Varietal: Bordeaux Blend | Location: France - Sauternes
WA 93
Tasted single blind against its peers. The Rieussec 2007 has a subtle nose of dried honey, pear, a touch of quince and crushed stone on the nose, the oak better integrated than last year. The palate is well-balanced with stem ginger and honeycomb on the entry. It is linear compared to its peers, there is no flourish on the finish as yet, but it has fine definition and hints of tangy marmalade and lemongrass that should become more accentuated with time. Tasted January 2011.
Varietal: Bordeaux Blend | Location: France - Sauternes
WA 93
Tasted single blind against its peers. The Rieussec 2007 has a subtle nose of dried honey, pear, a touch of quince and crushed stone on the nose, the oak better integrated than last year. The palate is well-balanced with stem ginger and honeycomb on the entry. It is linear compared to its peers, there is no flourish on the finish as yet, but it has fine definition and hints of tangy marmalade and lemongrass that should become more accentuated with time. Tasted January 2011.
Varietal: Bordeaux Blend | Location: France - Sauternes
WS 92
WE 96
WA 95
"Rieussec flourishes in highly concentrated vintages, and 2009 is no exception. With 150 pickers working two 8-hour shifts, they managed to keep up to date with the year's rapid botrytis, and so maintained a total purity, elegance and complexity of flavour, and at 4,0 g/l, a high tone of acidity. At the same time, at 160 g/l residual, the wine is as usual unashamedly rich.
The result is that honeyed sort of purity in the concentration that we saw something of in the historic '89 and '01, possibly superior to the former and almost up to the latter. The balance seems so natural and gives the impression of being able to age for a century or more."
Bill Blatch
Varietal: Bordeaux Blend | Location: France - Sauternes
WS 92
WE 96
WA 95
"Rieussec flourishes in highly concentrated vintages, and 2009 is no exception. With 150 pickers working two 8-hour shifts, they managed to keep up to date with the year's rapid botrytis, and so maintained a total purity, elegance and complexity of flavour, and at 4,0 g/l, a high tone of acidity. At the same time, at 160 g/l residual, the wine is as usual unashamedly rich.
The result is that honeyed sort of purity in the concentration that we saw something of in the historic '89 and '01, possibly superior to the former and almost up to the latter. The balance seems so natural and gives the impression of being able to age for a century or more."
Bill Blatch
Varietal: Chardonnay | Location: United States - California - Alexander Valley
WA 89
The 2009 Chardonnay Belle Terre is a beautifully layered wine. Winemaker Margo Van Staaveren ages the Belle Terre in French oak barrels (55% new) and gives the wine full malolactic fermentation, both of which contribute to the wine's multiple dimensions of fruit. This rich, creamy Chardonnay should be enjoyed over the next few years. It, too, delivers considerable quality for the money. The sumptuous, layered style works very well. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2019. This is a fabulous set of wines from Chateau St. Jean, winemaker Margo Van Staaveren and her team. From top to bottom, these wines deliver tons of value and character. Tel. (707) 833-4134, www.chateaustjean.com
Varietal: Chardonnay | Location: United States - California - Sonoma
This classic Sonoma County Chardonnay displays bright aromas of lemon cream, mango and notes of toasted hazelnut. This wine has a subtle elegance with a lingering finish.
Varietal: Chardonnay | Location: United States - Washington - Columbia Valley
It is the goal of Head Winemaker Bob Bertheau to make it a pleasurable, food-friendly wine. This is a fresh, soft style of Chardonnay with bright apple and citrus fruit character with subtle spice and oak nuances. We blend Chardonnay grapes from vineyards all over Washington's Columbia Valley to make this a complex, interesting wine. Sur lie aged for more than six months in a mix of French and American oak barrels (10% new) with regular stirring to soften the wine and integrate fruit and oak flavors.
Varietal: Sauvignon Blanc | Location: United States - Washington - Columbia Valley
The mostly stainless steel fermentation makes this a crisp, clean, refreshing style of Sauvignon Blanc, offering fresh aromas and flavors of lemongrass, apple and melon. We add a touch of Semillon, which contributes an appealing fig character and a beautifully soft, rich quality to the wine.
Varietal: Sauvignon Blanc | Location: United States - Washington - Columbia Valley
This 100% Sauvignon Blanc from our Horse Heaven Vineyard delivers aromas of ripe pear and notes of citrus fruit. The wine was fermented in a combination of oak and stainless steel tanks. The stainless steel fermentation preserved the Sauvignon Blanc’s vibrant character and refreshing, crisp quality.
Varietal: Riesling | Location: United States - Washington - Columbia Valley
The 2011 Eroica Riesling exhibits aromas and flavors of white peach, grapefruit and sweet lime with subtle mineral notes. The mouth-watering acidity is beautifully balanced by flavorful Washington Riesling fruit. After more than a decade we have truly found our “Eroica style,†striving for beautiful bright fruit with crisp acidity and enhanced mineralilty.
Varietal: Bordeaux Blend | Location: France - Sauternes
WS 97
WE 98
WA 99
90-92 Barrel sample. This is a hugely ripe wine dominated by concentrated, ripe fruits and flavors of pure sweet oranges. A powerful wine, surprising because of its weight in a year that seems more about freshness, but still good. —Roger Voss, Read More
Varietal: Bordeaux Blend | Location: France - Sauternes
WS 95
WE 95
WA 93
The nose takes time to coalesce in the glass, very pure with honey, white peach, Turkish Delight honeysuckle, and beeswax. The palate is beautifully balanced, still with some oak to be subsumed, but has great depth and precision. This is a confident, almost ambitious Suduiraut with great power and intensity towards the botrytis-rich, viscous finish that is endowed with great persistency. Lovely. Drink now-2030.
Varietal: Bordeaux Blend | Location: France - Sauternes
WS 95
WE 95
WA 93
The nose takes time to coalesce in the glass, very pure with honey, white peach, Turkish Delight honeysuckle, and beeswax. The palate is beautifully balanced, still with some oak to be subsumed, but has great depth and precision. This is a confident, almost ambitious Suduiraut with great power and intensity towards the botrytis-rich, viscous finish that is endowed with great persistency. Lovely. Drink now-2030.
Varietal: Bordeaux Blend | Location: France - Sauternes
WS 97
WE 98
WA 99
"Pierre Mont?gut has had some challenges since arriving at Suduiraut in 2002. But to have brought off a success like 2009, with the rapidity of the botrytis stretching this large estate‟s systems to the limit, is a real feat. His '09 continues the trend of more concentrated and sweeter wines since 1997 than previously, and, at 160 g/l, it is on a par with Rieussec. However, the resemblance ends there, and with slightly more alcohol and slightly less acidity, the structure of the Suduiraut seems softer and more frankly powerful. There is something of the 1990 in this. The usual minty and lively flavour character of Suduiraut is currently buried under all this power but you see it all there and it will be pushing progressively through during the coming months in barrel."
Bill Blatch
Varietal: Bordeaux Blend | Location: France - Sauternes
WS 93
WE 98
WA 94
Suduiraut has been on a major roll as of late and this is another fantastic effort. Very rich and sweet, but extremely elegant and fresh. Notes of candied passion fruit flow through to a super long finish.
-- CW Wine Staff (April 2011)
Varietal: Bordeaux Blend | Location: France - Bordeaux
This is the second white wine from Chateau Valandraud and famous "garagiste" Jean-Luc Thunevin. We also tasted this tropical white after our beautiful lunch at his home. With just a few hundred cases produced, this is rare stuff!