| Region | |
|---|---|
| Subregion | France > Bordeaux > Sauternes and Barsac |
| Colour | Sweet White |
| Type | Still |
Tasted blind at the 10-Year On Tasting in Sauternes. The 2005 Château de Fargues has a rich and intense bouquet with layers of honey, dried peach, beeswax and acacia that soar from the glass. The palate is powerful and authoritative: intense botrytis-rich honeyed fruit with compelling mineralité underneath. It fans out in glorious fashion – a stunning de Fargues that is now beginning to show its talents. As I remarked a couple of years ago, just afford it a couple more years so that it can fully absorb the vestiges of oak. Drink 2018-2045.
This is very concentrated with dried pineapple, honey and caramel. Full-bodied and superdense. Like honey. Massive. This is fantastic. From the former head and part owner of Yquem.
The 2005 de Fargues is medium to deep straw-gold in color. It rolls out with ready-to-go notes of honey toast, peach preserves, pineapple paste, and orange marmalade with touches of walnut cake and burnt sugar. Rich and unctuous, the palate has a lively line to lift the dense, spicy fruit to a long finish.
Tasted blind. Slightly orangey copper. Occluded nose. Big and bold and blowsy on the palate. Rather brutal.
Drink 2017-2030
Not for the first time is it clear that this unclassified cru can make wines of 1er cru classé quality. The nose shows marvellously heady opulence and richness, also complex fruit aromas of real beauty. The flavour simply goes on and on, with great complexity, richness and breed.
The 2005 de Fargues has just a little more residual sugar than succeeding vintages at 142-grams- per-liter and an alcohol of 13.65%. Picked over five tries from September 27 until exactly one month later, it has a slightly more resinous bouquet than the mighty 2007 with melted candle wax, Seville orange marmalade, a touch of almond and peach skin. The definition is (as usual) very impressive. The palate is very well-balanced with marmalade and orange peel on the entry. There is good weight and presence here, although it is more contained and focused than the 2007. The oak is just a little more pronounced and it would benefit from another five or six years in bottle before broaching. Tasted April 2013.
Curious metallic quality on the nose at first which dissipated. Then very sweet and round and full. Golden syrup sensation. Some firm acidity, a little loose and embryonic. Quite astringent finish. Toasty note, too. Drink 2014-24
