Sauternes

Chateau Climens, legendary for its sublime sweet Sauternes wines from Barsac, brings its centuries of winemaking mastery into the dry white wine arena with their Lilium Bordeaux Blanc Sec. Named after the delicate white lily that mirrors its elegance, this exceptional cuvée marks a thrilling new modern chapter for this historic Barsac estate.

Produced with the same meticulous attention to detail and organic and biodynamic principles that define the estate’s sweet Barsac grand vin, Lilium is composed of 100% of Sémillon grapes. This choice beautifully bucks the Sauvignon Blanc-heavy trend of the region, allowing the grape’s natural texture, power and complexity to shine through. In the glass, Lilium is a masterclass in balance. It bypasses oak treatment completely in favour of pure, vibrant fruit flavours from fermentation and ageing in glass demijohns, offering a bouquet of crisp white peaches, citrus blossom, and a distinct, classical chalky minerality derived from the estate’s unique limestone soils.

Sémillon vineyards at Chateau Climens on limestone soils.

Lilium Bordeaux Blanc Sec is not just a second act, or even a recovery from difficult sweet wine sales, it is a complex, fresh, sophisticated expression of Barsac terroir, tailor-made for contemporary wine lovers seeking a dry white wine with deep historical roots and a bright, energetic soul – fully suited to a new generation of younger wine drinkers.

The very fancy 4000 Euro glass demijohns used for the Lilium white fermentation and ageing.

Chateau Climens Lilium Grand Vin Blanc Sec 2023, Barsac, 12.5% Abv.

This is the top 100% pure Semillon dry white from the Chateau Climens range. Fermented and aged in large glass Demijohns, this is a more mineral, taut, ‘serious’ stylistic expression of Bordeaux Blanc Sec made for extended ageing. The aromatics are more backward and steely, restrained with suggestions of white apple blossoms, jasmine, pear fruits, and honey suckle. Cool and sleek, the texture is beautifully polished and elegant, the acids finely integrated with a steely structure that is at once accessible and seductive but also restrained and mineral, holding back a little extra exuberance for later in life. Drink now or cellar for another 3 to 5+ years before cracking your case.

(Wine Safari Score: 94/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

This Friday saw the meeting of our wine tasting group to taste, drink, and discuss fine wine, fine dining, the state of the nation and everything else inbetween!

The venue was again Chez Bruce, one of my favourite restaurants in London – the Nigel Platts-Martin 1 Michelin star restaurant co-owned and operated with chef Bruce Poole.

As is customary, things kicked off with a serious white Burgundy flight, with all wines being tasted and scored blind.

The Ramonet Chassagne Montrachet 1er Cru Boudroitte 2013 kicked off proceedings. This was a youthful, vibrant effort with fantastic precision and a deft oaky touch, pithy lemon / lime citrus and a soft, elegant fleshy mineral core.(92/100)

As I first observed previously on the straight Ramonet 2013 village Chassagne Montrachet some time ago, this vintage surprises with its gentle accessibility and fleshy open knit texture. None of the austere, acidic, pithy minerality and wound spring tension that we have gotten used to on previous vintages from this producer. An anomaly? Who knows.

A fantastic Domaine Roulot Meursault 1er Cru Perrieres 2007 followed, showing smokey struck match, wet chalk and taught lemon / lime briney complexity that needed coaxing out of the glass. A truly profound wine, and one of the finest of the day. (95+/100)

Then, yet another Ramonet, the Bienvenue Batard Montrachet Grand Cru 2006 ended the white flight. This started with brilliant elegance, smokey lemon freshness, apple skins and a fine concentration with the most expensive French oak nuances. But again, like the 2013, this wine lacked the tension and wound spring energy and acidity you’d expect from a wine of this stature and price. Thoroughly enjoyable and beguiling nonetheless! (93+/100)

Next, a little red Burgunday flight starting with a Jean Marie Fourrier Gevrey Chambertin 1er Cru Clos St Jacques 2001 and a Grivot Vosne Romanee 1er Cru Beaux Monts 1996 (91+/100). The CSJ showed tension, taughtness, acid nerve and clean, linear red foresty fruits, and accompanied the food superbly. Very much a wine focusing on texture, tannin and acid vibrancy with the fruit profile a secondary feature. (94+/100)

Next, a rare little Sylvain Cathiard Vosne Romanee 1er Cru Aux Malconsorts 2000. This was plush, lush, modern and youthfully opulent with blood orange, red cherry, choc spice and stewed strawberries. Less refined and nervy than the Fourrier but still an impressive, showy wine with a hefty price tag to match (93+/100)

A slightly controversial wine followed. A Chateau Margaux 1996 Bordeaux that was soooo youthful and backward almost to the point of a brutish young vintage 2000-like Pauillac, with masculine, monolithic rusticity. Perhaps just way too young and awkward but still showing a massive perfumed nose and an opulent, beefy, black berry and leather packed palate with sweet tobacco and spice. (94+/100) Plenty of potential here.

No picture, but a rare Barossa Shiraz 2004 red from Saltram estate in Australia was a fairly rare beast, showing ridiculous old vine fruit concentration and a sweet / sour kirsch cherry, confit intensity and length. (93/100)

Last but not least, a vibrantly pure, fresh opulently sweet 1983 Sauternes from Chateau Rieussec, with dense caramelised apple purée notes, pear confit complexity and molasses, burnt sugar and fine textural peachiness. A very nice little effort with ample freshness and length. (93+/100)