TN: 98 Faugeres [St Emilion]

[AKR]

98 Faugeres [St Emilion] over 2 days, first at 70F, then 60F. Nice dark garnet color, no bricking at the edges. Some bitter chocolate on the nose. Tannins are almost all resolved on the palate. I wonder if this is ever so slightly tainted, as the fruit isn't as big as other bottles from this case have been. Otherwise the balance is good. 13% abv. Final glass has a bit of sediment and shows more raspberry character than earlier. We've drunk a lot of various vintages of Faugeres over the years - its been a consistent right banker with 10,000 cases of production that tends to be available widely at a fair value. Its sister bottlings Cap de Faugeres and Peby Faugeres (they might have given the latter a new name) also give one the option to trade down or up, respectively, depending on how spendy one is feeling, but in the main, I've stuck to this bottling. It took a full day to round out so, despite its age, I wouldn't be worried about drinking the 98 vintage in a hurry, if your bottles have been properly stored. Some hot years I felt needed to consumed sooner than this. This bottle gets a B, others have been better. For whatever reasons, we've been unlucky with taint from this estate (sample size of maybe 4-5 cases across a dozen vintages) despite being not very TCA sensitive. Has anyone else had that experience?

[Claret]

I enjoyed Faugeres from 94 and 95. I cannot recall a TCA problem.

[AlexR]

You're definitely on a roll ARV, and I'm really interested to read all your notes.

Pity about the cork.
But you really can't hold it against them - that is, unless the percentage of bottles so effected is inadmissable.

AR

[JimHow]

I remember getting a bottle of that when I was with you at that store north of the City, Arv, what was the name of that place.
I think you bought a bottle that day as well.

[stefan]

I don't remember any of my '98 Faugeres having TCA, and we have drunk through 10 bottles of a case.

[AKR]

I remember getting a bottle of that when I was with you at that store north of the City, Arv, what was the name of that place.
I think you bought a bottle that day as well.

Rochambeau in Dobbs Ferry. Good shop but I think its had some staff changes over the years.

I picked up a lone bottle of 98 Ausone that day there, sacrificed as an infant, at a 98 right bank panel tasting some years later....

[AKR]

So I saw Houndsong's note on this and decided to pull another bottle to check in, a year later. I think I only have a few left.

98 Faugeres [St Emilion] Lightly chilled, popped and poured, with lamb riblets and zuchini latkes. Lamb fat grosses me out, so I try to prepare these very well to render as much fat off as possible, and gargle with Bordeaux to get the taste out of the mouth. My rotisserie finally broke, so I made these the old school way on a grill rib rack. Although they are so tiny, they don't fit in that all that well. My SO grimaced when she saw the Faugeres -- we've had ill luck with TCA with this estate -- despite being insensitive to that. In any case, this was a sound bottle. The color has turned ruby, with bricking at the edges, medium bodied. Nose is showing cocoa, cedar closet, sharpened pencil, berries, and the depth of flavor is a 30 seconds. A little sediment, tannin is 98% resolved. Low acidity. I've liked this through out its life, but its had its best days already. I don't think its cracking up or anything but will finish the remaining bottles over the next two years. It's a good wine to share with those who might not want a severe Bordeaux. But its not particularly distinctive, nor unusual -- most wines, even good ones, are not, so that's not intended to be a pejorative. This bottle gets a B+ Nowadays ownership has changed, and prices are higher. I remember having Sherry Lehman deliver a case of some vintage to my goddaughter back when it was undiscovered and sub $200/cs.

[Nicklasss]

Nice update on that wine. I had a few vintages of Chateau Faugères and liked them. Here, I can see a Chateau Haut Faugères, from the same producer (same type color label). Is that the new Cap?

Nic

[Nicklasss]

I checked: Cap de Faugères is a Castillon, while Haut Faugères is the second wine of Faugères.

Nic

[Blanquito]

And Peby Faugeres is their reserve bottling of the best lots, right? I recall really enjoying a bottle of the 1999 Peby Faugeres that Ramon brought to a St Emilion offline in NYC in 2007 or so.

[AKR]

Peby is the one that goes to 11.

I've had it a few times and its quite good.

In general I wish estates would eschew the tete du cuvees.

I think its a phenomenon mostly designed for ego and critics.

And it causes confusion for the supply chain, and less informed consumers.

Just let the normale blend get better.

At least Vieux Donjon and Vieux Telegraphe in the Rhone have not done this yet.

[AlohaArtakaHoundsong]

Yes, my last bottle was quite good. Not heaven and earth, but solid, mature claret good, and in a reasonable time frame of 18 years. Fine for the $25-$30 I paid for it.

[Winona Chief]

I think I drank my last bottle of 1998 Faugeres about 5 years ago. Very pleasant easy drinking Bordeaux. Went through a dozen 375s. I think I paid $8 or $9 a bottle for it. Nice to have around to have whenever and not in the mood to splurge or drink very much. Just bought a bunch of 375s of La Fleur de Bouard to fill that slot.

Chris Bublitz