Château Les Roches de Ferrand
 
Fronsac
 
The small appellation of Fronsac is located in the Libourne region of the Bordelais, which contains other well-known appellations such as Pomerol and St. Emilion. Made typically from Merlot and Cabernet Franc, wines from Fronsac are known for their soft richness and accessibility but with enough structure to keep for many years.

This selection, made by Rémy Rousselot in the tiny village of Saint-Aignan, is made from Merlot (90%) and Cabernet Franc (10%) and aged in oak barrels for about 12 months before bottling. Rémy learned wine making from both his father and grandfather and also his studies at the Institute of Oenology in Bordeaux. He chose to take the best from all three to develop his own style of wine making which met approval from his peers since his first wine, his 1981, took the gold medal at the Bordeaux competition. He once served a bottle of his 1981 for lunch at his home during a visit and it was delicious! So who says Merlot can't age?

This wine is rich and medium-bodied and can well accompany meats, poultry, cheeses and other savory dishes. A deep black "toasty" fruit bouquet is followed by full, round fruit on the palate, supported by the structure imparted by both ripe fruit and oak barrel tannins, with a smooth finish leaving you wanting for nothing. Last, but not least, the wine is an excellent value.photos

Rémy Rousselot and Ron Spears in the vineyards.
 

Chicago, Illinois