Château de Suduiraut, Lions de Suduiraut, Sauternes, Bordeaux, France (37.5cl.), 2018

Producer Profile

The estate of Suduiraut was born in 1580 upon the marriage of Nicole d'Allard to Léonard de Suduiraut.

The Château was plundered and burned down during the Fronde insurrection, then rebuilt in the 17th century. It was re-named Cru du Roy in the late 18th century on being taken over by a nephew of the Suduiraut family, Jean Joseph Duroy, Baron of Noaillan. The family home then acquired a cartouche featuring the Suduiraut and Duroy coats of arms, which was to give rise to the escutcheon used by Château Suduiraut today. The property was planted with magnificent formal gardens, designed by Le Nôtre, King Louis XIV's renowned gardener. Although winegrowing in the region can be traced back to Roman times, there is unquestionably a Dutch influence in the emergence of the Sauternes wines. In the 17th century Dutch merchants were well-established in the Barsac vineyard, where they produced sweet white wines without using noble rot. It was only in the early 18th century that the practice of harvesting over-ripe grapes through a process of successive selections was introduced. On 18 April 1855 the estate was classed as a Premier Cru during the official wine classification programme in the Gironde winegrowing area.

Viticulture

Suduiraut covers 200 hectares of land in the village of Preignac, 92 of which are planted with vines. Château Suduiraut released this wine for the first time with the 2009 vintage, aiming to breathe new life into the Sauternes category with the launch of a new sweet wine aimed at younger drinkers. It is a classic Sauternes produced from hand-picked grapes affected by noble rot, but is also fresher, fruitier and more vibrant than its traditional counterparts.

Winemaking

Vinification takes place in French oak barrels. The wine is aged on its lees in 50% new, French oak barrels for 18-24 months, depending on the character of the vintage.

Oak Ageing

Time: 18-24 Months
Type: French Oak
% wine oaked: 100
% new oak: 10

Tasting Note

With a deep and brilliant golden yellow colour, Lions de Suduiraut 2018 offers a subtle bouquet of spices, peppermint, and fresh pineapple. It is full-bodied and crisp, accentuated by tart, very fruity notes. The finish is clean, spicy with white pepper and gives a very digestible side to the wine. This more delicate vintage has a generous and crisp profile.

Food Matching

Perfect as an aperitif, perhaps with some salted nuts, olives or smoked salmon canapés, while still having the depth and gravitas to partner puddings and blue cheese.