The Bardet family have been growing grapes and making wine in Saint-Émilion since 1704. In the 19th century, they bought Château Pontet-Fumet, a 14-hectare vineyard with 35-year-old vines. Roger Bardet produced the first vintage of estate bottled Château Pontet-Fumet in 1962.
The soil is rich in sandy clay and gravelly pebbles, forming a great environment that leads to the production of a harmonious wine with refined power after following a unique berry selection and gentle maceration. The vineyard is planted to 81% Merlot, 17% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Cabernet Sauvignon.
Château Pontet-Fumet uses two sorting machines which select only the smaller berries in order to keep yields low. The wines then ferment in stainless steel under temperature control before aging in French oak barriques, of which half are new and half second-use. With a production of 78,000 bottles per year, the wines are elegant and balanced, with a mineral character and complexity due to the stony soils.