Wine Advisor
Suduiraut 1990
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Tasted from the Chateau reserves at the estate. The deep amber colour is immediately noticeable. It has a Tokaji-like bouquet intermingling with burnt toffee and a touch of crushed white flowers. The palate is reasonably well defined and generous, yet there is a burnt character on entry, slightly oxidative like a Tokaji with spice, orange rind and ginger towards the alcoholic finish. Tasted February 2011.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
A lucid amber hue. A rather muted nose: honey, a touch of marmalade, quince. Not much lift, touch of undergrowth. The palate is well-balanced, a little bit of heat. Reminds me of a Barsac. Still quite tight, apricot, orange zest, ginger. Burnt sugar on the spirity finish. Surprisingly conservative and lacking a little sweetness on the finish. Tasted June 2006.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
An intriguing nose of eau de vie of pears is followed by an alcoholic, ripe, intensely rich, viscous, slightly overbearing wine. If the 1990 Suduiraut pulls itself together, it could turn out to be an outstanding wine. For the moment, I have rated it conservatively. Anticipated maturity: 1995-2010.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
The evolved, medium gold color of the 1990 is prematurely advanced, raising questions about future longevity. It possesses plenty of intensity, and an unctuous, thick, juicy style, but high alcohol and coarseness kept my rating down. There is bitterness as well as fiery alcohol in the finish. The wine does not offer much delineation, so cellaring should prove beneficial as it does have admirable levels of extract. Suduiraut can make powerful, rich wines that are often rustic and excessively alcoholic and hot when young. I am told they become more civilized with age, and certainly older, classic Suduiraut vintages have proven that to be true. I feel this estate's propensity to produce a luxury cuvee (Cuvee Madame) in vintages such as 1989 tends to have a negative impact on the regular cuvee.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
The evolved, medium gold color of the 1990 is prematurely advanced, raising questions about future longevity. The 1990 possesses plenty of intensity, and an unctuous, thick, juicy style, but high alcohol and coarseness kept my rating down. None of these wines offers much delineation, so cellaring should prove beneficial as they do have admirable levels of extract. Last tasted 11/94
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The 1990 Suduiraut is a vintage that I have only tasted once or twice before. It has never really met my expectations with its Tokaji-like bouquet that just seems overdone, too toffee-like for my personal taste. The palate is better thanks to the acidity, yet it feels as if it is trying too hard with that Tokaji-like, slightly oxidative finish. Disappointing for the vintage. 106 gm/L residual sugar. Tasted at a private dinner in Switzerland.
About the Producer
Chateau Suduiraut is located in the Sauternes appellation of Bordeaux, France, which is known for its rich and sweet noble rot wines. In the 1855 Sauternes and Barsac classification, Chateau d'Yquem is the only Grand Cru classed. In addition, Château d'Yquem occupies one of the 11 châteaux in the classification that are now classified as First Growths. Château d'Yquem has a long history: in 1580, Nicole d'Allard married Leonard de Suduiraut, and the estate took its name. At the end of the 18th century, Jean Joseph Duroy, nephew of a member of the Suduiraut family at the time, took over the estate and renamed it Cru du Roy. The emblems of the two families, Xukin and Duroy, were then fused together to form the present logo of the estate. The château is a palace-like building with a beautiful garden designed by Le Notre, Louis XIV's royal gardener. In 1992, AXA Millesimes, the French insurance giant, acquired Château Xugene. AXA Millesimes is a powerful group that also owns the famous Pauillac estate, Chateau Pichon-Longueville Baron. The 91 hectares of vineyards at Château d'Azur are planted with 90% Semillon and 10% Sauvignon Blanc. Semillon is a traditional Sauternes variety that provides powerful structure to the wines, bringing full-bodied flavors of roasted dried fruit, acacia flowers and candied fruit. Sauvignon Blanc, on the other hand, is an aromatic, high-acid variety with very distinctive aromas of citrus and white peach that add complexity and acidity to the wine. The soil is predominantly gravelly and sandy clay, which is permeable and poor, requiring the vines to be deeply rooted to extract nutrients, resulting in low yields and intense mineral flavors. The gravel on the surface of the soil also absorbs heat from the sun, which helps the grapes to ripen more quickly. The planting density of the Chateau Xugene vineyard is 7,000 vines per hectare, and the average age of the vines is 35 years. The vineyard's proximity to the Ciron and Garonne rivers, with cool nights, early autumn mists and sunny afternoons, creates the right conditions for the formation and growth of noble rot. The winery prunes the grapes short to allow the bunches to enjoy more sunlight. The harvesting process at Château Xugene is very delicate, with workers picking the grapes in batches according to the infestation of noble rot, and even picking a vine several times. In terms of winemaking, Château Xukin adheres to a philosophy of quality first. The hand-picked grapes undergo a long and careful pressing process to obtain the most aromatic juice, and the fermented wine is then matured in oak barrels for 18-24 months to allow the wine to develop its full flavor and structure. The winery has strict quality standards, and if the quality of the wine does not meet expectations in a given year, the winery will even abandon the production of the year's main wine, Chateau Suduiraut, Sauternes, France. Currently, Chateau Suduiraut produces three sweet white wines, including Chateau Suduiraut, Sauternes, France, which are the best expression of the Sauternes terroir.
1948(1)1983(3)1988(1)1989(2)
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