CHÂTEAU BEAUSÉJOUR FRONSAC 2018

Fronsac, Gironde

Fronsac is a wine growing zone in Bordeaux, a southern region of France. The region has been producing fine wines since the time of the Roman Empire. It is the home of multiple vineyards and numerous centuries old castle ruins. It takes its name from the commune of Fronsac located on the Gironde estuary’s right bank. This is important to consider because wines from the right bank are very distinctive from those coming from the west. Throughout history the region has been home to the Romans, to King Charlemagne and the Palace of Versailles. In the 1660s, the Duke of Richelieu built a theatre here to entertain Louis XIV’s visiting court. Merlot is the dominant grape variety here, but Malbec and some Cabernet Franc will be found in some of the blends.

Chateau Beausejour

The Chateau Beausejour has belonged to the Sudrat family for five generations. For the last three it has been run by women making it one of the largest female owned and operated wineries in the world. Mr and Mrs Melet took control from their parents in 1992 and their daughter joined them in 2002 making this not only a family business, but more, a family tradition. Here, quality is a major concern so a very strict regimen is applied to production. Vines are thinned and kept to specific densities. Harvesting is done by hand and determined by the ripeness of the grapes so that each section is independently evaluated by analysis and tasting. Grapes are crushed and stored in stainless steel and cement vats until fermentation begins in French oak barrels. Even then, to produce a certain character, roughly two-thirds is fermented in barrels with the remainder in cement vats all before blending 18 months later.

This is a medium to full-bodied wine that will benefit from decanting for at least one hour. While that is true of all wines, particularly red wines it is even more so of French wines. Maybe owing to the tradition, to the history or to the reputation that France has earned for producing very fine wines, using a decanter somehow adds an additional element to the enjoyment. I would think that allowing the bottle to breathe on its own for the same amount of time would do just as well, but maybe by decanting, French wines are kind of upgraded a bit, given a different measure of enjoyment.

This is best served as a dinner wine. While it will pair very well with appetizers such as Brie, it is really best when relaxing at a dinner table with close friends and family.Visually it is a deep red to purple in color with an aroma of black berries and oak and. On the palate it is pleasantly acidic with fruity notes of ripe blackberries and a slight minerality. Note here that when I say slight minerality, I mean just that. These grapes are grown in mineral rich earth as opposed to clay so they do have a distinctive character. The wine is not at all sweet and is in fact very dry so your second glass will taste just as good as the first while remaining distinctive. I can’t say often enough though, if your tastes lean to sweeter wines, this one is not for you.

Château Beauséjour Fronsac is perfectly paired with a good holiday or special occasion meal. It goes best with beef, but will also do very well with lamb or game meats like boar or venison. Oddly enough, it also goes well with well seasoned poultry, but would really overpower a plain roast chicken. If you are dining on pheasant or goose, these meats are a little heavier with more flavor and texture, I wouldn’t hesitate.

In all, this is a very good wine, one which I would not hesitate to serve to my most discerning guests or on any special occasion. From the attractive bottle to a gleaming, reflective appearance in the glass, it will add an extra measure to your table. Personally, on a scale of one to ten grapes, with ten being unattainable, I would give this wine a very solid nine.

Alcohol – 13%
Price – about $19

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