2003 de Malle

Ex-chateau bottle tasted blind in Sauternes. The Chateau de Malle ‘03 has a rather “thin” nose considering the growing season – flat and rather one-dimensional. The palate is better, but it is also simple with light orange peel and walnut notes and then it fades indolently towards the slightly bitter finish. It just comes across as rather fatigued. Drink now. Tasted April 2013.

Healthy yellow-gold for the year. Subdued but pure aromas of fresh peach, Cointreau, caramel and vanillin oak. Sweet, very ripe and pure, with impressively concentrated flavors of stone and citrus fruits and spices. Offers excellent precision and lift, especially for this very ripe year. If a few 2003s have not delivered on their early promise, this one is even better than it appeared to be from barrel last spring.

Medium yellow. Slightly reduced aromas of quince, nuts, gunflint and smoky lees. Fat, sweet and concentrated, withflavors of apricot, peach nectar and smoke. With its low acidity, this is just this side of heavy. Finishes with very good persistence.