Château Nairac 2007

The 2007 Chateau Nairac is a little pinched on the nose, which is surprising considering the growing season. There are pure honey, guava and quince scents wanting to spring forth, but it does not quite happen and I suspect a couple of hours’ decanting would awaken those aromas. The palate is well balanced with pointed acidity. There is plenty of fresh citrus fruit here interwoven with orange rind and a touch of barley sugar that lend it real Barsac rather than Sauternes personality. As I suggested, decant the 2007 so that it loses those inhibitions. Drink 2016–2035. Tasted March 2014.

Intense aromas of lemon meringue pie and honey lead to a full body, with dried citrus fruit and a spicy finish. There's an almost aniseed undertone to this on the very sweet palate. Best after 2011.

The 2007 Nairac has a fresh nose (at least the second bottle!) with quince, saffron and touches of peach skin. The palate is quite elegant and poised with ample botrytis. Good tension from start to finish, this is a fine Barsac that should offer another 15–20 years’ drinking pleasure. Tasted at the 2007 horizontal in Sauternes.

This is a wine I rarely have the chance to taste. The wine showed lovely honeyed notes, tropical fruit, orange marmalade, and candied lemon. There was plenty of freshness and a sweet finish. I only wish the finish were just a bit longer.

Very dark yellow, with a greenish sheen. Powerful bouquet, lots of ripe yellow fruit, behind it a peppery botrytis carrying mint and verbena, overripe apricots, mirabelles, plenty of freshly spun acacia honey. On the palate, a veritable explosion of aromas; the acidity distributed throughout acts like a soufflé inside, enormous fruit concentration, almost oily on the outside, coated with a bound fatty film, endlessly lingering.

95% Semillon, 2.5% Sauvignon Blanc, 2.5% Muscadelle. 12,000 bottles. One of the earliest harvest starts on September 17. Main part of the harvest from October 12 to 25 with lots showing a potential alcohol of 20 to 25%. Very deep yellow, greenish glints. Powerful bouquet, lots of ripe yellow fruit, behind it a peppery Botrytis carrying mint and verbena, overripe apricots, mirabelles and plenty of freshly spun acacia honey. On the palate there’s a full-on explosion of aromas; the acidity distributed throughout acts like a soufflé inside, the wine shows immense fruit concentration, almost oily on the outside with a bonded fatty sheen, and an endless finish. Nicolas has once again (as in 2003) produced a wine of the century, making this a serious rival to Climens and Yquem. And when you know that such an almost indescribable sweet wine costs only a fraction of a red Premier, you also realize that the value of such a great Sauternes is far from properly set. 11: Drunk with seared duck liver at a dinner at Neumann's Gasthof Neubad in Basel. It was too early for the Sauternes and too late for the duck. Jokes aside. The 2007 Nairac is a truly sublime, finely woven, delicately sweet Barsac with a dreamlike balance. So it is beautiful now and for another fifty years. Guaranteed!

Dense, fresh, complex bouquet with citrus, mint, dried apricots and grapefruit. Dense, multi-layered, fresh palate with a velvety, tight structure, pronounced sweetness, fine acidity, and a very long, concentrated finish. 19/20 2015 - 2050

Medium gold in color, the 2007 Nairac sails out of the glass with notes of lemon meringue pie, dried pineapple, and apple pie with hints of praline and crème caramel. The palate has a super racy backbone cutting through the dense fruit and nut layers, finishing long with a spicy lift.

A classic Barsac, full of generosity, with gorgeous botrytis, great length—an almost perfect 2007 style.

Nairac is rich and full-bodied on the palate, with an impressive liqueur-like texture and great length driven by fruit. Still reserved, it will come into its own over ten years in bottle.