WTN: 2004 Climens

[Jenise]

I love Sauternes--it's my favorite sticky wine in the world. But I'm most unfashionable in my preferences in that I prefer Climens to Y'quem and the lemony non-botrytis years that most consider the lesser vintages. So when rafts of 2004s starting washing up on sale sites for practically nothing, I went big.

Opened a 750 the other night to share with friends. Bright medium yellow, the wine hasn't darkened an iota in the bottle. Flavors of lemon meringue pie, white flowers, pineapple and the paler stone fruit follow a pretty nose of ginger and Eureka lemon. It's the lighter more delicate style I really love and in that quite refreshing--one rarely uses that word around a dessert wine. The acid is perhaps a little light for long-term aging, but it's certainly adequate for now and the mid-term--I love acid and can be easily deceived.

[David M. Bueker]

Sounds yummy.

I prefer Rieussec to Yquem (have not had enough Climens to make that decision).

[Jenise]

Reiussec was my first ever Sauternes, a glass I ordered after dinner in a high end restaurant. And I don't know what vintage it was, in retrospect it was obviously a cool vintage, and maybe 'outright cold' is a better word than 'cool'. I've actually never had one like it since in that it was scarcely yellow, and it had a very dieselly nose that I absolutely hated on first whiff but was madly in love with by the end of the glass. All Rieussecs I've had since have been riper. And it's a great house, I do love them and own a few--in fact, I'd call the 01 the most perfect Sauternes I've ever had. But year in/year out, Climens is more my style.

[David M. Bueker]

Ooh...2001 Rieussec. I doubt I will ever be able to top that first bottle of the 2001 I opened shortly after release.

2001 La Tour Blanche came close. I have one 375 of 2001 Climens (thanks Maureen), but am waiting on it.

[Tom Troiano]

Cellar longer! You won't regret it. Climens is Barsac not Sauternes.

[Jenise]

Cellar longer! You won't regret it. Climens is Barsac not Sauternes.

I know that, but categorically it's all the same to me. When I want a sweet yellow dessert wine, I don't think, "Not that one, it's only a Barsac, I wanted Sauternes." Or vice versa.

[Jenise]

Cellar longer! You won't regret it.

Meant to add that I have so much of it that I have enough to drink now and enough to cellar. No problemo!

[Ryan M]

I was really impressed by the 2004 Chapelle de Lafaurie-Peyraguey, which is an absolute steal. Looking at Wine Doctor and Bordeaux Gold, it seems like 2004 Sauternes was patchy, but the top names made outstanding wines, and they are cheap! So in short Jenise, you inspired me to go out and buy some Coutet and Lafaurie.

P.S.: Ryan is a Sauternes junky.