Château Suduiraut 2006

A historic vineyard of Sauternes, Château Suduiraut was recognized as a Premier Cru Classé in the 1855 Classification and stands today as one of the appellation's most prestigious estates. Located near the legendary Château d’Yquem, it is also one of the four largest vineyards in Sauternes with 91 hectares under vine. 

The estate’s origins trace back to 1580, when Nicole d’Allard married Léonard de Suduiraut, lending the château its name. It was later renamed Cru du Roy in the late 18th century by Jean Joseph Duroy, Baron of Noaillan, a descendant of the Suduiraut family. The estate has since evolved into a benchmark of excellence, and is now owned by AXA Millésimes, also known for Château Pichon Longueville Baron in Pauillac.

Château Suduiraut is distinguished by a delicate balance between climate and terroir. The vineyard, certified High Environmental Value (HEV 3), is planted on gravelly sandy clay soils, ideal for the development of noble rot. With a planting ratio of 90% Sémillon and 10% Sauvignon Blanc, high vine density (7,000 vines/ha), and an average vine age of 33 years, the estate consistently produces wines of exceptional depth and elegance. 

The winemaking process at Château Suduiraut involves a labor-intensive technique called "noble rot," or botrytis cinerea, which causes the grapes to become partially raisined and concentrates their sugar content. This process results in wines with a unique flavor profile that is both sweet and complex, with notes of honey, apricot, and orange peel. 

Château Suduiraut produces several different wines Sauternes and dry white wines, including the grand vin Château Suduiraut, as well as a second wine called Castelnau de Suduiraut. The winery also produces a limited edition cuvée called "Lions de Suduiraut," which is only made in exceptional vintages.

The wine is a blend of Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc, sourced from the estate’s finest terroirs. It reveals a radiant golden color and offers sublime floral and fruity aromas, with notes of honey, apricot, and orange peel. On the palate, it is a perfect balance of elegance, freshness, and harmony, with a long, graceful finish that showcases its complexity and richness.  Each bottle is a true expression of this exceptional terroir.

Overall, Château Suduiraut is considered one of the top producers of sweet white wines in the world and has won numerous awards and accolades for its wines.

"Château Suduiraut 2006 very much bears the Botrytis signature with its deep golden yellow colour and amber tints. A distinctly "roasted" character on the nose mingles with crystallised fruit (melon, apricot) and spices (vanilla, cloves). As it begins to age, scents of heather honey, orange peel and beeswax make their appearance. The attack is fleshy, leading into an ample sensation on the palate and intense fruit (roasted apricot, mandarin orange), the sign of a great Botrytis vintage. The flavours linger nicely, set off to perfection by the vivacity of the vintage, with dried fig and spices (saffron, white pepper). The finish is fresh and features the menthol notes that are so typical of our terroir. Château Suduiraut 2006 is a delicious wine of great purity." - Credits: Pierre Montégut, Technical Director, February 2016

"Lively and elegant, the 2006 Suduiraut reveals aromas of baked pineapple, ripe orchard fruits, spices and a vanilla pod mingled with delicate notes of caramel. Medium to full-bodied, rich and seamless, it’s perfectly balanced with a fleshy core of fruit, an enrobing and deep texture with racy acids and a long, tense and mineral finish. This blend of 96% Sémillon and 4% Sauvignon Blanc, containing 138 grams per liter of residual sugar, was picked in three tries between September 11 and November 7 and was matured for 18m months in 50% new oak barrels and 50% one-year-old used barrels. It could age gracefully over the next 20 years." - Yohan Castaing, The Wine Advocate, (06/06/2024), Ratings: 95, Drink: 2016-2050

"Tasted at the Sauternes 2006 ten-year on horizontal in Bordeaux. The 2006 Suduiraut has a dried pineapple, Aszu-scented bouquet that gains intensity with aeration, although it feels a little...unorthodox! It just comes across as more exotic and tropical than I was anticipating.The palate is medium-bodied with decent botrytised fruit, fresh and crisp with notes of bitter orange, honey and mandarin, quite saline on the edgy finish. Classy, very classy. Tasted April 2016." - Neal Martin, The Wine Advocate, (05/30/2016), Ratings: 93

"This wine is medium gold in color, with a flamboyant, buttery, intensely intoxicating nose of smoked tropical fruits, especially pineapple, melted caramel, and honeyed orange. Unctuously textured, with superb, full-bodied richness, good underlying acidity, and a stunning finish, it should have 30+ years of longevity." - Robert Parker, Wine Advocate (02/2009), Ratings: 93