The Sud Ouest newspaper has reported the sale of Sauternes Premier Grand Cru Classé, Chateau Lafaurie-Peyraguey, to Silvio Denz, the Swiss owner of Chateau Faugeres and Peby Faugeres in Saint-Emilion and Chateau Cap de Faugeres in Castillon Cotes de Bordeaux.

Chateau Lafaurie-Peyraguey had been owned by the GDF Suez Group since 1984 when they purchased the Cordier Group from the Cordier family, who had owned the estate since 1917. The property is situated on the slopes to the west of Chateau d’Yquem, just above the village of Bommes. The vineyard, which covers 41 hectares, is planted with 90% Semillon, 8% Sauvignon and 2% Muscadelle, producing on average 5500 cases of Chateau Lafaurie-Peyraguey and 2000 cases of the second wine, La Chapelle de Lafaurie-Peyraguey.

Chateau Lafaurie-Peyraguey is the second Grand Cru Classé estate in Sauternes to have changed hands in recent years, its neighbour, Chateau Clos Haut Peyraguey, having been purchased by Bernard Magrez in 2012. The transaction reinforces the pattern of existing Bordeaux owners, rather than newcomers, purchasing many of the more prestigious estates that come up for sale e.g. Chateau Canon’s purchase of Chateau Matras; Domaine Clarence Dillon’s purchase of Chateau L’Arosée and Chateau Tertre Daugay; the Cuvelier family’s acquisition of Chateau Cote de Baleau, Chateau Les Grandes Murailles and Clos Saint Martin; Jacky Lorenzetti’s purchase of 50% of Chateau d’Issan; the Dassault family’s purchase of Chateau Faurie de Souchard (see my guest post for Jane Anson’s New Bordeaux: “The Chinese – not the only game in town”).