Wine Advisor
Fombrauge 2009
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
The 2009 Fombrauge has the potential to be the finest wine ever made at this property. Michel Rolland is the consulting oenologist in the vineyard, which sits in the southern sector of St.-Emilion known as St.-Christophe des Bardes. It was picked very late in 2009, and the result is a powerhouse wine with an inky blue/purple color and the smell of pen ink, acacia flowers, blueberries, black raspberries and cassis. The wine hit 15% natural alcohol, which gives it lots of glycerin as well as a full-bodied intensity, while the low yields of 27 hectoliters per hectare have provided a striking level of concentration and length. This is very serious wine from an estate that is on the upswing. It should benefit from 3-5 years of cellaring and keep for two decades. Fombrauge is the flagship St.-Emilion estate of Bernard Magrez.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
A blend of 77% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Franc and 9% Cabernet Sauvignon, cropped between 6th and 22nd October at 27hl/ha, this has a super ripe nose of cassis, creme de menthe and kirsch. Exotic fruit in the background, becoming more intense with time. The palate is full-bodied with dense tannins, real weight here, firm grippy tannins, very polished and a nice edginess coming through towards the finish. A symmetry here that is very appealing. Excellent. Tasted March 2010.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
From yields of 27 hectoliters per hectare, the fruit for the uber-concentrated 2009 Fombrauge was harvested between October 6 and 22, very late in 2009, thus the super ripeness, concentration, and density. Notes of truffles, graphite, blackberries, and blueberries jump from the glass of this full-bodied, unctuously textured, thick, juicy St.-Emilion. The abundant tannin is largely concealed by the extravagant fruit and richness. The final blend is approximately 3/4 Merlot and the rest Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. It should drink well in 3-4 years, and last for 15-20. (Tasted three times.)
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Served blind at the Southwold 2009 tasting. Initially, I was parsimonious with my score, but it actually improved dramatically in the glass. It is taciturn on the nose, at first broody and sullen and reluctantly offers briary and wild hedgerow. The palate is ripe and concentrated with firm structure and backbone. It is very well composed with superb definition and focus. This is a supremely well-made Saint Emilion with class and breeding. I probably scored this around 87 points at the beginning, so I would decant this and you should find yourself with a 91 or 92 point Saint Emilion. Tasted January 2013.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
The 2009 Fombrauge has the potential to be the finest wine ever made at this property. Michel Rolland is the consulting oenologist in the vineyard, which sits in the southern sector of St.-Emilion known as St.-Christophe des Bardes. It was picked very late in 2009, and the result is a powerhouse wine with an inky blue/purple color and the smell of pen ink, acacia flowers, blueberries, black raspberries and cassis. The wine hit 15% natural alcohol, which gives it lots of glycerin as well as a full-bodied intensity, while the low yields of 27 hectoliters per hectare have provided a striking level of concentration and length. This is very serious wine from an estate that is on the upswing. It should benefit from 3-5 years of cellaring and keep for two decades. Fombrauge is the flagship St.-Emilion estate of Bernard Magrez.
About the Producer
Chateau Fombrauge is located in the Saint-Emilion appellation on the right bank of Bordeaux, France, and was awarded the Saint-Emilion Grand Cru in 2012. The word "Fombrauge" is derived from the word "fons brogiera", which means "a spring surrounded by bushes and briars". The first written records of Château Fombrauge date from about six centuries ago, when Jacques de Canolle, a young French nobleman, acquired the land in 1466, and in 1575 the property passed into the hands of Peter Canolle, Jacques' grandson. At the end of the 17th century, Château Fombrauge became the property of the Dumas family by marriage. In the mid-18th century, the family introduced a series of advanced winemaking techniques at Château Fombrault - selection of grape varieties, pruning of vines and vinification of plots, etc. - with great success. When the French Revolution broke out, the owner, Jacques Dumas, was guillotined in 1794. Château Fombrauge became a national property until 1808, when it reverted to the Dumas family. The estate was then sold to Ferdinand de Taffard. In 1987, Château Fombraux was bought by a Danish wine merchant, and most of its wines were sold to the Scandinavian market, where they were gradually forgotten. In 1999, Bernard Magrez bought the estate and has been running it ever since. In September 2012, Château Fombrauge was officially selected as a Grand Cru in Saint-Emilion. The vineyards of Château Fombrault cover 58.6 hectares of calcareous clay, limestone and sandstone soils, with a variety of soil types and orientations that make the wines complex and individual. The winery actively embraces new technologies while adhering to traditional concepts, introducing advanced drones to assist in vineyard management. The grapes are harvested by hand after ripening and stored in fine crates to prevent breakage and oxidation. In terms of winemaking, Château Fombraux still adheres to the traditional philosophy. The grapes are carefully selected before and after destemming, and are then fermented in wooden vats, concrete tanks, stainless steel tanks and clay pots. During the fermentation process, the vines are manually capped to extract the tannins and flavors. With the cooperation of the "flying winemaker" Michelle Rolland and the professional winemaking team, Château Fombrauge continues to offer its wine lovers the best quality wines from the excellent terroir of Saint-Emilion. The main wine is the Chateau Fombrauge (Saint Emilion Grand Cru Classe, France), a wine with aromas and complexity, aromas of red fruits, blackcurrants and cherries, a smooth and rounded palate, and an elegant and fresh finish that is very attractive. In addition, the winery also offers the Chateau Magrez Fombrauge (Saint-Emilion Grand Cru, France), the Prelude de Fombrauge (Saint-Emilion Grand Cru, France) The wines are Magrez Fombrauge Blanc (Bordeaux, France), Prelude de Fombrauge (Saint-Emilion Grand Cru, France) and Magrez Fombrauge Blanc (Bordeaux, France).
