The Council of the 1855 Grands Crus Classés and its Bordeaux Sweet Wines
Tasting, September 2026, at Château Myrat, for the Press.

Nestled in the heart of the Sauternais, this estate has regained its vigor and welcomed us on a radiant day to taste the full range of regional Sauternes & Barsac sweet wines belonging to the Council, supervised by Mr. Sylvain Boivert.

The Council of the 1855 Grands Crus Classés (Médoc & Sauternes) is the official body responsible for defending and showcasing the Classification of Bordeaux wines, established at the request of Emperor Napoleon III for the 1855 Paris Universal Exhibition.

Aside from Yquem, all the Châteaux were present — 11 First Growths and 15 Second Growths.

An « Annapurna-like » tasting session held in an aristocratic setting of fine taste, where the nectars were served in triumphant crystal chalices with slender, graceful stems by the maker Sy, so that they could express their evanescent and striking « jubilescences. » A bet well won!

From this full lineup, I chose — by emotion and sensation — three wines to sign the Wine4Melomanes pairings. Each estate presented the 2023 vintage along with an older one of their choosing.

That is how Château Myrat 2023 Sauternes (grown on clay-limestone soil over fissured limestone) won me over with its trio of grape varieties: sémillon, sauvignon blanc, and muscadelle. A waxy bouquet with an airy, expansive sensitivity, flavors of pine, flambéed Victoria pineapple, and very ripe, indulgent citrus juice, where the textured sweetness becomes the cashmere of this wondrous tasting.

The ethereal and sensual jazz composition « Ano Yo, » created by American artist Miguel Atwood-Ferguson in 2023, is suggested as the pairing, underscoring the richness and complexity of the nectar tasted, as well as its nimble, evolving vivacity in the glass during a swing-swirl of the hand.

Second, Château Rabaud-Promis Sauternes 2023 (three white grape varieties as with the previous wine), with its sumptuous bottle featuring a swarm-of-bees design, rivals it with a fresh, lush nectar of mixed apricot and mango marmalade, exotic lemons, and resinous, waxy notes.

The lively sensuality of the track « Breathe » by Brighter Days Family Inn (2023) echoes the bottle’s attractive modernity and, with its smooth voice over an Afro-rhythmic backdrop, embraces the beverage’s substantial flavors.

Third, Château Sigalas Rabaud Sauternes 2023 (sémillon, sauvignon), with floral notes and a complex, poetic symbiosis of vivid aromas and candid flavors joining the previous two in a similarly fresh style.

The musical signature of the artists Irreversible Entanglements, with « Free Love » (2023), illustrates that fantastical flight one can experience while tasting these voluptuous wonders crafted by human hands.

In the photo slideshow, from left to right, the other bottles that also caught my attention, accompanied by a light lunchtime cocktail in the sun to close out this shared moment.

W4M-Set.2026-F.Beneix