1997 Château Bastor-Lamontagne, Sauternes
Sweet Wine, White, Still
France
Ready 2003 / 2007 / 2013
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Tasting Note
When first tasted in our offices two years ago, we were hugely impressed by this sauternes. It has ranked in our top recommendations ever since and has become a bulwark of our list of 'stickies'. The chateau has earned an enviable reputation of late, however it is no coincidence that the wine comes from the undeniably fine 1997 vintage. Mid-gold appearance with good clarity, the nose reveals pure honey, tangy citrus peel and a wheaty, toasty note too. The palate shows good breadth and intensity, though comfortably avoids the pitfalls of being too viscous or too bold. A sense of balance and a pure accent from start to finish make this a striking example. No clumsy sweetness here, just a buttery, caramel-like persistence. A versatile partner to many desserts and a sauternes that ranks a good notch over the benchmark, particularly given its price point.
Region Details
Vintage Notes
Grape Variety
Best known for its important role in the dry and sweet wines of Bordeaux, where it provides weight and lusciousness commonly in partnership with the more scented Sauvignon Blanc. Semillon has a fleshy palate mid-palate reminiscent of Chardonnay, but offering lime characters in place of lemon, and has a noticeably dry finish. Far from well-travelled, it crops up in Provençal whites and occasionally in Italy. Semillon has a cult following in Australia, notably in the Hunter Valley, where it has proved worthy of long ageing. After ten years the dry wine develops a waxy, honeyed character, and can give the impression of oak nuances despite never seeing the inside of a barrel.
A variety with ancestral links to the Loire valley in France and now planted widely around the world. In France it is best known for Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé, though it is widely used in dry white bordeaux and as a component in sauternes. Sauvignon Blanc has a crisp, grapey countenance and a hallmark fragrance of herbs and green garden fruits. It is rarely exposed to new oak ageing. The variety developed a cult following after its success in New Zealand in the 1990s where growers coaxed richness and pungency from the variety. It is an important variety in both South Africa and Chile, and can be found in California, Austria and elsewhere.
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