Château de la Dauphine

Fronsac Merlot Cabernet Franc

9.120 ratings
9.23 pro ratings
Fronsac, Libournais, Bordeaux, France
Merlot, Cabernet Franc
Beef, Venison, Salami & Prosciutto, Chili & Hot Spicy, Potato, Exotic Spices, Lamb, White Rice, Baking Spices, Herbs, Pasta, Chicken, Mushrooms, Pungent Cheese, Turkey, Tomato-Based, Soft Cheese, Pork, Beans & Peas, Hard Cheese, Duck, Onion, Shallot, Garlic, Blue Cheese
Top Notes For
Peter van den Besselaar

Vintage 2016 | Love Fronsac. Beautiful smell in this 90% Merlot 10% Cabernet Franc with milk chocolate and vanilla. Cherries. Supple taste. Very refined right bank wine. Paired with roast beef steak and spinach/grilled aubergine.

Vintage 2016 | Love Fronsac. Beautiful smell in this 90% Merlot 10% Cabernet Franc with milk chocolate and vanilla. Cherries. Supple taste. Very refined right bank wine. Paired with roast beef steak and spinach/grilled aubergine.

Jun 14th, 2023
Peter van den Besselaar

Vintage 2016 | a rather sophisticated Fronsac, with the characteristics of a nobleman. Dark colour. Nice summerfruit in smell. Sultry in taste, especcialy after 24 hours aeration. Beautiful concentration. Good acidity, lively. Classic. Biowine. 90% Merlot, 10% Cab Franc. | Paired with beef tenderloin first day, a vegan salad and cheeses second day.

Vintage 2016 | a rather sophisticated Fronsac, with the characteristics of a nobleman. Dark colour. Nice summerfruit in smell. Sultry in taste, especcialy after 24 hours aeration. Beautiful concentration. Good acidity, lively. Classic. Biowine. 90% Merlot, 10% Cab Franc. | Paired with beef tenderloin first day, a vegan salad and cheeses second day.

Apr 5th, 2022
Dan R
9.1

Here’s a plump, juicy bdx red with the volume cranked way up. Despite its size and intensity, it manages to stay feeling fresh with a sense of proportion and balance. Dark fruited with an herbal twang. As other tasters noted, CF is noticeable (15% in ‘16). 30% new oak doesn’t feel cumbersome. Love the tannin work here, sweet and grainy, enough to give needed structure but not impede drink-now-ability. Overall I quite enjoyed this, although not my preferred style. After 2 glasses, I‘m guessing the 14.5% is lower than reality. Nevertheless, great party/cocktail wine, killer value - Napa drinkers should back the truck up.

Here’s a plump, juicy bdx red with the volume cranked way up. Despite its size and intensity, it manages to stay feeling fresh with a sense of proportion and balance. Dark fruited with an herbal twang. As other tasters noted, CF is noticeable (15% in ‘16). 30% new oak doesn’t feel cumbersome. Love the tannin work here, sweet and grainy, enough to give needed structure but not impede drink-now-ability. Overall I quite enjoyed this, although not my preferred style. After 2 glasses, I‘m guessing the 14.5% is lower than reality. Nevertheless, great party/cocktail wine, killer value - Napa drinkers should back the truck up.

Jan 27th, 2020
John Van Trijp

Magnum

Magnum

Apr 23rd, 2023
Thijs Hendriks

Magnum

Magnum

Apr 23rd, 2023
John Van Trijp

Magnum

Magnum

Oct 31st, 2021
Rob Scalia

Bold, spicy notes, smooth. 92 JS score well priced

Bold, spicy notes, smooth. 92 JS score well priced

Feb 7th, 2021
Manj Gunawardane

Dark fruit, chocolate and med tannings. Pretty approachable at this stage and plenty more to show after a couple of days. Nothing too elegant or complex but enough depth and tastiness to justify the price!

Dark fruit, chocolate and med tannings. Pretty approachable at this stage and plenty more to show after a couple of days. Nothing too elegant or complex but enough depth and tastiness to justify the price!

Apr 8th, 2020
Adam Gäfvert

Mycket ung än. Frisk vild syra nu och ganska extraherad. Behöver ganska många år till.

Mycket ung än. Frisk vild syra nu och ganska extraherad. Behöver ganska många år till.

Mar 13th, 2020
Scott Cowan

Best QPR in forever: $15 at The Wine Club. This Fronsac’s 10% Cabernet franc punches FAR above its weight class and holds together the juicy exuberance of the 90% merlot that wants to run in many directions at once: dark red blackberries just beginning to dry on the vine in late autumn... plus a tiny bit of the bushes’ brambles left in the mix during crush... a brand new Brooks leather saddle... Whiff of 5-30 weight motor oil from the garage down the block but only when the wind blows by... promises more layers in coming years. This 2016 opened up over three days, corked, as I drank it down; at the end (third day,,one hour in the bowl of the glass) it had begun to develop and lengthen a promising finish. If that continues, I’ll give this wine a straight-up 9.5 regardless of price!! Right now: 9.1 for that QPR plus just plain deliciousness at an everyday price.

Best QPR in forever: $15 at The Wine Club. This Fronsac’s 10% Cabernet franc punches FAR above its weight class and holds together the juicy exuberance of the 90% merlot that wants to run in many directions at once: dark red blackberries just beginning to dry on the vine in late autumn... plus a tiny bit of the bushes’ brambles left in the mix during crush... a brand new Brooks leather saddle... Whiff of 5-30 weight motor oil from the garage down the block but only when the wind blows by... promises more layers in coming years. This 2016 opened up over three days, corked, as I drank it down; at the end (third day,,one hour in the bowl of the glass) it had begun to develop and lengthen a promising finish. If that continues, I’ll give this wine a straight-up 9.5 regardless of price!! Right now: 9.1 for that QPR plus just plain deliciousness at an everyday price.

Oct 30th, 2019