Château Climens

The name Climens first appears in a document from 1547, recording that Guirault Roborel, the King's advocate in Barsac, inherited the land from his father. The Roborel de Climens family built up the domain over more than two centuries, initiating viticulture and constructing an elegant chartreuse in the 17th century. After damage during the French Revolution, the estate was sold in 1802 and passed through several owners before Henri Gounouilhou, a Bordeaux publisher, acquired it in 1855, the same year Climens was classified a Premier Cru in the official Sauternes-Barsac Classification. In 1971, Lucien Lurton of Château Brane-Cantenac purchased the estate from the Gounouilhou family, and his daughter Bérénice Lurton assumed management in 1992. Only five families have owned the estate in its recorded history, an exceptional continuity that has helped preserve both the single-block vineyard and the estate's character.

• Classified Premier Cru Classé in 1855, one of eleven First Growths in Sauternes-Barsac; Château d'Yquem holds the separate Premier Cru Supérieur rank
• Lucien Lurton acquired the estate in 1971; Bérénice Lurton assumed management in 1992 and oversaw three decades of quality enhancement and biodynamic conversion
• Majority stake sold on July 4, 2022 to Jean-Hubert Moitry and family via Patrimonia Développement; Bérénice Lurton remains in an advisory role and Frédéric Nivelle continues as technical director

The 31-hectare vineyard is planted exclusively to Sémillon, a single-variety approach that is rare even within Sauternes. At the time of the Lurton family's acquisition, small amounts of Sauvignon Blanc and Muscadelle were present, but these were removed and replanted with Sémillon. The vineyard is divided into four enclos and further subdivided into 25 parcels, with vines planted at a density of 6,600 vines per hectare. Biodynamic farming began in 2011, with Biodyvin certification achieved in 2014 and Demeter certification in 2017; a dedicated 'tisanerie' or tea room is used to dry biodynamic plant preparations collected on the estate. Harvest is conducted entirely by hand in multiple passes (tries) through the vineyard to select only optimally botrytized grapes. Vinification takes place in French oak barrels, and the wine is aged on lees for approximately 20 to 22 months in barrels with around 30 to 40% new oak. The wine is neither fined nor filtered.

• 100% Sémillon; vineyard laid out as one single block, subdivided into 4 enclos and 25 parcels; vine density 6,600 vines per hectare
• Biodynamic conversion began 2011; Biodyvin-certified 2014, organic-certified 2013, Demeter-certified 2017; uses only natural yeast
• Hand-harvested in multiple tries; fermented and aged in French oak barrels, 30 to 40% new oak, approximately 20 to 22 months; not fined or filtered
• Entire harvests declassified when quality standards are not met; no grand vin was produced in 1984, 1987, 1992, or 1993, and vintages 2017, 2018, 2020, and 2021 were also declassified due to frost, hail, and mildew

Climens sits at the highest point of the Barsac plateau, approximately 20 meters above sea level, where the limestone bedrock comes closest to the surface. The soils are a thin layer of ferruginous red clay and sand over fissured, fossil-rich limestone, locally known as 'calcaire à astéries,' a substrate enriched with iron oxide and the remains of starfish fossils. This well-drained limestone terroir promotes the concentration naturally associated with botrytis and contributes a mineral distinctiveness to the wine. Within Sauternes, Barsac is the only village commune entitled to its own separate appellation; producers may label wines as either Barsac or Sauternes, but Climens uses only the Barsac appellation to emphasize the terroir specificity of its wines. The prevalence of limestone in Barsac tends to give its wines greater freshness and acidity compared to wines from more purely sandy or gravelly sectors of Sauternes.

• Vineyard sits at approximately 20 meters above sea level on the highest point of the Barsac plateau; soils are ferruginous red sand and clay over fissured limestone (calcaire à astéries)
• Barsac is the only Sauternes commune with its own separate appellation; wines may be labeled Barsac or Sauternes, but Climens exclusively uses Barsac
• Limestone-dominant terroir delivers greater freshness and mineral lift compared to sandier Sauternes sectors, giving Climens its characteristic elegance and precision

Château Climens is widely regarded as the epitome of delicacy and finesse in Sauternes-Barsac, offering a counterpoint to the power and concentration of Château d'Yquem. The wine shows honeyed tropical fruit, white flowers, citrus zest, vanilla, and spice in youth, with ample acidity that provides lift and the structure to age for decades. Historic vintages such as 1929, 1947, and 1949 were described by writer Alexis Lichine as lighter and more subtle than d'Yquem, yet 'miraculously subtle,' and a bottle of 1949 tasted in recent years confirmed the estate's extraordinary ageing potential. Wines from the finest vintages can age for 50 years or more. Since 2018, the estate has also produced Asphodèle, a dry white wine made from 100% Sémillon, developed with input from Sancerre winemaker Pascal Jolivet.

• Style = delicacy, precision, and mineral freshness rather than sheer opulence; often contrasted with d'Yquem as the more elegant, food-friendly expression of botrytized Bordeaux
• Aromas include honeyed tropical fruit, white flowers, citrus zest, vanilla, and spice; mature examples develop complexity while retaining freshness due to the limestone-driven acidity
• Finest vintages can age 50 years or more; 1929, 1947, and 1949 cited by Alexis Lichine as surpassing d'Yquem in subtlety
• Asphodèle, a 100% Sémillon dry white, launched with the 2018 vintage; second wine is Cypres de Climens

Château Climens has long been considered the premier estate in Barsac and one of the benchmarks for sweet wine in all of Bordeaux. Robert Parker described it as 'one of France's monumental sweet wines,' and both Neal Martin and Chris Kissack have consistently praised its precision and character. A run of difficult vintages from 2017 to 2021, caused by devastating frosts, hail, and mildew, placed the estate under financial pressure and contributed to Bérénice Lurton's decision to sell a majority stake. In July 2022, Jean-Hubert Moitry and his family, through Patrimonia Développement, acquired that majority share. Lurton retained a minority stake and an advisory role, while technical director Frédéric Nivelle, who has worked at the estate for more than 25 years, continues to lead the winemaking team. The 2022 vintage represented a strong return to form under the new ownership.

• Robert Parker described Climens as 'one of France's monumental sweet wines,' praising its 'laser-like flavor precision' and food compatibility
• Series of frost and weather-related disasters from 2017 to 2021, with entire vintages declassified, was a key factor in the 2022 ownership transition
• Moitry family acquired majority stake via Patrimonia Développement on July 4, 2022; Bérénice Lurton remains as advisor; Frédéric Nivelle continues as technical director

Château Climens's crystalline acidity and measured sweetness make it one of the most food-versatile sweet wines in Bordeaux. Serve chilled at 8 to 10 degrees Celsius in a medium white wine glass to concentrate aromatics. Younger vintages are ideally suited to rich, savory preparations such as foie gras terrine or creamy blue cheeses, where the wine's natural salinity and acidity cut through richness. Mature bottles develop sufficient nutty complexity to partner roasted poultry with fruit-based sauces, while the wine's honeyed stone-fruit character pairs harmoniously with not-too-sweet almond-based pastries and crème-based desserts. The dry white Asphodèle, made from the same Sémillon vineyard, suits oysters, grilled fish, and lighter dishes.

• Foie gras terrine with brioche: the classic Sauternes-Barsac pairing; the wine's acidity and salinity balance the richness of the dish
• Aged Comté or Roquefort: mineral salinity of Climens complements the complexity of aged or blue-veined cheeses
• Roasted Cornish hen or duck with apricot or peach sauce: gentle fruit character bridges the wine's stone-fruit notes with the sauce
• Almond tart or financier with vanilla cream: subtle sweetness and hazelnut notes echo the wine's botrytis-derived character