2017 - Suduiraut, Sauternes

The 2017 Suduiraut, with 150 g/L residual sugar, is pale lemon-gold in color. It needs a little coaxing before releasing a full array of gregarious grapefruit, honeyed peaches, and lemon curd inspired scents, followed by hints of sea spray, lime blossoms, yuzu, and coriander seed. The palate is super-intense, offering tight-knit citrus and stone fruit layers with a racy backbone of freshness and seductive creaminess, finishing with epic length.

Just as impressive as it was in barrel, the 2017 Suduiraut is positively dazzling. Pineapple, orange peel, crême brulée, white flowers, honey, apricot and hazelnut are some of the many nuances that develop in the glass. Rich and heady, yet also wonderfully vibrant, the 2017 is developing into a stunning Suduiraut. The 140 grams of residual sugar is very nicely integrated. Only the fruit from the last two picks made it into the Grand Vin.

More floral and elegantly perfumed than its 2015 and 2016 counterparts, the 2017 Suduiraut exhales aromas of white flowers, peaches, plums and ripe orchard fruits. Medium to full-bodied, round and enveloping with a delicate, fleshy core of fruit, it’s perfectly balanced with a stunning "rôti," the consequence of noble rot. It concludes with a long, penetrating and mineral-laden finish, showcasing the wine's youthful expressiveness. This blend of 94% Sémilllon and 6% Sauvignon Blanc contains 140 grams per liter of residual sugar and was matured for 18 months in a combination of new oak barrels and one-year-old barrels, split evenly.

94% Sémillon, 6% Sauvignon Blanc. Harvested 26 September to 19 October (3 tris). Yield 15 hl/ha (25–30% of the crop lost to frost). Aged 18 months in oak barrels (50% new, 50% one year). RS 140 g/l, TA 3.9.Golden hue. In an expressive phase on the nose with citrus (mandarin) fruit notes evident. Lovely freshness but the palate incredibly rich and intense. Real density with a minerally note on the finish. Enormous potential. (JL)