Château Romer du Hayot, Le 2 de Romer du Hayot, Sauternes, 2022 - Half-bottle
Château Romer du Hayot, Le 2 de Romer du Hayot, Sauternes, 2022 - Half-bottle
- 37.5cl
- 13%
- Dessert
- Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc
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Optimal drinking window: 2026 - 2035
The Le 2 de Romer du Hayot is a beautifully judged, modern take on Sauternes - all the luscious charm you’d hope for, but with a lovely sense of freshness and lift.
In the glass, ripe apricot, peach compote and candied citrus peel, with a touch of acacia honey and a fresh citrus edge. It's sweet, of course, but beautifully balanced; the acidity keeps it lively and stops it ever feeling heavy. A classic partner to tarte tatin or blue cheese, but the Le 2 is just as good slightly chilled on its own.
The vineyards sit on classic clay-limestone and gravel soils, giving both richness and structure. The blend is 90% Sémillon, bringing texture and honeyed depth, with 10% Sauvignon adding a little aromatic zip and brightness.
This 2022 vintage is drinking beautifully now, showing all its primary fruit character with lovely freshness and balance. Over the next 3-4 years, the wine will develop more honeyed complexity whilst retaining its appealing vibrancy. The citrus edge will gradually integrate, allowing the stone fruit flavours to become more prominent. By 2030-2032, it will reach a lovely plateau of maturity where fruit and honey are perfectly balanced. Well-stored bottles will remain delicious through to 2035, though the fresh, lively character that makes this wine so appealing will be at its best in the earlier years.
Tasting Notes
AppearanceBright golden yellow with hints of amber catching the light.
NoseHoneyed apricot leaps from the glass, followed by candied citrus peel and acacia blossom. There's a touch of fresh lime zest that keeps everything bright and inviting.
PalateSweet but never cloying, with ripe peach compote and apricot jam balanced by lively acidity. The Sauvignon Blanc adds a citrus edge that cuts through the richness, whilst the Sémillon brings texture and honeyed depth.
FinishClean and persistent, with honey and citrus lingering gracefully.
Overall impressionModern Sauternes at its most approachable, with all the luscious charm but none of the weight.
Food Pairings
In Bordeaux, Sauternes is the classic partner to foie gras, where the wine's acidity cuts through the richness whilst the sweetness complements the liver's intensity. Locals also pair it with Roquefort and other strong blue cheeses - the combination of salty, pungent cheese and honeyed wine is magical. During autumn, tarte tatin becomes the perfect match, the wine's apricot and peach flavours echoing the caramelised apples. Many Bordelais enjoy Sauternes with simple fresh fruit tarts or even just ripe pears and walnuts as an elegant end to dinner.
We think this wine would go well with
Serve well chilled at 6-8°C to emphasise the wine's freshness and prevent the sweetness from becoming overwhelming. No need to decant - simply pour into smaller white wine glasses or even tulip-shaped dessert wine glasses to concentrate the aromatics. The half-bottle format is perfect for sharing between two to four people as a dessert wine or aperitif.
The vineyards sit on the classic clay-limestone and gravel soils that define quality Sauternes production. This combination provides both the richness and structure that make the wines so compelling - the clay-limestone delivers depth and texture, while the gravel adds mineral backbone and drainage. The terroir allows for the slow, careful concentration of sugars that Sauternes demands, whilst maintaining the acidity that keeps the wines balanced and age-worthy.
Sauternes is arguably the world's greatest sweet wine appellation, where the morning mists rising from the Ciron river create perfect conditions for noble rot (botrytis cinerea) to develop on the grapes. This beneficial fungus concentrates the sugars whilst adding complexity, creating wines of extraordinary richness and longevity. The appellation's strict rules require hand-picking in multiple passes through the vineyards, selecting only perfectly botrytised grapes. Sauternes has been prized for centuries, though modern producers like Romer du Hayot are proving these wines can be fresh and approachable rather than overwhelmingly sweet.
The 2022 growing season in Bordeaux threw everything at the vines: a warm, dry spring that brought flowering forward, followed by scorching summer heat that had many producers genuinely worried about their fruit. By August, some vineyards were showing real stress, with leaf burn and shrivelling grapes becoming common sights across the Left Bank. The saving grace came in September when temperatures dropped and gentle rains arrived just when the vines needed them most, allowing the late-ripening Cabernet Sauvignon to finish properly whilst preserving freshness.
What emerged from this rollercoaster was a vintage of surprising quality, though yields were predictably low. The reds show concentrated fruit with ripe tannins that avoid the harsh edge that excessive heat can bring - that September reprieve really mattered. Merlot fared particularly well, ripening before the worst of the summer stress, whilst Cabernet Sauvignon varies more depending on terroir and how well individual estates managed the heat. We're finding the wines drink beautifully now with immediate charm, though the better examples will certainly reward patience over the next decade.
FAQs
What does this Sauternes taste like?
It's beautifully balanced with ripe apricot, peach compote and candied citrus peel, honeyed but fresh rather than cloying thanks to lovely acidity.
When should I drink this wine?
It's drinking perfectly now and will remain at its best through to 2035, though the fresh character we love most will shine brightest in the next few years.
What food pairs well with this wine?
Classic matches include tarte tatin, blue cheese like Roquefort, and foie gras, but it's equally lovely slightly chilled on its own as an aperitif.
How should I serve this wine?
Serve well chilled at 6-8°C in smaller white wine glasses - no need to decant, and the half-bottle is perfect for sharing between 2-4 people.
Is this wine worth cellaring?
Whilst it will develop honeyed complexity over the next decade, we think it's at its most charming now with all that fresh, lively character intact.
How does this compare to other Sauternes?
This represents the modern style of Sauternes - all the luscious sweetness you'd expect but with a lovely sense of freshness that makes it more approachable than many traditional examples.
OUR GROWERS
Château Romer du Hayot
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