Fontsainte by the Numbers
by Lyle Railsback
Two of the best values in our portfolio come from Bruno Laboucarié, the fifth generation at Domaine de Fontsainte, located in Corbières-Boutenac. Looking over notes from our visit earlier this year, I thought it was odd that they were mostly numbers . . .
1976: Kermit discovers the domaine, with whom we now share one of KLWM’s longest relationships.
10 AD: Fontsainte’s unique site is on top of Gallo-Roman thermal baths that date from 2,000 years ago.
1985: Corbières, previously a VDQS, becomes an AOC.
2005: Corbières-Boutenac finally becomes an official sub-appellation.
1.33%: Corbières encompasses 15,000 hectares, Corbières-Boutenac only 200 hectares.
40: Forty of those hectares belong to Fontsainte.
100 m: Close to sea level at 100 meters altitude, Fontsainte has a terroir of siliceous limestone covered with marl and white and red clay. The deep soils help retain water during the hot summers.
116: The age of the domaine’s oldest Carignan vines, planted in 1904.
120 km: Bruno’s father, Yves, was stationed in Algeria during the war and discovered a local vin gris from Boulaouane, 120 km southwest of Casablanca, which he later recreated back home.
27: Bruno has managed the past 27 vintages.
9/25: Bruno once harvested on September 25; now he harvests at the end of August.
20° C: Fontsainte used to have three months of winter, but now almond trees blossom in January, when it can be 20° C, which in the past did not happen until March.
The other numbers worth noting are Fontsainte’s prices, which have hardly budged in the last decade. The Corbières rouge was the first of Kermit’s imports I ever tasted, twenty years ago when I dealt in mostly $50 to $100 Oregon Pinot Noir. Needless to say, I haven’t gone back.
More from the April 2024 Newsletter
