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Chateau La Tour Blanche, Sauternes, 2001

Dessert Wine from Bordeaux, France
by Chateau La Tour Blanche
$149.99
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Classified Premier Cru in 1855—the highest rank in Sauternes after Yquem's unique Premier Cru Supérieur designation—Château La Tour Blanche holds the rare distinction of being both a Premier Cru Classé estate and, since 1909, an agricultural school—bequeathed to the French state by philanthropist Daniel Iffla with the condition it train future winemakers. The dual identity suits the wine: scholarly precision married to sensuous richness. The 2001 vintage is widely considered the finest Sauternes of the new millennium, with ideal alternating warm days and cool nights that drove perfect botrytis development. Eighty-three percent Sémillon with Sauvignon Blanc and Muscadelle, harvested in multiple selective passes, then aged in partially new French oak. The result is golden, honeyed, and layered—dried apricot, crème brûlée, and citrus peel balanced by a spine of acidity that keeps the sweetness in check. Gorgeous with foie gras, Roquefort, or on its own. Built for decades.

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Antonio Galloni

94 points

"The 2001 La Tour Blanche has a finely knit bouquet of yellow flowers mixed with wild honey, acacia and white peach. The palate is well balanced with a fine bead of acidity and almost unctuous in the mouth, showing what feels like more residual sugar than its peers. Voluminous and mouth-filling on the finish but missing the tension that would take it up a level. Still, this is a hedonistic delight." —Neal Martin

Robert Parker

96 points

"The La Tour Blanche 2001 has long been the “insiders’ Sauternes” for the vintage. Leave the Yquem ’01 for the millionaires: load up on one of the finest recent vintages from the estate. It has a potent honeyed, frangipane and white flower-scented bouquet with subtle nougat scents in the background lending it an exotic edge. The palate is extremely well balanced with fine acidity effortlessly slicing a swathe through that unctuous, honeyed fruit. There are also understated marmalade notes with a suggestion of crème brûlée furnishing the weighty finish that goes on and on." —Neal Martin

Jancis Robinson

17 points

"Mid orange gold. A bit relaxed and sweet and lacking tension. Very rich indeed with a burnt edge but I’d like a little more acidity and structure."

Decanter

95 points

"Soft burnished gold, and lighter in frame that some in the lineup with excellent concentration and uplift. A gentle scattering of white flowers as you travel through the palate, with an enveloping floral fragrance of honeysuckle and lilies. Smoked citrus zest and the tertiary notes of an older Sauternes come in through the finish, along with the caramelised toffee-edged apricots that showcase the evolution of the wine. This is excellent and would be beautiful paired with an apricot tart. Makes me want to cook an apricot tart in fact, which has got to be a good thing. Holds its nerve when I go back after 15 minutes, showing excellent grip."

Wine Spectator

93 points

"Very intense aromas of candied lemons, fresh flowers and vanilla. Full-bodied, very sweet and spicy. Long, long finish. Excellent."

More about Chateau La Tour Blanche

State-owned and home to a prestigious wine school, La Tour Blanche might sound like a museum piece, but the estate produces some of the finest botrytized whites in Sauternes. Ranked first among the Premier Crus when the 1855 classification was written, it still makes the complex, unctuous sweet wines that justify that honor.

Wine Details

  • Vintage

    2001

  • Size

    750ml

  • Farming Practice

    Traditional

  • Sweetness

    Dry

  • Body

    Full Bodied

Flatiron's Take

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Tasting Notes & Food Pairings

Perfect Pairings

foie gras terrine, apple crumble with custard, roasted pears, almond cake, honey panna cotta

Tasting Profile

Burnished gold Sauternes with honeyed fruit, dried apricot, and almond aromas. Rich, full-bodied with balanced residual sugar and lifted acidity, finishing with candied citrus and spice.

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