Château Climens 2004

Tasting characteristics and advice for Château Climens 2004

Tasting

Color
This 2004 vintage reveals a pale gold hue, bright and luminous, reflecting the hallmark elegance of Barsac’s great sweet wines.

Nose
The nose displays lovely aromatic complexity dominated by notes of fresh citrus and mango. Hints of honey, white flowers and subtle vanilla nuances complete this refined bouquet, which gradually opens up with aeration.

Palate
On the palate, this wine charms with its remarkable balance between silky sweetness and vibrant freshness. The attack reveals a generous, creamy texture, carried by aromas of exotic fruits and candied citrus. The structure shows a fine backbone that supports the wine’s richness, while the finish lingers at length with honeyed notes and a mineral freshness characteristic of the appellation.

Food and wine pairings

This Château Climens 2004 pairs beautifully with foie gras, whether served as a terrine or pan-seared. It also matches fruit-based desserts such as apricot or peach tarts, as well as blue-veined cheeses such as Roquefort, whose aromatic intensity finds a fine balance with the wine’s sweetness.

Serving and cellaring

This Château Climens 2004 is ideally enjoyed at a temperature between 10 and 12°C. The wine can be appreciated now and will continue to evolve favorably for many years under good cellaring conditions.

A Premier Cru Classé from Barsac of remarkable elegance

The estate

In Barsac, Château Climens, a Premier Cru Classé in the 1855 Classification, extends over 31 hectares in a single block, on the appellation’s emblematic red sands. Owned by the Lurton family from 1971, the estate was managed by Bérénice Lurton from 1992, who became the owner in 2009. In July 2022, the majority stake was sold to Jean-Hubert Moitry, the current owner, while Jérôme Moitry serves as managing director. A pioneer of biodynamics in Bordeaux, the estate is certified organic and biodynamic.

The vineyard

Château Climens’ vineyard occupies a privileged position at the top of the Barsac appellation. The vines grow on an exceptional terroir of red sands and gravel on the surface, over a subsoil of fissured limestone that ensures optimal drainage. This distinctive geological structure, combined with the parcels’ southern exposure, creates ideal conditions for the development of noble rot. The vines, with an average age of 35 years, are farmed with deliberately limited yields to encourage grape concentration.

The vintage

The 2004 vintage stands out as an exceptional year for Bordeaux sweet wines. Weather conditions were particularly favorable, with an ideal balance between sunshine and rainfall allowing optimal ripening of the grapes. The alternation of warm days and cool nights encouraged the harmonious development of noble rot while preserving fine freshness in the berries. These conditions made it possible to harvest grapes of remarkable quality, combining concentration and balance.

Winemaking and aging

Production of Château Climens 2004 begins with hand-harvesting carried out through successive selections, choosing only bunches showing an optimal level of botrytis. After pneumatic pressing, the musts are cooled to around 8°C for settling over 24 to 48 hours. Fermentation takes place in French oak barrels, 30% of which are new, at a controlled temperature below 20°C, using indigenous yeasts. The wine is then aged on total lees until Christmas, before racking and continuing barrel aging for around 18 months.

Grape variety

100% Sémillon.