Château Nénin

History of Château Nénin

Château Nénin has a rich family history, intimately linked to the evolution of Pomerol. In 1847, the Despujol family took possession of the estate, which would remain in their hands for nearly 150 years. It was in 1997, on the eve of the harvest, that Jean-Hubert Delon, owner of the illustrious châteaux Léoville Las Cases in Saint-Julien and Potensac in the Médoc, acquired Château Nénin. This acquisition is part of a logic of family continuity, as the Despujols are cousins of the Delon family.

From the moment of the acquisition, Jean-Hubert Delon undertook a vast restructuring of the property. The vineyards were redesigned, some vines were uprooted, others replanted. Improvement works were carried out to modernize the vat house, the cellars, and the infrastructure, in order to optimize the winemaking and aging of the wines. In 1999, the estate expanded further with the purchase of part of Château Certan Giraud, thereby reinforcing Château Nénin's standing within the Pomerol appellation.

Today, Château Nénin is an estate that combines a heritage of several centuries of history with a modern ambition: to produce Pomerol wines that rival the very greatest. The estate is managed by Jean-Hubert Delon, who continues to improve the quality and refinement of the wines.

Terroirs and Vineyards of Château Nénin

The Pomerol terroir is one of the most prestigious in Bordeaux, renowned for its ability to produce wines of exceptional complexity and finesse. The Château Nénin vineyard extends over 32 hectares in a single block, with the exception of one small plot. Of these lands, only 8 hectares, located on the finest clay-gravel soils of the Pomerol plateau, are used for the production of the Fine Wine. The remaining plots, slightly lower in elevation, are dedicated to the production of the second wine, Fugue de Nénin.

The soils of Pomerol are renowned for their diversity, and Château Nénin is a perfect example of this. Here one finds clays and siliceous gravels, quartz, granites, and iron deposits (crasse de fer), all essential elements that give the wines of this region their richness and depth. This diversity of soils allows the estate to cultivate vines that express themselves with elegance and complexity.

The estate's grape varieties consist predominantly of Merlot (70%) and Cabernet Franc (30%), although some old Merlot plots are over 100 years old. This significant proportion of Cabernet Franc is one of the distinguishing features of Château Nénin, lending the wines a unique freshness, distinction, and structure. The average age of the vines is approximately 27 years, and the planting density is between 6,300 and 7,100 vines per hectare, ensuring optimal concentration of the grapes.

Winemaking at Château Nénin

At Château Nénin, winemaking is a subtle alchemy between tradition and innovation. Production relies on meticulous attention to every stage, from harvest to aging, in order to preserve the purity and authenticity of the grapes. The harvests are carried out by hand, to ensure the optimal quality of the bunches.

Fermentations take place in thermoregulated stainless steel tanks of varying sizes (between 70 and 160 hectoliters). This choice of tanks allows for perfect control of fermentation temperatures, in order to best extract the aromas and structure of the grapes. The Fine Wine is then aged in French oak barrels, approximately 30% of which are new, for an average period of 18 months. 

A distinctive feature of Château Nénin is the integration of 5% of production in TAVA amphorae for recent vintages, enabling a different form of micro-oxygenation and encouraging the expression of fruit. This method is used as a complement to traditional barrel aging, and contributes to the final complexity of the wine.

In recent years, the aging process has been optimized, with an increasingly rigorous selection of the lots destined for the Fine Wine, which explains the notable improvement in the quality of vintages since 2015. The expertise of the internationally renowned consulting oenologist Éric Boissenot is also a major asset for the estate.

The cuvées of Château Nénin

Château Nénin produces two major cuvées, each representing a different facet of the terroir and the expertise of the Delon family.

Château Nénin - Fine Wine

The Fine Wine of Château Nénin comes from the estate's finest plots, located on the clay-gravel plateau of Pomerol. This wine is characterized by its firm structure, its aromatic complexity, and its exceptional aging potential. Composed predominantly of Merlot, with a significant proportion of Cabernet Franc (up to 37% in certain vintages), Château Nénin combines power, elegance, and balance. It is distinguished by notes of dark fruits, spices, and a distinctive minerality, inherited from its terroir rich in iron deposits.

Château Nénin is a quintessential age-worthy wine that requires time to express its full potential. The finest vintages of recent years (2018, 2020) are recognized for their finesse and intensity, offering long and harmonious finishes.

Fugue de Nénin - Second Wine

Fugue de Nénin, created in 1997, is the estate's second wine, made from younger vines and plots located below the plateau. This wine is the more accessible and charming expression of the Pomerol terroir. Round and silky, it can be enjoyed more quickly than the Fine Wine, while still retaining characteristics reminiscent of its elder. 

The name Fugue is a reference to the musical world, evoking a repetition of the main theme (the Fine Wine), with a lighter and more entertaining interpretation. Fugue de Nénin stands out for its immediate charm, its fruity aromas, and its supple tannins, making it an ideal wine to enjoy in its youth.

Pomerol, one of the most prestigious appellations in Bordeaux, has produced some of the finest wines over the decades. The most remarkable vintages include 1970, 1975, 1982, 1983, 1989, and 1990, recognized for their complexity and longevity. Other exceptional years such as 1995, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009 and 2010 continue to delight lovers of great wines. More recently, the vintages 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020 have confirmed Pomerol's ability to produce wines of exceptional quality, further consolidating the reputation of this appellation among the greatest of Bordeaux.

Discover the other great châteaux of Pomerol, true treasures of the Right Bank, where every estate rivals in excellence. Beyond the legendary Pétrus, explore prestigious names such as Beauregard, Bon Pasteur, Clinet, Gazin, Haut Trochaud, L'Eglise Clinet, La Conseillante, La Fleur Pétrus, Lafleur, Le Pin, Latour à Pomerol, Nénin, Trotanoy, or Vieux Château Certan. These estates, often compared to the grands crus classés of Saint-Émilion, offer a unique experience, rich in finesse and character, that is sure to delight lovers of great wines. 

Château Nénin is an essential reference in the Pomerol appellation, combining family tradition with the pursuit of excellence. Thanks to the substantial investments made by the Delon family and the meticulous attention paid to every stage of production, the wines of Château Nénin are today among the most refined in Pomerol. Whether it is the Fine Wine, powerful and complex, or Fugue de Nénin, lighter and more accessible, each cuvée reflects the estate's exceptional expertise and the richness of its terroir. In short, Château Nénin is an invitation to discover one of the finest expressions of the Bordeaux vineyard, with wines capable of captivating both lovers of great crus and the most discerning connoisseurs.