Wine Advisor
Sigalas Rabaud 2016
Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Lisa Perrotti-Brown
The 2016 Sigalas Rabaud is pale lemon colored and offers very pure lemon drops and lime cordial notes with wafts of honeysuckle, lanolin, brioche and crème brûlée. The palate delivers great freshness and depth with layer upon layer of citrus and savory flavors and a super long finish.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The 2016 Château Sigalas-Rabaud felt a little straightforward on the nose, floral but just missing the depth and concentration of its peers. The palate is medium-bodied with tangerine and clementine on the entry, a tang of lemongrass towards the finish that perks things up and suggests that there is better to come once this Sauternes is in bottle.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The 2016 Sigalas-Rabaud has an attractive bouquet of dried honey, lemon curd and light quince aromas; a touch of lanolin emerges with time. The palate has a pleasing, viscous entry tinged with tangy marmalade. It feels harmonious and focused, and reveals a touch of ginger on the persistent finish. This is a very fine Sauternes that is worth seeking out. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting.
Reviewed by: Lisa Perrotti-Brown
The 2016 Sigalas Rabaud has a pale lemon color and a wonderfully soft-spoken nose of fresh melon, white peaches and ripe pears with suggestions of allspice, jasmine and baking bread plus a waft of lemongrass. The palate is relatively elegant and savory with pristine fruit and lovely freshness, finishing polished with loads of tightly wound layers and a mineral kick.
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
The 2016 Sigalas-Rabaud has an attractive bouquet of dried honey, lemon curd and light quince aromas; a touch of lanolin emerges with time. The palate has a pleasing, viscous entry tinged with tangy marmalade. It feels harmonious and focused, and reveals a touch of ginger on the persistent finish. This is a very fine Sauternes that is worth seeking out. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting.
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.