Château de Fargues - Half Bottle 1999
Owned by the de Lur Saluces family since 1472, Château de Fargues holds a unique place among the great sweet wines of Sauternes. The family, long associated with Château d’Yquem, dedicated Fargues to the production of a great white wine from the 20th century, with the first vintage produced in 1943. The estate only produces its Sauternes when conditions allow reaching the desired level of quality, selecting grapes affected by noble rot during successive harvests. The 1999 vintage was marked by a hot and dry summer, followed in mid-September by rains favorable to the development of botrytis. The first picks, carried out from September 24 to 29, yielded very rich and aromatic musts, while a new wave of botrytization allowed the harvest to continue until October 21. The result is a concentrated Sauternes but supported by remarkable freshness, with an elegance that particularly characterizes this estate.
The Château de Fargues 1999 is made from Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc, both grape varieties interplanted in the vineyard and harvested by successive picks to select only berries sufficiently affected by botrytis. The late-season climatic conditions allowed obtaining particularly concentrated juices, marked by candied fruits while maintaining a lively acidity. The wine was fermented and then aged for three years in barrels before continuing its evolution in the bottle. The vintage shows 13.5% alcohol, 122 g/l residual sugars, and an acidity of 4.90 g/l, figures that partly explain its balance between richness and freshness. After more than twenty-five years of evolution, this half bottle now offers a format particularly suited to tasting for two or as an end-of-meal drink. Time has gradually softened the sweet power into a more complex matter, where ripe fruits, candied citrus, and spicy notes take on more prominence. The longevity of the vintage is fully consistent with the style of Fargues, designed from the start to evolve over several decades.
The color today shows a deep and luminous gold, announcing an evolution already well underway without suggesting fatigue. The nose blends yellow peach, apricot, ripe citrus, and candied lemon, before revealing notes of cooked fruits, quince paste, vanilla, and nutmeg. On the palate, the attack maintains a beautiful liveliness, quickly enveloped by a broad and silky texture. The richness of the botrytis manifests in flavors of apricot jam, candied fruits, and honey, while citrus and a fine bitterness maintain tension up to the finish. The whole is concentrated but never heavy, with a delicate persistence and a freshness that remarkably prolongs the tasting. This Sauternes can accompany foie gras, lobster, or turbot, but also an aged Comté or a lightly sweet dessert around apricot, pear, or citrus. A temperature of 10 to 12 °C will preserve its brilliance while allowing its aromatic complexity to fully express itself.
Grape varieties: Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc
