Description
Château La Rame, Sainte-Croix-du-Mont “Réserve”
Top-flight botrytized Bordeaux, in its head-spinning, ambrosial grandeur, is the vinous equivalent of riding in a Rolls Royce–and it’s usually priced accordingly. But not today. Château La Rame’s 2019 “Réserve” displays all the nectar-like fruit, vivacious acidity, and sumptuous texture of the region’s most famous producers, at a mere fraction of the price.
The Sainte-Croix-du-Mont AOC might not be as widely known as Sauternes or Barsac, but the raw materials are nearly identical: same varieties, same soils, same painstaking production. It’s just on the “wrong” side of the Garonne—in La Rame’s case, directly across the river from one Château d’Yquem—so prices (thankfully) lag far behind quality. Really far, in today’s shining $35 example. We’ve offered plenty of triple-digit bottles from La Rame’s more-famous neighbors, and will continue to do so, but even we have to admit this astonishing value gives the most legendary names a run for their money! It will gracefully age for decades, too.
PLEASE NOTE: This wine is available as a pre-offer. It is expected to arrive in our warehouse at the end of August.
If I just showed you the CliffsNotes on what makes Sainte-Croix-du-Mont so special—or served you a glass blind—you might think I’m talking about Sauternes. All of the same factors are in play here. The main varieties are Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc, and Muscadelle. The soils are clay over limestone. The best wines are made from grapes affected by noble rot (botrytis cinerea), induced by morning mists rolling in off the Garonne, which concentrates the sugars and acids until the resulting wine has an almost honey-like texture. Just why Sainte-Croix hasn’t caught on like Sauternes and Barsac is something of a mystery. But we’re not complaining, especially when a wine as brilliant as La Rame’s “Réserve” can be had for a song!
Although Château La Rame has only carried that name since the 1980s, the property on which it sits has been recognized for more than a century as one of the most important sites in the appellation. La Rame garnered gold medals for its wares at fairs in Bordeaux and Paris at the turn of the 20th century. The current owners, the Armand family, have every intention of going toe-to-toe with the big boys across the river. They put their money where their mouths are with “Réserve du Château.” Only produced in the best vintages, Réserve is made entirely from Sémillon, picked in multiple passes through the vineyards over the course of weeks. Once the fruit arrives at the winery, only the clusters with the absolute highest concentration of botrytis are selected for the cuvée. It’s then fermented exclusively in French barriques, one-third of which are new, before 24 months of maturation that are equally split between those same barrels and stainless steel.
The resulting wine is unabashedly luxuriant, a mind-blowing experience that tastes like it costs two or three times its actual price tag. La Rame’s 2019 “Réserve” pours a luminous gold with hints of orange and amber. The nose is insane, an onslaught of every golden-hued aroma I can name: dried apricot, peach skin, creamed apple, quince paste, orange marmalade, fresh-roasted almonds, heady white flowers, cinnamon, and nutmeg spice. The palate is dense and mouth coating, a master class in restrained opulence as a fine vein of acidity slices through the formidable 160 grams of sugar. Of course, it’s fantastic at the end of the meal, but for an otherworldly experience, pair it with something savory and watch the fireworks go off. This is a wine that demands going deep on; it’s delicious now but will last for as long as you can keep your hands off it. Good luck!
