Château de Fieuzal is a leading Pessac-Léognan estate on deep Garonne gravels threaded with sand and clay, a terroir that ripens Cabernet cleanly while preserving the appellation’s hallmark smoke, graphite and freshness. The property’s modern era has focused on parcel mapping, gentle extractions and a measured hand with oak, bringing clarity and consistency to both red and white wines. The vineyards are planted chiefly to Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot with small shares of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot; the white parcels centre on Sauvignon Blanc with Sémillon for texture and breadth.
Viticulture is parcel-by-parcel: low yields, careful canopy work to protect perfume, and hand harvesting keyed to flavour maturity rather than sugar. In the cellar, each lot is vinified separately for definition. Reds ferment in temperature-controlled vats with restrained extraction, then mature in French oak used as a frame, not a flavour stamp; the style is sleek and classical—cassis, dark cherry and violet over cedar, graphite and a cool, gravelly line, with long-grained tannins and a savoury, dry finish. Warmer years bring a velvety mid-palate; cooler seasons emphasise florals and mineral cut.
The dry white is a house strength. Picked early for tension, pressed gently and raised on fine lees (a proportion in barrel, new oak used judiciously), it shows citrus oil, white peach and fennel/anise over a saline, smoke-tinged finish—textured yet brisk, built for the table rather than overt oak.
Cellaring is rewarding without demanding decades. The red grand vin usually opens from 5–7 years after harvest and can evolve gracefully for 12–18 in strong vintages, gaining cedar, tobacco and sweet-earth complexity while the gravel-etched line stays clear. The white drinks beautifully on release and over 3–6 years, developing hazelnut and flint while retaining Pessac-Léognan freshness. For anyone searching “de Fieuzal Pessac-Léognan,” expect polished Graves character: Cabernet spine, lifted aromatics, and a dry, mineral finish, mirrored by a crisp, quietly layered white.
