Château de Fargues Sauternes 1997

In colour among the deepest here, darkening amber, tawny and walnut with pale gold reflections and hints of a brighter yellow. It has reached the stage where this is savoury in flavour, with a memory of sweetness that has moved on to showcase soft truffle, oyster shell salinity, cumin, turmeric, bitter orange and spiced white pear, all silky and melted together. This stretches out, long-limbed and moreish. A late harvest that began so early and finished so late that they were able to bring in grapes at every single stage of botrytis, which is partly why the colour is so complex and naunced. I’ve had a few bottles of this vintage that remain closed even at 25 years old, that even show some reduction, so give it a long carafe to reveal the beauty. Harvest September 15 through to November 4. 115g/l residual sugar. François Amirault winemaker.