Château Nairac 2005

A sleeper of the vintage. No tasting note given.

Lots of botrytis spice and clove honey, with hints of dried lemon. Full-bodied and medium sweet, with honey and cooked apple flavors. Spicy and long, with just a hint of vanilla. Very pretty and balanced. Best after 2013. 1,250 cases made.

Firm, peachy, oaky nose with a hint of caramel. Fine attack, then sumptuous and opulent yet balanced. Sleek finish.

Perhaps a bit more on the candied, orange and tangerine side than on the tropical range of fruits, there is still a lot to like. Floral, fresh and honeyed, with custard overtones, the medium-bodied wine is bright, almost zippy, with a sweet, honey-coated apricot finish.

Medium yellow, still a touch milky. Complex, immensely fresh bouquet: mirabelles, acacia honey, fresh mint, verbena; playful despite the tremendous concentration, already perfect on the nose. On the palate it explodes, half fresh, half sweet, ripe fruit, plush extract, sensationally balanced, extreme, never-ending length. World class.

Medium yellow, still a bit cloudy. Complex bouquet with tremendous freshness: mirabelle plums, acacia honey, fresh mint, verbena; despite the enormous concentration, it feels playful, already perfect on the nose. On the palate it explodes, half fresh, half sweet, ripe fruit, plush extract, sensational balance, extreme, never-ending length. A masterclass at a world-class level! Nicolas Heeter-Tari recalls his 2004 harvest at Château Nairac in detail: “The summer—July and August—was very rainy, little sun. Nevertheless, this vintage must be described as too dry. Normally about 70 millimeters of rain fall in June. In 2004 it was exactly zero. In the following months we were always 25 millimeters below the long-term average. At Nairac, the first picking run was on September 30 through October 7 in good conditions. That was about half of the total harvest. Second pass from October 1 to 14. The grapes were still very healthy and with good botrytis despite the rain. That was around a quarter of the harvest. Third pass from October 25 to 27. A less good portion because here the grapes did suffer from the rain. The fourth selection from November 8 to 10 and the last lot from November 15 to 16 as a finale with very concentrated grapes. From the total harvest we then downgraded about one third and thus ended up at 14 hl/ha. 07: In Geneva and three times at the estate. Thus there are three 20-point wines in Sauternes for the vintage: Yquem, Climens and Nairac! 08: After tasting the equally brilliant 2007, we drank it at five in the evening with Nicolas at the château at the big table. There are moments when wine should not be described, but enjoyed. This was one of them. 09: How should a truly great Barsac taste? Exactly like this; slim, peppery, with plenty of citrus notes and a light honeyed sweetness, finishing with mirabelle and lemon oil. (20/20). 17: Orange-gold. Intense, fully sweet yet peppery bouquet, sensationally perfumed botrytis, freshly broken mandarin peels and Cointreau liqueur. On the palate, juicy, elegant and not at all overloaded by sweetness, concentrated in extract, great length. An emotional sip of a Barsac of the century! 20/20. P.S. It paired beautifully with the sensational marillenpalatschinken. We were in Linz/Lichtenberg, at the Gasthaus zum Schmiedgraben.

Concentrated, velvety, creamy, complex bouquet: mirabelle plum jam, honey, almonds, biscuit. Creamy, dense, multi-layered, superb palate with concentrated fruit, powerful sweetness, fine acidity, diverse aromatics, very long, dense finish. 20/20 drink - 2060

The 2005 Nairac weighs in at a whopping 180 g/L of residual sugar. Medium to deep straw-gold in color, it features fragrant scents of baked peaches, dried mango, and lemon butter, with hints of crushed rocks, hay, and allspice. The palate is as rich as it is bright and vibrant, with a lively backbone and a long, mineral-tinged finish.

Logo on the cork: pb Golden color. Nose a little reserved on opening. It gains more and more expression with air, becoming fine, subtle, and noble. A touch of vanilla, candied white fruits, spices. An enchanting palate with wonderful silkiness, indulging in sheer hedonism. Full at mid-palate, powerful on the finish, the wine unfolds with great delicacy and leaves one open-mouthed at so much balance and nobility. Endless nuances of candied white fruits, rum, spices, and silk. Enchanting! One glass every evening for 28 days and the sun returns in winter.

90-92 Barrel sample. A deliciously fresh, vibrant wine with good ripe fruits, flavors of orange marmalade and a light, citrus kick. Lovely, with just a touch of spice.