Chateau La Tour Blanche, Sauternes, 2001

Classified Premier Cru in 1855—the highest rank in Sauternes after Yquem's unique Premier Cru Supérieur designation—Château La Tour Blanche holds the rare distinction of being both a Premier Cru Classé estate and, since 1909, an agricultural school—bequeathed to the French state by philanthropist Daniel Iffla with the condition it train future winemakers. The dual identity suits the wine: scholarly precision married to sensuous richness. The 2001 vintage is widely considered the finest Sauternes of the new millennium, with ideal alternating warm days and cool nights that drove perfect botrytis development. Eighty-three percent Sémillon with Sauvignon Blanc and Muscadelle, harvested in multiple selective passes, then aged in partially new French oak. The result is golden, honeyed, and layered—dried apricot, crème brûlée, and citrus peel balanced by a spine of acidity that keeps the sweetness in check. Gorgeous with foie gras, Roquefort, or on its own. Built for decades.