Buy Low...

originally posted by Jeff Grossman:
Buy Low......which means Sauternes, other than Yquem, of course.

Says Jancis.
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What a dreary article. Robinson starts with the implied promise of telling us about the bargains to be found. But we are then diverted through the usual marketing pitch of Yquem (which we are specifically told costs too much.). All in the cloying Brit-wine style. I'd much rather have read about the history of Climens instead of another tour around Yquem's kitchen. The good news is that the unexplored premise of the article is true. On release Climens, Coutet (maybe Jancis could have explained what differentiates Barsac), Doisy-variés etc are excellent values in half bottles.

Meanwhile back to that juicy melon, and Pasquini.
 
Sauternes did an admirable job figuring out how to make sweet wines that don't totally humiliate themselves next to TBAs or Tokajis in an era when TBAs or Tokajis were perhaps less available or less known to some of the markets Sauternes could reach, but there is hardly any reason to buy them today. Not even the one Jancis claims (that they have turned unfashionably cheap) - there's no level of cheapness that would compensate for the fact that grownups have no appetite to drink lots of sweet wine. Sauternes is and forever will be restricted to occasions where there is a slot for a bottle of sweet wine in a 17-course dinner party. And for those for whom 17-course dinner parties are a relatively rare occasion, springing for the Yquem makes more sense than going bargain-hunting.
 
My Sauternes and Barsacs just seem to collect dust every holiday season - thinking we'll drink them, but they just never seem to get opened.

Another Coutet fan here though.
 
My Sauternes and Barsacs just seem to collect dust every holiday season - thinking we'll drink them, but they just never seem to get opened.

Another Coutet fan here though.
 
The only Sauternes/Barsac I've bought in the past couple of years (and I pretty much avoided buying those wines for a couple of decades prior) is Climens. It seems lighter on its feet than the vast majority. With those, the alcohol and sugar in combination aren't a friend to my system. Even then, I only have a couple of 375s. I purchased a 750 of 1986 recently for a great price. That's being saved for a friend's 40th birthday celebration next January.

I've had sips here and there of d'Yquem in the past few years. As great as it is, I'm not gonna go out of my way to purchase any.
 
originally posted by BJ: My Sauternes and Barsacs just seem to collect dust every holiday season - thinking we'll drink them, but they just never seem to get opened.
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Brad, likewise with me...to my detriment.

. . . . . Pete
 
Apparently, the last time I bought Sauternes was the 2001 vintage.

I recall enjoying some Cypres de Climens within the past few years. I like that it is lightweight, not too sweet, not too oaky. (I suppose it's like a lot of houses where the Grand Vin gets all the attention while the second and third wines are allowed to just be themselves.)
 
While I am still enjoying sweet wines as well as off-dry and dry, Sauternes has always been boring to me. I'd much rather have something in my glass like a good MSR BA/TBA/Eiswein or a Foreau MR/Gouttes or even a Bongran "Cuvee Botrytis" than even D'Yquem, TBH.
 
I’ll be a slight contrarian and say there’s a place for Sauternes / Barsac in small amounts and on occasion. It’s good with foie gras and Roquefort in small quantities, or on its own in very small quantities, but it’s definitely not worth including in a regular buying and cellaring regimen. And I agree that the alcohol trend and global warming are particularly bad for this style of wine.

I still have a smattering of 18 bottles and half bottles in the cellar. Most from my sons’ birth years, 2004 and 2007, but overall ranging from 1988 to 2011. 2004 Yquem. The rest Climens and Rieussec and Doisy D with a bottle of the outstanding 2001 Suiduraut thrown in. The only one I’ve serially bought and drunk over the years is Climens, first 1986 then shifting to 1988. I consider 1988 Climens to be gorgeous in a sui generis way compared to the rest of the category. And much more reasonable than the compelling 1988 Yquem.

All that said, most Sauternes for sure has a tough time next to a BA/TBA, dessert Chenin from the Loire, and dessert Tokaji. The typical lower acidity, higher alcohol, and corresponding lack of precision stick out like a sore thumb.
 
@Jayson please give me a Weinbach Gewurtz VT (or Altenbourg from a sweet year) with my foie, 100 times out of 100 rather than Yquem. But I also like a touch of salt with foie rather than sweet preserves.
 
How often are you guys eating foie gras? It's maybe twice a decade for me. And honestly, I don't even find the Sauternes pairing there to live up to the hype. I'd rather have a crisp dry wine, even Champagne. I do think Sauternes and certain kinds of lobster prep are a pretty great pairing, and if you've never done Sauternes-poached lobster you gotta try it at least once. Perhaps the best use for all those Sauternes bottles nobody's drinking.
 
originally posted by Keith Levenberg:
How often are you guys eating foie gras? It's maybe twice a decade for me.
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Learn to live better.

And honestly, I don't even find the Sauternes pairing there to live up to the hype.
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It's good but a sweet wine with more cut is even better.

I do think Sauternes and certain kinds of lobster prep are a pretty great pairing...
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Yes. I've also had a Sauternes dessert soup that was remarkable.
 
originally posted by Tristan Welles:
originally posted by Jeff Grossman:
Buy Low......which means Sauternes, other than Yquem, of course.

Says Jancis.
Click to expand...

What a dreary article. Robinson starts with the implied promise of telling us about the bargains to be found. But we are then diverted through the usual marketing pitch of Yquem (which we are specifically told costs too much.). All in the cloying Brit-wine style. I'd much rather have read about the history of Climens instead of another tour around Yquem's kitchen. The good news is that the unexplored premise of the article is true. On release Climens, Coutet (maybe Jancis could have explained what differentiates Barsac), Doisy-variés etc are excellent values in half bottles.

Meanwhile back to that juicy melon, and Pasquini.
Click to expand...

Nevertheless Sauternes matures very unreliably in half bottles and unless they are for consumption within a few years of the vintage(perfectly reasonable nowadays) that format is best avoided.
 
originally posted by Tom Blach:

Nevertheless Sauternes matures very unreliably in half bottles and unless they are for consumption within a few years of the vintage(perfectly reasonable nowadays) that format is best avoided.
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yup.

aside from teh foie gras / other kinds of fatty livery good shit, i occasionally get a hankering with cheese. to the point of all this, given that even teh v decent sauternes is cheap assed shit at this point, i'd rather crack a bottle and reward teh fastink with type 2 diabetes than fuck about with 1/2 bottles.

fb.
 
The only half bottles I've had and cellared are Climens. In the past couple of years, 1998, 2004, and 2005. No issues with any of them.
 
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