Wine Advisor
Suduiraut 2003
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Tasted from the Chateau reserves at the estate. The 2003 has a pale gold hue. The nose is typically rich and extrovert with a slight blur of alcohol. There are notes of pure honey, orange rind, beeswax and a touch of spice. The palate is very mellifluous on the entry but there is the acidity cutting through it, honey, pineapple, orange peel, a touch of ginger, very powerful on the finish that has some roti notes. It is missing the refinement and tension of a great Suduiraut but it still delivers a hedonistic thrill. Tasted October 2010.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Ex-chateau bottle tasted blind in Sauternes. To be honest, this vintage of Suduiraut has never been thrilling and is certainly not in the same class as the 2001 or 2009, to give two examples. The nose is powerful and rich with scents of Clementine, beeswax and quince that certainly pack a punch. The palate is spicy on the viscous entry with bitter orange, marmalade and stem ginger, although the glycerine-rich finish is missing some freshness and tension. This remains an unashamedly hedonistic Suduiraut. Tasted April 2013.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
"Poised like a ballerina on tip-toe" scribbled I when tasting this precocious Suduiraut out of barrel. Last tasted at the Suduiraut vertical in Jun-06. Slightly deeper than the 2005. The nose is quite peachy, more minerally than I recall with a touch of creme fraiche. The palate is very rich, extravagant with ripe citrus fruits, acacia honey. Very focused, great poise. Ravishing and exotic, though for me surpassed by both the 2001 and 2005. Tasted October 2005.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
It is against my better judgment to taste the sweet wines of Barsac and Sauternes at such an early age, as I find they typically require at least 12 months to reveal the definition/delineation so essential in these creamy, creme brulee, and honeysuckle-flavored offerings. Nevertheless, because this vintage is so highly regarded, I tasted through most of the top estates. The 2003s appear to be somewhat in the style of the 1990s, with high levels of residual sugar (higher than 2001 for the most part) as well as botrytis, low acidity, and fat, full-bodied personalities. This region’s harvest began extremely early (early September), and was completely finished within three weeks. It does not appear that the nobleness and racy richness of the 2001 vintage will be found in the 2003s, but readers who like the big, flamboyant, over the top style of the 1990s will enjoy the 2003s even more than I did. Unlike most of my red wine tastings, this offering was only tasted once. Readers should keep in mind that this a very early, pre-bottling judgment from very unevolved wine that is not nearly as defined and easy to evaluate as the reds.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
No tasting note was given.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
Space limitations preclude including tasting notes. 2003 is a rich, sweet vintage of powerful, full-bodied wines that possess huge levels of glycerin, alcohol, and residual sugar.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The 2003 Suduiraut has a strange bouquet with melted wax, quince and wet wool aromas, rather smudged and becoming Aszú-like with time in the glass. The palate is fresh and vibrant on the entry and starts well. It is missing some precision, a little spicy in style however, the warmth of the growing season erodes some of the tension towards the ginger-tinged finish that feels a little abrupt. 136gm/L residual sugar, 4.02gm/L total acidity. Tasted at the Suduiraut vertical at the château.
Reviewed by: Stephen Tanzer
Bright, full yellow. Honey, pineapple and a whiff of menthol on the nose. Then impressively powerful in the mouth but with lovely acidity leavening its concentrated fruit. Very juicy and fine for Suduiraut, and not at all outsized or overly sweet. Comes across as very young, and finishes with noteworthy spine. Quite suave.
Reviewed by: Stephen Tanzer
Medium yellow. Subtly complex nose reveals pineapple, ginger and minerals; offers the aromatic lift of a great late-harvest German wine. Then large-scaled and impressively rich, with flavors oforange zest, minerals and spices perfectly framed by lively acidity. Wonderfully rich and spicy wine, with a very long aftertaste.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The 2003 Suduiraut is open and demonstrative, evoking aromas of apricot, baked pineapple and spices, overlaid by nuances of curry and saffron. Medium to full-bodied, it’s perfectly balanced with a precise, delicate mid-palate, a round and enveloping texture and a fleshy core of fruit, typical of Suduiraut’s clay terroirs, that segues into a long, mineral and tense finish. With 136 grams per liter of residual sugar, this is a blend of 90% Sémillon and 10% Sauvignon Blanc picked between September 17 and October 1 in two tries.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The 2003 Suduiraut has a strange bouquet with melted wax, quince and wet wool aromas, rather smudged and becoming Aszú-like with time in the glass. The palate is fresh and vibrant on the entry and starts well. It is missing some precision, a little spicy in style however, the warmth of the growing season erodes some of the tension towards the ginger-tinged finish that feels a little abrupt. 136gm/L residual sugar, 4.02gm/L total acidity. Tasted at the Suduiraut vertical at the château.
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)1990(1)1996(3)1997(1)2001(6)
Package Size
12 x 75cl
