Wine Advisor
Fombrauge 2012
View analysis
Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
The far more interesting grand vin, the 2012 Fombrauge is composed of 90% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc and 1% Cabernet Sauvignon from this 126-acre vineyard. A note of spicy, smoky oak intermixed with kirsch liqueur, vanillin and earth emerges from this medium-bodied effort. It exhibits a gritty tannin, but there is a nice fleshiness and hedonistic appeal to this 2012. Drink it over the next decade.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Picked between 10th and 19th October for the Merlot, which represents 90% of the blend, the Fombrauge has a ripe, opulent bouquet with scents of kirsch, fig and a touch of dates that is actually more reminiscent of a 2009. The palate is full-bodied with succulent ripe tannins – a hint of white pepper on the tip of the tongue. It shows a little more focus than the nose at the point with a finely tuned, modern style finish that maintains good definition. Fine. Tasted April 2013.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
From the stable of Bernard Magrez, Fombrauge is one of the largest estates on the Right Bank. Dominated by Merlot (90%, followed by 9% Cabernet Sauvignon and 1% Cabernet Sauvignon), the dense ruby/purple 2012 offers toasty vanilla and oaky notes interwoven with blackcurrants and black cherries. Its excellent concentration, medium body, expansive texture and ripe tannins suggest a wine that should be in its prime in 4-6 years and last for 15 or more.
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).
