On the Road with the Grape Guy
Bordeaux 2025: White and Sweet
05 Nov 2025- Details
- Category: On the Road with the Grape Guy
(Jan. 10, 2025) … This is the day we tasted a whole bunch of wines in the white and sweet range: Barsac, Sauternes and les Blanc Sec.
I used a three star system for these wines – as I did with all wines on my Bordeaux adventure – seemed the easiest way to deal with all the wines I tasted (think of it as Good/Better/Best). I also only made a tasting note on wines two-stars and above.
Les Vins Sec (The Dry Stuff) …
Two Stars
Chateau Climens 2023 Asphodele
Better than previous vintage tried at the estate - this one showed a little more life and flavour profile that at least excited the mouth to a level of interest.
Chateau Climens 2023 Lilium
Again, better than the previous vintage - same reason 
Chateau Doisy-Daene 2023 Blanc Sec
Bright and fresh with a nice minerality
Chateau Sigalas Rabaud 2023 Grand Vin Blanc Sec (Semillon)
Nice salinity action here - acidity creeps up and bites you
One Star
Chateau Climens 2023 Petit Lily
Chateau Coutet 2023 Opalie de Chateau Coutet
Chateau D'Arche 2023 Grand Vin Blanc Sec
Chateau Doisy-Vedrines 2023 Chevalier de Vedrines
Chateau Guiraud 2023 Grand Vin Blanc Sec
Chateau Lafaurie-Peyraguey 2023 Grand Vin Blanc Sec
Chateau Lamothe-Guignard 2023 Clos de Hez
Rayne Vigneau 2022 Le Sec de Rayne Vigneau
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Les Vins Doux (The Sweet Stuff)
Two Stars
Chateau Broustet 2022 Sauternes (2nd Growth)
Bright, fresh and sweet; there might be the slightest hint of VA lingering on the backend - but it might be adding a lift here - it's a fine line.
Chateau Climens 2022 Barsac (1st Growth)
Tropical fruit, pure and salty, long finish, floral and honey-apricots 
Chateau de Rayne Vigneau 2022 Sauternes (1st Growth)
The coca-cola trick has worked: the wine ends with a bitterness and a salinity that seems to overshadow the sweet entry.
Chateau Doisy Dubroca 2022 Barsac (2nd Growth)
Nice kick of minerality among the sweet apricot-honey-peach and pear notes
Chateau Doisy-Daene 2022 Barsac (2nd Growth)
Purity of sweet fruits and acidity - clean finish - very sippable
Chateau Doisy-Vedrines 2022 Sauternes (2nd Growth)
Sweet acidity - seems counter-intuitive, but there is something here on the long finish that kicks acidity into overdrive and mkaes this a sweet-pleasantry
Chateau La Tour Blanche 2022 Sauternes (1st Growth)
Pretty and honeyed - bitterness keeps the sweetness at bay on the finish.
Chateau Lafaurie-Peyraguey 2022 Sauternes (1st Growth)
Nice seam of acidity balances the wine out but keeps those sweet honeyed fruits intact.
Chateau Lamothe-Guignard 2022 Sauternes (2nd Growth)
There's a bitterness that seems to sweet in the backend making this sweet wine come across as dry.
Chateau Rabaud-Promis 2022 Sauternes (1st Growth)
This wines promises sweetness right up fron and delivers it in spades. But in a pretty way.
Chateau Romer du Hayot 2022 Le 2 de Romer du Hoyot (2nd Wines)
Salinity and acidity cut right through the sweetness - making this something super pleasant to sip on
One Star
Chateau Caillou 2022 Barsac (2nd Growth)
Chateau Coutet 2022 Barsac (1st Growth)
Chateau D'Arche 2022 Sauternes (2nd Growth)
Chateau D'Arche 2022 Soleil D'Arche (2nd Wine)
Chateau Doisy-Vedrines 2022 Chateau Petit Vedrines (2nd Wine)
Chateau Guiraud 2022 Sauternes (1st Growth)
Chateau Lafaurie-Peyraguey 2022 La Chapelle de Lafaurie-Peyraguey (2nd Wine)
Chateau Myrat 2022 Sauternes (2nd Growth)
Chateau Romer du Hayot 2022 Sauternes (2nd Growth)
Chateau Sigalas Rabaud 2022 Sauternes (1st Growth)
