Chateau Lafaurie-Peyraguey 2018

Extremely concentrated, with a gorgeous kick of bitter orange, lime zest, and concentrated saffron and white pepper spice. Satin in texture, this has less of an uplift than the 2017 but is accomplished and impressive. 33% new oak. A yield of 7hl/ha.

Subtle nose of quince, lemon zest, orange, spice and some tropical fruit. It’s full-bodied and well balanced, fruity and spicy with a velvety texture. Savory finish with lovely length. Try after 2024.

The 2018 Lafaurie-Peyraguey has opened up over the last three or four years, with those lovely quince and honey scents still intact. The palate is well defined, with very well-integrated oak, gaining some weight on the mid-palate and a lightly spiced finish. This 2018 seems to be on an upward trajectory. Very finessed.

Honeyed yellow and orange tropical fruits with beautiful notes of vanilla, flowers, spice and candied citrus are just great. On the palate, all the sweet, fresh, honeyed tropical fruit with touches of white peach and marmalade in the endnote hits all the right spots if you are craving something sweet.

Light greenish yellow, silver reflections. Inviting bouquet with fine blossom honey, white tropical fruit, a hint of lanolin and white peach. Powerful and juicy, ripe pineapple, some caramel, elegant and long with delicate grapefruit and wood savouriness on the finish. Good ageing potential. (2020-2045)

93% Sémillon, 6% Sauvignon Blanc, 1% Muscadelle, 7 hl/ha. Golden yellow with lime-green highlights. Delicate, playful aromas of mirabelle tart and greengage compote, followed by fresh pear purée, acacia honey, a touch of mango and ripe vineyard peach. On the elegant palate, ripe, fleshy extract supported by fresh acidity, everything in its right place. In the focused finish, the wine virtually explodes—passion fruit and maracuja—with brilliant, never-ending fruit intensity! Outstanding performance from the team around Eric Larramona, sharing the throne this year in Sauternes & Barsac with Suduiraut and L'Extravagant.

Kunz barrel sample 19: (93% Sémillon, 6% Sauvignon Blanc, 1% Muscadelle) Mineral, fresh, complex bouquet: cooked Williams pears, mint leaves, delicate citrus, vanilla, fresh almonds, honey, Alka‑Seltzer, a basket of exotic fruits. Densely knit, powerful, elegant palate with intense, precise fruit, very good sweetness, fresh, finely integrated acidity, varied, powerful aromatics, and a very long, vigorous finish with plenty of lingering flavors.

(93% Sémillon, 6% Sauvignon Blanc, 1% Muscadelle) Mineral, fresh, complex bouquet: cooked Williams pears, mint leaves, subtle citrus, vanilla, fresh almonds, honey, Alka-Seltzer, a basket of exotic fruits. Densely knit, powerful, elegant palate with concentrated, precise fruit, very good sweetness, fresh, finely integrated acidity, layered, intense aromatics, and a very long, powerful finish with plenty of lingering flavors. 19/20 2025 - 2060

The 2018 Lafaurie-Peyraguey is pale lemon-straw in color. It comes hurdling out of the glass with rambunctious notes of baked peaches, poached pears, and juicy melon, followed by wafts of beeswax, spice cake, and orange blossoms. The palate is rich, concentrated, and expressive, with just enough freshness and a decadently fruity finish.

We’re impressed by its harmony, gentle sweetness and lingering finish. It has volume, with refined, pure fruit—more dazzling than fleshy—yet with an intense citrus-driven persistence. Superb.

The nose is complex, with notes of gentian and a hint of minerality accompanying the fruit – dried apricot, mango – and the palate is lifted by lovely freshness that balances the sweetness.

An intense, complex bouquet with notes of mirabelle plums, passion fruit, citrus and toasted almonds. Creamy, racy character on the palate. Everything comes together in this wine: sweetness, temperament and aromatic expression. Intense, persistent finish. A truly great wine.

The nose is aromatic, elegant, with a very subtle incisive/straight edge, indulgence, and a lovely silky/delicate touch. It reveals notes of candied lemon and lemon zest, together with small touches of crushed mirabelle, honey, small fruits/quenette, as well as very discreet hints of almond, a subtle hint of lime zest, and a very discreet hint of almond husk. The palate is elegant, gourmand, characterful, precise, and offers lovely definition/precision, vibrancy, a creamy side, an airy feel, lovely freshness, beautiful purity, and refined fruit/grain. On the palate, this wine expresses notes of candied lemon, combined with small touches of fleshy/crushed mirabelle, hints of roasted apricot, as well as very fine touches of fresh almond, almond husk, and a very discreet hint of hazelnut (in the background).

Sun-yellow color. A delicate, fruity, pure nose with nuances of candied white fruits and mint. Broad on the attack, melting as it develops, very fruity; the wine caresses the palate and finishes rich, with good length and a hint of citrus.

94–96. Barrel Sample. Acidity shoots through the botrytis tone, giving freshness that lifts the dry, intense core of the wine. Showing good balance already, it will obviously age well.