Château Fondarzac has belonged to the Barthe family for two centuries. They were originally hauliers, then became farmers. With the money he received as a dowry by marrying on the same day as Napoleon, an ancestor who had been in Napoleon’s Old guard bought some land and planted vines. Claude Barthe, an oenologist for De Rivoyre, which later became Grands Vins de Gironde, took over the family property in the 1980s to restore it. At the time there were only ten hectares of vines: there are now 70 ha across the whole vineyard, 40% of which belong to Château Fondarzac. In 1996, Stéphane Barthe, a real winegrower at heart, who had completed his wine studies and gone off to Africa to gain more experience, took over from his father in the vineyard. In 1997, he was joined by his brother Alain, who specialises in sales.

Château Fondarzac Entre-Deux-Mers is an easy-drinking wine with an expressive bouquet of acacia, honey and tropical fruit. Well-structured on the palate, nicely rounded, with good balance and a long finish.

Château Fondarzac Bordeaux red is structured and smooth with fresh-fruit flavours enhanced by jammy notes. A good wine to lay down for a few years.