Barsac, Premier Cru.
The 31-hectare Barsac vineyard of Chateau Climens is planted with 100% Semillon grapes. On average, the vines are 35 years of age. At one time, there was a minor amount of Sauvignon Blanc and a few Muscadelle vines planted in the vineyard. However, after the Lurton family purchased the estate in 1972, those vines were removed and replaced with Semillon.
How it is possible to sculpt such an opulent but precise and delicious wine out of such a tiny yield of 2.7hl/h is beyond me, but somehow Climens has achieved it. Stunning depths of juicy peach, nectarine, white tea, white truffle, pinceapple, saffron, mint, concentrated but aerian with a slice of steel. Just 4,000 bottles produced instead of the normal 10,00010h, 130g/l residual sugar. A tought vintage for Climens owner Jean-Hubert Moitry, but the results are impressive.