1967 Château Suduiraut
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Tasting notes
Glowing orange amber. This smells just a little fusty, like my childhood piano teacher’s chenille cloth. A bit dry on the end. Losing fruit. But it improved/cleaned up in the glass – still with some bitterness on the end but a very attractive creamy texture. (JR)
Critic scores
Robert Parker
Jancis Robinson MW
More reviews and scores
The 1967 Suduiraut, served blind at Pichon Baron, is the best vintage from an era when the Sauternes estate was inconsistent. It has a potent Barsac-scented bouquet with orange rind, mandarin and a light adhesive tincture that turns a little chlorine-like with aeration. It remains fresh and very well defined. The palate is medium-bodied, a little drier than you might expect given the vintage, yet retains freshness and bite. Lovely orange rind and Seville orange marmalade notes abound, focused with a vivacious and again, Barsac-like finish. Excellent.
Tasted on several occasions, the 1967 Suduiraut is inconsistent from bottle to bottle. Like the previous bottle it has a strong Barsac-inspired nose that, as I have remarked before, might dupe you into thinking Climens. The palate is balanced and underpinned by a wonderful line of acidity that slices through the marmalade and quince notes. This is one of the few Suduiraut vintages from this era that improves with aeration and stands as one of the best wines of the decade. However, due to inconsistent showings over the years, you should cross your fingers and hope yours is good one. 70gm/L r.s. 14.8% alcohol. Tasted at a private dinner in London.
About the producer
Among the very best Sauternes estates, Ch. Suduiraut is owned by AXA Millésimes, which also manages Pichon Baron. The team works meticulously to select the finest fruit from its 91 hectares of vines, bordering Yquem. The resulting wines are intensely concentrated, balanced, complex and age-worthy.