Château Raymond-Lafon

A discreet family château - Sauternes

Château Raymond-Lafon wines: buy at the best price

Château Raymond-Lafon is an emblematic estate in the Sauternes appellation, located on the left bank of the Garonne, approximately 40 kilometres from Bordeaux. Nestled at the heart of an exceptional terroir, this family estate embodies the very essence of Sauternes. With its meticulous harvests and wine aged in oak barrels, Raymond-Lafon stands out for its rich and unctuous cuvées, often compared to the greatest classified growths of the region. Although this renowned vineyard does not appear in the official 1855 classification, it offers fine wine lovers a unique tasting experience, full of complexity and finesse.

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86 - 95

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16 - 17

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Raymond Lafon 2015 -10% DISCOUNT !
-10%
5 in stock
112341
White
75cl
Damaged
92-94/100
94/100
17.5/20
17/20
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Bordeaux | Sauternes

Raymond Lafon 2015 -10% DISCOUNT !

€32.40 inc-VAT per bottle €36.00 inc-VAT -10%
€27.00 ex-VAT

History of Château Raymond-Lafon

Founded in 1850 by Raymond Lafon, the estate is one of the few great Sauternes vineyards not to have been included in the prestigious 1855 classification. This classification required price stability and seniority that the young estate could not justify, being only five years old at the time. The property passed through different hands until its acquisition in 1972 by Pierre Meslier, former director of the renowned Château d'Yquem. Pierre and his wife Francine Meslier restored the estate to its former glory, establishing Raymond-Lafon as a producer of exceptional quality Sauternes wines. Today, their three children manage the property, perpetuating the family tradition and expertise.

Terroir and Vines of Château Raymond-Lafon

The 18 hectares of vineyards at Château Raymond-Lafon rest on clay-gravel soils typical of the Sauternes appellation, offering excellent drainage that promotes the concentration of aromas in the grapes. The subsoil, composed of clay and limestone, allows the vines to maintain a perfect balance between nutrition and water retention, ensuring optimal grape maturation, even during the driest vintages. 

The vineyard is planted with 80% Sémillon and 20% Sauvignon Blanc, at a high density of 6,666 vines per hectare, a common practice in the region's great estates. With an average age of 35 years, the vines produce a low yield of 8.5 hectoliters per hectare, which promotes exceptional concentration of flavors. This low yield is also due to manual harvesting done through successive sortings, a demanding process that allows for the selection of grapes affected by noble rot (botrytis cinerea), essential for creating high-quality Sauternes wines.

Winemaking at Château Raymond-Lafon

Winemaking at Château Raymond-Lafon is based on traditional and rigorous methods, with particular attention paid to every stage of the process. The harvest is done grape by grape and requires between three and ten passes to ensure that only the ripest and most concentrated grapes are picked. Once harvested, the grapes are pressed in a vertical press to extract juice of exceptional purity. 

Fermentation is carried out in 100% new French oak barrels, an expensive but essential method to guarantee the finesse and complexity of the wine's aromas. The wine is then aged for three years in these same stave oak barrels, an aging period that allows the development of rich and deep flavors, without overpowering the fruity and floral character of Sauternes. This technique, similar to that used at Château d'Yquem, achieves a subtle balance between sweetness and liveliness.

The Cuvées of Château Raymond-Lafon

Château Raymond-Lafon Sauternes

The estate's main cuvée is a traditional high-quality Sauternes, produced every year with remarkable consistency. Château Raymond-Lafon wines are recognized for their richness and opulence, while maintaining a refreshing acidity that balances their structure. Recent vintages, such as the 2019, offer captivating flavors of apricot, honey, and candied citrus, while the 2020 stands out for its roundness and intensity. The 2021 vintage, for its part, presents a pronounced acidity and citrus aromas, offering a unique liveliness for lovers of fresher wines.

Jeunes Pousses de Raymond-Lafon

This cuvée, the estate's second wine, is produced with grapes from the same parcels as the main cuvée but in a lighter and more accessible style. Jeunes Pousses de Raymond-Lafon embodies the promise of a more graceful wine, perfect for those who wish to discover the elegance of Sauternes without the excessive richness of a first wine. This cuvée is an excellent introduction to Sauternes wines, offering delicate aromas of citrus and flowers, with a more pronounced acidity that makes it ideal for accompanying lighter dishes.

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, we note 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 a unique aromatic richness and remarkable aging 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 Raymond-Lafon is both a prestigious and unique Sauternes estate, producing unclassified wines of exceptional quality, often comparable to the great classified growths of the region. The estate, managed by the Meslier family, has built a solid reputation by offering wines with exotic flavors, resulting from meticulous winemaking methods. Whether with Château Raymond-Lafon Sauternes or the second wine Jeunes Pousses, each cuvée reflects the essence of its terroir and the dedication of its owners to maintaining the traditions of Sauternes.

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