Wine Advisor
Sigalas Rabaud 2001
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The Sigalas-Rabaud has a ripe honeyed nose that does not quite possess the penetration or complexity of its peers. The palate is well balanced with a viscous opening. This is quite tight and backward although the finish shows there is plenty of concentration that will require continued cellaring to really open up. Tightly coiled and still boasting that lovely nutty, almost Azsu-like finish, this could repay further cellaring.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The ’01 Sigalas has a superb nose with great definition: much sharper and delineated than the ’04 with the minerality of the terroir in more focus than the ’04 with hints of white flowers developing with time, even a hint of umeboshi. The palate is medium-bodied, unctuous in texture, powerful with quince, marmalade, smoke, walnut, leading to a spicy, slightly oxidative, quasi-Tokaji like finish. Excellent. Drink now-2020+ Tasted April 2010.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
One of the best efforts from this property in years, the superb 2001 boasts a light greenish-gold color, tremendous fruit intensity, and a perfume of baked apple pie intermixed with creme brulee, caramel, peaches, honeysuckle, and a hint of vanilla. The wine is full-bodied, relatively sweet, with tremendous purity and definition. This is profound stuff! Anticipated maturity: 2006-2025.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
With coaxing, muted aromas of honeyed citrus, orange marmalade, lanolin, and honeyed lavender emerge from this medium gold-colored, full-bodied, sweet, unctuously textured Sauternes. Still young and unformed, it should be fully mature between 2010-2020+.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
No tasting note given.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The 2001 Sigalas Rabaud never quite gets out of the blocks on the nose, which is a little simple, light and floral, just as I found a decade ago. The palate is balanced with a honeyed opening and pretty white peach and saffron notes, plus a hint of stem ginger, but as before, it does not deliver the complexity or tension on the finish that I expect from a 2001.
About the Producer
Château Sigalas-Rabaud is located in the Sauternes appellation of Bordeaux, France, and is rated as a First Growth in the 1855 Sauternes & Barsac Official Classification. The vineyards of Château Sgrappel are located on the prestigious terraces of the Sauternes appellation and are planted with 85% Semillon and 15% Sauvignon Blanc. The topsoil is made up of gravel and sand, with a clay subsoil, which is well suited to the water and nutrient needs of the grapes and is very conducive to achieving the right level of ripeness. The proximity of the vineyards to the Siron River and the early morning fog create ideal conditions for the propagation of noble rot. The fruit is infested with noble rot, which leaves numerous small holes in the skin. When the sun shines, the sugars, acidity and flavours of the fruit are concentrated, creating a multitude of aromas and flavours. The vineyard is located on a south-facing slope, which allows the infested fruit to be blown by the wind, further accelerating the concentration process. At harvest time, the grapes are hand-picked to select those perfectly infected by noble rot. As the grapes ripen at different times, the harvest may be repeated several times and span a long period of time, from September to November. The grapes are then transferred to French oak barrels for fermentation and the finished wine is aged in 33% new barrels for 18 months. The secondary wines are usually aged for a shorter period of 12 months. Château Sigalas-Rabaud currently produces five wines, three sweet whites and two dry whites, three of which are the Château Sigalas-Rabaud (Sauternes, France), the Lieutenant de Sigalas (Sauternes, France) and the Lieutenant de Sigalas (Sauternes, France). Sigalas-Rabaud Le 5, Sauternes, France. The estate's full-bodied wines are aromatic, with silky tannins and a long, stunning finish, and have received excellent ratings of 90 points or more from the Robert Parker Team, James Suckling and Wine Spectator in several vintages.
