Sad news from Bartholomew Broadbent

[Tom In DC]

The trouble with having grown up in a wine family is that your parent's friends become your friends and then they start dying! Very sad to hear of the loss of another friend and icon, Count Alexandre de Lur Saluces, previous owner of the greatest white wine in the world, Château d'Yquem, then owner of Château de Fargues This is such a loss... friends you surely expect to see again and then it is too late. His last words to me were "I very much think of you dear Bartholomew, during these days; and send you my very friendly thoughts". Gutted.

[Tom In DC]

We had a great visit with the Comte at de Farques in 2005, after visiting d'Yquem earlier in the day. Great memories of a most wonderful gentleman.

[AlexR]

Alexandre de Lur Saluces was a great man, and he will have died in the same year as Jean-Michel Cazes, another giant.

The count was an ambassador not just for Yquem and Fargues, but also all of Sauternes.

He was a true gentleman, and it is only because of undue pressue and manipulation that Yquem escaped from his family's hands.

He has done wonderful things at Ch. de Fargues, which has gone from strength to strength.

A true aristocrat and gentleman, he never talked down to people despite his special status.
He will be sorely missed.

I have never met his children.

All the best,
Alex R.

[greatbxfreak]

I posted my comment on his death two days ago on Facebook (I saw a message from Terres du Vin), and to my big surprise, very few people reacted to my post. No other of my wine friends, bar Dany Rolland responded. Neither Jane Anson, Neal Martin, Jeff Leve, nor others commented on the passing. Hmmm...??!!

I met him many times since 2002. When the press visit by UGCB took place at Yquem, he'd always prepared a table full of fresh oysters to be accompanied by several vintages of Yquem. My fellow wine critics went wild with the consumption of both items.

In May 2005, my friend Philip Dyna organized a mind-boggling tasting of 65 vintages of Yquem (never ever so many vintages were tasted at one event) from 1847 to 2000. He invited Alexandre de Lur Saluces, but he couldn't come because of travels and management duties. This tasting was, is, and will be a testimony to this Bordeaux/Sauternes big personality!

Alex and I were invited in April 2006 to de Fargues for a vertical of 10+ vintages of de Fargues back to 1947. It was an utterly memorable tasting.

I met his son, Philippe de Lur Saluces, some years ago.

I second Alex - a true gentleman and very kind to all people. RIP.

https://vintagebyugcb.com/en/2022/12/21 ... r-saluces/

[stefan]

I only met Alexandre de Lur Saluces once, in 2005, the time Tom mentioned. He was a most gracious host. He did a masterful job at de Fargues as well as at Yquem.

[DavidG]

I’ll second what Tom, Alex, and Stefan have written. I feel lucky to have met him and to have spent a very special day with a very special man.

[tim]

How sad that we lose another legend. The only time I met him was on the 2005 trip as well. He was gracious and down to earth. RIP

[dstgolf]

A sad time in Bordeaux for sure. We've created many fabulous memories with BWE but our visit in 2005 to du Fargues ranks up there near the top. A generous, kind and welcoming man who had Y'Quem stollen from his family with no recourse has left his mark on the wine world and has passing has truly moved me. A farmer at heart who loved his vines but his cows seemed to mean as much to him as his wine. RIP Alexandre! Thanks so much for sharing Tom.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/KFwT6KqbdT3VCqU18

[dstgolf]

Not sure why the #1 photo was not included ....

https://photos.app.goo.gl/vLzodMXwdhPSeqKc8

[Nicklasss]

You are lucky to have met the Man in 2005. We did also a nice Yquem tour in 2015, but in different condition, as the de Lur Saluces were not in Yquem anymore.

De Lur Saluces will be a name always associated to Yquem. He was in charge of the Premier Cru supérieur when Yquem completely convinced BWE of the unique quality and pedegree of the wine.

Thanks for all M. De Lur Saluces, RIP.

[Harry C.]

Yes, the world is a little smaller because of this...