2005 Château Magrez Fombrauge, 3-bottle Lot

Château Magrez Fombrauge is a nine acre estate is in St. Emilion. Though it dates to the 15th century, the château was in 1999 purchased by Bernard Magrez, owner of several Bordeaux châteaux. The estate is planted to 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc. The estate also produces a small amount of white Bordeaux, a blend of Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc and Sauvignon Gris. Celebrity wine consultant Michel Rolland has been advising the winemaking since 2000. Robert M. Parker Jr. notes that “from its debut in 2000, Magrez Fombrauge has been sumptuous and obviously one of the superstars of St.-Emilion.”

Saint-Émilion is on the east side of the Dordogne River. At 13,400 acres it is one of Bordeaux’s largest appellations, and perhaps its most picturesque. It is also home to what has been called “the garagiste” movement of upstart, tradition-defying winemakers who produce artisanal wines in styles that are unconventional for the appellation. The village of Saint-Émilion dates from the middle ages and it sits on low hills, surrounded by ancient walls. Like its neighbor Pomerol, Saint-Émilion was not included in the famous Bordeaux classification system of 1855. But a century later a ranking system was put in place, and unlike the classification system for the Medoc, the Saint-Émilion system is reviewed every ten years, meaning that estates can be upgraded or downgraded. There are three rankings: Grand Cru Classé, Premier Grand Cru Classé B and Premier Grand Cru Classé A, with the final ranking being the best. Such legendary Saint-Émilion estates as Châteaux Ausone and Cheval-Blanc are Premier Grand Cru Classé A, along with Châteaux Pavie and Angélus, both added to the classification in 2012. Wines in this appellation are primarily Merlot, mixed with Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon.