Location and History
Château Raymond-Lafon is located in Sauternes in the wine region Bordeaux, France. The 18-hectare estate was founded by Raymond-Lafon in the mid-19th century and was acquired in 1972 by Francine and Pierre Meslier.
Vineyard Areas and Harvest
The vineyard area comprises about 18 hectares, of which, according to Gault&Millau, 16 hectares are under production. It is planted at around 80% with Sémillon and 20% with Sauvignon Blanc. The soils are described as clay and gravel. Sémillon is grown in the Cots style, while Sauvignon Blanc is trained using a strong Guyot pruning system.
The grapes are hand-harvested in successive selections based on ripeness and the development of Botrytis cinerea. This allows for three to ten passes, and the harvest can take up to two months. Strong pruning of the vines and successive sorting result in very low yields.
Wine and Production
The estate produces a sweet white Sauternes under the designation Appellation Sauternes Contrôlée. Natural fermentation lasts around three to five weeks at approximately 20 °C. The wine then matures for three years in 100% new oak barrels.
On average, 20,000 bottles are produced for the documented wine, with an average yield of 8 hectolitres per hectare.
Classification
Château Raymond-Lafon is not included in the 1855 classification. The reason given is that the estate was founded later than the classification.
