Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey

History of Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey

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

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

In 1855, during the famous classification of Bordeaux wines, the château was recognised as a 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 ceding it to GDF-Suez in 1984. It was in 2014 that Swiss businessman Silvio Denz became its owner, inaugurating a new era for this historic estate. Under his impetus, numerous renovations were carried out, both in the cellars and in the winemaking methods, in order to further elevate the quality of the wines.

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

Terroirs and Vines of Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey

The vineyard of Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey, which extends over 36 hectares, is located on the high gravel terrace of Sauternes, at an altitude of 70 metres. This exceptional terroir is composed of siliceous-gravelly and clay-gravelly soils, deposited more than 600,000 years ago on a substratum of Aquitanian limestone. The unique combination of these elements provides the vines with ideal conditions for producing grapes of great aromatic richness.

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

The estate's planting is dominated by Sémillon (93%), the flagship variety of the region, complemented by 6% Sauvignon Blanc and 1% Muscadelle. The vines, with an average age of 40 years, are planted at a density of 6,500 to 9,000 vines per hectare, and some historic plots even date back to 1926. The estate practises reasoned viticulture, without chemical herbicides, and uses environmentally respectful growing methods, such as manual leaf removal and ploughing with horses.

Winemaking at Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey

Winemaking at Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey is a meticulous process, in which each step is carried out with care to guarantee the optimal quality of the wines. The harvest is done by hand, through successive tries, in order to select only the grapes affected by noble rot. This demanding work may require up to seven passes through the vines to harvest the berries at their perfect ripeness.

Once harvested, the grapes are gently pressed in traditional vertical presses. Fermentation then takes place in French oak barrels, 40% of which are new and renewed by a third 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 ageing of the wines, which lasts between 18 and 20 months.

During this ageing period, each batch of wine is kept separate according to the harvest date in order to preserve the specific characteristics of each picking. The wines are then blended with precision 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 flagship cuvées:

Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey - Premier Grand Cru Classé

The estate's flagship wine, produced from the grapes of the finest 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 to be ample and voluptuous, with a silky texture and a beautiful lingering finish. This wine, at once 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 is by no means lacking in 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 charms with its directness and lightness, while retaining 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 finest years include legendary vintages such as 1926, 1988, 2001, and more recently 2023, 2022 and 2021.

The finest vintages of Sauternes and Barsac, two prestigious appellations of Bordeaux, include exceptional years such as 1945, 1947, 1949, 1955, 1959, and 1967, renowned for their finesse and complexity. Among more recent vintages, notable years include 1975, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1990, as well as the legendary 2001. Lovers of sweet wines 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 immerse yourself in the enchanting world of sweet wines, combining aromatic richness, finesse and elegance, for an unforgettable sensory experience.

Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey is far more than a simple wine estate: it is a place where history, terroir and expertise come together to produce wines of exceptional quality. This Premier Grand Cru Classé de Sauternes, under the visionary direction of Silvio Denz, continues to perpetuate tradition while innovating to bring out the best in each vintage. With its sweet wines of remarkable finesse and its ability to surprise even the most discerning palates, Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey remains an essential reference among the great crus of Bordeaux.