Unique, unmissable wines
The high proportion of Négrette forms the backbone of the Fronton wines, but our winemakers add a little of their own personality, using the wine to display their winemaking skills. Fronton wines are never coarse or dreary; these are joyful, colourful wines, with a distinctive flavour profile and structured, velvety tannins.
Reds
These are wines made to be enjoyed young. They are packed with fruit (blackcurrant and blackberry), florals (peony and violet) and spices (liquorice and pepper).
Best served at 14-15°, they make a perfect match for grilled or roasted meats and soft cheeses.
Wines with a good aging potential are richer, fuller and more structured; they display additional hints of leather and subtle gamey flavours. These are best at 16-17°, served with a confit of duck, cassoulet, red meats in sauce and game.
Rosés
The supple, fruity Négrette varietal is perfect for making rosés; in fact 30% of Fronton’s total grape production goes to make rosé wines.
Fronton’s rosés are intensely aromatic, have unusually good length and a delightfully full body. Some are aged on their lees to give greater complexity of flavour. They are best served chilled, at 8-10° and go well with cold meats, world cuisine, pickled vegetables and grilled fish.
Vines at the heart of the Toulouse region
Since the Middle Ages, the Toulouse region has been seen as a magical place where life is good, nature is bountiful and no-one wants for anything. It was once the choice of the noble knights from centuries ago, Fronton is now the wine enjoyed by the people of Toulouse.
The area’s 2,400 hectares of vineyard are planted within a 20 km radius of the Toulouse suburbs on one side and Montauban on the other. The area is shaped roughly like a rugby ball – a token nod towards this land of rugby fans!
As you leave Toulouse, you will notice vines growing on the right bank, on broad terraces between the Garonne and the Tarn. Summers here are hot and dry, and the soil is generally poor and gravelly, with a high iron and quartz content. This gives the local wines their distinctive texture and flavours.
Négrette - a world exclusive
Négrette grapes have long been used in Fronton to produce a full-flavoured, well-structured wine. Perhaps due to its reputation for being rather unpredictable, Négrette has been all but abandoned outside this region.
But the winegrowers of Fronton are not quitters – their unstinting determination has brought out the beauty of this traditional varietal which grows so well in this terroir. Négrette is the main varietal used for Fronton AOC wines, available only as red or rosé. Regulations state that Négrette must be the major component of the blend, with a minimum content of 40%. 100% Négrette wines are also available. They tend to be fruity and elegant, displaying flavours of Parma violets, blackcurrants, blackberries, raspberries and liquorice, with peppery overtones. It is, however, frequently blended with Syrah which has a similar flavour profile, Cabernet Franc or Cabernet Sauvignon.
