Château Suduiraut 2016

Unusually massive, dense yet well structured, with at this stage an almost indigestible liqueur; the kind of Sauternes that needs to mature—imposing, built for the next generation, astonishing.

This is a powerful style, with a mix of creamed pear, fig, papaya and persimmon flavors liberally laced with crème brûlée and orange blossom honey notes, through a ginger-tinged finish. In line with the vintage's forward persona, but this has notably more breadth and depth than most of its peers. Best from 2023 through 2038. 5,333 cases made.

A very concentrated Sauternes with a cornucopia of dried papaya, pineapple and mango, plus candied orange and tropical flowers that bowl you over. Although it stays in the background, there’s great acidity in this wine that keeps it very straight and clean, in spite of the luscious extravagance. Bright, citrusy finish. Drink or hold.

Tasted blind. Sweet, satiny, coconut aromas. More flattering than refreshing. Already broachable. Lots going on – like a really fancy curry! Long, with many layers of flavour and excitement. Kerpow! (JR)

The 2016 Suduiraut is fabulous. Crème brûlée, passion fruit, tangerine peel and exotic floral notes all race out of the glass. I marvel at how Suduiraut can deliver so much flavor intensity and yet remain so gracious and classy. The 140 grams of residual sugar are very well integrated. This is such a gorgeous wine.

Quite floral in nature, the wine balances freshness, honeyed peaches, pineapple, apricots and vanilla with luscious, honeyed, tropical fruits.

Medium green-yellow, silver reflections. Aromas of ripe apricot, clear honey, yellow peach, and a fine touch of botrytis. On the palate, a juicy, powerful Auslese style with evident residual sugar, good length, opulent vintage, rather baroque. It is a potent sweet wine.

Fine toast on the nose, almond, grilled pineapple, peach, citrus, dry spices with discreet oak. The palate is bold, rounded texture, layers of unctuous fruit and a rounded opulent finish.

As to the Sauternes, the 2016 Château Suduiraut boasts a medium gold color and a fresh, clean, beautifully perfumed bouquet of orange blossom, honeyed pineapple, and flowers, with notable botrytis, which can be lacking in a number of Sauternes in 2016. With moderate acidity, a fleshy, full-bodied texture, and loads of fruits, it’s geared more toward drinking over the coming 10-15 years than any over-the-top cellaring.

Medium yellow with a golden sheen. What concentration, with ripe mirabelles and quince juice. On the palate it’s oily, almost syrupy, again very compact with orange blossom, acacia honey and Cointreau liqueur in a never-ending finish. Where does this concentration come from, I asked Pierre Monteguet? “We did harvest 23 hl/ha, but only 35% of that is Grand Vin!” was his answer. Potential rating!

Kunz barrel sample 17: (94% Sémillon, 6% Sauvignon Blanc) Opulent, dense, powerful bouquet, cooked pears, apricots, biscuit dough, mint. Velvety, tightly knit palate with a generous structure, pronounced sweetness, good acidity, dense, varied aromatics, long, opulent, creamy finish. Can still improve.

(94% Sémillon, 6% Sauvignon Blanc) Opulent, dense, powerful bouquet of cooked pears, apricots, biscuit dough, mint. Velvety, tightly knit palate with generous structure, pronounced sweetness, good acidity, dense, multifaceted aromatics, long, lavish, creamy finish. Can still improve. 18/20 2026 - 2050

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 crème brûlée. 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.

Beautiful nose reminiscent of candied apricot with a subtle hint of frangipane. A full-bodied wine on the palate, yet never overwhelmed by the richness of its liqueur: the power of its terroir gives it great poise.

Pleasant freshness on the bouquet with citrus zest and hints of Cointreau! Dense and suave on the attack, the wine has flesh, richness, but also tension. The magical balance of Barsac… within the generous framework of Suduiraut. That too is harmony… and you can start drinking it now, but I would personally wait a little longer!

Logo on the cork: CB Golden yellow color with green highlights. Intense, delicate, subtle nose with pure, ripe fruit. Delicate on the attack, supple mid-palate, melt-in-the-mouth texture; the wine trails off a little soft on the finish, with normal length.

95–97. Barrel Sample. This is a dense wine, full of rich fruit, bitter orange and apricot. Its ripe fruit is balanced by the intense botrytis while it is also freshened by the wine's acidity. This is a great wine with a long-term future.