Sauternes: Raymond Lafon, d'Yquem, Clos Haut-Peyraguey, Maison Rouge and others

Bee heaven: a bee enjoying a grape left on the vine@Château d'Yquem

Some photos from a relaxed day in Sauternes yesterday with decidedly variable weather – lovely sunshine succeeded by a sudden storm with heavy rain. Unlike other parts of Bordeaux, Sauternes has enjoyed a good harvest this year with botytris arriving early but after the grapes had ripened to around 12˚ and very even within bunches. Quite a lot of the harvest is complete. It looked like d'Yquem were doing a last sweep through their vineyards picking the best of the remaining grapes. 

Maison rouge: fin des vendanges for Jean-Claude Belanger

Grapes@Clos Haut-Peyraguey (above and below)

Almost there just needing a little more time?

Have already some at least a couple of tris here

 New concrete egg vat@Clos Haut-Peyraguey.
The property was bought by Bernard Magrez at the end of 2012

André Praderie, chargé des visites@Clos Haut-Peyraguey with the egg

Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey 

Château Raymond Lafon: waiting for the final tri

Just one more day's harvesting left. Rot very even

Jean-Pierre Meslier, Château Raymond-Lafon

We had a very interesting and enjoyable visit with Jean-Pierre

Raymond Lafon has a fine garden with many oriental plants and includes a duck pond 

The barrel chai@Raymond-Lafon

We tasted 2009, 2007 and 2005 vintages

All excellent but I had a slight preference for the 

balance and freshness of the 2007

Château d'Yquem – neighbour to Raymond-Lafon

Picking some of the last bunches of 2013@d'Yquem

Storm approaching d'Yquem – sudden change in the weather 

from fine and sunny to heavy rain with a little hail

Lashing rain on the windscreen

Maison Rouge after the storm

Good thing Jean-Claude harvested that morning!

Drenched grapes in a neighbouring vineyard
 – have to wait for them to dry and concentrate