Lis cet article en français : Notre soirée fin de vendanges au Château Fonroque.
On the evening of Thursday 17 September 2026, Château Fonroque, Grand Cru Classé of Saint-Émilion, opened the gates of its park for an end-of-harvest evening. A relaxed appointment from 6 pm to 11 pm, DJ set by Mimoon on the decks, close-up magic with Dorian, brazero lit, platters of charcuterie, cheese and veggie options, glass of Fonroque in hand. Part of the Bordeaux Confidentiel team was on site, and we take you through what this first edition really delivered.
An end-of-harvest evening in the heart of the park
The estate's idea was simple: celebrate the end of harvest, extend the summer vibes and drop the wall that sometimes stands between a Grand Cru Classé and those who love its wines. The park was designed like an open-air lounge, with several gathering points, a brazero as the centre of gravity and a wine tasting open throughout the evening. The platters, sourced from regional artisans, played their part without overdoing it: charcuterie, cheese, veggie alternatives, everything you need to keep the pace.
The tone was set right at the entrance: festive, relaxed, without the protocol that sometimes comes with the world of Grands Crus. You came for a glass, to listen, to talk, to discover the estate in a different way. The format holds up because Fonroque fully commits to it, with real staging work on the park.
Mimoon on the decks
Second good news of the evening. DJ and co-founder of the System Sol collective, Mimoon builds a universe infused with house music, with soulful grooves and aesthetics of multiple influences. She lives between Paris and Montpellier, and each city has left its mark: the underground scene and clubs of the capital on one side, the solar influences of the Mediterranean south on the other.
Result, a set that carried the evening without ever forcing it, with that build-up in energy you recognise in artists who know how to read a floor. In the park, with the foliage and the vines in the background, house music takes on a particular colour. A real invitation to travel, to borrow her own words, and a programming choice that did a lot for the atmosphere.
Dorian, table-to-table magician and mentalist
Another good surprise of the evening: the presence of Dorian, a magician and mentalist based in Agen, who tours across South-West France and Occitanie. He moved from group to group, deck of cards in hand, a few objects borrowed from the guests, and that very natural way of joining a conversation without ever interrupting it. Short format, intimate format, exactly what this kind of evening calls for.
What we liked was the cursor: no show, no gimmick, just effects calibrated for a circle of three or four people, with the mentalism part that leaves the audience wondering for a long time how he did it. He worked the room for several hours, without ever giving the impression of repeating the same trick, and he clearly contributed to the dynamic of the evening. A discreet and effective addition for any private event, if the topic is on your radar.
Our evening, from the team's side
What we take away: balance. A classified estate that does not take itself too seriously for a night, a DJ set that holds the length without breaking the conversation, a magician who moves around without forcing it, a brazero that becomes the natural rallying point, and glasses of Fonroque served in the right conditions. We really liked the fluidity of the path through the park, the simplicity of the €15 glass-included formula, and that rare feeling of discovering a Grand Cru in living-room mode.
A very mixed crowd played along: wine lovers, Saint-Émilion neighbours, curious visitors from the Bordeaux metro area who made the drive. We ran into people until late, and left with the feeling of a rendezvous that deserves to come back every year. If the estate does it again, we will let you know.
Château Fonroque, a Grand Cru Classé with commitment
Owned by the Guillard family since 2017, Château Fonroque keeps a daily, intimate link with nature. A grounded place, charged with history and energy, committed for more than 20 years to organic farming and biodynamics. The estate defends an authentic know-how, turned toward the next generations, with the idea that vineyard and cellar are first and foremost a matter of living systems.
On the wines, we are on Saint-Émilion that are delicate and harmonious, with a naturally generous freshness. Ready to drink for some, built for cellaring for others, recognised for their finesse, they place Fonroque in the ranking of Grands Crus Classés of Saint-Émilion since 1955. This direct link with wine lovers, through an evening like this one, sits within a clear intent of the estate: open the doors, share, transmit.
Château Fonroque, Grand Cru Classé of Saint-Émilion
Event: end-of-harvest evening, Thursday 17 September 2026, 6 pm-11 pm
Price: €15 per person, one glass included
Booking: visites@chateaufonroque.com
Venue: Château Fonroque, 33330 Saint-Émilion
Artists on the night: DJ set Mimoon (System Sol), magic and mentalism Dorian (Agen, South-West, Occitanie)
Commitment: organic and biodynamic farming for over 20 years, Grand Cru Classé since 1955
Please drink in moderation. Alcohol abuse is dangerous for your health.
