La Chapelle de Lafaurie-Peyraguey Sauternes 2015 (Bordeaux) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine review is this lovely Sauternes from Bordeaux that arrived at the LCBO in last month's December 6 LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection - with plenty of bottles still available for purchase across Ontario.

It is produced by the prestigious and historic Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey, a 1er Grand Cru Classé estate in the 1855 classification of Sauternes. It has changed hands many times over the years, and is currently owned by Vignobles Silvio Denz, who acquired the historic property in 2014.

Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey is situated on high ground just outside the village of Bommes, in the heart of the great Sauternes terroir, in Bordeaux, on a high gravelly terrace, 70 metres above sea level, next to the iconic Château d'Yquem. At the heart of Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey are their two named plots - L'Enclos and Les Maisons Rouges - which have great terroir consisting of gravel from the Quaternary period that was deposited more than 600,000 years ago, on a substratum of Aquitania limestone.

The property itself is very old, with the Maisons Rouges plot a stopping place during Roman times. Moreover, the oldest stones in the surrounding wall and entrance are thought to be the oldest structures in the commune of Bommes, dating back to the 13th century. These stones and the château's archives, which go back to 1742, are evidence of Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey's rich past and represent eight centuries of history.

Today, Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey is a completely restored and renovated property equipped with technical facilities that comply with new regulatory and environmental constraints, including air-conditioning and humidity control throughout. In 2018, Lafaurie-Peyraguey celebrated their 400th anniversary by opening the Lalique hotel-restaurant.

Recognized as a Sauternes Premier Grand Cru Classé in the 1855 classification, the identity of Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey's wines are forged from the co-existence of four elements: the terroir between the Garonne and Ciron rivers, characterized by its gravelly-sandy soil; a unique microclimate; the presence of the botrytis cinerea fungus ("noble rot"); and the predominant grape variety, Sémillon. The château's historic plots of 18.5 hectares of vines are managed according to principles of organic agriculture and ploughed using horses.

This dessert wine is the second wine of Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey, and takes its name from the château's most iconic location - La Chapelle - or, the chapel. It is crafted using a blend of 93% Sémillon, 6% Sauvignon Blanc, and 1% Muscadelle, from vines that are about 30 years old and grown at the estate. To craft this wine, harvest was carried out manually using successive passes and sorting, varying between 4 and 7 passes depending on the year and advanced ripeness of the grapes. It was vinified using the same methods as their top bottling, with 18–30 days in fine-grained French barrels, followed by ageing for 18 to 20 months in French oak barrels.

The 2015 growing season in Sauternes was warm and dry early, and cool and wet late. However, the rains were light and separated by periods of dry weather, which allowed for waves of botrytis growth and leisurely picking. While there was less noble rot than previous years, there was enough to enable a good vintage. Harvest earlier than normal and very successful, with fantastic fruit having botrytized characters and balanced acidity. From an excellent vintage, let's see how this 2015 Sauternes from Bordeaux is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

LA CHAPELLE DE LAFAURIE-PEYRAGUEY SAUTERNES 2015 - AOC, second wine of Ch. Lafaurie-Peyraguey, Bordeaux, France (#477588, 375 mL) (S) - $40.95
Blend of 93% Sémillon, 6% Sauvignon Blanc, and 1% Muscadelle. The medium-high intensity nose has maturing, slightly oxidated aromas of Seville orange, marmalade, and spice nuanced with caramel, honey, and apricot with touches of golden raisin. The full-bodied palate is rich and sweet with delicious honey, caramel, Seville orange, vanilla, waxy, marmalade and spice flavours. It has juicy, well-balanced acidity, along with spicy notes on the mid-palate. Creamy textured with caramel, waxy, orange, and spice notes in a more savoury profile on the long finish. Highly recommended buy! Score: 92+ pts

Other lovely wines by Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey can be ordered through their Agent - DBINO David Beauroy Selections.