2016 EP Chateau Guiraud, Sauternes

Bright yellow with green tints. Floral, full spectrum of nose from citrus fruit, orange fruit to tropical fruit(fresh citrus, honey, pineapple, tangerine).Palate filled with energy. Medium finish. Lots of potential. Composition is 65% Semillon and 35% sauvignon. Production is merely 12 to 25 hl/ha; vine density high at 6600 per ha. Guiraud only produces in best year; price is stable.

2016 Ep Prices are very aggressive.

• 89-92 Antonio Galloni

Pineapple, passion fruit, honey, candied orange peel and spice give the 2016 Guiraud its tropical profile. The flavors are intense, but the structure and feel lean toward the medium-bodied end of the spectrum. Already quite open and expressive, the 2016 will be ready to offer pleasure pretty much upon release.

• 93-95 Wine Advocate

The 2016 Château Guiraud, which had been already released onto the market by proprietor Xavier Planty when I visited, has a very refined bouquet this year: nicely poised with pure botrytised fruit, quite minerally and developing subtle white flower scents with time. The palate is fresh and vibrant with crisp acidity, orange rind and tangerine coming forth with a tang of stem ginger towards the long finish. It will require three or four years in bottle just to meld together, but there is great potential here.

• 94-95 James Suckling

A full-bodied young Sauternes with lots of rich sliced cooked apples and pears. All the same, this remains spicy and energetic with an abundance of dried mushrooms, walnuts and almonds on the finish. Botrytis character comes through nicely already here.