Fieuzal is a place to grow and to grow oneself. Each vine is only a modest part of an extraordinary natural world in which we respectfully assume our role, with smells, sights and sounds at every corner.
From the chickens that delight us with new life to the vegetables on our plates; the bees that make our honey and the trees that offer us a moment’s shade – we share the land with flora and fauna that preserve the balance and diversity essential for inspiration and our continued existence.
If there’s a seemingly magical force that holds Fieuzal together, it comes from the family in which we all belong. From the moment we step inside we know where we are, who we are, and why we are here. Brenda and Lochlann Quinn, Irish family owners who fell in love with Fieuzal in 2001, give us an identity that is inseparable from our duty – the Fieuzal of this generation is free to enjoy creating the Fieuzal of the next – with their support, guidance and encouragement.
Fieuzal’s respect for its land goes back over 400 years to when it was harvested by a handful of modest wine growers. As the terroir gained reputation, it received the name ‘Fieuzal’ in 1864, after ‘Lovely Fieuzal’, the last descendent of the Fieuzal family. Fieuzal’s legendary 1893 vintage sat on the table of Pope Léon XIII in the Vatican and its red became Grand Cru Classé in 1959 - now recognised as one of the finest Grand Crus of Bordeaux.
Each of the 5 families to steer Fieuzal’s course has added a touch of their personality on a heritage that is very much alive.
As we tread the earth beneath our feet, it can be hard to imagine that something with so much finesse and complexity can be born out of the ground. But yet these modest gravel stones that give the ‘Graves’ appellation its name, together with the sand that flows between, infuse the roots of our vines with rich minerals whilst having a remarkable power to retain freshness.
Protected by 30 hectares of forest and vast stretches of hedgerow, Fieuzal’s vineyard is a diverse world of its own and a treasure that it holds naturally close to its chest. 74 individual plots of 6 grape varieties are each like individual jewels that reflect the light in a different way – their rare characteristics a delight when they are picked by hand and assembled together.
