In 2008 Sauternes and Barsac were not generally seen as having had a great year. It’s the first chance I’ve had to taste this vintage and the nine wines shown at the MW Institute tasting were better than expected overall. They had sweetness and fruit but perhaps did lack zip [acid] and that creamy botrytis stamp of the great years. That said I really enjoyed Chateau Climens, Chateau Clos Haut-Peyraguey and Chateau Rieussec. Chateau Suiduiraut looked very good indeed. Chateau d’Yquem was difficult to evaluate on the basis of the small sample size given but it had great length. Still I was a lot more excited tasting the 2010 vintage in Sauternes and Barsac at the UGCB a week later. More on that wonderful vintage for red, white and sweet white shortly.

Chateau Climens

Elegant gold; guava, melon and peach on the nose; honey too; nicely balanced palate, elegant; not thick or full of sugar but clean and fresh. 90+

Chateau Clos Haut-Peyraguey

Mid gold; some lift; little melon and peach; mid-weight palate; not heavy. 88+

Chateau d’Yquem

Pale gold; honeysuckle and melon, very mid weight palate; delicacy, excellent length [v small sample]. Looks to be very good. 92+

Chateau Guiraud

Deeper gold; some butterscotch notes; firmer and stronger and also sweeter style than Climens say. Typically more evolved as is the style here. 89+

Chateau Lafaurie-Peyraguey

Mid gold; some resin, some grassy characters; some lanolin too; more sweetness here; candy on the palate. 88+

Chateau La Tour Blanche

Mid gold; little wet wool and semillon notes; quite thick on the palate with honey and apple notes and some wet wool again. 87

Chateau de Myrat

Deep gold; some VA lift and vanilla; solid; palate feels sweet and lacks acid. 85

Chateau Nairac

Mid gold; semillon and lanolin waxy notes; quite full bodied palate; mid weight. Goodish. 87

Chateau Rieussec

Bright gold; fine elegant nose with peach and white flower tones, wax beneath; has depth; quite rich palate; weight and works well. Lacks a bit of zip but very good effort. 91+

Chateau Suduiraut

Elegant mid gold; some butterscotch and cream; this feels right! Some toasty brioche notes; quite rich and ripe yet manages elegance and finesse. Feels one of the best here. 92+