CHATEAU DE FARGUES Sauternes 'Lur Saluces' 2005 HALF 13.5%abv

Description

Château de Fargues has been owned by the Lur-Saluces family since 1472. The family owned d`Yquem until 1999 and de Fargues is known by some critics as d`Yquem jnr. The same winemaking techniques are use at both properties and de Fargues often matches d`Yquem in terms of power and intensity. De Fargues's 15 hectare vineyard is situated 4 kilometres southeast of d`Yquem and is planted with 80% Sémillon, and 15% Sauvignon Blanc. Yields are minute (lower even than d`Yquem) and the grapes are harvested in as many as 12 separate "tries". The grapes are fermented and the wine is subsequently aged for 3 years in one-year-old oak bariques that were previously used at d`Yquem. De Fargues's production is small with sometimes only 500 cases a years being produced. The wines require at least 10 years of bottle ageing before they should be approached.

THE WINE ADVOCATE RP 95 points
Drinking Window: 2018 - 2045. Tasted blind at the 10-Year On Tasting in Sauternes. The 2005 Château de Fargues has a rich and intense bouquet with layers of honey, dried peach, beeswax and acacia that soar from the glass. The palate is powerful and authoritative: intense botrytis-rich honeyed fruit with compelling mineralité underneath. It fans out in glorious fashion – a stunning de Fargues that is now beginning to show its talents. As I remarked a couple of years ago, just afford it a couple more years so that it can fully absorb the vestiges of oak. (Neal Martin, June 2015)