David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.6

Happy New Year!🎈🎆🎊

This is a pairing I’ve been talking about doing for a decade but, couldn’t find a bakery to make one. So, I had to make it. The Sauternes is a 96. The pairing is a 10

Everything about the Sauternes is married in the pineapple upside down cake. Old school meets old school. Clemens the second best Sauternes producer after D’ Yquem.

At En Primeur in 2014, we spent a day in Sauternes & Barsac…eight Chateau’s and multiple vintages. We component tasted at Clemens. Great day. The highlight wasn’t D’Yquem, it was component tasting at Clemens. After eight Chateau’s, we went to Guiraud to taste 50 more Sauternes in an hour and then dinner. When we finished the 50 Sauternes, I wanted to go to the dentist for a teeth cleaning rather than have dinner I had so much RS in my mouth. Tasted nearly 2500 wines in 6 days.

This note is being written the next day with leftover Pineapple Upside down cake and 2003 Clemens.

This has a classic Sauternes nose of heather honey, marmalade, dry citrus and stone fruits with nuts with skin & waxy notes.

The palate is super thick, lush, waxy with ripe botrytis fruits of dry; pineapple, stone fruits. Orange-tangerine, lemon, lime, grapefruit citrus, marmalade, honey dripping, coconut shavings, nuts with skin, candied walnuts, saline, white spice, caramel, vanillin, wet marl, soft but strong edgy chalk, molasses notes, fruit blossoms, yellow lilies & flowers, spring white florals, excellent, very round acidity, balanced, excellent structure, well woven and smartly polished finish that lasts minutes.

From 750 ml — 4 months ago

Brendan Baker

9.2

Ripe red cherry and spice, med + body, some toasty new oak, long. Lots of upside 👍 — 2 years ago

Ira Schwartz

9.1

(From a .375, decanted in the glass for 30 mins) A very expressive bouquet of dark fruit and violets. The palate told you this was an infant. Lots of intense silky fruit, medium acid and prominent tannins. Cassis, a slight hint of olives, and pepper but no signs of bacon fat. All the parts are there but they need to fraternize. Good upside. — 3 years ago

Lee Pitofsky

9.4

Upside down Krug — 4 months ago

Skip Smyser

9.6

Huge red fruit, soft tannins. An absolute baby with at least 20 years to evolve. Long lingering aftertaste on the mid pallet. Minerality and tannins will continue to become a bigger part of the taste profile. I won't try again for a few years. Huge upside. You can and should purchase while still available. A great addition to the wine cellar. Now that Phelps has sold it will be interesting to see what they do with Insignia.🍷🍷🍷🍷 — 8 months ago

with Jack

Matt

9.6

In a great spot. Appears to have really shed some baby fat, the sucrosity of the fruit diminshing and the mineral and tertiary notes coming to the front. Lavishly textured, great length, a wonderful accompaniment to an array of vegetable dishes. Pineapple upside cake, roasted nuts, cooked yellow plum, marmalade, garrigue, cruahed stones, yellow blossoms, marzipan and honey, cream, olive oil. — 2 years ago

Doug Sayed

9.2

92+ with upside potential. Saline blue fruits with some earth, and an expansive finish. Balanced structure and good acidity point to a wine with good aging potential. Bravo Peay. — 3 years ago

Shay A

9.3

I’m between 92-93 here, but this definitely has upside. Followed over three days.

Very translucent ruby in the glass. Extremely floral on the nose alongside plenty of juicy red fruit (strawberries, raspberries) and savory herbal spices. If whole clusters were used, it was minimal, but this isn’t a brash new world Pinot with overpowering oak. It trends toward a faint kirsch and black tea finish. I always enjoy Lato’s SRH Pinots and this is a good one now and will be for a solid 5-7yrs. — 4 months ago

Chris Gorgone

9.3

Paired with lobster coconut curry and upside down banana cake with rum raisin ice cream — a year ago

with Beth

Shay A

9.3

This was a bottle that was Coravined about 6+ months ago with about 3/4 remaining. Although young, I’ve always been a bit conservative when it comes to Coravined bottles and their freshness. Great sweet wine to pair with Thanksgiving food.

My first experience with Doisy-Vedrines, having only had Doisy-Daene previously. Would love to do a side by side. Tropically exotic and rich. Botrytis to the core. Pineapple upside down cake on the nose with honeyed apricots and orange marmalade. Viscous and totally giving on the palate with yellow fruit and and sweet spices. There’s not that honey roasted cashew profile I get with my favorite Sauternes, but this is a delicious and easy going wine that sports a great QPR. Room for improvement. (Also, this is evidently Barsac but labeled as Sauternes). — 2 years ago