Wine Advisor
Sigalas Rabaud 2017
Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Lisa Perrotti-Brown
The 2017 Sigalas Rabaud gives up tropical notions of pineapple paste, passion fruit and green mango with hints of honeycomb, florals and exotic spices. The palate is rich, concentrated and super spicy on the finish with a compelling lift of freshness.
Reviewed by: Lisa Perrotti-Brown
The 2017 Sigalas Rabaud is a little cedary to begin, giving way to a good core of spiced pears and warm peaches notes with hints of honeysuckle and chanterelle mushrooms. The palate is wonderfully crisp, lifting the decadent richness, finishing long and fruity.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The 2017 Sigalas Rabaud shows good energy and depth in its citrus, floral and slight tropical notes. Even so the angular contours I saw in barrel have never fully resolved. I would prefer to drink the 2017 sooner rather than later, as time will only accentuate those harder edges.
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.