I read somewhere recently, and I can’t remember where it was, that many serious wine-o’s don’t think Sauternes has reached maturity (and thus is ready to drink) until it ages to the amber color of honey. Well, I don’t have that kind of time (or money). This golden yellow wine is already 6 years old!

The nose was very rich, you could tell it was a sweet wine. It smelled like honey, caramel, ripe peaches and what I would expect white raisins to smell like-- if they had a strong scent.

As with most higher alcohol, sweet wines, it was very full-bodied. I thought it had a bit of an oily viscosity to it. Honey was the strongest part of the nose, and it too was the strongest part of the taste. I also picked up apricots (which is pretty typical of Sauternes) as well as toffee.

When I was re-reading some of the Sauternes sections of my books, I think it was The Wine Bible where the author said, can you taste the botrytis? In other words, does wine made from moldy grapes taste like moldy wine? Well, the answer is no (and they don’t “wash off" the “fuzz” before making the wine), although she said experienced tasters can tell. It was hard not to think about it when I was drinking, trying to taste the botrytis. I can’t say for sure, but I did find a hint of raisin flavor. Kind of like the flavor you taste when you eat a fresh table grape that has just begun to go soft and raisinate. Was I tasting the botrytis or fooling myself?

Overall, the wine was good. But, I guess someday I’ll need to taste an aged, amber colored Sauternes to really experience Sauternes.

The Score: ★★★