2016 Château Haut-Bergeron Sauternes (375 mL) Half-Bottle

Château Haut-Bergeron's 2016 Sauternes was one of the highlights of last year's trip to Bordeaux. We were turned on to this 96-point gem by our friend John Salvi, a Bordeaux-based Master of Wine, and we were so impressed that we quickly secured as much as we could at a price that's substantially lower than peers of its quality.

After a long day bombing through the backroads of St.-Émilion we were ready to go home, eat something rich and nutritious and let our palates recover for our tasting rounds the next day, but John had other ideas.

Turning the car south, he hopped on the phone and declared that he had a treat in store: something sweet to end the day. Less than an hour later, we rolled into Château Haut-Bergeron—and an hour after that we were locking down all we could for our members.

As you might expect, the wine we tasted was spectacular. Our notes read "heaven" as we reveled in the beautifully detailed, layered flavors of the wine. The nose combined classical Sauternes aromas of apricots and peaches with ginger, jasmine, and lemon zest. On the palate, the wine brought bold, rich flavors of Meyer lemon marmalade, Tahitian vanilla, orange blossoms, and tree-ripened nectarines, but with a zestiness and minerality that marked it as top-class. It was clear from the first sip that this had the energy and brightness that only the finest dessert wines possess.

There's a reason that John Salvi insisted on taking us to Haut-Bergeron. Despite being relatively unknown here in the US, they remain a top insider's pick for experts in France—like John, a Master of Wine who lives in Bordeaux—and the UK, where they have a devoted following. The Decanter World Wine Awards awarded this 2016 a 96-point score, declaring it "pitch-perfect Sauternes."

While tasting at the estate, it was easy to see why the wines were so good. Haut-Bergeron owns land in both Sauternes and Barsac, and the diversity of soils helps to build complexity in the wine, which is mostly made out of the tricky-to-grow Sémillon grape (just like much fancier producers Climens and d'Yquem). They finish their Sauternes in perfectly proportioned 50% new oak, an expensive step that builds texture and brings vanilla and spicy highlights to the mix.

There's a reason that Sauternes is one of the classic wines of the world—the combination of complexity, age-worthiness, and deliciousness is hard to beat. Château Haut-Bergeron is a rare top example that's priced like a mid-tier bottling. Stock your cellar accordingly.