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 

Auberge des Vignes, Sauternes

A half bottle of 2011 Petit Guiraud (Château Guiraud) to get us acclimatised 

Nicely balanced sweetness – fine as an apéro with the foie gras 

and then with the Fourme d'Ambert 

We are spending a couple of nights in the Sauternes area on our way from Touraine to Logroño for the Digital Wine Communications Conference (DWCC) and staying at Peyraguey Maison Rouge in Bommes. These are very comfortable chambres d'hôtes run by Annick and Claude Belanger. Last night we had a very enjoyable meal at the Auberge des Vignes in Sauternes, which has a very good wine list – naturally largely concentrating on Bordeaux – with a big range of prices rising up to around 3500 euros but with many much more affordable wines. Would certainly go back if in the area.

Foie gras with fig and a glass of the Guiraud 

Steaks cooked over sarments des vignes

 

 

 Very tasty entrecôte definitely flavoured 

by the sarments and the smoke

 Fine half bottle of 2005 Château Baret, Pessac-Léognan 

Not on the list but kindly suggested by the owner (18€)

An excellent crème brûlée

Chocolate dessert – interesting but a little sweet

Local colour!