A Little Sweetener

We're well into spring, and there's plenty of sweetness in the air. Funnily enough, there's still snow on the mountain, and SWMBO can still get on the white powdery stuff. How sweet is that?

I stayed in town to look after our good friends from up north. After a hard week and weekend of work, we all enjoyed a little sweetener. Life needs it sometimes, and there's nothing like a couple of half bottles of sticky. We went for the doctor. He prescribed a bit of sugar.....

The 2004 Ch. Suduiraut Sauternes was everything it should be. I reckon the 2004s are classic and somewhat underated. Pale golden, still youthful, it has classic lanolin and honey with a little beeswax and oil thrown in. Still fresh and lively, this hit the spot. No hurry, a decade ahead possible. What could beat it? How about a 2002 Ch. d'Yquem Sauternes? Deeper golden. Full and rich on bouquet. A touch subdued, but brooding. A step up considerably in richness and weight. Yet more elegant too. Massively unctuous, and just enough acidity to prevent cloying. Power and length. Drawing the palate out on the line has created class. Robert Parker would say it had a finish of over 90 seconds. An Aussie wine judge would say it's got VA, but could drink it. We just sat back and sipped. Quietly. Satisfied. Sweet.