Chateau Bastor-Lamontagne, Sauternes

Tasted along side a '01 Doisy-Daëne. This 89 was clearly darker in color. Crazy good nose showing lots of honey, appricot, butterscotch, and toasted nuts. Not as rich and full on the palate as the Daëne but deeply impressive. Picked up within the past couple of years for sub $30...it is like stealing at that price.

Amber brownish. Nice honey, spice and butterscotch nose. Bit sweet. Nice acid. Very nice way to end a great day.

UGC Wine Review Dinner (Conrad Centennial) : Liked this the best. Maybe its the great vintage it had come from or the slight advantage in bottle age, this is the most quaffable of the lot with gentle sweetness and complexity from both floral and sweetened fruits.

Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux 2005 vintage tasting and dinner (Conrad Interntational, Singapore) : UGC dinner. This had taken on the beautiful, golden amber colour of aged Sauternes. It was delicious, with the classic flavours of caramel, (hazel)nut and brown sugar. Slight savoury tinge, with uncanny Banofee like flavours dominating the palate, with just a little spice at the end. Simple, but absolutely yummy.

Honey and caramel, lively acidity and fruit. Very good.

Initially quite oxidative but recovers; candied fruit and honey; good concentration and weight, velvety, lively acidity; rather "old" on the finish, honey and dried apples. Good, now.

Half bottle. Rich appearance, fullish orange-gold; delicious and complex nose, vanilla, pineapple, honey, gooseberry, caramel, peach, lanolin; flavoursome, sweet, fleshy, balancing acidity, hint of bitters; complete but light finish, good length.

Half bottle. Masses of fruit (orange, apricot, pineapple), honeyed, spicy new oak, fresh uplift, harmonious; rich and velvety, full body, elegant structure, beautiful balance, fleshy and creamy, medium sweet, still a bit hard; excellent length. Good, rich Sauternes, GCC level.