Château Raymond-Lafon
Sauternes Sémillon-Sauvignon Blanc Blend
Sauternes, Graves, Bordeaux, France
Yesterday’s Wednesday Wine Committee lunch. Normal format of 1 sparkler, 3 whites, 4 reds and 1 dessert wine. All tasted blind.
Birth year Sauternes. Classic profile. Honey roasted cashews and orange marmalade aromatics. Rich and sweet notes of apricot and peach on the palate. Powerful yet not overbearing. I called this mid ‘90s Rieussec.
Yesterday’s Wednesday Wine Committee lunch. Normal format of 1 sparkler, 3 whites, 4 reds and 1 dessert wine. All tasted blind.
Birth year Sauternes. Classic profile. Honey roasted cashews and orange marmalade aromatics. Rich and sweet notes of apricot and peach on the palate. Powerful yet not overbearing. I called this mid ‘90s Rieussec.
January Wednesday Wine Committees are always a great as the red wines are required to be 11yrs old, making all of the reds 2008 vintage. 1 sparkler, 2 whites, 4 reds and 1 dessert wine were served today, all blind.
Another wine that was hard not to get...quintessential Sauternes. Honey comb, honeyed nectarine and peaches, orange blossom. The acidity from this producer (being fairly low), in my experience, lends me to think these are best enjoyed on the younger side (15yrs) as opposed to others than can go 20+.
January Wednesday Wine Committees are always a great as the red wines are required to be 11yrs old, making all of the reds 2008 vintage. 1 sparkler, 2 whites, 4 reds and 1 dessert wine were served today, all blind.
Another wine that was hard not to get...quintessential Sauternes. Honey comb, honeyed nectarine and peaches, orange blossom. The acidity from this producer (being fairly low), in my experience, lends me to think these are best enjoyed on the younger side (15yrs) as opposed to others than can go 20+.
Heck of a 3rd Friday to kick off the holidays!
This was my first time with this producer. All the typical Sauternes notes of honeyed fruits, marmalade, toasted cashews...the sweetness wasn’t as precise as Rieussec, Climens or Guiraid up front, but it had the aromatics and front, mid palate in spades. Drinking well now but clearly no rush.
Heck of a 3rd Friday to kick off the holidays!
This was my first time with this producer. All the typical Sauternes notes of honeyed fruits, marmalade, toasted cashews...the sweetness wasn’t as precise as Rieussec, Climens or Guiraid up front, but it had the aromatics and front, mid palate in spades. Drinking well now but clearly no rush.
Tasted side by side with a Quarts de Chaume and the differences were incredible. The amount of money put into this wine is clear. Caramel, toffee, coconut, orange marmalade, ginger, and Asian spices.
Tasted side by side with a Quarts de Chaume and the differences were incredible. The amount of money put into this wine is clear. Caramel, toffee, coconut, orange marmalade, ginger, and Asian spices.
Jul 11th, 2018The 2018 Spring Confrerie dinner was a wonderful time with some great Alsatian wines (and non-Alsatian wines) and fantastic food!
16yrs in and still got plenty of life ahead. Caramel, lush soft fruits like papaya and guava, honeyed cashews.
The 2018 Spring Confrerie dinner was a wonderful time with some great Alsatian wines (and non-Alsatian wines) and fantastic food!
16yrs in and still got plenty of life ahead. Caramel, lush soft fruits like papaya and guava, honeyed cashews.
Rich, ripe, and a perfect ending to a great tasting.
Rich, ripe, and a perfect ending to a great tasting.
Jan 11th, 2018
Flight 5 - A Sweet Ending
The last flight of the evening was a flight of 3 Sauternes, including the great Chateau d'Yquem. Rabaud-Promis and Raymond-Lafon were the only ones showing unfortunately as the d'Yquem was corked enough that we knew it and thus wasn't judged. Both the RL and RP were a blend of 80-20 Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc, the traditional Sauternes blend. The difference besides the vintage was the oak maturation. RL gets 3 years in new oak while the RP sees only 12-14 months in new oak.
The Raymond-Lafon 1996 showed the 3 full years of new oak and a full on sweet and dry attack of honey, candied peach, and marmalade all accented by the telltale pungency of the fungus botrytis cinerea. Custard and creamy notes delivered here as well amping up the flavor and body perception, with a clean and dry finish.
The RP showed an elegant and lighter attack because of the lighter vintage and less oak used in the maturation process. More notes of juicy stony fruits and sweet citrus showed here. This was a nice contrast to the RL.
Botrytis cinerea, aka "Noble Rot", gives the Sauternes wines a musky, but pure and sweet texture. The fungus evaporates the water in a healthy grape, thus naturally concentrating the juice and flavor in the grape.
Flight 5 - A Sweet Ending
The last flight of the evening was a flight of 3 Sauternes, including the great Chateau d'Yquem. Rabaud-Promis and Raymond-Lafon were the only ones showing unfortunately as the d'Yquem was corked enough that we knew it and thus wasn't judged. Both the RL and RP were a blend of 80-20 Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc, the traditional Sauternes blend. The difference besides the vintage was the oak maturation. RL gets 3 years in new oak while the RP sees only 12-14 months in new oak.
The Raymond-Lafon 1996 showed the 3 full years of new oak and a full on sweet and dry attack of honey, candied peach, and marmalade all accented by the telltale pungency of the fungus botrytis cinerea. Custard and creamy notes delivered here as well amping up the flavor and body perception, with a clean and dry finish.
The RP showed an elegant and lighter attack because of the lighter vintage and less oak used in the maturation process. More notes of juicy stony fruits and sweet citrus showed here. This was a nice contrast to the RL.
Botrytis cinerea, aka "Noble Rot", gives the Sauternes wines a musky, but pure and sweet texture. The fungus evaporates the water in a healthy grape, thus naturally concentrating the juice and flavor in the grape.
Apricots, peaches, and beeswax.
Apricots, peaches, and beeswax.
1 person found it helpfulDec 7th, 2015