1959 Château Sigalas-Rabaud

Sigalas-Rabaud is a 35-acre, Premier Cru estate in the commune of Bommes. It has a nearly 400-year history as a wine-producing enterprise, and at certain points in its history it was called Château Rabaud-Sigalas. Today the estate is run by Laure de Lambert Compeyrot, whose grandfather took control of the estate when he married into the family in the early 20th century. The estate remains one of the few family-owned estates in Sauternes, and it is the smallest in terms of vineyard acreage. Sigalas-Rabaud produces its flagship Sauternes, as well as a second wine called Lieutenant de Sigalas, also a Sauternes. With the 2009 vintage there is new a dry white wine called Demoiselle de Sigalas, a Bordeaux Blanc blend of Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc. About 30,000 bottles of the flagship Sauternes are produced annually.

Sauternes makes the world’s most famous dessert wines. Though the appellation lies within the Graves region of Bordeaux’s left bank, the appellation makes only sweet wines from white grapes, primarily Semillon sometimes blended with small amounts of Muscadelle. The five communes within Sauternes are Barsac, Bommes, Fargues, Preignac and Sauternes. Barsac also has its own appellation and, typically, Barsac wines are slightly drier and lighter than other Sauternes. Sauternes are made when weather conditions result in a mold called Botrytis cinerea developing on the grapes, which causes them to become especially sweet. Sauternes are not produced every vintage, so successful vintages become especially collectible. Sauternes estates were classified in 1855, and Château d’Yquem, the appellation’s most prestigious estate, was ranked in a class by itself as a Premier Grand Cru. Château d’Yquem wines are among the most prized wines in the world.

Bommes