Millésimes-collection

VINTAGE 1997

Beautiful golden yellow colour

WEATHER DURING THE GROWING SEASON

The vines began to grow earlier than usual, but May was cool and rainy so flowering was spread out from May 5th-June 15th. The weather in August was very stormy, and a period of exceedingly high temperatures set in that lasted until late October. The weather in September and October was excellent, with prevailing easterly and south-easterly winds. Noble rot developed slowly, but steadily, thanks to the hot, dry weather and early morning mists.

HARVEST

The diversity of ripening (due to spread-out flowering) and damage caused by midges (which thrived in the hot August nights) made the harvest very complicated. The first wave of picking called for five days of hard work (September 15th-19th) to harvest the equivalent of 15 barrels of wine. The pickers subsequently went through the vines every ten days until the first frost on the morning of November 4th. It thus took a total of five waves to harvest the grapes, encompassing the complete range of ripeness and noble rot. This long vintage period is reflected in the complexity of the wine

THE WINE

Fermented and aged in barrel for three years Production: Under 15,000 bottles Alcohol: 13.5° Sugar: 115 g/l Acidity: 4.40 g/l

NOTES ET CRITIQUES DÉGUSTATION>
TASTING NOTES AND COMMENTS

Beautiful golden yellow colour When swirled in the glass, the intense bouquet reveals hints of honey and Muscat. Goes on to develop complex aromas of candied fruit, fruit jellies, and dried fruit with a toasty, spicy touch. Starts out round and smooth on the palate becoming creamy and full-bodied on the middle palate. Very rich and concentrated. The delicious long aftertaste confirms the great complexity of this vintage. Overtones of honey give way to a multitude of candied and dry fruit flavours. A many-faceted wine. Concentrated and complex. Perfectly-balanced. The aftertaste lingers forever. This extremely enjoyable vintage should be aged for a few more years to reveal its full potential.

Château de Fargues, 2017
*****

"Very open and complex nose [...] The palate is a model of balance, with a very melted liquor, a spicy tone that makes the wine vibrate. Great finish between roasted fruits and spicy minerality. "

La Revue du Vin de France – 01/09/2006
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"Golden yellow with lemon reflections, the 97 shows a beautiful olfactory com- plexity. The notes of candied fruit are combined with those of over-ripeness (apricot and quince jams). Fat, full and round, the palate is distinguished by its balance between sugars and alcohol. Remarkable for its fullness and freshness, this wine with its long finish of almond and candied lemon has all the makings of a great sweet wine [...] "

Guide Hachette des vins – 2004
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