Panel tasting Fronsac & Canon-Fronsac Striving to capture some of the glory of their illustrious neighbours St-Emilion and Pomerol, these two appellations can offer good value, reports Jane Anson IT MUST BE tough to be located five minutes from St-Emilion. To know that you have the same limestone Fronsac and Canon-Fronsac vineyards 0 1 2 terroir across much of the hillsides – that parts are even 1 Ch Moulin Haut Laroque 8 Ch Cassagne Haut-Canon a continuation of the same plateau, and share the same 2 Ch La Vieille Cure 9 Ch de la Dauphine kilometres 3 Ch Fontenil 10 Ch du Gaby cavernous underground cellars – and yet to be so much 4 Ch de Carles 11 Ch de la Rivière 12 less recognised than your neighbour. 5 Ch Dalem 12 Ch la Croix de Roche 6 Ch Villars 13 Ch Haut-Carles A look at land prices shows how much ground 7 Ch Les Trois Croix 14 Ch Arnauton Canon-Fronsac and Fronsac have to make up. Although Canon-Fronsac reaches an average of €60,000 per N Villegouge hectare compared to €30,000 for Fronsac, both are 3 4 D138 13 significantly less than the €200,000 in St-Emilion Saillans 5 (according to 2014 figures issued by the Libourne town D246 1 6 2 hall), and nowhere near Pomerol at €900,000. And just F R O NSAC A89 24% of the region’s production is exported, compared to 7 Isle 40% of Bordeaux as a whole. 11 This means there are plenty of opportunities to find St-Aignan 14 value across both appellations from winemakers who Gi ronde Limit of Bordeaux D128 are determined to be taken seriously. The 2012 vintage region MEDOC FRONSAC & CANO N - was good news, as generally speaking the weather CANON- F R O NSAC FRONSAC Blaye favoured Right Bank Merlots. Flowering was far from HAUT- 10 perfect, but August saw sunny weather that carried on MEDOC 8 Atlantic Ocean Limit of St-Michel to October. Merlot and most Cabernet Franc were Bordeaux Libourne region de-Fronsac Fronsac D EN 9 harvested under perfect conditions. In theory Fronsac Bordeaux EUX-MTREDordogne Ga - D670 produced good wines that are available at reasonable ronne ER GRAVES S prices – in our tasting, prices range from £9 to £30. R IGHT FRANCE Dordogne Langon B ANK Libourne A89 Merlot heartland Map:Maggie Nelson In terms of wine styles, these are classic Right Bank, so Merlot-heavy. In Fronsac 80% of the vines are Merlot, Fronsac with the rest Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Fronsac & Canon-Fronsac: & Canon- You will almost never find Petit Verdot, though a few know your vintages winemakers, such as Jean-Noël Hervé at Château Moulin Fronsac: Haut Laroque, are experimenting with Malbec. 2014 A highly 2011 A strange year, the facts It’s also not hugely helpful to look for distinct styles promising year that has with summer in spring, Location Right Bank of between the two appellations. In theory Canon-Fronsac become known as the autumn in summer, the Garonne, 25km east is higher quality and more structured, but in reality there ‘turnaround vintage’ for spring in autumn. Merlot of Bordeaux are excellent wines in both – although estates located its perfect late season. was uneven, but there Area under vine 1,050ha around the village of Saillans perhaps have the are some enjoyable (hectares): 800ha in advantage of elevation and terroir. Here you’ll find 2013 Perhaps the early-drinking wines. Fronsac, 250ha in names such as Châteaux La Vieille Cure, Fontenil, de most difficult vintage Canon-Fronsac, with 106 Carles, Dalem and Villars. since 1997. The best 2010 One of the winemakers in Fronsac In general, Fronsac and Canon-Fronsac can fall down have refreshing winning vintages of the and 47 in Canon in two areas. Some taste too hard, austere and earthy drinkability, but should past few decades. Annual production compared to the Merlot usually found in St-Emilion or be consumed young. Success on both Left 37,350hl (hectolitres) in Pomerol; while others have high levels of new oak, and Right Banks. Merlot Fronsac (5m bottles); leading to vanilla drenching, or are too concentrated 2012 This year was kept its acidity and fruit 9,800hl in Canon-Fronsac and tannic due to overly reduced yields. The best go for underestimated at the aromatics intact. (1.68m bottles) balance: making the most of the lean savouriness of time. Generally speaking, Export 20% Fronsac, Fronsac tannins while adding plump fruits and floral the Right Bank fared 2009 Ripe, rich, full 30% Canon-Fronsac edging. Besides those mentioned above, established best, where Merlot was of flavour. Fronsac did Grape varieties Merlot names worth looking out for include Châteaux Les Trois able to ripen in hot well, as limestone terroir covers 80% of the area; Croix, Cassagne Haut-Canon and La Dauphine. summer weather before and Cabernet Franc the rest of the vines are the rains of late kept alcohol in check. Cabernet Franc and Jane Anson is Decanter’s Bordeaux correspondent and September arrived. Be wary of over-oaking. Cabernet Sauvignon, the author of Bordeaux Legends on clay-limestone soils ➢ DECANTER • Bordeaux 2016 | 93 Panel tasting Fronsac & Canon-Fronsac The results Highly Recommended 90–94pts This Right Bank area is a happy hunting ground for value wines, including many here from the underrated 2012 vintage, said our experts. Amy Wislocki reports THIS IS A fine historical vineyard area,’ observed Steven ‘Good weekday clarets, which Spurrier. ‘Just look at all the grand châteaux in Fronsac The scores Château La Croix de Roche, Château Vrai Canon Bouché, Haut-Carles, Fronsac 2012 92 and you can see how highly regarded the wines were in 48 wines tasted Collection Privée, Fronsac 2012 Canon-Fronsac 2012 SB 94 MR 93 SS 89 don’t suffer from over-oaking Decanter average score: 93/100pts the 18th century – they must have been making a lot of Exceptional £12-£15 Crump Richmond & Shaw, Fine & Rare, £21 Asset Wines Individual judges’ scores: Stephen Brook 90 money thoughout the 1800s.’ or over-extraction’ Margaret Rand 0 92 SB 93 MR 93 SS 91 Rich, toasty, blackberry and blackcurrant nose ‘But today Fronsac and Canon-Fronsac are among Margaret Rand 95 Steven Spurrier 93 Sturdy, oaky black fruits on the nose, with a with good extraction of meaty Merlot fruit. the least valued appellations in Bordeaux,’ said Stephen Outstanding N/A UK +33 5 57 84 38 52 good weight of fruit and natural ripeness. Fleshy, chocolatey, compact and tannic, it has Brook. ‘Producers can’t charge terribly high prices for commented Brook. ‘Since 2014 the rules and regulations 0 Ripe, autumnal berry fruit aromas. Rich and Robust and forceful on the palate, with a evident structure and elegance with a long, their wines, or they would find them completely for both appellations have been identical, and the terroir broad; a supple and juicy style, with fruit and savoury edge and ample structure, this is a spicy finish. A wine to keep for a bit. Drink Highly impossible, rather than just difficult, to sell.’ is pretty much the same in both areas. The two different texture. Nicely balanced with well integrated very well judged and understated gem of a 2016-2040 Alc 14% Recommended And yet, there’s much to like, agreed our tasters. appellations probably exist for political reasons.’ tannins and acidity; overall a wine which will wine. Drink 2016-2030 Alc 14% ‘What I look for – and what I found in a lot of these wines Are these wines to lay down? ‘They varied in style,’ 16 be a star. Drink 2016-2035 Alcohol 13.5% – is generous black fruits and judicious use of oak, but said Brook. ‘Some were appealing and limpid and could Recommended not at the expense of vigour and freshness,’ continued be enjoyed fairly young. Others were more structured 19 Brook. ‘Some of the wines lack nuance, but the generosity and demanding, and required some cellaring. The best of fruit should compensate for that.’ will go on for another decade or so without any problem. Commended ‘There shouldn’t be any ‘A very nice tasting,’ agreed Margaret Rand. ‘These ‘There shouldn’t be any great rush to drink Fronsac,’ 11 Château Arnauton, Fronsac great rush to drink Château de La Rivière, Fronsac are good weekday clarets, with good balance. They he added. ‘These are wines with structure – sometimes Fair 2012 91 SB 87 MR 93 SS 94 2012 91 SB 93 MR 89 SS 90 didn’t suffer from over-extraction or over-oaking, which even too much structure.’ 1 Fronsac. These are they sometimes have done in the past. There was a little Spurrier admitted to feeling slightly underwhelmed £12.50 (2009) World Wines £15 Enotria & Coe rusticity and greenness, but hey, I’m English, I don’t mind at the end of the tasting: ‘Some of the wines had Poor Black fruits and graphite on the nose, it is wines with structure’ Young, exuberant and very ripe black fruits on a bit of greenness – it can add freshness.’ florality, which I loved, but I expected the vigour of this 1 savoury with very good natural ripeness on Stephen Brook the nose, with some florality. Quite a savoury You do have to choose your vintage carefully though, area to come through more, rather than the rusticity. the palate and fine oak. Classic and structured, palate, with a light touch and almost delicate Faulty she cautioned, as it’s a marginal area and so vintage At their best these wines can easily rival grand cru there is elegant depth and complexity to tannins, this is a well balanced, decent claret differences shine through.