2021 Ch Bastor Lamontagne 750ml, Sauternes

DUE OCT 2024

Medium pale. Fresh lifted apricot honey aromas with toasty vanilla notes. Generous and supple with intense apricot, nectarine, honey flavours, attractive mid-palate density, chalky textures and fresh linear acidity. Very classical with lovely botrytis complexity and mineral length. 8–12 months in new and seasoned French oak. 13% alc

93-94 points Andrew Caillard MW

Pale gold colour, with bright reflections, enciting and full of mandarin peel aromatics. Concentrated and silky in texture, with lemongrass, lime and ginger alongside richer citrus fruit. Bright and full of flavour.

93 points Jane Anson janeanson.com

Gorgeous caramelised satsumas on the nose, wild honey and lifted citrus aromas. So sumptuous on the palate, but also so energetic and buzzing with floral-scented citrus fruits giving the freshness and excitement while the sweetness gives the texture, depth and structure. What a wine - supremely delicious. It doesn't have the really unctuous richness that some do, but it has lift and life and for pure, easy enjoyment this is excellent! Tasted twice and I loved it both times. Smooth and effortless in its presentation and charm. Drink as soon as you can when it's this good or keep for a long time too. A top buy!

Drinking Window 2024 - 2028

95 points Georgina Hindle decanter.com

A fresh and clean Sauternes with dried pineapple and mango, as well as salted caramel. It’s medium-bodied with light sweetness and a tangy, spicy finish. Lots going on. From organically grown grapes.

93-94 points jamessuckling.com

The 2021 Bastor-Lamontagne which has 146 grammes per litre residual sugar the highest level ever has a fragrant tightly wound bouquet of well-defined wild peach orange blossom and honeysuckle scents. The palate is balanced and rich with fine definition and more body and concentration than recent vintages. The pure finish just needs a little more complexity. But this bodes well for the future following years of underperforming.

91-93 points NM vinous.com