Château l'Embrun Blaye

Bordeaux Region

Château l'Embrun Blaye Blaye is the name of a port city, dominated by an important defensive fortification constructed between 1685 and 1689. It is also the name of a wine appellation that surrounds the city, which lies across the Gironde estuary from the Médoc appellations of Margaux and Saint Julien.

The vineyards in the appellation are much older than those of the Médoc, dating back to Roman times. They have grown nearly 70% since the early 1990s, and are planted on soils that are basically clay and limestone, although some zones have more gravel and less clay and others are dotted with flint. The subsoil below the rolling hills is rich in iron.

Historically, Blaye was known for white wines while its southerly neighbor Bourg was renowned for its reds. Today red wines in the region have become much more important than whites, and only 200 hectares of white grapes now exist. In general, the wines of Blaye are viewed as relatively light, fruity, quaffing wines, dominated by Merlot with a splash of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Much of the production is sold to negçiants.

Beginning with the 2000 vintage, however, things have changed, starting with a new appellation simply called Blaye. Higher standards of production are required, such as higher alcohol (11 degrees rather than 10.5 degrees), reduced maximum yields (a base of 51 hl/ha rather than 61 hl/ha) and a more concentrated number of vines per hectare in new plantations (6,000 rather 4,500). All of these factors strive to give more concentrated wines and therefore a stronger image for the region.

Château l'Embrun Blaye Vines

One of the twenty producers who belong to the new Blaye appellation is Franck Forcade at Château l'Embrun. Franck purchased L'Embrun, located in the small town of Berson, in 2001. The property is small by Bordeaux standards, just 6 hectares (15 acres). The soil is clay and gravel. The rolling vineyards are planted with 70% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Malbec. The average age of the vines is 35 years, and the yields are limited to just over three tons an acre. Harvest at the property is by hand: Depending on the vintage, there might be debudding, removal of some vine shoots, leaf plucking and a green harvest.

Once the grapes reach the chai, they undergo a cold maceration at 8 degrees to extract maximum fruit, ripe tannin and color. The temperature is raised in the cement tanks, and fermentation begins. The vats are emptied and refilled each day, giving the wine further contact with the cap. Some micro-oxygenation takes place during the fermentation in an attempt to soften the developing tannins and emphasize the fruit. Once fermentation has completed, aging takes place in barrels, half of which are new and half of which have held one wine. Malolactic takes place in barrel, which helps to better integrate the oak. The wine rests 12 months in barrel and an additional 9 months in tank, before being bottled with a light fining and minimal filtration.

Château l'Embrun: Deep, beautiful opaque color. Glycerin coats the side of the glass. Ripe nose combines blackcurrant and red fruit notes with touches of smoke and vanilla. Soave texture. Well-integrated tannin on the long finish.

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