Wine Advisor
Fombrauge 2016
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The 2016 Fombrauge is a blend of 93% Merlot and 7% Cabernet Franc picked from 30 September to the 22 October, clearly more expressive on the nose compared to the 2016 Magrez-Fombrauge with attractive blackberry, raspberry coulis and cold stone aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, linear but fresh with a grippy, slightly tarry finish that lingers in the mouth. It needs to find a little more "lightness" in terms of personality rather than intensity, perhaps not take itself quite so seriously. But I still find much to enjoy here and I look forward to tasting it in bottle. Tasted twice with consistent notes.
Reviewed by: Lisa Perrotti-Brown
Medium garnet-purple colored, the 2016 Fombrauge sings of lively kirsch, baked black cherries and warm plums notes plus touches of potpourri, cigar box and garrigue. Medium to full-bodied, it fills the mouth with decadent red and black fruit preserves, structured by velvety tannins and finishing with fantastic length.
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
The 2016 Fombrauge has come together beautifully during its aging and is now a much more refined wine than it was from barrel. Sweet red berry fruit, mocha, espresso, mint and floral notes all grace this exquisite, mid-weight Saint-Émilion. The 2016 is simply impeccable, not to mention incredibly delicious. There is not much more to it than that. Tasted two times.
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
Dark raspberry, black cherry, plum, chocolate, smoke, wildflowers and exotic spices are some of the many notes that infuse the 2016 Fombrauge. Ripe, powerful and voluptuous, it offers a striking interplay of intense dark fruit and aromatic freshness. The purity of the flavors is compelling. A move toward fermenting more of the juice in cement and using less new oak during aging is having a noticeable influence on the evolution of Fombrauge away from a wine of pure power and toward a Saint-Émilion that displays more finesse than in the past.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The 2016 Fombrauge has a lovely bouquet of black cherries, raspberry, sandalwood and wild mint aromas, quite complex and nicely detailed and the oak neatly assimilated. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins and a fine bead of acidity. There is an attractive spiciness on the back palate, and the vibrant, energetic finish keeps you returning for another sip. This is very promising wine from Bernard Magrez's portfolio. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting.
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).
