Château Les Trois Croix Bordeaux 2016

The appellation of Fronsac in France’s Bordeaux wine region is often nicknamed the “Tuscany of Gironde” with vineyards planted on prime limestone soils on slopes overlooking the Isle and Dordogne rivers. Less well-known outside of France than its more famous neighbour St-Emilion, Fronsac offers exceptional value for money with its Merlot-dominant Bordeaux blends.

Château Les Trois Croix has a long history which dates back at least as far as 1712, the date inscribed in stone in the cellar. In 1995 the property was bought by winemaker Patrick Léon who worked for almost 20 years with Baron Phillipe de Rothschild as well as other top Bordeaux chateaux like Château Lascombes Crus Classé in Margaux. Today the estate is very much a family business with “Les Trois Croix” or “The Three Crosses” name regarded as referring to Patrick’s three children.

This is the estate’s flagship wine and is made predominantly from Merlot along with a smaller proportion of Cabernet Franc. All of the grapes are carefully harvested and sorted by hand and then vinified with a slow maceration and fermentation to extract maximum complexity and concentration of flavour from the skins. The young wine is then aged in oak barrels for 12-15 months to add polish and a rich, smooth texture to the intense dark fruit flavour profile.