Classed as a first growth in 1855, Château Suduiraut is one of Sauternes’ great estates. Situated just north of Yquem, it has some of the finest terroir of the region and arguably the grandest château. The estate has been on first class form since the beginning of the century, moving up a gear again with the 2009 and 2010 vintages. We have just shipped a parcel of the remarkable 2016, which is now lying with us and is ready to go.
At the 2016 Ten Years On tasting, held here at Farr HQ in February, Suduiraut was the undoubted star of the sweet whites, walking the Sauternes flight and doing so by quite some margin. It outscored every single wine on the flight, trumping even Yquem (and it was a long way from a photo-finish).
A six bottle case of 2016 Yquem will set you back roughly £1,400 these days (before taxes); our stock of 2016 Suduiraut, shipped from Bordeaux last month, comes in at £180 per six in bond, or £175 per six for a dozen bottles plus.
“The 2016 Suduiraut was very fine out of barrel and bottling but ten years on, wow, it trounces all-comers with a stellar showing”, writes Neal Martin, scoring it 96 points. Thomas Parker MW, also tasting blind at the Ten Years On tasting, scores it 95+: “This is quite clearly the Sauternes of the vintage.”
Sauternes remains fundamentally under-priced. There are few places in the world better-suited to make great botrytised sweet wine and it takes passion, time, skill and no shortage of manpower to make. That we can offer a first growth wine, with ten years of maturity, strong reviews and a knock-out performance at the definitive blind tasting of ten year old Bordeaux for just £30 per bottle in bond is hard to credit. Add the bulletproof provenance, a 34% discount to its 2017 release price (and no storage charges since) and it’s fair to say that we have quite the deal on our hands.
The 2016 Suduiraut was very fine out of barrel and bottling but ten years on, wow, it trounces all-comers with a stellar showing. It is very nuanced on the nose, pure with scents of quince, saffron and a touch of white flowers, the oak beautifully integrated. The palate is very well balanced with superb weight, real density and power as it fans out towards the finish. There is a sense of grandeur here. Tasted blind at the Southwold 10-Year-On tasting. Drink 2028-2055.
Tasted blind at the Ten Years On tasting. This is quite clearly the Sauternes of the vintage. Produced in tiny quantities but yielding tremendous results, this wine has a pure golden colour and explosive nose, bringing saffron, ginger, honey and dried fruit in one with so much more power than any other sweet wine in 2016. The palate has real prowess, with layers of poached pear, apricot tarte tatin, more ginger in syrup, vanilla and cinnamon all coming together. Succulent, sweet intense and complete, there is a textural richness, layered profile and caramel-like finish. The acidity is all there, refreshing the flavours, but be in no doubt this is old school, moreish, sweet Sauternes with all the trimings, spilling over with notes of marmalade and brioche on the finish.
The 2016 Suduiraut has 145 g/l of residual sugar. Pale lemon-gold in color, it flies out of the glass with vivacious, youthful scents of lemon tart, lime cordial, and orange blossom, plus suggestions of nutmeg, marzipan, and creme brulee. The rich, seductive, full-bodied palate really packs a powerful wallop of fruit, supported by a seamless line of freshness and a decadently oily texture, finishing long and perfumed.
Yet another distinctive wine, the 2016 Suduiraut reveals a spicy, intriguing bouquet of licorice, acacia, curry leaf and exotic fruits mingled with ripe orchard fruits. Moderately weighted and perfectly balanced, it’s charming and round, with a rich core of fruit framed by a gastronomic bitterness and a long, penetrating finish. Harvested in four tries between September 22 and November 9, with a yield of 22 hectoliters per hectare, it was matured for 18 months in 50% new oak barrels and 50% one-year-old barrels and contains 140 grams per liter of residual sugar.
