Gilbert Van Hassel

9.1

This remains one of the greatest white dry wines of France although probably not for everybody. Every year is a surprise and that inconsistency can be off-putting. Golden color, medium weight, quite high in alcohol (14.5) and cloudy. Long burn, apricot, dried raisins, apple and pineapple. — 2 days ago

David Peifer

9.5

Really love the silky texture and flavor. Very nice. — a day ago

Vino Joe

9.3

I am biased for Rioja but this is a very good demonstration of why. Great balance ripe reserved fruit in harmony with some slight puckering length. Better in 10 years. Totally fine now. — 19 days ago

Gilbert Van Hassel

9.6

Almost perfect. Stewed fruit, great bitterness, extremely round and perfect tannins. Close to a grand cru burgundy in a good year with 10-15 years of age. — a month ago

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

Second Sauternes pairing with my homemade Pineapple Upside Down Cake. Didn’t use the additional crushed pineapple this time. Both preparations are very good. I think I prefer it w/ less pineapple.

In 2014 I attended the Bordeaux En Premiere. One of the six days, we toured 8 Chateau’s tasting multiple vintages at each in Sauternes & Barsac. Then, went back to Chateau Guiraud for dinner. Before the dinner, Bill Blatch then arranged for a Sauternes tasting after tasting at 8 Chateau’s in Saternes & Barsac. We tasted 50 Sauternes in basically in 60 minutes. After that, my hand was like Winne the Poo in the honey jar from dumping. After, my wish wasn’t necessarily for the forthcoming dinner, but rather wished to go to a Dentist for a teeth cleaning I had so much RS in my mouth. None the less, dinner was fantastic and started with warm Foie Gras & gravy. Perfect as is w/ the Pineapple Upside Down Cake tonight.

This 05 is everything that you taste in the Pineapple Upside Down Cake. Perfect paring. Newly a quarter century and no fading in its evolution.

Dry; stone fruits, pineapple, orange citrus, pineapple. Marmalade, caramel, saline, limestone, honeycomb, beeswax, coconut, vanilla, saline, round acidity with yellow florals, toasted nuts with round acidity for days. Elegance, balance, structure and round, rich polish that goes in and on. Coravined from 375ml.

Bill Batch (who worked for Cristy’s & owned his own negotiate company) has somewhere around 5,000 bottles of Sauternes. He does a Sauternes & Sausage party bi-annually. Good luck getting a well sought after invitation. There are more people in Bordeaux who want to attend then there are available invitations. — 13 days ago

Debra Bass

9.5

Dry, slight pear taste. As a result wine drinker, I don’t normally drink rose but while in Provence have been trying different ones. This is my fav so far. — 3 days ago

with Rand

Tree Kilpatrick

8.9

Classic NZ label. Smells funky. Lawn just cut or a piece of fresh grass in the teeth. And lemon citrus peels. Flavors are complex and very audacious. Bombastic even. Plenty of citrus, but something else as well. Shells? Like the calcium carbonate in those. Also big gooseberries. This is a good example of how NZ Sauv Blanc differs from the other styles out there. This wine packs a punch. — 15 days ago

Allison Heilman

9.3

Happy Mother’s Day to me! Have held this 2018 and so glad I did! — 4 days ago

Jules

10

my new favorite! very crisp. enjoyable minerality. Notes of juicy grapefruit, maybe lemon? Finishes with lovely lemongrass, and a bit of jalapeño. 10/10! — 14 days ago

Jay Kline

9.2

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of two days. Significantly better on Day 2 as the wine completely opened up. The 2021 Amador County pours a pale yellow color with medium+ viscosity and no signs of particles or gas. On the nose, the wine is clean; developing with notes of golden apples, quince, lemon verbena, white tree flower, lanolin, and wet stone. On the palate, the wine is dry with super sneaky, high acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium+ with a woolly texture. Lovely stuff. Drink now with patience and a lot of air otherwise better after 2026 and should be great through 2035. — a month ago