Sauternes and Saffron...

Is it just me, or does anyone else get saffron thread florals when they have Sauternes? I was reading through Neal Martin’s “What Nectar!! Suduiraut 1899-2015”, and scanning through the numerous notes, I didn’t see one mention of a saffron note? I get it in EVERY Sauternes I taste? It’s distinct…I just went to the spice drawer and opened a jar…YUP…smells like the 01 Rieussec I just had!

Am I crazy?

Crazy?? Don’t think so, Buzz. I, too, sometimes (not always) pick up subtle notes of Saffron in the Sauternes
I try. You know…you can buy a $hitload of Penzy’s Saffron for one of those Rieussecs!!
Tom

Thought the 2001 Suduirat had a lot of mango and saffron in it.

Interesting. I will be opening a 750 of the 2001 Suduiraut Sat night. Will report back

I’ve come to appreciate other WB comments on giving air to sauternes. For me the 2001 on a pop and pour had a lot of tennis balls, and does better with at least few hours of air. I haven’t yet given it an overnight, which I felt really improved some other Suduirat I’ve had… just ordered more 2001s to do so.

The '01 Suduiraut is one of my favorites. So lovely, but does need air.

I do not routinely get a strong saffron note in all older sauternes, though I do taste examples where some older sauternes (especially Rieussec) get very pure, intense saffron notes. I do think about it as a common characteristic in sauternes.

Totally with you. I often get saffron in Sauternes and Icewine.

Surprisingly, that aroma has never come to mind. My wife being Persian, I could have just thought it was in our food which it often is.

No, but I think I know what you mean.

I don’t think I’ve thought of it either, but it may have surfaced in a 2005 Suduiraut half that I sampled a bit of this morning. Will report back when tasted on Sunday.

Mike

I’ve not noticed it, but I get where folks are coming from.

I wonder, to what extent does Sauternes’s color contribute to the saffron identification?

I encounter saffron aromas in wines every now and then, but surprisingly rarely in Sauternes - only very occassionally in some old Sauternes wines.

Checking my TNs, I seem to pick it the most often in aged sweet (and botrytized) Chenin Blancs. Occassionally in some dry Pecorino whites too. It’s a pretty distinctive note, so it’s quite easy to notice - although I often struggle to pinpoint the actual aroma. I normally think that this is a very familiar (and quite obvious) aroma yet it might take several minutes for me to realize it is saffron I am smelling!

I totally get what you are saying about saffron in Sauternes. Maybe it has something to do how certain people process saffron’s flavors, but count me in.

Not there in my 2005 Suduiraut last night—the bottle was pure, smooth sugar.

Ha…but what the hell do you know about Sauternes!