Chateau Dalem, Fronsac AC

Description

Chateau Dalem is located in the Fronsac appellation within the Bordeaux wine region of France. It is one of the stars of the Fronsac appellation.

There has been a vioneyard at the site since 1610; however, the modern history of the Chateau began in 1955 when it was purchased by Michel Rullier. Michel’s daughter Brigitte Rullier Loussert who took over her father in 2002. She undertook the progressive extension of the vineyard, with, as well as modernizing the infrastructures. In 2018 Brigitte’s son, Charles Pouvreau, took over the helm. A new winery was opened, and a new collaboration with oenologist Eric Boissenot, began in 2019. 

The vineyards cover some 20 hectares with an average age of the vines is 40 years old. These are divided into 15 plots that are each small individual vineyards, with their own identity, soil, grape variety and age. They are planted on clay-limestone hillsides and plateaux (80%) and 20% on iron rich soils known locally as “Molasses du Fronsadais”.

The grapes are hand harvested and are meticulously sorted before and after destemming including densimetric sorting. 100% destemmed and are sorted at the winery. The wine undergoes a 24 day vatting period followed by alcoholic fermentation in stainless steel and concrete vats. The wine then undergoes malolactic fermentation: 50% in new french oak barrels and 50% in stainless steel and concrete vats. Finally the wine is matured for 18 months in 50% new french oak barrels and 50% in one to two years old barrels. Half of the barrels are renewed each year. The wine is a blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc.