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 acquisition, Jean-Hubert Delon undertook a vast restructuring of the property. The vines were redesigned, some were uprooted, others replanted. Improvement works were carried out to modernize the vat room, cellars, and infrastructure, in order to optimize vinification and wine aging. In 1999, the estate expanded further with the purchase of part of Château Certan Giraud, thus reinforcing the importance of Château Nénin within the Pomerol appellation.

Today, Château Nénin is an estate that combines the heritage of several centuries of history with a modern ambition: to produce Pomerol wines that rival the 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 terroir of Pomerol is one of the most prestigious in Bordeaux, renowned for its capacity to produce wines of exceptional complexity and finesse. The vineyard of Château Nénin extends over 32 hectares in a single block, with the exception of a small parcel. Among these lands, only 8 hectares, located on the best clay-gravel soils of the Pomerol plateau, are used for the production of the Grand Vin. The other parcels, slightly below, are intended for 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. There are clay and siliceous gravels, quartz, granites, and iron deposits (crasse de fer), essential elements for giving 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 variety composition is predominantly Merlot (70%) and Cabernet Franc (30%), although some old Merlot parcels exceed 100 years of age. This significant proportion of Cabernet Franc is one of Château Nénin's distinctive features, giving the wines unique freshness, distinction, and structure. The average age of the vines is approximately 27 years, and the planting density is 6,300 to 7,100 vines per hectare, ensuring optimal grape concentration.

Vinifications at Château Nénin

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

Fermentations take place in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks of varying sizes (between 70 and 160 hectoliters). This choice of tanks allows perfect control of fermentation temperatures, in order to best extract the aromas and structure from the grapes. The aging of the Grand Vin then takes place in French oak barrels, approximately 30% of which are new, for an average duration of 18 months. 

A distinctive feature of Château Nénin is the integration of 5% of production in TAVA amphorae for recent vintages, allowing different micro-oxygenation and promoting fruit expression. This method is used in 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 lots destined for the Grand Vin, which explains the notable improvement in the quality of vintages since 2015. The expertise of consulting oenologist Éric Boissenot, recognized worldwide, is also an asset for the estate.

The Château Nénin Vintages

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

Château Nénin - Grand Vin

The Grand Vin of Château Nénin comes from the best parcels of the estate, located on the clay-gravel plateau of Pomerol. This wine is characterized by its firm structure, aromatic complexity, and exceptional aging potential. Composed primarily 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 black fruits, spices, and a distinctive minerality, inherited from its terroir rich in crasse de fer.

Château Nénin is an aging wine par excellence, which requires time to express its full potential. The best 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, produced from younger vines and parcels located below the plateau. This wine is a more accessible and charming expression of the Pomerol terroir. Round and silky, it can be enjoyed more quickly than the Grand Vin, while retaining characteristics reminiscent of its elder sibling. 

The name Fugue refers to the musical universe, evoking a repetition of the main theme (the Grand Vin), with a lighter and more entertaining interpretation. Fugue de Nénin is distinguished by 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 fine wine enthusiasts. More recently, the vintages 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020 have confirmed Pomerol's ability to offer wines of exceptional quality, thus consolidating this appellation's reputation among the greatest in Bordeaux.

Discover the other great châteaux of Pomerol, true treasures of the Right Bank, where each estate rivals in excellence. Beyond the mythical 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 will delight fine wine enthusiasts.

Château Nénin is an essential reference in the Pomerol appellation, combining family tradition and the quest for excellence. Thanks to the massive investments made by the Delon family and meticulous attention given to every stage of production, Château Nénin wines are today among the most refined in Pomerol. Whether it is the Grand Vin, powerful and complex, or Fugue de Nénin, lighter and more accessible, each vintage reflects the exceptional expertise of the estate 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 seducing both grand cru enthusiasts and the most discerning connoisseurs.