Sebastien Gaucher

Before I describe Sebastien Gaucher’s wines, I need to tell the story of how I found the wines and my cousin. 

MEN ARE NEVER LOST (WHEN DRIVING)

I had traced my family name to a small village in the Cognac region. In June 1995 I decided to visit the village to see if any Gauchers still lived there.  Needless to say, after 300 years, there were no Gauchers, even in the cemetery!  I asked my wife if she had a preference, would she like to go to the city of Cognac or Bordeaux.  She left the decision up to me.  I decided to visit Bordeaux.

Leaving my ancestral village and using my keen sense of direction I started for the city of Bordeaux.  After about an hour and a half my wife asked me if I knew where I was going. What a silly question. I knew I was in the Bordeaux area, but the city of Bordeaux was still eluding me.  And the next question from her was one all men dread when traveling.  “Should I look at the map?”  I was about to dismiss this stupid question when, there looming in front of me, was a billboard with large lettering:  Chateau St. Bernard Canon-Fronsac Jean Gaucher Proprietor.  I almost drove off the road!  A relative that owns a vineyard  in Bordeaux. I had visions of a large estate with a grand chateau with incredible wines.  I cancelled the plans to visit the city and we spent the next hour driving the small roads of St Michel de Fronsac looking for the grand Chateau St. Bernard.  Within an hour we were back at the billboard looking to see if there was more information about where the Chateau was located.  No other information was on the billboard so I decided to ask the people who lived in a small house next to the road where the billboard was located. I knocked on the door and it was answered by a friendly man who spoke no English.  I asked in my best French,” Boujour Monsieur, Chateau St. Bernard?”  The answer was, “Isi”  No grand Chateau, just a small house by the side of the road with friendly people who make outstanding wines. The person who greeted me that day was Jean Gaucher, Sebastien’s grandfather. He was the mayor of St. Michel de Fronsac for more than 30 years and produced two wines, a Canon Fronsac from a ½ acre plot next to the house and a Bordeaux Superieur with a production of about 3000 cases.  Befor his passing in 2004, Sebastien began making wines with him. Today, Sebastien has expanded the holdings and makes the following wines.

CHATEAU ST BERNARD BORDEAUX                        
 SUPERIEUR

3 .5 HECTARS
29000 BOTTLES
90% MERLOT
10% CABERNET SAUVIGNON
TANK, NO OAK

CHATEAU STEVAL FRONSAC

2 HECTARS
11000 BOTTLES
75% MERLOT
25% CABERNET SAUVIGNON
1/3 NEW OAK
1/3 1 YEAR OAK
1/3 2 YEAR OAK

CHATEAU DE LARIVEAU CANON FRONSAC

8 HECTARS
60000 BOTTLES
90% MERLOT
10% CABERNET SAUVIGNON
TANK

CHATEAU ST BERNARD CANON FRONSAC

.26 HECTARS
2100 BOTTLES
100% MERLOT
           ½ NEW OAK  ½ 1 YEAR OLD OAK

Sebastien has received recognition for his wines in the French Press and has received outstanding reviews in the “French Wine Bible”, Guide Hachette.