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  • Weather

    14° C Overcast clouds
  • Time

    01:20 AM
  • Wine average?

    96 Tb
  • Country Ranking?

    63
  • Region Ranking?

    38
  • Popularity ranking?

    171

History

Chateau Raymond Lafon is located in Sauternes, Bordeaux, next to the vineyards of Chateau d’Yquem and very close to Chateau Suduiraut. It was founded in 1850 by Raymond Lafon, and was inherited by Louis Pontallier, a nephew of Lafon’s, whose grandson, Paul Pontallier, is the director of Chateau Margaux.


Pontallier sold the chateau in 1952 to the Bourdier family, from which the current owners, the Meslier Family, (Pierre Meslier was the then managing director of Chateau d’Yquem) acquired it in 1972. The association and the proximity to Chateau d’Yquem explains why Raymond Lafon is produced in the exact fashion with the great sweet wine of Bordeaux. 

The tiny 18 hectare vinayard is planted to 80% Semillon and 20% Sauvignon Blanc with vines that average 40 years of age. The wine spends 3 years in 100% new French oak barrels. 

Each vintage from Château Raymond-Lafon delights us with its specific characteristics, with a firework of aromas and subtle sweetness, whether you decide to drink it young or mature. Served slightly chilled as an aperitif, it stimulates the palate. Raymond-Lafon is also a festive wine, which is best suited to delicious goose liver, oysters, game and poultry, soft cheese as well as pastries and desserts of all kinds. It is worth trying various combinations. It is a veritable delicacy that you can enjoy at an affordable price when compared to many neighbouring estates, above all Château d'Yquem.

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Vineyards

It is situated on the gentle slope just to the north of Chateau d’Yquem, to the east of Chateau Lafaurie-Peyraguey and to the west of Chateau Suduiraut.  The soil is very varied, typical within Sauternes, with gravel, clay and some sandy areas on top of limestone.  This helps to give the wine its complexity and ensures production in even the most difficult weather conditions.

Of the 18 hectare estate some 16 hectares are planted with around 80% Semillon vines and the remaining 20% with Sauvignon.  As the property was very run down when purchased by Pierre Meslier in 1972 with only a few hectares planted, the majority of the vines date from that period and are now at full maturity some 40 years later.

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Winemaking

Viticulture is vinification are the domain of Charles-Henri.  Yields are very low, typically under 10 hectolitres per hectare, a result of hard pruning and selection of only the finest botrytis grapes during picking.  Traditional techniques and great levels of care are practised with fermentation in 50% new oak barrels and 2-3 years of oak-ageing depending on the nature of each vintage.  This makes the wines of a very serious tone with the natural complexities from the vineyard magnified and enhanced by the treatment in the cellar.

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Inside information

While it could not benefit from the Grand Cru classification of 1855, since it was founded only a few years later, Château Raymond-Lafon has been rated as one of the top wineries since its inception. In 1972, Francine and Pierre Meslier became owners of the castle. Pierre Meslier, an agricultural engineer from Montpellier, was able to develop his great experience in the Sauternes region at the legendary Château d'Yquem, where he was in charge of vinification for 26 years. His quest for perfection and excellence modelled after Yquem was transferred to Raymond-Lafon of course, and later passed onto his children, who are now responsible for the estate.

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