Fronsac is a appellation for red wines produced in an area in the east of the Bordeaux wine region. It is located close to the northern bank of the Dordogne river, just a few miles to the west of Libourne. The town of Libourne gives its name to the Libournais area, in the north-eastern edge of the Bordeaux region, home to prestigious appellations such as Saint-Emilion, Pomerol and Fronsac itself.
Like Saint-Emilion, just a few miles to the east, Fronsac is an attractive area of woodland and hills. It conjures up the more romantic countryside images of Bordeaux, and also has a rich history reaching back thousands of years, being a favorite of kings and nobility throughout history.
The theoretically superior appellation of Canon-Fronsac occupies the southern portion of the wider Fronsac appellation, and has historically produced the most respected of the wines from the area. Wines labeled Fronsac or Canon-Fronsac must be made from grapes grown slightly away from the alluvial soils close to the banks of the Dordogne. It is the slightly higher land beginning just a few hundred meters to the north which produces the better vines. This land is composed more of sandstone and limestone than clay, which lends it a certain resistance to hotter weather. In hot vintages like 2003, when August temperatures regularly exceeded 40ºC /104ºF, grapes grown here produced more balanced wines than other far more famous Bordeaux appellations.
Merlot is the dominant grape in Fronsac, accompanied by its regular pairing of Cabernet Franc. Malbec is also used to add complexity to the appellations' wines. Cabernet Sauvignon may also be included in Fronsac wines, but it is less commonly used because it doesn't ripen so well in the appellation's cooler soils.
The second half of the 20th century was a time of improvement in Fronsac's wines, as they attracted attention from further afield than their established European markets. New technology and winemaking philosophy has led to continued improvement in the wines made here, which now offer affordable alternatives to the high-priced wines of the Medoc, Pomerol and Saint-Emilion.
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