Archive Releases

22 April 2010

Sauternes & Barsac are still leading the charge with more releases this morning. . .

First up is Château Doisy Daëne, which we are able to offer @ £305.00 IB per case (24 x half bottles @ £320.00 IB per case). Denis Dubourdieu considers this vintage to be the finest produced by him, his father and his grandfather! He is a great proponent of the preservation of fine fresh botrytis fruit flavour and usually eschews any excess sweetness that he considers may smother it. This year, however, he has found a much sweeter balance, at 155 g/l residual, but this in no way com-promises the freshness of the spring flower aromas and white peach fruitiness (there is little of the usual dried apricots this year) and it is all balanced by a quite high acidity (4.5 g/l). The result is an unusually sweet but very complete and complex wine that will certainly age for ever.

Doisy Daëne has received consistently good scores – James Suckling awards 90-93 and describes the 2009 as "Intense aromas of dried citrus fruit and honey follow through to a full body. Medium sweet, thick and layered, with sliced cooked apple notes and a delicate spicy finish"

Jancis Robinson awards a very healthy 18 points (18/20) "Streak of green to the pale gold. Rich, lip-smacking and satisfying on the nose. Very big and bold, like pear juice fermented by a wizard. Lovely stuff. Lots of bracing structure as well as all the richness. Very long".

NB: However, we feel that yesterdays release from Château Doisy Védrines offers much better value @ £240.00 IB per case. . .

Denis has also managed to produce 7 barrels of Château Doisy Daëne "L'Extravagant", a 50-50 Sauvignon – Sémillon blend this year, with 12° of alcohol and 320 g/l residual. It is a very fat style of wine, more on its power than the slightly more fruit-driven '07. We are able to offer a minute quantity @ £825.00 IB per case of 6 half bottles.

James Suckling awards a whopping 95-98 for this rarity and describes the 2009 as "This is rich and concentrated, with crème brûlée and apple crumble on the nose and palate. Full-bodied and very sweet. Thick and powerful. Layered and massive"

Domaine de l'A (Cotes de Castillon) is available @ £225.00 IB per case. . . Production is small and we only receive a tiny allocation!
90-93 James Suckling. "Blueberry and violets on the nose. Medium- to full-bodied, with fine tannins and a medium finish. Lovely raciness and balance to this. A little closed, but classy".