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Château La Vieille Cure

Château La Vieille Cure was my introduction to Fronsac, and together with Château de la Rivière it is one of my favourite properties in this once highly acclaimed region of Bordeaux. The wines of Fronsac were at one time in great demand in the French court, but that was during the appellation's 18th-century heyday. With the arrival of phylloxera and the devastation of France's vineyards, Fronsac was one of a number of regions that started a slow spiral into decline. Subsequently the region saw hard times as the appellation faded into the shadow of the limelight which was increasingly focused on the grand estates of nearby Pomerol and St Emilion. Fortunately, outside investors have helped a number of these forlorn properties to regain some of their former shine, and Château La Vieille Cure is just one such estate.

It was in 1986 that Americans Colin Ferenbach and Peter Sachs provided the necessary financial boost to Château La Vieille Cure. With this fresh investment of funds there came the introduction of lower yields, greater selection at harvest time, new oak barrels and new equipment in the cellars. Since 1994 Jean-Noël Hervé has been employed as general manager, and he has introduced macro-bullage; the mass of grape skins are moved around, using compressed air pumped into the vat via a hollow metal tube, in order to add more flesh to the wines during fermentation. More recently the method of harvesting has come under scrutiny, and as a result there is more attention to detail at this point, including harvest into small plastic trays to avoid damaging the tender grapes before they reach the fermentation area. Here the fruit is now destemmed and then passed over a sorting table where eight workers pick out unwanted material. The trays, meanwhile, are pressure-washed using hot water and then returned to the vineyard, clean, ready for the next lot of grapes.

The end result of these new processes - which Colin Ferenbach estimates cost in excess of £1000 per day (an expense which he is convinced is very much justified) - has been a consistent increase in the quality and approachability of the wines on offer. And it comes as no surprise, therefore, to learn that the château has rediscovered commercial success, with exports to over twenty countries worldwide - led by the UK and the USA - and good sales on the home market as well.

The vineyards of Château La Vieille Cure are located in the south-east of the appellation. There are 20 hectares in all, on a clay-limestone bedrock, planted predominantly with Merlot (75%), then Cabernet Franc (22%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (3%). Once the processes described above have been completed there is a temperature-controlled fermentation followed by ageing in oak barrels of which one-third are replaced each year. The grand vin is Château La Vieille Cure, of which over 8000 cases are typically produced per annum. There is also a second label, La Sacriste de la Vieille Cure, for fruit not deemed of sufficiently high quality for the first wine. The quantity is not great, however, and what is produced tends to be hoovered up by two large retailers, one French and one North American.

The grand vin, however, is somewhat easier to track down, and I have enjoyed a number of bottles over the years. It is instantly recognisable by its distinctive label, above, with its prominent and ornate decoration over a yellow background. This is one feature of the wine that Ferenbach and his team haven't changed. As for the wine itself, it can be very good. Both the 1995 and 1996 have drunk very well over the years, and although I no longer have any of those bottles left I do have a few from the 2000 and 2005 vintages put away; I am sure they will perform well when the time comes. (29/1/02, updated 12/8/09)

Contact details:
Address: Coutreau No 1, 33141 Saillans
Telephone: +33 (0) 5 57 84 32 05
Fax: +33 (0) 5 57 74 39 83
Internet: www.la-vieille-cure.com
GPS: 44.955598, -0.276509

Château La Vieille Cure - Tasting Notes

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Château La Vieille Cure (Fronsac) 2008: This is 75% Merlot, 22% Cabernet Franc and 3% Cabernet Sauvignon. Blackberry, cherry and raspberry fruit on the nose, with a little liquorice. Rather reserved, lean to moderate texture on the palate, with a nice, gentle, midpalate flesh. Clean, with some substance and midpalate grip; there is quite a bit of extract here, actually. Quite tannic on the finish. Good effort though. From my 2008 Bordeaux en primeur assessment. 15.5-16.5+/20 (April 2009)

Château La Vieille Cure (Fronsac) 2002: The blend here is 70% Merlot, 27% Cabernet Franc and 3% Cabernet Sauvignon from 40 year old vines. Fermentation is in stainless steel with temperature control, and with consultation from Michel Rolland. An élevage in French oak, one-third new, for up to 16 months. Rather a dark hue considering this wine's age and the vintage. On the nose, a maturing, meaty, slightly feral character. It does seem much leaner than the other wines here (although it is unfair to compare with 2006s) but it does still have some breadth. Dry and fresh and with some substance. What I find distracting is the rather dusty, animally, horsey element that I find here. From a Sainsbury's tasting. 14/20 (October 2010)

Château La Vieille Cure (Fronsac) 1996: Rather a deep, glossy colour, but with a bright and vibrant transparency and showing some maturity. An enticing nose, although it takes quite a lot of time for it to open out, eventually revealing smoky, claretty, roast beef aromas with a minerally, stony undercurrent. On the palate it presents an attractive, plump texture, but has rather an open-knit, loose style, although backed up by some mean grippy, dry tannins. There is a slightly stewed, cooked plum fruit feel to it although this impression mainly comes from the texture, and it has a fairly fresh acidity and is not tiring to drink. Short, but characterful finish. Good, despite a rather unfocused midpalate. From a 1996 Cru Bourgeois tasting. 15.5/20 (April 2007)

Château La Vieille Cure (Fronsac) 1996: Plums, cherries and coffee on the nose of this youthful wine. There is also evidence of smoky new oak. This has a bigger, more evident structure than the 1995, although it seems somewhat more impressively put together. There are firm tannins, full body and a big, mouthfilling texture. A great spectrum of youthful flavours, with morello cherries and plums reflecting the nose, but also some fine, bitter chocolate and a touch of tobacco. There's plenty of acidity to keep it fresh. Approachable now, but really needs a few more years to show its best. 15.5/20 (January 2002)

Château La Vieille Cure (Fronsac) 1995: Mature but still dark wine. Needed two to three hours to open up, and with time the nose shows a certain appeal, with some minerally, stony blackcurrant floral fruit. This carries through onto the palate, which although firm, dry, tannic and structured has a pleasing supple, seamless presence of fruit. There is a slightly unusual character to the acidity, which seems a little incongruous, and a firm tannic finish. A wine that has given pleasure over the past few years, but now merits drinking up I think. From a 1995 vintage ten years on tasting. 16/20 (December 2005)

Château La Vieille Cure (Fronsac) 1995: Showing a healthy tawny note of maturity, but still with plenty of deep, velvety red colour. The nose has certainly developed, now showing mature, stony black fruit, with notes of fine leather too. Very dry palate, with a little tannic grip to the structure showing more on the finish, but otherwise this is just about ready. Nice middleweight texture, just on the lean side, accentuated by that nice coating of tannin. Meaty, macerated berry flavour with decent acidity. Drink now and over the next 3-5 years. Very good. 16+/20 (April 2005)

Château La Vieille Cure (Fronsac) 1995: Good deep colour, with an earthy tinge of age. Still very primary on the nose, with smoky, claretty, stony, blackberry and blackcurrant fruit. The toffee-oak notes found on last tasting, eighteen months ago, have disappeared as the oak has integrated. Fairly lean on entry, medium bodied, with firm, ripe tannins still very much in evidence. Still has good black fruit, with a lemony, acidic edge. It fleshes out nicely on the midpalate, but maintains an elegance and has great structure. Needs another year or two in the cellar. From a blind right bank tasting. 16/20 (July 2003)

Château La Vieille Cure (Fronsac) 1995: A lovely nose here, with ripe and crunchy blackcurrants backed up by residual notes of toffee from oak maturation. There are smoke and rose petal complexities, although there is a hard edge to the bouquet. With aeration the wine really opens out developing great, intense and classic Bordeaux fruit. The structure is immediately apparent on the palate, with some good toffee-edged fruit and a hint of creamy richness playing second fiddle to slightly hard tannins and good acidity. Quite classic and mouthfilling, especially after extended aeration. Good potential for future development. 16/20 (January 2002)