Catalog
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The great white wine of Ch. Valandraud, with a sparkling sap and balance. With only 4000 bottles produced, it is a nugget that will do wonders on the table in 5 years (to take advantage of its youthful brilliance) or in 15 years.
A blend of predominantly Sauvignon Gris and Sauvignon Blanc grapes, topped up with Semillon.
The 2019 vintage in the press:
Vinous (N. Martin - January 2023): 91+/100 “The 2019 Valandraud Blanc has quite a generous nose, creamy new oak combining nicely with the slightly nutty yellow fruit. The palate is well-balanced with a powerful entry, rounded, quite spicy with just a touch of heat on the finish that just gives it a kick. Very fine, but I encountered superior bottles in the past".
J-M. Quarin (April 2020): 93/100 “Delicate from the moment it enters the mouth and immediately melts, with a beautiful touch and body, the wine stretches out spicy, before bouncing back on the finish, very tasty, beautiful and unapproachable.
Bravo!”More- To keep or to drink:
- Ready to drink
- Apogée:
- 2022-2030
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With near-maniacal intransigence at every stage of its development, the Bonnie family delights us with each vintage with its white wine, very Sauvignon (80 to 90%), combining energy, supreme finesse and exemplary straightness.
The 2022 vintage in the press:
Hachette (Guide 2025): Coup de coeur ♥ “Ample on the attack, the palate delivers a full-bodied, enveloping yet beautifully straightforward substance that retains all the expected freshness, with a hint of bitterness on the finish that adds to the overall relief. A complete, benchmark Pessac”.Vinous (Neal Martin - May 2023) : 91-93/100 « Pressed dried flowers on the nose, scents of dandelion and yellow plum, a touch of fennel coming through with time. The palate is well balanced with a pithy opening, nutty and smoky in style, good depth with that nutty finish offering noticeable salinity. Very fine. »
More- To keep or to drink:
- Wait 1 to 2 years
- Apogée:
- 2023-2033
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With near-maniacal intransigence at every stage of its development, the Bonnie family delights us with each vintage with its white wine, very Sauvignon (80 to 90%), combining energy, supreme finesse and exemplary straightness.
The 2018 vintage in the press:
Vinous (A. Galloni - March 2021): 93/100 “The 2018 Malartic-Lagravière Blanc offers a good bit of precision to play off the natural radiance of th year. Lemon confit, marzipan, dried flowers and crushed rocks are all laced together in this super-expressive white. Bright saline underpinnings lend energy and drive. This is very nicely done.”
En Magnum (April 2020): 94/100 "Skilfully vinified with a slight lightening of the tannin that goes in the direction of a search for more immediate elegance, finely spiced, very Léognan-like, fresh and elegant finish. More than ever, Malartic is one of the appellation's must-haves”.
More- To keep or to drink:
- Ready to drink
- Apogée:
- 2023-2033
- Potential alcohol:
- 14%
- Blend:
- 90% Sauvignon, 10% Sémillon
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With near-maniacal intransigence at every stage of its development, the Bonnie family delights us with each vintage with its white wine, very Sauvignon (80 to 90%), combining energy, supreme finesse and exemplary straightness.
The 2016 vintage in the press:
Vinous (N. Martin - January 2020): 94/100 “The 2016 Malartic-Lagravière Blanc has an intense bouquet of orange blossom, quince and light yellow flower aromas that burst from the glass. The palate is well balanced with a lightly spiced entry and good weight and tension, but it tightens up toward a saline, seaweed-influenced finish that is bitter and penetrating. On its own, it feels a little aggressive; however, with bottle age and partnered with food, this will drink supremely well.”
La Revue du Vin de France (November 2017): 95/100 “It explodes with fruit on the nose [...] full, coated palate that has retained all its freshness.”
More- To keep or to drink:
- Ready to drink
- Apogée:
- 2022-2032
- Blend:
- 85% Sauvignon, 15% Sémillon
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In white, Domaine de Chevalier produces a model unique among its peers, made of tension, vivacity and energy. Its mineral side and its capacity to age (30 years and more) bring it closer to the greatest Burgundy whites.
The 2021 vintage in the press:
Vinous (A.Galloni-December 2023): 96/100 “The 2021 Domaine de Chevalier Blanc is a dense, powerful dry white. Readers will have to be patient, as the 2021 is going to need quite a bit of time to be at its best. Today, the wine's textural intensity and some oak are front and center. The 2021 is a Blanc of substance and real character. I can't wait to see how it ages.”
Vinous (N.Martin-November 2023): 95/100 “The 2021 Domaine de Chevalier Blanc was one of the best wines that I tasted, white or red, during en primeur. Now in bottle, it has a captivating bouquet of mineral-rich citrus fruit that represents one of the most complex I have encountered in any vintage. The palate is well-balanced with a beautiful line of acidity and a slightly resinous texture, very complex and intense on the finish that lingers in the mouth. What a fabulous dry white Bordeaux this will become.”More- To keep or to drink:
- Wait 3 to 5 years
- Apogée:
- 2025-2040
- Organic certification:
- 2023
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In white, Domaine de Chevalier produces a model unique among its peers, made of tension, vivacity and energy. Its mineral side and its capacity to age (30 years and more) bring it closer to the greatest Burgundy whites.
The 2018 vintage in the press:
Vinous (A.Galloni - March 2021): 95/100 “The 2018 Domaine de Chevalier Blanc has com together beautifully over the last two years. Rich and unctuous in feel, the 2018 offers terrific nuance to match its creamy, enveloping personality. Dried pear, marzipan, lemon confit and white flowers all build as the 2018 blossoms in the glass. The poised, deeply resonant finish is striking. I am so impressed with the 2018, a wine that is far more convincing in bottle than it was from barrel. ”
J-M Quarin (October 2020): 95/100 “Ample from the attack, juicy in the mid-palate and above all very tasty, the wine develops on a fat touch. The finish is complex, long and sappy. It's superb.”
More- To keep or to drink:
- Ready to drink
- Apogée:
- 2025-2040
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In white, Domaine de Chevalier produces a model unique among its peers, made of tension, vivacity and energy. Its mineral side and its capacity to age (30 years and more) bring it closer to the greatest Burgundy whites.
The 2017 vintage in the press:
Vinous (A.Galloni-December 2019): 94+/100 “A wine of noble breeding and class, the 2017 Domaine de Chevalier Blanc dazzles from start to finish. Dried flowers, chamomile, mint and citrus confit struggle to emerge, buried by the wine's sheer richness and concentration. The 2017 needs at least a few years in bottle to come together, but that won't be an issue for a wine that will drink well for several decades.”
More- To keep or to drink:
- Ready to drink
- Apogée:
- 2025-2040
- Potential alcohol:
- 13.5%
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In white, Domaine de Chevalier produces a model unique among its peers, made of tension, vivacity and energy. Its mineral side and its capacity to age (30 years and more) bring it closer to the greatest Burgundy whites.
The 2016 vintage in the press:
Vinous (N. Martin - January 2020): 94/100 “The 2016 Domaine de Chevalier Blanc has a well-defined bouquet of white peach, apricot and light candle wax aromas and nicely integrated oak. The well-blanced palate leads with quince and orange peel on the entry, revealing a pleasant bitter undertow and fanning out with confidence toward the saline finish. Excellent.”
More- To keep or to drink:
- Ready to drink
- Apogée:
- 2025-2036
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Smith Haut Lafitte's white wine has built up a solid reputation over the past 20 years, even though it is not a grand cru classé (but neither are Haut-Brion blanc and Pape-Clément blanc). A happy marriage of wood and fruit, it always delivers a beautiful aromatic complexity, from lime blossom to citrus fruit, and a lively, rich, fine structure.
The 2022 vintage in the press:
Vinous (N. Martin - January 2025): 96/100 "The 2022 Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc is superb. What a wine. Rich, ample and creamy, with striking balance, the 2022 dazzles from start to finish. Ripe pear, tangerine peel, chamomile, mint and a kiss of spice all meld together in a stunning Blanc that belies the warm, dry year. Plush, generous contours wrap it all togaether in style. The blance here is magnificent."
J-M Quarin (February 2025): 97/100 "Pale yellow colour. Very aromatic nose, fine, with ripe fruit, developing superbly when the glass is shaken. Floral and buttery nuances. Hints of liquorice and even chardonnay. Once again, the tactile grace of this wine sweeps the palate away and shatters any attempt to describe it, as it melts, perfumes and stretches out long, delicate, powerful and airy all at once. Enjoy it now!"
More- To keep or to drink:
- Wait 1 to 2 years
- Apogée:
- 2024-2035
- Organic certification:
- 2019
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Ultra-confidential white wine from Cos d'Estournel, with a predominance of Sauvignon Blanc (75%) on a terroir located at the northern tip of the Médoc. The proximity of the Gironde estuary and the Atlantic Ocean gives the wine its freshness, its mineral notes and its marine accents.
The 2022 vintage in the press:
Vinous (A. Galloni - January 2025): 94/100 "The 2022 Cos d'Estournel Blanc is a blend of 74% Sauvignon Blanc and 26% Sémillon. Rich and creamy on the palate, the 2022 Cos Blanc offers up a striking mix of orchard fruit, chamomile, tangerine oin, mint and spice. Vinification and aging in barrel emphasizes the wine's inherent oiliness and weight. This is a serious, structured white for the dinner table."
J.M Quarin (February 2025): 94/100 "Light yellow colour with green highlights. The nose is moderately aromatic, fruity and very reduced. Fat on the attack, juicy in the middle, delicious, the wine melts on the palate. It has a long, nervous, fresh finish with a nice spicy aftertaste."
More- To keep or to drink:
- Wait 1 to 2 years
- Apogée:
- 2023-2032
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Ultra-confidential white wine from Cos d'Estournel, with a predominance of Sauvignon Blanc (75%) on a terroir located at the northern tip of the Médoc. The proximity of the Gironde estuary and the Atlantic Ocean gives the wine its freshness, its mineral notes and its marine accents.
As the Revue du Vin de France pointed out during the Primeurs tastings, the 2021 vintage is "one of the most accomplished in its history".
The 2021 vintage in the press:
La Revue du Vin de France (Guide 2025): 93/100 “The white reaches an excellent level, developing citrus and white fruit notes.”
Vinous (Antonio Galloni - december 2023) : 94/100 “The 2021 Cos d'Estournel Blanc is a big wine-rich, dramatic and expressive. Low yields in 2021 created a white that is deep, layered and quite potent in feel. Tangerine peel, citrus confit, marzipan and a touch of new oak give the 2021 a decidedly flamboyant, extroverted personality."
More- To keep or to drink:
- Wait 1 to 2 years
- Apogée:
- 2023-2032
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Sophisticated white wine from Pape-Clement, with a balance of tone and concentration that is always perfectly defined. Its 2020, precise, intense, discreetly woody and less smoky than usual, will be among the greatest Bordeaux whites of the decade.
The 2022 vintage in the press:
Vinous (A. Galloni - January 2025): 95/100 "The 2022 Pape Clément Blanc is rich, layered and so inviting. Tangerine peel, pineapple, tropical fruit, mint and exotic floral notes fill out the layers. Light tropical inflections suggest a certain amount of richness, but in the end, the 2022 is airy and very nicely lifted. All the elements are so well balanced."
J-M Quarin (February 2025): 94/100 "Pale yellow colour. Intense nose with very ripe fruit. Incredibly aromatic on the palate, giving it great charm and a unique character. The wine melts in the finish, long and very good."
More- To keep or to drink:
- Wait 1 to 2 years
- Apogée:
- 2026-2036
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Sophisticated white wine from Pape-Clement, with a balance of tone and concentration that is always perfectly defined. Its 2020, precise, intense, discreetly woody and less smoky than usual, will be among the greatest Bordeaux whites of the decade.
The 2020 vintage in the press:
Vinous (N. Martin-December 2022): 94/100 “Pape Clément blanc 2020 presents a brilliant nose with well-defined, concentrated scents of orchard fruit, orange pith and lime cordial. The palate is fresh and mineral, quite taut, much less oaky than other vintages and displaying more terroir on the finish. One of the estate's best whites I've ever tasted. Tasted three times with consistent notes.”
Bettane et Desseauve (Guide 2024): 94/100
More- To keep or to drink:
- Wait 1 to 2 years
- Apogée:
- 2026-2036
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Second wine of Rieussec, created in 2002. Expressive and seductive - flowers, white peach, honey - on a body that is half sweet but very elegant (terroir obliges). The Sauternes affair, its market price being even lower than its production cost!
The 2020 vintage in the press:
J-M Quarin (March 2023): 96/100 “Pale color. Slightly discreet, fruity nose. Nuances of almond skin and pear. Minute on the attack, savory in the middle, very aromatic, the wine melts on the palate. Finishes with a hint of menthol and spice. Very good.”
More- To keep or to drink:
- Ready to drink
- Apogée:
- 2023-2030
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Straddling Barsac and Sauternes, Haut-Bergeron enjoys a quality terroir superbly exploited by the Lamothe family for 9 generations (!). It is the artisanal cru and the sure value of Sauternes, of which each vintage wins its share of awards in competitions and guides.
More- To keep or to drink:
- Ready to drink
- Apogée:
- 2025-2040
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Straddling Barsac and Sauternes, Haut-Bergeron enjoys a quality terroir superbly exploited by the Lamothe family for 9 generations (!). It is the artisanal cru and the sure value of Sauternes, of which each vintage wins its share of awards in competitions and guides.
The 2021 vintage in the press:
Vinous (N. Martin - November 2023): 91/100 “The 2021 Haut-Bergeron has an attractive bouquet with acacia honey, yellow plum and light peachy notes, gradually gaining intensity with aeration. The palate is weel-balanced with fine weight, the acidity lending tension. The finish has a delightful marmelade and quince tinge that lingers in the mouth. Delightful.”
B. Burtschy (septembre 2022) : 94-95/100
More- To keep or to drink:
- Ready to drink
- Apogée:
- 2023-2035
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Straddling Barsac and Sauternes, Haut-Bergeron enjoys a quality terroir superbly exploited by the Lamothe family for 9 generations (!). It is the artisanal cru and the sure value of Sauternes, of which each vintage wins its share of awards in competitions and guides.
The 2020 vintage in the press:
Hachette (Guide 2024): Coup de ♥ “Its aromatic richness extends into a full, generous, rich palate, in the greatest tradition of classic Sauternes.”
La Revue du Vin de France (December 2023): 96/100 “The 2020 renders the qualitative evolution of the estate with its perfume of citrus and mirabelle plum. Its lovely, lively attack is quickly integrated, as is the fine ageing that amplifies its elegance.”
Vinous (N.Martin-December 2022): 92/100 “The Haut-Bergeron 2020, which incidentally bears a special label to celebrate its bicentenary, has a very pure, fragrant nose of dry honey, white peach, saffron and Japanese yuzu. The delineation is impressive. The palate is balanced, with great concentration, quite spicy with notes of ginger and lemongrass. Very fine.”
More- To keep or to drink:
- Ready to drink
- Apogée:
- 2023-2035
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Straddling Barsac and Sauternes, Haut-Bergeron enjoys a quality terroir superbly exploited by the Lamothe family for 9 generations (!). It is the artisanal cru and the sure value of Sauternes, of which each vintage wins its share of awards in competitions and guides.
The 2019 vintage in the press:
La Revue du Vin de France (Guide 2025): 93/100 “Haut-Bergeron 2019 hints at an intense spectrum of honeyed, candied orange aromas.”
La Revue du Vin de France (December 2022): 97/100 “At the level of a classified growth, Haut-Bergeron offers a magnificent price/pleasure ratio. The latest vintages, more graceful, affirm a change of course towards less opulence. The elegant 2019 evokes candied orange. The fruit is delicate, with the pleasant sensation of tangy candy on the palate. Its liqueur is well balanced. Fine and nuanced, it evolves with air on an intense grapefruit note.”
Vinous (N. Martin - April 2022): 93/100 “The 2019 Haut-Bergeron was cropped at 1hl/ha and contains 158g/l residual sugar. It has a lovely, tensile bouquet with citrus fruit, apricot and lemon sorbet, maybe just a little more closed since I last tasted it. The palate is fresh and vibrant with crisp acidity, fine depth and a vibrant sorbet finish that has great salinity and drive. Excellent. I can see this aging magnificiently over the next two or three decades.”
More- To keep or to drink:
- Ready to drink
- Apogée:
- 2023-2035
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Straddling Barsac and Sauternes, Haut-Bergeron enjoys a quality terroir superbly exploited by the Lamothe family for 9 generations (!). It is the artisanal cru and the sure value of Sauternes, of which each vintage wins its share of awards in competitions and guides.
The 2018 vintage in the press:
La Revue du Vin de France (Guide 2024): 94/100 “A serene, ample Sauternes with irreproachable aromatic definition and definite potential.”
More- To keep or to drink:
- Ready to drink
- Apogée:
- 2019-2030
- Potential alcohol:
- 14%
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Straddling Barsac and Sauternes, Haut-Bergeron enjoys a quality terroir superbly exploited by the Lamothe family for 9 generations (!). It is the artisanal cru and the sure value of Sauternes, of which each vintage wins its share of awards in competitions and guides.
More- To keep or to drink:
- Ready to drink
- Apogée:
- 2020-2030
- Potential alcohol:
- 13%
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Doisy-Daëne may never be the sweetest wine in its sector, but its expression and aromatic refinement are unrivalled. A pure Barsac, brilliantly orchestrated by Denis Dubourdieu until 2016. The 2014 vintage was rated 94-96/100 by the Revue du Vin de France « with pure fruit and generous liquor, it is balanced by the finesse and minerality of the soil »; 96/100 for the 2016 vintage « sparkling, crystal-clear fruit, the pure character of the Barsac terroir ».
The 2022 vintage in the press:
Vinous (N. Martin - January 2025): 96/100 "The 2022 Doisy-Daëne has a powerful bouquet with touches of yellow fruit, pressed white flowers, saffron and jasmine emerging with time. This has fine delineation. The palate is supremely well balanced with caressing viscous botrytised fruit effortlessly matched by the acidity. Poised and very tender on the long finish, this is a wonderful Barsac."
J.M Quarin (February 2025): 95/100 "Yellow colour with green highlights. Intense, fruity, smooth and complex nose. Base notes of fresh almond and apricot. Meticulous on the palate, complex and fragrant in the middle, the wine evolves with a refined touch towards a long, unbeatable finish. Very good."
More- To keep or to drink:
- Ready to drink
- Apogée:
- 2024-2035
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Doisy-Daëne may never be the sweetest wine in its sector, but its expression and aromatic refinement are unrivalled. A pure Barsac, brilliantly orchestrated by Denis Dubourdieu until 2016. The 2014 vintage was rated 94-96/100 by the Revue du Vin de France « with pure fruit and generous liquor, it is balanced by the finesse and minerality of the soil »; 96/100 for the 2016 vintage « sparkling, crystal-clear fruit, the pure character of the Barsac terroir ».
The 2019 vintage in the press:
La Revue du Vin de France (Guide 2025): 94/100 “The 2019 gives even greater emphasis to the expression of the fruit, interwoven with the fine acidic mesh that gives the wine so much drive.”
Bettane et Desseauve (Guide 2024) : 98/100
Vinous (N. Martin - January 2023): 94+/100 “The 2019 Doisy-Daëne has a delightful bouquet with dried honey, white peach and white chololate scents, ample botrytis and concentration here. The palate is well-balanced with fine acidity, elegant with a touch of spice towards the finish. Lovely. Not quite the finest example tasted, but it will surely improve with bottle age as this Barsac is wont to do.”
More- To keep or to drink:
- Ready to drink
- Apogée:
- 2024-2035
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Doisy-Daëne may never be the sweetest wine in its sector, but its expression and aromatic refinement are unrivalled. A pure Barsac, brilliantly orchestrated by Denis Dubourdieu until 2016. The 2014 vintage was rated 94-96/100 by the Revue du Vin de France « with pure fruit and generous liquor, it is balanced by the finesse and minerality of the soil »; 96/100 for the 2016 vintage « sparkling, crystal-clear fruit, the pure character of the Barsac terroir ».
The 2016 vintage in the press:
For the Revue du Vin de France, the 2016 : « fruit étincelant et cristallin, caractère épuré qui signe le terroir de Barsac ».
Vinous (N. Martin - January 2020): 96/100 "The first bottle of 2016 Doisy-Daëne was corked. The second is clean and precise on the nose, offering honeycomb, lanolin, crushed rocks and light yellow flower aromas that gain intensity with aeration. The palate is very well balanced, and a fine bead of acidity cuts through the intense botrytized fruit. Very harmonious and poised, with impressive intensity on the finish. This is a marvelous Sauternes. Excellent."
More- To keep or to drink:
- Ready to drink
- Apogée:
- 2019-2030
- Potential alcohol:
- 13.5%
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Doisy-Daëne may never be the sweetest wine in its sector, but its expression and aromatic refinement are unrivalled. A pure Barsac, brilliantly orchestrated by Denis Dubourdieu until 2016. The 2014 vintage was rated 94-96/100 by the Revue du Vin de France « with pure fruit and generous liquor, it is balanced by the finesse and minerality of the soil »; 96/100 for the 2016 vintage « sparkling, crystal-clear fruit, the pure character of the Barsac terroir ».
The 2014 vintage in the press:
Vinous (N. Martin-March 2024): 93+/100 “The 2014 Doisy-Daëne has an attractive nose with petrol-tinged honeyed fruit, orange blossom and wax resin. Like its peers, there is something a little Germanic here. The palate is very well balanced with a pure entry. The acidity slices through the botrytised fruit, with touches of peach and ginger towards the finish. Fine."
Wine Advocate: 95-97/100 “This is a fabulous Doisy-Daëne from Denis Dubourdieu.”
La Revue des Vins de France: 17-18/20 “Endowed with pure fruit, generous liqueur, it is balanced by the finesse, the minerality of the soil.”
More- To keep or to drink:
- Ready to drink
- Apogée:
- 2017-2030
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Doisy-Daëne may never be the sweetest wine in its sector, but its expression and aromatic refinement are unrivalled. A pure Barsac, brilliantly orchestrated by Denis Dubourdieu until 2016. The 2014 vintage was rated 94-96/100 by the Revue du Vin de France « with pure fruit and generous liquor, it is balanced by the finesse and minerality of the soil »; 96/100 for the 2016 vintage « sparkling, crystal-clear fruit, the pure character of the Barsac terroir ».
The 2013 vintage in the press:
Vinous (N. Martin - May 2023): 92/100 “The 2013 Doisy-Daëne showed better than the bottle poured at the vertical two years earlier. this has a fresh and perfumed nose with pressed white flower, lemon verbena and light minerally scents - a touch of white linen and less of the honeysuckle. The palate is well balanced with superb weight and tension, not the most complex Barsac, yet focused with a fresh, saline finish that counters the botrytised fruit. Very fine. ”
More- To keep or to drink:
- Ready to drink
- Apogée:
- 2018-2032
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Classified among the first growths of Sauternes during the classification of 1855, the vineyard of Rayne Vigneau (84 hectares, including 62 in one piece) is famous for its soil, which is well known to geologists, as it is composed of a great variety of precious minerals of Pyrenean origin. Without losing sight of these "luxurious" origins " Rayne Vigneau offers smooth, easily accessible wines with floral aromas that are particularly marked in their youth.
The 2022 vintage in the press:
Vinous (N. Martin - January 2025): 93/100 "The 2022 Rayne-Vigneau has a slightly Germanic feel on the nose, with a light petrol note that percolates through the honeyed fruit. The palate is well balanced with a fresh opening and light pear and passionfruit tones mixed with a touch of pineapple, leading to a viscous, nectarine- and peach skin- tinged finish. This is very promising."
J-M Quarin (February 2025): 93/100 "Yellow colour with green highlights. Very aromatic and subtle nose, smelling of ripe fruit. Airy and meticulous on the palate, with a graceful touch and a melting body that evolves into a long, delicately roasted persistence. Very good."
More- To keep or to drink:
- Wait 1 to 2 years
- Apogée:
- 2020-2028
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The only 1er cru classé in the commune of Sauternes with Yquem, Guiraud offers rich, voluminous, powerful wines with a formal classicism. Certified organic since the 2011 vintage.
The 2020 vintage in the press:
Vinous (N.Martin - January 2024): 94/100 “The 2020 Guiraud has an opulent bouquet with wild honey and pressed white flowers, lightly spiced with a touch of lemongrass. The palate is well balanced with wild honey and orange rind.”
Vinous (A. Galloni-December 2023): 94/100 “The 2020 Guiraud is very delicate and beautiful. Notes of jasmine, preserved lemon, green pear, mint and chamomile give brightness to this wonderfully nuanced, medium-weight Sauternes. The medium-bodied style of the 2020 is extremely seductive.”
More- To keep or to drink:
- Ready to drink
- Organic certification:
- 2011
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Administered by the Rothschilds (Mouton) since 1996, Coutet has joined the leading pack of the biggest Sauternes after Yquem. Like Climens, it is a true Barsac, pure and remarkably subtle, but with a more marked liquor. Since 2005, Coutet has been in great shape! In a rare feat, the exceptional 2020 vintage came top (ahead of Yquem) in the Revue du Vin de France's ranking of Sauternes 2020 « un sommet de pureté, de précoce harmonie, de naturel ! ».
The 2020 vintage in the press:
La Revue du Vin de France (Guide 2025): 98/100 “Coutet 2020, still very expressive, exuberant and superiorly distinguished, giving primacy of expression to fresh fruit. Tonic from start to finish, as generous as it is generous, it hides the opulence of its liqueur behind the obviousness and charm of radiant youth, so enjoy!”
Vinous (N.Martin - January 2024): 93/100 “The 2020 Coutet has a promising nose with dried honey, nectarine, Clementine and saffron scents, though it doesn't quite have the complexity of the best Sauternes. The palate is well balanced with a tangy opening, fine depth and better acidity than others in this flight. Marmalade and quince tones emerge toward the finish as this lingers nicely in the mouth. Very fine.”
La Revue du Vin de France, ranked 1st among Sauternes 2020 (September 2023): 98/100 “Coutet 2020 is very racy from the outset, even if it gives pride of place to fresh fruit in this vintage with little botrytization. Tonic from start to finish, it hides the opulence of its liqueur behind this obvious fruit. A summit of purity, precocious harmony and naturalness”.
More- To keep or to drink:
- Ready to drink
- Apogée:
- 2024-2040
- Blend:
- 95 % Sémillon, 4 % Sauvignon blanc, 1 % Muscadelle
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Administered by the Rothschilds (Mouton) since 1996, Coutet has joined the leading pack of the biggest Sauternes after Yquem. Like Climens, it is a true Barsac, pure and remarkably subtle, but with a more marked liquor. Since 2005, Coutet has been in great shape! In a rare feat, the exceptional 2020 vintage came top (ahead of Yquem) in the Revue du Vin de France's ranking of Sauternes 2020 « un sommet de pureté, de précoce harmonie, de naturel ! ».
The 2012 vintage in the press:
Vinous (N.Martin - February 2022): 92/100 “The 2012 Coutet is well-defined with wild honey, acacia and honeysuckle notes, not amazingly complex but pure. The palate is well balanced with a viscous entry, fine acidity, plenty of botrytis here with a slightly tangy finish. Fine cohesion here, this should drink well for 15 years or so.”
More- To keep or to drink:
- Ready to drink
- Apogée:
- 2014-2024
- Blend:
- 75 % Sémillon, 23 % Sauvignon blanc, 2 % Muscadelle
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Rothschild (de Lafite) property. Adjacent to Yquem, Rieussec was until 2012 one of the sweetest wines of Sauternes, revealing itself only after a minimum of 10 years of cellaring. First (r)evolution from 2013 towards a more elegant and delicate style, combining richness and finesse.
Second (r)evolution in 2019 with a drastic tightening of the selections, Rieussec thought as the "head cream" of Château Rieussec, accompanied by a total break of the visual codes: new bottle, new labeling, new repositionable cork, new packaging (box of 4 bottles). Rieussec is now positioned on the second step of Sauternes behind Yquem.
The 2019 vintage in the press:
Bettane et Desseauve (Guide 2024): 94/100
Vinous (N. Martin - January 2022): 97/100 "The 2019 Rieussec is absolutely gorgeous. Gracious and supremely elegant in feel, the 2019 is immediately impressive. An exotic melange of lemon confit, marzipan, white flowers, passionfruit and tangerine oil opens effortlessly. The 2019 is compelling from start to finish. Harvest tool place from October 8 to 15, in three passes. The 2019 is the first vintage that will be offered in a stylish new bottle. It is no secret Sauternes has struggled of late. I must say I really liked the new and very modern presentation, which shows a more playful side of Sauternes that might just work in creating a bite more excitement around these wines."
Hachette (Guide 2023): Coup de ♥ “A sublime Rieussec, with exceptional balance and elegance.”
J-M Quarin (April 2023): 93/100 “The palate heralds the great return of Rieussec.”
More- To keep or to drink:
- Ready to drink
- Apogée:
- 2024-2045
- Potential alcohol:
- 14%