Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Spicy and meaty with cedar on the nose. Very seamless and rich. Long from start to finish, with dried fruits. Lovely tertiary character that turns to leafiness. Beautiful. The 2001 is an excellent vintage for Merlot and excelled on the Right Bank. This American-owned Fronsac estate made serious wine at an excellent price.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Over recent years, La Vieille Cure has become one of the leading estates of Fronsac. Its style is one of opulence, complexity, and sexy, up-front fruit, but with enough tannin and structure to age for a decade. The 2001 is a worthy successor to their brilliant 2000. A deep ruby/purple color is followed by aromas of incense, kirsch liqueur, black currants, and spice box. Low acidity, ripe tannin, and a plump, fleshy texture all add to the allure of this beautifully made, pure wine.
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.
Home of the very first remarkable Right Bank wines, dating back to the 1730s, Fronsac and Canon-Fronsac actually retained more fame than Pomerol well into the 19th century. Today these wines represent some of Bordeaux’s best hidden gems.
Fronsac is a very small region at an unusually high elevation compared to other Bordeaux appellations. Its vineyards unroll along the oak-dotted hills bordering the river’s edge, making it perhaps Bordeaux’s prettiest and most majestic countryside.
Merlot covers 60% of the vineyard acreage; the rest of the vines are Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. The Fronsac and Canon-Fronsac appellations are limited to the higher land where soils are predominantly limestone and sandstone. Lower vineyards along the Dordogne River mainly qualify for Bordeaux AOC status
The best Fronsac are deeply concentrated in ripe red and black berry; they have a solid mineral backbone and are rich and plush on the finish.