Chateau Simon Sauternes 375ml (DNR)

Pairs with: Decadent foie gras, pungent blue cheeses like Roquefort or Stilton, classic apricot tarts, or surprisingly, spicy Thai dishes and crispy fried chicken

Good for: Anchoring a legendary dinner party dessert course, cellaring for a special anniversary, or indulging in a slow, luxurious glass at the end of a great meal

Grape: 80-90% Sémillon, 8–18% Sauvignon Blanc, and 2% Muscadelle

I am from: Sauternes, Bordeaux, France

The Story: Established in 1814, Château Simon is a historic, family-run estate where sisters Anne-Laure and Pauline Dufour now represent the latest generation of passionate winemakers. Sauternes is globally revered for its high-wire relationship with "Noble Rot" (Botrytis Cinerea). In the autumn, morning mists from the nearby Ciron river meet the warm afternoon sun, creating the perfect humid environment for this beneficial fungus to shrivel the grapes on the vine, concentrating their sugars, sugars, and acids. Because the rot behaves unpredictably, workers must meticulously harvest the vineyards by hand in successive waves (tries), plucking only the perfectly botrytized berries before aging the wine for 18 months in fine oak barrels.

Why You'll Love Me: Offered here in the traditional, full-sized bottle, it pours a magnificent, deep golden-yellow color that will deepen into a rich amber over the decades. The nose is a breathtakingly complex kaleidoscope of liquid honey, dried apricots, orange marmalade, saffron, and white flowers. On the palate, it is lusciously sweet and sumptuously full-bodied, wrapping your mouth in a velvety texture. What makes it a true masterpiece is its brilliant, life-giving core of high acidity that cuts cleanly through the rich, honeyed weight, leading to a spectacular, seemingly endless finish of candied ginger and vanilla.