Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey
Encyclopedia
Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey is a Premier Cru Classé (French, “First Growth”) Sauternes
wine from the Sauternes appellation
. The winery
is located in the southern part of France’s Bordeaux wine
region in the district of Graves
in the commune of Bommes
, and its château is situated on a hill top facing Sauternes' highest classed vineyard, Château d'Yquem
.
Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey produces a second wine
, La Chapelle de Lafaurie, and a dry white wine, Le Brut de Lafaurie.
in the 13th century, the structure then known as Château Pichard served as a military post until it was sold to the gentlemen Lafaurie and Mauros as a national asset following the French Revolution
. Faurie bought sole ownership and began wine production initially under the name Château Pichard-Faurie, and eventually as Lafaurie-Peyraguey, the reasons behind the altered name uncertain. The reputation and price of the wine came to merit third placement at the 1855 classification of Sauternes and Barsac directly behind Yquem and La Tour Blanche
. Following the death of Lafaurie, it was sold by his widow in 1865 to Comte Duchâtel, then owner of Château Lagrange
, given to his wife, and after her death the estate saw numerous changes to its property lines. Bought by the Cordier family in 1917, the winery has since been rebuilt to constitute a modern estate.
, 5 % of Sauvignon blanc
and 5 % of Muscadelle
. The vineyard area extends 40 hectares (98.8 acre), with an average production of 6000-7000 cases per year.
Sauternes (wine)
Sauternes is a French sweet wine from the Sauternais region of the Graves section in Bordeaux. Sauternes is made from Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc, and Muscadelle grapes that have been affected by Botrytis cinerea, also known as noble rot. This causes the grapes to become partially raisined,...
wine from the Sauternes appellation
Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée
Appellation d’origine contrôlée , which translates as "controlled designation of origin", is the French certification granted to certain French geographical indications for wines, cheeses, butters, and other agricultural products, all under the auspices of the government bureau Institut National...
. The winery
Winery
A winery is a building or property that produces wine, or a business involved in the production of wine, such as a wine company. Some wine companies own many wineries. Besides wine making equipment, larger wineries may also feature warehouses, bottling lines, laboratories, and large expanses of...
is located in the southern part of France’s Bordeaux wine
Bordeaux wine
A Bordeaux wine is any wine produced in the Bordeaux region of France. Average vintages produce over 700 million bottles of Bordeaux wine, ranging from large quantities of everyday table wine, to some of the most expensive and prestigious wines in the world...
region in the district of Graves
Graves
Graves is an important subregion of the Bordeaux wine region. Graves is situated on the left bank of the Garonne river, in the upstream part of the region, southeast of the city Bordeaux and stretch over...
in the commune of Bommes
Bommes
Bommes is a commune in the Gironde department in Aquitaine in southwestern France.-Population:...
, and its château is situated on a hill top facing Sauternes' highest classed vineyard, Château d'Yquem
Château d'Yquem
Château d'Yquem is a Premier Cru Supérieur wine from the Sauternes, Gironde region in the southern part of the Bordeaux vineyards known as Graves. In the Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855, Château d'Yquem was the only Sauternes given this rating, indicating its perceived superiority...
.
Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey produces a second wine
Second wine
Second wine is a term commonly associated with Bordeaux wine to refer to a second label wine made from cuvee not selected for use in the Grand vin or first label...
, La Chapelle de Lafaurie, and a dry white wine, Le Brut de Lafaurie.
History
Built as a fortified keepKeep
A keep is a type of fortified tower built within castles during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars have debated the scope of the word keep, but usually consider it to refer to large towers in castles that were fortified residences, used as a refuge of last resort should the rest of the...
in the 13th century, the structure then known as Château Pichard served as a military post until it was sold to the gentlemen Lafaurie and Mauros as a national asset following the French Revolution
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
. Faurie bought sole ownership and began wine production initially under the name Château Pichard-Faurie, and eventually as Lafaurie-Peyraguey, the reasons behind the altered name uncertain. The reputation and price of the wine came to merit third placement at the 1855 classification of Sauternes and Barsac directly behind Yquem and La Tour Blanche
Château La Tour Blanche
Château La Tour Blanche, or La Tour-Blanche, is a sweet white wine ranked as Premier Cru Classé in the original Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855...
. Following the death of Lafaurie, it was sold by his widow in 1865 to Comte Duchâtel, then owner of Château Lagrange
Château Lagrange
Château Lagrange is a winery in the Saint-Julien appellation of the Bordeaux region of France. Château Lagrange is also the name of the red wine produced by this property...
, given to his wife, and after her death the estate saw numerous changes to its property lines. Bought by the Cordier family in 1917, the winery has since been rebuilt to constitute a modern estate.
Production
The grape variety distribution is 90 % of SémillonSémillon
Sémillon is a golden-skinned grape used to make dry and sweet white wines, most notably in France and Australia.-History:The origin of the Sémillon grape is hard to determine. It is known that it first arrived in Australia in the early 19th century and by the 1820s the grape covered over 90 percent...
, 5 % of Sauvignon blanc
Sauvignon blanc
Sauvignon Blanc is a green-skinned grape variety which originates from the Bordeaux region of France. The grape most likely gets its name from the French word sauvage and blanc due to its early origins as an indigenous grape in South West France., a possible descendant of savagnin...
and 5 % of Muscadelle
Muscadelle
Muscadelle is a white wine grape variety. It has a simple aroma of grape juice and raisins like grapes of the Muscat family of grapes, but it is unrelated....
. The vineyard area extends 40 hectares (98.8 acre), with an average production of 6000-7000 cases per year.