2003 Rieussec, Sauternes

Ah, Noble Rot... It's amazing to me that a parasitic fungus can eventually taste so damn good in a glass that it can fetch hundreds... even thousands for a bottle. That's a bit of a simplification but it's near the truth Good bottles of Sauternes are one of the most sought after and expensive wines possible. To me, these wines are magic. They are intensly concentrated and sweet with high levels of acidity to balance out the sweetness. While these wines are delicious when young, they don't reach their full potential until decades later, and properly cellared can last for a century or more.

Let me start by saying this wine is an infant and nowhere close to it's full potential. Big an juicy with gorgeous color, there are nice aromas of apple, caramel, lemon and spice. Very sweet with a long aftertaste. I found it a little awkward but I think only because it's so young, because believe me this wine has great potential. I'd love tasting this in a decade or so. For the price, there are better deals out there for Sauternes, but if you have some cash to throw around or plan to store this wine for years to come this it's a great choice.

Score: 90

Price: $75