To celebrate Silvia's (a real die-hard Sauternes lover), we had w/ the Butterscotch/OliveOil cake two Sauternes:
1. Ch.Suduiraut AC: Sauternes (MeBaC; 12%) 1979: Dark gold color; intense butterscotch/caramel/creme brulee strong apricotty/peachy/botrytis slight pencilly/tobaccoy bit volatile/mustard complex beautiful nose; slightly sweet soft/fat/lush light pencilly/oak strong butterscotchy/caramel/creme brulee/peachy/fruit cocktail complex flavor; very long/lingering butterscotchy/caramel/creme brulee light pencilly strong peachy/apricotty/botrytis complex finish; dried out slightly but a beautiful example of an old/complex Sauternes. $8.79
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2. Ch.Rabaud-Promis AC: Sauternes 1988: Very dark gold color w/ some browning; darker than the '79; rather cedary/vanilla/toasty/pencilly/oak ripe/figgy strong apricotty/peachy/botrytis slight complex/old Sauternes nose; quite sweet strong vanilla/pencilly/oak/caramel strong botrytis/peachy/apricotty somewhat simpler some complex/old Sauternes flavor; very long fairly sweet very strong vanilla/oak/caramel/pencilly strong botrytis/peachy/apricotty finish; showing very nice old-Sauternes character w/ plenty of sugar; should go another 10-20 yrs.
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A wee BP:
1. The Suduiraut was a great example of what a great Sauternes can mature into; beautiful/complex wine. Alas, it had dried out sufficiently that it was not a good match for the cake. Like many old Sauternes, it is no longer a great dessert wine. Maybe w/ lighter fare like a HostessTwinkie it would work. The nose was really quite strange & interesting. The slightly volatile character was a dead-ringer for smelling a jar of whole-grain mustard. Never done see'd that in an old Sauternes before. Of course, the 12% should be taken w/ a huge grain of salt.
Tom