2018 Chateau de Fontenille Entre-deux-Mers Bordeaux 750 ml

One day last spring, in the middle of what turned out to be a fortuitous drive from Sauternes to Pomerol, we pulled off the D21 for some quick roadside espresso. As we stood at the cafe counter waiting for the coffees, we decided to consult a map to see how close we were to any favorite producers. We had made good time, and didn’t want to show up at our next appointment, on the Right Bank, too early.

Château de Fontenille was less than 15 minutes away, and considering it was one of the most historical estates in all of Bordeaux, we decided to drive by and try to squeeze in a quick tasting.

We got out of our dusty rental Peugeot and walked up to the winery. As beautiful as the château itself was, this was clearly a place where visitors could feel at ease: Potted plants lined the building, a wrought-iron table beckoned beneath the trees, and Stéphane Defraine, proprietor of the estate, was himself working there. When we introduced ourselves, and told him we’re from Wine Access, his eyes brightened. Would we be interested in tasting his recently bottled 2018 blanc?

The wine was a revelation: Each sip perfectly embodied why this region between Bordeaux’s infinitely more famous Left and Right Banks is home to some of the most exciting white wines in all of France. The 2018 is a white blend that shines in the glass with aromas of flowers, oranges, melons, white peaches, and blanched almonds. On the palate, its honeysuckle- and jasmine-flecked flavors are balanced by a rounded, soft mouthfeel that makes it particularly food-friendly.  

Stéphane generously topped up our glasses and took us on a tour of the vineyard, which was alive with the chirping of birds and the buzzing of bees. Château de Fontenille lies in the middle of a UNESCO-designated pilgrimage route to the Abbey de la Sauve Majeure, where monks cared for the vines on this land for centuries before Stéphane took over. Entre-Deux-Mers, in fact, was growing grapes and producing wine long before the first vines had been planted in the Medoc.

As we walked between the sustainably farmed rows, the clay-rich soils crunching with silt and sand beneath our boots, we realized that we had accidentally happened upon someplace special.

Unfortunately, we were late to our appointment that afternoon, but with a glass of this Wine Access exclusive in hand, we don’t mind our reputation for being fashionably late in Pomerol.