This wine has exceptional clarity, balance and freshness, with lots of spicy botrytis character. Full body, medium-sweet and a crisp finish. It’s racy and refined. What’s impressive is the intensity of noble rot that makes the wine feel almost dry. This is the greatest wine ever made here. Made from organic grapes. Try in 2017, but already delicious to drink.

90% semillon 8% sauvignon 2% muscadelle. Barrel fermented then aged in oak with 30% new. Brilliant yellow color with a gold undertone. This strikes a deft balance of rich and creamy texture with beautiful freshness and vivacity. Loads of ripeness quince pineapple and other tropical fruits followed up with white peach apricot and striking citrus flavors as well as orange rind to provide definition. Extremely precise and complex all encased in notes of fresh sea shell with an underlayer of minerality. Enjoy over the next 10-25 years.

A large-scale version, with seamlessly layered notes of almond cream, apricot, ginger, mango, piecrust, papaya and toasted hazelnut. The long, spice-infused finish shows ample depth, echoing with an enticing tarte Tatin note. Best from 2016 through 2035. – JM

The first impression is of the dry botrytis that has infused the wine. Then comes the acidity and crisp lemon flavor. Gradually, ripe marmalade and fragrant honey come out along with acidity. It’s a fascinating, complex wine worthy of a wait. Drink from 2019.

The 2011 Guiraud offers attractive scents of dried honey, pressed white flowers and honeysuckle. The palate is medium-bodied with quite a concentrated opening, fine acidity, spicier than its peers with a botrytis-laden finish that has just the right amount of bite. Excellent. Tasted blind at the annual 10-Year-On tasting. -- Neal Martin

Tasted blind at the Sauternes 2011 horizontal tasting. After Yquem and Doisy-Védrines, the Château Guiraud 2011 seems a little muted on the nose, but that is not fair because it is well defined and very focused, gradually unfurling to reveal scents of honey, orange blossom and quince. The palate is well balanced with a fine line of acidity. This is a more understated Sauternes, harmonious and nonchalant in style, but don’t be fooled because there is great tension, delineation and poise on the finish, the fruit seamlessly bound with the new oak. This appears to have gained elegance and complexity in bottle, ergo my higher score. - Neal Martin