2013 Chateau Faugeres
By Chateau Peby Faugeres
2013 Château Faugeres from Château Peby Faugeres, Saint-Émilion, Bordeaux
An exuberant ode to the complexity of Saint-Émilion terroir, the 2013 Château Faugeres is a testament to the resilience and finesse that Château Peby Faugeres maintains despite challenging vintages. This particular year presented viticulturists and winemakers alike with a bevy of climatic hurdles—yet, this estate's offering stands proudly, showcasing an admirable equilibrium between structure and drinkability.
A harmonious display of artistry and adaptation
The journey of the 2013 vintage was indeed a narrative of adversity met with unwavering commitment to quality. The fruit picked at Château Faugeres painted a vivid picture: lower alcohol levels and acidities poised on a tightrope, yet executed with the deft precision that only seasoned hands can achieve. Here lies a wine that is both a meritorious specimen for wine investors and a thrill for the erudite palates hunting for nuanced expressions of merlot.
In glass, this Bordeaux blend offers an alluring tapestry, woven from the subdued warmth of the year layered with touches of earthiness, thanks to the classical limestone and clay soils that Saint-Émilion is renowned for. A whisper of oak couples gracefully with understated dark fruit notes, suggesting the skilled employment of barriques that do not overshadow the inherent character of the wine. A vintage such as 2013 demanded a delicate balancing act—and this Château Faugeres answers the call resplendently.
Critical poise in an unpredictable vintage
Despite 2013 being a sleeper year for Bordeaux at large, those who delve into its offerings may find treasures like this one. The vivacity found here is tinged with just enough maturity to sate those who appreciate restraint over exuberance—the hallmark of a vintage shaped by unpredictability and capped by human ingenuity.
Investment-wise, such wines promise intrigue as they skate across typical expectations, offering up fresh narratives where connoisseurs might not usually tread. Thus, inquiring minds and discerning collectors would do well to explore this poised expression from Château Peby Faugeres.
To conclude, the 2013 Château Faugeres emerges as an eminent example of Saint-Émilion's capability to surprise and delight even under less than stellar conditions—a piece de resistance that charms us with its subtlety and whispers promises of what lies beneath.
Market price (GBP)
£830.00
12x75cl
Highest score
88
POP score
103.75
Scores and tasting notes
Peby Faugeres is usually one of the best wines in all of the top vintages, thanks to the severe selection and impressive consulting team of Stephan von Neipperg on vineyard management and Michel Rolland on winemaking and blending. The 2013, made from yields of 14 hectoliters per hectare and 100% Merlot, has some aggressive tannins to resolve, a rather intense chalky minerality, and attractive perfume of blue and red fruits with new oak is in the background. The wine is medium-bodied, slightly angular and less evolved than many 2013s, and may reveal more flesh and character in another year of aging. Certainly it-s a well-made effort, but hardly as inspiring as previous vintages have been. This large property of more than 90 acres planted in clay and limestone soils on the St.-Emilion/Castillon Plateau was cropped at 18 hectoliters per hectare from a harvest that ran October 1-12.
Robert Parker Jr - The Wine Advocate, 27 August 2014