After Yquem, Château Climens is regarded as the region's second best wine. Where Chateau d'Yquem is known for concentration and lusciousness, Climens strive for elegance, purity and freshness. For those looking to discover the best of Sauternes, this wine is a must.

Incredibly opulent and rich, Château d'Yquem is widely considered the greatest sweet wine in the world. Currently owned by LVMH, this prestigious Sauternes estate is at the very top of the appellations classification, designated 1er Cru Classé Supérieur. Château dYquems 110 ha of vineyards are planted to 80% Sémillon and 20% Sauvignon Blanc. The Grand Vin is produced from only fully botrytised fruit, carefully hand-harvested over successive passes by a team of highly skilled pickers. Yields are tiny, with each vine producing just one glass of wine. Fermentation takes place in 100% new oak barriques followed by up to 36 months maturation in oak. A wine of exceptional intensity and complexity, the best vintages of Château d'Yquem are capable of aging gracefully for well over 50 years.

Chateau Doisy Daëne is a deuxième Cru Classé estate of Sauternes located in the Barsac appellation of Bordeaux. Managed by renowned white wine specialist Denis Dubourdieu, the estates sweet Sauternes wine is a fresh lively style with crystalline fruit purity underpinned racy acidity. A fully botrytised blend of Semillon with a minor component of Sauvignon Blanc, the grapes are picked over successive tries and gentle pressed, before undergoing vinification and maturation in one third new French oak barriques for 10 months.

Umamu Estate only releases their wines when theyve had time to develop in the bottle and this Sauvignon Blanc Semillon is drinking beautifully now. In the glass: Beautifully vibrant bright lemon with a still-youthful green tint. On the nose: Lifted mix of toast and honey development. On the palate: Rich and beautifully developed with a lovely warm core of buttered toast, preserved lemon and lemon curd in a terrifically textured, layered and complex wine. So remarkably fresh and complex.

A blend of 70% Sauvignon Blanc and 30% Semillon from Chateau Cos d''Estournel, the landmark producer from Medoc. Sourced from their vineyards in the south of St-Estephe, this detailed and gloriously textured white wine displays the complexities requisite of cellarable Bordeaux blanc wines. The wine is drinkable immediately, but will also reward those considering some mellowing and honeyed complexity that comes with cellaring.

Organically farmed Sauvignon Blanc from Yarra Valley

Few places seem to posses the divinely ordained right to produce Bordeaux’s other iconic export, Sauternes, quite like Clos Haut-Peyaguey. Across 12 hectares of plateau-topping Premier Cru Classé vineyard, Semillon (and a smidge of Sauvignon) grapes patiently wait out summer for the noble rot to set in. We’re talking about botrytis, of course. Once it does, the sweetest grapes are handpicked for vinification before being sent for a French oak siesta. The result is one of the world’s most revered sweet white wines. Unctuous and syrypy; floral and fruity; jammy and spicy: trés magnifique!

The dried-mango and pineapple character is so delicious in this wine. It’s full-bodied and medium-sweet, with a pretty density and a fruity finish. Wonderful balance to this super Sauternes. This is a little in reserve now, with so much for the future.