Peter van den Besselaar

9.0

Vintage 2015 | very lean and fresh, citrus, apple and lychees. Also minerality. — 25 days ago

Peter van den Besselaar

9.3

Vintage 1999 | Top notch, luscious Sauternes | paired with Foie Gras | at restaurant Hofmeisterei Hirtzberger — 7 months ago

Lee Pitofsky

9.5

The perfect foie gras pairing — 10 months ago

Lyle Fass

Founder Fass Selections

9.5

Great. More later.

On day 2 the nose is rich and full of gras, exotic fruits and intense minerality. Little bit of new wood peeking through as well. Palate is juicy, round and so clear. Brilliant clarity on this. Lovely finish and stunning purity here. 9.4 to 9.5. — 4 years ago

Freddy R. Troya

9.5

Château Suduiraut – Sémillon 2003 (Sauternes)
Graves, Bordeaux – France 🇫🇷

Overview
Crafted primarily from Sémillon, Château Suduiraut is one of Sauternes’ premier estates, producing wines shaped by noble rot (Botrytis cinerea). The warm 2003 vintage gave concentration and richness, while time in bottle has deepened its complexity. (Educational note: Sémillon’s thick skins make it particularly susceptible to botrytis, producing the honeyed intensity Sauternes is famous for.)

Aromas & Flavors
Opulent notes of dried apricot, candied orange peel, and golden raisin layered with honey, saffron, and caramelized pineapple. Secondary tones of almond, vanilla, and beeswax show the maturity of two decades.

Mouthfeel
Lusciously full-bodied, with velvety sweetness cut by balanced acidity. The palate is rich and textured, gliding into a lingering finish of dried fruit, spice, and honeyed depth.

Food Pairings
A classic match with foie gras or blue cheese. Also pairs beautifully with fruit tarts, crème brûlée, or even spicy Asian dishes for contrast.

Verdict
A magnificent aged Sauternes — decadent yet balanced, carrying the warmth of 2003 with elegance. Honeyed, textural, and endlessly layered, this is a benchmark for botrytised sweet wines. 🍯🍷cheers!

Did You Know?
Sémillon makes up the majority of Sauternes blends, often complemented by Sauvignon Blanc and Muscadelle. Its thick skin and natural waxiness make it ideal for noble rot, creating the world’s most legendary dessert wines.

Collector’s Rarity 📌
Château Suduiraut, a Premier Cru Classé estate from the 1855 classification, produces limited amounts of Sauternes each year — with older vintages like 2003 increasingly rare treasures in the market. — 2 months ago

Mario Vaillancourt

8.9

Nez riche avec une forte impression sucrée que l’on retrouve en bouche aussi, gras, rond avec un peu d’acidité, finale avec de l’alcool et comme un sucre résiduel, 89. Clairement identifié comme Cotat.

Blind tasting lunch 2009 theme. Nose with strong sugar and sweetness impression that we find on the round and fairly fat palate, a little bit of acidity to balnce it but a finish with some alcool and residual sugar, clearly identified as F. Cotat. 88-89 — 3 years ago

TwiLea Fletcher

8.9

10/06/21
Smooth. But not much happens after… it’s very consistent. — 4 years ago

with Neal

Peter van den Besselaar

9.4

Vintage 2007 | half bottle | Apricot, honey and Turkish fruit in smell and that irresistible botytris note. Beautiful balanced, vibrant. Was even uplifted in taste with some Foie Gras. Lovely effort. — 6 months ago

Charlie C

8.9

Like salty, no sugar lemonade. Refreshing — 8 months ago

Lyle Fass

Founder Fass Selections

9.5

Always a great drop and 2020 is a banger. Nose has big time gras, green and orange melon, some papaya and mango as well. So harmonious and integrated. Huge granitic minerality. Palate is rich and ripe and super precise with insane freshness from the minerals. Really coats the palate with this delicate richness and awesome vanilla extract. Really deep and unctuous but so fresh and balanced. Love that palate coating finish with the vanilla extract. Gorgeous now but air will be this wine’s friend. Now with air the nose has plantain, vanilla essence and so much more. So complex. What a silken texture and the fruit is so precise.

On day 2 this levels up! Gras, vanilla extract, guava and so so refined on the nose. Wow, so complex and juicy. Perfect balance. Explosive. So fresh and minerally. What energy! 9.4 to 9.5.

— 2 years ago