Chateau de Fargues, Sauternes

From a 375ml. Color/App: deep, old, burnished gold; high viscosity. Tasted over two nights with a vacu-vin nap in the fridge between. Concentrated bouquet of apricots, honey, safron, marzipan and creme brulee. Huge palate concentration of orange marmalade, almonds, coconut, caramel and tropical fruit. Quite 'roti' I would have to say. I agree with J Leve that this trades that concentration for "purity, refinement, and freshness" and suffers a bit for it. This lacks polish and, I would think, the …

1989 vintage

Half bottle. Amber golden. High toned, slightly varnish-like aromas with spice and tropical fruit. Full and sappy but not overly syrupy. Fig, apricot, and honey with good back end acidity and length.

2007 vintage

Floral, slightly reductive nose. Concentrated marmalade rind and saffron. Honey and white flowers. Earthier more structured wine with a bit of saline at the finish. Just lovely.

2007 vintage

Similar to prior in character and quality; this was only just after Alexandre de Lur Saluces left Yquem (2004) so this understandably doesn't yet scale the heights de Fargues would reach in a few years.

2007 vintage

This felt clumsier than I expect from Alexandre. Gobs of apricot and honey but felt heavy in the mouth, missing the tension on the back end. Purchased on the secondary market. Excellent, but not my favorite from this estate.

2007 vintage

NobleRottersSydney - Great Oz Vintages (Glass Brasserie, Sydney) : {cork, 14%} [Gordon] Quite a deep gold. Aged nose of copper, bronze, and vanilla bean. Palate has medium weight, the same flavours plus some hint of cinnamon. Medium/dry for sweetness, but still very rich on the medium length finish. Drinking beautifully now.

2007 vintage

Very high expectations here but there's an underlying bitterness tainting everything here. Underripe pineapple, burnt sugar, copper pennies, mustard greens. Not working for me at all.

1976 vintage

90 vs. 89 (Red South Beach Restaurant, Miami) : A beautifully preserved bottle, the peachy orange color of 1976 de Fargues is a total success. Moderately sweet, nice acidity and length. Orange and pineapple flavors in a modest, lightly botrytised way. Excellence balance, easy to drink and a fine way to end a Bordeaux tasting.

1976 vintage

From 375mL. Color is darker than expected, golden-orange (part of a batch that is all a bit darker than expected); very high intensity aromatics with notable saffron, mandarin orange jam, some orange blossom; balanced sweetness, grapefruit citrus, refreshing medium-plus acidity throughout, balanced medium alcohol (14%), saffron spice on the midpalate and finish; medium-plus to long finish. A very classic Fargues, showing some savory/saffron/mature notes but with plenty of citrus primary notes and impeccable freshness. Consistent with past bottles, 94-95.

2007 vintage

Deep toffee/caramel colour but translucent with a lovely autumnal afternoon sunshine hue. Nose is muted, but alluring and non-sweet caramel. Palate is powerfully in your face deep, dark sour caramel with a very one-dimensional sledgehammer heaviness. Headachey. Too much. Too little acidity. Appearance and nose beat the disappointing palate.

1976 vintage

1 of 2…. Beautiful mature mid amber color, nose filled with layers of tropical fruit,

1976 vintage

A beautifully vibrant, gold-copper. The nose is satisfying in its orange, crème brûlée character which is, if anything, magnified in the mouth. Impressive sweetness and depth, though I wonder if its luscious character is quite balanced by its acidity. That said, I think the obvious conclusion is to hold these and wait for the complexity age brings to arise, because it comes off as a bit simple at the moment despite being followed for a few days.

2007 vintage

Excellent wine, drinking perfect. Will last for decades.. Rich and full, unctuous. Notes of mango, pear, and pineapple. Perfectly sweet.

2007 vintage

Stunningly good. A bit precocious and maybe not build for a super long haul but wonderful now and will last easily for 20 years. Great acidity to balance the honey/lychee/apricot fruit and sweetness

2007 vintage

outrageously good. nose and palate of honeydew, baked apple (pie), lychee, wild flower. oily, silky and smooth. the purity and texture really stand out. stunning.

2007 vintage

Good but more advanced than expected. Likely not for the long haul. 375ml.

2007 vintage

Half bottle. Golden amber. Crême brulée, coconut, and apricot. Sweet, unctuous, and somewhat dull. Plodding and heavy for Fargues.

2007 vintage

Rich amber colour. Earthy botrytis, dried apricot, apple, and honey nose. It shows with moderate acidity on the palate that serves to offset sweetness; good replays in the mouth with a clear minerality showing through the finish. 4/5 Bottled barrel sample dated 12/10/16.

2014 vintage

Color amarillo anaranjado de intensidad media. Aroma muy potente: miel, piel de naranja, frutas blancas confitadas, frutas tropicales, especies orientales .La boca es moderadamente dulce sin ser empalagosa, pesada y viscosa, desearía un poco más de acidez, dominada por la brotitis, con una cantidad tremenda de sabores, se nota la madera. Final increíblemente largo.

2007 vintage

Honey peach lemon botrytis on the rich powerful nose. Lots going on in the palate. Really rich, medium- acid with more honey, orange marmalade. Delicious but a little bit of brandy-like weight.

2007 vintage

Sauternes Château de Fargues 1989 Nose of saffron, orange peel, candied citrus fruits and burnt sugar. Taste of cooked apricot, it is more spicy than sweet, and more fine and elegant than rich and viscous. It is in particular thanks to a fairly high acidity for a Sauternes that this wine retains all its flavor. However, its balance is flawless. It may lack a little depth as it is, but it is a pure pleasure to drink at the end …

1989 vintage

From 375mL. From a batch of halves that are a bit darker than expected for 2007 with a golden-copper color; cork had an incredible saffron spice, wine itself is aromatic with some spice but more fruit, orange marmalade, honey, grapefruit; palate is full bodied, incredible medium-plus acidity with some spice, elegant mouthfeel, sweet but balanced, medium (14%) alcohol, grapefruit and citrus, more saffron spice than on the nose; finish is medium-plus length. Almost exactly like my last half from a …

2007 vintage

From 375mL. Golden-caramel, slightly darker than some of my other bottles; aromatic, cork had a pronounced saffron spice but the wine itself has more orange marmalade, citrus oil, orange blossom; palate is medium-full bodied, medium-plus refreshing acidity, medium (14%) alcohol, grapefruit citrus, orange marmalade, saffron spice comes out again; medium length finish. Similar to last bottles, though more advanced than my average '07 Fargues. 93 2 days air: A bit more complexity and depth than when first opened. Bumping this …

2007 vintage

En Primeur campaign for the 2022 vintage Day Four (Bordeaux) : From Magnum. Aromas of apricot, slight almond, a touch of bitter orange marmalade, muscovado. A little tannic burr, a touch too much sugar for the acidity

2013 vintage

375 ml bottle. Very dark color, so is this correct? Ok overall with its butterscotch notes, but slightly lacking vibrancy.

2007 vintage

Concentrated, lush and intense, the wine is already serving up its layers of pineapple, white peach, mango, tangerine and vanilla with honey-covered nuts in every sniff and sip. The palate is coated with sweetness, but the racy acidity cuts through, so you never tire of all the pleasure on your palate. Drink from 2024-2060.

2020 vintage

From 375mL. Just picked up, these half bottles are slightly darker than the half bottles already in my cellar, but still a decent color. (Full bottles purchased at the same time are a bit lighter and roughly where I would expect them, so I think the storage was good.) Golden-orange color; aromatic, high intensity aromatics with citrus oil, grapefruit, baking spices; palate is medium bodied, still prominent sweetness but balanced by immediately clarifying acidity, feels vibrant with slight bit of …

2007 vintage

The 2020 vintage UGCB tasting in Amsterdam 03/06/2023 (Amsterdam) : For my taste a bit massive with low acidity, although the combination of modest citrus and a bit too nuch sugar is still nicely integrated. For me de Fargues excels in big and bold vintages, but minor vintage are not its pointe forte.

2020 vintage

Half bottle. Orange/amber color. Honeyed, high toned, burnt caramel nose. Viscous and very sweet. Mostly crême brulée flavors. Hard to pick out the exact fruit until spice and orange blossom appear late. Very good, but I'm not sure that it has the elegance that I so value in Fargues.

2007 vintage

Pulled out late in a family gathering. While still far from mature this was a very nice honey apricot nectar that went marvelously with cheesecake. It had vibrant acidity and would likely evolve favorably over the next decade or so. But still delicious now.

2014 vintage

NobleRottersSydney - Champagne (Fix, St James, Sydney) : {cork, 14%} [Gordon] Deep gold. Advanced apricot and vanilla bean, Camphor. Syrupy texture despite medium acidity, and the flavours follow the bouquet with a brassy accent. Medium/dry in a sophisticated, non-sugary way, medium weight, and a medium/long finish that’s either limpid or a fraction hollow, depending on your perspective. I liked this very much, but it felt towards the end of its peak somehow.

2007 vintage

At a tasting of recently bottled 2020s. It's a rare treat to get to try this wine. Peaches and orange blossom on the nose, with a palate that was impeccably balanced and not too sweet or heavy. Lovely wine in what was a difficult vintage for Sauternes.

2020 vintage

From a 375. This wine continues to evolve. It is still very youthful in my mind from the color, palate, and nose. My notes from three years prior are still consistent with tropical fruit, color is slowly shifting to a gold, and viscosity is still what I’d expect from a younger Sauternes. Still would say nothing but time on this one.

2007 vintage

A gorgeous, fully mature Sauternes that's still zingy and fresh with great intensity and complexity. There are lovely flavors of molasses and brown spices to balance out the vibrant acidity leaving an impression of medium sweetness and great mineral verve.

1989 vintage

Lemon chiffon, flowers, pineapple. white peach, mango and vanilla with honey-covered nuts create the perfume. Opulent, lush, sweet and fresh, due to its shot of racy acidity that runs down its spine, the buttery finish is packed with grilled pineapple, orange rind and apricots slathered with honey. 94-96

2020 vintage

The Great Grapes of the World Tasting (New Jersey, USA) : Unfortunately, this was the last of 13 bottles, 7 white and 6 red wines this evening. From 375ml bottle, I frankly don’t have any recollection of the specifics of this wine (Yikes!). I remember tasting it with a peach tart and liking it but that’s about it. Just had too much of a bunch of other wonderful wines in too short a period of time.

2014 vintage

This evening was a Moorish theme, with recipes from Ben Tish’s book PAGE 180 ENTRY Gordal Olives with Orange, Goats Curd, Cumin Salt Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs 2007 PAGE 56 STARTER Sourdough Burrata with Crushed Coriander, Fennel Seeds, Burnt Orange Olivier Leflaive, Meursault 2014 PAGE 94 FISH Mackerel with Salted Grapes, Cucumber, Yoghurt, Fennel Dampt Freres Fourchaume, Chablis Premier Cru 2017 PAGE 156 MEAT Lamb, Slow-cooked with Moorish Spices, Buttermilk Penfolds Bin 28 Shiraz 2006, 2010 PAGE 222 DESSERT …

2007 vintage

Medium-deep golden yellow in color. Full, forward & attractive nose of developed & mature, ripe fruit aromas of fresh yellow peaches, orange marmalade, lemon curd & dried apricots with lovely floral overtones of honeysuckle & minerals, caramel, some butterscotch, spices, honey & a hint of vanilla bean. Medium-full bodied with a very good concentration of well balanced & smooth textured, well developed & mature, rich, ripe sweet fruit flavors of canned yellow peaches, dried apricots, lemon & orange rind with …

1976 vintage

Delightful marmalade, freshly zested orange skin, almond, apricot, crème pâtissière notes. Round, rich, long, and satisfying. A very good bottle of this.

1989 vintage

Orange and apricot on the nose; orange marmalade, apricot, and notes of caramel and vanilla on the medium finish, with both high sugar and strong acidity. This is late in its drinking window, and unlikely to get better, but it should hold for a few more years. Although this was a good value at about $60, I wouldn't pay the $100+ I see it for now.

1989 vintage

Fully mature, the wine exchanges concentration for purity, refinement, and freshness. Filled with yellow and orange tropical fruit, vanilla, honey, creme brulee, caramel and honeysuckle, this charmer is deceptively easy to drink.

1989 vintage

Yum Don't recall having tasted this before, I've missed out on a lot Lighter gold colour, nice lemon peel acidity balancing honey sweetness But the price...

2014 vintage

I finished this after it stood in my cellar for 9 days (!!) after I had the first glass. This was so full bodies and lovely, yet with the acidity and sweetness so well balanced. This obviously has a very long life ahead of it.

2014 vintage

NobleRottersSydney - older whites (360 Bar & Dining, Sydney) : {cork, 14%} [Gordon] Golden amber colour. Rich burnished nose of caramel, apricot, nougat, botrytis. Burnt orange on the palate, crème brulee, marmalade, aged and rich. Medium-sweet, full-bodied, with medium acidity, impeccable balance. Tantalises all the tongue, finishes long and impressively. It’d be nit-picking to find faults with this; what a grand finish to another year of great Rotters drinking.

2007 vintage

From 375. Golden-orange; high intensity aromatics with peach, dried apricot, plenty of botrytis baking spice; palate is medium-full bodied, medium sweetness balanced with exceptional medium-plus to high acidity, medium alcohol, typical Fargues grapefruit bitterness (which I love); long finish. Certainly further along than the primary version I had 8 years ago, this is now Stage 2. Drinkable and enjoyable now, but this has so much growing left to do. This is a top-tier sauternes that reflects the elegance and balance …

2007 vintage

Lots of rough cut marmalade, orange, smoke, and custard. Nice acidity, very luscious palate. This is already reasonably advanced and they're great now, so I wouldn't hold these for the long term as they don't have the freshness and backbone to allow for long aging.

1989 vintage

This is an excellent sauternes. There are tropical fruits and honey on the nose. There is fresh tropical fruit and a small amount of tartness on the palate. The finish was long. I have been enjoying this from a 375ML bottle over three days. It has nothing but time but is great now if you like the younger, fresher tones.

2007 vintage

It was getting quite late indeed by this stage of the evening, but I recall this as being a nicely balanced, apricot and orange marmalade sort of wine. Freshness imparted by the acidity kept the residual sugar from cloying and the whole thing was quite nice as a package. Plenty of time in hand, though certainly no fault in drinking these now. It didn't seem to need much air.

1989 vintage

My first 375 of 6, loved it though more full-bodied than I remembered from tasting at the Chateau. There is so much apricot, honey, coconut, and marzipan that I found it irresistible. There is tension behind it as well to keep it all in balance.

2014 vintage

To the eye, bright straw colour with some suspended particulate. Complex toast, baking spice, mineral, floral and fruit nose with a bit of plasticine in the background. Medium sweet palate with bright fruit flavors, absolutely alive with youthful acidity. The alcohol goes almost unnoticed it's so well balanced. Great replays. Long complex finish. 5/5 Barrel sample dated 12/10/16.

2014 vintage

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Chateau de Fargues, Sauternes

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