Château Fonrazade

The history of Château Fonrazade

Château Fonrazade belonged for decades to the Comte de Cordes, before being bought by Guy Balotte in 1958. His only daughter, Fabienne Balotte, took over the running of the estate in 1989. Passionate about growing vines and making wine since childhood, she used to watch over the development of grape growth in the vines, take an interest in her father's know-how in the field, and follow every stage of production in the cellar and winery.

Fabienne Balotte is also a passionate horsewoman. Anyone visiting Château Fonrazade can see them grazing peacefully on the estate. She links this passion to the memory of her maternal grandmother, Renée, who used to go out to work on horseback in her vineyard near Saint André de Cubzac.

Fabienne Balotte manages the estate with the support of her engineer husband, Lucien Giol. She oversees production from start to finish, from growing the grapes to marketing them.

The Château Fonrazade vineyard

The Château Fonrazade vineyard is located at the foot of the hill, on the south-western slope of the Mazerat hillside. It lies less than a kilometer south of the medieval heart of Saint Émilion, adjacent to the Premier Grand Cru Classé Château Angélus. It extends over 13 hectares, on a soil composed mainly of brown sands.

The Château Fonrazade estate is planted predominantly with Merlot, representing 75% of the vines. The remaining 25% are planted with Cabernet Sauvignon, a rather original grape variety in this region, which often prefers Cabernet Franc. This particularity brings a very specific character to Château Fonrazade wines.

The average age of the vines is 40 years.

Château Fonrazade's vineyards are managed using integrated viticulture methods, avoiding chemical treatments and favoring tillage and the use of natural products. The grapes are harvested by hand, as is the final selection in the winery, to preserve the integrity of the fruit.

The Château Fonrazade wine

Château Fonrazade offers a Grand Cru Saint Émilion classified wine of character. It possesses the typical characteristics of Saint Émilion wines, yet stands out for its impetuosity.

Château Fonrazade has an intense, brilliant deep red color with ruby highlights. It may show purple highlights in its first years. The nose is generous and very fruity, dominated by aromas of red fruits and black cherries.

Full-bodied, velvety and fresh on the palate. Ripe fruit flavors follow through to finely spiced flavors. The tasting ends with a long aromatic persistence.

Château Fonrazade is the perfect wine for long ageing.