Nose

This Cru Bourgeois wine reveals aromas of macerated fruits with a hint of mint, lifted by roasted notes.

Palate

Generous and rich on the palate, with relatively firm tannins that will soften over time. A highly characterful Cru Bourgeois wine which leaves a lasting impression of great elegance.

Growing Conditions

Situated at close proximity to the Gironde estuary, the vineyards were flooded several times before a number of dykes were built for their continued protection. The positive outcome of these disastrous floods was a large expanse of gravel deposited on the estate, as well as forming a ridge, which today forms impressive outcrops of well-exposed vines. These magnificent gravel soils cover 5 ha in the district of Jau-Dignac-et-Loirac, while the remaining vines reflect the glorious diversity that typifies the Médoc, with a combination of varying plots within an area of a kilometre. The high ratio of old vines, of which the oldest are 50-year old Merlot vines, bring volume and concentration to the wines of Château Le Vieux Fort, making it a world-renowned Cru Bourgeois.

Planting densities have been raised to 8,000 vines/ha across 40% of the estate, in order to reduce the number of bunches per vine and promote the production of highly aromatic wines. Green harvesting is carried out in the higher yielding parcels, while leaf plucking on both sides of the rows further optimises grape ripeness.

Harvest

Harvesting dates are set in strict accordance with ripeness levels in each vineyard plot.

By machine. Manual sorting on receival in the winery.

Winemaking

The grapes are then sorted on tables before being transferred to the winery, to ensure only the finest quality berries are retained and any remaining plant matter is removed. Vinification takes place in the recently constructed winery, completed in 2002, and equipped with tanks in sufficient quantity to manage vinification by plots and by grape variety.

Since 2002, the estate has a new winery equipped with stainless-steel tanks, in sufficient quantity and sizes to vinify parcels separately, as is the case for the Petit Verdot.

Appearance

With its magnificent ruby, crimson-tinged appearance.