Château La Tour Blanche & Château Doisy-Védrines

Following hot on the heels of our release of Coutet yesterday come two more great sweet wines from Bordeaux. 2015 was a year where the conditions for this style were near perfect. They are rich and luscious, dominated by ripe textures and aromas with the perfect balance of spicy pear and quince like botrytis fruit. This puts one more in mind of years like 1990 rather than 2001 and 2007. A vintage to be bought from widely in this often overlooked category, the wines will reward for many years to come. 

Château Doisy-Védrines and La Tour Blanche have long been favourites of ours though have remained somewhat of a Sauternes for those in the know. An insider’s Sauternes if you will. Well, we like to share secrets and these are not to be missed. For those still waiting to wake up to the brilliance of top flight Sauternes this duo would be a superb initiation to the style. 

Château Doisy-Védrines is perhaps less well known than its Daene cousin but did in fact used to be part of a vast Doisy estate encompassing three properties. Of the three estates it retains the largest holding today and has a large proportion of its vines in some of the highest areas in Barsac. This affords it a great aspect for those extra hours of sunshine to help shrivel and concentrate those delicate golden berries into a deeply lustrous elixir. A combination of botrytis and passerillage (drying of the grapes) were utilised in 2015 and the results are sensational. One of their best efforts for years. 

In the 1855 Classification it was La Tour blanche who came top of the Sauternes and Barsac Premier Crus coming second only to Château d’Yquem! This success is not confined to the past. Today it remains one of finest wines of the appellation. La Tour Blanche joins Doisy-Verdrines in being notable for its addition of a small proportion of the now rarely utilised Muscadelle which gives the wine an extra lift and clarity which offsets their sweetness beautifully. A deeply satisfying and thrilling sense of tension between dried fruit character, delicate floral notes and a nervy, cleansing acidity combine to create a tour de force of a Sauternes which punches way above its price point. The lightness of touch in this year will make this just as compelling with blue cheese as with fresh fruits and more unctuous desserts. Just make sure not to share it with too many people – some secrets are best between friends!

 2015 CHÂTEAU COUTET AOC BARSAC 

 £150 Per 6 Bottles | £295 Per 12 Bottles | £155 Per 12 Halves *

 £150 Per 3 Magnums | £310 Per 6 Magnums *

An extremely elegant and luxurious Sauternes, this classically defined Tour Blanche has an enveloping bouquet of white stone fruits and flower blossom. On the palate, sweet peach and honeysuckle flavours and delicate notes of spice and brioche, lead to a deliciously long finish. Drink 2018 – 2028. 18/20 points, Armit Wines

Big and honeyed, with vanilla, tropical fruit and caramel hints – at once concentrated and complex. La Tour Blanche hardly misses a beat these days. 93/100 Points, Decanter 

 2015 CHÂTEAU DOISY-VÉDRINES SAUTERNES

£125 Per 6 Bottles | £250 Per 12 Bottles | £130 Per 12 Halves *

 £130 Per 3 Magnums | £255 Per 6 Magnums *One of our favourite Sauternes, this wine has lovely intensity and freshness. The bouquet is elegant and floral with notes of honeysuckle and acacia honey. On the palate sweet apricots, delicate white stone fruits and a subtle dried citrus character, lead to a deliciously long finish. Drink 2018 - 2025. 17.5/20 points, Armit Wines 

Reticent aromas of sweet spices, mango and crystallised ginger emerge slowly with aeration. Rich, dense and tactile, with honeyed tropical fruit, lively lemon and spicy tangerine flavours. Some noble rot, but passerillage (dried grapes) present. From 35-year-old vines, and made with a rare 5% Muscadelle. 92/100 Points, Decanter  

*wines are en primeur