Wine Varietals

wines

The 1986 possesses outstanding richness, a deep color, medium body, a graceful, harmonious texture, and superb length. The penetrating fragrance of cedar, chestnuts, minerals, and rich fruit is a hallmark of this wine. Powerful, dense, rich, and tannic, as well as medium to full-bodied, with awesome extraction of fruit, this Lafite has immense potential. Patience is required. Anticipated maturity: 2000-2030. Last tasted 11/94.Robert Parker | 100 RPWe are in perfectly-aged claret territory here, the most beautiful impression of a wine at its plateau. It’s perfectly ready to drink and is still generous, with a long life ahead of it. Its spicy notes, touches of pencil lead and still-concentrated cassis combine with menthol, buttery leather and that classic Médoc saline, mineral-edged flourish - this is the height of well-aged Cabernet Sauvignon. Drinking Window 2018 - 2040.Decanter | 100 DECThe 1986 Lafite-Rothschild is a great wine although over several recent encounters it is never a convincing "perfect" wine. This mirrors the bottle I tasted at the property in 2016: blackberry and graphite on the nose, gawky at first, but coalescing with time. The palate is well balanced with firm tannins, strong graphite scents unfolding with time, superb energy if not delivering quite the finesse and precision that the very best Lafite-Rothschild will bestow. This is a wine that benefits from long decanting, say five or six hours, though it never quite reaches the ethereal heights that it could have done. Tasted at the International Business & Wine First Growth Dinner at the Four Seasons.Vinous Media | 96 VMA firm, young wine. Dark ruby color. Intense aromas of blackberry and mint. Full-bodied, with silky tannins and a long finish. Still needs time.--Bordeaux retrospective. Best after 2003.Wine Spectator | 94 WS

The 2023 Suduiraut is a model of modern Sauternes. Orange peel, burnt sugar, crème-brûlée, tangerine peel, and wild flowers inform a Sauternes of total finesse and silkiness. Yields were a measly 12 hectoliters per hectare. The 150 grams of residual sugar are not especially evident. Everything about the 2023 is perfectly judged. It can be enjoyed with minimal cellaring or cellared for decades. The 2023 is a timeless wine that is among the most notable successes of the year.Vinous Media | 100 VMWith 150 grams per liter of residual sugar, the 2023 Suduiraut is exquisite, unfurling from the glass with aromas of pineapple, exotic fruits, spices, honey, ripe orchard fruits and a touch of menthol. Medium- to full-bodied, concentrated and deep, it is layered and finely textured, built around a powerful yet perfectly controlled core of fruit, concluding with a long, fresh and perfumed finish. Entirely crafted from Sémillon, it registers a pH of 3.8.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98+ RPA top-notch Sauternes this vintage, with both exuberance and finesse in vivid - and clean - aromas and flavours of pear, apricot, pineapple, mango, mandarin peel and ginger, cinnamon and bergamot tea. The palate combines opulence with the fine acidity of the 2023 vintage, as the estate handled the late summer heat wave and went through the vineyard three times, to be sure to get the best botrytis. Long finish, and potential for higher score once bottled. Ageing in 50% new oak for about 18 months. 150 grams of residual sugar.Decanter Magazine | 97 DECThe purity and focus is so impressive, with a linear nature and precision that goes on and on. Full-bodied and very sweet, with layers of fruit and such length. A solid and muscular Sauternes with a classic structure. 100% semillon. 150 g/L residual sugar. Drinkable now, but even better in seven or eight years.James Suckling | 97 JSThis authoritative Sauternes starts off with an unctuous yet fresh feel. There’s admirable density to its notes of ginger, warmed peach, mirabelle plum, persimmon and green plum, with live-wire threads of bitter orange and almond that extend and support everything, plus tensile strength through the finish. A no-brainer classic. Drink now through 2055. 4,979 cases made.Wine Spectator | 96 WSKiller juice, the 2023 Château Suduiraut has a drop-dead gorgeous nose of honeyed orange, white flowers, warm croissant, and spice. This carries to a full-bodied Sauternes with a round, layered mouthfeel, terrific sweetness of fruit, and bright acidity.Jeb Dunnuck | 96-99 JD2023 Suduiraut has a crunchy, fine and fruity nose with some acidity and freshness. The taste is crunchy and fresh with good acidity and a fresh and clear aftertaste, This is one of the better Sauternes in 2023 whereas many other producers lack a bit of acidity and freshness present here.The Wine Independent | 92-93 TWI