2019 Chateau Suduiraut S de Suduiraut Bordeaux Blanc 750 ml

Jeb Dunnuck called 2019 Chateau Suduiraut S de Suduiraut  “straight-up brilliant” and said it “unquestionably ranks with the top whites in the vintage” in his rapturous review. But the very few wines that managed to best 2019 S de Suduiraut’s 95-point score are all considerably more expensive—start at nearly double the price and go up from there. And we mean way up: Haut-Brion Blanc will set you back almost NINETEEN TIMES as much.

When the 1855 Bordeaux Classification established Château Suduiraut as a First Growth, it was for their prowess making Sauternes’ nobly sweet wines—which are some of the most profound bottles produced in the region.

But as demand for dessert wine waned and viticultural knowledge improved, Suduiraut focused more and more of their attention into producing the sort of powerful, profound white wines that were famous in nearby regions like Pessac-Léognan. Now, their S de Suduiraut bottling—made from old vines in their coveted estate holdings—competes with the very best dry white wines of the world.

The 2019 is 63% Sémillon, the difficult-to-farm grape beloved in Bordeaux for its power and richness, tempered with Sauvignon Blanc for brightness and verve. For the S de Suduiraut, they look to vines that grow in gravelly soils on the property—which is the hallmark of the finest wines of the Left Bank, as well.

Under the direction of acclaimed technical director Pierre Montegut, who also oversees famed Pauillac Second Growth Pichon Baron, the wine is carefully fermented at low temperatures to preserve delicate aromatics. He makes sure that a small percentage of new wood is in the mix, adding a touch of toasted vanilla and spice that complements the wine’s power beautifully.