Duke of Bourbon - Rare Wines - Fine Spirits - Personalized Service - David, Judy and Ron Breitstein - 20908 Roscoe Blvd - Canoga Park CA 91304 - Phone: 818/341-1234 or 800/4-FINE-WINE - Fax: 818/341-9232
20908 Roscoe Blvd • Canoga Park CA 91304
Hours: Mon - Sat • 9AM - 6PM		 Phone: (818) 341-1234 • Fax: (818) 341-9232
Outside California: (800) 4-FINE-WINE

Cheers! from the Duke of Bourbon

We sent the following email about the 1998 Chateau Raymond-Lafon Sauternes in November of 2003 and quickly sold all the wine we had allocated to us. The Duke prevailed upon his relationship with the Mesliers and has just obtained a small additional amount of one of the most succulent and tasty Sauternes you will ever pour on your taste buds. Here is the text of that email - keep in mind that we sent it in the late fall. At the end is the good news! Although the price has increased elsewhere, we have been able to keep our price the same as it was then.

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Look at the calendar! Just yesterday, it was the Fourth of July and now we are in the midst of that wonderful fall weather (in most parts of the country). All the grapes in the Northern Hemisphere are harvested and are getting happy inside various barrels and fermenting tanks. But wait - not all those grapes have been picked yet. Look just across the road from fabled Chateau d'Yquem and see the grapes of Chateau Raymond-Lafon still hanging on and becoming richer and more succulent every day. Noble rot is flourishing under the fog of the morning and warm sunshine of the fall afternoon and concentrating the sugars and lush flavors of the Semillon and Sauvignon grapes that grow there. The harvest, grape by individual grape, will continue for the next few weeks. The wine made from this meticulous process is an incredible assault on the sensory organs and needs to be experienced to be believed.

Allow us to quote from Robert Parker's The Wines of Bordeaux:

Raymond-Lafon is a name to watch in the Sauternes district, particularly if one is looking for a wine that is close to the brilliance and majestic richness of Yquem for less than one-third the price.

This small estate abuts Yquem's vineyard and has had an excellent reputation. The 1921 Raymond-Lafon was considered even better than Yquem's wine in that great vintage. I have never tasted the 1921 Raymond-Lafon, but the single greatest Sauternes I have ever drunk was the Yquem of that vintage.

However, the estate of Raymond-Lafon fell into neglect, and it was not until 1972 that Pierre Meslier, the manager of Yquem, purchased this vineyard and began to rebuild this wine's once fabulous reputation.

With a tiny yield of 9 hectoliters per hectare (even less than Yquem's), with the same grape blend and winemaking techniques employed as Yquem, and with the same ruthless selection procedure (normally 20% - 100% of a harvest is declassified), Raymond-Lafon has already produced a succession of splendid Sauternes, beginning with a great 1975 and just recently concluding with a monumental 1990.

Raymond-Lafon looks to be well on the road to becoming one of the great classic wines of Sauternes. Unfortunately [emphasis added], the wine is extremely difficult to find because of the tiny production and the fact that proprietor Pierre Meslier sells much of it to private clients in Europe. One must wonder why this vineyard, situated next to Yquem and surrounded by all the Premiers Crus Classés of Sauternes, was overlooked in the 1855 classification.

Fortunately [emphasis added], for those of you who love Sauternes, the Duke has found some of Chateau Raymond-Lafon's outstanding 1998 vintage. To quote Jean-Pierre Meslier, son of Pierre, "The wine is classic Sauternes - rich and round and voluptuous, and certainly age-worthy for up to twenty years." Although the winery has been in existence since 1850, the Mesliers are celebrating their 30 years of ownership this year.

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Considering the strength of the Euro, the list price of this fabulous wine should be at least $40.00 per 375ml bottle. While our supply lasts, each 375ml bottle is just $29.99. For additional savings, buy a 6-pack for $177.00.

Call the Duke today to order your share!
Or just call to say "Hi". We enjoy hearing from you.




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