Château Gilette - Sauternes Crème de Tête 1990

Bettane & Desseauve

About wine:

We gave it a crazy 20 based on one sublime bottle. The one we tasted this year in different circumstances is almost as impressive, so we'll be petty and deduct half a point from perfection... for the "almost."

About the estate:

Château Gilette has been in the Médeville family since the 18th century. René Médeville, the grandfather of Julie Gonet-Médeville, the current manager of the Château, developed a unique, sweet wine in the 1930s, aged between 15 and 20 years in concrete vats. Since then, the process has been repeated, but only in exceptional years. Only the nectar—the cream of the crop—is kept for the grand vin; the rest is sold in bulk. The vineyard covers 4.5 hectares, including a plot that gave the château its name. This year, Julie Gonet-Médeville is launching the 1996 vintage, which follows in the footsteps of its illustrious predecessors.

Guide des Vins Gault & Millau

About wine:

The nose is not very open, but has many nuances. With aeration, wax, honey, candied lemon, and subtle spicy notes appear. On the palate, bergamot and orange appear, with notes of praline. The whole is mellow and coats the palate. The finish is full-bodied and velvety, very long. Currently a little closed, this bottle will need to be left for a few more years for its aromas to develop fully.

About the estate:

Gilette is a mini-estate covering 4.5 hectares (more than 80% planted with Sémillon) owned by the Médeville family and currently managed by Julie Gonet-Médeville. Somewhat unusual in an era when everything has to be fast and immediately profitable, Gilette only sells its wines—a maximum of 3,000 to 6,000 bottles per vintage—after a long aging process in 20-year-old vats. This has earned it the nickname "the antique dealer of Sauternes." The 1989 vintage was sent to us for tasting this year.

Robert Parker - Wine Advocate

About wine:

Château Gilette 1990 Crème de Tête is the Medeville family's latest vintage. It has a bouquet of mint and dried white flowers, but it is still reserved at the moment, with the aromas requiring more time in the bottle to be released. The palate is fresh on the attack with subtle notes of nougat, quince, walnuts, almonds, and fennel. Having tasted much older Gilettes, I realize how young it still is, and it will benefit from another ten years in the bottle.

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

About wine:

Aromas of verbena, lime blossom, and dried apricot. There are notes of both dried fruit and a beautiful, noble vegetal character. The wine has not reached the rancio stage, as it retains a great deal of freshness in its complex and nuanced aromas. Delicious on the palate with a magnificent balance in terms of liqueur, all with beautiful intensity.

About the estate:

This tiny Preignac vineyard, now run by Julie Médeville and her husband Xavier Gonet, is famous for selling only very old vintages, aged for a long time in concrete vats (protected from the air), then in bottles, and produced from very rich harvests (hence the mention "crème de tête"). Gilette's characteristic bouquet is undoubtedly the most fruity in the Sauternes region, with notes of citrus jam (bitter orange), reinforced by the delicate rancio brought about by age and the length of aging. The preservation method favors reduction without oxidation, which explains the surprising youthfulness of the wines, even more than thirty years after their birth. It is strongly recommended to decant them several hours before serving.