1989 Château Gilette Crème de Tête Sauternes 750ml

1989 Château Gilette Crème de Tête: Concrete-Aged Sauternes Treasure

The 1989 Château Gilette Crème de Tête Sauternes 750ml represents an extraordinary, singular anomaly in the world of sweet fine wines. In particular, Château Gilette ages its sweet wines in hermetically sealed concrete vats for more than two decades without wood contact before bottling. In addition, the solar, historically warm 1989 harvest produced fruit of immense botrytis concentration, honeyed complexity, and remarkable freshness.

Tasting Notes for 1989 Château Gilette Crème de Tête

The wine opens with a dazzling bouquet of candied citrus peel, dried apricot, honeycomb, and white truffle. Furthermore, captivating nuances of saffron, lemon verbena, almond paste, and crushed stone unfold in the glass. On the palate, an unctuous, pure entry delivers luscious botrytized sweetness free from any oak tannin or vanillin influence. Consequently, the finish lingers endlessly with pure apricot fruit, lively acidity, and crystalline Sauternes grace.

Key Wine Details

• Producer: Château Gilette

• Vintage: 1989

• Appellation: Sauternes, Bordeaux, France

• Designation: Crème de Tête

• Varietal: Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc, Muscadelle

• Format: 750ml

• Cellar Window: Drink now through 2060

Estate History and Heritage

Known as “The Antiquarian of Sauternes,” René Médeville pioneered this unique aging method in the 1930s, refusing to use oak barrels to prevent oxidation. Specifically, Christian and Julie Gonet Médeville continue this tradition, releasing bottles only after decades of slow evolution in concrete. Moreover, this process preserves an astonishing degree of primary floral perfume and fruit vibrancy.

Today, Château Gilette Crème de Tête is recognized by collectors as one of the most distinctive, long-lived dessert wines in existence. As a result, this 1989 vintage represents an essential discovery for connoisseurs.