Château de La Dauphine: Tasting & Drinking
The renaissance of Fronsac (and indeed many other ‘lesser’ regions in Bordeaux) is long overdue. In the revitalisation of any region or appellation it is always the growers, domaines and châteaux themselves, and the wines they make, that lift the reputation, and here in Fronsac it is correct to say that we should look at Château de La Dauphine as one of these ‘driving’ châteaux. With a shift towards organic and then biodynamic work in the vineyard, and increasingly meticulous methodology in the cellar, it is no surprise that quality here has been on the up in recent years.
The 2018 vintage is potentially one of the strongest in recent times, although 2016 looked to have similar promise when tasted at an early stage. The 2017 vintage was also admirable, the limestone slopes having been protected from that vintage’s devastating frost. And do not overlook other ‘lesser’ vintages, with good results in 2012 and 2008, two years in which the right-bank appellations tended to outclass the historic left-bank appellations. And with continued effort here, we should see more and more wines of greater quality in vintages yet to come. (13/5/20)
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