Wine Advisor
Fombrauge 2011
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
The estate of Bernard Magrez has fashioned an attractive dark ruby/purple-colored 2011 offering lots of mulberry and black cherry fruit as well as a sexy, soft, round core, velvety tannin and a heady, lush, seductive finish. It is another brilliant effort from Bernard Magrez’s team. A sleeper of the vintage, it should provide immense pleasure over the next 7-10 years.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Tasted twice with consistent notes, the Fombrauge ’11 seems a little light on the nose with cassis and blueberry fruit that is rather diffuse. The palate is a little peppery on the entry with fine tannins: a more feminine Fombrauge and for me, it demonstrates more composure and better balance than the Magrez-Fombrauge. The tannins on the finish are powdery but it retains admirable focus.Tasted April 2012.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
Composed of 85% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Franc and a tiny dollop of Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2011 is a spicy, straightforward, deep plum/ruby/purple-colored effort displaying powerful tannins as well as a slight austerity. There is also plenty of creamy, rich blueberry and black raspberry fruit intermixed with hints of crushed rocks and bay leaves. It should be close to full maturity in 3-4 years and last for 12-15. Owned by Bordeaux visionary/entrepreneur deluxe, Bernard Magrez, this is still the largest vineyard in St.-Emilion.
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).
