Château Climens 2022

Highly seductive, with stony-cool minerality, a hint of curry and a fascinating saffron note; a balanced palate, creamy, rich, precise, showing tension, elegance and length; I’m absolutely blown away.

Revealing a delicate, complex bouquet of spices, ripe apricot, pineapple, guava, and mango, the 2022 Château Climens is showing well today and offers a medium- to full-bodied, tense, and layered palate, with a fleshy, delicate core of fruit lifted by bright acids and a delicate, ethereal finish with notes of apricot and orchard fruits. It has a pH of 4.1 and 141 grams per liter of residual sugar. As usual, this estate produced a tense and elegant Barsac that is especially attractive this vintage. It should age gracefully over the next two decades and beyond.

An enticing white, with lively notes of graham cracker, pie crust and ginger tossed in with glazed pear, clove-studded orange and apricot flavors. The deliciously unctuous finish offers lingering hints of bitter almond and green tea. Drink now through 2045. 1,000 cases made, 50 cases imported.

Juicy and vibrant initially, a nice weight on the palate, with lemon, orange, pineapple. Has some creaminess but keeps quite a sleek frame. A little constructed and toasted on the finish. Missing some fruit density and sense of layering — it's a bit shy, not showing as much fleshiness or overt sweetness as some others at this point — 141 g/l residual sugar.

Quite a deep color here. Not initially pronounced, rather reticent, this wine is seductive and complex. Expect subtle saffron, wax, minerals, rosemary, pumpkin seeds and roasted sweet potatoes. Lush and concentrated. The sweetness merges with a touch of bitter herbs and salted caramel gliding through the sleek finish. This year, the freshness comes more from phenolics than acidity. Decant to drink now but better to hold.

Pineapples, apricots, spices, saffron, and grilled nuts fill the nose. The palate is rich, refined, spicy, elegant, and fruity. There is sweetness and flesh coupled with acidity, so the wine feels lifted and vibrant, leaving you with spicy, lingering pineapples. Drink from 2027–2057.

Light golden yellow colour with silver reflections. Candied orange zest, ripe peach, a hint of apricot confit, fine botrytis touch, a hint of honey, inviting bouquet. Complex, powerful, fine ripe stone fruit nuances, delicate hint of lychee, good acidity, vivid sweetness on the finish, shows length and good ageing potential, will certainly benefit from ten to fifteen years of ageing.

Delicate bouquet, ripe pear purée, mirabelle tart and fir blossom honey. On the opulent palate, a syrupy texture, balanced acidity and a powerful body. Aromatic finish with candied peach, Turkish nougat and macerated sultanas.

Opens with a kick, immediately establishing depth of flavour without heaviness. Clever use of bitterness to balance the opulent apricot, pineapple, mango and nectarine fruits—think thickly sliced fennel-infused marmalade. Great quality, a success in the vintage, but be aware that 2022 is a very opulent style of Sauternes. Harvest from October 6 to 23. Yield 7.5 hl/ha, 58% new oak for ageing, 20% in wine globes.

Radiant and sunlit on the nose, like summer holidays captured in a glass, yet with a certain minerality, accompanied by hints of apple blossom and slightly bruised quince. The palate is noble: still marked by that character of fallen orchard fruits, supported by mineral tension and a ferrous touch. A complex and delectable wine.