Château de La Dauphine 2020

A delicate and fruity red wine from Fronsac

The estate

A magnificent property located on the right bank of Bordeaux, Château de La Dauphine is known as one of the greatest wines of the Fronsac appellation.

The vineyard

The Fronsac terroir is made up of a mosaic of soils, the perfect setting for the vineyards of Château de La Dauphine. The vines cover nearly 53 hectares, of which 40 are dedicated to the 2020 Château de La Dauphine. The vines are planted in clay-limestone soils and clay-silt soils upon Fronsadais molasses and limestone. Committed to a sustainable and environmental approach, Château de La Dauphine cultivates its vineyard under organic farming certification as well as according to the principles of biodynamic viticulture. Since 2018, the estate’s ethical commitments have been highlighted by SME (Environmental Management System) and HVE (High Environmental Value) Level 3 certifications.

The vintage

The historically rainy winter was followed by a tropical spring. These weather conditions, combined with the lockdown, brought about significant work for the château’s teams to protect the vines for soil management and against mildew. The hot and dry conditions encouraged early flowering by two weeks. From 19 June, the rain gave way to cool, dry weather and summer conditions punctuated by drought and hot spells. The stormy episodes in mid-August were beneficial for vine and berry development. Commencing around 10 days early, the harvest is of a very good quality. Like the cabernets, the merlots were extremely tannic, colourful, with very little acidity and, on the whole, moderate strength.

The winemaking

Manual harvests are carried out on a plot-by-plot basis. The gravity-fed reception is accompanied by a double sorting. Thermoregulated fermentation at 26°C. Vatting for 25 days. Extraction occurs via pump-overs. Vertical hydraulic pressing, with juice separation. Malolactic fermentation is carried out in barrels (of which 30% are new), much like the ageing, which occurs in separate batches for 12 months.

Blend

Château de la Dauphine 2020 is made of a blend of Merlot (85%) and Cabernet Franc (15%).