Château Magrez Fombrauge 2001

Château Magrez Fombrauge 2001 — Saint-Émilion Grand Cru

This Château Magrez Fombrauge 2001 embodies a rare, ambitious and profoundly velvety expression of Saint-Émilion. A confidential cuvée associated with the world of Bernard Magrez, this wine highlights the richness of Merlot, the precision of Cabernet Franc and the depth of the great clay-limestone terroirs of the Right Bank: black plum, blackberry, cassis, black cherry, fig, violet, liquorice, cocoa, blond tobacco, cedar, sweet spices, fine leather, light truffle, noble earth and a long mineral finish.

Château Magrez Fombrauge belongs to the lineage of prestigious Bordeaux cuvées, seeking dense substance, great fruit ripeness and a refined expression of Saint-Émilion. The 2001 vintage, often more classical and more balanced than very solar years, now offers a beautiful phase of maturity, where black fruit has softened and gained complexity around notes of tobacco, leather, cocoa, cedar, truffle and fresh earth. The whole retains noble structure, velvety texture and fine persistence.

Terroir: Saint-Émilion, clay-limestone soils and Right Bank depth

The terroirs of Saint-Émilion rest on a mosaic of clay-limestone, clay, gravelly and sandy soils, allowing Merlot to express great fruit depth, broad texture and strong ageing capacity. Cabernet Franc contributes freshness, floral nuance, fine spice, poise and aromatic complexity.

In Château Magrez Fombrauge, the intended expression highlights concentration, ripeness and refinement. The 2001 vintage now brings a more integrated and classical dimension, with polished tannins and tertiary aromas beginning to dominate elegantly: fine leather, blond tobacco, cedar, cocoa, light truffle, melted spices and fresh earth.

Tasting notes

Appearance: deep garnet evolving towards mahogany and slightly brick-toned reflections depending on storage, still dense and bright in fine examples. The colour reflects the wine’s initial richness, the evolution of the 2001 vintage and a progression towards a more refined tertiary expression.

Nose: deep, ripe and complex, with black plum, blackberry, cassis, black cherry, fig, time-polished black fruits, violet, liquorice, cocoa, blond tobacco and cedar. With aeration, nuances of fine leather, light truffle, noble earth, sweet spices, precious woods, mocha, delicate forest floor, graphite and smoky notes may appear.

Palate: broad, velvety, mature and still structured, with black fruit now polished by evolution. Flavours of plum, blackberry, cassis, black cherry, cocoa, liquorice, tobacco, cedar, fine leather, sweet spices, light truffle and fresh earth unfold with depth, supported by integrated, polished and persistent tannins. The finish is long, lightly saline, spicy and mineral, with an impression of noble maturity, controlled roundness and great Bordeaux elegance.

Expression of the 2001 vintage

The 2001 vintage in Bordeaux produced wines often marked by balance, freshness and harmonious evolution. On the Right Bank, the best wines have developed over time a fine complexity around time-polished black fruit, tobacco, leather, cocoa, cedar, sweet spices and light truffle.

Today, this Château Magrez Fombrauge 2001 is in a seductive phase of maturity. Gentle opening and measured aeration allow its depth to be revealed without weakening its balance. A well-preserved example can offer a rich and refined experience, between time-polished black fruit, velvety texture, tertiary complexity and Saint-Émilion’s mineral freshness.