2001 Château Guiraud:

Darker gold than I would have expected, very complex with a very long finish. Heavy in the mouth, sweet but not cloying. Citrus fruit (lemon and orange), and a bunch of that boytritis character. Excellent! 95+ pts.

Brian,

I had this a few months ago. We really liked it, but not 95+ points in my book. At the same time, it is a very lovely wine for the price.

Doc points = 92 points with room for improvement in many years.

Doc

It is possible that my taste buds were still singing after the Lynch bages tasting (but the warre after it was not)

Or just the company, or maybe there is some bottle variation. Or maybe I'm insane. Or all of the above.


Brian

Yet another of the 2001's that I am stockpiling for later drinking pleasure! Thanks for the note!

2001 Guiraud- From 375. Just took posession of 12 375s and realized I had another half dozen on pre-arrival . Opened at cellar temperature. Lots of gasoline initially, not petrol, just plain gasoline. Good balance, but not showing much fruit, an astringent honey, apricot, just shy of moderate sweetness. Medium body, medium finish first night. In the ball park showing comparitively to de Malle and Vedrines on day one. 91-93 initial impression, disappointing comparitively to some of the absolutely glowing reviews I have read.
Day 2, given an aweful assignment, drink against the Rieussec....put up or shut up . I really mean this showed gasoline last night, like I've never seen it before on wine. If I was a huffer I'd have been in heaven.... Tonight however is another matter and if it weren't for the 'other guy' this would be Rock Star stuff. Pure, deep botiritis honey, reminiscent of the Clos Haut-Paraguey, very similar. Maybe a bit more spice and maybe, yea definately, still just a shade more retiscent at this point, but again, another wine of impeccible balance, somehow restraining a pound of sugar with an ounce of acid. Great stuff. 94-96 points.

Nice note. I've got 12 half bottles of these just waiting...

Finished Christmas Night. All this has done over 4 days is grow fatter and fatter. Should be a wonderful wine with a few years on it. It ain't bad now for sure.

Night three for my half bottle. Opened in the morning two days ago, and has been in a decanter since. Absolutely love it! I did not try any the first night (I could not overcome the gasoline smell on night one). Really enjoyed it last night, but it has put on much more weight tonight. Honey and apricot with a very long finish.

A little bit more left for tomorrow night too.

Mike

Isn't this a bit on the young side? I've got a bottle of 1990 (had the other one in Amsterdam with stevie and the rootses) and I'm a not hankering after opening it. The 1990 was a wondeful wine, probably the best wine that I've bought and already tasted. Some of my hibernating Brunelli, top-line Champagne, Sassicaia, Grange etc. may end up being better and I've tasted other people's good stuff but this was my best known buy.

From 750mL. Surprisingly light in colour. Aromas of white peach, nectarine, spice, honey. Full-bodied, lovely wine, with spice, botrytis, nectarine, and a finish that goes on for minutes. Awesome. 96 points (08/27/2005).

I like the '01 Guiraud better than the '01 Rieussec right now. The '01 Suiduiraut tops both of them, IMO.

Still hard for me to believe that 2001 Sauternes will get any better than it tastes right now. All three of the above make you go weak in the knees on the first sip. Great stuff.

Cheers,

Otis

Out of all of the wines I had at Otis' house this was my number 1 wine of the evening and the one I scored the highest. 94 pts. Sadly, I have none of these in my cellar. Highly recommended.

Well Joe, the next time you make it out this way, I'll be glad to help you repeat the experience

I have 2 bottles for sale on WC right now. Just FYI.

Just found this locally....I shall be buying.

It is certainly worth picking up a bottle or two.

I've liked '01 Rieussec, Suduiraut, Lafaurie-Peyraguey and La Tour Blanche a bit more so far (Climens is difficult for me to judge at this stage), but Giraud is definitely worth picking up at the right price. These '01 Sauternes are a gold mine!