Château Suduiraut 2020

A bold, unctuous style, with generous apricot, papaya and creamed yellow apple notes coated liberally with marzipan, pecan and warm pie crust accents. For fans of the old power style of Sauternes. Drink now through 2035. 2,865 cases made.

Orange zest and juice on the nose, rich flowing caramel, honeysuckle, white flowers, white chocolate, grapefruit, lemon drops and wild honey. Unctuous and sweet, a lovely deepening of the sugary lemon, white chocolate, pineapple flavour, but so appealing, so round and balanced, still with bitter edges that don't give this a cloying aspect. Clean and precise, this has been well worked, it’s so appealing in the mouth with juicy acidity but also structure and length and a sense of seriousness in the bitter tang that lingers on the tongue. Structured, sophisticated, nuanced and detailed with a beautiful overall weight. I love the complexity, sheer enjoyment and satisfaction. 50% new oak, 50% one year for 18 months. 137g/l.

What an amazing nose of tropical fruits like lychees, mangoes and pineapples, with botrytis spice, too. Full and very layered with candied apple, tangerines and kumquats. Sweet and so balanced. Super brightness, too. Acidity balances it out. Pure Semillon. Production was only 4 hectoliters per hectare.

The 2020 Suduiraut, which is pure 100% Sémillon, has a fabulous, rich and expressive bouquet with wild honey and orange pith, hints of dried mango and quince laced with melted candle wax and saffron. The palate is supremely well balanced, with the viscous texture and density you would expect from this estate. Yet there’s a sense of control and tension that pulls you back for another sip. Of course, we’re only on the opening pages of a very long book, but this already looks set to be a very enjoyable read.

Intensely concentrated, the wine coats your palate with its multiple layers of honey-slathered pineapples, apricots, candied tangerine rind, spice, marzipan, and vanilla bean. The palate-coating richness is balanced with zesty acidity that offers cut, raciness, and vibrancy from start to finish. Made from 100% Semillon for only the second time in the history of the estate, this is a seriously sweet treat that is going to be close to impossible to find as the yields were a scant 8 hectoliters per hectare, reducing the production by more than 70%. Drink from 2024-2060.

Medium golden yellow, silver reflections. Grapefruit and orange peel, white flowers, fine woody savouriness. Juicy, substantial, yellow tropical fruit, fine acid structure, mineral and long-lasting, very well-integrated sweetness, some ageing potential, should still be allowed to evolve in bottle. (2028-2060).

On another level, the 2020 Château Suduiraut is flat-out stunning and boasts a phenomenal array of orange blossom, honeyed minerality, lychee nut, caramelized peach, and assorted spices. Rich, full-bodied, and concentrated, it nevertheless has the vintage’s riveting purity and precision. Sauternes doesn't get much better.

Kunz barrel sample 2021: (100% Sémillon, 14% vol. alcohol, 137 g/l residual sugar) Powerful, velvety, creamy bouquet, stewed pears, linden blossom, mint, subtle citrus, honey, chalk. Creamy, full, opulent palate with pronounced sweetness, fine acidity, intense and complex aromatics, long, finely generous finish. Still has room to improve.

(100% Sémillon, 14% alc./vol., 137 g/L residual sugar) Powerful, velvety, creamy bouquet: cooked pears, linden blossom, mint, subtle citrus, honey, chalk. Creamy, full, opulent palate with pronounced sweetness, fine acidity, intense, multi-layered aromatics, and a long, finely lavish finish. Can improve further. 18/20 2026 - 2060

92-93

A veritable shower of apricots on the nose: notes of dried apricot, Hunza apricot, apricot kernel, and apricot blossom emerge. The bouquet is rich, fruity, fresh, dry, pure, and intense. The palate is lush and savory, with great seriousness. This is a dessert wine that can replace dessert itself! The finish is remarkable for its persistence, intensity, and seductive flavors.

What the second wine announced is found in the first wine, but with greater density, at least on the nose. Beyond earthy nuances, the bouquet reveals aromas of candied orange zest, evoking Cointreau. Rich and suave, Suduiraut clearly underlines its ability to stand the test of the coming decades. It is endowed with a lively structure that forms a backbone capable of managing the decades ahead. A Suduiraut with a persistent finish, shining with its harmony and its ability to so deftly reconcile charm and freshness.

Impressively intense, with exotic and honeyed aromas. It delivers delightful notes of passion fruit, soft apricot, quince jelly, and wafts of acacia blossom. The attack is crisp, centered on candied lemon, leading into a rich palate. Rare in quantity but of great power and great precision.

This wine is pure Sémillon, giving richness. The weight gets a massive lift from acidity and aromatic, spicy honey. The wine's balance is impeccable, with poise and elegance, and it will age well. Drink from 2026.