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Tasting notes
The 2023 Ch. Guiraud leaps from the glass with an exotic nose full of fresh pineapple, mango and guava. But there’s much more beyond the fruit, with a pleasing herbaceous edge, waxy tones, orange blossom and acacia honey, all swirling together. The palate is lush and rich, yet the generous and vibrant fruit is held in check with citrus bite and a long, pithy finish. Many of the Sauternes this year have very high residual sugar levels, but Sandrine Garbay has kept flawless balance with this classically proportioned wine. With 130g/l residual sugar and 13.6% alcohol, it is set to spend 18 months in 90% new French oak. Superb.
Critic scores
Average Score
James Suckling
Neal Martin, Vinous
More reviews and scores
Classy marmalade, honeyed tropical fruits, minty flowers, and spice all emerge from the 2023 Château Guiraud, a medium gold-hued Sauternes that plays with the best of the vintage. It's medium to full-bodied and shines for its incredible purity, precision, and balance, with integrated acidity, ample mid-palate depth, and a great finish. Based on 65% Sémillon and 35% Sauvignon Blanc and aged 18 months in 90% new French oak, it's a beautifully made Sauternes that will shine for a solid 30 years or more. Drink 2026-2056.
A blend of 65% Sémillon and 35% Sauvignon Blanc, containing 130 grams per liter of residual sugar, the 2023 Château Guiraud is vibrant and expressive, revealing aromas of apricot, exotic fruits, spices, white flowers and pineapple. Medium- to full-bodied, dense and deep, it is finely balanced, built around a lively core of fruit and defined by a beautifully judged, gastronomic bitterness that brings energy and precision to the finish.
The 2023 Guiraud conveys energy on the nose, fine tension with pure honeyed fruit, orange blossom and light waxy aromas. The palate is wonderful, armed with great tension and perhaps more mineralité compared to its peers, linear and focused with great tension on the finish. There is a strictness here that I appreciate. Superb.