Château Climens 2005

Toffee, dried lemon rind and tropical fruit on the nose. Full-bodied and very sweet, with a dense palate of candied fruit and a long, sweet finish. Very concentrated. The botrytis spice creeps up on the finish. Best after 2013. 2,300 cases made.

Opulent apricot nose. Plump and robust, with rich mandarin fruit. A long, spicy finish.

The 2005 Climens is consistent with previous bottles. The nose is quite deep with barley sugar, fig jam, apricot and orange blossom scents. The palate is well balanced and very pure with a fresh and effervescent entry, a keen line of acidity and a vivid, clementine- and apricot-infused finish. So much energy here—this is outstanding. Tasted at the 2005 Sauternes horizontal held at Château Coutet.

I love young Sauternes. OK, I like them old too. But there is something about the primal sweet, honeyed apricot, vanilla, overripe tropical fruit and nut aromas in this wine that gets me going. Add in the racy acidity and a long, fresh, invigorating, rich, honey-drenched finish and it’s just the right amount of after-dinner, or anytime decadence.

Bright golden colour. Expressive and complex nose blending fine oak, saffron, vanilla, spices and exotic fruit with almond paste. Dense and concentrated palate with a fine backbone of candied citrus, a fresh sensation and fine extract; sweet lemon and subtle spices on the finish, very unctuous with great persistence and brightness.

All lots show a rarely seen richness of sweetness: rich and full-bodied, bright, with nectar-like honey, stewed mirabelles and yellow apricots, and an extremely dense, long finish. One of the very finest Barsac, with extraordinary ageing potential; it can still gain a point and rise to the status of a wine of the century.

170 grams of residual sugar, 3.2 acidity. We tasted four different lots. All showed a rarely seen richness of sweetness, rich and bright, with nectary honey, cooked mirabelles, light apricots, and an extremely sumptuous, long finish. Certainly among the very best wines of Barsac. Extreme ageing potential. Could turn into a wine of the century (19/20). 07: In Geneva, awarded the maximum score. Greengage, acacia honey, vanilla, mirabelle, complex, almost buttery and yet somehow light. A dancing palate; despite the massive volume, focused sweetness and an extremely long finish. The best young Climens of my life! (19/20). 10: Fairly dark yellow with the first golden glints, brilliant. Dense, tightly knit bouquet that expands with air and reveals more and more facets of yellow, ripe fruit, orange tones and a fresh hint of lemon balm. On the palate, fine, elegant, almost milky, a Burgundian-style Climens with delicate bitterness and a touch of gelatin on the finish.

Concentrated, silky, finely opulent bouquet, apricots, honey, almond cream. Balanced, silky, dense, creamy palate with rich, generous sweetness, good acidity, silky structure, dense, opulent aromatics, creamy, full finish. 20/20 2018 - 2080

Made from 100% Semillon, the 2005 Climens is medium gold colored. It has showy notes of pineapple upside-down cake, lemon verbena, and chamomile with hints of fresh hay, sea spray, and coriander seed. Very big, rich, and oily, it has a lively backbone to cut through the dense stone fruit preserves, finishing long and spicy.

Fruity nose, with a hint of ethyl acetate (glue-like). Silky entry on the palate. The wine unfolds with a rich, moderately mellow, spicy profile, with a strong presence of residual sugar. I had hoped for something more airy. Good length.

Intensely rich, very perfumed wine, full of apples and honey flavors. There is also fresh fruit, but the richness dominates, showing some dry botrytis flavors to finish.

No tasting note given.