I really wanted to sneak this wine in before the holidays. There was discussion on the forum about dessert wines and aperitifs carried at Costco, and not too long after the post, I encountered this Sauternes in the 375ml half bottle at my Costco. And the price was right at only $11.89.
I instantly bought three, one to try now for this review, and two to throw in the cellar for a bit as these Sauternes can age beautifully, and it will be fun to pull them out for holidays in the future.
Another interesting aspect to the Les Lions de Suduiraut is that it is the second wine of Chateau Suduiraut, which is a premier cru Sauternes, and a property that is adjacent to the famed Chateau d'Yquem that is the king of Sauternes.
So scoring this little bottle for only $12 is seeming like a strong buy. And once opened, I can confirm that it is.
It’s a sweet wine that comes in at 13.5% alcohol. For people who like this style, I’d say this one is a drop in the hat. For those more skeptical of sweet wines, this is a nice one to try as it’s rather accessible as far as these wines go.
The varietal makeup is 95% Semillon and 5% Sauvignon Blanc. It’s fresh and fruity with honey, lemon and a little nutty flavor; some peach jelly towards the finish and a good bite of acidity throughout.
I think this wine would be perfect before or after a meal this holiday season, or whenever you choose to break it out.
I’ve tried several different Sauternes over the years, including a couple vintages of Chateau d'Yquem, but I haven’t sampled enough, good and bad and indifferent, to give this wine a fair numeric rating. I can say that I enjoyed it, and imagine you will too if you like this style of wine.
Costco item number: 1112546
Purchased at Costco in: Atlanta, GA
Alc. 13.5%
Are there any other holiday wines you’ve come across to recommend to readers? Thoughts on this Sauternes? Let us know if the comments below or visit the Costco Wine Blog Forums.
