Bordeaux 2007 - Sauternes & Barsac

by David Peppercorn MW.

The one certain thing in the 2007 Bordeaux vintage is that Sauternes is the only region to have made indisputably great wines. How was it that Sauternes succeeded while others failed? Firstly, it is part of a pattern, so we should not be surprised by the phenomenon – 1967 was one of the all-time greats for Sauternes, but the reds were middling and are now forgotten, while more recently, Sauternes missed out on 2000 but produced a great vintage in 2001. The region laboured under the same weather problems that beset the rest of Bordeaux from May to the end of August. However, because botrytis determines the quality of sweet wines, the district was able to capitalise on the superb autumn weather to a far greater extent than the reds. Botrytis even turned the uneven ripeness into an advantage. The result is that wines have been produced of great concentration, thus very high sugar levels, but also exceptional freshness - because of the cold nights in September - and also great purity of fruit because of the quality of the botrytis. This is a year which is being compared with 2001 for its richness and purity, 1988 for its balance and breed, with sights set on 1967 as the ultimate role model.