Chateau Suduiraut

The famous Château Suduiraut is located in the village of Preignac in the Sauternes region. The estate was named Suduiraut in 1580 when Nicole d'Allard married Léonard de Suduiraut and the château was the dowry. The original castle was built in the 16th century, but it was unfortunately looted and burnt down during the La Fronde revolt. Under the reign of grandson Léonard Blaise de Suduiraut, the château was fully restored. Among other things, he had the gardens designed by André Le Nôtre, King Louis XIV's famous gardener. In the 18th century, the estate was taken over by nephew Jean Joseph Duroy, who then renamed it Cru du Roy. The estate is now owned by AXA Millésimes and the winery once again bears its original name.

Suduiraut manages 91 hectares of vineyards. The vines are planted on gravel and sandy clay soil. This provides the right growing conditions. For instance, the gravel absorbs heat and releases it slowly, allowing the grapes to ripen well. In the vineyard, you will find 90% sémillon and 10% sauvignon blanc. Both grape varieties are great for noble rot, also called pourriture noble. It is said that Dutch merchants played an important role in the creation of these wines. They were established in Barsac at the time and also produced sweet wines, but then without the use of noble rot. At the beginning of the 18th century, this method was first used.

Suduiraut produces three different Sauternes. Château Suduiraut is the Grand Vin and thus the flagship of the house. The second wines are: Castelnau de Suduiraut and Lions de Sudurait. After fermentation, the wines mature for between 16 and 24 months in oak barrels of partly new wood. Once maturation is complete, the barrels are selected for the first wine and then for the other cuvées. Should the quality not meet the high standard, no Grand Vin is bottled in that year. Besides Sauternes, four dry wines are also produced. All wines from Château Suduiraut are of high quality and are characterised by a rich bouquet and complexity. Château Suduiraut's best vintage is 2009.