way, very thick, very concentrated, hugely sweet, pineapples and apricots, just like its sibling Cantegril but bigger and heavier; actually I prefer the lighter wine
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Straw color. Light as a feather, especially served along side the 2000 Alban Costello Viognier TBA (as an experiment in contrast). The Alban was certainly the flashier of the two wines, but in the end, this seemed to get the most attention. Compared to past bottles, this seems to be closing up a bit. At this stage, more of an aperetif than a dessert -- but, it did pair very well with the Roquefort (Carles).
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Donated to Otis's 3rd CDP. I drank this late in the night, but I remember it being an excellent drink. Sweet, but with acidity that holds it together and prevents it from being flabby. Like many 01 Sauternes it's got such breadth that I can drink a lot at a sitting. I need to buy more!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
I did not take extensive notes on it but di note that it was silky with some spice and apricot notes. Not as concentrated and intense as some other 2001 Sauternes but very good. Not 96 points good though. 91-92 points. Perhaps this suffered in comparison to the 1976 Beerenauslese that Scubarex brought.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Purchased for $19/375 ml. Creamy vanilla and peach flavors. Orange sherbet on the finish. Seems like an early drinker as acidity is not that prevalent.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
1/3/2024 - liber Likes this wine: 93 Points
7th of 12, pnp, perfect cork and level, attractive , nuanced, youthful and in line with recent bottles last in Nov, upside, 15+ years. F+ (18).
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/19/2023 - remyworldpeace Likes this wine: 94 Points
Mature honey, apricot, almond, pineapple. Lovely sweet but with citric acidic balance. Lovely sweet oaky complexity on the finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/29/2023 - liber Likes this wine: 93 Points
6th of 12, pnp, perfect cork and level, attractive and as last bottle, upside, 15+ years. F+ (18).
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/1/2023 - liber Likes this wine: 93 Points
5th of 12, pnp, perfect cork and level, again lovely, upside, 15+ years. F+ (18).
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/5/2023 - liber Likes this wine: 93 Points
4th of 12, pnp, perfect cork and level, delicious as before, plateau, 20+ years. F+ (18).
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/5/2023 - acyso wrote: 90 Points
Vinetasters: 2000 Bordeaux (Park Ridge, IL): Served double blind. Unequivocally Sauternes, but I thought this was a decade older based on the colour and the maturity this showed on the palate. Not too sweet, and I really like the bitter marmalade notes on the palate here, giving this quite a bit of balance. I admit to be slightly shocked at how advanced this was showing given the vintage.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/26/2023 - liber Likes this wine: 93 Points
3rd of 12, pnp, perfect cork and level, lovely again per last week. F+ (18).
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/17/2023 - liber Likes this wine: 93 Points
2nd of 12, pnp, perfect cork and level, as Sunday's bottle, very attractive and nuanced, upside, 25+ years. F+ (18).
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/15/2023 - liber Likes this wine: 93 Points
1st of 12, pnp, perfect cork and level - golden, unctuous, youthful brightness; peach, apricot, touch of marmalade, hint of sprice, some citrus, balanced and complex; fullish for Barsac, wonderful length, persistence and concentration, complex and intriguing, surprisingly fresh, upside, 25+ years. F+ (18).
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/26/2022 - CarpeDiem! Likes this wine: 89 Points
Deep yellow, honey coloured. Dense, almost sirupy in the glass. In the nose heavy extracted (sandal) wood, honey and apricot. Intense, full bodied, creamy in the mouth, with wood and nut aromas immediately assaulting your palate. Sweet dried prunes, raisins, dates, spicebread, candied orange, sandalwood, stewed apricots, walnuts, candied ginger. I shunned Sauternes and Barsacs for a long time, because of their exuberant sweetness, but this bottle was a welcome reconciliation, reminding me of the enormous aromatic complexity at the origin of their fame.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/24/2022 - Lordswood wrote: 92 Points
Beautifully balanced and light on its feet. In a great place but I can imagine it staying on that plateau for many years. Enjoy.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/22/2021 - Cailles wrote: 96 Points
4 Rosé Unicorns & 6 Mature Bordeauxs: Five red Bordeauxs from 1978 to 1998 + one Sauternes 2001. All tasted double blind. Winner - by a margin - was the L’Evangile 1982 (98 pts). Best bottle so far, this showed a lot of intensity and substance combined with a perfect precision. The Pichon Baron 1989 is a quintessential Pauillac in its prime. The complete package. Complex, precise, super harmonious. The Pontet Canet 1996 (95 pts) showed surprisingly layered and seductive. The 1998 Ducru Beaucaillou (94 pts) showed the typical earthy, mineral and herbal profile but had some alcohol notes and showed overall more modern and ripe than today’s DBs. The Gruaud Larose 1978 (92 pts) had a nice fruit core with lots of tertiary aromas wrapped around it but compared to the others was lacking definition and complexity. The Dosiy Daene 2001 (96 pts) is another stunning 2001 Sauternes with a perfect balance of sweetness and freshness.
TN: This is fantastic! There is a lot of substance, so much fruit purity with quince, peach, citrus, lime and even some floral aromas in addition to the wonderful saffron and spice layer. Very expressive on the nose and palate and perfect balance between the sweetness of the fruit, the tartness of the citrus fruits and a perfectly round acidity. Due to the high aroma intensity and the layerdness I directly thought that this might be an Yquem - which says a lot. The same happened also some time ago with an almost perfect bottle of Suduiraut 2001 (98 pts). These 2001 Sauternes are just fabulous and worth any search. World class Sauternes from a great vintage and still available for no money.
Decanting: A short 30 minutes in the decanter should be enough.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/30/2021 - sirpat00 wrote: 93 Points
Part of a small Bordeaux 20+ years of age line-up. Had this for the second time in a short period of time with pretty consistent notes. Very Sauternes, showcasing quince, saffron and candid peach. Super creamy and perfectly balanced, but again not as layered and finely knit as the best of the best.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/16/2021 - sirpat00 wrote: 94 Points
Had this at a social event hence only brief notes from memory. Candid stone fruit, saffron, caramel and marzipan. Rich and dense, great balance and a velvety texture. In a great spot right now. Maybe a touch less layered and intense than Suduiraut 2001 and lacks the freshness and refinement of Yquem 2001, but this makes for excellent drinking today. Will revisit in a few days…
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/20/2020 - Rieslingfan wrote:
Consumed over two nights, with the first night being in isolation, and the second being an unusual food challenge, Panang Curry. On its own there was the usual vanilla tinged botrytis spice, medium body, and a long finish which is where the wine really shone. With the curry it acted very much like a German Gold Capsule Auslese, balancing the heat and salt of the curry against its rich sweetness. I wish I had saved a couple of sips to taste later the second night, but from half bottle it was gone too soon. A very nice 2001 Barsac, but not a challenger for the big guns of the vintage.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/2/2019 - Chimer Likes this wine: 93 Points
Colour evolving and sweetness dropping out but retains wonderful richness. This was overpowered by a sweet Raspberry Souffle but would have coped well with something more savoury
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/4/2019 - vide wrote: 90 Points
This is a charming if slightly inconsequential wine. Lovely clear burnished gold colour; nose = delicate honey and petal; taste = very light, understated and lacking in depth or complexity. For those who do not like deeply-unctuous Sauternes, this will hit all the bills. But, taking a wider perspective, D-D have done better than this.
I suppose you might keep it for ever, but it won't get any better.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/14/2018 - RayOB wrote: 88 Points
Drank at P&G
Nice but a little light in the palate for an '01
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/27/2018 - Duncan H Likes this wine: 92 Points
Mrs H loved this! Absolutely delicious, but I have a hint of a reservation that it wasn't quite as fine as I remembered from previous bottles. My vinous faculties might well have been impaired tho'...
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/17/2017 - Duncan H Likes this wine: 93 Points
Rich gold in colour. Apricot on the nose, full and well-balanced with characteristic Barsac sharpness.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/11/2017 - logos Likes this wine: 73 Points
375. medium orangeish-gold. heavy, rich but rather montonic apricot & orange nose is pleasant but not very interesting; becomes duller with air: all the freshness, delicacy, and lilt of earlier bottles some years ago is gone. flavour is better: ripe, delicious but also seemingly simpler than when younger; richest and most concentrated ever tasted from this property; intense apricot, orange tinged taste in perfect conformity with nose; slightly deficient in acid; quite sweet but but botrytis bitterness sets it off fairly effectively. aftertaste is long and harmonious continuation of straightforward palate.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/13/2017 - europat55 wrote: 92 Points
Nose: B++/A- Palate: A-
My #1, Group's #3 (39 pts). Tasted Blind
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/9/2017 - Jimaronson Likes this wine: 95 Points
Orange and honey suckle. Loved the wine and especially with chocolate. Nice acid after finish. No sign of fading.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/15/2017 - aagrawal wrote: 86 Points
Epic 2001 Sauternes Horizontal (San Francisco): Tasted single-blind. From a 375. Golden-orange; limited aromatics, slight glue; palate is full bodied, slightly bitter, medium sweetness, orange citrus fruit but on the simpler side; medium finish. Not bad, but not as good as expected. 86
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/10/2017 - Vinomnivore wrote: 86 Points
Perhaps flawed. Crock disintegrated. Not too sweet, nutty with light acid and fruit. Almost a sherry flavor?
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/24/2016 - galewskj wrote: 86 Points
94+ at Gary and Judy's: From 1/2 bottle, this wine lacked sweetness and was quite crisp. I'd imagine this would go better with chinese food than trying to serve it for dessert. Slightly medicinal. One taster suspected it's in a shut-down phase right now. I hope so. I've not had good luck with this producer, and this is one of the worst 2001 Sauternes I've had.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/20/2016 - jlm wrote:
Honey, golden raisin, orange zest, and saffron in the aromas here, and quite sweet on the palate without being heavy in the least. This is far sweeter than the Rieslings and Loire dessert wines I'm more accustomed to, and while I enjoyed it, I think it might be a bit out of my palate comfort zone.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/6/2016 - SimonS wrote: 87 Points
This seems fully ready. A lovely dark gold colour and seamless ease on drinking - no astringent end any more. For me it is too easy, too sweet and too low acid, to be a great Sauternes. I will be drinking the rest of these ASAP.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/23/2015 - SimonS wrote:
Not impressed with this bottle. Toffee colour and a little toffee flavour, but no apparent oxidation. Very smooth and quite sweet, but very little depth of flavour and not complex. Far too little acidity. I couldn't detect any particular flaw, but will refrain from rating until I try another. 82 on this showing.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/29/2015 - fitzi wrote:
Very dry on opening, no lush sweetness to offset the botrytis. Past bottles have balanced out after extended air time, but this one was absorbed among numerous guests very quickly, leaving no time to observe its development.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/7/2015 - Jeremy Holmes wrote:
Right in the zone right now. Crammed with apricots, drizzled with honey. Rich, sweet and unctuous but cut with minerally acid. fantastic length of flavour.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/9/2015 - dbg wrote:
Purchased 2007, perfect cork and fill. Medium gold color, great nose of apricot and pineapple creme brûlée. Medium-full body, mouth-coating ripe fruit with beautiful interplay between sweetness and acidity. Nice long fish. Beautiful match with the fruit tart, especially the pineapple. Still on the upswing. Outstanding.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/12/2015 - fitzi wrote:
Pretty good, amber, some caramel but fresh acidity, good with chicken-and-white-bean soup, with crackers and Parmsan after.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/29/2014 - Vino Me wrote: 92 Points
Opened by Otis. Last had this 9 years ago. This has improved and developed since that time. Golden color. Notes of kumquat, apricot and pineapple held together by a fine acidity. No rush to drink. 92-93 points
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/16/2014 - mike410 wrote: 90 Points
Rich in fruit and brown sugar. Very complex. Only thing missing was the acidity which was way to faint for my liking.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/2/2014 - Jeff Leve wrote: 92 Points
Ripe and over ripe tropical fruits, apricot, orange, vanilla and honey with the right blast of acidity keeps this alive, fresh and interesting. This will get better, but it's already showing very nice today.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/18/2014 - Dave Dalluge wrote:
Consistent with my previous note. Very nice, but on this night I preferred the Dr. Loosen.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/6/2014 - cannym Likes this wine: 92 Points
A touch of brown sugar. Lovely delicate tropical fruit. Huge sweet intensity - it is tightly defined and beautifully sculpted, tight and precise sweet concentration across a base that is quite mineral. Real length and shimmering concentration
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/28/2013 - maxima wrote: 91 Points
BU avec du foie gras, des fruits secs et confits et du melon enveloppé de jambon de Parme!
En paralelle avec Chateau La Tour Blanche 2001 et Cru Barréjats 1996.
Beau nez sur le miel, les agrumes avec une pointe florale!
En bouche, c’est velouté et bien équilibré. De belle notes de pêches avec une super belle acidité et une touche poivré…c’est très long!
Très bon Sauternes.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/17/2013 - Bellissimo wrote:
Tasted along side a '89 Château Bastor-Lamontagne. Clearly a difference in color. The 89 seemed to have more going on with the nose where this had more going on in the palate. Really liked the mouthfeel with just enough viscosity to interplay with the acids. Would definitely seek out to buy.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/28/2013 - JustNathan wrote: 89 Points
Pale mid amber-gold. The nose lacked freshness, slightly flattened with oxidation, later relaxing into hugely perfumed yellow flowers, botyrised nose. Richly bodied but light mouthfeel, great acidity, ciitrus, good length. Slightly disappointing.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/3/2013 - rossi.wine wrote: 89 Points
Nose: impressive, dried yellow stone fruit, flowers, honey, botrytis. Palate: smooth, with apricots, marzipan, honey. A touch too sweet in my view, a little lacking the acidity that I find attractive with this style of wine. The nose is wonderful, it could be a little fresher, more balanced though.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/13/2012 - Zweder wrote: 91 Points
Monthly Tasting Group LTB 2012-10; Mature Sauternes (By VD): The bouquet is a bit reticent, but beautiful and concentrated with botrytis. Same on the palate. Some marzipan and almonds. A wine with a great future. For now 91, but in 5+ years from now it could score a bit higher.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/18/2012 - Jeremy Holmes wrote:
Another very good 01 showing, notes of musk, apricot, bath salts and coconut ice. Rich and heady in the mouth with a length that drives on.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/31/2012 - cannym wrote: 93 Points
Mid gold. Fine pineapple, honey, creamy caramel. Lots of lovely acidity, great elegance and balance. Not over ripe or too sweet. Botrytis present of course but not overpowering. Great length. A very nicely judged wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/10/2012 - kidsmurf2000 wrote: 88 Points
Great nose, disappointing follow through. That's not to say its getting flushed, just I wished things were a bit more concentrated.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/8/2012 - DanE wrote: 92 Points
Ageing wonderfully. Rich and unctuous
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/11/2012 - chbeaumont wrote: 93 Points
Previously enjoyed this wine on a couple of occasions & nervous when serving to visiting family whether it would be as good. No need to worry. The vintage & property delivered once again. no detailed note.
Superb colour, exuberant nose; on the palate real depth, powerful but with grace. Beautifully balanced, finishes a touch stern - a sign of youthfulness & more to come?
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/22/2012 - kidsmurf2000 wrote: 93 Points
Interesting musky cheese aroma (which is much more pleasant than it sounds), coupled with tropical fruits. Very easy to drink, very smooth, well integrated. In its prime, good to drink.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/7/2011 - fitzi wrote:
Drank over several days and an aperitif, from 375. Excellent for this purpose: balanced sweetness, not to rich, but neither thin. Great with salty spreads and crudites.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/28/2011 - aagrawal wrote: 93 Points
From a half. Golden color; nose is very fragrant with honey, lanolin, light citrus, fresh; palate has great dense orange marmalade fruit at first, then transitions to a fantastic clean acidic midpalate with plenty of spice; finish is medium length, very balanced, palate cleansing but also flavorful with good peppery spice. This sauternes lives up to the 2001 vintage quality. The main strength of this wine is the fabulous tension and balance with great flavors along with the complex nose. The main thing holding it back (although not that much...) is it lacks superb-level complexity on the palate which it may develop with time. This wine is in early maturity, still likely improving. I'll wait 3-5 years before my last half. Compared to the 01 doisy vedrines, I think this is younger tasting and a notch better. 93
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/20/2011 - DanE wrote: 91 Points
Rich honey gold colour.
Sweet candy nose.
Dried fruit, good acidity, rich and delicious. Still years in it.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/16/2011 - Dave Dalluge wrote: 90 Points
Three Dinners: Popped and poured for sipping outside around the fire. Fresh and clean. Great balance. Drinking really well now and unlikely to improve.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/11/2011 - DanE wrote: 92 Points
A great end to a meal but my notes don't make sense so here is just the score!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/29/2011 - Papies wrote: 91 Points
2001 Bordeaux Masterclass with Michael Schuster (Bordeaux Index, London): Elegant yet restrained and lean nose, especially vs Sauternes of 2001. Balanced, rich , harmonious we would say. Drinks very well now and has this fwd style to it. Drink from now and won't be disappointed at all! 91
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/13/2011 - Jeremy Holmes wrote:
Luscious, rich and heady with aromas and flavours of honey, lavender and marmalade. Beautifully balanced as abundant acidity, commensurate with the level of intense fruit, adds poise and spine. After coating the inside of my mouth with rich, creamy bleu d’Avergne, I rolled a little of this glorious nectar around the gums to follow, I was indeed in gastronomic nirvana.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/6/2011 - Dave Dalluge wrote:
We sipped on this while playing cards, and it showed pretty well. Lacking the depth of flavor and complexity I would have expected from such a great vintage, but maybe that will come in time.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/30/2011 - CellarBord wrote: 92 Points
Very impressive. Big in the glass. Went very well with Hazelnut meringue tart with roasted pear.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/4/2010 - tyvoodoo wrote: 92 Points
Pop and pour from a 375ml. Gorgeous golden color, looks like an aged chardonnay. Wonderful nose of pureed apricot, peach skin, warm honey, a hint of vanilla laden oak. Creme brulee topping, a touch of white pepper and light toffee. More fresh apricot on the palate, orange zest, toasted almonds, with some peaches and cream. Nice and fat in the middle with a long finish, wonderful fresh acid, white flowers and a touch of oak. A gorgeous wine that is drinking nicely now and will easily improve for years to come.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/10/2010 - winelovr2001 wrote: 92 Points
very good, but lacks the vibrancy of better vintages. A bit musty/earthy on the nose
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/18/2010 - Russell Faulkner wrote:
Very good now, ballsy fruit, lovely texture and a tight finish, ages.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/26/2009 - tyvoodoo wrote: 90 Points
Seemed a bit flabby and flat. Lacking acidity and bright fruit flavours that I seem to get in 01. Might be in a funny stage right now, needs more time.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/1/2009 - Rupert wrote: 92 Points
As before this is massive - thick, oaky, but bags of botrytis, and tonight it didn't seem at all heavy, luscious and bright - lovely
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/17/2009 - tyvoodoo wrote: 91 Points
Consistent with the last bottle. A tad more spice and oak influence on the back end which I did not pick up on the first bottle. Good acidity and fruit, nice bottle.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/8/2009 - tyvoodoo wrote: 92 Points
gorgeous nose of candied apricots, sweet honey, orange marmalade and lemon zest. More melon fruits on the nose as it warmed up in the glass; mango, peach and pineapple. Palate is light on its feet, yet packs nice viscosity and acidity. Tons of fresh cream, lemon meringue and peach pastry. Nice wine for the price.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/10/2008 - dwmcubed wrote:
You bring 'em - we'll drink 'em (Fayette Street Grille): Lovely aromas of peach and coconut leap from the glass. Overtly sweet on the initial attack with primary flavors of peaches, apricots and a hint of coconut that I'm guessing is oak-driven. I freely admit I'm dogmatic about acidity and structure in desert wines - and this doesn't have the acidity to balance the sweetness in my opinion.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/8/2008 - Mlermontov wrote: 89 Points
Trip to Boston; 6/4/2008-6/9/2008: bit young, rough with oak profile - vanilla and coconut, apricots layers, bitter touch on finish, perhaps needs time?
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/29/2008 - king-bing wrote: 89 Points
Good, but not that good. One of those wines I end end up enjoying more than a more critical or objective analysis of the wine's qualities would indicate. Perhaps not as intense as some, and I prefer a bit more clean zip and 'bite', but it went down well. Classic slightly caremlised marmalade notes and a lovely lightness of touch on the palate.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/31/2007 - Rupert wrote: 92 Points
Massive, thick coconut-sweet fruit, very plush, but with a citrus tone which have it life. Impressive
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/7/2007 - Cheryl wrote:
No notes
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/15/2007 - Bunski wrote: 88 Points
Well done, but it lacks complexity and structure to compete with the better ones from this vintage. A good early drinking Sauternes and good value for the money IMO.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/2/2006 - pontac wrote: 85 Points
WWS - Welwyn Wine Society - Annual Wine Fair (Woolmer Green Village Hall): Sweet but not overly,overshadowed bythe Jurancon
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/12/2006 - Rupert wrote: 92 Points
Massive, big in every way, very thick, very concentrated, hugely sweet, pineapples and apricots, just like its sibling Cantegril but bigger and heavier; actually I prefer the lighter wine
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/1/2006 - Bunski wrote: 88 Points
Drank very well with coconut as the main ingredient, and as my wife put it, 'I don't mind drinking suntan lotion.'
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/24/2006 - otisabdul wrote: 92 Points
A little more balance than last time I tried it. Fresh and creamy. Enjoyable now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/19/2006 - BordeauxNut wrote:
Straw color. Light as a feather, especially served along side the 2000 Alban Costello Viognier TBA (as an experiment in contrast). The Alban was certainly the flashier of the two wines, but in the end, this seemed to get the most attention. Compared to past bottles, this seems to be closing up a bit. At this stage, more of an aperetif than a dessert -- but, it did pair very well with the Roquefort (Carles).
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/3/2006 - JDB wrote: 93 Points
delicious the first night, did not carry into night #2 as well as the other 01 sauterenes I have had but it didn't cost as much either
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/28/2005 - grossie wrote: 93 Points
Donated to Otis's 3rd CDP. I drank this late in the night, but I remember it being an excellent drink. Sweet, but with acidity that holds it together and prevents it from being flabby. Like many 01 Sauternes it's got such breadth that I can drink a lot at a sitting. I need to buy more!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/9/2005 - Vino Me wrote: 91 Points
I did not take extensive notes on it but di note that it was silky with some spice and apricot notes. Not as concentrated and intense as some other 2001 Sauternes but very good. Not 96 points good though. 91-92 points. Perhaps this suffered in comparison to the 1976 Beerenauslese that Scubarex brought.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/28/2005 - otisabdul wrote: 90 Points
Purchased for $19/375 ml. Creamy vanilla and peach flavors. Orange sherbet on the finish. Seems like an early drinker as acidity is not that prevalent.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/1/2005 - winefool wrote: 93 Points
Medium yellow color. Zingy yellow aroma of some spice. Zingy acidity with full yellow fruit. Reasonably light on its feet. 1/05
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment