1929 CHÂTEAU CLIMENS 1929

(12-2013) The Chateau Climens 1929 must stand as one of the greatest Sauternes (or Barsac) wines of the century. Mature in color, with burnished core and amber rim, the bouquet leaps out of the glass with scintillating delineation, bestowing intoxicating scents of mandarin, Japanese yuzu, dandelion, barley sugar, marmalade and rosewater (a trait displayed by the Lafaurie-Peyraguey 1929 just a few weeks previously.) The palate is underpinned by perfect acidity and a bewildering sense of intensity allied with finesse and mineralite. Traces of apricot, peach and honeycomb emerge, later joined by subtle secondary notes of candied orange peel and mandarin. “Can Sauternes be better than this?” I scribbled at the conclusion of my tasting note. The answer is “No.”

(03-1990) AcajouMahogany, brown, dark, shiny. Net. Medium intensity. End. Shades of candied fruit. Orange zest. Candied melon. Then coffee, chocolate, raisins and rhubarb jam. Toast. Very complex. What freshness! The wine appears too fragile to dare to stir it. Clean, supple and ample attack. Development on a very wide, enormous and voluminous structure, fabulously balanced. Rich, candied, smoky flavors, dominated by grapes. Racy finish relayed by a toasted note and permanent fruitiness without any loss of fat. Wine full of finesse and melted. Very intense retro-olfaction of smoke, currants, coffee and almonds. A rare emotion!

(03-1983) Though not recently tasted, this is unquestionably one of the greatest vintages of one of the most consistently well made Sauternes. As I last noted, far more 'creme' and far less 'brulee' than most old Sauternes. Perfection.