West London Wine School: Chateau Fourcas Dupre Vertical 2000-2010

This fine château has been managed by the Pagès family since 1970 and is currently run by Patrice Pagès. Under their expert stewardship the estate has maintained its reputation as a very fine Cru Bourgeois, classified Cru Bourgeois Supérieur in 1932 and 2003. We will discover the history of the estate and then taste our way through several vintages all a part of the golden age of the château.

Château Fourcas Dupré

Fourcas Dupré's vineyards have a long history, and were mentioned on maps dating back to the time of Louis XV. Purchased in 1843 by a lawyer, Jean Antoine Baptiste Dupré, the château was born in 1844, taking the name of its new owner combined with the name of the lieu-dit in which it is situated, Le Fourcas. Major restoration work ensued and today there are new cellars to complement the original buildings and barrel cellar, as well as a gîte refurbished in 2012.

Perched upon a relatively high point of the Médoc, at 42 metres, known locally as the ‘roof of the Médoc’, Château Fourcas Dupré lies between the appellations of Moulis and Saint-Julien. 46 hectares of vines in one large parcel make up the vineyard holdings, lying on a mixture of excellently drained gravel with clay and limestone. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot share the honours equally with plantings of 44% of each, supplemented by 10% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. The wines are matured in barriques, around a third of which are new each year. The wines are excellent value, at around £15-25, offering the hallmark quintessential Médoc style of plump black fruit, graphite, tobacco with good structure and balanced acidity.

Vintages on Tasting: 2010, 2009, 2005, 2004, 2003, 2001 and 2000 plus one blind mystery vintage