Are you sweet on Sauternes? I certainly am! Sweet wines a usually get a bad rap in the wine world. Beginning wine drinkers tend to prefer sweeter tastes–a fact that causes many intermediate wine drinkers to assume that sweet wines must be basic or bad. But the nobly-rotted white wines from Bordeaux have a long legacy and a complexity of flavor that can rival anything else in the region.
In a recent WSET Level 2 class, we tasted this Sauternes alongside a slightly out-of-condition Mondavi White Zinfandel. The exercise was meant to show us wine students that even though you may not like sweet wines–they may not really be your thing–it is possible to objectively taste them and evaluate their quality. Still not too many fans in the room. Because I ‘fessed up to loving this bottle, I ended up with the leftovers for further “study.”
It’s not very often that I get to have Sauternes and when I do, it’s usually 1- or 3-ounce pour from the accommodating folks at the local wine bar. We enjoyed this wine as a late-night snack with some red cherries and blue cheese.
La Tour Blanche “Emotions” Sauternes is mostly from Sémillon (~85%) with smaller amounts of Sauvignon Blanc and Muscadelle. It’s a nectar-like golden color with a pronounced tropical and floral nose. No wonder wine fairies are drawn to it like a bee to honey!
The first thing you notice–that intense tropical yellow fruit–was the topic of some discussion in class and at home. Our instructor quickly identified it as passion fruit, I thought it was fresh mango, and my wife called it out as a perfectly ripened yellow guava. There’s a bit of a chemically, fuel-like aroma that I couldn’t quite identify. However, it wasn’t unpleasant and dissipated after a few moments. There’s stone fruit–nectarine and golden apricot. Honeysuckle, orange blossom, and jasmine then join the fruit-and-flowers party. All very fresh–I didn’t notice much dried fruit, and no nuts to speak of except maybe a faint hint of blanched almond.
The flavors, similar to the nose, are unctuous and ripe. It’s got high acidity complemented by citrus flavors on the back palate. There’s lemon zest and some citrus-y bitterness–lemon or grapefruit pith. I thought the finish was maybe not quite as long as some other Sauternes I’ve savored, but it’s also possible that I was drinking it too cold because I just couldn’t resist sipping it once it was poured.
“Perceptible botrytis” is in my tasting notes, so let’s get into that, shall we? There’s this whole wine-nerd debate over whether it’s possible to taste botrytis or only the effects of botrytis (i.e., flavor concentration). I’m certainly no expert–but I believe that it is, and this bottle is a case in point for Team Botrytis-Taster. Our instructor described it as a “medicine cabinet” aroma, and I think that really nails it.
Specifically, botrytis registers as penicillin-like to me. It’s a dusty, dry and yet slightly organic and “alive” smell. If you’ve ever had to take a whole prescription bottle of Amoxicillin to knock out an infection, you probably have it somewhere in your sensory memory. Huitlacoche (corn smut or Mexican truffle), fresh white mushroom spores, or the air when you open a vacuum-packed container of blue cheese are other reference points for botrytis. Like a lot of wine attributes, it sounds kinda grody when you describe it–but taste it a few times in a good wine and it becomes oddly crave-able.
Château la Tour Blanche is one of the Premier Cru Sauternes appellations. Their wines have been recognized for their quality since the 1855 Classification, when some lucky Frenchmen got to drink and compare every sweet wine in Graves and choose a few to brag about at the Paris Exhibition.
La Tour Blanche mainly produces two levels of sweet wines, of which “Emotions” is the second wine. Their Grand Vin is aged in French oak, while the one I’m currently reviewing is aged entirely in stainless steel for 18 months. I would love to try this wine with some oak influence–richness upon richness, I’m sure–and I’ve added it to my wine bucket list. But I’m glad I tasted this one first to get a purer sense of the varietal characteristics.
I’m sure this bottle ages beautifully but that’s just too bad. We finished it in two consecutive evenings. The indulgent taste of this golden oldie makes it perfect for after dinner–or anytime, really. Pour me up!
Bottle: La Tour Blanche “Emotions” Sauternes (2018)
Variety: Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc, Muscadelle
ABV: 13.5%
Suggested retail: $22 (375 ml)
My rating: 8 (out of 10)
Further reading:
Château la Tour Blanche: Prospectors of Gold (winery history)
Bordeaux Wine Experience: Chateau La Tour Blanche 2018-1962 (vertical tasting notes by Ronald Rens, M. Sc., Wine Master)
Winebow (Importer): Emotions de la Tour Blanche
Review disclosure: I was not compensated or provided any free products for this review. (In this case, the bottle was a gift from a teacher but it did not affect my review.) Opinions expressed on The Wine Fairy blog are entirely my own.
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