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Sweet, But Not Just,

Dessert Wine By Curtis Marsh

THE NOBLE SWEET WINES FROM SAUTERNES AND BARSAC


IN BORDEAUX, FRANCE ARE NOT ONLY UNDERAPPRECIATED
FOR THEIR EXTRAORDINARY COMPLEXITY BUT ARE ALSO
MISUNDERSTOOD AS BEING LESS THAN VERSATILE!
all photographs courtesy of Curtis Marsh.

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sweet allure
O ne of nature’s miracles and an aberration in viticulture is a
peculiar mould that transforms the otherwise tart and shy white
grape, Semillon, to nectar of unparalleled concentration of exotic
Having not partaken in a Sauternes or Barsac wine for a considerable
time, a few months ago I found myself in the cellars of Château Coutet
in Barsac, immersed in a line-up of some 26 already lusciously inviting,
fruits, honeyed sweetness, sumptuous richness and a creamy viscous albeit decidedly youthful barrel samples of 2007 Cru Classé châteaux
texture, yet with a harmonious marmalade-like piquancy, pleasant as well as a handful of non-classified producers. There was already
bitterness and powerful natural acidity that imparts a perceived an air of high expectation at this en primeur press tasting — the word
dryness. The scientific or Latin name of this extraordinary fungal well and truly out on this spectacular sweet wine vintage. However,
organism is Botrytis Cinerea, although it is known more colloquially tasting barrels samples of any wine has to be put into perspective, as
as 'Noble Rot' or 'Pourriture Noble' in France. Whilst biologists and the wines are unfinished and are invariably obscured by yeasty-less
winemakers who toil with late-harvest style wines have an intimate, fermentation characters and high levels of free sulphur. Moreover,
if not metaphysical knowledge of its behaviour, the genome of this in this primary state the defining elements of provenience and
unique and naturally occurring phenomenon, there being so few distinctive soils (terroir) are subdued. Essentially one should treat the
moulds that can be considered beneficial or friendly to the taste, has exercise purely to form an impression of the vintage and subsequent
yet to be fully explained and continues to fascinate scientists. characteristics in the wines.

In layman’s terms, the cooler autumn waters of a small tributary It is important to note that all the following wines were tasted blind;
river bordering Sauternes and Barsac called the Ciron, flowing into an imperative if one is to form an objective opinion and commentary.
the warmer Garonne River estuary, creates conducive misty and Frankly, scoring wines in this state is absolutely absurd however; I have
humid morning conditions to awaken the Botrytis spores that have grouped the wines that I felt had particular merit. Full tastings notes
been hibernating during the winter months. Transported through are posted on our wine website, www.asianwinejournal.com. From
the air on water molecules, these spores cling to the grapes, already an overall perspective, one can draw a comparison to the amazing
approaching their full ripeness. It only takes a single spore clinging harmony of the 2005 red Bordeaux vintage — the 2007 conditions
to a healthy grape to facilitate the spread of Botrytis throughout in Sauternes and Barsac were perfect in every respect, engendering
the whole bunch, the fungus penetrating the grape skin and feeding exceptional quality across the board, and particularly in the lesser
off the natural sugars beginning a process of dehydration, slowly ranks, where there will be some excellent price/quality rapport. The
extracting the water within the grape, concentrating the sugars, wines exhibit pronounced perfumes with marked musky, apricot,
intensifying and preserving the fruit flavours. It is an incredibly risk- honeyed scents indicative of high levels of Botrytis and sugar. There is
prone transformation at the mercy of the weather and devastatingly a marvellous intensity to the fruit flavours and sweetness, also superb
unwelcome rain, requiring drier, warm afternoon sun to inhibit the textures, noticeably more viscous yet balanced by impressive acidity.
onset of the conversely detrimental Grey Rot, which can rapidly turn Such harmonious wines will no doubt be attractive in their youth but
the grapes into an unusable mush. clearly there will be wines capable of extraordinary longevity — easily
20 to 30 plus years, indeed eternal for the top wines and in larger
As the grapes take on an unsightly shrivelled, raisin-like appearance bottle formats.
within a web of fungal growth, expert grape pickers begin the labour-
intensive harvesting of individual berries, selecting the most Botrytis
infected grapes and leaving those requiring further hang-time.
Needless to say, this is painstaking work as the yields are meagre,
as little as two or three glasses of wine per vine. It is here that the
inequitable disparity in the selling price and ratio to yields between
Bordeaux sweet wines and the château that produce red wines is
clearly, if not frustratingly, evident. Depending on the vintage, red wine
producers can be permitted up to a maximum of 50 hectolitres per
hectare (hl/ha), whereas Sauternes and Barsac producers are normally
restricted to 25 hl/ha, although in actuality the top estates in both
regards will crop significantly lower, in Sauternes and Barsac it can
be as low as nine hl/ha, about one glass of wine per vine!

However, the harsh reality is that red Bordeaux is eminently more


popular than sweet or dry white Bordeaux for that matter, particularly
in the strategic emerging markets of Asia and subsequently reflected
in the secondary market, with sweet wines simply not achieving the
exponential returns of their red peers. To add insult to injury, such is
the obsession with red Bordeaux vintage ratings that a poorly rated
year for reds does not auger well for Sauternes and Barsac, even if
the conditions are exceptional for the white grapes and the onset of
Botrytis. Take 2001 as an example, a supposedly mediocre vintage
for red Bordeaux wines (which is unjust as many 2001 wines are
delightful) but a fabulous year for sweet wines, yet the stigma of the
lighter red wines imparted an overriding negative sentiment making
Morning dew blankets each grape in a
it a ‘hard-sell’ for the châteaux in Sauternes and Barsac.
mould-friendly mist.
079
Dessert & Wine Pairings
My notes on the masterclass wines include percentages of the grape varieties used for
Sauternes and Barsac. I have only referred to Semillon in my preamble as this is the principal
grape. However, its stable mate Sauvignon Blanc does play an important support role for most
wines. Muscadelle is going out of fashion here, and is either used in very small quantities or
not at all. Also, Master of Wine candidate Cher Lim, from Wine Treasures Pte Ltd, assisted in
pairing each wine from the masterclass with an alcohol-based dessert — showing the versatility
Sauternes and Barsac wines have when it comes to dessert pairings.

2005 Château de Rayne Vigneau 2004 Château Doisy-Daene


(74 percent Semillon, 24 percent Sauvignon Blanc) (80 percent Semillon, 20 percent Sauvignon Blanc)
Bommes, Sauternes, www.raynevigneau.com Barsac, www.denisdubourdieudomaines.com
paired with soufflé in bailey’s irish cream paired with diplomatica*
Scents of almond and apricots; honeyed — white clover, cone- Lifted citrus and ripe peach nose with raw almonds-nutty
honey with dried banana and caramel. Spicy and lively palate entry, complexity — racy, quite crisp palate entry, lovely freshness and
tangy, appears almost dry on the mid-palate, lots of grapefruit and tangy mid-palate with a marmalade-like piquancy, very elegant
succulent freshly squeezed orange, builds in sweetness towards the and soft richness finishes almost dry with lots of powdered ginger
back palate with poached pears and caramel, darker honey, dried spice. By all accounts, a difficult vintage where one had to work
apricot intensity. Creamy and softly textured, still in a very primary hard in the vineyard, yet the quality in general was very good and
stage yet delightful to drink and showing superb balance — has a many wines overlooked.
reputation for elegance, also a great Sauternes vintage. Puff pastry and sponge cake layered with creamy hazelnut custard
As this dessert is low in acidity but high in sweetness and quite and chocolate, results in a medium-bodied dessert which matches
heavy too, the acidity in this wine will add depth of flavour well with the wine’s moderate body and high sweetness.
and texture.

1998 Château Giruad 2002 Château Clos Haut-Peyrageuy


(65 percent Semillon, 35 percent Sauvignon Blanc) (90 percent Semillon, 10 percent Sauvignon Blanc)
Sauternes, www.chateau-guiraud.fr Bommes, Sauternes, www.closhautpeyraguey.com
paired with belgian chocolate marquise paired with tiramisu*
Very seductive perfume of truffle oil, vanillin, roasted nuts and Rich, opulent nose, very sweet-scented, palm sugar-like, also
nougat, crème brûlée sweetness, baked apple, creamy, very crystallised fruits, lots of ripe poached peach, dark Manuka honey,
harmonious — gorgeously unctuous palate entry, creamy and and vanilla custard, already showing secondary aroma complexity.
seamless, layers of richness, dark honey and toffee, a white Nicely textured, oily palate, apple tarte tatin and ripe poached peach
Burgundy like nutty-oiliness, smooth wine, drinking beautifully, flavours, and plenty of butterscotch and golden syrup — excellent
excellent acidity keeps it lively throughout, amazing length with acidity freshens and balances the lingering richness, quite spicy
a peachy creamy syrupy tailing. on the back palate with nutmeg and almost peppery with a tingly
This sweet, heavy and also slightly acidic dessert — from the raisins warming sensation - brilliant wine from a difficult vintage.
and rum-soaked cherries — is best balanced out with a wine of These two components — a rich, creamy tiramisu and the opulent,
high sweetness and moderate acidity. sugar saturated Sauternes — are ideal matches in sugar levels and
heaviness. A kick of acidity from the wine will result in an overall
balanced mouthfeel.

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sweet allure
Sweet Sensations In Hong Kong’s
VinExpo Asia Pacific
A few months later, I attended a most enlightening Sauternes and There is of course the natural affiliation with sweet wines and dessert
Barsac masterclass at Vinexpo Hong Kong, chaired by Bérénice but one must be careful that the dessert itself is not too sweet as
Lurton, proprietor of Château Climens and the new president for this can often overpower the wine. In my opinion, chocolate is not
the Crus Classés de Sauternes et Barsac, and conducted by Andreas good with Sauternes and Barsac, although white chocolate can work
Larsson, the world’s leading sommelier. Larsson’s commentary brought as a component of a dessert. There are of course infinite variables of
an informed and objective view, his refreshing impartiality and dessert pairings, some of the more conducive being tropical fruits,
innovative approach to matching these wines with Asian cuisines also poached stone fruits and desserts that have vanillin or caramel
was inspirational, motivating me to re-evaluate my interpretation of flavours. However, sometimes I think Sauternes and Barsac wines have
Sauternes and Barsac. You may have noticed I have not used the term evolved expressly for cheese, for it is here that you will achieve some
dessert wine at all yet. of the most harmonious pairings. The variations are as endless as
the different types of cheeses, made even more infinite by the subtle
The format of the tasting and the 12 carefully chosen wines by Larsson, differences in type or age of the wine.
spanning 2005 to 1978 vintages covered a broad range of distinctive
terroirs and sub-regional styles, stimulating the interaction between But most of all, savouring Sauternes and Barsac on its own, either
Larsson and participating tasters. Much of the dialogue was centred on before or after a meal is most satisfying. My experience of Bordeaux
food pairings, but also on how the wines clearly had a rich framework sweet wines began this way, working with French chefs and
yet the actual sugar sweetness had dissipated with bottle age to the restaurateurs who would always recommend a glass of sweet wine
point of perceived dryness of the finish, augmented by pronounced to open up the palate. Social occasions or Sunday lunches with them


acidity and spiciness. What was most evident is how bottle age can usually began with a nicely chilled, lighter Barsac or Muscat Beaumes
magnify the soil characters and minerals in these wines, also the huge de Venise.
difference in textures and colours between the wines.
As the grapes take on an unsightly
It appeared to me, the most potential with Asian food pairings would
be with lighter, very young wines, their lively acidity, pureness and shrivelled, raisin-like appearance within a
web of fungal growth, expert grape pickers
intensity yet subtle sweetness capable of handling spicy or relatively
warmer cuisines, although not a complete broadside of chilli. Some
of the pairings put forward encompassed universal produce but
with Asian flavours; rich seafoods such as lobster, crab or scallops in
sweeter yellow curries with spices like turmeric and saffron — fish
begin the labour-intensive harvesting“
of individual berries, selecting the most
Botrytis infected grapes and leaving those
curries or steamed fish where fresh ginger is used, as ginger is a spice
element often found in these wines. In the same vein and much like requiring further hang-time.
how the Germans serve their powerful Auslese Rieslings with pork,
venison, game birds, duck and poultry, Sauternes and Barsac wines
work equally well and again the sweetness in the wine will counteract
spicy warmth. One can also see many possibilities with the milder,
subtly spiced northern Indian cuisine, indeed I am experimenting with
this myself, already with surprisingly harmonious results. One of the
most perfect pairings, according to Larsson, is Peking roast duck with
a lighter Sauternes or Barsac, to which I concur, having promptly
tried it. I can see where he may have drawn his inspiration for this
adventurous pairing, using the time-honoured match of Sauternes
and foie gras, the fattiness and richness of the roasted duck skin and
gamey flavour of the duck breast similar to pan-fried goose liver. It
is indeed gastronomic heaven, albeit indulgent and reinforces there
are no set rules with wine and food pairing and to be adventurous.
Imagine if this catches on and every Chinese restaurant around the
world was to endorse this, serving up a glass of Sauternes or Barsac,
it would certainly change the region’s fortunes!

Botrytis-infected grapes; the more wrinkled


they are, the better.

081
Dessert & Wine Pairings

1978 Château Climens 2000 Château Climens


(100 percent Semillon) (100 percent Semillon)
Barsac, www.chateau-climens.fr Barsac, www.chateau-climens.fr
paired with rum balls paired with ricciotti*
Wedding cake almond icing, nutty, oxidised sherry-like tones, Sweet custard and vanilla pod, sherbet of citrus, dried fig and
musky-musty complexities; beautiful soft and elegant palate entry muskiness of Turkish delight dusted with icing sugar, some
quickly surrenders to an awesomely powerful, intense apricot and butterscotch and dark cone honey nuances, roasted nuts, peppery
peach palate; a lingering background sweetness of candied fruits, virgin olive oil — unctuous, creamy palate entry, intense spice —
drinking superbly, some chalky phenolic amongst a tangy farewell. nutmeg, white pepper and fresh ginger zingy warmth, intense
Brilliant wine, extraordinarily profound, at almost 30 years in bottle apricot and poached peach, caramelised apples with butterscotch
and showing no signs of giving up — bravo! and nougat, very impressive acidity keeping the wine lively, very
With quite an intense wine that’s full-bodied and sweet with long finish, just goes on and on — great wine!
moderate acidity, the complementary pairing is one which A lively wine paired with its equal match in the sweet
offers simple flavours and an adequate sweetness to stand up to cheesecake dessert.
the wine.

1996 Château Coutet 2003 Château Fillot


(75 percent Semillon, 23 percent Sauvignon Blanc, (60 percent Semillon, 36 percent Sauvignon Blanc,
2 percent Muscadelle) 4 percent Muscadelle,)
Barsac, www.chateaucoutet.com Sauternes, www.filhot.com
paired with brandied cherry liqueur coated in dark chocolate* paired with champagne sorbet*
Fresh nose, perfume of summer flowers, lots of citrus, noticeably Passion fruit and grapefruit zest to the fore, also a prominent
delicate white clover honey, honeydew melon and ripe mango, gooseberry Sauvignon Blanc character, very musky and Riesling like
sherbet-like sweetness with some candied fruits — elegant and freshness and citrus flavours on the palate, tangy, citrus-orange
silky palate entry, intense tangy apricot and marmalade characters succulence, almost appears dry on the mid palate and bids farewell
enhanced by citrus-lemony acidity, nice spice and vitality, some with a warm glow of pickled ginger and bitter almond — though
caramel and nougat complexity, very elegant wine with impressive some rich and honeyed sweetness lurks amongst the spicy, lingering
freshness and acidity, still youthful. warmth — very elegant and surprisingly pleasing.
Generous acidity and spices in the wine will pair well with the dark This pairing comprises a zesty, acid-driven wine complemented
chocolate, while the brandied cherry liqueur adds characteristic by a very refreshing dessert. The flavours of the champagne
flavour to the wine’s exotic palate of honeydew melon and sorbet are also subtle enough not to overpower the wine’s
ripe mango. elegant characters.

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sweet allure

There are of course
infinite variables of
dessert pairings, some
of the more conducive
being tropical fruits,

also poached stone
fruits and desserts
that have vanillin or
1997 Château Myrat
(88 percent Semillon, 8 percent Sauvignon Blanc,
4 percent Muscadelle)
Barsac
paired with irish cream mudpie**
caramel flavours. Very dark amber colour, intense caramel-toffee nose, golden
syrup, honeyed, giving an impression of elevated sweetness, yet
seemingly dry on palate entry almost like aged dry white Bordeaux
with hessian and straw flavours, lots of spice and warmth, nutty
Olorosso sherry like characters, salty, builds in sweetness towards
the back palate becoming quite unctuous with a little chalky
phenolic grip on the farewell and intriguing interplay of dryness
and richness with a lingering distinctly wet limestone chalky
flavour. Rather leftfield style that would be excellent with pongy,
gooey cheese.
A heavy dessert to match a heavy wine — quite a natural pairing.
Also, this dessert’s subtle flavour will allow the wine’s nutty and
straw flavours to come through unhindered on the palate.

1999 Château Latour Blanche


(80 percent Semillon, 15 percent Sauvignon Blanc,
5 percent Muscadelle)
Bommes, Sauternes (www.tour-blanche.com)
paired with champagne cake
all photographs courtesy of Curtis Marsh.

Baked apples, hints of strawberry, soon overwhelmed by strong


apricot and lots of peaches with rich double clotted cream, golden
syrup and toffee — tangy, spicy palate entry, but quickly builds in
richness, intensely sweet mid-palate, crème brulee and lingering
toffee, very toasty-honeyed development, also quite nutty and
oily, some bitter almond and fresh ginger spice bringing a tingly
warmth, lingering intense dried apricot and tantalizing acidity,
with some earthy tones, overall quite elegant yet deceptive in its
power in richness.
For this wine’s moderate acidity to stand out and impress,
the dessert pairing has to have a lower acidic intensity. Here,
the almond sponge cake dipped in champagne syrup does not
overpower the wine’s delicious acidity.

083
sweet allure

Exceptional, Must-Have Wines

• Château Rayne-Vigneau Bommes, Sauternes


(My top wine of the tasting)
• Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey Bommes, Sauternes
• Château Lamothe-Guignard Sauternes
• Château Romer-du-Hayot Fargues, Sauternes
• Château Rieussec Fargues, Sauternes
2001 Château Suduiraut • Château Doisey-Vedrines Barsac
(90 percent Semillon, 10 percent Sauvignon Blanc) • Château Doisey-Deane Barsac
Preignac, Sauternes, www.suduiraut.com
paired with rum & raisin ice cream*
Earthy and musky scents, then opening out to a hedonistic bouquet Outstanding Wines, Purchase Without Hesitation
of caramelised apples, baked bananas, butterscotch, incredibly
alluring with rich, honeyed, golden syrup, very expressive — • Château Bastor-Lamontange Sauternes, an unclassified
gorgeous creamy, syrupy, peachy palate entry although quickly property which outclassed
turns tangy with intense dried apricot and vigorous acidity many others
balancing or even cancelling out any sweetness, lingering tanginess • Château Romer Fargues, Sauternes
with a tingling spiciness and warmth. Fabulous wine, noticeably • Château Ribaud-Promis Bommes, Sauternes
more powerful in the line-up and a step up in quality. • Château de Malle Preignac, Sauternes
It is important that the wine’s sweetness either matches or exceeds
• Château Broustet Barsac
the dessert’s sugar quotient. Thus, this intensely saccharine ice
cream will be an adequate match for the powerful caramel flavours • Château de Myrat Barsac
of this wine. • Château Caillou Barsac

I should mention that Château Climens and Château d’Yquem were


not in this line-up. Disappointingly, I did not get to try the Château
Climens 2007. It is not only a personal favourite but is the only other
producer which challenges Château d’Yquem in absolute quality and
also with a uniqueness of its highly calcareous soils and 100 percent
Semillon cepage. Unquestionably, however, Château d’Yquem has the
high ground in Sauternes, in every respect, as with the First Growths
in the Médoc, largely attributed to the elevated aspect and superior
soils. My tasting notes for the Château d’Yquem 2007 — Sauternes,
are as follows: Cone honey, peaches and cream–like, a double crème
richness, subtle almond and hazelnut nuances, resplendent with
1998 Château Suduiraut
musky perfume and intense apricot (tempting to dab a little behind
(90 percent Semillon, 10 percent Sauvignon Blanc)
the ears), intriguing Indian spices like turmeric, cardamom and fennel
Preignac, Sauternes, www.suduiraut.com
seed. The spice and apricot tang intensity are even more evident on
paired with christmas fruitcake
the palate, delicious tarte tatin flavours — the French upside-down
Grilled nuts, Beaufort cheese, almond-marzipan icing, reminiscent tart with caramelised apples — layers of syrupy, glutinous peach and
of Hungarian Tokay a whiff of salty, nutty Palo Cortado Sherry, apricot yet all the while elegant and seamless with tangy acidity that
earthy white truffle scents — syrupy apricot conserve palate keeps the wine lively throughout the palate and despite its power and
entry, mid-palate quite dry with straw and summer field nuances, intense sweetness, in no way cloying, the tangy marmalade sweet-sour
lavender and dried rosemary, nutty, oily, build in richness towards flavours carrying to a seemingly infinite farewell. Awesome, profound,
the back palate with toffee and lingering marmalade piquancy, irresistible and so finely balanced, it is already drinking superbly even
sweet around the gills reminding you it is actually Sauternes. before being bottled! That said, in all likeliness, it will be one of the
Wonderful example of how bottle age develops an amazing array longest lived Château d’Yquem wines made since the legendary 1975
of secondary aromas and extraordinary complexity. Savour on its or 1967. CM
own or with a nutty, salty firm cheese.
The full-bodied flavours of both the wine and dessert are equal New Zealander Curtis Marsh is known to many as
matches. However, the fruitcake’s low acidity allows the wine’s ‘The Wandering Palate’ who believes that a meal
spicy and piquant nuances to come through. without wine could only be breakfast! To read
more of Marsh’s wine and travel articles, click on to
* Desserts from Ricciotti (Singapore) www.thewanderingpalate.com, where he shares a
** Dessert from NYDC (Bugis Junction, Singapore) selection of his many journalistic exploits.

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