An historic estate, and one of the great Sauternes vintages

*£20 a bottle by the case before tax (equivalent to £26.46 inc duty & VAT)

For sheer pleasure, few things in the world of wine beat a bottle of good Sauternes. Electric, fresh, full of orange, honey and herb flavours, 2001 Rabaud-Promis is utterly drinkable. I didn't notice any member of staff spitting it out like we're supposed to.

Rabaud-Promis is one of the most historic Sauternes estates. It was first documented in 1660 as Chateau Rabaud, but is certainly older than that. In the 1855 Sauternes classification, it was among the nine chateaux listed as premier cru classe, only a step below d'Yquem. By the mid-20th century, though, it had fallen into decline, until one Philippe Dejean sacrificed a promising medical career to restore Rabaud-Promis to its former glory. Over the next years, he slowly but steadily renovated every aspect of the vineyards, cellars and estate resulting in stellar improvements; in the words of Robert Parker, 'no estate has made more progress in such a short period of time.'

In 2001, the see-saw of warm and cool conditions that kept other winemakers in Bordeaux on their toes were perfect for the development of botrytis, and the year ranks as one of the all-time great vintages for Sauternes. To leave the last word to Jancis Robinson: 'If I have two words of advice about Bordeaux's 2001s, they are: buy Sauternes'. /NT

'The Rabaud-Promis has a lovely bouquet with hints of dried honey, nutmeg and crème brûlée blossoming in the glass. The palate is well balanced with a viscous opening: a surfeit of botrytis here that vibrant mandarin and dried pineapple notes (sic). There is a great sense of cohesion to this Rabaud-Promis with a long tail of spicy fruit on the finish. This is consistent with my tasting at the property in April 2012. Superb. 93 points.' - Neal Martin, eRobertParker.com, October 2015

Also available by the single bottle at £29.95 inc duty & VAT

Offered subject to remaining unsold; available immediately