Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey
A jewel nestled in the setting of Sauternes vines
Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey is a 1er Grand Cru Classé of Sauternes whose origins date back to the 15th century. This vineyard, owned by Silvio Denz, a Swiss entrepreneur passionate about wine, covers 35 hectares, 32 of which are planted. 15 hectares are dedicated to the production of the first wine (Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey), 15 hectares to the second wine (Chapelle de Lafaurie) and 2 hectares to produce Bordeaux Blanc (dry). Each year the property produces between 20,000 and 40,000 bottles of Sauternes. I suggest we go together to discover this property, enlightened by the explanations of David Bolzan (General Manager of Vignobles Silvio Denz).
Where does the name of the property come from?
David Bolzan: This is the name of the previous owners. It is a composite name that comes from the two families who have owned it in the past. First there was the Peyraguey family until 1618, then the Lafaurie family. When it was bought by the latter, they renamed the castle by placing their name first. However, it was only a wine property from 1618 with the planting of the first vines. In 2018, we celebrated the 400th anniversary. Before that, and according to the deeds found, it was a non-wine - agricultural property (cereals, orchard, various plantings…).
Could you tell us about the philosophy and the spirit of the property?
D.B..: We are in a region blessed by the gods, surrounded by very big names. We are in 1er cru Classé territory, on the third highest terrace of the appellation. In terms of region, we are therefore lucky to enjoy an extraordinary ecosystem, something special and rare.
When you arrive at Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey, you have a space made up of an interior courtyard surrounded by stone buildings, a large green space in the center, centuries-old trees and the castle behind. It invites contemplation, the spaces are generous (like generous wine). It’s not austere, it’s not bourgeois, it’s simple. It’s natural and welcoming. We have a land that has been there for millennia, we have a superb castle with a majestic stone fortress. It is a place that marks people’s minds. It is a place of hospitality. One cannot imagine that a castle like this ever receives anyone. It is a place of hospitality so it should be open and welcoming. I think what characterizes us is also our very openmindedness and a certain creativity. We want to do things a little differently, reasonably shake up the norms.
Could you tell us about Silvio Denz, how he came to the world of wine?
D.B.: He has been a great wine lover for a long time, he had been already long before investing in the vineyard. In his family they have a wine culture. He has always been aware of the art of the table. His father had a very good cellar, so he had this culture. From 1982, he started buying Primeurs in Bordeaux to build up a very nice cellar and he still continues! He also has in his cellar some very nice bottles from all over the world. He was so carried by this love of wine that he then began to invest in vineyards in Tuscany and Spain. It was in 2005 that he bought his first vineyard in France, Château Cap de Faugères, Château Faugères and Château Peby Faugères. In 2014 he fell in love with Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey. Above all, he loves places that make great wines, great wines with great terroirs, but also places that speak volumes, places to which he can bring his touch. He loves breathtaking places. We agree that even though the place is pretty, it doesn’t add much to the wine. However, if it is pretty, people will come there more often and probably taste the wine and remember it. Behind a product there is a place, we have to bet on the places so that people understand the wine and above all experience emotional moments that will make them love and buy this wine. After all, shouldn’t wine be emotions?
What’s your signature? What makes them recognizable in blind tasting?
D.B.: They offer great finesse, elegance, good balance as well as richness. There is an aromatic regularity through the vintages. We think it comes from the blend of the three terroirs we have. It is a strength that we have, whatever the type of vintage, we always have a terroir that adapts to it better than others and which therefore makes it possible to overcome the vagaries of the year. The aromas I was telling you about revolve around citrus fruits, orange peel or even orange zest. Incidentally, this is where the idea for the SweetZ cocktail was born.
Our wines offer a lot of finesse, they are very precise, complex, long, fruity and very coated. We work on the suppleness and acidity of the wine. Consumers expect us on sugar but our project is acidity and therefore balance.
Another characteristic, we are part of the small club of Sauternes (and there are few, two or three) which have a high proportion of Sémillon. We have 93% Semillon, 6% Sauvignon Blanc and 1% Muscadelle. Usually in Sauternes when we talk about 90% we talk more about Sauvignon Blanc.
Could you tell us about your terroirs and their characteristics?
D.B.: We have three types of terroir. Those which were the first to be planted and which are also those classified in 1855 are located behind the castle. They represent about fifteen hectares. Originally there were only ten hectares, those located in our enclosure (walled vineyard) but an acquisition has brought this to around fifteen hectares. This, those which are behind the castle are made up of gravel and are quite sandy. The further down the coast, the more sandy it is. They bring a lot of finesse to our blend. To tell the truth, a large part of the finesse of Lafaurie-Peyraguey comes from these sands and gravels. It is a poor and fine soil. We also have between 3 and 4 hectares which are located 250 meters from the Château, on the Yquem hill. This terroir is known for the high quality of its clays. We also have some gravel. This terroir brings great richness to the wine.
Our third terroir is located more towards the village of Sauternes and offers more gravel and limestone. This is where the minerality in our wines mainly comes from.
To sum up, I would say: finesse, richness and minerality thanks to the sand + clay + limestone triptych, this is what makes Château LafauriePeyraguey so strong, which makes its identity.
Do you have an anecdote about the property?
D.B.: We have created an object that matches the image of great wines and that is fantastical: we created the only Lalique crystal barrel in the world that contains Sauternes. A fabulous container was needed to contain this great wine. This is the result of a long R & D work… We very often receive offers to buy it but there is no question of selling it. We also have a restaurant on site. Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey is a huge castle and we wanted to open it up to visitors as well as to the people living nearby. The people who built this castle necessarily wanted, given the architecture, to entertain at the property. There was therefore room to make the restaurant without altering the structure of the castle or building an extension. We have so much to say about our wines... so this is a way of saying it, of showing all the beauty of the wine by pairing them with beautiful dishes. It also allows us to express our own style and creativity. We wanted a restaurant that was at the level of our 1er Cru Classé. I think this is the restaurant that most closely resembles the ranking. The restaurant is made to create known or unknown food / taste pairings. Pairing foie gras with Sauternes is just perfect with a very young Sauternes. We are therefore revisiting the great classics and making original, unexpected creations.