Tasting Report: Superb Dry, Sweet Bordeaux Whites 2013

I am definitely buying some 2013 Bordeaux en primeur, or futures, but it's probably only going to be white - dry or sweet.

Despite the difficult the vintage for wine producers in France's famous wine region, the whites I tasted from barrel in late March were phenomenal. The dry whites have a marvelous mineral character and creamy texture due to their bright and lively acidities. The sweet whites have a fabulous intensity of spicy botrytis character that manifests itself in the wines as a solid core of sweet and intense fruit. Meanwhile, the lively acidity in these wines gave them an almost sweet and sour character.

My favorite wine of the vintage was the great Sauternes of Chateau d'Yquem. I scored it 98-99 points. The winemaker, Sandrine Garbay, says that the wine compares well to 2007 or even 1997, but I like to think it resembles the legendary 2001 - a wine I scored 100 points (as did Robert Parker). The 2013 d'Yquem has a fabulous purity of botrytis character.

A video interview with Sandrine will be posted this week. There will also be videos with Charles Chevalier, head of Rieussec, and Christian Seeley of Suduiraut.

"Botrytis was certainly a problem for the red wines in 2013," joked Chevalier while tasting the Sauternes barrel sample at Lafite-Rothschild. "But it was wonderful for Sauternes. It developed quickly in the vineyards and we harvested exceptional grapes."