Château Climens Sauternes-Barsac 2016 - 1er Cru Classé

Bettane & Desseauve

About the estate:

Climens is unanimously considered to be the finest wine from Barsac: the nature of its limestone-based soil gives it extra acidity, which perfectly balances its rich sweetness, often considerable in recent vintages, which have benefited from a conversion to biodynamic viticulture. But there remains something mysterious, even taking into account the quality of the men and women who have been in charge of it (today, Bérénice Lurton) in the extraordinary, even transcendent finesse of its aromas.

Decanter

About wine:

My favorite Sauternes! Already glorious, it will live for decades. Brownish gold color, notes of botrytis on the nose, hints of leaves, spices, and lemongrass, and a palate with the perfect balance between richness and freshness. Extremely subtle oak. A wonderful Barsac to enjoy from 2022 to 2060.

Guide des Vins Gault & Millau

About the estate:

Climens is undoubtedly the finest and sweetest of the Barsac wines. With an exceptional terroir that is almost entirely contiguous, Sémillon is the estate's sole grape variety.

Robert Parker - Wine Advocate

About wine:

Pale lemon gold in color, Château Climens 2016 reveals notes of ripe peach, mango, and melon with hints of cedar, orange blossom, ginger, and baked bread. Vibrant on the palate with lively, energetic fruit and tropical notes, it is framed by fantastic freshness, with a long, creamy finish. 2021-2049

About the estate:

RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France

About wine:

A lively nose with a hint of iron powder. Its slender, sapid palate reveals all the energy of Barsac through fruit of exemplary purity, with a masterfully balanced liqueur.

About the estate:

Château Climens has been owned by Lucien Lurton's family since 1971. Today, the estate is brilliantly managed by his daughter Bérénice. Few French sweet wines stand out with a bouquet as pure and elegant as that of this Barsac premier cru classé. It owes its transcendent quality to its exceptional terroir, which produces harvests as rich in sugar as those in Sauternes, but with a palette of aromas that is often more complex and diverse. The team's expertise is also key to this success: depending on the different batches harvested with varying degrees of botrytis, Bérénice Lurton, together with her director Frédéric Nivelle, creates skilful blends that are true works of art. Aware of the cultural and agricultural changes of recent years, Bérénice Lurton has committed her vineyard to a conversion to biodynamic cultivation.

Yves Beck

About wine:

Golden yellow with green highlights. The bouquet of Climens 2016 is complex, generous, and very expressive. I detect smoky notes reminiscent of pistachio and salted caramel. On the palate, the wine is compact, creamy and perfectly balanced. What class and charm! A touch of saltiness on the finish. A promising wine to follow over time. 2026-2061

The Wine Cellar Insider - Jeff Leve

About wine:

The perfect combination of ripe pineapple, white peaches, nectarines, and a hint of mango, all topped with honey, vanilla, and flowers. The wine is quite sweet. However, the racy acidity lifts everything on your palate so that everything is fresh and energetic. It could score even higher as it ages. Potential of at least 3 decades.

Anthocyanes - Yohan Castaing

About wine:

A beautiful nose, complex and precise, with elegant, fresh aromas of pear, peach, mango, lime blossom, menthol, and a hint of exotic fruit. Delicate on the palate with a lovely richness for a Château Climens that is more taut than usual, yet still powerful. Very nice bitter notes on the finish. Light and fresh finish. What aromatic brilliance! A wine that will age well.