Château de Fontenille Entre-Deux-Mers Blanc 2024
£14.25
The wine
Light gold. Bright, precise citrus fruit and white peaches on the nose.
Entre-Deux-Mers whites blend Sauvignon Blanc with Sémillon and often a little Muscadelle, and they are among the more reliable bargains in France. Entre-Deux-Mers is the broad stretch between the Garonne and the Dordogne, historically the source of Bordeaux everyday wine and still where the region remains affordable. The appellation name covers only the whites; reds from the same ground are sold as Bordeaux or under a Côtes appellation. Château de Fontenille sits beside the Abbaye de la Sauve Majeure, whose monks tended these vineyards from the eleventh century.
The producer
Château de Fontenille
View all Château de Fontenille winesChâteau de Fontenille lies in the rolling hills of the Entre-deux-Mers, the great swathe of countryside between the Garonne and Dordogne rivers. Since 1989 it has been guided by Stéphane Defraine, a Belgian vigneron who fell for this quiet corner of Bordeaux. Under his care the estate has found a clear and confident voice.
Farming here is organic, a reflection of Defraine's belief that fine wine begins in living soil. The vineyard is planted to a broad palette of grapes, red and white alike, suited to the region's clay-limestone terroir. Attention to detail runs through every parcel.
The wines are bright, honest, and beautifully drinkable. The whites sparkle with citrus and white flower, while the reds offer supple berry fruit and gentle structure. Freshness is the thread that ties the range together.
Fontenille is Bordeaux without formality: characterful, well-made, and generous at the table. It is the kind of estate that reminds drinkers how much pleasure the region's everyday wines can bring.
