De Fargues Sauternes 2008 Bottle size: 375ml

‘Tasted single blind against its peers. Whereas last year the de Fargues 2008 was immediately forthcoming, a few months later this example demands much more coaxing from the glass. Eventually, it reveals scents of dried pineapple, limestone and a touch of cooking apple with some VA notes lending it a bit of a “kick.” The palate is medium-bodied with a mellifluous texture. It is very well-balanced with a tangible sense of tension from start to finish, attractive notes of dried honey and quince interlacing the long structured finish. This constitutes a serious Sauternes for the serious Sauternes-lover. Tasted January 2012.’ – Neal Martin, Wine Advocate, 95/100

‘Candied ginger, cloves, truffles, rich concentrated exotic fruits, pineapple and passion fruit. Great quality, this is a wine that levitates over the palate, all the while pulling you down to be seduced. It remains extremely young, elegant but gourmet. A vintage that is sometimes lost among the successes (for Sauternes) on either side), but it is worth seeking out, and is extremely enjoyable. 20% new oak, and a vintage where frost reduced the crop by 20%, down to around 8hl/h. 2022-2038’ – Jane Anson, janeanson.com, 94/100

‘Bright yellow-gold. Captivating aromas of pineapple, quince, ripe peach, spices, hazelnut and vanilla. Large-scaled, honeyed, rich and full but with a light touch owing to very nicely integrated acidity. A very sweet style, displaying hints of tropical fruit and good saline grip. This glyceral, chewy wine really melts into the palate like sake on the very long finish.’ – Stephen Tanzer, Vinous, 93/100

‘This harnesses the steely, nervy quinine edge of the vintage and buries it nicely in a core of lemon chiffon, shortbread and honeysuckle notes. The pure finish shows a nice sweet-sour interplay and fine length. This could age on a fairly slow track. Best from 2014 through 2024.’ James Molesworth, Wine Spectator, 93/100