Château de Fargues 2000

Characteristics and tasting tips for Château de Fargues 2000

Tasting

Colour
This white wine reveals a brilliant deep golden hue that develops rich amber highlights over time.

Nose
Highly complex, the bouquet reveals intense aromas of candied fruit, apricot and blood orange, interwoven with delicate notes of white flowers. With age, subtle hints of honey, sweet spices and toast further enrich this aromatic palette.

Palate
Full and unctuous, the palate offers a remarkably creamy texture, perfectly balanced by a fine acidic tension. The exceptionally long finish unfolds delicious fruity, floral and spicy notes.

Food and wine pairings
This sweet wine pairs beautifully with pan-seared foie gras, blue cheeses such as Roquefort, or fruit tarts. It also makes a daring match for spicy Asian cuisine, spiced roast poultry or scallops with citrus.

Serving and cellaring
For optimal enjoyment, Château de Fargues 2000 is best served at around 12°C. A little aeration is sufficient, with no need for decanting. Blessed with remarkable ageing potential, this vintage can be cellared for several decades and may even last a century.

A Sauternes combining elegance and richness

The estate
Built in the early 14th century, the fortress of Château de Fargues has belonged to the Lur Saluces family since 1472. Located in Bordeaux, the estate produced its first Sauternes vintage in 1943. Now run by Alexandre, Philippe and Charlotte de Lur Saluces, the 170-hectare property stands out for its mixed farming and uncompromising commitment to quality. Although it was not included in the 1855 Classification, Château de Fargues is unanimously recognised as one of the most prestigious names in its appellation.

The vineyard
Overlooking the Garonne valley, the vineyard stretches across the heights of the Sauternes appellation. The vines, with an average age of 35 to 40 years, thrive on poor soils of clay-limestone, gravel and sand over a clay subsoil. This distinctive terroir enjoys an ideal autumn microclimate, where the alternation of morning mists and sunny afternoons encourages the development of noble rot, Botrytis cinerea. The estate practises sustainable viticulture, with annual ploughing and extremely low yields.

The vintage
The 2000 vintage offered highly favourable weather conditions for producing sweet wines. The climate allowed excellent development of Botrytis cinerea as well as optimal ripeness of the berries, ensuring a healthy, concentrated harvest.

Vinification and ageing
Château de Fargues 2000 was harvested by hand in successive passes through the vineyard, allowing the botrytised grapes to be selected berry by berry. Following a partial fermentation lasting three to five weeks, the wine was aged in French oak barrels, around 30% of them new, for 18 to 36 months. The wine was racked regularly and stabilised naturally, without any fining or filtration, in order to preserve its full purity.

Grape varieties
80% Sémillon, 20% Sauvignon Blanc