Celtic Honey

Moulin Touchais

Coteaux du Layon Chenin Blanc 1985

Damn! It opened up with liquorice (sic.) and had just everything else in it. Mushrooms, turned earth, a touch of burnt honey and finally hiding just a hint of caramelized pineapple that lingers till the end. Sweetness only shows up for the grand finale in an jaw dropping show if how of how 95 g/l looks after 40 years — 15 days ago

Királyudvar

Sec Tokaji Furmint 2020

Honey right off the nose. Pleasant minerality soon follows — 3 months ago

Château Suduiraut

Sauternes Sémillon-Sauvignon Blanc Blend 2023

Château Suduiraut, 2023, Sauternes BDX, France 🇫🇷

Overview
Premier Cru Classé Sauternes delivering pure botrytis luxury blend of 80% Semillon, 15% Sauvignon Blanc and 5% Sauvignon Gris with remarkable tension and precision. Lush honeyed richness balanced by vibrant acidity and a beautifully layered texture that feels both decadent and weightless. Sensual, polished, and deeply expressive, this is a dessert wine that seduces rather than overwhelms.

Aromas & Flavors
Orange blossom, acacia honey, apricot confit, ripe peach, saffron, candied citrus peel, subtle vanilla bean, almond paste, and a whisper of ginger spice. Floral lift intertwines with botrytis-driven sweetness and fresh citrus brightness.

Mouthfeel
Silky, viscous, and coating without heaviness. Glycerol richness glides across the palate while acidity keeps the wine lifted, focused, and endlessly drinkable. Long, luxurious, and caressing finish.

Food Pairings
Foie gras torchon, blue cheese (Roquefort or Stilton), apricot tart, almond pastries, honey-drizzled chèvre, citrus-based desserts, or simply enjoyed solo as a contemplative finale.

Verdict
Sublime, sexy, and impeccably balanced. A masterclass in tension between sweetness and freshness, delivering pleasure, elegance, and emotional impact in equal measure. A benchmark nightcap wine.

Did You Know?
Château Suduiraut sits adjacent to Château d’Yquem and shares similar gravelly terroir and noble rot influence, often delivering First Growth-level finesse at a more approachable price point.

🍯 Personal Pick
This wine feels like a French kiss, seductive tension, velvet weight, and honeyed decadence wrapped in electric freshness. The viscosity caresses the palate while the acidity keeps everything irresistibly alive.
— 5 months ago

Vanessa, Ted and 5 others liked this

The Royal Tokaji Wine Company

5 Puttonyos Furmint Blend 2016

Royal Tokaji – 5 Puttonyos Aszú 2016
Tokaj – Hungary 🇭🇺

Overview
A classic Tokaji Aszú, made from grapes affected by Botrytis cinerea (noble rot), then macerated with must to create Hungary’s legendary sweet wine. The 5 puttonyos designation signals a rich yet balanced level of sweetness, around 120 g/L residual sugar. (Educational note: “Puttonyos” refers to the traditional baskets of aszú berries added — the higher the number, the sweeter and more concentrated the wine.)

Aromas & Flavors
Lush apricot, honey, and candied orange peel at the forefront, layered with quince, dried fig, and lemon curd. Hints of saffron, ginger, and toasted almond bring exotic spice and complexity.

Mouthfeel
Velvety and lusciously sweet, balanced by vibrant acidity that keeps it lifted. Full-bodied yet precise, with a long, honeyed finish that leaves both richness and freshness.

Food Pairings
Perfect with blue cheese, foie gras, or fruit tarts. Also excellent with roasted nuts, crème brûlée, or simply savored on its own as a meditative dessert wine.

Verdict
A benchmark Tokaji — rich, layered, and perfectly balanced. The 2016 vintage of Royal Tokaji 5 Puttonyos Aszú offers indulgence and structure, proving why Tokaji has been called “the wine of kings.” 👑🍷

Did You Know?
Tokaji Aszú is one of the world’s oldest regulated wines — protected since 1737, nearly a century before Bordeaux’s 1855 classification.

Collector’s Rarity 📌
Royal Tokaji’s Aszú wines are globally sought after, and a 5 puttonyos 2016 bottling represents both a collectible dessert wine and a piece of vinous history
— 9 months ago

Andrew, ESF and 2 others liked this

Domaine François Raveneau

Montée de Tonnerre Chablis 1er Cru Chardonnay 1996

Beautifully composed. Certainly aged with lanolin, gentle honey but still fresh, poised and beautifully balanced. Long and pure. Exceptional — 3 years ago

Bex GreenNaoko Dalla Valle
with Bex and Naoko
Bex, Shay and 18 others liked this

Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey

Sauternes Sémillon-Sauvignon Blanc Blend 1981

#sauternes so sweet and balanced. Third of three bottles for my wife’s 40th birthday. We saved the best for last, as it turns out. Honeyed layers as this gently warms in a Burgundy bowl - caramel, marzipan, toasted almonds, some petrol, apricot jam. Tastes exactly how it smells with the acidity taking a step back from the honey sweetness swirling around a luscious oily mouthfeel. Touch of orange pith bitterness on the finish - lovely wine. Indeed it pairs well with Indian food but the force of this wine could have easily matched even spicier dishes. Beautiful wine and what’s amazing is it seemed this wine could easily go another 20 years. Good Sauternes is ever youthful. — 5 years ago

Neil and Chris liked this

Château Coutet

Sauternes-Barsac Sémillon Blend 2022

This beautiful Sauternes offers a sweet nose of dried apricot with a full body on the palate. It has notes of tangerine, honey and spice with a velvety, long finish. — 2 months ago

Château d'Yquem

Sauternes Sémillon-Sauvignon Blanc Blend 2014

2014 vintage. From a 375ml effort. Tasted after being open for 1.5 hours and in the 48-50 degree range. Heavy bod. Plenty of candied orange fruit and unfiltered honey/mead. Just starting to get “interesting.” Needs another decade to add the ole pizzazz. 3.21.26. — 3 months ago

Austin, Ruud and 12 others liked this

Château Rieussec

Sauternes Sémillon-Sauvignon Blanc Blend 2001

Glue in the smell. Big, complex and delicately sweet. Long, and very rich in botrytis. Beautifully dramatic. Almond flavour, canned peaches. Honey all over. Great. — 6 months ago

Joel, David and 2 others liked this

Château Raymond-Lafon

Sauternes Sémillon-Sauvignon Blanc Blend 1986

Liquid honey. Paired perfectly with a chocolate tart — 6 months ago

Tom, Andrew and 4 others liked this

Château Musar

Bekaa Valley Obaideh Merwah 2005

Double-decanted the night before; enjoyed over several hours out of red Solo cups. It’s been several years since my last experience with the 2005 Blanc. The extended air treatment ahead of service is now customary for me with the Blanc and Rosé in particular. The entire bouquet has a chance to unfurl. The wine pours a deep golden color. On the nose, the wine is vinous and recalls my previous experience with the 2005 Blanc: redolent of ripe stone fruits, some dried citrus, wild flower honey, echinacea, marzipan and butterscotch. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long with slightly bitter, testa/skin coat sort of flavor. Fabulous texture. At this rate, I expect well stored cellared examples to drink well beyond my original assessment several years ago. Drink now through 2045+ — 8 months ago

Andrew, Douglas and 7 others liked this

Nicolas Joly

Clos de la Coulée de Serrant Savennières Chenin Blanc 2019

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of an hour. The 2019 pours a pale yellow color with medium+ viscosity. On the nose, the wine is developing with intense, ripe notes of Comice pears, baked green apple, mixed fruit cup, lemons, white tree flowers, lanolin, raw almond, tarragon, a touch of raw honey and minerals. On the palate, the wine is off-dry(?) with high acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long and the texture is waxy. I questioned the off-dry call because I actually think it’s dry but the power and ripeness of the fruit, not to mention the 15% ABV(!!), give the impression of sweetness. An utterly balanced wine despite the big personality. A wine that gives main character energy. I wish I had a week or more to track the development because this is such a wee babe. Drink now to experience its youth and enjoy through 2049. — 10 months ago

Tom, Ira and 13 others liked this
Daniel M

Daniel M

I can completely relate to your tasting note about the mouthfeel being reminiscent of that of an off-dry wine. I had the same impression when tasting a 2013 a few years back. It was clearly a dry wine but with the touch of a sweet nectar.
Somm David T

Somm David T Influencer Badge

@Jay Kline Nice details here.
Jay Kline

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@Somm David T thanks David. I just call them as I…ahem…taste them

Klein Constantia

Vin de Constance Natural Sweet Muscat à Petits Grains 2015

Klein Constantia Vin de Constance 2015 is a legendary South African natural sweet wine, crafted from Muscat de Frontignan. Rich and opulent, it offers layers of honey, apricot, orange peel, and exotic spice, balanced by vibrant acidity. Lusciously sweet yet fresh and elegant, with a long, refined finish. — 3 months ago

Daniel, Douglas and 6 others liked this

Dolce Winery

Late Harvest Napa Valley Sémillon-Sauvignon Blanc Blend 2007

Fantastic dessert wine. Apples, citrus, honey. Delightfully light. — 3 months ago

Steven liked this

Krug

Brut Champagne Blend 1988

Light amber. Showing secondary notes- dried apricot, honey, brioche. Good tension still and reasonable fizz. For my palate slightly past the best bottles I’ve had of this — 4 months ago

Paul WoollsMatt LichtenbergBOT
with Paul, Matt and 1 other
Paul, Jan and 6 others liked this

Bonneau du Martray

Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru Chardonnay 2006

Pop and pour. A majestic lite gold color. On the nose: crisp apples, lemon, almonds, floral, and honey. Taste: creamy, beautiful texture and nice acidity wine with apple, pear, lemon zest, saline, flint, and a minerally lime peel medium plus finish. YUM! Maturing gracefully and time to go. — 7 months ago

Brenda Terzich-Garland
with Brenda
Tom, Brenda and 15 others liked this

Domaine Huet

Le Mont Demi-Sec Vouvray Chenin Blanc 2018

Vintage age 2018 | yesterday tasted with Coravin, today with more air. That gives the wine an extra dimension - so eventually decant it. Smell: Turkish Fruit, hay, impression of honey and melon. Well balanced taste, well rounded taste ( in Dutch: mollig) high in bitters. Became a real treat with a sushibol as first course and Cantonese cabbage with shrimps afterwards. — 9 months ago

Brian, Bob and 22 others liked this

Louis Roederer

Cristal Brut Champagne 1985

Amber in color, limited bubbles. Pretty stuff- apricot, honey, some sherry notes. Toasted brioche. Definitely aged but lovely and balanced. Probably would have been oak a few years back — 3 years ago

Tony GarciaDavid Schachter
with Tony and David
Douglas, Shay and 8 others liked this

Dom Pérignon

Brut Champagne Blend 1988

@derek's. Honey colored, few bubbles, tasted more like an apple cider than wine. — 4 years ago

Big Table Farm

Honey Bees Willamette Valley Chardonnay 2016

Chamomile, lemon-lime, bright and lean ⚡️ — 5 years ago

Eric, Jonathan and 10 others liked this