What a treat the 1986 Fargues turned out to be: opulent but dynamic, full of caramel and crème brûlée yet freshened up by lime zest and tart apples, and sizzling with energy on the long, mouthcoating finish. This is perhaps the flashiest and most hedonistic of the 1980s vintages on offer here.

While Château d’Yquem was sold to LVMH in the late 1990s, Château de Fargues remains under the control of the Lur-Saluces family, with Alexandre’s friendly and highly capable son Philippe at the helm today. Their lone wine is produced from 80% Sémillon and 20% Sauvignon Blanc, harvested with meticulous care to only include pristinely botrytized fruit, with yields averaging less than a glass of wine per vine. It is aged for two full years in one-third new oak barrels, then six further months in stainless steel to assemble; fining and filtration are never employed. Emphasizing focus over ultra-richness, Château de Fargues is an elegant, streamlined, varietally expressive Sauternes with outstanding longevity.