Château Fontbonne currently covers 30 hectares of vines. These 30 ha are scattered in 3 islets within a 15km radius. These are located in the communes of Faleyras and Blésignac, which are grouped around the Château, then Ruch and finally Blasimon. This is a real asset for the estate. We have a diversity of terroirs, which enables us to manage our grape varieties in the best possible way. What's more, it's a real asset in the face of climatic hazards such as frost, hail or storms.
Our soils are essentially clay-limestone and clay-silt. On the Ruch side, the rocks are close to the surface, so our soils are warmer. At Blasimon, we find white earth at the surface, but deeper down, it's a clay-loam soil. Whereas in Faleyras and Blésignac, the soils are clay-limestone, with some croups where the limestone is closer to the surface. This is why we chose to plant Merlot at Ruch and Blasimon. In Faleyras, depending on the soil, we planted Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. We also produce white wines with Sauvignon Blanc from Blasimon and Faleyras, and Semillon from Blésignac. For all our wines, this diversity of soils and terroirs is a richness that adds complexity to our products.
Practically the entire estate is bordered by woodland, which is very important for biodiversity. We use traditional methods of viticulture and apply rational treatments, which are essential to ensure the long-term survival of the vineyard in the face of vine diseases. For more than 10 years now, we have not been using chemical weed-killers, only mechanical ones. We work in collaboration with nature, and it's important for us to preserve it in our choice of cultivation methods.
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