Château Fourcas Dupré 2016

Characteristics and tasting advice for Château Fourcas Dupré 2016

Tasting

Color

The color displays a garnet-purple hue with ruby highlights, reflecting controlled extraction and optimal ripeness.

Nose

The bouquet reveals fine aromatic complexity dominated by notes of red and black fruits: blackcurrant, redcurrant, blueberry and kirsch. These fruity aromas are complemented by mineral nuances, smoky touches and a subtle hint of bay leaf. With aeration, floral notes of hawthorn emerge, enhanced by spicy touches of fine pepper and tobacco.

Palate

On the palate, this wine charms with its balance and freshness. The texture is silky, carried by fine, elegant tannins that provide structure without austerity. The palate shows lovely fruit concentration with flavors of ripe black fruits, plum and blackcurrant, lifted by a distinctive minerality. The finish stands out for its remarkable length and aromatic persistence.

Food and wine pairings

This Château Fourcas Dupré 2016 is an ideal match for grilled or roasted red meats, especially lamb with thyme or grilled beef. It also pairs beautifully with duck breast with cherries, tender game such as venison or quail, as well as aged cheeses and dishes featuring wild mushrooms.

Serving and cellaring

Château Fourcas Dupré 2016 is best served between 16 and 18°C. Decanting for one hour before serving helps optimize aromatic expression. This wine can be enjoyed now but will continue to evolve until around 2041.

Other characteristics

This wine has an alcohol content of 13% vol. and residual sugar of around 1.2 g/L, confirming its dry profile.

An elegant, mineral Listrac-Médoc from Bordeaux

The estate

Maps dating back to the early 13th century attest to the presence of vines at the place known as “Fourcas”. Following the acquisition of the estate in 1843 by Jean Antoine Dupré, it was renamed Château Fourcas Dupré. While the Pagés family produced great Listrac wines for nearly 50 years, Château Fourcas Dupré has, since 2019, been owned by Gérard Jicquel, a Breton entrepreneur, founder of the family-owned group Beautiful Life and also, since 2020, owner of Château d’Argassac (Haut-Médoc).

The vineyard

The Château Fourcas Dupré vineyard enjoys a privileged location on the Fourcas plateau, the highest point in the Médoc at 42 meters above sea level, nicknamed “the roof of the Médoc”. This exceptional Listrac terroir rests on Pyrenean gravel combined with clay and limestone, giving the wines distinctive minerality and a refined tannic structure. The 46-hectare vineyard, in one contiguous block, enables consistent viticultural management and a harmonious expression of the terroir. The altitude and soil composition ensure optimal natural drainage, protecting the vines from excess moisture.

The vintage

The year 2016 began with a mild, wet winter, followed by a pleasant spring that encouraged even flowering. Summer was marked by sustained warmth and generous sunshine, with a few rainy episodes at the end of August allowing optimal ripening of the grapes. September brought ideal conditions, giving the berries a remarkable balance between concentration and freshness. Harvest took place in sunny weather, making it possible to pick grapes of very high quality.

Winemaking and aging

The grapes for Château Fourcas Dupré 2016 are meticulously sorted in the vineyard and then in the winery. Fermentation takes place in temperature-controlled stainless-steel and concrete vats, with maceration lasting 21 to 23 days to ensure optimal extraction of tannins and color. Malolactic fermentation occurs in barrels. Aging lasts 12 to 14 months in French oak barrels, one third of which are renewed each year, allowing harmonious integration of the oak without masking the expression of the fruit and terroir.

Grape varieties

Cabernet sauvignon (44%)
Merlot (44%)
Cabernet franc (10%)
Petit verdot (2%)