2001 Château La Tour Blanche Sauternes- France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes (3/24/2012)
This is a very special bottle of Sauternes. Bought on release as a future and stored under perfect conditions since then. Light honeyed color beginning to show. The texture, flavors, and aromas in this wine are so stacked and layered that it’s hard to describe. To me, it seemed like creamy lemon curd and peach melba with vanilla bean and orange peel. Great length and super-suave on the palate, this was like cashmere in a bottle. Definitely one of the better young Sauternes I have tasted and another one I wish I had bought more of.
I just had this a week ago, and my note matches yours perfectly. I let mine breathe for a week prior to finsihing it, and it was even nicer at that point. This is a great, great wine. I was lucky enough to try it before ratings came out, and I got a good supply of it as a result at the original price. I’ll be drinking this for a long time, and enjoying it as it evolves.
I really like this wine, and it was one of the very first things I ever bought way back when i first got into wine, so it always has a special sentimental quality to me.
2001s were the first sauternes I ever drank, and I have to say, I never enjoyed the subsequent vintages like 2003 and 2005 as much. I still think the 01s are in a class of their own–pretty much across the board. I’m curious–do others agree with that or think other vintages have been as good? To my mind the 01s just have a superior acidity and structure which can actually match the sweetness and fruit they possess.
I think 01 is universally acknowledged as one of the best vintages in decades, superior to 2003 and 2005. However, I think 2003 and 2005 are both excellent vintages (2003 only if you’re selective with your producer…), and I’ve enjoyed many of those wines.