Château Bastor-Lamontagne 2011

Tasted blind at the Sauternes 2011 horizontal tasting. The Bastor-Lamontagne 2011 is a little underwhelming after its positive showing in barrel back in 2012. It has a relatively lean bouquet, more resinous than the Cyprès de Climens with notes of dried honey, pinecones and dried candle wax, undergrowth scents emerging with continued aeration. The palate is fresh on the entry with well-judged acidity. It does not possess the complexity or the ambition of its peers. Instead it is balanced with a linear, quite reserved finish. I noticed that it lost vigor and presence in the glass over a 20-minute duration.

The pineapple, fig, pear and creamed yellow apple notes are tossed together, with bright ginger and honeysuckle hints adding lift and dimension through the flattering finish. An open and accessible style. Drink now through 2023. 4,165 cases made.

91-93. Barrel sample. With great swathes of spice, this is a wine with fruit that's still emerging. It has weight and delicious intensity. With its layered structure of acidity and tannin, this is for long-term aging.

There’s nice creaminess and cooked-peach succulence on the palate with enough acidity to balance well, but on the nose there’s butter-almond character that will either appeal or leave you cold. Drink now.

Lightish candied fruit. Pretty simple light citrus fruit. Un-compelling. (RH)

The 2011 Bastor-Lamontagne is pale in colour. It lacks intensity on the nose, rather ephemeral in style. The palate is fresh and clean on the entry, waxy in texture, quite spicy, but it lacks presence and botrytis concentration on the finish. Tasted blind at the annual 10-Year-On tasting.

Fresh, medium-bodied bouquet with citrus and cooked apple notes. Broad, rounded palate with good sweetness, light acidity and subtle aromatics. Fresh finish. 16/20 2020 - 2034

Pale in color, the nose is expressive; the overall impression is tasty but rather simple.

A rather light Sauternes, but well-structured with a decent length.

Pale color. Subtle nose with fresh fruit notes. Simple. Fruity palate, pleasant and medium-bodied.