CLASS ROOMS
Lalique Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey
What?
Opened in 2018, to chime with the 400th anniversary of historic Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey where it has made its home. The third hotel and restaurant from Lalique, this is the latest instalment in CEO Silvio Denz’ vision to grow the crystal manufacturer into a luxury lifestyle brand.
Conceived to marry the worlds of wine, crystal, gastronomy and hospitality, Denz says: “I want to make staying at our hotels a unique experience, share a unique heritage, and create the emotion evoked by a Premier Cru Classé.”
Where?
Set in the heart of Sauternes, the greatest of the Cru Classé terroirs, this 36-hectare estate is a working vineyard producing some of the finest wine in the region, complete with its own chapel and cellars. Only 40 minutes from the fabulous restaurants and galleries of Bordeaux, the landscape is as picturesque as they come, with rolling views of neatly manicured vines dotted with elegant châteaux and charming villages.
Why?
With two five-star properties under its belt already, the third hotel in the Lalique portfolio has strong foundations for success, continuing the brand’s signature blend of refined and restrained styling, offset by magnificent Lalique crystal. The 17th century Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey is a vision of simple lines and honey-coloured stone that hides
a chic garden square behind its walls; with drinks available here all day long, it’s the ideal spot for an aperitif or afternoon coffee. Inside, 13 rooms designed by Lady Tina Green and Pietro Mingarelli offer havens of tranquillity, with nods to the terroir artfully injected into the design scheme. Photos by Swiss artist Aerni pay tribute to the golden wine of Lafaurie-Peyraguey, while vine-inspired motifs are echoed throughout, inspiring crystal insets into the likes of tables, mirrors and bed frames, as well as the embroidery on bed linens and pillows.
The exclusive tower suite enjoys 360 degree views from pole position atop the château (as well as a private reading lounge), but that’s not to say guests in the remaining suites will feel hard done by – the rooms are fabulous, with soaring vaulted ceilings, wooden alcoves, huge French windows and generous furniture. A chic and cosy library decorated with Lalique decanters is clearly the place to be during winter, or just head straight to the magnificent Michelin-starred restaurant by Jérôme Schilling, where a sensational meal awaits at any time of the year.
Set in a modern extension designed by Mario Botta, the glass-fronted restaurant walls frame the view perfectly, affording squeals of delight as the sun sets and melts into a sea of blazing fire. The 40-cover restaurant is minimal enough to let the food do the talking (with obligatory Lalique touches), but look up and you’ll notice the pièce de resistance: a ceiling decorated with a hundred and twenty Semillon leaves in gleaming gold crystal. Other bespoke touches include Fürstenberg porcelain and Peugeot Saveurs salt and pepper shakers, replicas of the originals created by maestro René Lalique himself in 1924. If you want to use them, save the seasoning for your eggs at breakfast – Schilling’s food requires no further attention than to be savoured.
Menus of varying lengths reveal delights such as tomatoes roasted in vine leaves served three ways, veal in a black crust with red pepper mousse and local raspberries with rose. As one might expect, the dishes offer more surprises on the plate than are given away on the menu – unlike the wines, which deliver precisely.
Keen to learn more about the inner workings of the vineyard? Tours and tastings are offered on the property and include a viewing of the famous Lalique crystal barrique, a barrel that contains around 300 bottles-worth of the Premier Grand Cru Classé estate’s 2013 Sauternes vintage, unveiled to mark the estate’s 400th birthday. Two years in the making, it’s anyone’s guess as to how it will hold and mature the wine: we’ll drink to that.
Rooms from $255
lafauriepeyragueylalique.com