Chateau La Tour Blanche 2018-1962 Tasting notes by Ronald Rens, M. Sc., Wine Master
Ronald tasting Chateau La Tour Blanche
Tasting 20 vintages of Chateau La Tour Blanche in Sauternes
Three flights
La Tour Blanche has quite a few older vintages in their cellar, the oldest being 1876.
I tasted in the tasting room of the chateau where we were about to taste 20 different vintages of La Tour Blanche. Vertical tasting resembles studying your family. Like family, each vintage has its own character, but even if the children are all from the same parents, they will show some similarities as well as again, their own individuality.
I tasted in the presence of the technical team. The team was looking forward to this tasting almost as much as I because they too never attended a vertical like this before.
We decided that we were not going to rate the wines, but we would try to find the differences and the aspects that we liked about each wine. We decided to taste each flight in silence and then discuss the results with our fellow tasters. Given the number of wines to taste, we opted for three flights of 6 wines.
First flight 2018-2013
La Tour Blanche 2018 – 2014
La Tour Blanche 2018
Blend 80% Sémillon, 10% Sauvignon blanc, 10% Muscadelle
Yield: 11 hl/ha
Barrel sample. Oddly the darkest wine of this flight. In general Sauternes tend to become darker while ageing in bottle but the 2018 clearly was an exception. The wine was not completely clear.
The nose was a bit unusual with almost a bit of a chemical perfume.
In the mouth the 2018 shows a promising richness and a good balance. The acidity balances the sweetness in a way that the freshness seems to dominate in this lovely Sauternes.
La Tour Blanche 2017
Blend 85% Sémillon, 13% Sauvignon blanc, 2% Muscadelle
Yield: 6 hl/ha
Much lighter in color than the previous wine. Rather closed on the nose which can be explained because at the time of the tasting the wine had only spend a month-and-a-half in bottle.
On the palate it is the richness that strikes me. Sweeter than the 2018 and more suave. A lush wine with a more syrupy viscosity. Strong influence of the botrytis. Well done!
La Tour Blanche 2016
Blend 83% Sémillon, 14% Sauvignon blanc, 3% Muscadelle
Yield: 16 hl/ha
This is the most golden colored wine of the flight. Bright clear and twinkling golden color. The nose is slightly dominated by a similar chemical aroma as the 2018. This goes away after a few minutes and then the wine opens up nicely. Not as rich as the previous wine but with more freshness. Some dried apricot and mandarin aromas. A whiff of cinnamon. Very long indeed. Good balance and length. Different style than the previous wines. 2016 was not as warm as the years that would follow.
La Tour Blanche 2015
Blend 83% Sémillon, 13% Sauvignon blanc, 4% Muscadelle
Yield: 12,5 hl/ha
Beautiful clear golden color. This wine has the most botrytis on the nose in this flight. Exotic fruit and dried fruit on the nose. A very rich full wine on the palate albeit less freshness than the previous wines. Has a kind of warmer mouthfeel. Very interesting wine with a great length.
La Tour Blanche 2014
La Tour Blanche 2014-210
Blend 83% Sémillon, 12% Sauvignon blanc, 5% Muscadelle
Yield: 11,5 hl/ha
Light golden, very concentrated and intense on the nose and palate. Again, this chemical touch on the nose. I wondered if this is typical for La Tour Blanche or that it had something to do with the terroir? In our technical discussion after the flight, the winemaker explained to me that this results from the Sémillon backbone in the blend. It will fade away after proper cellaring and with younger wines after opening. Indeed after a few minutes this chemical feel is gone, and I get some candied fruit and botrytis. Stunning botrytis, extremely long.
La Tour Blanche 2013
Blend 80% Sémillon, 10% Sauvignon blanc, 10% Muscadelle
Yield: 10,5 hl/ha
A slightly deeper golden color than the other wines in this flight. I am starting to get used to the chemical smell that again (fortunately) fades away after a few minutes. A little less candied fruit here. More mid-palate and a great balance with the acidity. Loads of botrytis and a great freshness. Some apricot and vanilla. Here I find a very good balance between the acidity and the sweetness of a great Sauternes.
Ronald concentration on tasting La Tour Blanche
Impressions after flight
Preference of flight for me was the 2013 without a doubt. Followed by the 2015 and then the 2017. Four out of six of the tasters preferred the 2013. I was scared that I would already be completely saturated after tasting six sweet Sauternes, but no. I am actually looking forward to the next flight. A good sign of the quality of the wines.
Second flight 2012-2007
Colors of this flight are significantly darker than those of the first flight.
La Tour Blanche 2012
Blend 92% Sémillon, 5,5% Sauvignon blanc, 2,5% Muscadelle
Yield: 2 hl/ha
The Sauternes vintage 2012 was assassinated by the press, especially after Yquem decided to downgrade their entire harvest and to “skip” the vintage 2012, so I went in with low expectations. La Tour Blanche made an extremely strict selection for the Grand Vin with a yield of just 2 hl/ha.
The color was a pleasant light golden. Rather discreet on the nose at first and without the chemical touch we found earlier. The wine is actually surprisingly good considering the reputation of the vintage.
The darkest wine was the La Tour Blanche 1962
A little less rich and sweet than the previous wines, but very pleasing indeed. A nice complexity and a purity of the aromas. I am actually quite surprised by the quality. Definitely well done in such a difficult vintage.
La Tour Blanche 2011
Blend 84% Sémillon, 12% Sauvignon blanc, 4% Muscadelle
Yield: 8 hl/ha
Color much lighter than its neighbor the 2010. Fresh tropical fruit on the nose. The wine is ok but not remarkable. To my surprise I prefer the 2012 and my fellow tasters mostly concur.
La Tour Blanche 2010
Blend 80% Sémillon, 15% Sauvignon blanc, 5% Muscadelle
Yield: 19,46 hl/ha
A deep golden color of this great vintage. Rather closed on the nose at first. After a few minutes I find brioche. The nose makes me think of a well-aged Champagne. The mysteries of wine and wine tasting!
On the palate I find an extremely rich wine, almost overpowering. Personally, I would prefer a bit more freshness. The after taste is simply divine and the wine shows an incredible length of a great Sauternes from a super vintage.
La Tour Blanche 2010-2006
La Tour Blanche 2009
Blend 80% Sémillon, 10% Sauvignon blanc, 10% Muscadelle
Yield: 20,38 hl/ha
The color of the wines tends to go towards an increasing deepness of gold. The nose is lovely with a beautiful botrytis. An incredibly rich wine on the palate. Loads of ripe tropical fruit, papaya, toast and acacia honey. What can I say? Powerful, rich and a perfect balance. Drinks like velvet with the consistency of a liqueur. Purity and balance. This must be my preferred wine so far! Outstanding!
La Tour Blanche 2008
Blend 84% Sémillon, 16 % Sauvignon blanc and Muscadelle
Yield: 3 hl/ha (another exceptional low yield)
The darkest one of this flight. The nose is completely different than all other wines so far. On the mouth it is almost butterscotch. Minty and floral aromas. Not unpleasant; on the contrary, lovely drinking now, but completely different than the previous ones. Decent balance.
La Tour Blanche 2007
La Tour Blanche 2007
Blend 76% Sémillon, 24% Sauvignon blanc and Muscadelle
Yield: 15 hl/ha
Color in the line with the others. On the nose this is the most complex wine until now. My tasting notes on the palate start with WOW! The superb balance in this wine is simply striking. A near perfect balance between sweetness, freshness and botrytis. Some spiciness. The incredible length of a great Sauternes. No longer a young Sauternes like we tasted before but not a developed wine either. A bit in between. A young adult, so to speak.
Impressions after flight
My winner of this flight was the 2009, without any doubt. The 2007 was close.
I thought that after 12 Sauternes I couldn’t go on anymore but to my own surprise I am just getting warmed up. I am actually looking forward to the next flight!
Third flight 2006-2001
Interesting to see that on each following flight the colors get more intense and darker. Young Sauternes characterized by crisp fruit. Over time Sauternes will develop more of a balance and more complexity. The sweetness is softened a bit because as the wine maker explained to me “The wine seems to eat the sugar over time”. This usually starts somewhere around 15 years of ageing in bottle.
La Tour Blanche 2006
La Tour Blanche 2005
Blend 79% Sémillon, 21% Sauvignon blanc and Muscadelle
Yield: 6,5 hl/ha
Deepest color up to now.
Interesting nose showing great freshness. The nose shows more acidity than sweetness. For me a first time in a Sauternes. The wine is ok, but not remarkable. More than decent length.
La Tour Blanche 2005
Blend 79% Sémillon, 21% Sauvignon blanc and Muscadelle
Yield: 20,45 hl/ha
Beautiful golden color, in line with the others of this flight. The nose is interesting and dominated by the botrytis, but not in an unpleasant way.
On the palate the wine shows its rich and powerful character of this top-vintage in Sauternes. The wine seems to linger on and on. Despite the richness there is an elegant freshness that seems to bring everything together. Very good indeed!
La Tour Blanche 2004
Blend 83% Sémillon, 17% Sauvignon blanc and Muscadelle
Yield: 11,5 hl/ha
Color in line with the others, which surprised me a bit because the ’04 is not considered an outstanding vintage in Sauternes.
Rather closed on the nose with some discrete notes of tropical fruit and honey. This ‘04 is makes me realize how all these wines show so differently, each with their own character. The wine is elegant with notes of marzipan, toffee and dried apricot. Rich texture. Good concentration. Turned out very well indeed.
La Tour Blanche 2001
La Tour Blanche 2003
Blend 82% Sémillon, 18% Sauvignon blanc and Muscadelle
Yield: 13 hl/ha
2003 was the famous heatwave vintage in Bordeaux where the berries were very concentrated by the sun. The color is the darkest of the flight.
The nose is just to die for! I could just sit here and smell this wine: Honey, caramel and even butterscotch interwoven with some botrytis. This is a rich and unctuous yet elegant wine with the viscosity of a Drambuie. Notes of orange peel and honey. My favorite so far, right behind the ’05.
La Tour Blanche 2002
Blend 80% Sémillon, 20% Sauvignon blanc and Muscadelle
Yield: 8,1 hl/ha
Color in line with the others. Rather closed on the nose. On the palate there is a lesser sensation of sweetness because of the stronger acidity in the wine. This ’02 lacks some complexity but has a great length. I even find some greenness here. The vintage ’02 is considered as very good in Sauternes but this wine for me doesn’t live up to expectations. Nice but not great.
La Tour Blanche 2001
La Tour Blanche 1976 and 1962
Blend 79,5% Sémillon, 20,5 % Sauvignon blanc and Muscadelle
Yield: 16 hl/ha
Color in line with the earlier wines. And then there is the nose… This wine has a nose that borders on decadence. Refined, subtle and complex. Marzipan, peach and honey.
The first thing that comes to mind on the palate is butterscotch. There are almost saline notes, and that in a sweet wine! Jam, Botrytis, lemon-fruit and the sweetness that is perfectly balanced out by a citrusy acidity. Even some Safran notes. Very long. This wine goes on and on and on. The best length so far.
Impressions after flight
2001 is definitely the winner. This 2001 is in between adulthood and a ripe age and begins to show the characteristics of a beautiful old wine. If you are going to buy just one vintage of La Tour Blanche, go for this brilliant 2001 and you won’t be disappointed. You can drink them now or keep it at least for another 25 years in your cellar. Clearly the winner of the flight!
My order of preference: 2001, 2005 and then the 2003.
Biggest surprise: by surpassing (largely) expectations: 2004.
Game for some more?
After this tasting, my hosts offered something to eat. Foie gras and blue cheese combine perfectly with these great wines. My host Miguel Aguirre asked me “Hey Ronald, I understand that you love older wines. Are you still game to taste some more Sauternes?”. Those of you who toured Bordeaux with me, know that I always can be tempted tasting great wines. My answer obviously was: a resounding yes! Especially when I saw what was on offer here. La Tour
Blanche 1976 and La Tour Blanche from the extraordinary vintage 1962! Here we go:
Ronald tasting La Tour Blanche 1962
La Tour Blanche 1976
A deep and dark color. Extraordinary nose with loads of ripe fruit, almost like raisins. Suave mouthfeel. Notes of honey and lichen. Some caramel and white chocolate. No dominant sweetness left. Still a beautiful freshness and even some slightly bitter tones creating an extraordinary delicate well-balanced wine. Needs no food to accompany, it’s just lovely to sip like this. Even after having tasted 18 other Sauternes just before.
La Tour Blanche 1962: an experience and a privilege
Extremely deep intense dark golden color, almost going towards aged bronze.
Discreet nose with an interesting menthol aroma showing up.
On the palate this is a complete surprise. The sweetness seems to have gone. Some delicate notes of peach, lemon and honey. Great complexity, the different aromas seem to come in layers showing one after another and sometimes all together. Incredible freshness for a 57 years old wine. It is so delicate that on a blind tasting one may think that this is an older dry white wine. Incredible finesse: an experience and a privilege tasting this wine.
Thank you very much Miguel Aguirre and your team of Chateau La Tour Blanche for this memorable tasting.
