Title Ch Climens 1997-1947
Author: Linden Wilkie
Venue: I.O.D. building, 116 Pall Mall, London SW1
Date article was added: 22/6/04
Date of event June 22, 2004
Rare Wines, and Becoming More Expensive
It is, ironically, far easier to find multiple vintages of Ch. d’Yquem than Ch. Climens, making the assembly of this ten-vintage line-up slow work. Bit by bit they came, and two old-cellar auctions completed the line up with the legendary 1949 and 1947.
This estate has always been great value considering its excellent terroir – an elevated, well-draining position in Barsac, planted (unusually) to 100% Semillon. The days of great value are now numbered, as the excitement behind the 2001 Sauternes en primeur campaign saw Ch. Climens rise above the current price for the excellent 1990-1989-1988 trio prices – and the wine was still in barrel! Now that Ch. Climens 2001 has been released, and received a Robert Parker 100-point score, and a James Suckling (Wine Spectator 99-points score), the price looks like topping £100 a bottle. So with an excellent 2002 and 2003 on the way the days of £35 bottles seem long gone, as these new release prices must surely put pressure on older, good vintages (?). (Indeed in between seeing in December, and buying in June the 1997 vintage, it’s retail price had risen from £34 to £47).
That said, Sauternes in general is under-valued, when the efforts and yields are considered. The 29 ha estate at Ch. Climens yields on average just 13hl/ha – and that after 3 or 4 tries through the vineyard. But this average conceals an even lower average for the 1er Grand Vin, for the younger, higher-yielding vines make their way into the 2ème Vin – Les Cypres de Climens. Just 3,000 cases of the 1er Grand Vin are made on average.
Great Second Wine
No Les Cypres was included in this line up, but I tasted the 2001 at Decanter’s French Fine Wine Encounter in May, and at around £20 it must be one of the great current buys. Not for long ageing, it is immediately appealing, with quite exotic ripe aromas and flavours. It is hard to believe it is 100% Semillon. (According to David Peppercorn’s excellent book on Bordeaux, Les Cypres gets its name from a 15th century tax collector – Jehan Climenz – who issued receipts in the form of a branch from the blue cypress tree, which became known as the “cypressat”).
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The Ten Shades of Ch Climens
Seeing the ten vintages lined up was a lovely sight, and definitely induced a Pavlov’s dog effect! Intriguing was the colour variation, which said more about vintage characteristics than age. For although the 1949 was a mahogany shade, the 1947 was only ‘old’ gold. The levels on all the bottles were into the neck, with the exception of the very-top-shoulder 1949 (still excellent given its half century+ under original cork).
The wines were opened just before 6pm, and just before we began tasting at 7pm, the 1997, 1996, 1990, 1989 and 1988 were poured (the latter wines being poured one at a time as we came to them). No decanting was done.
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Elegance and Finesse
What struck me – and I am not the first to make this comment by any means – was the great delicacy and finesse of these wines. It was there even in the exceptionally rich 1990 and 1989, but it was perhaps because of this quality of finesse that my favourite vintage was the one that emphasised this most – the 1988. In comparison to the richness and exuberance of the 1990 and 1989, the 1988 doesn’t even seem ready, yet already offer supreme elegance and the sense of a great deal in reserve.
The 1983 also appealed to me a great deal for its à point complexity and maturity, while the 1976 offered a fascinating look at a non-botrytis (according to notes in Michael Broadbent’s Vintage Wine) vintage whose richness came from passerillé – or a concentrating effect from heat and wind. This had an enticing spiciness on the aromatics and finish.
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Corked Wine Treasure!
Sadly our 1947 was corked. What a shame. Here was wine from a truly monumental vintage, carefully stored in an ideal cellar for over five decades, with a level into the neck. And when its moment came, we discover that the wine was already ruined some 55 years ago when the cork went in!
Still, there was enough great wine here to reconfirm my admiration for this estate and for the work Bérénice Lurton and her team are doing there. I hope to make a visit there sometime soon.
Wine of the night by popular vote was the 1983 (though I'm pretty sure the 1947 would have been).
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