Château Ad Francos Blanc

Francs - Côtes de Bordeaux ORIGIN - TERROIR The origins of Château Ad Francos date back to the 6th century, when Clovis, the first Christian king of France, defeated the Visigoths and conquered the land of Aquitaine. At that time a Frankish garrison was built on a strategic bill which was named "Ad Francos" (meaning literally "at the home of the Franks") and which later give its name to today's village of Francs. The château, whose various parts have been constructed between the 9th and the 18th centuries, is a heteroclite gem of Romanesque and Gothie architecture. The great epidemics, the Hundred Years War, the great invasions, the wars of religion and the French Revolution have marked the château's history. The different families who succeeded one another at the château enlarged it over the years and each bas left its mark. After the French Revolution and the disappearance of the lineage of the lords in Francs, the château was sold to the ancestors of Michel Rolland, the world-famous winemaker, who spent a large part of bis childhood there. The château bas been saved from min thanks to a large-scale restoration project carried out by Viviane et André Vossen since 2008. They decided to name the château «Ad Francos». Over a thousand years separate this restoration from the first written record of «Ad Francos» found in a work dating from 1004. Today, the owners, Qiong Er Jiang and Guillaume Brochard, are working bard to execute their ambitious plans for building Château Ad Francos' and its appellation's reputation beyond its borders. The château's vineyards are south-facing and grow on exceptionally good quality clay­ limestone slopes. The château's winemaking consultant is Michel Rolland. Applying bis in­ depth knowledge of the terroirs, he creates extraordinary wines displaying admirable depth and finesse. CULTIVATION De-leafing on bath sides Green harvesting; Hand harvesting Double sor ting; Low yield ( 45hl/ha); Average age of vines: 20 years VINIFICATION Skin maceration to extract a maximum of aromas, followed by pressing in a pneumatic press Single plot vinification in ovoid concrete tanks and new barrels. 6 months ageing on the fine lees in selected new barrels with regular stiriing of the lees (bâtonnage) GRAPE VARIETIES 50% Sémillon; 50% Sauvignon Blanc TASTING NOTES This dry white wine from Château Ad Francos is arrayed in a lovely bright golden yellow hue. Its nase discloses aromas of white flowers and summer fruit (peaches, apricots, red currants and mirabelle plums), complemented by a subtle hint of mint. The wine is fresh and lively on entry to the palate, with distinct hints of stone fruit. Here we have a full-bodied and aromatic wine boasting a finish of impressive length and finesse. FOOD & WINE PAIRING Enjoy on its own or paired with authentic products of the finest quality, perfect for sharing with family and friends. Best served at 12°C. AWARDS 2017: 89-90/100- James Suckling 90-92/100 - The Wine Advocate 88-91/100- Vinous