Château Fourcas Hosten 2019

Lovely floral elements of wild flowers, blackberry fruit and sweet chocolate scents on the nose. Smooth and supple, clean and focused, showing lovely purity and clarity straight away with nicely balancing acidity. Almost lean in the sleekness of the tannins—focused and straight—but the fruit is cool, fresh and gently chewy, with more blueberry tones than dark fruit and lots of wet-stone minerality that lends splashes of saltiness to the overall expression. Almost delicate in texture, less plush than the 2018s, but it carries its power excellently—well presented, well made and with lots to enjoy. Plenty of finesse on show and more nuance with less sun. Successful and good to drink now and to age further. Since 2010 the 50-hectare vineyard has undergone extensive replanting, with Merlot (48% of the blend) concentrated on the clay-limestone Listrac plain and Cabernet Sauvignon (50%), Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc (both 1%) on the stony Pyrenean gravels that make up the Fourcas plateau. Aged 12 months in French oak: 43% new, 28% one year old, 29% two years old.

Very pretty plum, light spice and dried-flower character on the nose, following through to a medium body with creamy and refined tannins. Bright acidity at the end. This only needs a few years to come together and deliver a beautiful glass. Try after 2023.

The 2019 Fourcas Hosten offers plenty of juicy, ripe red-berry fruit on the nose, which is more forward than the 2019 Clarke. Red plum and mulberry develop with air, along with a touch of black currant pastilles and even a light confit note. The palate is medium-bodied with a grippy entry, a slightly granular texture and a fine thread of acidity, though at the moment it feels a little hemmed in on the finish. I suspect this may close down in bottle, but it has the substance to age well. Also, at 13.3% on the label, this is one of the lower-alcohol Left Bank wines.

Crème de cassis, cedar, and espresso with a hint of bay leaf hit your nose. On the palate, the wine is bright, fresh, and crisp, with plenty of peppery red currants on the mid-palate and in the chewy, savory, fruit-filled finish. Give it a year or two and it should really start showing well. Drink from 2024–2035.

Inky dark purple colour and hue. Pure and intense aromas with some stony notes, ripe cherry, cassis and fine oak underneath. Dense and structured, still youthful but well-assembled with ripe and refreshing tannin, crunchy dark fruit flavours and a long, vigorous finish.

The 2019 Château Fourcas Hosten is charming, with straightforward red and black fruits, medium body, some firm tannins, and a good finish. Drink this bistro-styled effort over the coming 4–6 years.

(50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 48% Merlot, 1% Petit Verdot, 1% Cabernet Franc, 13.3% alc./vol., production 95,000 bottles) Herbs, light bouquet, red berries, wood, pepper. Firm, slender palate with a touch of sweet fruit, sandy tannins, firm structure, dry finish. Can improve further. 16/20 2025 - 2036

Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2019 Fourcas Hosten starts off with bright kirsch, redcurrant jelly, and black raspberry notes leading to wafts of lavender and underbrush. Medium-bodied, the palate is refreshing and delivers wonderfully pure red and black fruit with soft tannins and a lifted finish. This is an impressive showing!

The 2019 grand vin is, as we anticipated, a major success for the estate, which has crafted a wine with fine structure that is nonetheless not lacking in finesse and elegance. A new benchmark for this cru, whose consistency is now well established.

A nose of blue fruits, clear and inviting. Pure and straight on the palate, with lovely fruit, notes of raspberry and fresh wood. The finish could be longer.

Beautiful dark color. Moderately intense nose with ripe fruit. On the palate, the core is austere. The execution is probably more aromatic than in the past, but overall it struggles to find the path to a truly pleasurable tasting journey.

Kunz barrel sample 2020: (50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 48% Merlot, 1% Petit Verdot, 1% Cabernet Franc, 13.3% vol. alcohol, production 95,000 bottles) Herbal notes, light bouquet, red berries, wood, pepper. Firm, slender palate with light sweet fruit, sandy tannins, a solid structure, and a dry finish. Has room to improve.