Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey: Tasting & Drinking
The 1986 vintage was a turning point for Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey, one that indicated the estate was clearly on the up following the installation of Michel Laporte during the 1970s, replacing the outgoing Pierre Patachon, and later perhaps influenced by new direction from GDF Suez. As indicated on the previous page, Michel himself has since been replaced by his son, Yannick Laporte, in 2000. Nevertheless, some commentators enjoyed the wines of Patachon’s regime, and I was interested to see that Clive Coates had respect for the 1975 vintage, describing it as a ‘major success’. It was drying out somewhat when I tasted it in 2002, and was certainly a wine of quality, but it was not up to the standard of some vintages from the 1980s.
The 1986 vintage was also a turning point for me, a wake-up call that told me I should be doing more than just appreciating Sauternes at tasting events from time to time, but actively seeking out, purchasing and drinking them. Ever since I encountered that wine I have done so, and they now form a significant part of my cellar (you could probably argue I have too much, but I certainly won’t get bored as I work my way through it).
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