1985 Climens
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Tasting notes
The 1985 Climens is introverted on the nose with dried honey and toffee apple, defined but missing delineation and a bit monotone. The palate is backward with faint notes of blood orange and mango, a touch of melon on the simple and slightly one-dimensional finish. But overall, not bad considering the challenges this vintage.
Critic scores
Average Score
Neal Martin
Julia Harding MW, jancisrobinson.com
More reviews and scores
The 1985 Climens has a rather broody nose. Tree sap, dried honey, mandarin and toffee apple can be discerned on a nose that is well defined but missing the tension of the 1995. (Yes, a difficult act to follow.) The palate is a little static compared to other vintages with touches of crème brulee, dried honey and spice on the finish with touches of blood orange on the aftertaste. It is a little one-dimensional compared to other releases, but considering the vintage this is not a bad Sauternes.
A year with more passerillage than botrytis and you can smell that – much more simply honeyed and less spice than the 1986, with a touch of caramel on the nose. Long (three-month) fermentation and some sweet spice more from the oak than the noble rot. Rich, sweet but less complex than a fully botrytised year and less zesty and fresh on the finish though not cloying. (JH)
The 1985 Climens has a rather broody nose. Tree sap, dried honey, mandarin and toffee apple can be discerned on a nose that is well defined but missing the tension of the 1995. (Yes, a difficult act to follow.) The palate is a little static compared to other vintages with touches of creme brulee, dried honey and spice on the finish with touches of blood orange on the aftertaste. It is a little one-dimensional compared to other releases, but considering the vintage this is not a bad Sauternes. Jun 2015, www.robertparker.com
About the producer
Château Climens is one of Sauternes-Barsac’s leading producers of sweet wine. Classified as a Premier Cru or First Growth in 1855 it sits alongside just 10 other Premier Cru estates in Sauternes, only bettered by Ch. d’Yquem, which was granted its own elite classification of Premier Cru Supérieur.