Château La Vieille Cure
is a well-regarded Bordeaux wine estate in the northeastern Fronsac appellation. Its grand vin and second wines are made principally from Merlot, blended with Cabernet Franc and small amounts of Cabernet Sauvignon.
The château itself dates back to the 18th Century and features on a prominent map of the region made in 1780. Wine production on the property has an even longer history with 17th Century parish records mentioning vineyards there.
The estate took its modern form when it was bought by Americans Peter Sachs and Colin Ferenbach in 1986. The duo built a new winery, replanted vines and enacted extensive renovations.
At this time La Vieille Cure also stopped selling a portion of its wine in bulk (to be sold under or blended into other labels) and began exclusively estate bottling. The wine went from being primarily sold regionally in Fronsac, to distribution in more than 25 countries.
The vineyard covers 20 hectares (50 acres) and, uncommonly for Bordeaux, is a single large plot. It is planted on a limestone plateau above the Dordogne river near Libourne.
The landscape includes southwest exposed hills of chalk and clay sub-soils. The grapes are destemmed and hand-sorted, with maceration and fermentation lasting three to four weeks in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks. Malolactic fermentation takes place in barrel.
