1929 Climens

The Chateau Climens 1929 must stand as one of the greatest Sauternes (or Barsac) wines of the century. Mature in color, with burnished core and amber rim, the bouquet leaps out of the glass with scintillating delineation, bestowing intoxicating scents of mandarin, Japanese yuzu, dandelion, barley sugar, marmalade and rosewater (a trait displayed by the Lafaurie-Peyraguey 1929 just a few weeks previously.) The palate is underpinned by perfect acidity and a bewildering sense of intensity allied with finesse and mineralite. Traces of apricot, peach and honeycomb emerge, later joined by subtle secondary notes of candied orange peel and mandarin. “Can Sauternes be better than this?” I scribbled at the conclusion of my tasting note. The answer is “No.” Tasted August 2013.