375mL. Golden-copper; aromatic, tons of spice and botrytis, orange marmalade, grapefruit, dried apricot, some honey; palate is medium bodied, richly sweet but with piercing acidity throughout which gives it great freshness, grapefruit citrus; long finish. Similar to my other halves, and drinking superbly now. 93
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(at Gordon Ramsey - London, 375ml). Deep golden-orange color. Nose bursts with marmalade, lemon curd and ripe grape preserves. Rich and impactful and full of life. It lingers on the palate for almost a minute. Special wine for a special lunch with DBK III. (94)
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From 375mL. Darker copper color; aromatic, intense orange marmalade, baking spices, grapefruit, apricot; palate is full bodied, sweet but also with prominent medium-plus acidity throughout, citrus oil, some grapefruit citrus bitterness, treacle; finish is medium-plus length, nice sweetness but finishes with a strong mineral note. At an excellent stage 3 spot now, interestingly seems to be integrating/losing its sweetness much faster than I would have expected for its age. It will be tasting like a stage 4 sauternes before too long. 93
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From 375mL. Excellent color, golden with faintest hint of orange; aromatic, grapefruit, apricot; palate is medium-full bodied, sweet but balanced, medium-plus acidity, medium (14%) alcohol, plenty of stone fruit, orange marmalade; finish is medium-plus length. A very nice Chateau de Fargues and a lovely sauternes. Enjoyable now and over the next decade. 93
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From 375mL. Good color, deep golden with very little orange; aromatic, apricot, honey, grapefruit citrus twang, some spice; palate is medium bodied, medium-plus acidity, medium-plus alcohol, orange marmalade; finish is medium length. Well balanced, consistent with my other half bottles, lacking a bit of depth and complexity compared to the best Fargues, but very good for what it is now. Drink now or over the next 10+ years. 93
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From 375mL. Burnished orange, similar to my last half but a touch darker than some others; aromatic, baking spice, orange peel, cinnamon, nutmeg; medium bodied, sweet but balanced, medium-plus vibrant acidity throughout, Seville orange marmalade, some spices; medium-plus finish. Similar to my last half bottle, enjoyable now. 93-94
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375mL. Burnished orange color, slightly darker than my other halves; high intensity aromatics, Christmas spices, nutmeg, cinnamon, grapefruit, citrus peel; palate is medium bodied, vibrant medium-plus acidity, grapefruit pith, definitely some warm spices like cinnamon and nutmeg, never too rich with strong core of acidity especially through the midpalate; finish is medium-plus length. I think this half bottle is a bit more advanced than other ones that I've opened recently, which provides no less enjoyment and still incredible acidity for the year. 93
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From 375mL. Lovely golden color, lighter than most 2003s; high intensity aromatics, grapefruit, orange peel, honey, baking spice; palate is medium-bodied, exceptional medium-plus acidity which is vibrant throughout, signature grapefruit twang with slight bitterness, integrated medium sweetness, exceptional depth and very good complexity; finish is long. A spectacular success for the vintage and a superb Fargues overall. Lovely now but with easily a decade or longer ahead of it. 94+ Update: Yep, wonderful now. The vibrancy on this makes it so enjoyable to drink, not cloying at all. This is exceptional... I'm probably underrating it at 94-95+
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Dégustation Juillet 2021 au resto AVV La Suite de Sherbrooke avec les FOUDUVIN de l'Estrie (Resto AVV La Suite de Sherbrooke): Bu au resto AVV La Suite de Sherbrooke avec les FOUDUVIN de l'Estrie, FrançoisD, Bulle, Meursault et MikeLM! Fort probablement une bouteille VES de la SAQ. La robe est très foncée, orange cuivrée. Le nez montre des signes de réduction mais en bouche c`est pas vilain. Zestes et caramel salé avec un peu de pêches. Le vin est moins éclatant et en forme qu`il ne l`a été mais est tout de même buvable.
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From 375mL. Golden-orange, still quite a good color for a 2003; aromatic, orange marmalade, grapefruit, caramel, baking spice; palate is full bodied but balanced by elegant medium-plus acidity, alcohol seems perfectly in balance despite being 14%, citrus marmalade, slight grapefruit bitterness, excellent length and depth through the midpalate; finish is medium-plus length and lovely. This is in a great spot now, stlll with the sweetness of a young-ish sauternes but with great depth and complexity that comes with a bit of age. This is an incredible sauternes and among the best 2003s that I've tried (and very consistent over the past decade). 93+ with at least a decade or two of development still ahead of it, though absolutely lovely now.
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From 375mL. Deep orange-copper; aromatic, orange marmalade, baking spice, caramel; palate is full bodied, medium-plus to high acidity throughout which gives the palate freshness, citrus peel and grapefruit pith, caramel and a bit of tea, medium-plus alcohol (14%) but well integrated, fruit fades just a tad towards the finish; medium length finish. Really lovely sauternes, and a good example of the style of Chateau de Fargues, and along with Yquem remains one of the most balanced 2003s. Excellent now, but will continue to improve for the next 15 years. 93+
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Beautiful caramel color showing its maturity. Served perfectly at 50 degrees, which allowed the aromatics to soar from the glass. Paired perfectly with Bananas Foster.
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The Ravenswood Library Wines (M/M Blue Oval's): From 375ml courtesy of our hosts. Deep color. Loads of ripe tropical fruit abound, along with honey, marmalade and pineapple. Rich and layered, with a long finish.
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From 375. Golden-orange; highly aromatic, orange marmalade, baking spice, apricot; palate is medium bodied, balanced sweetness, elegant medium-plus acidity, medium alcohol, dried apricot; medium finish with good freshness. Balanced, elegant, nice flavors, but my last bottle was a bit better (probably just a bit of bottle variation). 92-93
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Christmas dinner dessert wine. From a 375. Light bronze in color, fragrant, the sweetness has begun to give way to spiciness, well balanced, very good on its own. Forgot the last glass in the bottle in the fridge and finished tonight with some salted dark chocolate. A good match and the wine is still quite good, I suspect this will go for years yet even in a .375.
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My half bottle is a little shy at the beginning! But gosh, the colour is simply stunning, acacia honey gold, bright and shiny! After thirty minutes of breathing in the glass, started to show its character, nose of coconut oil, orange peel, a hint of grilled nuts, very flowery white fruits and quite botrytis, the palate is sweet with large amounts of white fruits, very deep and intense but no decadence or flamboyancy! Fairly youthful, needs time to reveal its true character! I suspect I opened a year or two earlier, which is a bit of a shame really!
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From a 375. Burnished orange, almost copper color; nose is aromatic, orange marmalade, burnt caramel, apricot, baking spice; palate is medium bodied, density to the apricot marmalade, but never heavy in texture and has great freshness throughout the midpalate and finish, medium balanced acidity, perfectly integrated medium alcohol, caramel and almost coffee secondary and tertiary flavors; medium-plus finish, clean. This is more advanced than my bottle from a year ago, but this may also be my best half-bottle for years. The balance on this is ridiculous, and it falls into none of the traps of the vintage. It seamlessly balances richness of fruit and flavor while preserving freshness of texture and balanced (though not bracing) acidity. I maintain that the 2003 Yquem and 2003 Fargues are among the few impeccably balanced sauternes that year, and this seems to have emerged from a few years of mildly awkward showings (still good, but just a tad disjointed). 95+, now in stage 3 (mature but still with sweetness and fruit, not yet dry). This will continue to evolve and drink well for 2 decades.
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Bring a Barolo or Brunello... or any good red (Broders): From my 375ml. Perfectly charming. This producer always seemed a bit more elegant and understated to me, but in the 2003 vintage, it is bursting with apricot and botrytis. Thankfully, there is enough acidity to keep the wine in check, a welcome feature that many producers did not accomplish in 2003. I frankly did not know what to expect from this producer in this vintage, and I think they did well.
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From 750ml. Nose of alcohol, bit of creme brulee and pineapple. Palate very pineapple with some burnt creme brulee notes, decent acidity. Long pineapple finish. Improved on second night. Not the best, though nothing to complain about here; more fruit than custard notes. Paired with grapefruit supremes sauteed in brown butter- fabulous, and apple strudel the previous night.
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Sharp almost burning alcohol - the balance is not yet there and may not evolve. Apart from this there is an abundance of elements in the taste - quite typical as burned creme brulee, apricots, apple and nuts. This is not elegant in any way due to the Warm 2003 vintage - still it is enjoyable.
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From a 375. Deep golden with hints of orange; nose is highly aromatic, unctuous apricot fruit, botrytis/baking spice, orange rind; palate is full bodied, rich texture but also fresh acidity throughout, orange rind fruit, persistent throughout the midpalate; finish is medium-long length, orange marmalade, finishes clean. This is a lovely 2003 sauternes, consistent with previous tastes of this wine. Opulent and well balanced, secondary with excellent length but not as complex as, say, top vintage Yquem (tough comparison though...). 93+
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A sweet treat indeed. Not as dense as many 2003 Sauternes, but you find more than enough vanilla, custard, apricot, pineapple and white peach with the right amount of honey and freshness to put a smile on the face of any sweet wine aficionado.
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Great way to cap off the evening. Love the golden amber color in the glass. I remember buying it when it was a pale yellow. Fun to watch it age in the bottle. Nose is intoxicating with orange marmalade, honey, nutmeg spice, tart orange rind on the finish. Only pulled one glass from this 375 ml bottle so I can enjoy it again tomorrow night. Will make a great combo with some black truffle infused honey on a sea salted bagel crisp, with a slice of Camembert cheese with some blue cheese crumbles on top. The perfect combo next to Foie Gras and Sauternes.
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No detailed notes. Had over the course of a week. Not over the top and roasted like many 2003. Very classy and elegant. Traditional flavor profile of orange peel, creme brulee, barley.
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I don't know why the ratings were muted on this, as it was intense, bursting with orange peel and honey, really incisive and delineated. Gorgeous stuff.
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Color: medium-deep gold; no amber tints despite other notes to that effect (poorly stored bottles?). While certainly a deeper colour than one would hope for given only 13 years of age, apropos of the vintage. Brilliant bouquet right on PnP of freshly sliced pineapple, orange marmalade, fresh peaches, honey, caramel and a note of coconut. Plump palate; very sweet still with a lot of primary citrus fruit blasting through: take all the bouquet notes and add some marzipan, apricot and a touch of lime as well. Long, viscous, lovely, and displaying very good balance for such a hot, unbalanced vintage (for most -- i.e., I find this to be much more balanced than the '03 Rieussec). I will admit this could use just a bit more acidity to kick my score into ethereal places. Given the colour and general profile, this is aging at a faster pace than the usual Fargues, but I would consider this an absolute success for an '03 and with plenty of time in hand. Score is conservative with room to grow.
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De Fargues vertical + Nopa (Sense, Nopa): Medium amber - darker in color than 01 or 05. On the nose, tired bruised apple fig notes. Stewed tomato. Rich, viscous, and raisinated on the palate. Still, it has medium-plus acid - better than I’d expected knowing the heat of ’03.
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Chateau de Fargues Vertical; 6/1/2016-6/4/2016 (Sens, San Francisco): Golden-orange, significantly darker than the 05 and 11; intensely aromatic nose with a significant botrytis/baking spice component that integrates with swirling, dried orange, almost orange rind, some caramel; palate is more youthful than the nose with medium sweetness, medium to medium-plus acid (excellent for the vintage), full rich body, orange marmalade, some tangy grapefruit citrus; finish is medium-long. This is perhaps the most integrated among the 03-05-11 lineup and is among my best showings of this wine. I think this is one of the top 2003s (along with Yquem has excellent acid) and is superb and easy to drink now, though it will go for another few decades. 92-94 Day 3: Nose is even more integrated with some apricots, orange blossom; palate is as it was before. An opulent Fargues, but still well balanced.
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An admirable showing from a vintage that's not my favorite. Avoids the top heavy character that can befall Sauternes in a year like this; the body and sugar are cut by an appropriate amount of acidity. Organoleptically positive (apricot, biscuit) though without the complexity of Yquem.
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From 375ml. Golden and rich in color. A heavy wine but not over-the-top sweetness. Apricots, some pineapple, peach juice syrup. Finish was a shorter than expected.
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Huge Sauternes with botrytis nose and golden fruit. Finishes long and youthful. Very round and lush, though there's enough acidity it does border on cloying. Good, not great. Shows the vintage.
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Primal Cabernet Battle (Primal, Durham NC): Surprise wine of the Primal Cabernet Battle, supplied by the somm at the end since there was no dessert course. Served from a 750 mL.
Light apricot in color. Honey and orange-citrus dominant with notes of candied orange peel, nectar, orange marmalade, apricot syrup, and some white peach. Mostly balanced but the sugar was noticeable; not cloying, but not as well integrated as it could have been. Acidity wasn't as "bright" due to the vintage and not much complexity considering its age. Solid representation of the vintage, but there are better 2003's out there (like the 2003 Château Suduiraut IMO).
Overall: B.
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From a 375. Golden-orange color consistent with age; nose has moderate intensity with orange, dried apricot, more reserved than I remember from the last half; palate is full bodied, great acidity throughout, minerality, fresh, juicy fruit persistent through midpalate with lots of grapefruit and citrus I associate with fargues; finish is medium-long. Next bottle in a few years. Very nice for the vintage. 92-93
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Beautiful, very intense yellow-orange golden colour. On the nose, orange marmalade dominates, but the are also notes of honey and grilled almonds. Full bodied, maybe a little bit too thick (?). Very complex, sweet but somehow also perfectly balanced. Paired with Kouign-amans.
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Dark gold color turning rust at the rim with transparent edges. The nose is sweet with scents of honey, melons, and white flowers. The palate is explosive - revealing a full-bodied, velvety-textured wine with flavors of honeydew melons, peach, apricot, orange marmalade, plum, crème brûlée, custard cream, and liqueur. This goes on and fills the mouth intensely, but attractively. Finishes long and velvety with hints of candle wax and vanilla. Drink now until 2023. 95+
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From a 375. Deep mostly golden color with some orange/coppery tones; nose has orange, botrytis spice, moderate intensity (somewhat subtler than expected); palate is full bodied, excellent depth of flavor throughout, early in the palate has good sweetness, density, citrus/grapefruit/orange fruit, transitions quickly to excellent acidity that gives it vibrancy, fruit fades just a tad through the midpalate, some early secondary notes enter with slight caramel that transitions into a medium-long finish. This is immensely pleasurable, great depth of flavor, nice transitions, great balance between fruit/acidity/secondary notes, and appears to be drinking at early maturity. Consistent with my past notes. Will be curious to see where this goes in 6-12 months, so I will try to hold off opening another bottle until about a year from now. 93-94+
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2003 Sauternes Mini-Horizontal (Home): From 375. Golden color with just slightest hints of orange; nose has slight citrus, more baking spice, somewhat closed and subtle; palate has fabulous acidity, far more than expected for the vintage and the other three tasted (Guiraud, Rieussec, Raymond Lafon), some grapefruit (citrus with just a tad of bitterness), strong acidity throughout, balanced sweetness, youthful palate overall; finish is clean citrus fruit with slight bitterness, medium length. Palate >> nose. Overall I think the nose needs a bit of time (5 years?) to come out of its slumber and match the palate, and then this will be a real powerhouse wine (95+). This wine did have quite an intense nose in its youth, so it's not unreasonable to expect that to return at some point. 93 for now. Day 2: Similar to above, but maybe slightly less vibrancy. 92 today. Day 3: Showing a bit of heat today, which is new, and also a bit less depth. 90-91 today. Unclear whether this is just not as good as I thought it was going to be or whether it is going through a closed period.
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Chateau de Fargues mini-vertical: 01, 03, 05 (San Francisco, CA): From 375. (This was a gift, not from the same source as my bottles.) Coravin 1/12/14: This 03 half is noticeably darker than some of the other 03s that I have, but still a pretty good color, golden-orange; nose comes across as a bit flawed with some oxidation, nuttiness, slight sherry; palate shows sweetness, oxidation, some freshness, a bit bitter towards the midpalate. This is partially flawed/oxidized, unfortunately. No score. 2/1: Opened the rest, maybe even somewhat more pronounced sherry-like notes on the nose and palate. Although painful to throw this wine away, I'm going to dump the remainder.
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I do not know about you, but I seem to drink a lot more Sauternes around the holiday time. Fleshy, full bodied, concentrated with a low acidity profile, the wine serves up a healthy dose of honeyed apricots, overripe tropical fruit, vanilla bean, custard and floral notes. A bit more acidy would add lift, but that does not stop this from being a delicious sweet treat.
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Cafe Pinot: Very nice, soft, caramel, toffee, opulent, but low on acidity. didn't possess the verve and complexity of the '03 La tour blanche. Both were great with the blue cheese plate!
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From 375. Coravin 12/7/13: Golden color; nose is intense with fresh tropical fruits, slight pineapple, mango, baking spices, flows well and seems integrated on the nose; full bodied, very balanced, fresh without over-the-top acidity, nice white fruits, some citrus and tart grapefruit that gives the midpalate character, medium sweetness, balanced fruit in the midpalate that gives it a complete feel; finish is medium length. Starting to knit together a bit, but still extraordinarily youthful though the fruit has just started to recede, showing very few signs of secondary maturity. No overly prominent alcohol despite 2003 vintage. An excellent wine, and still one of the top 2003 sauternes that I've had. Let's wait 1 year before trying again from half. 60 minutes air: Just lovely. Great balance, nice acidity, not at all cloying, youthful and enjoyable but also plenty of serious stuffing. Superb. If this improves at all with age, it will be a stunning value. 12/10/13: Still excellent. Has a bit of youthful vanilla and oak on the palate that will be better once it integrates a bit more.
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From 375ml. A healthy amount of glycerine with the concomitant amount of mouthcoating sweetness - honey, apricot, and candied apples and peaches and a 40 second finish
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From a 375. Light golden color with just a hint of orange; nose of tropical fruits, pineapple, waxy, slight dried apricot, baking spice; palate is full bodied, has great acidity throughout, white fruits and tropical fruits on the midpalate, quite juicy, tangy, slight bitterness like orange rings in the midpalate and finish (grapefruit?) but overall quite balanced; finish is medium-long, good fruit, but also with a minerally, slightly bitter component. Still a very young wine (younger than I remember it based on my last note... no metallic component this time around), this has great character, interesting notes, and is generally in good balance (superb acid for the vintage, perhaps just a tad high EtOH due to the vintage). Excellent, and I will continue to try this at least yearly for a long time to come. 93+ 30 minutes air: The grapefruit character comes out on the nose (classic Fargues). The wine integrates really well and the bitterness becomes much less pronounced. It is starting to knit together really well (though in a way that still comes across as young to teenager, definitely not mature). Day 6: Continues to be rich but elegant, just a bit of heat on the palate. Will be interesting to see how this evolves over the next decade or two. 92-93
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Tuesday Night with a Special Guest (Dave's House): Popped and poured, golden colour in the glass. On the nose, honey, beeswax, florals, caramelized sugar, apricots, pineapple and a touch of clove. On the palate, very rich and viscous, but feeling a touch flat with slightly deficient acidity. The finish is long and tinged with notes of dried apricots, honey, mineral, pineapple, and a light herbal note. With a little more acid, this would easily be in the classic range. Very slight reduction noted on opening.
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A Casual Tuesday (Dave's House): Wow! The nose on this wine hits you in the face immediately after you pop the cork. It's really spectacular. Loaded with vanilla, custard, creme brûlée, apricots, marzipan, coconut, honey. tons of botrytis. Huge complexity. Palate doesn't quite live up to the nose. It's is very sweet and maybe just a bit heavy and the acid doesn't refresh quite as much as you'd like. Perhaps this will make this wine an earlier drinker but the nose alone is worth it on this stunner.
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This doesn't approach the level of the 2001, but it is very good. Apricot, citrus, tropical fruits, with moderate sweetness and acidity; others commented on how nicely balanced this is. I am happy to have more.
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Adored, loved this wine. Beautiful orangey-golden, honey nectar colour. Sweet smell of ripe fruits that explodes into flavours of apricots, apples/pears and butter. Wonderful balance, this bottle is ready and perfect for drinking now. Was enjoyed by my wine tasting group as the "finisher" on what was a big-hitting Chateauneuf-du-Pape tasting. Everyone loved this wine and a few even commented it was the highlight of the night. Truly a treat of a bottle.
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From 375. Orange-golden color; baked tropical fruits, pineapple, caramel, dried apricot; palate is full bodied, viscous, sweet, good balance of acid in midpalate and finish, balanced fruit and secondary flavors, orange, hint tart and slightly bitter lime rind/shavings, starting to get that hint metallic component as it ages, concentrated fruit; finish is viscous, clean (proper acid), orange bitters. One of my favorite wines, now showing solid signs of maturity and ready to drink. Day 2: Nose is a bit more savory, palate has great balance, better integrated than yesterday; finish now has less of a bitter component. Very small changes (maybe a tad younger today?), generally similar to yesterday and excellent.
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Bdx and Pizza (1201 Avenue B): Huge botrytis nose with some honeysuckle. Ripe concentrated fruit, nice enough acidity and depth. Lengthy finish. BigVery nice wine to follow over several days.
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Sauternes at Le Weekend des Grand Crus 2012 (Bordeaux): Nose: honey, spice, botrytis, some dried fruit, hint of petrol. Palate: honey, spice, some citrus, rather good acidity. Fresh and elegant for a 2003. Still rather young, 91-92 p.
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From a 750. Gold-orange color; nose has lovely tropical fruits/pineapple, a bit waxy, citrus hints; palate shows explosive flavors throughout the palate with dense tropical fruits, peach, but the fruits start to go into hiding by the finish (closing down?), great balancing acidity throughout but especially noticeable as a bit of a tingle in the midpalate and finish, some very early caramel notes that round out the palate flavors, a slight hint of citrus bitterness that I interpret as grapefruit and that I tend to find in most (all?) Chateau de Fargues that I try; finish is moderate length, balanced, fruity. Of note, the acidity on this wine is very good, especially given the vintage, but it is simply balanced... not over-the-top racy acidity that I love in the 03 Yquem. That gives the Yquem a significant advantage in this vintage, though Fargues is still a phenomenal sauternes with great balance and complexity of flavors. Still very young and premature (younger than from halves) but so delicious that I can't stop popping corks. A great deal from K&L and stored very well. 93 Day 2: Still excellent, no major changes from day 1. An excellent sauternes, and if it improves as it ages it has potential to be extraordinary. Day 4: Overall had more vibrancy and density on day 1 and 2 than today. Still excellent, but not the same.
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Blue Oval brought this over last weekend. I'v had the 1990, 1998 and 2005 vintages of this dessert wine but not the 2003. I've always found the quality to be very high. Typical spicy botrytis notes which made it stand out from the Fenn Valley ice wine and the SQN dessert wine which we drank next to this. Notes of apricots and carmel. 92 points.
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Un Fargues tout en richesse et opulence. Des notes d'apricots, de pêches, de zeste d'orange. Très digestif pour un Sauternes de 2003. Excessivement long.
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A big and rich nose, sweet and ripe aromas, toasted almonds, cookie dough, sugared fruit and elements of powdered sugar combine in a classy but somewhat light nose; sweet and ripe in the mouth, very young yet so there is less to taste beyond the sweetness of the fruit; vanilla and herbs are present; smooth and silky with a deeply textured finish suggesting more to come in the years ahead. (17+)
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From a half. Color has a hint of orange but is mostly gold; nose has some baked apricot, hints of baker's spice, orange peel, not as much tropical fruit as I remember; palate has good weight, lovely balance with great acidity on the midpalate and finish, nice clean white fruit flavors throughout with a hint of tang in the midpalate; finish is enjoyable and medium-long but a little more subtle in overall flavors than the best sauternes I've had. Overall impression is that this wine is showing hints of maturity and will likely enter a plateau within the next 5 years but may still improve. The balance is great and worth the entry price, though the wine doesn't live up to the best sauternes I've tried (03 Yquem, 01 Fargues, 01 Suduiraut, etc). 93 Last time I tried this it improved on Day 2, so we'll see what happens tomorrow. Day 2: Similar to yesterday, maybe even a tad younger on the nose with slightly more tropical fruit, but roughly the same on the palate. Midpalate still has a bit of a tang on the midpalate that I recall also finding in a 2005 Chateau de Fargues, almost like a grapefruit flavor. Is this a characteristic of de Fargues? I cannot recall finding this on other sauternes. Excellent, no change in score. Showing slight mature characteristics. Next half in 2 years since it feels like it's in a transition phase right now.
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A beautiful Sauternes from a great year. Apricot and peach, honey, and spice. A great way to finish a meal with friends. The hit of the night, and a good value
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From a half. Opened almost exactly one year after my first bottle of this, which was also my first bottle of Sauternes. Now, 36 Sauternes later, I hopefully know a little bit more about my now-favorite region.
Great nose with lots of tropical fruits and just a hint of some secondary characteristics. Palate is full-bodied, flavorful, lots of honey and botrytis. The finish has good subtle flavors and finishes clean with balanced acidity. A tad bit more acidity would be optimal, but this wine is certainly stunning and still one of my favorite sauternes after a few 2001s. I'm glad I picked up some more of these at $25/half and will plan to try one every year for the next two decades.
Update: Oh, wow. Better on day 2 with more complexity, particularly spice notes and dancing flavors. Moving this wine up a point to 95. Day 3: OK, now it has lost that little extra bit of spice and complexity that made me love it so much yesterday. Day 2 is certainly the sweet spot.
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My god, I love this. The hose is a little closed, but its full of buttery, creme brulee goodness. I cannot wait to see how this wine tastes in 10, 20, 30 years time...
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A good wine, but lacking a lot of the complexity I normally associated with Château de Fargues. Balanced, but lacking much interest. Do Sauternes go thru adolesence?
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Double Blind Tasting. Dark gold color. Lush, rich & full with a lot of sweetness & caramel. A bit of bitter banana on the finish but this wine has tremendous sweetness for a Sauterne.
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Liquid candy. Dense and viscous as licquor. The palate is loaded with honey, cytric fruit, maple syrup. Elegant and sweet, but not cloying. Not as complex as d'Yquem (from my memory of two years ago) but, to my mind, comparable. The stuff nectar of the gods must be made of!
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Strong nose if served at a cool temperature. Hints of apricot. Palate very sweet but balanced with tingles of acidity. Taste of honey. I loved it and wish I could have it every day.
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On the nose are massive aromas of pineapple, papaya, coconut, botrytis, and marmalade. The pure pineapple fruit carries on the palate with honey, pear, orange, and ends in a sweet honeyed finish of tropical fruits. This wine has beautiful fruit, but I feel that --for a Sauternes, it lacks a bit of the acidity that would make it uproariously delicious.
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Light golden yellow color, viscous. Nose reticent at first, with cream and yellow fruits (plum, apple, peach and hints of pineapple) and a bit of oak. Palate is integrated with medium to high sweetness, and a melange of the fruits from the nose, but no distinct fruit dominating. Touch of VA appears only fleetingly, but adds complexity. Light on the acidity. I can see this one going with creamy cheeses (from brie to young asiago to young tomme style), or maybe a scallop and cream based sauce.
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Attractive aroma of peach, pear, cinnamon, and slightly tart initial taste, but smooth mid-palette, long finish of at least one minute. Honey-flavored, but not overwhelming in anyway. Truly elegant Sauterne!
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EWG does Northern Rhones (Conrad's Abode): Honeyed sugary fruits and tangerine skins on the nose. Sappy peaches, apricots and citrus on the palate. This displayed the best balance of the Sauternes for me. It's a sweet confection but a very tasty one. Very nice.
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Linking With Bordeaux (Wine Exchange - Orange, CA): Brilliant gold color. This has a wonderfully complex and perfumed nose with aromas of honey, pear, botrytis, and tropical fruits such as explosive pineapple. The palate is just as gorgeous with a glossy waxy mouthfeel combining with flavors of tropical honeyed fruit, dried fruits such as apricot, and much more. It seemed like each time you went back to this something else popped out. The finish has this superb honeyed bitter pear character. Just decent acidity but complex, complex, complex.
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Very rich, almost syrupy texture. Aromas of apricot and pear. Sumptuous honey and cinnamon on the palate and a long finish with spice and dried apricot.
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Ring in the Holiday (Farpointe Cellar): This dessert wine had a wonderful nose of dried pineapples, caramel, honey, and a touch of tropical fruit. In the mouth it was very viscous and had honey and pineapple. It finished with a good caramel flavor.
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Had this at our Bible Study dinner ... My wife and I agreed the nose was phenomenal, a friend she didn't care for the nose too much. My wife and the friend liked this wine a lot, but I thought it was a touch thin on the palate. Very subtle and refined, just thin.
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4/15/2024 - KimberJ wrote: 97 Points
Ows. Could be the best dessert wine ever. Earthy. Bready.
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1/6/2024 - aagrawal wrote: 93 Points
375mL. Golden-copper; aromatic, tons of spice and botrytis, orange marmalade, grapefruit, dried apricot, some honey; palate is medium bodied, richly sweet but with piercing acidity throughout which gives it great freshness, grapefruit citrus; long finish. Similar to my other halves, and drinking superbly now. 93
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12/30/2023 - dbkitc wrote: 94 Points
(at Gordon Ramsey - London, 375ml). Deep golden-orange color. Nose bursts with marmalade, lemon curd and ripe grape preserves. Rich and impactful and full of life. It lingers on the palate for almost a minute. Special wine for a special lunch with DBK III. (94)
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10/29/2023 - aagrawal wrote: 93 Points
From 375mL. Darker copper color; aromatic, intense orange marmalade, baking spices, grapefruit, apricot; palate is full bodied, sweet but also with prominent medium-plus acidity throughout, citrus oil, some grapefruit citrus bitterness, treacle; finish is medium-plus length, nice sweetness but finishes with a strong mineral note. At an excellent stage 3 spot now, interestingly seems to be integrating/losing its sweetness much faster than I would have expected for its age. It will be tasting like a stage 4 sauternes before too long. 93
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8/7/2023 - aagrawal wrote: 93 Points
From 375mL. Excellent color, golden with faintest hint of orange; aromatic, grapefruit, apricot; palate is medium-full bodied, sweet but balanced, medium-plus acidity, medium (14%) alcohol, plenty of stone fruit, orange marmalade; finish is medium-plus length. A very nice Chateau de Fargues and a lovely sauternes. Enjoyable now and over the next decade. 93
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4/20/2023 - aagrawal wrote: 93 Points
From 375mL. Good color, deep golden with very little orange; aromatic, apricot, honey, grapefruit citrus twang, some spice; palate is medium bodied, medium-plus acidity, medium-plus alcohol, orange marmalade; finish is medium length. Well balanced, consistent with my other half bottles, lacking a bit of depth and complexity compared to the best Fargues, but very good for what it is now. Drink now or over the next 10+ years. 93
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2/23/2023 - aagrawal wrote: 93 Points
From 375mL. Burnished orange, similar to my last half but a touch darker than some others; aromatic, baking spice, orange peel, cinnamon, nutmeg; medium bodied, sweet but balanced, medium-plus vibrant acidity throughout, Seville orange marmalade, some spices; medium-plus finish. Similar to my last half bottle, enjoyable now. 93-94
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2/9/2023 - aagrawal wrote: 93 Points
375mL. Burnished orange color, slightly darker than my other halves; high intensity aromatics, Christmas spices, nutmeg, cinnamon, grapefruit, citrus peel; palate is medium bodied, vibrant medium-plus acidity, grapefruit pith, definitely some warm spices like cinnamon and nutmeg, never too rich with strong core of acidity especially through the midpalate; finish is medium-plus length. I think this half bottle is a bit more advanced than other ones that I've opened recently, which provides no less enjoyment and still incredible acidity for the year. 93
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7/30/2022 - aagrawal wrote: 94 Points
From 375mL. Lovely golden color, lighter than most 2003s; high intensity aromatics, grapefruit, orange peel, honey, baking spice; palate is medium-bodied, exceptional medium-plus acidity which is vibrant throughout, signature grapefruit twang with slight bitterness, integrated medium sweetness, exceptional depth and very good complexity; finish is long. A spectacular success for the vintage and a superb Fargues overall. Lovely now but with easily a decade or longer ahead of it. 94+
Update: Yep, wonderful now. The vibrancy on this makes it so enjoyable to drink, not cloying at all. This is exceptional... I'm probably underrating it at 94-95+
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4/14/2022 - kidsmurf2000 wrote: 91 Points
Not bad, a nice aged sautrnes, perhaps we've not too long left.
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7/26/2021 - maxima wrote: 88 Points
Dégustation Juillet 2021 au resto AVV La Suite de Sherbrooke avec les FOUDUVIN de l'Estrie (Resto AVV La Suite de Sherbrooke): Bu au resto AVV La Suite de Sherbrooke avec les FOUDUVIN de l'Estrie, FrançoisD, Bulle, Meursault et MikeLM!
Fort probablement une bouteille VES de la SAQ.
La robe est très foncée, orange cuivrée.
Le nez montre des signes de réduction mais en bouche
c`est pas vilain.
Zestes et caramel salé avec un peu de pêches.
Le vin est moins éclatant et en forme qu`il ne l`a été
mais est tout de même buvable.
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4/7/2021 - aagrawal wrote: 93 Points
From 375mL. Golden-orange, still quite a good color for a 2003; aromatic, orange marmalade, grapefruit, caramel, baking spice; palate is full bodied but balanced by elegant medium-plus acidity, alcohol seems perfectly in balance despite being 14%, citrus marmalade, slight grapefruit bitterness, excellent length and depth through the midpalate; finish is medium-plus length and lovely. This is in a great spot now, stlll with the sweetness of a young-ish sauternes but with great depth and complexity that comes with a bit of age. This is an incredible sauternes and among the best 2003s that I've tried (and very consistent over the past decade). 93+ with at least a decade or two of development still ahead of it, though absolutely lovely now.
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12/12/2020 - aagrawal wrote: 93 Points
From 375mL. Deep orange-copper; aromatic, orange marmalade, baking spice, caramel; palate is full bodied, medium-plus to high acidity throughout which gives the palate freshness, citrus peel and grapefruit pith, caramel and a bit of tea, medium-plus alcohol (14%) but well integrated, fruit fades just a tad towards the finish; medium length finish. Really lovely sauternes, and a good example of the style of Chateau de Fargues, and along with Yquem remains one of the most balanced 2003s. Excellent now, but will continue to improve for the next 15 years. 93+
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8/29/2020 - Francophile1 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Beautiful caramel color showing its maturity. Served perfectly at 50 degrees, which allowed the aromatics to soar from the glass. Paired perfectly with Bananas Foster.
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2/29/2020 - AllRed wrote: 93 Points
The Ravenswood Library Wines (M/M Blue Oval's): From 375ml courtesy of our hosts. Deep color. Loads of ripe tropical fruit abound, along with honey, marmalade and pineapple. Rich and layered, with a long finish.
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12/11/2019 - europat55 wrote: 92 Points
I was worried as this the color was quite dark for a 2003 Sauternes, but this was outstanding! (from 375ml)
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4/16/2019 - aagrawal wrote: 92 Points
From 375. Golden-orange; highly aromatic, orange marmalade, baking spice, apricot; palate is medium bodied, balanced sweetness, elegant medium-plus acidity, medium alcohol, dried apricot; medium finish with good freshness. Balanced, elegant, nice flavors, but my last bottle was a bit better (probably just a bit of bottle variation). 92-93
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1/16/2019 - Suzyquatro Likes this wine: 93 Points
Helder glanzend goudgele kleur - Aroma's van evenwichtige zoetheid, karamel, honing, abrikoos, ananas en witte perzik - Zachte zuurtegraad, wit fruit, gegrilde noten, crème brûlée, secundaire en tertiaire tonen- Frisse goede lange afdronk. Onberispelijke Sauternes.
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1/16/2019 - WStubble wrote: 94 Points
Christmas dinner dessert wine. From a 375. Light bronze in color, fragrant, the sweetness has begun to give way to spiciness, well balanced, very good on its own. Forgot the last glass in the bottle in the fridge and finished tonight with some salted dark chocolate. A good match and the wine is still quite good, I suspect this will go for years yet even in a .375.
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1/13/2019 - Tao wrote: 93 Points
My half bottle is a little shy at the beginning! But gosh, the colour is simply stunning, acacia honey gold, bright and shiny! After thirty minutes of breathing in the glass, started to show its character, nose of coconut oil, orange peel, a hint of grilled nuts, very flowery white fruits and quite botrytis, the palate is sweet with large amounts of white fruits, very deep and intense but no decadence or flamboyancy! Fairly youthful, needs time to reveal its true character! I suspect I opened a year or two earlier, which is a bit of a shame really!
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9/7/2018 - aagrawal wrote: 95 Points
From a 375. Burnished orange, almost copper color; nose is aromatic, orange marmalade, burnt caramel, apricot, baking spice; palate is medium bodied, density to the apricot marmalade, but never heavy in texture and has great freshness throughout the midpalate and finish, medium balanced acidity, perfectly integrated medium alcohol, caramel and almost coffee secondary and tertiary flavors; medium-plus finish, clean. This is more advanced than my bottle from a year ago, but this may also be my best half-bottle for years. The balance on this is ridiculous, and it falls into none of the traps of the vintage. It seamlessly balances richness of fruit and flavor while preserving freshness of texture and balanced (though not bracing) acidity. I maintain that the 2003 Yquem and 2003 Fargues are among the few impeccably balanced sauternes that year, and this seems to have emerged from a few years of mildly awkward showings (still good, but just a tad disjointed). 95+, now in stage 3 (mature but still with sweetness and fruit, not yet dry). This will continue to evolve and drink well for 2 decades.
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7/13/2018 - galewskj wrote: 93 Points
Bring a Barolo or Brunello... or any good red (Broders): From my 375ml. Perfectly charming. This producer always seemed a bit more elegant and understated to me, but in the 2003 vintage, it is bursting with apricot and botrytis. Thankfully, there is enough acidity to keep the wine in check, a welcome feature that many producers did not accomplish in 2003. I frankly did not know what to expect from this producer in this vintage, and I think they did well.
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5/24/2018 - chbeaumont wrote: 90 Points
Well proportioned, rich, weighty, balanced. Authentic. Should drink well over the next decade.
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12/28/2017 - Smatk Likes this wine: 90 Points
From 750ml. Nose of alcohol, bit of creme brulee and pineapple. Palate very pineapple with some burnt creme brulee notes, decent acidity. Long pineapple finish. Improved on second night. Not the best, though nothing to complain about here; more fruit than custard notes. Paired with grapefruit supremes sauteed in brown butter- fabulous, and apple strudel the previous night.
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11/10/2017 - Bourgognefreak Likes this wine: 89 Points
Sharp almost burning alcohol - the balance is not yet there and may not evolve.
Apart from this there is an abundance of elements in the taste - quite typical as burned creme brulee, apricots, apple and nuts. This is not elegant in any way due to the Warm 2003 vintage - still it is enjoyable.
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6/9/2017 - aagrawal wrote: 93 Points
From a 375. Deep golden with hints of orange; nose is highly aromatic, unctuous apricot fruit, botrytis/baking spice, orange rind; palate is full bodied, rich texture but also fresh acidity throughout, orange rind fruit, persistent throughout the midpalate; finish is medium-long length, orange marmalade, finishes clean. This is a lovely 2003 sauternes, consistent with previous tastes of this wine. Opulent and well balanced, secondary with excellent length but not as complex as, say, top vintage Yquem (tough comparison though...). 93+
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5/24/2017 - Jeff Leve wrote: 93 Points
A sweet treat indeed. Not as dense as many 2003 Sauternes, but you find more than enough vanilla, custard, apricot, pineapple and white peach with the right amount of honey and freshness to put a smile on the face of any sweet wine aficionado.
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3/18/2017 - Francophile1 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Great way to cap off the evening. Love the golden amber color in the glass. I remember buying it when it was a pale yellow. Fun to watch it age in the bottle. Nose is intoxicating with orange marmalade, honey, nutmeg spice, tart orange rind on the finish. Only pulled one glass from this 375 ml bottle so I can enjoy it again tomorrow night. Will make a great combo with some black truffle infused honey on a sea salted bagel crisp, with a slice of Camembert cheese with some blue cheese crumbles on top. The perfect combo next to Foie Gras and Sauternes.
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12/4/2016 - jeffreylubowski Likes this wine: 91 Points
No detailed notes. Had over the course of a week. Not over the top and roasted like many 2003. Very classy and elegant. Traditional flavor profile of orange peel, creme brulee, barley.
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11/25/2016 - John McCabe wrote: 94 Points
I don't know why the ratings were muted on this, as it was intense, bursting with orange peel and honey, really incisive and delineated. Gorgeous stuff.
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10/23/2016 - BVal wrote: 92 Points
Color: medium-deep gold; no amber tints despite other notes to that effect (poorly stored bottles?). While certainly a deeper colour than one would hope for given only 13 years of age, apropos of the vintage. Brilliant bouquet right on PnP of freshly sliced pineapple, orange marmalade, fresh peaches, honey, caramel and a note of coconut. Plump palate; very sweet still with a lot of primary citrus fruit blasting through: take all the bouquet notes and add some marzipan, apricot and a touch of lime as well. Long, viscous, lovely, and displaying very good balance for such a hot, unbalanced vintage (for most -- i.e., I find this to be much more balanced than the '03 Rieussec). I will admit this could use just a bit more acidity to kick my score into ethereal places. Given the colour and general profile, this is aging at a faster pace than the usual Fargues, but I would consider this an absolute success for an '03 and with plenty of time in hand. Score is conservative with room to grow.
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6/4/2016 - RajivAyyangar wrote: 86 Points
De Fargues vertical + Nopa (Sense, Nopa): Medium amber - darker in color than 01 or 05.
On the nose, tired bruised apple fig notes. Stewed tomato.
Rich, viscous, and raisinated on the palate.
Still, it has medium-plus acid - better than I’d expected knowing the heat of ’03.
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6/1/2016 - aagrawal wrote: 92 Points
Chateau de Fargues Vertical; 6/1/2016-6/4/2016 (Sens, San Francisco): Golden-orange, significantly darker than the 05 and 11; intensely aromatic nose with a significant botrytis/baking spice component that integrates with swirling, dried orange, almost orange rind, some caramel; palate is more youthful than the nose with medium sweetness, medium to medium-plus acid (excellent for the vintage), full rich body, orange marmalade, some tangy grapefruit citrus; finish is medium-long. This is perhaps the most integrated among the 03-05-11 lineup and is among my best showings of this wine. I think this is one of the top 2003s (along with Yquem has excellent acid) and is superb and easy to drink now, though it will go for another few decades. 92-94
Day 3: Nose is even more integrated with some apricots, orange blossom; palate is as it was before. An opulent Fargues, but still well balanced.
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1/17/2016 - englishman's claret wrote: 92 Points
An admirable showing from a vintage that's not my favorite. Avoids the top heavy character that can befall Sauternes in a year like this; the body and sugar are cut by an appropriate amount of acidity. Organoleptically positive (apricot, biscuit) though without the complexity of Yquem.
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12/5/2015 - KenPlace wrote: 92 Points
Very good bottle. Nice acidity, botrytis tones. A hit with the Fois Gras.
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11/10/2015 - mxpbuy Likes this wine: 92 Points
From 375ml. Golden and rich in color. A heavy wine but not over-the-top sweetness. Apricots, some pineapple, peach juice syrup. Finish was a shorter than expected.
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5/6/2015 - Nutty08 wrote: 91 Points
Huge Sauternes with botrytis nose and golden fruit. Finishes long and youthful. Very round and lush, though there's enough acidity it does border on cloying. Good, not great. Shows the vintage.
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1/28/2015 - WineKnurd wrote: 86 Points
Primal Cabernet Battle (Primal, Durham NC): Surprise wine of the Primal Cabernet Battle, supplied by the somm at the end since there was no dessert course. Served from a 750 mL.
Light apricot in color. Honey and orange-citrus dominant with notes of candied orange peel, nectar, orange marmalade, apricot syrup, and some white peach. Mostly balanced but the sugar was noticeable; not cloying, but not as well integrated as it could have been. Acidity wasn't as "bright" due to the vintage and not much complexity considering its age. Solid representation of the vintage, but there are better 2003's out there (like the 2003 Château Suduiraut IMO).
Overall: B.
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1/1/2015 - aagrawal wrote: 93 Points
From a 375. Golden-orange color consistent with age; nose has moderate intensity with orange, dried apricot, more reserved than I remember from the last half; palate is full bodied, great acidity throughout, minerality, fresh, juicy fruit persistent through midpalate with lots of grapefruit and citrus I associate with fargues; finish is medium-long. Next bottle in a few years. Very nice for the vintage. 92-93
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12/30/2014 - Chapster Likes this wine: 91 Points
Beautiful, very intense yellow-orange golden colour. On the nose, orange marmalade dominates, but the are also notes of honey and grilled almonds. Full bodied, maybe a little bit too thick (?). Very complex, sweet but somehow also perfectly balanced. Paired with Kouign-amans.
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10/4/2014 - Life At Your Leisure 🍷 wrote: 95 Points
Dark gold color turning rust at the rim with transparent edges. The nose is sweet with scents of honey, melons, and white flowers. The palate is explosive - revealing a full-bodied, velvety-textured wine with flavors of honeydew melons, peach, apricot, orange marmalade, plum, crème brûlée, custard cream, and liqueur. This goes on and fills the mouth intensely, but attractively. Finishes long and velvety with hints of candle wax and vanilla. Drink now until 2023. 95+
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9/9/2014 - aagrawal wrote: 93 Points
From a 375. Deep mostly golden color with some orange/coppery tones; nose has orange, botrytis spice, moderate intensity (somewhat subtler than expected); palate is full bodied, excellent depth of flavor throughout, early in the palate has good sweetness, density, citrus/grapefruit/orange fruit, transitions quickly to excellent acidity that gives it vibrancy, fruit fades just a tad through the midpalate, some early secondary notes enter with slight caramel that transitions into a medium-long finish. This is immensely pleasurable, great depth of flavor, nice transitions, great balance between fruit/acidity/secondary notes, and appears to be drinking at early maturity. Consistent with my past notes. Will be curious to see where this goes in 6-12 months, so I will try to hold off opening another bottle until about a year from now. 93-94+
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8/29/2014 - cos65 Likes this wine:
Wine of the day (with fairly stiff competition)
Deep golden copper colored, despite seemingly good storage. Huge Sauternes aromas. Perfect right now
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5/13/2014 - aagrawal wrote: 92 Points
2003 Sauternes Mini-Horizontal (Home): From 375. Golden color with just slightest hints of orange; nose has slight citrus, more baking spice, somewhat closed and subtle; palate has fabulous acidity, far more than expected for the vintage and the other three tasted (Guiraud, Rieussec, Raymond Lafon), some grapefruit (citrus with just a tad of bitterness), strong acidity throughout, balanced sweetness, youthful palate overall; finish is clean citrus fruit with slight bitterness, medium length. Palate >> nose. Overall I think the nose needs a bit of time (5 years?) to come out of its slumber and match the palate, and then this will be a real powerhouse wine (95+). This wine did have quite an intense nose in its youth, so it's not unreasonable to expect that to return at some point. 93 for now.
Day 2: Similar to above, but maybe slightly less vibrancy. 92 today.
Day 3: Showing a bit of heat today, which is new, and also a bit less depth. 90-91 today. Unclear whether this is just not as good as I thought it was going to be or whether it is going through a closed period.
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4/19/2014 - jorivesud Likes this wine:
Pas note, seulement mémoire. Nez un peu oxydé. Très enveloppant, fruits un peu en retrait, très long. Excellent
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1/19/2014 - kidsmurf2000 wrote: 91 Points
Nice, but not overly complex
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1/12/2014 - aagrawal wrote: flawed
Chateau de Fargues mini-vertical: 01, 03, 05 (San Francisco, CA): From 375. (This was a gift, not from the same source as my bottles.)
Coravin 1/12/14: This 03 half is noticeably darker than some of the other 03s that I have, but still a pretty good color, golden-orange; nose comes across as a bit flawed with some oxidation, nuttiness, slight sherry; palate shows sweetness, oxidation, some freshness, a bit bitter towards the midpalate. This is partially flawed/oxidized, unfortunately. No score.
2/1: Opened the rest, maybe even somewhat more pronounced sherry-like notes on the nose and palate. Although painful to throw this wine away, I'm going to dump the remainder.
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12/15/2013 - peternelson wrote: 90 Points
EWG Conrad's: peach, apricot, some honey; a bit nondescript compared with the other '03's.
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12/14/2013 - Jeff Leve wrote: 92 Points
I do not know about you, but I seem to drink a lot more Sauternes around the holiday time. Fleshy, full bodied, concentrated with a low acidity profile, the wine serves up a healthy dose of honeyed apricots, overripe tropical fruit, vanilla bean, custard and floral notes. A bit more acidy would add lift, but that does not stop this from being a delicious sweet treat.
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12/8/2013 - peternelson wrote: 90 Points
Cafe Pinot: Very nice, soft, caramel, toffee, opulent, but low on acidity. didn't possess the verve and complexity of the '03 La tour blanche. Both were great with the blue cheese plate!
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12/7/2013 - aagrawal wrote: 93 Points
From 375. Coravin 12/7/13: Golden color; nose is intense with fresh tropical fruits, slight pineapple, mango, baking spices, flows well and seems integrated on the nose; full bodied, very balanced, fresh without over-the-top acidity, nice white fruits, some citrus and tart grapefruit that gives the midpalate character, medium sweetness, balanced fruit in the midpalate that gives it a complete feel; finish is medium length. Starting to knit together a bit, but still extraordinarily youthful though the fruit has just started to recede, showing very few signs of secondary maturity. No overly prominent alcohol despite 2003 vintage. An excellent wine, and still one of the top 2003 sauternes that I've had. Let's wait 1 year before trying again from half.
60 minutes air: Just lovely. Great balance, nice acidity, not at all cloying, youthful and enjoyable but also plenty of serious stuffing. Superb. If this improves at all with age, it will be a stunning value.
12/10/13: Still excellent. Has a bit of youthful vanilla and oak on the palate that will be better once it integrates a bit more.
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11/21/2013 - julius111 wrote: 94 Points
From a 375ml. Melted smooth toffee notes with botrytis. Not utterly intense smell. Very long finish with slight alcohol. Very bold and rich.
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10/27/2013 - mxpbuy Likes this wine: 92 Points
From 375ml. A healthy amount of glycerine with the concomitant amount of mouthcoating sweetness - honey, apricot, and candied apples and peaches and a 40 second finish
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5/29/2013 - RichardP wrote: 92 Points
As before, apricot, citrus, and pineapple; neither too acidic nor too sweet. Really nice Sauternes.
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4/21/2013 - aagrawal wrote: 93 Points
From a 375. Light golden color with just a hint of orange; nose of tropical fruits, pineapple, waxy, slight dried apricot, baking spice; palate is full bodied, has great acidity throughout, white fruits and tropical fruits on the midpalate, quite juicy, tangy, slight bitterness like orange rings in the midpalate and finish (grapefruit?) but overall quite balanced; finish is medium-long, good fruit, but also with a minerally, slightly bitter component. Still a very young wine (younger than I remember it based on my last note... no metallic component this time around), this has great character, interesting notes, and is generally in good balance (superb acid for the vintage, perhaps just a tad high EtOH due to the vintage). Excellent, and I will continue to try this at least yearly for a long time to come. 93+
30 minutes air: The grapefruit character comes out on the nose (classic Fargues). The wine integrates really well and the bitterness becomes much less pronounced. It is starting to knit together really well (though in a way that still comes across as young to teenager, definitely not mature).
Day 6: Continues to be rich but elegant, just a bit of heat on the palate. Will be interesting to see how this evolves over the next decade or two. 92-93
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4/2/2013 - alittle wrote: 94 Points
Tuesday Night with a Special Guest (Dave's House): Popped and poured, golden colour in the glass. On the nose, honey, beeswax, florals, caramelized sugar, apricots, pineapple and a touch of clove. On the palate, very rich and viscous, but feeling a touch flat with slightly deficient acidity. The finish is long and tinged with notes of dried apricots, honey, mineral, pineapple, and a light herbal note. With a little more acid, this would easily be in the classic range. Very slight reduction noted on opening.
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4/2/2013 - Wine Canuck Likes this wine: 95 Points
A Casual Tuesday (Dave's House): Wow! The nose on this wine hits you in the face immediately after you pop the cork. It's really spectacular. Loaded with vanilla, custard, creme brûlée, apricots, marzipan, coconut, honey. tons of botrytis. Huge complexity. Palate doesn't quite live up to the nose. It's is very sweet and maybe just a bit heavy and the acid doesn't refresh quite as much as you'd like. Perhaps this will make this wine an earlier drinker but the nose alone is worth it on this stunner.
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2/20/2013 - RichardP wrote: 92 Points
This doesn't approach the level of the 2001, but it is very good. Apricot, citrus, tropical fruits, with moderate sweetness and acidity; others commented on how nicely balanced this is. I am happy to have more.
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1/19/2013 - Mnawacki Likes this wine: 94 Points
Adored, loved this wine. Beautiful orangey-golden, honey nectar colour. Sweet smell of ripe fruits that explodes into flavours of apricots, apples/pears and butter. Wonderful balance, this bottle is ready and perfect for drinking now. Was enjoyed by my wine tasting group as the "finisher" on what was a big-hitting Chateauneuf-du-Pape tasting. Everyone loved this wine and a few even commented it was the highlight of the night. Truly a treat of a bottle.
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1/9/2013 - Le_Gaspesien wrote: 95 Points
De toute beautée, tout en souplesse, j'ai adoré
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7/26/2012 - aagrawal wrote: 93 Points
From 375. Orange-golden color; baked tropical fruits, pineapple, caramel, dried apricot; palate is full bodied, viscous, sweet, good balance of acid in midpalate and finish, balanced fruit and secondary flavors, orange, hint tart and slightly bitter lime rind/shavings, starting to get that hint metallic component as it ages, concentrated fruit; finish is viscous, clean (proper acid), orange bitters. One of my favorite wines, now showing solid signs of maturity and ready to drink.
Day 2: Nose is a bit more savory, palate has great balance, better integrated than yesterday; finish now has less of a bitter component. Very small changes (maybe a tad younger today?), generally similar to yesterday and excellent.
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7/15/2012 - Nutty08 wrote: 91 Points
Bdx and Pizza (1201 Avenue B): Huge botrytis nose with some honeysuckle. Ripe concentrated fruit, nice enough acidity and depth. Lengthy finish. BigVery nice wine to follow over several days.
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7/6/2012 - Journey443 wrote: 81 Points
Buttery,apricot, green apples vanilla hints, smooth to the finish. Thank you babe,
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5/12/2012 - Vintomas wrote: 91 Points
Sauternes at Le Weekend des Grand Crus 2012 (Bordeaux): Nose: honey, spice, botrytis, some dried fruit, hint of petrol.
Palate: honey, spice, some citrus, rather good acidity. Fresh and elegant for a 2003. Still rather young, 91-92 p.
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3/16/2012 - HRT wrote:
Golden brown. Orange marmalade, tropical fruits, ripe with great acidity. Still very young.
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2/3/2012 - aagrawal wrote: 93 Points
From a 750. Gold-orange color; nose has lovely tropical fruits/pineapple, a bit waxy, citrus hints; palate shows explosive flavors throughout the palate with dense tropical fruits, peach, but the fruits start to go into hiding by the finish (closing down?), great balancing acidity throughout but especially noticeable as a bit of a tingle in the midpalate and finish, some very early caramel notes that round out the palate flavors, a slight hint of citrus bitterness that I interpret as grapefruit and that I tend to find in most (all?) Chateau de Fargues that I try; finish is moderate length, balanced, fruity. Of note, the acidity on this wine is very good, especially given the vintage, but it is simply balanced... not over-the-top racy acidity that I love in the 03 Yquem. That gives the Yquem a significant advantage in this vintage, though Fargues is still a phenomenal sauternes with great balance and complexity of flavors. Still very young and premature (younger than from halves) but so delicious that I can't stop popping corks. A great deal from K&L and stored very well. 93
Day 2: Still excellent, no major changes from day 1. An excellent sauternes, and if it improves as it ages it has potential to be extraordinary.
Day 4: Overall had more vibrancy and density on day 1 and 2 than today. Still excellent, but not the same.
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12/12/2011 - Vino Me wrote: 92 Points
Blue Oval brought this over last weekend. I'v had the 1990, 1998 and 2005 vintages of this dessert wine but not the 2003. I've always found the quality to be very high. Typical spicy botrytis notes which made it stand out from the Fenn Valley ice wine and the SQN dessert wine which we drank next to this. Notes of apricots and carmel. 92 points.
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11/5/2011 - Fateful Destiny Likes this wine: 92 Points
Quite nice. Thick. Noticeable botrytis. Honey, apricots, and botrytis. Very nice, but not quite as deep/complex as others that I have had.
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11/4/2011 - ggb wrote: 94 Points
Un Fargues tout en richesse et opulence. Des notes d'apricots, de pêches, de zeste d'orange. Très digestif pour un Sauternes de 2003. Excessivement long.
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10/11/2011 - JLG wrote:
A big and rich nose, sweet and ripe aromas, toasted almonds, cookie dough, sugared fruit and elements of powdered sugar combine in a classy but somewhat light nose; sweet and ripe in the mouth, very young yet so there is less to taste beyond the sweetness of the fruit; vanilla and herbs are present; smooth and silky with a deeply textured finish suggesting more to come in the years ahead. (17+)
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8/13/2011 - aagrawal wrote: 93 Points
From a half. Color has a hint of orange but is mostly gold; nose has some baked apricot, hints of baker's spice, orange peel, not as much tropical fruit as I remember; palate has good weight, lovely balance with great acidity on the midpalate and finish, nice clean white fruit flavors throughout with a hint of tang in the midpalate; finish is enjoyable and medium-long but a little more subtle in overall flavors than the best sauternes I've had. Overall impression is that this wine is showing hints of maturity and will likely enter a plateau within the next 5 years but may still improve. The balance is great and worth the entry price, though the wine doesn't live up to the best sauternes I've tried (03 Yquem, 01 Fargues, 01 Suduiraut, etc). 93 Last time I tried this it improved on Day 2, so we'll see what happens tomorrow.
Day 2: Similar to yesterday, maybe even a tad younger on the nose with slightly more tropical fruit, but roughly the same on the palate. Midpalate still has a bit of a tang on the midpalate that I recall also finding in a 2005 Chateau de Fargues, almost like a grapefruit flavor. Is this a characteristic of de Fargues? I cannot recall finding this on other sauternes. Excellent, no change in score. Showing slight mature characteristics. Next half in 2 years since it feels like it's in a transition phase right now.
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6/18/2011 - wineduggery wrote: 93 Points
A beautiful Sauternes from a great year. Apricot and peach, honey, and spice. A great way to finish a meal with friends. The hit of the night, and a good value
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5/21/2011 - mariolanza wrote: 91 Points
This is not ready yet but will speadily improve with age, great Sauternes in a above average year.
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3/28/2011 - ginfizz wrote: 93 Points
A bit closed down, but that means showing more balance than the over the top pineapple fruit of its youth. Should develop beautifully.
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2/15/2011 - jorge48 wrote: 92 Points
Fantastic sauternes, golden honey hue with notes of citric fruit and apricot on hte mouth. Always a crowd pleaser.
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11/12/2010 - pian0_player wrote: 94 Points
excellent wine. nice acidity and balance. sweet, but not cloying or over the top. elegant young sauternes. the acidity really makes this wine sing.
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9/5/2010 - d'Artagnan wrote: 92 Points
Demi-bouteille. Un magnifique Sauternes avec beaucoup de classe, un style mielleux, épicé et complexe, sans aucune chaleur en bouche. Superbe.
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8/29/2010 - aagrawal wrote: 95 Points
From a half. Opened almost exactly one year after my first bottle of this, which was also my first bottle of Sauternes. Now, 36 Sauternes later, I hopefully know a little bit more about my now-favorite region.
Great nose with lots of tropical fruits and just a hint of some secondary characteristics. Palate is full-bodied, flavorful, lots of honey and botrytis. The finish has good subtle flavors and finishes clean with balanced acidity. A tad bit more acidity would be optimal, but this wine is certainly stunning and still one of my favorite sauternes after a few 2001s. I'm glad I picked up some more of these at $25/half and will plan to try one every year for the next two decades.
Update: Oh, wow. Better on day 2 with more complexity, particularly spice notes and dancing flavors. Moving this wine up a point to 95.
Day 3: OK, now it has lost that little extra bit of spice and complexity that made me love it so much yesterday. Day 2 is certainly the sweet spot.
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6/25/2010 - kidsmurf2000 wrote: 94 Points
My god, I love this. The hose is a little closed, but its full of buttery, creme brulee goodness. I cannot wait to see how this wine tastes in 10, 20, 30 years time...
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6/4/2010 - kidsmurf2000 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Top notch Sauternes; very well balanced, lots of depth, very interesting and complex. Lots of sugar; should age well... but drinkable now.
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3/28/2010 - kidsmurf2000 wrote: 88 Points
A good wine, but lacking a lot of the complexity I normally associated with Château de Fargues. Balanced, but lacking much interest. Do Sauternes go thru adolesence?
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3/7/2010 - elbosco wrote: 94 Points
Really coming together nicely. Rich, heady nose. Butterscotch and pineapple. Full, viscous mouthfeel and excellent finish.
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3/2/2010 - ed-d wrote: 93 Points
Double Blind Tasting. Dark gold color. Lush, rich & full with a lot of sweetness & caramel. A bit of bitter banana on the finish but this wine has tremendous sweetness for a Sauterne.
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2/22/2010 - jorge48 wrote: 94 Points
Liquid candy. Dense and viscous as licquor. The palate is loaded with honey, cytric fruit, maple syrup. Elegant and sweet, but not cloying. Not as complex as d'Yquem (from my memory of two years ago) but, to my mind, comparable. The stuff nectar of the gods must be made of!
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8/30/2009 - aagrawal wrote:
Strong nose if served at a cool temperature. Hints of apricot. Palate very sweet but balanced with tingles of acidity. Taste of honey. I loved it and wish I could have it every day.
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7/28/2009 - petrusncoke wrote: 92 Points
On the nose are massive aromas of pineapple, papaya, coconut, botrytis, and marmalade. The pure pineapple fruit carries on the palate with honey, pear, orange, and ends in a sweet honeyed finish of tropical fruits. This wine has beautiful fruit, but I feel that --for a Sauternes, it lacks a bit of the acidity that would make it uproariously delicious.
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7/5/2009 - ginfizz wrote: 93 Points
Light golden yellow color, viscous. Nose reticent at first, with cream and yellow fruits (plum, apple, peach and hints of pineapple) and a bit of oak. Palate is integrated with medium to high sweetness, and a melange of the fruits from the nose, but no distinct fruit dominating. Touch of VA appears only fleetingly, but adds complexity. Light on the acidity.
I can see this one going with creamy cheeses (from brie to young asiago to young tomme style), or maybe a scallop and cream based sauce.
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6/29/2009 - freeblue wrote: 93 Points
Attractive aroma of peach, pear, cinnamon, and slightly tart initial taste, but smooth mid-palette, long finish of at least one minute. Honey-flavored, but not overwhelming in anyway. Truly elegant Sauterne!
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5/24/2009 - peternelson wrote: 92 Points
Conrad’s: Nice intense nose, pineapple, bright apricot, whtie raisin, lite petrol, nice concentration; long fin--grt trop frt char., w/coconut!
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5/24/2009 - WetRock wrote:
EWG does Northern Rhones (Conrad's Abode): Honeyed sugary fruits and tangerine skins on the nose. Sappy peaches, apricots and citrus on the palate. This displayed the best balance of the Sauternes for me. It's a sweet confection but a very tasty one. Very nice.
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12/13/2008 - Badfish wrote: 94 Points
Linking With Bordeaux (Wine Exchange - Orange, CA): Brilliant gold color. This has a wonderfully complex and perfumed nose with aromas of honey, pear, botrytis, and tropical fruits such as explosive pineapple. The palate is just as gorgeous with a glossy waxy mouthfeel combining with flavors of tropical honeyed fruit, dried fruits such as apricot, and much more. It seemed like each time you went back to this something else popped out. The finish has this superb honeyed bitter pear character. Just decent acidity but complex, complex, complex.
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8/24/2008 - Biggsy wrote: 93 Points
Very rich, almost syrupy texture. Aromas of apricot and pear. Sumptuous honey and cinnamon on the palate and a long finish with spice and dried apricot.
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12/29/2007 - mmurry wrote: 94 Points
Ring in the Holiday (Farpointe Cellar): This dessert wine had a wonderful nose of dried pineapples, caramel, honey, and a touch of tropical fruit. In the mouth it was very viscous and had honey and pineapple. It finished with a good caramel flavor.
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8/30/2007 - phandel wrote: 90 Points
Had this at our Bible Study dinner ... My wife and I agreed the nose was phenomenal, a friend she didn't care for the nose too much. My wife and the friend liked this wine a lot, but I thought it was a touch thin on the palate. Very subtle and refined, just thin.
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4/1/2004 - peternelson wrote: 91 Points
Dom. de Chevalier: Tiny bit cloudy; darker honey w/wood; marmalade notes; intense nose; thick bod, nice back a’s.
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