Good as Gold
With three outstanding vintages for sale, it's time to discover (or rediscover) the great sweet wines of Sauternes
By James Suckling and Per-Henrik Mansson
Bordeaux cognoscenti know something that many wine lovers have forgotten or completely overlooked: an abundance of great sweet wines from Sauternes is waiting for them in wine shops. Never in the history of the region has so much thick, rich and elegantly sweet white wine been available.
This glut of delightful nectar comes primarily from an unprecedented trio of vintages--1990, 1989 and 1988--when Sauternes and Barsac producers celebrated some of the best growing conditions this century. Not only was the weather perfect to nurture the growth of Botrytis cinerea , the noble rot that concentrates the sugar in grapes, mother nature also allowed Sauternes estates to produce bucketfuls of the stuff.
Take these three recent vintages with the other outstanding years for sweet Bordeaux in the '80s--1986 and 1983--and you have an incredible selection of Sauternes (pronounced soh-TAIRN) to spoil even the most demanding of sweet tooths. Thousands of cases of great vintage Sauternes are still available in wine shops, auction rooms and in cellars of négociants and châteaux. It's a rare moment to buy some of the rarest wines ever produced.
In order to get a handle on what to buy and drink from recent Sauternes vintages, Wine Spectator conducted blind tastings in Bordeaux in December and January. We reviewed 140 sweet wines from nearly three dozen Sauternes and Barsac estates over several vintages: 1983, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992 and 1993.
Many of these wines are outstanding or classic. Overall and across all the vintages, 55 wines are rated 90 or higher on the 100-point scale. These high ratings indicate that Sauternes and its sub-appellation, Barsac, both located in the southernmost part of Bordeaux, are treasure troves of wonderful wines. For the overall ratings of the vintages, classic scores go to 1983 (95), 1989 (98) and 1990 (99). This is only the second time we have given a Bordeaux vintage a 99 rating; the first was for the reds of 1961, one of the greatest years of all time.
We also rated outstanding the 1988 (93) and 1986 (90) while the ratings for other vintages are 79 for 1987 and 1985, 77 for the 1991 and 72 for the 1992. We tasted too few wines from the 1993 vintage to make a definitive judgment, but it might score a "good" rating. We will review more 1993s after they are released. The '89 and '90 vintages clearly deserve their near-perfect ratings. For the '89s, we rated 14 out of 25 wines (56 percent) outstanding or classic. For the '90s, we rated 17 out of 27 wines (63 percent) either outstanding or classic. The châteaux never had a better opportunity to make classic wines than in these two vintages. Those who didn't simply didn't make the effort.
An added excitement with '90 is their availability, which comes as somewhat of a surprise. We thought they were sold out long ago, but after checking with dozens of châteaux and négociants in Bordeaux, they all reported good quantities of 1990 Sauternes available. This must make the '90 one of the last great collectible young vintages available from Europe at the moment. We advise buying some if you ever thought about laying down a case or two of a great vintage of Sauternes. Or it would be good to have simply for drinking in the near future.
The weather in 1990 offered ideal conditions from start to finish, with average temperatures well above normal. Early flowering was followed by heat waves in July and August, then higher-than-usual temperatures in September and October, which created conditions for a relatively early and unproblematic harvest. It started around the second week of September for several key estates, such as the premiers crus Guiraud and La Tour Blanche. Two perfectly timed rains--in the middle and at the end of August--set the stage for the development of botrytis. And light rain in September combined with unusually hot eastern winds explain why the grapes matured extremely well in 1990.
"I have never seen better picking conditions," said Xavier Plantey, manager of Château Guiraud. "The grapes were in such perfect condition that we could pick everything all at one time instead of making numerous passes through the vineyards, picking berry by berry."
It's suprising that there's been very little interest in '90 Sauternes in the world market. Sauternes producers have already sold part of their '90 production but apparently they have done so mostly to the die-hard sweet-wine lover--dwindling in number in the global market. Other wine buyers, from merchants to consumers, reportedly didn't buy the glorious '90s because their appetite for Sauternes was lost after the '89 vintage. Sauternes producers apparently killed the market for their sweet wines when many châteaux hiked up prices with their '89s.
"The market never came back after the '89 vintage," says Dominique Renard of Bordeaux Millésimes, a major buyer of Sauternes, especially the great Château d'Yquem. "The wines from '89 were just too expensive and there was very little interest in them."
To generate any sort of interest in their 1990s, châteaux lowered prices--sometimes by as much as 25 percent lower than their 1989s. Still, Bordeaux négociants didn't buy much of the vintage, and the châteaux are sitting on substantial stocks. They could be shipped quickly, though, as soon as consumers begin to ask for these wines.
Sauternes and most other sweet wines also seem to have fallen out of fashion with consumers--perhaps with the exception of Port. "When was the last time you bought and drank some Sauternes or how much Sauternes do you have in your cellar?" asks Pierre Lawton of Bordeaux wine merchants Alias. "People just aren't interested in Sauternes, and those who are, already have cellars full of the wine."
Such an argument sounds persuasive, but may not be completely accurate. It could all change if people only knew what they were missing. One glass of young Sauternes from any of these new, great vintages will make just about anyone a believer. The intense aromas of honey, spice, pear and tropical fruit are captivating enough, but combine that with fabulous flavors and your palate is taken to new heights with the nectarlike sweetness and caressing viscosity of these wines. They are perfect as dessert, just served on their own, although they also go well with fresh fruits, tarts and anything else that has fresh acidity and medium sweetness. In Bordeaux, some prefer Sauternes as an apéritif while others say it is perfect with foie gras or Roquefort cheese.
When you have such greatness in the glass, you're never too worried about what to serve. We once heard about a man who preferred his Sauternes with blood red steaks, and if he liked it, why not? However, we would prefer to have a great Sauternes at the end of the meal, considering its sweetness. The sweetness does lessen as Sauternes age, and any of the top wines from the '80s and 1990 will certainly age for many decades. For example, most of the '83s we tasted are perfect to drink now, although they have plenty of life left in them. We have little doubt that the '88, '89 and '90 will improve with age for another 20 to 30 years--probably even longer.
The only drawback is that the best Sauternes won't come cheap. Top '89s and '90s cost up to $200 a bottle. Compared with first-growth claret, grand cru Burgundy or top California Cabernet, however, many Sauternes (except for Château d'Yquem) cost less, and in great vintages they offer equally stunning quality.
Moreover, you seldom get a chance to buy such a group of legendary vintages. The last series of great years in Sauternes was 1976 and 1975 and perhaps 1971 and 1970. Before that, you have to go back to the '40s and '20s. "In the history of Sauternes, there's never been three such years in a row, and I don't think I'll ever see it again in my lifetime," said Xavier Du Pontact, president of the Syndicats des Crus Classés in Sauternes, the château owners association.
With so many great vintages, it is difficult to decide what to buy, but it's best to go for power and richness in a young Sauternes. This should help assure longevity. Both the '89 and '90 have this, although the '90 is slightly better balanced. When tasting these young wines, we couldn't help but think back to the great Sauternes from '59, '47, '45, '29, '28 and '21 we have had over the years. Although it takes an educated guess at this stage, we believe that the '90 and '89 will equal the quality of such classic years as they evolve in cellars.
The '88s may also end up on the same quality level in the long run. Besides, some people might enjoy them more if they seek pure elegance instead of power in a Sauternes. For our part, we look for balance, to be sure, but we also appreciate heavily botrytized wines that deliver the sort of spice and dried apricot character you find often in Germany's nectarlike trockenbeerenauslese Rieslings. Most of the '88s didn't have this character compared to the '89s and '90s.
"I have a small preference for our 1989," says Marie-Françoise Meslier of Château Raymond-Lafon in Sauternes. "The 1988 has finesse and the 1990 power. The 1989 is rounder, more unctuous; it has a lot of sensuality. The 1990 explodes. It seems to have the muscle to knock down doors,. It is very young and has a lot of potential."
One of our great regrets of the tasting was that we were unable to taste the '90 Château d'Yquem (pronounced ee-KEM). The wine will not be released until later this year and the château has a strict policy barring journalists from tasting it before release. But by all rights it should be out of this world. We can unequivocally say that the legendary estate's reputation as the standard-bearer of Sauternes is richly deserved. We can think of no other wine-growing region in the world where a winery stands above the quality of its neighbors with such authority.
In our blind tastings, Yquem was No. 1 in each vintage reviewed. Its class and the intensity of flavor underlined why this château is the only premier cru supérieur in the Sauternes and Barsac area. It is the benchmark for a region where 5,000 acres are planted to Sémillon (80 percent), Sauvignon Blanc (15 percent) and Muscadelle (5 percent). Some 240 producers are in the Sauternes-Barsac region, including 26 classified growths led by Yquem, and they average in a normal year about 500,000 cases.
While Yquem produces wines in its own distinctive style, we still found that each year the fabulous estate managed to make Sauternes that typified the vintage. The Yquem 1983 was the highest-scoring wine of our tasting, rating 98 on Wine Spectator 's 100-point scale. It was a super-intense, full-throttle Sauternes, richly complex and stylish. Compared with the blockbuster 1983, the 1986 (95) charmed us with its almost perfect harmony and long, intense finish. The 1987 (a year with very little botrytis) was the weakest in the group, but it's still a very good wine (88), with seductive texture and medium body. The 1988 (94) was big and showy, rich and ripe, but less powerful than the 1983 or even the 1986. It's not difficult to imagine drinking this wine now, although it will improve for years. Our second-favorite Yquem was the 1989 (97), a majestic wine with a solid backbone, massive fruit flavors accented by spice and a long aftertaste. In the long term, it may prove even better than the '83.
Below the royal Yquem, it's hard to designate a crown prince. A handful of châteaux vie for the second spot, and deliver top quality with great consistency. In Sauternes and Barsac, estates are classified in three ranks: one premier cru supérieur, 11 premiers crus , and 14 deuxièmes crus
Perhaps the most consistent of the premiers crus in our tastings was Château Climens, the Barsac estate owned by Lucien Lurton. In all top vintages, we scored the estate outstanding. In every vintage, this winery produced Sauternes of textbook elegance. The 1989 (93), for instance, offered seductively creamy texture and a beam of lemon, honey, spice, pear and melon flavors that ended with a fresh, long finish.
Our other favorites included: for 1983, the second growth Château Lamothe-Guignard (92); for 1986, Château de Malle (94) and Château d'Arche (93), both second growths, and first growth Guiraud (93); for 1988, Rabaud-Promis (93) and Doisy-Védrines (93); for 1989, Suduiraut with a seductive crème de tête that we rated a classic 96 and Lafaurie-Peyraguey (94); and for 1990, two classic wines from Guiraud (96) and Malle (95), along with five other wines, all rated 93, from Suduiraut, Arche, Climens and two surprise showings by crus bourgeois châteaux Piada in Barsac and Haut-Bergeron in Preignac.
With so many outstanding Sauternes to choose from, it makes you wonder why there hasn't been more interest in such great vintages such as '90 and '89, especially in the United States. It's time to discover Europe's best kept secret in fine, collectible wine before it's too late.
Top-Scoring Sauternes
Wine / Score / Price
CHATEAU D'YQUEM Sauternes 1983 / 98 / $285
Superintense and full-throttled, elegant and stylish. Dark amber in color and rich, this coats your mouth with butterscotch, dried apricot, fig and spice flavors. Made to age for decades.
CHATEAU D'YQUEM Sauternes 1989 / 97 / $200
A majestic Yquem, exhibiting a solid backbone and masses of toasted coconut, honey, spice, and dried apricot character. Sweet, with a long aftertaste. The new oak dominates now.
CHATEAU GUIRAUD Sauternes 1990 / 96 / $56
Stunning. Great balance and a smooth, creamy texture. Rich and ripe, it oozes with dried apricot, almond, acacia, honey and spice flavors leading to a long, vibrant finish.
CHATEAU DE SUDUIRAUT Sauternes Crème de Tête 1989 / 96 / $160
Amazing, full-bodied, with the texture of double cream, cascading its exotic blend of orange-peel, thyme, dried herb and honey flavors to a long finish.
CHATEAU DE MALLE Sauternes 1990 / 95 / $30
Electrifying spice, tropical fruit and dried apricot flavors deliver lots of pleasure. Very sweet, but with a fresh finish.
CHATEAU D'YQUEM Sauternes 1986 / 95 / $250
A beauty that's in nearly perfect harmony. Full-bodied, exhibiting wet earth, honey, floral and ginger flavors that burn with intensity on the long, sweet finish.
CHATEAU CLIMENS Barsac 1986 / 94 / $54
Gorgeous, ripe and rich, oozing with tropical fruit, honey and mineral flavors that take off on the finish.
CHATEAU LAFAURIE-PEYRAGUEY Sauternes 1989 / 94 / $50
Unforgettable. Packs it in and doesn't pull its punches, displaying chewy, bold toasted oak character and honey, spice, dried apricot and pineapple flavors that end in a fresh finish.
CHATEAU DE MALLE Sauternes 1986 / 94 / $43
Electrifying, seductive and focused; ripe, rich, focused and luscious. Creams your mouth with honey, apricot, cedar and spice flavors. Racy and balanced.
CHATEAU D'YQUEM Sauternes 1988 / 94 / $250
Big and showy, rich and ripe, featuring sweet mango, pineapple and lime character. Full in body, with a long finish that reins in the honey, dried apricot and toasted vanilla flavors.
Rating Sauternes Vintages 1992-1980
Vintage / Score / Description / Drinkability
1992 / 72 / Light, straightforward, diluted and medium-sweet / Drink
1991 / 77 / Moderately sweet, attractive apéritif wines / Drink
1990 / 99 / Fabulous balance; rich and racy, with power and elegance / Hold
1989 / 98 / Incredibly rich, with lots of botrytis; built for aging / Hold
1988 / 93 / Extremely fine and firm, well balanced and concentrated / Hold
1987 / 79 / Clean, appealing, with little botrytis / Drink
1986 / 90 / Harmonious, charming, focused and honeyed; lively acidity / Hold
1985 / 85 / Little botrytis character; clean and sweet / Drink
1984 / 68 / A few good wines; a wet, difficult harvest / Drink
1983 / 95 / Intense, complex and stylish; abundant botrytis character / Drink or Hold
1982 / 77 / Mostly fat, alcoholic and sweet / Drink or hold
1981 / 83 / Medium richness; finely balanced wines / Drink
1980 / 82 / Good year; balanced, lightly botrytized wines / Drink
Vintage Ratings: 95-100, classic; 90-94, outstanding; 80-89, good to very good; 70-79, average; 60-69, below average; 50-59, poor.
Drinkability: "Drink" means most of the wines of the vintage are ready to drink; "hold" means most of the age-worthy wines have not fully matured.
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