Bordeaux 2025 Primeurs: Sauternes & Barsac
“Here we are,” said Twingo, with a cheery turn in his voice, as he came to a stop in the tiny car park. “Your final visit.”
We pulled up just in front of the offices of Château Doisy-Daëne.
“Thanks Twingo,” I concluded. “It’s been great having you keep me company during the past two weeks of tasting. You’ve been a fantastic sounding board for my thoughts and questions, and you have delivered me to every appointment on time. Well, almost all of them. But thankfully Axel Heinz didn’t mind us turning up ten minutes late at Château Lascombes, because he also emerged from his prior meeting ten minutes late. So you’re off the hook.”
“That’s a relief,” replied Twingo, with a comical lilt to his voice. “To be honest, ten minutes is neither here nor there, but we can’t have you losing your reputation for turning up respectfully on time, can we? So I will try harder….”
“And what about me?”
It was my personal primeurs spirit guide, made in the image of Taylor Swift, who spat out the words before Twingo could even finish his sentence.
“Any thanks for me, after all the help I have given you? I wish to be seen. And I wish for acknowledgement that I have fulfilled my role perfectly, meeting all the objectives of the great Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux.” The tone of voice was not comical now; it started sarcastic, then turned more entitled.
“You mean when you woke me up on the first day of tasting by repeatedly kicking my bed, passed judgement on my musical knowledge and preferences, enjoyed a long lunch in St Julien while I tasted without a break, summoned a robotic Björk to browbeat me into awarding more 100-point scores, enjoyed dinner at La Caffe Cuisine at a critic’s meet-up from which I was excluded and then forced me to row across the Dordogne as part of their ‘river cruise’ experience? Is that the help you’re referring to?”
“Yes,” replied Taylor curtly. She did not break eye contact.
-o-
This report has expanded significantly this year, not with more Sauternes, but with notes on the increasing number of dry white wines made here. There are 36 tasting notes below. Nevertheless, while some are for dry wines the majority – 25 in total – are on the wines of Sauternes and Barsac. Before we get to these notes, however, a few words on the season and harvest.
