[WTN] Chateau de la Chartreuse 2005 Sauternes

My only previous sweet wine was a Muscat des Beaumes de Venise, which I wasn't overly impressed with. So this time I figured I go the whole way and go straight to the most famous AOC of all for sweet wines.

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Smell is sweet and bitter, with hints of apricot and raw alcohol.

It feels sticky on the tongue and then explodes with a rich marmalade flavour, showcasing that sweet and bitter sensation side by side with some nice balancing acid. The flavour mellows on the palate, first to apricot, then to butter and finally to minerals. What with the marmalade and the butter, you could almost believe this was jam on toast in a bottle.

4/5

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Good enough to make me want to go shopping for more. d'Yquem, here we come!

Is all Sauternes made with nobly rotted grapes, or are other methods use to produce sweet wine in years where the rot doesn't take?

Nice notes - I like the "jam on toast in a bottle" descriptor.

I believe that development of botrytis infection is a requirement for sauternes.

Is all Sauternes made with nobly rotted grapes, or are other methods use to produce sweet wine in years where the rot doesn't take?

Three responses.

1) The variation in botrytis from year to year leads to significant variation in the amount of Sauternes produced from year to year.

2) The climate of Sauternes is well-suited to developing botrytis, which is why they make the stuff there (you wouldn't try to start such an industry in the Savoie).

3) There are varying levels of botrytis in any given wine. Very few are from 100% botrytisized grapes.

Was this La Chartreuse de Château Coutet?

Alex R.

Was this La Chartreuse de Château Coutet?

Alex R.

Ch. de La Chartreuse is an independent chateau, not associated with Coutet. I actually had the '83 in February - from half bottle and at the end of its life but holding nicely.