Château Fonplégade

The Fonplegade property used to be divided into plots owned by various landowners, but in 1852 the property became the 18 hectares it is today, and in the same year the chateau was built. Chateau Fonplegade was owned by the Moueix family from 1953, and in 2004 Denise and Stephen Adams, an American couple, moved in and had one clear objective: to make Fonplegade one of the finest Saint-Emilion wines. Upon purchasing the property, the Adams have worked hard to restructure the vineyard and go back to using methods that respect the vines and the environment. This included a complete renovation on the property. From the vines to the cellars, excellence is their objective. They are currently using organic methods to guarantee healthy, high quality grapes. They applied to be officially organic in 2009 and will receive this certification in 2012.

Though the greatness of a wine begins in the vineyard, this greatness is preserved and enhanced in the winery, where innumerable small details shape a wine’s path from grape to glass. At Château Fonplégade, we believe in innovation in the service of inspiration. With this in mind, we have completely renovated and revitalized our centuries-old winemaking facility, creating one of the most state-of-the-art wineries on Bordeaux’s Right Bank. Given all of the tools of great modern winemaking—from a perfect sorting system to precision temperature calibration during fermentation to a visionary cooperage program—our team is able to control every aspect of the winemaking process.

At the same time, we embrace modern techniques only when they are the best tools. We have also learned winemaking lessons from ages past—simple but important ideas, such as farming our vines organically to preserve the purity of the flavors, or picking by hand using small boxes to ensure that the fruit comes in pristine and undamaged condition. In the winery, we continue to handle our grapes using the gentlest means possible—using techniques such as gravity flow and hand punch-downs—and we ferment in numerous small lots to preserve the distinctive character of our vineyard’s 27 individual blocks. During aging, our wines benefit from a focus on the finest new French oak, with a pioneering barrel program that incorporates both traditional Bordeaux cooperage and classic Burgundy barrels, as well as the new "Fleur de Quintessence” cooperage—a barrel of incomparable quality that we partnered with renowned cooper Tonnellerie Quintessence to launch in 2009. As part of our focus on microvinifications, we also employ a half dozen egg-shaped concrete tanks—tools that allow us to express a pure, elegant and aromatic expression of our terroir.

Though each of our wines is as unique as a fingerprint, their creation is guided by the same artistry, ideals, and uncompromising commitment to quality. Whether crafting Château Fonplégade or Fleur de Fonplégade, the goal is the same. Guided by famed Oenologist Michel Rolland and our talented Winemaker Franck Jugelmann, we strive to create wines that embody the rich, distinctiveness of their vineyard origins.

At Château Fonplégade, our wines are a reflection of a harmonious relationship with our organically farmed vineyard. And though each wine tells the story of a year in our vineyard's history, and of our commitment to the highest standards of modern viticulture and winemaking, they also tell the tale of those who came before—the generations who lovingly cultivated this land for centuries, establishing our heritage as a Saint-Emilion Grand Cru Classé. We invite you to explore our small portfolio of sought-after wines…

For centuries, the vine rows of Château Fonplégade have been the source for some of Saint-Emilion’s most coveted winegrapes. Grown in ideal limestone and clay soils, and nourished in drier years by the deep under-ground water source that feeds the fountain of Fonplégade, our vines benefit from a harmonious relationship between the elements—a relationship that yields wines of uncommon grace and grandeur. As stewards of these cherished vine rows, we cultivate our vineyard using strict ECOCERT organic practices, both to preserve the purity and character of our grapes, and to ensure the legacy of Château Fonplégade for generations to come.

We invite you to learn more about Château Fonplégade and the story of our wines…