Friarwood

Chateau Climens, 1er Cru Classe Sauternes

There are 29 hectares of vineyards at Climens, in two blocks adjacent to the house, planted entirely to Semillon vines (the Lurtons have replaced what little Sauvignon and Muscadelle there was with this variety), at a density of 6600 vines/ha and an average age of 35 years. The soil underfoot has a red hue typical of the soils of Barsac, and includes a thin layer of clay and ferruginous sand, over deeper rocks of fissured limestone. The land is a highpoint for Barsac, although it is actually at an elevation of only 20 m. Yields vary with the vintage, swinging between an incredibly low 9 hl/ha and a huge 25 hl/ha, the latter being in the great 1986 vintage; remember that the methods behind producing Sauternes will always mean yield figures are low when compared with those for dry red Bordeaux. Looking at just the grand vin, Chateau Climens, fruit destined for just this wine is harvested typically at 7 hl/ha, 13 hl/ha for the second wine, Cyprès de Climens, averaging the figures over twenty years. The grapes are harvested in successive tries with careful selection in the vineyard, before a horizontal pressing and fermentation and maturation in separate lots in small oak barrels, of which 35 to 45% are replaced with each vintage. Chaptalisation may be employed, but rarely. The wine spends up to two years in oak before bottling without filtering or filtration, with a typical production of 3000 cases per annum. The style of wine is elegant, racy, with great vibrancy, all hallmarks of good Barsac. But Climens has the potential to develop greatly with bottle age, taking on a plump, rich opulence. These are great wines and they are very worthy of cellaring, something I have undertaken myself with a number of vintages.