| Region | |
|---|---|
| Subregion | |
| Colour | Sweet White |
| Type | Still |
A prodigious offering, the 2001 Climens’ light medium bold color with a greenish hue is followed by ethereal aromas of tropical fruits (primarily pineapple), honeysuckle, and flowers. It is a medium-bodied wine of monumental richness, extraordinary precision/delineation, great purity, and moderate sweetness. The finish seemingly lasts forever. This monumental effort is the stuff of legends. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2040+.
2001 is an incredible vintage in Sauternes, and one of my tasting highlights of the year was a full horizontal of wines from Sauternes and Barsac at the 20 year window. I tasted this Climens both at the time (in February), and again later in the year. It's a standout wine, with savoury dried herbs and saffron strands alongside still-juicy nectarine and fleshy white peach fruits, all kicked up a gear with freshly-grated ginger and lime zest. The whole thing is mouthwateringly tender and utterly moreish. 117g/l residual sugar, a yield of 6hl/ha, harvest 30 September to October 23 over three passes through the vineyard. 69% of the harvest went into the main estate wine.
The Climens 2001 has always possessed a deliriously complex and intense bouquet that is beautifully defined: dried quince and marmalade, honeycomb and antique furniture. There is an inchoate, resinous element that will surely surface over the next decade or so. This is a bouquet that demands attention and in this blind tasting, sticks out from the crowd, a sui generis. Since I last tasted it, the palate has opened up and is beginning to pump on all cylinders. It is wonderfully balanced with fabulous intensity and a long, citrus-tinged finish that is utterly beguiling. As Kate Bush once sang: "Wow". Drink 2014-2040
