Sauternes

[Newbie23]

I had been reading a lot about Sauternes being one of the better dessert wines so I decided to try a bottle. It was a 2000 Chateau Gravas purchased at a wine shop for about $20. I found it tasted like rubbing alchol. I tried eating it with dessert thinking it might balance the taste and strength but I just couldn't stand it. Is Sauternes normally like this? I thought it was suposted to be a light sweet easy drinking dessert wine, this stuff could melt steel!