2010 Guiraud, Sauternes (375ml) (Pre-Arrival)

SKU #1066951 96 points James Suckling

Ripe lemon peel and orange. Some honey and vanilla with loads of new wood. Dense and very sweet on the palate with nice pure fruit and firm tannins from the oak that still needs time to soften. This Sauternes shows a wonderful fruit and excellent potential, but needs time. Try in 2018. (2/ 2013)

92-95 points Wine Spectator

This is developing some real power, with glazed peach and pear fruit pushed by graham and honey notes. There's lots of viscosity on the finish, but with good underlying acidity. (3/ 2010)

92-94 points Wine Enthusiast

A closed up wine, although all the elements are there, promising great final balance, richness and power. (6/ 2011)

91-93 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

The 2010 Chateau Guiraud has fine purity and minerality on the nose, with touches of passion fruit and dried apricot, later quince joining the fray. The palate is very well-balanced with a lively entry of apricot, quince and a touch of hazelnut. The middle and finish demonstrate fine tension and a lot of freshness. Individual lots seemed to have more race than the final sample, and I suspect it will warrant a higher score once the final blend is in bottle. (5/ 2011)

88-91 points Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar

Yellow-gold. Initially inexpressive nose opens slowly with air to hint at peach nectar and pear, along with hints of guava, mango and caramel. Bright, dense and juicy, with strongly oak-influenced flavors similar to the aromas. Finishes pure and long, with bright pepper and honey nuances. The harvest began on September 20 and ran through November 2; the third and fourth tries out of six were the main ones. The high presence of sauvignon is typical of Guiraud, as 35% of its vineyard is planted with this variety; the average in Sauternes is closer to 15%. (8/ 2011)