Clos Fourtet
Encyclopedia
Clos Fourtet, previously Château Clos Fourtet and archaichally Camfourtet, is a Bordeaux wine
from the appellation
Saint-Émilion
, ranked Premier grand cru classé B in the Classification of Saint-Émilion wine
. The Clos Fourtet winery
is located in the Right Bank of France’s Bordeaux wine region in the commune of Saint-Émilion, in the department Gironde
.
The estate also produces the second wine
Closerie de Fourtet.
as a defensive fort, the property is situated opposite the main entrance to the old town of Saint-Émilion. Viticulture
at what was then called Camfourtet (Camp Fourtet) began with the efforts of Léon Rulleau in the mid-18th century, who passed on the estate to his nephew Elie Rulleau who had the present château built. Records show that in 1789 the property was valued at 100,000 livres
. The estate's name was altered to Clos Fourtet by the Rulleau family in 1868.
Fernand Ginestet acquired the estate in 1919, in the same year that he purchased the Pomerol
estate Château Petit-Village
. In 1949 it was then sold by his son Pierre Ginestet in order to finance control of Château Margaux
, and purchased by François Lurton.
The Lurton family sold Clos Fourtet in 2001, reportedly for the sum of USD
66.8 million. Currently the estate is owned by Philippe Cuvelier, also owner of Château Poujeaux
, with the oenologist Stéphane Derenoncourt
as consultant.
, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon
and 5% Cabernet Franc
. 5,000 cases of the Grand vin Clos Fourtet are produced annually, while 2,500 cases of the second wine Closerie de Fourtet are usually produced.
Bordeaux wine
A Bordeaux wine is any wine produced in the Bordeaux region of France. Average vintages produce over 700 million bottles of Bordeaux wine, ranging from large quantities of everyday table wine, to some of the most expensive and prestigious wines in the world...
from the appellation
Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée
Appellation d’origine contrôlée , which translates as "controlled designation of origin", is the French certification granted to certain French geographical indications for wines, cheeses, butters, and other agricultural products, all under the auspices of the government bureau Institut National...
Saint-Émilion
Saint-Émilion AOC
Saint-Émilion is an Appellation d'origine contrôlée for wine in the Bordeaux wine region of France, where it is situated in the Libourne subregion on the right bank of the Dordogne...
, ranked Premier grand cru classé B in the Classification of Saint-Émilion wine
Classification of Saint-Émilion wine
In 1955 the wines of Saint-Émilion in the wine-growing region of Bordeaux were classified. Unlike the Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855 covering wines from the Medoc and Graves regions, the Saint-Émilion list is updated every 10 years or so. Following the initial classification, the...
. The Clos Fourtet winery
Winery
A winery is a building or property that produces wine, or a business involved in the production of wine, such as a wine company. Some wine companies own many wineries. Besides wine making equipment, larger wineries may also feature warehouses, bottling lines, laboratories, and large expanses of...
is located in the Right Bank of France’s Bordeaux wine region in the commune of Saint-Émilion, in the department Gironde
Gironde
For the Revolutionary party, see Girondists.Gironde is a common name for the Gironde estuary, where the mouths of the Garonne and Dordogne rivers merge, and for a department in the Aquitaine region situated in southwest France.-History:...
.
The estate also produces the second wine
Second wine
Second wine is a term commonly associated with Bordeaux wine to refer to a second label wine made from cuvee not selected for use in the Grand vin or first label...
Closerie de Fourtet.
History
Erected during the Middle AgesMiddle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
as a defensive fort, the property is situated opposite the main entrance to the old town of Saint-Émilion. Viticulture
Viticulture
Viticulture is the science, production and study of grapes which deals with the series of events that occur in the vineyard. When the grapes are used for winemaking, it is also known as viniculture...
at what was then called Camfourtet (Camp Fourtet) began with the efforts of Léon Rulleau in the mid-18th century, who passed on the estate to his nephew Elie Rulleau who had the present château built. Records show that in 1789 the property was valued at 100,000 livres
French livre
The livre was the currency of France until 1795. Several different livres existed, some concurrently. The livre was the name of both units of account and coins.-Etymology:...
. The estate's name was altered to Clos Fourtet by the Rulleau family in 1868.
Fernand Ginestet acquired the estate in 1919, in the same year that he purchased the Pomerol
Pomerol
Pomerol is a commune in the Gironde department in Aquitaine in southwestern France.It is located near Bordeaux.-Population:-Wine:The mostly small-sized producers in this area of about produce red wines. As in the neighbouring appellation of Saint-Émilion, the predominant grape variety is Merlot,...
estate Château Petit-Village
Château Petit-Village
Château Petit-Village is a Bordeaux wine from the appellation Pomerol. The winery is located on the Right Bank of the Bordeaux wine region, in the commune of Pomerol in the department Gironde...
. In 1949 it was then sold by his son Pierre Ginestet in order to finance control of Château Margaux
Château Margaux
Château Margaux, archaically La Mothe de Margaux, is a wine estate of Bordeaux wine, and was one of four wines to achieve Premier cru status in the Bordeaux Classification of 1855. The estate's best wines are very expensive...
, and purchased by François Lurton.
The Lurton family sold Clos Fourtet in 2001, reportedly for the sum of USD
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
66.8 million. Currently the estate is owned by Philippe Cuvelier, also owner of Château Poujeaux
Château Poujeaux
Château Poujeaux lies in the wine-producing district of Moulis-en-Médoc in the Bordeaux region of France. It is one of the most highly regarded wines within Moulis, alongside Château Chasse-Spleen...
, with the oenologist Stéphane Derenoncourt
Stéphane Derenoncourt
Stéphane Derenoncourt is a French vigneron working as a consultant for numerous estates in Bordeaux and other wine producers world wide, with his wife Christine Derenoncourt runs Vignerons Consultants and owns Domaine de l'A in the Côtes de Castillon and Derenoncourt California in Napa Valley...
as consultant.
Production
The vineyard area extends to 19 hectares, with the grape varieties split between 85% MerlotMerlot
Merlot is a darkly blue-coloured wine grape, that is used as both a blending grape and for varietal wines. The name Merlot is thought to derive from the Old French word for young blackbird, merlot, a diminutive of merle, the blackbird , probably from the color of the grape. Merlot-based wines...
, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the world's most widely recognized red wine grape varieties. It is grown in nearly every major wine producing country among a diverse spectrum of climates from Canada's Okanagan Valley to Lebanon's Beqaa Valley...
and 5% Cabernet Franc
Cabernet Franc
Cabernet Franc is one of the major black grape varieties worldwide. It is principally grown for blending with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot in the Bordeaux style, but can also be vinified alone - as in the Loire's Chinon...
. 5,000 cases of the Grand vin Clos Fourtet are produced annually, while 2,500 cases of the second wine Closerie de Fourtet are usually produced.