Lafaurie Peyraguey

History of Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey

Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey, located in the heart of Sauternes, on the heights of the village of Bommes, possesses a rich and prestigious history. Founded in the 13th century, this wine estate has crossed the centuries, with each owner contributing their part to elevate it among the greatest growths of Sauternes.

It was in 1618 that Sieur Raymond Peyraguey acquired the property, thus marking the beginning of the viticultural history of this estate. A century later, in 1796, Pierre Lafaurie purchased the estate and added his name, thus creating Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey as we know it today.

In 1855, during the famous Bordeaux wine classification, the château was recognised as Premier Grand Cru Classé, attesting to the exceptional quality of its wines. The estate then passed into the hands of the Cordier family, who managed it for nearly 80 years before selling it to GDF-Suez in 1984. In 2014, Swiss businessman Silvio Denz became the owner, inaugurating a new era for this historic estate. Under his leadership, numerous renovations were carried out, both in the cellars and in the winemaking methods, to raise the quality of the wines even further.

Robert Parker awarded 97/100 to the historic 1922 and 1920 vintages of Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey, highlighting the longevity and quality of this Sauternes cru classé.

Terroirs and Vines of Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey

The vineyard of Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey, which extends over 36 hectares, is situated on the high gravel terrace of Sauternes, at an altitude of 70 metres. This exceptional terroir is composed of silica-gravel and clay-gravel soils, deposited more than 600,000 years ago on an Aquitanian limestone substrate. The unique combination of these elements offers the vines ideal conditions to produce grapes of great aromatic richness.

The particular climate of Sauternes, marked by the meeting of the Garonne and Ciron rivers, favours the development of the famous Botrytis cinerea fungus, responsible for noble rot. This phenomenon allows the concentration of sugars and aromas in the grapes, giving Sauternes wines their unique character.

The estate's grape varieties are dominated by Sémillon (93%), the flagship variety of the region, complemented by 6% Sauvignon Blanc and 1% Muscadelle. The vines, averaging 40 years of age, are planted at a density of 6,500 to 9,000 vines per hectare, and some historical plots even date back to 1926. The estate practises sustainable viticulture, without chemical herbicides, and uses environmentally respectful cultivation methods, such as manual leaf removal and horse-drawn soil work.

Vinification at Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey

Vinification at Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey is a meticulous process, where each step is carried out with care to ensure optimal wine quality. The harvest is done manually, through successive selections, to pick only grapes affected by noble rot. This demanding work can require up to seven passes through the vines to harvest the berries at their perfect maturity.

Once harvested, the grapes are gently pressed in traditional vertical presses. Fermentation then takes place in French oak barrels, 40% new and renewed by thirds each year, over a period of 18 to 30 days, at a controlled temperature of 17°C to 23°C. The estate's cellars, fully air-conditioned and equipped with precise humidity control, allow for optimal wine ageing, which lasts between 18 and 20 months.

During this ageing, each batch of wine is separated according to the harvest date to preserve the specificities of each picking. The wines are then precisely blended to create cuvées that express the richness of the Sauternes terroir.

The Cuvées of Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey

Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey is renowned for its sweet wines of great finesse and beautiful aromatic complexity. Here is an overview of the estate's emblematic cuvées:

Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey - Premier Grand Cru Classé

The flagship wine of the estate, produced from grapes from the best plots. This Sauternes is distinguished by its elegance and aromatic richness. On the nose, it offers an explosion of candied fruits, apricot, peach and medlar, with exotic notes and a hint of caramel. On the palate, it reveals itself as ample and voluptuous, with a silky texture and a beautiful length in the finish. This wine, both powerful and delicate, is a perfect balance between acidity and sweetness, offering an unforgettable tasting experience.

La Chapelle de Lafaurie-Peyraguey - Second wine

La Chapelle de Lafaurie-Peyraguey is the estate's second wine, but it certainly doesn't lack character. More accessible, it presents aromas of white and exotic fruits, with a fresh and mellow palate, supported by a lively and balanced acidity. This wine seduces with its frankness and lightness, while maintaining the elegant signature of the château's wines.

Each vintage of Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey is the fruit of rigorous and passionate work, and the estate's best years include legendary vintages such as 1926, 1988, 2001, and more recently 2023, 2022 and 2021.

The best vintages of Sauternes and Barsac, two prestigious Bordeaux appellations, include exceptional years such as 1945, 1947, 1949, 1955, 1959, and 1967, recognised for their finesse and complexity. Among more recent vintages, notable years include 1975, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1990, as well as the legendary 2001. Sweet wine enthusiasts will also appreciate the years 2005, 2007, 2009, 2010, and 2013. Finally, the excellent climatic conditions of recent decades have produced memorable vintages in 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019. These wines offer unique aromatic richness and remarkable ageing potential.

Discover the exceptional treasures of the Grands Crus Classés of Sauternes and Barsac, where each estate tells a unique story of expertise and excellence. The prestigious Château d'Yquem, Premier Grand Cru Supérieur, embodies the quintessence of Sauternes. Among the Premiers Grands Crus Classés, explore the subtleties of Château Climens and Château Coutet in Barsac, as well as the wonders of Château Guiraud, Clos Haut-Peyraguey, Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey, Château La Tour Blanche, Château Rabaud-Promis, Château de Rayne-Vigneau, Château Rieussec, Château Sigalas-Rabaud, and Château Suduiraut in Sauternes. Each estate invites you to dive into the enchanting world of dessert wines, combining aromatic richness, finesse, and elegance, for an unforgettable sensory experience.

Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey is much more than just a wine estate: it is a place where history, terroir and expertise meet to produce wines of exceptional quality. This Premier Grand Cru Classé of Sauternes, under the visionary direction of Silvio Denz, continues to perpetuate tradition while innovating to sublime each vintage. With its sweet wines of remarkable finesse and its ability to surprise the most demanding palates, Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey remains an essential reference among the great growths of Bordeaux.