French Sauterne & Cigars

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Nails

Joined Jan 2005

302 Posts | 0+

South Central PA

Discussion Starter
• Apr 1, 2005

• #1

Had a business friend over for dinner Tuesday night. After dinner, I opened a half bottle of French Sauterne.Five years of bottle age.Reasonable at $14.00 a half bottle.Wonderful with a cigar.
This wine is new to me, and I understand that 15 to 20 year bottles can go upwards of $250.
Any experience and recommendations on French Sauterne.
Malone

 

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cigarsmoka

Joined Aug 2004

2K Posts | 0+

Chicago Born/Raised. Hollywood CA Resident

• Apr 1, 2005

• #2

Never have, sounds good though I'll have to keep my eye out

 

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cian

Joined Jan 2005

107 Posts | 0+

U.S. Virgin Islands

• Apr 1, 2005

• #3

IMO, the most important thing about buying European wines (other than who grows the grapes and where) is who bottles it. Good wine needs proper bottling, good storage and care especially in trans-shipment. If a cork is cracked, q seal has gone bad, or the shipper did not store at a good temperature, you can have a disappointing experience and of course waste your money.

That said, one of the bottlers I look for is Barton & Guestier. They do it right.

As far as Sauterne's go I think the 1996 Barton & Guestier Sauterne is a good one: made from Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc, it gives the vintage a sweet nose of honey and apricot with a touch of sour at the very end.

With Sauternes I like to smoke a Montecristo No 2s (Cuban). The stick has an oily wrapper, great leather notes and IMO matches up with a Sauterne, but doesn't overpower it.

cian

 

N

Nails

Joined Jan 2005

302 Posts | 0+

South Central PA

Discussion Starter
• Apr 1, 2005

• #4

Cian:
Thnks for a opinion with definition. I'll check out Barton & Guestier- 1996 bottle.Honey and apricot is exactally the taste. I'm not sure about the sour finish. I may have missed it.
Great rreply-THANKS.
I hope a 1996 fits my budget.
Have you tried and enjoyed anything younger?
Malone

 

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bildo792

Joined Mar 2005

1K Posts | 0+

Hilton Head, SC

• Apr 1, 2005

• #5

i just got a newer bottle, it was pretty good. I drank a glass with a la aroma de cuba. I also bought the new bottle for something like $10 from kroger!
im not sure what an older bottle costs since i havent been to the wine store to check it out but if the price is right ill be getting a couple. It was pretty good, i do not drink much red wine but i did like it.

 

N

Nails

Joined Jan 2005

302 Posts | 0+

South Central PA

Discussion Starter
• Apr 1, 2005

• #6

French Sauterne is a French Desert wine that is generally the only white wine that ages in the bottle. This product is unique to France.American Sauternes are a different product, and are not the same.I had no knowledge of this product until recently.Learning quick.This is good stuff.If a guy can afford $8 to $10 sticks- he should have this product.
A very unique,expensive product.Great with Cigars.
PS Women love it- nectar from the Gods- makes them do crazy good things.
Malone

 

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bildo792

Joined Mar 2005

1K Posts | 0+

Hilton Head, SC

• Apr 1, 2005

• #7

i must have had a different wine, don't know much about it, but i had a sweet red.

 

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cian

Joined Jan 2005

107 Posts | 0+

U.S. Virgin Islands

• Apr 7, 2005

• #8

Malone,

You are welcome. However, my wife who is French, is the wine expert. Her family owns a farm in the South of France; growing some grapes (bottling for personal consumption) and salel on the local market.

She suggested the following as more "wines" for you to investigate (cross-border wines and some German with French influence)You might want to check availability with your wine merchant. Prices vary based on age:

Gold Kapsule Auslese (GKA) - The first step in the dessert wine ladder.

Beerenauslese (BA) - Intense dessert wine picked berry by berry.

Trockenbeerenauslese (TBA) - Dried berries are collected berry by berry to make this fabulous category of the greatest German dessert wines.

Eiswein - Grapes were naturally frozen and harvested while frozen to leave the water content of the grapes back in the press and extract a concentrated fruit juice.

cian

 

N

Nails

Joined Jan 2005

302 Posts | 0+

South Central PA

Discussion Starter
• Apr 7, 2005

• #9

Cian:
Cheers.
Please stay active reference this subject.
My son who is 34 years old- travels yearly to France- about 60 miles to wine country with friends who run a dairy farm/winery for generations.He teaches me how the French position Van Ordinare wine. What a treat how the locals take their jug to the local wine merchant.
My son travels the World reference his position and has stated"
He has never experienced a bad wine in France or Italy" Bad wine can only be experienced in USA.
Please continue to teach us about everyday day wine" Van Ordinare".
Malone

 

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cian

Joined Jan 2005

107 Posts | 0+

U.S. Virgin Islands

• Apr 8, 2005

• #10

Malone,

Thanks for the nice words. I will pass them on.

Most years, my wife and our daughters go back to the farm for "harvest", usually held in early August through September; where they have a fine time "mashing and stirring" grapes (I join them, time permitting, towards the end - late August-September).

If you can take some time off, it is a great time to go wine tasting and I'll bet you find some great stuff. If your son is in the area at that time, he might want to look into it.

I agree with your son. I never had a bad bottle of wine in either Italy or France.

cian