Learn everything about Chateau Fieuzal Pessac Leognan, Bordeaux with wine tasting notes, and wine with food pairing tips. Learn all the best vintages, the history of the property, and information on the vineyards and winemaking. If you want to read about other important, Bordeaux Chateaux: Links to all Bordeaux Wine Producer Profiles
Chateau de Fieuzal History, Overview
Chateau de Fieuzal like many Bordeaux chateaux is named in honor of one of the earlier owners who managed the estate at the start of the nineteenth century. After that, the vineyard was owned by the Griffon family. The Griffons, who were lucky to have connections to Pope Leon XIII in Bordeaux, were able to fill the Vatican’s cellars with their wines, which helped make the vineyard famous.
Eventually, Chateau de Fieuzal was purchased by the well-known Ricard family. The Ricard’s owned multiple Bordeaux estates at the time, including Domaine de Chevalier and Chateau Malartic Lagraviere.
Today, Chateau de Fieuzal is owned by Lochlann Quinn, the chairman of Allied Irish Banks. Lochlann Quinn purchased Chateau de Fieuzal in 2001 from interestingly, another bank. In 2006, de Fieuzal added Hubert de Bouard to their team as their consultant. The following year, in 2007 they brought in Stephen Carrier as their director and winemaker.
Over the years, Chateau de Fieuzal has continued expanding its vineyard holdings through a series of purchases. By 2020, they were one of the larger Classified Growths in the appellation.
Chateau de Fieuzal Vineyard, Terroir, Grapes, Winemaking
The large 70-hectare vineyard of Chateau de Fieuzal is planted for red and white wine grapes. 60 hectares of vines are planted to 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot, 8% Petit Verdot, and 5% Cabernet Franc for the red wine grapes. This is a change in the vineyard showing an increase in the Merlot and Petit Verdot and a decrease in the Cabernet Sauvignon.
10 hectares of vines are used for the white Bordeaux wine grape varietals which are planted to an even mix of 50% Sauvignon Blanc and 50% Semillon.
The vine density of the Chateau de Fieuzal vineyards is on average, 8,300 vines per hectare. The vineyard has a terroir of gravel, sand, clay, and small white stones in the soils. One of the unique aspects of their terroir is the Eau Blanche stream, which adds much-needed moisture in the hot, dry vintages. The best parts of the vineyards are on sloping hillsides that reach up to 58 meters at their peak.
On average, the vines are 35 years of age. But they have old vines as well. Their oldest vines are their Petit Verdot vines, which were planted all the way back in 1908.
Chateau de Fieuzal completed a multi-million Euro renovation of the estate in 2012. The winemaking facilities have been completely modernized with 63 vats in both wood and stainless steel. These 63 vats allow parcel by parcel vinification.
Chateau de Fieuzal Winemaking
To produce the red wine of Chateau de Fieuzal, vinification takes place in a combination of 9 stainless steel tanks and 54 new, wood fermentation vats in a myriad of sizes.
The vats range in size from as small as 15 hectolitres up to 185 hectolitres. The steel vats are used to vinify the Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot. The oak vats are reserved for the Merlot and Cabernet Franc.
The wines are aged in an average of 35% to 50% new, French oak barrels. However, some of the wine is aged in large 400-liter barrels. The aging period ranges from 16 to 24 months, depending on the varietals and the style of the vintage.
For the production of the white wines of Chateau de Fieuzal, vinification takes place in 50% new, French oak barrels. There is no malolactic fermentation. The wines are aged in 50% new, French oak barrels for between 16 to 18 months, depending on the style of the vintage.
Since Hubert de Bouard began consulting the estate, the wines have been showing steady improvement. Continuing to strive to provide to produce the best wines possible, Chateau de Fieuzal declassified the entire 2017 harvest due to severe frost damage.
Production at Chateau de Fieuzal is on average, 24,000 cases of red wine and 3,500 cases of white wine per vintage. There is a second wine, L’Abeille de Fieuzal.
The Best Vintages of Chateau de Fieuzal are: 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2012, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2006, 2005 and 2000. Although it is important to note that vintages can vary as to their quality between the white wine and the reds with as in some years, the reds are markedly better and in other vintages the whites are superior.
When to Drink Chateau de Fieuzal, Anticipated Maturity, Decanting Time
Chateau de Fieuzal can be enjoyed on the young side with decanting. Young vintages can be decanted for an average of 1-2 hours, give or take. This allows the wine to soften and open its perfume. Older vintages might need very little decanting, just enough to remove the sediment.
Chateau de Fieuzal is usually better with at least 5-7 years of bottle age. Of course, that can vary slightly, depending on the vintage character. Chateau de Fieuzal offers its best drinking and should reach peak maturity between 9-17 years of age after the vintage.
Serving Chateau de Fieuzal, with Wine, Food, Pairing Tips
Chateau de Fieuzal is best served at 15.5 degrees Celsius, 60 degrees Fahrenheit. The cool, almost cellar temperature gives the wine more freshness and lift. The red wine of Chateau de Fieuzal is best served with all types of classic meat dishes, veal, pork, beef, lamb, duck, game, roast chicken, roasted, braised, and grilled dishes.
Chateau de Fieuzal is a perfect match with Asian dishes, hearty fish courses like tuna, mushrooms, and pasta as well as cheese. The white wine of Chateau de Fieuzal is a perfect wine to serve with shellfish, sashimi, sushi, all types of seafood, chicken, veal, and cheese.
The white wine of Chateau de Fieuzal is a perfect wine to serve with shellfish, sashimi, sushi, all types of seafood, chicken, veal, and cheese.
Château de Fieuzal Wine Tasting Notes
36 Vintages 183,267 Views Sort by Vintage-Rating
|
2023
Château de Fieuzal (Pessac-Léognan)
Flowers, cherries, black raspberries, plums, and a touch of spice create the perfume. Medium-bodied, with a strong sense of purity to the fruits, coupled with elegance, sweetness, racy tannins, and touches of spice, with herbs in the mid-palate, and in the finish. The wine blends 50% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 10% Petit Verdot. 13.5% ABV. Drink from 2027-2045. 92-94 Pts. 2,858 Views Tasted May 4, 2024 |
|
2023
Château de Fieuzal Blanc (Pessac-Léognan)
Flowers, green apples, white peaches, lemon peel, tangerine zest, and honeysuckle form the core here. The wine has vibrancy, elegance, and a touch of chalky dust in the endnotes that accompany all those, sweet, ripe, yellow citrus notes along with a drop or two of vanilla. This will be great in your glass on release. The wine blends 60% Sauvignon Blanc, with 40% Semillon. 13% ABV. Drink from 2025-2030. 92 Pts. 1,034 Views Tasted May 4, 2024 |
|
2022
Château de Fieuzal (Pessac-Léognan)
Flowers, cigar wrapper, pepper, cedar, cocoa, spice, and red with black currants open the nose. On the medium-bodied palate, initially you notice the freshness in the ripe, sweet, cherries, with their elegance, lift and purity. There is a symmetry, and vibrancy in the fruits, finishing with a shot of licorice, cocoa, and plums that stick with you. The wine blends 50% Merlot, 45% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Petit Verdot. 13.2% ABV. Yields were 32 hectoliters per hectare. Drink from 2025-2045. 92-94 Pts. 2,823 Views Tasted May 8, 2023 |
|
2022
Château de Fieuzal Blanc (Pessac-Léognan)
White peach, lemon curd, pineapple, orange rind, mango and honeysuckle shine in the perfume. On the palate, the wine is creamy, sweet, supple, and loaded with yellow, and orange tropical fruits. This will be great in your glass on release. The wine blends 55% Sauvignon and 45% Semillon. 12.8% ABV. Drink from 2024-2029. 91-91 Pts. 1,430 Views Tasted May 8, 2023 |
|
2021
Château de Fieuzal Blanc (Pessac-Léognan)
Orange rind, flowers, honeysuckle, yellow citrus, lemon peel, spice and grapefruit aromas get you focused on the nose. On the palate, the wine is fresh, vibrant, slightly chalky, and packed with candied oranges, white peaches. Drink from 2024-2034. 551 Views Tasted Mar 9, 2024Flowers, yellow citrus, grapefruit, lemon rind and honeysuckle, with a hint of orange tropical fruit in the background gets the perfume started. The wine is sweet, juicy, vibrant and fresh on the palate, finishing with a touch of salt in the energetic, fruit-filled endnote. Drink from 2023-2032. 93-93 1,400 Views Tasted May 20, 2022 |
|
2021
Château de Fieuzal (Pessac-Léognan)
Black cherries, flowers, chocolate, tobacco and raspberries form the aromatic profile. On the palate, the wine is soft, polished, fresh, elegant, and charming, finishing with sweetness to the red fruits, with a dash of cocoa that lingers from the mid-palate through to the finish. While easy to enjoy on release, this also has the ability to age, and evolve for 12-15 years. Drink from 2024-2038. 631 Views Tasted Mar 9, 2024Espresso, dark cherries, smoke and plums shine through on the nose. Soft, lush, rich and fruity, with sweetness, length and a supple-textured, fresh, vibrant, ripe, earthy finish. This is already quite charming. But it also has the ability to age and evolve for 12-15 years. Drink from 2024-2037. 91-93 1,492 Views Tasted May 20, 2022 |
|
2020
Château de Fieuzal (Pessac-Léognan)
Lusciously-textured with multiple layers of perfectly ripe, black cherries, blackberries, complicated by nuances of smoked wood embers, blueberries, cocoa, espresso, and licorice, this fabulous, sensuous wine is long, rich, and deep, with staying power you can sense in the opulently-textured mid-palate, and long, fruit-packed finish. Drink from 2025-2045. 3,074 Views Tasted Mar 21, 2023Showing more body and intensity than found in previous vintages, the wine opens with smoked wood embers, black, red and blue fruit, coffee bean, wet earth, thyme and spice box aromas. On the palate the wine is plush, soft and polished, with loads of smoky dark red fruits and a tint of espresso on the mid-palate and in the opulent finish. Give it 5 years in the cellar and it will be even better. 92-94 Pts 1,955 Views Tasted May 20, 2021 |
|
2020
Château de Fieuzal Blanc (Pessac-Léognan)
Waxy lemons, limes, green apples, flowers, spice and orange rind create a fabulous perfume. Fresh, creamy, bright and fruity, with layers of sweet yellow citrus in the creamy textured, finish, with a gentle hint of honeyed lemon and white peaches that come through in the endnote. Drink from 2023-2034. 1,082 Views Tasted Mar 21, 2023Green apple, waxy lemon, grapefruit, flowers, orange rind and spice create a fabulous perfume. Lifted, bright and fruity, with loads of sweet yellow citrus in the creamy textured, finish, with a gentle hint of honeyed lemon in the endnote. 92 Pts 1,337 Views Tasted May 20, 2021 |
|
2019
Château de Fieuzal (Pessac-Léognan)
Aromatically, with little effort you find chocolate, flowers, espresso, smoke, black cherries and plums. The wine is fresh, vibrant, soft, lush, chocolatey and packed with ripe berries. Give it a few years in the cellar and it will really start to shine. Drink from 2024-2038. 2,484 Views Tasted Mar 29, 2022Dark ruby in color, with smoky dark red fruits, cassis and licorice at its core, the wine is soft, elegant, fruity and fresh with ripe, polished tannins and a juicy, sweet, dark red fruit and cocoa finish. Give this at least 5 years before pulling a cork. 91-93 Pts 3,715 Views Tasted Jun 8, 2020 |
|
2019
Château de Fieuzal Blanc (Pessac-Léognan)
Juicy, fresh yellow citrus and white peach with floral accents show up easily in this ready to enjoy, yellow citrus filled charmer. Drink from 2022-2027. 1,462 Views Tasted Mar 29, 2022An orchard of white peach, flowers and honeysuckle create the nose. On the palate the wine is the right blend of lush, fresh and sweet, with ample lift and length and waxy fruit in the endnote. 92 Pts 3,755 Views Tasted Jun 8, 2020 |
|
2018
Château de Fieuzal (Pessac-Léognan)
Smoke, espresso, ripe, juicy red fruits come along with soft, silky, textures and a lively, fresh, sweet red berry, spice, earth and mocha filled finish. Give it just a few years and it will be even better! 2,468 Views Tasted Mar 9, 2021 |
|
2018
Château de Fieuzal Blanc (Pessac-Léognan)
Juicy, sweet, fresh, vibrant yellow citrus with vanilla and floral accents come through loud and clear from the start all the way through to the creamy, fresh and fruity finish. 2,592 Views Tasted Mar 9, 2021 |
|
2016
Château de Fieuzal (Pessac-Léognan)
Medium bodied, round, soft and generous with its round, soft, plush fruits on the nose and palate, the wine finishes with round polished, dark red sweet fruits. A little oaky at this stage of development, the wine will need aging before it all comes together. 2,835 Views Tasted Sep 21, 2019A little oaky at the moment, but that will subside with aging as the medium bodied, round, soft, forward, earthy, licorice and cherry filled wine continues developing. 2,416 Views Tasted Feb 10, 2019Fresh, polished, ripe and with an earthy, smoke and tobacco complexity that rides on top of the dark red fruits, this focused and reasonably concentrated wine will age and develop well. 2,606 Views Tasted Apr 29, 2017 |
|
2016
Château de Fieuzal Blanc (Pessac-Léognan)
Bright yellow citrus, vanilla, flowers and lemon rind merge into a juicy, lush, round, sweet, jolt of orange, vanilla and yellow citrus on the palate. This is forward and already fun to drink. 3,308 Views Tasted Sep 21, 2019The wine is crisp and fresh, with a vanilla edging to the just squeezed lemon, lime and pomelo. This is forward and already fun to drink. 2,515 Views Tasted Feb 11, 2019Pomelo and assorted, citrus fruits with a splash of lime, vanilla and honeysuckle, with sweetness in the fruits from start to finish. Forward and already fun to drink. 1,698 Views Tasted Apr 29, 2017 |
|
2015
Château de Fieuzal Blanc (Pessac-Léognan)
Just a hint of vanilla creeps in before you find all the sweet, ripe, racy, fresh, juicy yellow citrus fruits. Zesty and energetic on the palate, the fruit is sweet, ripe and pure. 2,901 Views Tasted May 21, 2018Lemon, lime, vanilla bean and bright, green apple flavors are enhanced with a zippy acidity in the crisp finish. 92 Pts 1,782 Views Tasted Apr 23, 2016 |
|
2015
Château de Fieuzal (Pessac-Léognan)
Medium bodied, with a nose already showing secondary notes of tobacco, tar, espresso bean, dark red fruits and forest scents. Soft, polished, silky and sweet, the wine delivers freshness and character in an open style that offers early drinking pleasure, as well as the stuffing to age for up to 2 decades. 5,198 Views Tasted May 21, 2018Licorice, caramel and smoked black cherries on the nose, this wine is elegant, medium-bodied and soft on the palate. 89 - 91 Pts 3,768 Views Tasted Apr 23, 2016 |
|
2014
Château de Fieuzal Blanc (Pessac-Léognan)
The fragrance of freshly peeled grapefruit, lemon rind, green apple, lime and vanilla pop when the wine is poured. Bright, zesty and energetic on the palate, the fruit is sweet, ripe and pure in the finish. 91-93 Pts 1,841 Views Tasted Apr 24, 2015 |
|
2014
Château de Fieuzal (Pessac-Léognan)
This medium-bodied wine is filled with smoldering red and black fruit, slightly tinged with the essence of tobacco. 89-90 Pts 2,880 Views Tasted Apr 24, 2015 |
|
2013
Château de Fieuzal Blanc (Pessac-Léognan)
Showing better in bottle than it did in barrel, the wine is fresh, lively delivers a refreshing blast of stone, lemongrass, spice and vanilla. 2,079 Views Tasted Feb 1, 2016Combining flowers, orange rind, vanilla bean and citrus creates a perfumed wine that is fresh and lively on your palate. 90-92 Pts 2,607 Views Tasted Apr 21, 2014 |
|
2013
Château de Fieuzal (Pessac-Léognan)
Medium bodied, bright and crisp, nice on the earthy, red berry and tobacco nose, but starting to take on a tart, cranberry in the finish that suggests this should be consumed over the next few years, before it quickly fades from here. 3,822 Views Tasted Nov 26, 2017Medium bodied, forward, with a smoke, espresso bean, cherry tinged personality, the wine finishes with soft, red berries in an open style. 3,682 Views Tasted Feb 3, 2016With smoke, coffee, fennel and plum on the nose, this soft, open wine has round textures and will drink well in its youth. 88-90 Pts 1,739 Views Tasted Apr 21, 2014 |
|
2012
Château de Fieuzal Blanc (Pessac-Léognan)
The nose grabs you with its floral, grapefruit, orange, vanilla and lemon scents. Rich, ripe and fresh, there is the right amount of zesty lift on the palate to really show off all the fresh citrus components in the wine. 3,860 Views Tasted Mar 11, 2015 |
|
2012
Château de Fieuzal (Pessac-Léognan)
Medium bodied, with smoke, espresso bean, dark red fruits and black cherries in the nose. The wine has good roundness to the textures, ending with sweet fruits and vanilla in the finish. 3,381 Views Tasted Mar 11, 2015Caramel, coffee, black and blue fruit notes, fat and concentrated with ripe, fleshy berries, this is a flashy, modern-styled wine with rich, silky textures and an opulent, but slightly oaky, finish. 89-91 Pts 3,925 Views Tasted Apr 25, 2013 |
|
2011
Château de Fieuzal (Pessac-Léognan)
Very nice wine for the vintage. Smoke, licorice, caramel, coffee bean and black cherry notes are all over the place. Round, soft, forward and open, this will be drinkable on release. 2,558 Views Tasted Feb 19, 2014Deeply colored with coffee, truffle, black cherry and stone notes, this ripe, round wine is filled with chocolate cherry and shows some espresso in the finish. 89-91 Pts 2,183 Views Tasted Apr 25, 2012 |
|
2011
Château de Fieuzal Blanc (Pessac-Léognan)
Vanilla, floral, lemon peel and grapefruit create the aromatics. Medium bodied, fresh, clean, citrus, mineral and vanilla bean notes are found in the finish. 2,995 Views Tasted Feb 10, 2014 |
|
2010
Château de Fieuzal Blanc (Pessac-Léognan)
White peach and vanilla notes pair perfectly with the citrus peel and grapefruit aromatics. Rich, ripe and lively, the finish is fresh, clean, crisp and clear. 4,479 Views Tasted Sep 23, 2014 |
|
2010
Château de Fieuzal (Pessac-Léognan)
Licorice, black cherries, earth, smoke and spicy aromatics open to a polished wine, with a soft textured, black raspberry finish. The 2010 was produced from a blend of 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot. 6,629 Views Tasted Feb 15, 2013de Fieuzal Produced with assistance of Hubert de Bouard of Angelus, who consults with the property, the opens with oak, cassis, smoke and spicy scents. Supple on the palate, the wine ends with a sweet, licorice and blackberry filled finish. 90-92 Pts 6,111 Views Tasted Apr 21, 2011 |
|
2009
Château de Fieuzal (Pessac-Léognan)
Still with a hint of oak in the nose to resolve, the wine quickly moves to earthy forest floor, plums and tobacco notes. Medium-bodied, round, lush and juicy, with silky tannins and a blast of sweet, ripe, fresh cherries in the finish, this is drinking in a good place today. 3,634 Views Tasted Sep 20, 2019Coffee, vanilla, licorice and black cherry scents are easy to find in the aromatics. From a blend of 55% Merlot and 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, the soft textured wine finishes with vanilla and fresh plums. 7,963 Views Tasted Jan 30, 20122009 de Fieuzal shows a floral, berry, oak, and spice perfume. Round in texture and fleshy in style, the wine finishes with notes of chocolate and blackberry. This chateau keeps improving thanks to the consistent efforts of Hubert de Bouard of Angelus, who consults for the property. 89/91 Pts 8,173 Views Tasted Aug 26, 2010 |
|
2009
Château de Fieuzal Blanc (Pessac-Léognan)
Fully mature, the wine has taken on a honeysuckle and lemon wax character that hits the spot. Juicy and rich with sweet fruits and freshness, the wine requires drinking. 3,725 Views Tasted Sep 20, 2019Green apples, vanilla bean, grapefruit and lemon aromas continue all the way through. There is ample acidity to give the wine lift, and keep it fresh. 3,179 Views Tasted Sep 23, 2014 |
|
2008
Château de Fieuzal Blanc (Pessac-Léognan)
With that nice waxy characteristic that develops as Sauvignon Blanc ages, the wine has retained its fresh, lemon focus, and has added a crushed stone and hineysuckle character to the finish. 2,529 Views Tasted Sep 17, 2018 |
|
2008
Château de Fieuzal (Pessac-Léognan)
With a developed nose of truffle, forest greenery, cedar wood and tobacco, the wine is medium bodied and fresh. The attack is better than the finish, which leaves with you a blend of herbs, and spicy, red fruits. 4,910 Views Tasted Sep 17, 201808 Château de Fieuzel, made with the help of Hubert de Bouard of Angelus fame, is a better wine than those in previous vintages. Earth, blackberry and smoke aromas make up the perfume. This elegant wine finishes with a solid dose of soft, black fruits. 90-92 Pts 5,670 Views Tasted Aug 31, 2009 |
|
2007
Château de Fieuzal Blanc (Pessac-Léognan)
Mineral driven aromas of just squeezed lemons, grapefruit and flowers continue onto the palate. Nice acidity to keep things fresh and clean too. 2,371 Views Tasted Sep 23, 2014 |
|
2007
Château de Fieuzal (Pessac-Léognan)
The nose, with its blend of smoke, flowers, wet earth, tobacco and cherry pipe tobacco offers a lot of interest. The palate is light, refined and easy going, with its soft, cherry charms. Ready to drink, there is no need for further aging. 3,881 Views Tasted Sep 2, 2017 |
|
2006
Château de Fieuzal Blanc (Pessac-Léognan)
An easy to drink and like white Bordeaux wine with grapefruit, honeysuckle, lemon rind and vanilla in the aromatics. Fresh, open, and a great pairing with scallops tonight. 4,284 Views Tasted Nov 23, 2013 |
|
2005
Château de Fieuzal (Pessac-Léognan)
Smoke, black cherry, plum, earth and tobacco, medium body and an earthy, soft, fresh, blackberry and cassis finish. You can drink this now, or give it another few years before you start enjoying it. 6,529 Views Tasted May 18, 2012 |
|
2005
Château de Fieuzal Blanc (Pessac-Léognan)
Clearly ready for drinking, with its grapefruit, lemon, lime, fresh personality in full force. 3,092 Views Tasted Sep 23, 2014 |
|
2000
Château de Fieuzal (Pessac-Léognan)
Fully mature, medium bodied, earthy, spicy, tobacco and smoke filled in character, the soft, red fruits, spice and herbs in the finish are just where they need to be. I was surprised how nice this turned out. The bottle was popped and poured. 3,386 Views Tasted Oct 20, 2016 |
