SAUTERNES SENSORY SIPPING WITH JAMES SICHEL AT WILLOW PARK WINES AND SPIRITS

Bottles for the tasting including Chateau d’Yquem, Climens, Guiraud, Suduiraut, and Rieussec

The wines ready for tasting

James Sichel demonstrating the ripening of the grapes

The evolution of the grapes, resulting from Botrytis cinerea or noble rot

Lovely foie gras pastries a suggested pairing with Sauternes

A plum tart another (sweet) take on pairing Sauternes 

Like fairytale flaxen haired maidens awaiting their prince, glasses of Sauternes awaited guests at a

Connoisseur Tasting at Willow Park Wines and Spirits.  The intimate tasting hosted by James Sichel of Chateau d'Angludet and owner of Maison Sichel​, was an indulgence of world class Sauternes from Bordeaux.

What is Sauternes? The sweet wine is made from Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc, Sauvignon Gris and Muscadelle grapes.  Under AOC regulation, only grapes from the Bordeaux area (including Barsac, Sauternes, Bommes, Fargues and Preignac) can be used in production. The grapes are harvested in the fall, when they have been affected by Botrytis cinerea (noble rot). The normally white grapes become brownish in colour.  In Bordeaux the prevailing mist and humidity is favourable to the formation of botrytis.  "The harvest is berry by berry because not all are affected by botrytis at the same time," notes Sichel, "The pickers go through the vines between three and six times." The final result are grapes that morph into raisins, and thus a concentrated sweet wine is produced. "People don't realize how labour intensive it is and how low the yields are." explains Sichel. 

So what do each of the sweet wines deliver in taste profiles?


Guiraud 2004: "This is a good vintage with good yields. They are transitioning to organic and believe that it is easier for botrytis when the environment is not tampered with.  Honey and apricot on the nose with a balance of acidity that brings out the floral."

Lafaurie Peyraguey 2003: "This was a canicular vintage with record high temperatures.  You can taste the toll of the heat on the wine.  There is more richness on the palate."

Climens 2005: "This is the sheer pleasure of drinking wine that is ready for drinking now.  Three is less botrytis and more freshness today.  This is a Sauternes ready for drinking now."


Rieussec 2006: "Aromatically sticks out - 2006 had more humidity than 2005.  Oak, honey and peaches."



Suduiraut 2007: "The balance here is so fine and elegant.  It is not as forward as the others."

Chateau d'Yquem 2001 (1855 Premier Cru Supérieur): "The most expensive and iconic wine in Sauternes. This is a fantastic vintage particularly at d'Yquem."


Sichel ended with a suggestion: ""I always say the people who buy Sauternes are generous.  This is wine bought for the following generation - these are long aging wines to share with future generations for years to come."


willowpark.net

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WILLOW PARK WINES AND SPIRITS BORDEAUX CONNOISSEUR AND 2009 BORDEAUX LAUNCH

The 10 glasses from the Bordeaux Connoisseur tasting at Willow Park Wines and Spirits

The bottles arranged for the tasting - a wonderful lot

Host for the event James Sichel showing a map of Bordeaux

Afterward guests headed to the 2009 Bordeaux launch

Marlene Howard of Thirsty Cellars pours for the crowd

Kenton pours wine for a guest

Beginning with a spectacular (quite an apt word when a 1998 Chateau d'Yquem is involved) and informative Bordeaux Connoisseur tasting hosted by James Sichel, and proceeding with the 2009 Bordeaux launch Willow Park Wines and Spirits evening of Bordeaux was an undoubted success.

Sichel, whose family operates Maison Sichel which owns Chateau d’Angludet and Chateau Palmer guided guests of the Bordeaux Connoisseur tasting through a tasting of 10 Bordeaux wines. 

1.  2005 Chateau Pavillon Blanc - "Light spices on nose coming from the oak.  Pure flavours with power on the back of the palate. This wine ages well."

2. 2007 Chateau Angludet - "When we bought this property it was run down and growing cereal. The soil is gravelly and poor with rolling hills.  Ripe fruit flavours, sweet tone to it, nice nose delicate on palate with good length.  Good for drinking today.  It is just not expensive enough."

3. 2006 Chateau d'Armailhac - "This was a good vintage in Bordeaux.  Fresh acidity.  Red berry fruit with tones of oak.  One of my favourite vintages I can drink a lot of this."

4.  2004 Chateau Clinet - "There are a few superstars in this area and Clinet is one of them.  2004 was the vintage of the viticulturist because it was a complicated growing season. Clinet has been getting great reviews so get it now before the price goes up."

5.  2001 Chateau Palmer - "This was purchased in 1938 by my grandfather.  This shows the importance of blending - complimenting of varieties characteristics.  Cabernet Sauvignon is the collarbone of the wine but can be edgy.  Merlot is the flesh.  Petit Verdot gives colour, depth, flavour.  There is a delicacy, a silkiness.  It has aging potential."

6.  2003 Chateau Leoville Las Cases - "This was a horrendously hot summer.  As we are not allowed to irrigate because of the AOC, the vines were stressed.  It is extraordinary that this property succeeded - it has more to do with the wine making than viticulture.  Ripe tannins key in 2003." 

7.  2002 Chateau Gruaud Larose - "Nice charming wine.  It does not have the concentration of the Leoville 2003."

8.  2000 Chateau Monbousquet - "Showing full potential now.  Freshness, acidity.  Quite my type of wine - freshness, crunchy fruit."

9.  1999 Chateau Pavie - "Blend of three soils - the valley which is gravelly and sandy; the hillside which is clay; and the plateau which is limestone.  More elegant than powerful."

10.  1998 Chateau d'Yquem - "It is difficult to produce a great bottle year in year out. This is the best Sauternes out there.  The acidity is important to offset the sweetness.  There is a concentration of sweetness, flavour a level of finesse and delicacy not heavy always fresh.  They harvest berry by berry because each grape is not necessarily affected by Botrytis.  Tastes beautiful - it's rot but it's noble rot.  An extraordinary iconic wine."

Afterward guests of the Bordeaux Connoisseur Tasting proceeded to the 2009 Bordeaux launch which saw a sizable crowd with many a raised glass to what is for many the wine capital of the world. 

You may visit the NEW Spring 2012 digital edition of City Style and Living magazine (also available in print) at the following address (follow the three simple steps to access the full magazine, online) :

1) go to http://www.citystyleandliving.com
2) click on the 'front cover' image, on the left hand side of your screen
3) to flip through the e-magazine, click on the bottom right hand corner
of the magazine, just as you would our print magazine!

Follow us on twitter @CityStyleMag