January 18, 2024 - Turn on the heaters (Chicago, IL): From half-bottle. Very dark colour, but surprisingly less intense on the botrytis than I would have expected given that colour. Only moderately sweet, with more bitter orange sort of tones. A hair simple on the palate; this doesn't have the depth of some more esteemed estates, but a very good bottle of Sauternes all the same. A little goes a long way.
August 29, 2023 - Maybe a bit fatigued. Nice pleasure but quite linear. Always enjoyable though to taste a 40 yr old Sauternes
August 24, 2023 - Tasted blind. Shiny yellow gold. Some tartaric acid. Yuzu, mandarin, orange peel, butterscotch, cream. Balanced, good dynamic range and complex. We thought it was a 20 years old Château de Fargues, i.e. shadows of d'Yquem. This bottle was in prime window and could age for another decade.
February 4, 2023 - from half bottle
rich bright gold color, mature honeyed nose with a streak of blood orange, dazzled with minerals, cream, on the palate marmalade, lemongrass and honey, etheral finish of good length, this is uncommonly deft and light on its feat, quite beautiful.
***+, ready to drink and time in hand
October 1, 2022 - Past it’s prime by probably 5 years. Candied orange and baked apples on the palette.
September 30, 2022 - Supps at KC's (KC's place): By itself this was pleasant enough - caramel, orange peel and orange marmalade, smidge of honey on the nose. Fleshy rather than juicy on the palate, similar flavour profile with a smidge of oxidation and, perhaps, a little volatility beginning to show. Unfortunately this was a poor match to Tart Tatin - it simply didn't have enough stuffing; a younger wine would have been a better match. We tidied it up regardless...
July 17, 2022 - Bottle wasn't in great shape - there was some storage that took a day of air to blow off. Not sure how much of the wine is affected by storage vs. the wine itself?
Dark caramel, aged orange rinds and dried figs are most of what I taste here. The palate was a bit thin and the acidity that I remember from younger Guirauds are mostly gone in this bottle.
July 16, 2022 - mildly corked.
October 4, 2020 - Fruit was trying to push and show up, but this seemed past its prime. Drink up if you have any left.
March 28, 2020 - From Coravin. Baked caramel, roast orange and apple, orange peel bitterness, very slight vanilla and butter with a touch of bush honey on the nose. In the mouth there is just sufficient acidity to keep things clean. A bruised apple oxidative note here as well as the roast orange and orange peel. Balanced. Yum.