Château Ad Francos

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 hill 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 Gothic 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 has 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 his childhood there. The château has been saved from ruin 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 hard 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 his in-depth knowledge of the terroirs, he creates extraordinary wines displaying admirable depth and finesse. CULTIVATION De-leafing on both sides Green harvesting; Hand harvesting Double sorting; Low yield (40hl/ha); Average age of vines: 25 years VINIFICATION The wine is transferred into vat using gravity flow to reduce the astringency of the tannins yet preserve their quality and smoothness Single plot vinification in latest generation temperature-controlled stainless-steel vats 24 months ageing in new selected French oak barrels GRAPE VARIETIES 70% Merlot; 20% Cabernet Sauvignon; 10% Cabernet Franc TASTING NOTES Château Ad Francos is arrayed in a lovely dense, bright cherry-red hue. The nose is distinctive with elegant notes of black fruit (blackberries, blueberries and plums) and spice (liquorice), and complemented by a slightly toasted, oaky character. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied, succulent, and underpinned by powerful, coated tannins, the sign of an extraction process that has been perfectly mastered. Its aromas of wild black fruit, cocoa and tobacco stretch out over a long, tasty finish. FOOD & WINE PAIRING Enjoy at the right time, in the right company, on its own or paired with authentic products of the finest quality. Best served at 18°C. AWARDS 2018 : 15,5-16,5/20 – Le Point 2019 2015: 91/100 – Decanter 90/100 – James Suckling 2014: 89/100 – James Suckling