Château de Fargues 1997

Comte Alexandre Luc de Saluces rates this among the top five vintages of the estate. The weather during harvest was excellent and the first trie was carried out between September 15–19, extending until November 4, over five tries in total. It has a lower residual sugar level than recent vintages, 116 grams per liter, and an alcohol level of 13.45%. It has a quintessential de Fargues bouquet with scents of brown sugar, mandarin, overripe Satsuma, and just a whiff of chlorine. The palate is very well balanced with crisp acidity and very fine tension. It is a little leaner than more recent vintages, thanks to the modest residual sugar levels, but it builds suggestively toward a relatively drier, but beautifully defined mandarin and dried orange peel finish. What a fabulous Sauternes – but alas only 15,000 bottles were produced. Tasted April 2013.

This beauty is drinking in its sweet spot. Luscious, fresh, ripe and overripe tropical fruits, white peach, pineapple, orange and apricot all blended together with candied tangerine, honey, roasted nuts, caramel and a hint of butterscotch. The right mix of sugary, decadent fruit and acidity just hits the spot.

Medium-deep yellow, bright. Fully sweet bouquet, lots of apricot, a fine hint of orange citrus on top, notes of chamomile, gently compote-like in the background, with the acidity providing support. On the palate, creamy and long, with a soft, velvety texture; the extract is wrapped in generous richness, showing opulence in the vanilla-accented, exalted finish. A truly great year for Fargues.

Medium-deep yellow, bright. Fully sweet bouquet, lots of apricot, a fine hint of orange citrus on top, chamomile notes, gently compote-like in the background, which in turn supports the acidity. On the palate, creamy and long, with a soft, velvety texture; the extract is wrapped in generous richness, showing opulence in the vanilla-toned, exalted finish. A truly great year for Fargues!

Dense, complex and elegant bouquet with vanilla, curry, orangeade and caramel. Dense, full, multi-layered, velvety palate with pronounced sweetness, good acidity and superb aromatics. Very long, concentrated finish. 19/20 2012 - 2050

In colour among the deepest here, darkening amber, tawny and walnut with pale gold reflections and hints of a brighter yellow. It has reached the stage where this is savoury in flavour, with a memory of sweetness that has moved on to showcase soft truffle, oyster shell salinity, cumin, turmeric, bitter orange and spiced white pear, all silky and melted together. This stretches out, long-limbed and moreish. A late harvest that began so early and finished so late that they were able to bring in grapes at every single stage of botrytis, which is partly why the colour is so complex and nuanced. I've had a few bottles of this vintage that remain closed even at 25 years old, that even show some reduction, so give it a long carafe to reveal the beauty. Harvest September 15 through to November 4. 115g/l residual sugar. François Amirault winemaker.