Winemaker Notes
Château Cap de Faugères is a wine estate comprising 46 hectares (114 acres) of the Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux appellation in the village of Sainte-Colombe. Annually, it produces approximately 100,000 bottles of its flagship wine, a Merlot-based Bordeaux red blend with smaller quantities of Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon.
In 1823, the Esquissaud family purchased three Faugères estates: Châteaux Cap de Faugères, Faugères and Péby Faugères. Pierre-Bernard Guisez took control of the family business in 1987 and managed the three estates up until 2005 when they were acquired by Silvio Denz, a perfume designer and European winery owner. He has since expanded the Château Cap de Faugères portfolio in collaboration with consultant oenologist, Michel Rolland.
Merlot reigns supreme at Cap de Faugères, laying claim to 85 percent of the vineyards, with Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon making up the remaining 15 percent. These vines are on average 30 years old, and are cultivated using sustainable viticultural methods.
Vinification at Château Cap de Faugères is carried out using a gravity flow system. Prior to fermentation, the grapes are cold-soaked and then fermented in a mixture of temperature-controlled stainless steel vats and wooden vats. Following fermentation, the wines are aged in oak barrels for 12-14 months.
Though the region is larger than many of its Right Bank neighbors, it is one that consistently produces high quality, well-valued red wines. In fact, Cotes de Castillon can almost be considered a geographical eastern extension of St. Emilion, producing similarly-fashioned reds based on Merlot.
Vineyards in the region’s clay, limestone and sandstone soils produce sturdy red wines. On alluvial terraces, in vineyards closer to the Dordogne River, wines tend to be more supple and fruity. In either case, a great Cotes de Castillon red will be bursting with raspberry, plum and blueberry, have an enticing bouquet of dried flowers and a finish that is plush and opulent.
One of the world’s most classic and popular styles of red wine, Bordeaux-inspired blends have spread from their homeland in France to nearly every corner of the New World. Typically based on either Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot and supported by Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot, the best of these are densely hued, fragrant, full of fruit and boast a structure that begs for cellar time. Somm Secret—Blends from Bordeaux are generally earthier compared to those from the New World, which tend to be fruit-dominant.