【Awarded Saint Emilion Grand Cru Classe in 2012】
【Legendary wine tycoon Bernard Magrez's winery】
【Wine Enthusiast 95】【Decanter 92】
【James Suckling 91】【Jeb Dunnuck 90】【Vivino 4.1】
ZTF521C Chateau Fombrauge Saint Emilion 2021
Special price: $298/piece
Region: France / Bordeaux / Saint-Emilion Grand Cru
Grape Varieties: 85% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc
Aging: French oak barrels for 18 months
Age of vines: 30 years
Alcohol content: 14.5%
Volume: 750ml
【Wine Enthusiast 95】
This is a generous wine from the largest Grand Cru Classé estate. The black fruit and licorice aromas are paralleled by the opulent dark plum flavors, the tannins cushioned by the opulent texture.
【Decanter 92】
Ripe, chewy and mouthfilling, this is on the plusher side in terms of fruit flavour but with a core of velvet-like, quite grippy tannins that take hold and support the fruit. Lashings of dark chocolate, liquorice, vanilla and a cinnamon edge giving a lovely nuance of spice while the juicy fruit flavours linger on top. A dark, savoury style with plenty going on but delivered with refinement and clarity. Certainly one of the bolder styles.
【James Suckling 91】
Spiced berries, cassis, roasted capsicum and a hint of dried strawberries. Abundant, lightly chewy tannins on the palate with juicy fruit and a tight finish. Better in a year or two.
【Jeb Dunnuck 90】
Red and blue fruits, sappy herbs, tobacco, underbrush, and violet notes, as well as some exotic nuances, all emerge from the 2021 Château Fombrauge, a medium-bodied, ripe, round, and lush, easygoing 2021 that makes the most of the vintage. It's impeccably made, has terrific purity, and should drink well for a decade with ease.
Bernard Magrez is the only winery owner in the wine industry today who owns four classified wineries, including Château Pape Clément, Château Latour Carré, and Château Lafite in Bordeaux, France. (Château La Tour Carnet), Château Fombrauge and Clos Haut-Peyraguey. The vineyards are located in various geographical locations in southern France and in eight other countries.
Chateau Fombrauge was awarded Saint-Emilion Grand Cru Classe in 2012 and is by far the largest Grand Cru in the region. The word "Fombrauge" is derived from "fons brogiera", which means "a spring surrounded by bushes and heather". It is also one of the oldest estates in Saint-Emilion as it dates back to 1679. Although as early as 1599 grapevines were planted on the site. Chateau Fombrauge is named after an earlier owner, Dumas de Fombrauge, who was also a member of the French government in the 1700s. However, the modern era of Chateau Fombrauge really began in 1999 when Bernard Magrez purchased Fombrauge from the company Hans Just. The first move taken by Bernard Magrez was to hire Michel Rolland as their consultant. Chateau Fombrauge is one of many estates owned by Bernard Magrez, who also owns wine properties on the Left Bank, in Sauternes, as well as Pessac Leognan and Chateau Pape Clement.
Chateau Fombrauge's 60 hectares of right bank vineyards are planted with Merlot and Cabernet franc. The vineyard is the largest classified planting in Saint-Emilion and the second largest vineyard in the entire Saint-Emilion appellation. The average age of the vines is 30 years. The vineyard is planted to a density of 6,600 vines per hectare. The terroir is clay, limestone and sandstone soils. The vineyard is basically divided into 3 parts, the plots close to the castle are on slopes and flat land, they also have vines planted on limestone slopes not far from Chateau Pavie, facing south.
To produce Chateau Fombrauge’s wine, after a maceration of 4 to 8 days at a low temperature of 10 degrees Celsius, the berries are transferred to large oak tanks for fermentation. For the production of Chateau Fombrauge, the estate uses 40 vats made from a mix of wood, cement and stainless steel, ranging in capacity from 80 litres to 20 litres. The large barrels are divided into: 21 wooden barrels, 18 stainless steel barrels, and 8 cement barrels. The grapes fermented better overall. Malolactic fermentation is usually split equally between cement or steel vats and French oak barrels. Chateau Fombrauge’s wines are then aged in 50% new French oak barrels for 16 to 18 months before bottling. The actual length in the time bucket may vary, depending on the characteristics of the year.
