It is known as the ‘seigneur de Barsac’ for its pre-eminence in its commune, and in the canon of sweet Bordeaux wines, Climens is near the peak. In some vintages it challenges Yquem for top spot. Michael Broadbent used to say that Climens and Cheval Blanc were the two most consistent properties in Bordeaux, and coming from a man who in his decades as Director of Wine at Christies Auction House tasted more great old wine than anyone alive, that’s a pretty strong endorsement. In the 1855 classification of Sauternes and Barsac, Climens was listed as a premier cru.
Climens is a historical property that has barely changed in size for centuries. It takes its name from the Roborel de Climens family, who owned it for a few hundred years. Other owners came and went, and in 1971 it was acquired by the great Lucien Lurton. In 1992, his daughter Berenice took over, and Climens truly entered the modern era. Berenice says she never believed in organics for Bordeaux, because the oceanic climate makes it so hard, but became a convert to biodynamics, with the chateau achieving full certification in 2016. Two donkeys joined the team for ploughing, and all the treatments are prepared on site. But the era of global warming has not been kind to Sauternes, and after a series of low-yield vintages between 2017-2021 due to frost and hail, Berenice was finally obliged to sell up. Wine lovers and real-estate lawyers Jean-Hubert Moitry and his brother Jerome have become the passionately committed new owners of Climens. The previous technical team remains fully in place, with Berenice still in an advisory role, and the commitment to biodynamics continues.
The vineyards sit in one block around the chateau on the Barsac plateau, at dizzy heights of 20 metres above sea level. The vines are planted on Barsac red sandy clays that lie on limestone. Unusually, Climens is monovarietal, planted to 100% Semillon. Fermentation takes place entirely in barrel, with around 40% new oak each year. As well as the grand vin, there is an excellent sweet second wine, Cypres de Climens as well (since 2018) a dry white, Asphodele. (NT 13/04/26)
