Château Faugeres 2018

Château Faugeres is a visually stunning winery.  With an ultra-modern tasting room that was completed in 2009 by the famous architect Mario Botta, this estate is clearly one of the most cutting-edge in terms of winemaking technology in the entire Right Bank.  Château Faugeres is an incredibly old property in Saint-Émilion, but it began attracting attention when businessman and perfume industry titian, Silvio Denz purchased the estate.  He spared no expense in revitalizing the property that was on the verge of fading into obscurity, and the wine from this Grand Crus Classés couldn’t be tasting better. For those who love the richly dynamic composition of dark fruit aromas mixed with stunning earthy secondary characteristics that are so synonymous with Saint-Émilion wines, Château Faugères is a fantastic choice. 
 
Château Faugeres has an extensive history that dates to 1619.  The vineyard was originally planted by Andre Faugeres, and the estate was named after him as was typical of the time. Château Faugeres changed hands a few times between families throughout the 18th and 19th centuries.  Eventually it was acquired in the 1980s by the Guisez family, who made small improvements to the vineyards.  Château Faugeres began slowly getting recognized by critics and consumers alike, but it wasn’t until Silvio Denz acquired the property that the trajectory of this estate really took off.  Silvio Denz was encouraged to purchase the property from the legendary Stephan Von Neipperg, who now consults at the property.  For those not familiar, Stephan is the owner of the legendary estates Château Canon La Gaffeliere and La Mondotte to name a few.  Silvio Denz also enlists the talent of Michel Rolland who consults at properties like Château Ausone.  With the combination of the top talent and technological innovation, Château Faugeres was classified as a Grand Crus Classé estate in 2012. 
 
The property hosts a sprawling 49 hectare vineyard on a mixture of clay and limestone soils.  The vineyard itself is located on the Castillon plateau just on the edge of Saint-Émilion and there is relatively high elevation at the property, coming in at 80 meters.  Interestingly enough, some of the plots used for the wine Cap de Faugeres are sourced from the Castillon appellation.  Château Faugeres is home to a mixture of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and a small portion of Cabernet Sauvignon.  Château Faugeres has some incredible neighbors, including Valandraud and Château Fleur Cardinal. The climate is slightly cooler here, which translates to a later harvest time.  The vines are on the older side and are approximately 35 years of age.  Château Faugeres prides itself on the amount of work done in the vineyard, and the commitment to environmental sustainability at the estate is nothing short of admirable.  The modern, gravity-flow winery preserves the softness of the wine, and the entire winemaking process is about gentle extractions.  The wine is then aged in French oak barrels, 50 percent of which are new.  This rich, intense wine requires a bit of ageing – approximately 6-8 years - prior to being enjoyed.

"The 2018 Faugeres has a very seductive bouquet with dark cherries, blueberry and light cassis scents mixed with violets and iris flower. The oak is nicely integrated. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, fresh and actually one of the more elegant Faugères that I have tasted from barrel. The finish displays fine energy and tension. Recommended." - Neal Martin, vinous.com, (November, 2019), Ratings: 92-94, Drink: 2023-2043

"The 2018 Faugeres, which was harvested beginning September 25, is composed of 85% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. Deep garnet-purple colored, it slips sensuously from the glass with notions of blackberry compote, wild blueberries and redcurrant jelly with hints of cardamom, cigar box and dusty soil plus a waft of star anise. Full-bodied and built like a brick house, it has a firm backbone of rounded tannins with bold freshness and loads of black fruit preserves layers, finishing long and spicy."- Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (4/23/2019, Bordeaux 2018 Issue), Ratings: 91-93

"A rather difficult beginning with record rainfall during the first six months of the year. Nevertheless, rather early budding, fast plant growth and early, even ripening. Virulent attacks of downy mildew, but simulation now enables more precise detection and more targeted treatments. Grape colour change at the beginning of August heralded early harvests, but dry weather from the second week of July somewhat delayed the picking for the red grapes. The grapes that did reach perfect ripeness have produced excellent wines. I would even dare to strongly suggest that the 2018 vintage is the best ever! Perfect ripeness ensured top-quality aromatic profiles for all the grape varieties. It is always easy to make high-quality wines from this terroir. 2018 will be one of this estate’s great successes." - Michel Roland, Consultant oenologist