"The Suduiraut vineyards cover 92 hectares of a possible 200, lying at the southern end of the commune of Preignac, a stone's throw from those of Yquem. The terroir is mainly sand and gravel with some clay, and the vines are 90% Semillon and 10% Sauvignon Blanc, with an average vine age of 25 years, planted at a density of 7000 vines per hectare.
The nearby Garonne provides the mists that engender the Noble Rot. Harvesting at Suduiraut takes place earlier than many other chateaux, a practice that causes a few eyebrows to rise; the process can work well in vintages where botrytis hits the vineyard early, but not in many vintages when other properties with more nerve may reap the benefits of riper, more botrytised grapes and a greater wine as a result.
The yields are typically less than 18 hl/ha. In the cellar Caroline Gendry, aided by Alain Pascuad, Pierre's son, manages the vinification. After pressing the wine is largely fermented in stainless steel, but some aliquots see fermentation in oak. The wine is racked the following spring and will spend up to two years in oak. There are a number of cuvées produced, all white, Suduiraut having long since ceased production of any red wine of interest, although it was not that long ago that there were still red vines on the Suduiraut estate." Winedoctor.com.
