Château Fonroque Grand Cru Classé 1986

Owned by the Moueix family since 1931, Château Fonroque has been managed by Alain Moueix, a trained agricultural engineer and oenologist, since 2001. Fonroque's vineyard covers 20 hectares to the northwest of the ancient town of Saint Emilion. It consists of plateaus (fairly shallow soil with slabs of limestone close to the surface), slopes (clay-limestone) and plots at the base of the hill (with less limestone). The presence of limestone in most of the soil gives Fonroque's wines a freshness, length and sleekness very typical of Saint Emilion's greatest wines. It also enables the production of wines with a capacity to age and develop character: the clay brings strength and density, while the limestone brings minerality.

Following his experience with other properties in France and elsewhere (such as Château Mazeyres in Pomerol, and the purchase of a property in South Africa in 1998) Alain Moueix decided to convert the vineyard to organic methods in 2002. He continued on this path, gradually making a full transition to biodynamic agriculture.

Château Fonroque's wines, which in the oldest vintages can sometimes be tannic, reveal a delightful character. Seductive, mellow and full-bodied, they should be allowed to age for a few years in order to give full expression to their flavours.