Winemaker Notes
Deep, intense ruby in color, the nose reveals powerful aromas of ripe black fruits. On the palate, the wine shows remarkable balance, with silky tannins and lingering flavors of blackcurrant and licorice that lead to a supple yet refreshing finish. The Chateau Fontaine de l'Aubier is aged for 6 months in French oak barrels.
Blend: 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 50 % Merlot,
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
A very well-made Médoc with an attractive interplay of ripe currants, healthy tannins and lively acidity. With some aeration, graphite and savory notes add interest. I like the fleshiness at the finish, which helps harmonize the moderately tannic core. From organically grown grapes.
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
The 2019 Château Fontaine de l'Aubier is a seriously impressive Médoc, displaying a deep ruby color and opening with classic aromas of ripe dark berries and sweet earth that convey both ripeness and regional authenticity. On the palate, this wine is weighted and structured, showing a firm core of ripe fruit layered with dusty earth, subtle savory nuance, and a confident, lingering finish. For a truly Bordelais expression at the table, pair it with Entrecôte à la Bordelaise — a thick-cut rib steak grilled to perfection and finished with a rich red wine and shallot sauce infused with bone marrow — a dish whose bold texture and depth echo the wine’s structure and amplify its earthy complexity in a deeply satisfying harmony of tradition and finesse. (Tasted: November 20, 2025, San Francisco, CA)
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.
One of the most—if not the most—famous red wine regions of the world, the Medoc reaches from the city of Bordeaux northwest along the left bank of the Gironde River almost all the way to the Atlantic. Its vineyards climb along a band of flatlands, sandwiched between the coastal river marshes and the pine forests in the west. The entire region can only claim to be three to eight miles wide (at its widest), but it is about 50 miles long.
While the Medoc encompasses the Haut Medoc, and thus most of the classed-growth villages (Margaux, Moulis, Listrac, St-Julien, Pauillac and St. Estephe) it is really only those wines produced in the Bas-Medoc that use the Medoc appellation name. The ones farther down the river, and on marginally higher ground, are eligible to claim the Haut Medoc appellation, or their village or cru status.
While the region can’t boast a particularly dramatic landscape, impressive chateaux disperse themselves among the magically well-drained gravel soils that define the area. This optimal soil draining capacity is completely necessary and ideal in the Medoc's damp, maritime climate. These gravels also serve well to store heat in cooler years.