Château Lafaurie Peyraguey 2025

Chateau Lafaurie-Peyraguey sits at the top of Bommes, one of the highest points in Sauternes, and was ranked Premier Grand Cru in the 1855 classification. The wine is Semillon grown on gravel and clay over limestone in a corner of Bordeaux defined by its autumn mists. Cold water from the Ciron stream meets the warmer Garonne and settles fog over the vineyards at dawn, which encourages Botrytis cinerea, the noble rot that pierces the grape skins and lets water evaporate. The berries shrivel and concentrate their sugars, acids and aromatics, and pickers pass through the rows several times to take only the affected fruit. Fermentation stops while ample natural sugar remains, and time in barrel adds a layer of oak spice and a slow oxygen exchange that builds complexity. The colour is a radiant deep gold. The nose is generous, with honey, dried apricot, candied orange peel and a saffron lift typical of botrytis. The palate is rich and viscous yet held straight by bright acidity, finishing long on marmalade and beeswax. Serve well chilled at 8 to 10 degrees.