At this rate I should finish drinking these somewhere about 2025.
I paid a flying visit to Chateau de Fesles earlier this year. They weren't working very hard to make a good first impresssion; the entrance to the estate is flanked by two low walls made of creamy stone, with "Chateau de Fesles" carved into each one. Unfortunately the one on the left had obviously taken a hit at some time, and the stones had been unceremoniously restacked with insufficient thought for the arrangement of the letters, leaving it looking like some sort of jumbled up word puzzle.
Chateau de Fesles Bonnezeaux 1996: A great colour in the glass, golden yellow, rich and deep, tinged with burnished, shimmering orange. The nose is wonderful, bright and fresh, notes of apricot and orange, honey and minerally quartz, with little suggestions of thyme and white truffle. Beautifully pure and crystal-clear definition on entry, which persists through the midpalate, with streaks of sweet praline and concentrated botrytis complexities. Tropical flavours, dripping with sweetness, brought together with a tinge of dried fruits. And it is very, very long. 18/20
Chateau de Fesles Bonnezeaux 1997: Rich and golden in appearance. The nose here carries a wealth of open and lavish aromas, notes of oranges, biscuits and caramel, all spiced with nuances of honey, lavender and thyme. The palate is sweet and viscous, yet well framed with acidity, giving it a polished and rounded feel with an appealing, slightly bitter grip at the edges. There are elements of macaroons, with nuts and orange caramel in the midpalate, all leading into a rich and heady finish. Just like the 1996, this is very, very long. A superb wine; for me it just pips the 1996 today. 18.5/20
I really like these wines; they seem to capture more of the really quartzy minerality that makes the top wines of the Coteaux du Layon and Coteaux de l'Aubance so special.