Although in a 375ML bottle, for me, that’s the perfect amount of indulgence because these confoundingly rich nectars awaken the deepest of emotions and enchant the palate for minutes on end. Ultimately, decades-old Sauternes is one of those rare wine experiences that transports you to utopia—but taking you there for a mere $35 entry fee is even rarer. I strongly suggest you take advantage because they’ll be in peak form whether drinking now or in the decades to come!

[NOTE: This wine will be arriving at our warehouse the week of Monday, April 27th.]

A lesser-known, but equally important, fact about the renowned 1855 Classification of Bordeaux is that Sauternes and Barsac were included. Twenty-six producers were named in the Grand Cru Classé “promotion.” Château d’Yquem earned its own Premier Cru Supérieur category, 11 other châteaux were ranked as Premier Crus, and 14 more as Deuxièmes Cru. Château d’Arche lies in the latter, and their prestige is well-deserved. Founded by Henry d’Arche in 1580 and later acquired by the Counts of Arche in 1733, these wines were treasured and considered among the best in the region long before the 1855 Classification was in existence! Today, the estate has grown to 27 hectares and the historic charm still thrives with a 17th-century manor serving as the main attraction. Needless to say, these are extremely classic wines. 

Over the course of several weeks in 1998, several passes were made throughout d’Arche’s mature vines (averaging nearly 50 years old) in order to hand-select—and from that tiny selection, heavily sort—the finest botrytized grapes. After all this painstaking work, they yielded a microscopic 17 hectoliters per hectare. For comparison, Château d’Yquem hovers around 10, with one vine equating to about one glass of wine. In the winery, each individual parcel was pressed with a vertical, 1930s-era press and fermented separately in 33% new French barrels. It then aged in these same barrels for ~18 months before blending, bottling, and being stowed away for a long slumber.

In the glass, this ‘98 Sauternes reveals a brilliant golden-amber with glints of silver and yellow moving out to the rim. After a few swirls, the wine’s viscous, slow-moving tears slowly ooze down the glass and began unfurling intoxicating aromas of stewed yellow apple, apricot, quince, pineapple, grilled peach, caramelized pear, orange marmalade, candied nuts, damp white flowers, acacia honey, mushroom, allspice, and vanilla bean. The full-bodied palate is deeply rich and packed with sweetness that is beautifully moderated by a refreshing jolt of acidity. This is the lush, opulent style we all love in Sauternes, but there is impressive finesse that only the greatest châteaux can achieve. With ample lift and mature yet clean notes of ultra-ripe fruit and spice, the finish simply refuses to end. Serve a couple of ounces in an all-purpose glass or a proper Sauternes stem and enjoy this small-in-stature, huge-in-flavor bottle over several hours, days, even weeks (if tightly re-corked and refrigerated). Enjoy on its own or with a chunk of Roquefort—an all-time classic pairing—after dinner. Cheers!