1986 - Lafaurie-Peyraguey, Sauternes

The 1986 Lafaurie-Peyraguey is a vintage that I have tasted three or four times, most notably an exceptional bottle in 2011 that I dared suggest ought to be compared to the 1986 d’Yquem. Two subsequent bottles have not lived up to the expectation of the Sauternes vintage. The last bottle demonstrates ample botrytis formation on the nose, although it comes across rather smudged, missing the tension and precision of its peers. It is a showy, dense Lafaurie-Peyraguey, a little alcoholic, with an unctuous finish that needs to demonstrate more tension and purity. An enjoyable Sauternes, but nothing more. Tasted blind at a private dinner in London.