ch guiraud

Recent hasty tastings

~ Richard ~ Leave a comment

2015 sauternes aug 2024

2015 Ch Rieussec 14%
Sauternes. Light gold colour, vanilla dust, just- ripe quince; some tropical notes, a swathe of assorted citrus, plus a bucket of spices. It’s medium bodied, but so seductive, so balanced, so textured, so fresh. Honey, stonefruit, spices.  It’s a wine to contemplate over a few glasses, seeking its nuances.

To 2034, 95 points (I awarded 97 points in February 2024, but today I was probably in a meaner mood – it’s terrific, and wish I had a few)

2015 Ch Guiraud 13.5%
Sauternes. Floor polish; orange marmalade; power, rich and ripe. Drink soonish, 90 points

2005 Croft Quinta da Roeda Vintage Port
Bright colour, Blueberry, red cherry, ripe with delicious spirit, spices firm tannins. Portuguese, early 2000s?
Smart wine

Drink to 2030, 91 points

1980 baileys vp

1980 Baileys Vintage Port
Glenrowan, Victoria

The cork was absolutely saturated, but no harm as the wine was also under screwcap! A bricky but very deep red colour; raspberry jam and syrup, plus blackberry and high-quality spirit; the palate is extremely sweet, extremely concentrated, with chalky and entirely resolved tannins; soft and persistent. This is a wine where the fruit power is monumental, admirable and deserves celebration – though nothing at all like the classical Portuguese style.

Drink to 2030, 94 points

1994 quinta vesuvio

1994 Quinta do Vesuvio Vintage Port 20%
Part of the Symington family group

Meagre cork, but it had performed its duty. Very deep colour, with some signs of maturity; orange peel, blueberry, dark cherry, fig. Very persistent and winning. Sweet for Portuguese, but very elegant and engaging. Hard to resist.

To 2035, and 94 points

Two 2015 Sauternes

~ Richard ~ 1 Comment

Two masked wines were presented, and for readability, I have placed my notes under the wines’ names after they were revealed. Both wines presented as surprisingly enjoyable at such a tender age, and provides enormous encouragement to drink this style earlier rather than wait decades!

two 2015 sauternes

2015 Ch Guiraud 13.5%
Sauternes. (65% semillon, 35% sav blanc, 18 months in new barrels).
Medium gold colour, and bursting with vibrant tropical notes – cumquat, pineapple rind, with vanilla bean and ginger; very good mouthfeel with some smokiness joining the ripe fruit characters. It was just a tad straightforward, and was unfairly compared to  the outrageous charms of the next wine.

Drink to 2035, and 91 points

2015 Ch Rieussec 14%
Sauternes (86% semillon, 14% sav blanc) 148 g/l residual sugar
Medium gold colour, with mixed citrus, just-ripe apricot, marzipan. There is more of everything; oak impact, fruit density, honeyed viscosity, texture, breeziness, freshness and mingled spices with rampant layers of assorted citrus and stonefruit. The balance is superb, and this a super, special, serious wine. I sat in wonder, with time suspended, revelling and fumbling for explanation, description and superlatives. Go hunting!

Drink to 2040, 97 points