Thursday, September 8, 2011

Fayat-Thunevin

On the site of Mark Squire, I read a conversation between my friend Jörgen Lindström, Alan Chan, Neal Martin, and some explanation about Fayat-Thunevin seems necessary, which only produced three vintages 2006, 2007 and 2008.
Here’s a bit of clarification on all the names that are similar and blend together.

Murielle and I always dreamed of having a few vines in Pomerol.
In 2006, a real estate agent offered me to buy Vieux Chateau Bourgneuf, a 4 hectare (9.88 acres) property in Pomerol, located 100 meters (109 yards) from Trotanoy, right next to Bourgneuf Vayron. The lot included 6 hectare (14.8 acres) in Lalande de Pomerol and 20 hectares (49.4 acres) in Bordeaux (Lalande de Fronsac).

I didn’t not have the financial ability to purchase the property by myself: Pomerol is expensive. At that time, I was in charge of the vineyards of Mr. Clément Fayat, French industrialist, and I offered him to help me buy 50% of the lot. The property in Bordeaux was bought by my daughter and became Domaine Virginie Thunevin. The property in Pomerol did not have a good reputation so I convinced Mr. Fayat to call it Domaine Fayat-Thunevin, two rather well-known names here in Bordeaux!

In the same year, I was able to buy, this time, on our own with Murielle, a 2 hectare (4.94 acre) property in Pomerol near Clos René, called Chateau Ratouin, which previously had this magic name “L’Angelus à Pomerol”. Again I changed the name and called this wine Clos du Beau Père. The hectare in Lalande de Pomerol retained its original name Domaine des Sabines.

So there is indeed a Pomerol and Lalande de Pomerol called Fayat Thunevin in 2006-2007 and 2008. 3 years later, we split with Mr. Fayat the property called Fayat-Thunevin. My half increased the vineyards of Clos du Beau Père and Domaine des Sabines.

The other half completed Chateau Commanderie de Mazeyres in 2009, which also changed its name to simplify the notoriety of the three crus Commanderie de Mazeyres, Prieurs de la Commanderie and Fayat-Thunevin. So, the whole lot of Mr. Fayat in Pomerol has been renamed Château Fayat.
So, you see how simple it is when you know.

2 comments:

Jörgen Lindström said...

Brilliant! And very simple once fact are revealed...

Anonymous said...

hope I did not waste money buying a case of Fayat 2009 ,ook a chance as I thought you were involved .