1 SILVIO DENZ ACQUIRES CHATEAU LAFAURIE–PEYRAGUEY premier grand cru classé of sauternes "Lafaurie-Peyraguey always shows great concentration, with an obvious richness which is expressed in its balance. However, there is an innate finesse and elegance to this wine that save it from overdoing the superlative in a way that could verge on heaviness. An exceptional terroir, the purity of the botrytis, an acidity that is always well-defined, and a depth and aromatic complexity that only increase with age, are the cornerstones of this wine's architecture. A Sauternes of excellent lineage that is both distinguished and incredibly appealing, this major grand vin in the world of botrytis wines is a source of wonder and delight for lovers of 'liquid gold'." Pierre Casamayor, Revue du Vin de France.
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SILVIO DENZ ACQUIRES
CHATEAU LAFAURIE–PEYRAGUEY
premier grand cru classé of sauternes
"Lafaurie-Peyraguey always shows great concentration, with an obvious richness which is
expressed in its balance. However, there is an innate finesse and elegance to this wine that save it
from overdoing the superlative in a way that could verge on heaviness.
An exceptional terroir, the purity of the botrytis, an acidity that is always well-defined, and a depth
and aromatic complexity that only increase with age, are the cornerstones of this wine's
architecture.
A Sauternes of excellent lineage that is both distinguished and incredibly appealing, this major
grand vin in the world of botrytis wines is a source of wonder and delight for lovers of 'liquid gold'."
Pierre Casamayor, Revue du Vin de France.
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THE PROUD HISTORY OF A PREMIER GRAND CRU CLASSÉ
Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey, at the heart of the great terroirs of the Sauternes region
The history and reputation of Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey are inextricably bound up with those
of the Sauternes appellation. A very old wine-producing property, it is located in the heart of the
Sauternes region, on high ground just outside the village of Bommes. The oldest stones of the
perimeter wall and the entrance, thought to be the most ancient structure in the commune of
Bommes, were extracted from quarries close to the banks of the Ciron river in the 13th century.
The commune of Bommes, with six of the eleven Premiers Crus Classés, has long been home to the
finest wines of the Sauternes appellation, and abounds with remnants of ancient times: the pre-
historic caves beside the Ciron, a Roman staging post at Maisons Rouges (part of Lafaurie-
Peyraguey), a 10th-century Benedictine priory, a hospital established in 1310 by the Order of St
Anthony, and a manor house dating from the 16th century, to name but a few.
Eight centuries of history preserved
The wealth of relics and archive material preserved at the château, representing eight centuries of
history, bear witness to the rich heritage of Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey.
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1855 CLASSIFICATION: PREMIER GRAND CRU CLASSE
Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey has some of the greatest names in Sauternes among its neighbours,
notably Château d'Yquem, and the merits of its own sweet white wine have long been recognized. In
the 1855 classification it was ranked as one of the Premiers Crus Classés.
Professor René Pijassou, in his book, Un Grand Château Viticole du Sauternais, Château Lafaurie-
Peyraguey, explains that, in the 1855 classification, “the famous "list of Bordeaux's red
wines” included four Premier Crus: Château Lafite, Château Latour, Château Margaux and Château
Haut-Brion”.
He continues: “The classification of the white wines of the Gironde listed nine Premiers Crus”
including “Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey in Bommes, owned by the elder Lafaurie,” which was
ranked in second place.
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IMPORTANT FIGURES IN THE HISTORY OF THE PROPERTY AND
ITS WINE
17th century
1618: Sieur Peyraguey
The first known owner was Sieur Raymond Peyraguey, who settled in Bommes in 1618. The
historian Coudroy de Lille calls him a "rural bourgeois", and notes that he was one of the first in the
seventeenth century to try their luck at the "great adventure of wines that, if they were not dessert
wines, at least had a sweet taste".
18th century
1742: Pierre de Pichard, a landowner in Bommes, consolidated the property, and was followed
by his grandson, Nicolas Pierre de Pichard
For René Pijassou, "it is beyond doubt that Pierre Pichard was the creator of the future grand cru,
which for a long time was known as the 'Domaine de Pichard Peyraguey'". Pierre Pichard, Baron of
Saucats, was part of the wealthy landed nobility; he was also a member of the legal profession, in
his capacity as Conseiller du Roy (Adviser to the King) in Bordeaux's Parliament.
In the second half of the 18th century, the owner was President Nicolas Pierre Pichard (Pierre
Pichard's grandson). The first President of the Parliament of Bordeaux, the owner of Château Lafite
in Pauillac and Château Coutet in Barsac, he was a prominent character in the upper echelons of the
Bordeaux legal system. Guillotined in 1794, his property was confiscated and declared a "National
Asset".
1796: Mr. Lafaurie turned the property into a "cru", by investing in the wine's quality.
On 22 June 1796, the Republic put the property up for sale. It was bought by Mr Lafaurie, who lived
in Preignac. René Pijassou reports "the existence of a single block of vines, planted in the 18th
century by the Pichard family".
Under Mr. Lafaurie's influence, the wine's quality and image climbed steadily upwards.
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19th century
1837: Mr. Lafaurie's eldest son ensured the cru's survival with its classification in 1855
On the death of Lafaurie in 1837, his eldest son Pierre Lafaurie inherited the property and made
every effort to improve it, to such an extent that it was ranked as a Sauternes Premier Grand Cru
Classé. The Peyraguey property then become known as Lafaurie-Peyraguey, in a continuation of
the previous name of "Pichard-Peyraguey".
It was at around this time that King Alfonso XII of Spain declared Peyraguey his favourite wine,
buying "a barrel of 1858 Lafaurie-Peyraguey for the amazing price of 6,000 gold francs".
1865: Count Duchâtel
After the 1855 classification, Count Charles Duchâtel, a former minister of foreign affairs under
Louis-Philippe, a member of the Institut and the owner of Château Lagrange, purchased Château
Lafaurie-Peyraguey.
A vigorous investment policy and the lively commercial success enjoyed by the wines of Sauternes
enabled Count Duchâtel to renovate and modernize Lafaurie-Peyraguey. On his death in 1878, his
granddaughter, Charlotte de Tréemoille, inherited Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey under the
guardianship of her father, Duke Louis de Trémoille, Duchâtel's son-in-law.
1879: Farinel and Grédy, two Bordeaux wine merchants survived the vineyard crisis at the end
of the 19th century
In 1879, the estate was sold at auction to Farinel and Grédy, two wine merchants dealing in fine
wines, whose premises were in Bordeaux on the Quais des Chartrons. The invasion of the Bordeaux
vineyards by the phylloxera epidemic in 1880, followed by downy mildew in 1882, and the major
economic crisis that lasted thirty years, inevitably dampened their initial enthusiasm.
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20th century
1917: Désiré Cordier, a wine merchant, became the owner of several Bordeaux Grands Crus,
starting with Lafaurie-Peyraguey
Désiré Cordier, a wine merchant from Lorraine, bought Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey in the
summer of 1917. Between 1917 and 1919, he acquired Château Gruaud-Larose and Château Talbot.
After the war, Cordier set up a wine merchant business in Bordeaux that was responsible for the
exclusive distribution of Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey's wines for more than 80 years. The entire
Cordier group was sold to Suez in 1984.
1984: The Suez group, a vast renovation and modernization project
An ambitious renovation programme was undertaken between 1998 and 2005, starting with the
winery facilities (bringing them into compliance with new regulatory and environmental
requirements, improving temperature and humidity control, etc.) and then the château itself, which
was renovated to be able to receive both professionals and wine enthusiasts, and to hold
conferences related to the group's activities.
21th century
February 2014: Silvio Denz becomes the owner of Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey
Silvio Denz decided to invest in this prestigious Sauternes vineyard at a time when Château
Lafaurie-Peyraguey is among the finest properties in the region, with a well-maintained vineyard,
a modern, high-tech winery, an expert team taking meticulous care of the vines, and a recently
renovated château.
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A VINEYARD WITH AN EXCEPTIONAL TERROIR
Lafaurie-Peyraguey's vineyard is located on the upper part of Sauternes' gravel terroir, 70 metres
above sea level, just next to Château d'Yquem.
The "Enclos" and "Maisons Rouges" plots represent the historic heart of Château Lafaurie-
Peyraguey's magnificent terroir.
Soil and aspect: silica-gravel and clay-gravel; gravel from the Quaternary era was deposited here
more than 600,000 years ago, on a substratum of Aquitania limestone.
- High terrace, south-facing plateau (20%),
- Medium clay slope, west-facing terrace (20%),
- Gravelly hilltops on the upper part of the middle terrace, various aspects from south-east to