The 2009 Fombrauge has the potential to be the finest wine ever made at this property. Michel Rolland is the consulting oenologist in the vineyard which sits in the southern sector of St.-Emilion known as St.-Christophe des Bardes. It was picked very late in 2009 and the result is a powerhouse wine with an inky blue/purple color and the smell of pen ink acacia flowers blueberries black raspberries and cassis. The wine hit 15% natural alcohol which gives it lots of glycerin as well as a full-bodied intensity while the low yields of 27 hectoliters per hectare have provided a striking level of concentration and length. This is very serious wine from an estate that is on the upswing. It should benefit from 3-5 years of cellaring and keep for two decades.

Dense and ripe, but sleek and tautly framed, with a nice iron edge to the plum sauce, blackberry preserves and tangy red currant fruit flavors. The long finish lets the minerality hang nicely, as the fruit fills in behind. There's lovely acidity here, too. Best from 2013 through 2023. 10,830 cases made.–JM