1997 de Fargues
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Tasting notes
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 naunced. 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.
Critic scores
Average Score
Neal Martin
Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider
More reviews and scores
Comte Alexandre Luc de Saluces rates this within the top five vintages of the estate. The weather during harvest was excellent and the first trie was carried out between September 15-19, stretching out 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, over-ripe 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.
Comte Alexandre Luc de Saluces rates this within the top five vintages of the estate. The weather during harvest was excellent and the first trie was carried out between September 15-19, stretching out 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, over-ripe 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. Jun 2013, www.robertparker.com
About the producer
Owned by the Lur-Saluces family (which also previously owned Ch. d’Yquem) since 1472, Ch. de Fargues benefited from similar care and attention. The resulting wines are impressive and – unlike most in the region which are now offered en primeur – only released three years after the vintage.