Chateau Laville Sauternes 2018 (Half bottle)

Chateau Laville Sauternes

Region: Sauternes, Bordeaux, France

Vintage: 2018

Bottle size: 37.5cl

Grape: 90% Semillon 10% Sauvignon Blanc

ABV: 13%

A bright golden yellow in colour, this wine opens with aromas of fresh citrus and candied fruit. The palate is intense and layered, with flavours of dried fig, orange blossom and sweet spice, and the finish is remarkably fresh and long.

The vineyards for Château Laville lie on gravel soils underpinned by limestone. The best plots are used to make the Grand Vin. Several passes through the vineyard are needed to ensure that only the most botrytised berries are selected. The wine is a blend of 90% Semillon and 10% Sauvignon Blanc. It is fermented in temperature-controlled, stainless steel tanks before being aged in oak (50% new) for 30 months to give it just enough complexity, while retaining freshness and the distinctive botrytis character.

Château Laville is owned by Jean-Christophe Barbe and his family. Jean-Christophe’s particular area of expertise as an oenology professor at the University of Bordeaux is ‘noble rot’ which, as a producer of Sauternes, he has had plenty of opportunity to study first-hand.