Chateau Suau Barsac Sauternes Grand Cru Classe 2017 (500mL)

Sauternes is just one of those wines that lingers long after the bottle is finished – and this quickly became a cherished memory! For a relatively unknown estate – 96 Points, and Under $25 – makes this an absolute treat that must be tasted to be believed!

Château Suau is a hidden gem, in the southern edge of the Graves region on the Left Bank of Bordeaux, in the sweet wine commune of Barsac. In plain, venn diagram terms, all Barsac can be labeled as Sauternes, but not all Sauternes can label themselves as Barsac. Barsac’s proximity to the Garonne, and specifically a bend in the river’s course, has caused a significantly larger presence of silty, alluvial soils than the rest of Sauternes – and lends a greater freshness and brightness that is less often present in the creamier and rounder wines more often labeled simply as Sauternes. And so, a sub-appellation was created, with many and more producers choosing to add with distinction to their labels.

This remarkable 2017 vintage wine is simply everything you could hope for in a rich, honeyed, layered, and electrically robust noble sweet wine. A seductive perfume of apricots, mandarin blossoms, clover honey, and shattered toffee crumbles pulls you into the glass, followed by a panoply of stone fruits, and layers of spice, and beeswax, french toast, and all manners of happiness. The wine is supremely fresh and the sweetness is impeccably balanced – it would be a mistake to think this only satisfies as a dessert wine. Try it with foie gras, or duck liver pâté, or aged and bleu cheeses… you will be amazed. 96 POINTS! UNDER $25! This is guaranteed to please – wine geeks, foodies, and simple wine-lovers across the board… get some while we have it, that is!

PAIRING IDEAS: Jacques Pépin has yet to lead me astray, so I have full confidence here. I’m making some of his classic and elegant Chicken Liver Pâté – and you’ll be floored by how well this works with this wine. I spread mine into small mason jars, and cover with a gelee of cherry juice (with 1g agar agar per 100 ml to get it to set).