Fronsac

Fronsac is a red wine with an Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC) designation that is part of the Bordeaux wine region. The Fronsac AOC spans the communes of Fronsac, Saint-Aignan, La Rivière, Saint-Germain-de-la-Rivière, Saillans, and Galgon.

Fronsac is an ancient wine-growing region characterized by rolling valleys. The vineyard now covers an area of 830 hectares, with an annual production of over 44,000 hectoliters. Located at the confluence of two rivers, the Dordogne and the Isle, water is omnipresent here. This abundance of water helps create a microclimate that reduces the risk of nighttime frosts in the spring while moderating the heat during the summer. The Fronsac vineyards are situated on the slopes of sunny hills. The soils are relatively diverse: alluvial at the base of the slopes and clay-limestone as one ascends the hills. In certain areas, asterian limestone outcrops. The substrate consists of “Fronsadais molasses,” a mixture of clay and sandstone. Well-drained, the soils allow the Merlot and Cabernet Franc that make up this wine to fully flourish, with good ripening.

With a beautiful ruby color, Fronsac wines possess intense and distinguished noses that exude aromas of red fruit and pepper, even a hint of a spice box. On the palate, they captivate with their body and lovely texture. Well-structured, with firm yet never aggressive tannins, they have excellent aging potential. Blended from Merlot and Cabernet Franc, these are racy, full-bodied wines with a complex personality. Particularly noteworthy are the Fronsacs from Château de Carles, Château de la Rivière, Château Moulin Haut-Laroque, and Château de la Dauphine.