Château Fombrauge 2019

A dense, dark and powerful wine with plenty of attractive fruit, underlined by some oak derived smoke and spice notes, structured with good polish and gloss, nice purity of fruit and a long meaty finish.

The 2019 Fombrauge is a blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc. Medium to deep garnet-purple in color, it wafts out with fragrant notes of potpourri, underbrush, and Chinese five spice with a core of kirsch and blackberry pie. The full-bodied palate delivers generous, mouth-coating black fruits with a plush texture and great length.

The nose is fruity, with power, a fine texture and a peppery edge. It reveals notes of blackcurrant, boysenberry and, more lightly, wild strawberry, alongside touches of juicy, fleshy small berries, cubeb pepper, liquorice, as well as hints of toast/coffee and a subtle touch of roasted hazelnut. The palate is fruity and balanced, offering a fine, tangy framework, juiciness, tension and generosity, a refined guideline, racy minerality and some richness. On the palate, the wine shows notes of fleshy blackcurrant, blackberry and, more lightly, raspberry, with touches of violet plum, blueberry, lily, small blue fruits, as well as hints of zan, sweet blond tobacco, nutmeg and a very discreet touch of black tea. Good length.

[ 2019 En Primeur Scores: 91-92 ] Juicy and deep, with ageing suited to the vintage and a broad, promising finish.

Attractive élevage character, very well cared for, with fruity accents as well; on the palate, the noticeable alcohol is cleverly balanced by fine-grained tannins and a perceptible acidity that provides length; the finish recalls stewed cherries and dark chocolate. Very charming and well made. Better not to let it age too long and not to serve it too warm.

The 2019 Fombrauge exhibits rich aromas of cherries, dark chocolate, plum preserve, licorice and new oak, followed by a full-bodied, rich and fleshy palate that's soft and fleshy, with a sweet core of fruit, ripe acids and rich, powdery tannins. This is a generous, front-loaded Saint-Émilion from Bernard Magrez.

This rolls through with a cashmere grace, offering cassis, steeped plum and blackberry purée flavors infused with black tea and incense notes. A late alder thread keeps this nicely grounded. Suave. Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2023 through 2035. 23,000 cases made.

Full, rich and ripe nose. This is heady with great drive and definition, a full, bold style with tannins and mouth-watering acidity taking the fore right now, leaving some astringency on the palate still. There is generous and ripe fruit – cherries, figs, blackcurrants – underneath the tannins, and a lovely fresh mint tone as well as liquorice, but it needs at least a few years to soften and integrate. The length is impressive and overall it’s well structured, suggesting a long life ahead.

Lots of intense blackberries, dark chocolate, toasted oak and black olives follow through to a full-bodied palate with layers of pretty fruit and plush tannins. Yet, it shows tension and focus. Richer style for 2019, but I like its lavish character. Needs four or five years to come together even more. Try after 2026.

The 2019 Fombrauge is one of the best wines I have tasted from this property in some time. It shows all the richness that is typical of Bernard Magrez's style but with less heaviness and a good deal of aromatic presence that helps balance things out. Sweet dark cherry, chocolate, leather, licorice and mocha build into the resonant, super-expressive finish. The 2019 is a classy Fombrauge.

Deeply colored, with little effort you find roses, chocolate, licorice, smoke, espresso, cherries and black plums. Lush, round, soft and polished, there is freshness and length in the fruit-packed, chewy finish. The wine blends 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc.

Deep ruby, purple reflections, subtle ochre rim. Delicate notes of cherries, a hint of candied orange zest, subtle wood spice, fine bouquet. Full-bodied, elegant, sweet ripe cherries, silky tannins, very well balanced, mineral and persistent, fine sweetness on the finish, already accessible and with ageing potential.

Purple with a dense core. Opulent bouquet of stewed dark cherries, violets and chocolate truffles, with licorice and Brazilian tobacco in the background. On the powerful palate, silky in texture with a powdery extract, a dense bundle of muscle with a tightly knit tannic frame. The focused, slightly drying finish shows crushed wild cherries and sloe juice. As always, not a charmer, but driven by wild, untamed power.

Kunz barrel sample 2020: opulent, fruity, broad bouquet—blackberry jelly, cherries, mocha, chocolate, noble woods. Fruity, broad, powerful palate with sweet fruit, fine-sandy tannins, powerful sweet aromatics, opulent structure, long, lavish finish. Can still improve.

Opulent, fruity, broad bouquet: blackberry jelly, cherries, mocha, chocolate, fine woods. Fruity, broad, powerful palate with sweet fruit, finely sandy tannins, powerful sweet aromatics, opulent structure, long, lavish finish. Can still improve. 17/20 2025 - 2045

Touch of reduction on the nose, clear effort to keep the fruits to the fore, raspberry, red cherry and blueberry. This is good quality and vibrant, more pared down than in older vintages of Fombrauge, definite edges of flint and smoke, still big shouldered and muscular. Tasted twice.

On the nose, notes of redcurrant and blackberry that then evolve toward something more chocolaty. On the palate, a certain austerity, pronounced tannins, oak still very present, but also a certain opulence that deserves to be given time.

While clearly showing its maturation, with notes of toasted bread and coffee, this wine’s bouquet reveals black-berry notes along with a mineral touch. On the palate, the wine combines charm, density and freshness. A conciliatory, forward-building wine that shows the chosen path opens up very fine prospects.

Dark color, with good intensity. Moderately aromatic nose, with ripe, creamy fruit and a slight touch of oak. A round palate throughout, fruity, with a firmer note on the finish. Medium length.

93–95. Barrel Sample. While this wine is tightly structured, it also has plenty of generous black fruits that give succulent ripeness. The wine should certainly age well.