2004 Château De Fargues

Château De Fargues is in the Sauternes appellation and it is owned by the same family that once owned the legendary Château d’Yquem. The Lur Saluces family has owned the 37-acre de Fargues estate since 1472, or about 300 years before they acquired Château d’Yquem. Though the controlling interest in d’Yquem is now owned by LVMH Moet Hennessy /Louis Vuitton, the Lur Saluces fully own De Fargues, where they produce about 15,000 bottles annually of Château de Fargues Sauternes. There is no second wine. Vineyards are planted to 80% Semillon and 20% Sauvignon. De Fargues earns high compliments from reviewers, who sometimes refer to it as “Yquem Jr.” Robert M. Parker Jr. notes that “while De Fargues has never been classified, the quality of the wine is brilliant.”

Sauternes makes the world’s most famous dessert wines. Though the appellation lies within the Graves region of Bordeaux’s left bank, the appellation makes only sweet wines from white grapes, primarily Semillon sometimes blended with small amounts of Muscadelle. The five communes within Sauternes are Barsac, Bommes, Fargues, Preignac and Sauternes. Barsac also has its own appellation and, typically, Barsac wines are slightly drier and lighter than other Sauternes. Sauternes are made when weather conditions result in a mold called Botrytis cinerea developing on the grapes, which causes them to become especially sweet. Sauternes are not produced every vintage, so successful vintages become especially collectible. Sauternes estates were classified in 1855, and Château d’Yquem, the appellation’s most prestigious estate, was ranked in a class by itself as a Premier Grand Cru. Château d’Yquem wines are among the most prized wines in the world.