Sarko was so virulently anti-alcohol that we thought he was in the Temperance Movement.  Hollande seems to be more of a cheerful old soul who probably doesn’t mind a glass of wine every now and then.

It certainly looks as though he likes Sauternes!! Maybe this is a return to Mitterand’s  “la gauche caviar”: if so, not all that bad for the Sauternais! 

The less positive news is that anyone with any money (which of course excludes Sauternes people) is going to have to hang on to his wallet, as ODNP increases the civil service, decreases retirement eligibility etc and then has to pay for it all by applying election promises like supertaxing salaries and company profits, all magically bolstered up by growth rather than austerity.  No wonder the papers here are full of pictures of Sarko wearing a huge grin on his face. 

The effect mid-term will of course be that extra social charges and increased worker protection, plus the already agreed VAT increase, will need to be passed on to wine prices.  But maybe that won’t come to more than a percent or two. 

It remains to be seen if and how ODNP will integrate the National Front as part of the government after next month’s parliamentary elections – this might mean alcohol limits for drivers would be abolished and the English could drive over to their favourite French restaurant in Calais and drink lots of Sauternes! 

Meanwhile ODNP has to face the music from the Germans who may well include conditions like insisting that the Sauternais plant Riesling instead of Sémillon and we all know that Riesling doesn’t go with crisps as well as good traditional Sauternes does!

So my conclusion is that ODNP is good for Sauternes on all counts, possibly… maybe?  I’m off to the café tomorrow to seek out more opinions! Bill Blatch

The first thing to point out is that, by everyone’s reckoning, Château d’Yquem is the best 2011 wine across Bordeaux (reds and whites) and that the top 10 Sauternes wines would all make the top 30 overall Bordeaux wines on average scores – again demonstrating that 2011 is a superb vintage in Sauternes compared to the rest of Bordeaux (as detailed in my 2011 Sauternes Report).

Secondly, the wines nearly all score much higher than they did in 2010 and are all, so far, less expensive.  This makes them all good buys in my opinion with some exceptional value wines throughout the chart!  Prices for the remaining wines will be out soon.

For a full list click here – 2011 Sauternes En Primeur or click on any of the wine names or prices below for full tasting notes or to buy.  Enjoy!  Bill Blatch

1.      Château d’Yquem, average score = 96.5 (2010 = 95.5)
2.      Château Climens = 94.9 (2010 = 92.6) – released at £64.15/bt
3.      L’Extravagant de Doisy Daëne = 94.2 (2010 = 95.6) – £255.00/bt
4.      Château Suduiraut = 93.6 (2010 = 92.1) – £40.85/bt
5=.   Château Guiraud = 92.9 (2010 = 91.2) - £27.90/bt
5=.   Château Rieussec = 92.9 (2010 = 90.5) – N/A*
5=.   Château Coutet = 92.9 (2010 = 91.3) – £38.90/bt
8.      Château Doisy Daëne = 92.8 (2010 = 90.6) - £24.50/bt
9=.   Château Raymond Lafon = 92.6 (2010 = 90.6) – £22.10/bt
9=.   Château de Fargues = 92.6 (2010 = 90.0)
11.   Château Doisy-Védrines = 92.5 (2010 = 90.2) – £19.15/bt
12.    Château de Rayne-Vigneau = 92.2 (2010 = 88.7) – £24.55/bt
13.    Clos Haut-Peyraguey = 92.0 (2010 = 89.4) – £27.45/bt
14.    Château La Tour-Blanche = 91.9 (2010 = 90.3) – £32.50/bt
15.    Château Nairac = 91.8 (2010 = 89.5)
16.    Château Sigalas-Rabaud = 91.6 (2010 = 88.7) – £26.50/bt
17.    Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey = 91.5 (2010 = 90.0) – £23.45/bt
18.    Château Rabaud-Promis = 91.1 (2010 = 89.4) – N/A*
19.    Château de Myrat = 90.8 (2010 = 88.0) – £17.50/bt
20.    Château Caillou = 90.6 (2010 = 86.4) – £17.50/bt
21.    Château de Malle = 90.3 (2010 = 87.5)
22.    Château Filhot = 90.0 (2010 = 86.2) – £14.15/bt
23.    Château d’Arche = 89.8 (2010 = 85.7) – £16.30/bt
24.    Château Romer du Hayot = 89.5 (2010 = 84.8) – £11.25/bt
25=. Château Lamothe-Guignard = 89.3 (2010 = 85.1) – £13.50/bt
25=. Château Haut-Bergeron = 89.3 (2010 = 86.4) – £14.55/bt
27=. Château Bastor Lamontagne = 89.2 (2010 = 86.6) – £13.30/bt
27=. Château Broustet = 89.2 (2010 = 85.2) – £12.75/bt
29.    Domaine de l’Alliance = 89.0 (2010 = 84.5)
30.    Château Cantegril = 88.9 (2010 = 85.0) – £12.50/bt
31.    Château Liot = 88.5 (2010 = 80.7) – £11.25/bt
32.    Château Lamothe-Despujols = 88.1 (2010 = 84.5) – £15.50/bt
33.    Château de Veyres = 87.7 (2010 = 85.0) – £11.20/bt
34=. Château Partarrieu = 87.5 (2010 = 78.8) – £9.55/bt
34=. Château La Clotte-Cazalis = 87.5 (2010 = 84.5)
36.    Château Latrezotte = 87.0 (2010 N/A)

* Either price or low availability means that we will not be offering these wines in 2011 – they are good though!
The ‘shrivel’ of critics whose scores go towards the averages above are: Jane Anson, Tim Atkin, Michel Bettane, Jeannie Cho Lee, Julia Harding, Matthew Jukes, Panos Kakaviatos, Chris Kissack, Izak Litwar, Neal Martin, Philippe Maurange, James Molesworth, Jean-Marc Quarin, James Suckling and Roger Voss.

At 21-24 Gold Stars and between £9.55 and £14.55 per bottle they represent quality drinking at a very affordable price.  All of the Sauternes releases so far have been cheaper than last year making this the least expensive of a fantastic trio of superb vintages – Bravo le Sauternais!

Contrast the red Bordeaux campaign where the wines, as judged by Robert Parker, are below the quality of the 2008s and are being released at prices more consistent with the great 2010 and 2009 vintages.  It’s no wonder sales are slow.

Many thanks for the very positive feedback on my 2011 Sauternes Report – it’s even being translated into Chinese as I speak!  For a look at all of the wines that have released so far here’s the link:

2011 Sauternes En Primeur

Enjoy!  Bill Blatch

2011 Sauternes Report

I apologise that it has taken longer this year but I have now officially retired (that sounds very odd) from my negociant life at Vintex and saying goodbye has taken up a lot of my time.  The good news is that there should be more time for Sauternes and Bordeaux Gold from now on!

Once you have read the report don’t forget to take a look at the wines here:

2011 Sauternes En Primeur

Just by clicking on a wine label you can get tasting notes from myself, Neal Martin (writing for Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate), Jeannie Cho Lee (writing for Decanter), Julia Harding (writing for Jancis Robinson’s Purple Pages), James Suckling, Michel Bettane, James Molesworth (writing for The Wine Spectator), Chris Kissack and many more.  For alternative views on the vintage I’d point you towards Neal Martin, Jancis Robinson (both require subscription) or the remarkable Wine Doctor,  Chris Kissack, for an in depth free assessment.

Everyone has something in common though – they all love the incredibly fresh 2011 Sauternes.  Enjoy!  Bill Blatch

Climens – as good as it gets from Barsac in this superb vintage. I’ll be interested to hear what score Neal Martin gives this wine later today.

Broustet – the cheapest 2nd Growth on the market and a ridiculous price for the quality Pierre Mauget and Jérémie Gravier have achieved.

Sigalas-Rabaud – I just loved this wine, bravo Laure!

de Myrat –  more great quality Barsac from the de Pontacs, very rich!

Remember all the wines out so far are here – 2011 Sauternes En Primeur.  As a reminder here’s the video Steve and I shot after tasting the 2011 Climens from barrel.  Enjoy! Bill Blatch

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There are now 16 great quality and value Sauternes and Barsac wines to choose from, all available by the bottle – anyone feel a mixed case coming on?  You know where to go by now but here’s the link again below. Enjoy! Bill Blatch

2011 Sauternes En Primeur

Bastor-Lamontagne – Cantegril – Clos Haut-Peyraguey – Doisy-Daene – L’Extravagant de Doisy-Daene – Filhot – Lamothe-Guignard

Thanks to everyone who has commented so positively on the new Gold Star Scoring System and simplified pricing – it’s great to know we are helping you to buy Sauternes more easily from this superb vintage.  All the wines out so far with their scores can be found at the main

2011 En Primeur Page

Just click on the link and enjoy!  Bill Blatch

The vintage is superb (my full vintage report will be published within the next two days) and prices so far are the same or slightly lower than last year.  When combined with an improved exchange rate compared to last year this means the wines so far are between 2 and 14% cheaper – this represents good to excellent value for most wines.

To keep an eye on all the 2011 Sauternes prices as they are released bookmark this page – 2011 Sauternes.  You will note that this year, to make things simple, our prices are all by the 75cl bottle – all you have to do is order how many you want of each wine.  If you want a whole case then order 12 bottles, if you just want half a case then order 6 bottles and if you want to mix up cases of any size then just order as many bottles as you want of each wine.  You will be given an opportunity at the end of the En Primeur campaign to tell us how you would like your wines bottled (e.g. halves, bottles, magnums or larger sizes).

We hope you appreciate the flexibility of this system which is unique to Bordeaux Gold!

We have also introduced a new Gold Star Scoring System to help you choose your wines.

So – we’ve invented a new system for scoring Sauternes which gets over some of the problems associated with the traditional 100 or 20 point systems.  In the Gold Star System wines are scored out of 10 for Year, Wine and Value giving a maximum of 30.

Our aim is for the system to explain a wine more clearly to readers and also to give guidance to producers on how to improve their overall offer.  In short we hope the system is a constructive contribution.  For a fuller explanation of the system click here – Gold Star Scoring System

We will be trialling the system for the 2011 vintage – do let us know what you think.  Don’t forget to read the notes too though!  Bill Blatch

For my thoughts on Coutet, Clos Haut-Peyraguey, de Fargues, Guiraud, Lafaurie-Peyraguey and Rabaud Promis click on the first video below.  After that click on the second video for comments on Raymond Lafon, de Rayne Vigneau, Rieussec, Sigalas Rabaud, Suduiraut and La Tour Blanche.  There is at least one sensational wine in each video!  Enjoy!  Bill Blatch

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