2005 White Bordeaux

Situated next to the vineyards of Ch. d’Yquem and very close to Ch. Suduiraut, Ch. Raymond-Lafon employs fastidious techniques to ensure its pedigree. The tiny, 18-hectare vineyard is planted with 80 percent Sémillon and 20 percent Sauvignon Blanc; vines that average 40 years of age. The wine spends three years in new, French-oak barrels, imparting beautiful richness to the wines.

The 2005 vintage was warm, but the wine has a fresh and aromatic style, hand-in-hand with a lightly roasted sweetness to be desired in a wine of this maturity. A really impressive effort from a lesser-known producer.

From the stunningly talented winemaking team at Yquem, this is a dry white made in the classic style of Bordeaux Sauvignon Blanc. Crisp, dry with prominent green fruit and a rich underbelly of peaches and cream, this is a wine that is drinking well now or will age well over the next 3-5 years.
Mark Ross, BBR Commercial Manager - 11-Nov-2008

It never ceases to amaze us how such a fine white wine can be made from 100% Sauvignon Blanc. Despite the incredible ripeness of the fruit, this is all finesse and elegance with beguiling aromatics and pure, cool, minerally, pineapple and citrus fruit. The finish is zingy, intense and aristocratic. Even Paul Pontallier admits that this is not made to taste like classic Sauvignon Blanc. It is of course so much better than that - what Sauvignon, after all, could last and improve for over 15 years, or be as good as this?

Following on from its fabulous 2004, Domaine de Chevalier's 2005 reinforces its reputation as not only one of the best dry whites in Bordeaux, but one of the best in the world. With all the intensity, complexity and texture of a top Grand Cru White Burgundy, this starts slowly but explodes on the palate in a cornucopia of exotic citrus and minerals. Made from 70% Sauvignon Blanc and 30% Semillon the fruit is incredibly elegant but very rich, and the balance of firm acidity indicates a very long and happy life ahead.  Production here is tiny (only 1000 cases) so we advise getting in quick!

This is another mouthwateringly good effort from Ch. Coutet. One of the classics of the region Coutet has once again provided a model of elegance and balance and style in 2005. Discreet and stylish, the fine pale colour and graceful, aromatic floral bouquet are supported by a beautifully harmonious palate of pure sweet citrus, peach and honeysuckle. As with the finest red wines of the vintage, the class really shows on the finish, which is intense, complex and exceptionally long. A wonderful Sauternes for the true connoisseur.

This delightful golden sweetie will provide the perfect pairing to sweet puddings such as Tarte Tatin and blue cheeses like Roquefort. The Chevaliers de Védrines who owned this property for centuries (until 1840) would be proud of the job that the Castéja family have done here. Doisy-Védrines is one of the stars of the 2005 vintage for its sublime elegance, richness and finesse. A terrific, fine, perfumed nose with a lifting touch of botrytis acts as the impressive entrée for a wonderfully pure Sauternes of extraordinary length. The wine is like an immaculately tailored suit on a perfectly formed body. This is highly reminiscent of their truly exceptional 1989.

D'Yquem still seems to be head and shoulders above everyone else in Sauternes but Rieussec is part of the select group - made up of Climens and Suduiraut - chasing for the second spot. This is better than 2003 but a little bit behind 2001 in terms of gravitas and zingy acidity. It is nonetheless a cracking wine with immense class, intensity and elegance plus firm acidity that provides a backbone for the rich fruit. Made from 91% Semillon, 8% Sauvignon Blanc and 1% Muscadelle, it combines purity with great balance., while very pure, rich apricots with hints of fruit peel abound. Drink 2010-2030.

This AXA-owned property carries 90% Sémillon in the vineyard, which informs the assertive style associated with Ch. Suduiraut. Given that the extremely warm finish to the 2005 vintage also produced exceptionally ripe fruit and high levels of botrytis, the danger existed at Suduiraut for a fulsome, heavy-boned Sauternes. Nothing could be further from the truth. A beautiful bouquet of honeysuckle and orange blossom greets you, fresh, intense and lively. The palate is rounded, flattering and bright but without a trace of unctuousness. In truth, the wine lacks a little acidity to be great, but this allows the wine to be expressive and generous early in its career. The finish of contrasting butterscotch and orange rind is a delight. Not for the very long term, but luckily this is irresistible now.
Mark Pardoe MW, Fine Wine Wholesale - Tasted at the St Emilion, Pomerol, Graves and Sauternes Cellar Tasting, 03/12/09

A fine, bright pale colour, lovely forward fruit, elegant and precise with an attractive medium/long fragrant finish. For enjoyable early drinking. Drink 2008 to 2020 BBR Score: 16/20

In great Sauternes vintages we offer our “Liquid Gold” selection. We pick our favourites from the vintage in terms of both quality and value, and this is a fantastic way to enjoy a selection of the vintage’s best sweet wines. The wines are offered in halves (six halves of each wine) and packed in their own wooden case.

Our picks this year are:

2005 Ch. Rieussec, Sauternes
2005 Ch. Suduiraut, Sauternes
2005 Ch. La Tour Blanche, Sauternes
2005 Ch. Doisy-Védrines, Barsac

2005 is one of the best vintages in this decade for sweet Bordeaux wines, and may well match 2001 in some cases. The wines have flesh, weight, energy with fresh acidity to boot. This is an exceptional case for the cellar.