Clos Fourtet 2019

Compared to the 2018, this vintage shows a cooler profile while still delivering ripe red and black fruit: more tobacco leaf than glycerine. Even if the alcohol and pH are similar, this vintage was aged in less new oak and was the first to include some amphorae. The tannins are noticeable at this very early stage, even slightly more aggressive than those of the 2018. But once they settle, the 2019 will overtake the 2018, if only thanks to slightly better balance. pH 3.6.

Lots of purple fruit with white pepper and crushed stones on the nose. It’s full-bodied, yet tight and poised, with a very chalky and salty undertone to the purple fruit. Flavorful finish. Linear and long. Try after 2026.

The 2019 Clos Fourtet is positively stellar, just as it was from barrel. It presents a beguiling mix of dense, plush fruit packed into a classically structured frame. The first impression is one of opulence, until the minerality of Saint-Émilion’s famed plateau begins to emerge. Black cherry, plum, leather, exotic spice, licorice and blood orange build into the statuesque, explosive finish. The 2019 is a magnificent effort from the Cuvelier family and long-time consulting winemaker Stephane Derenoncourt.

Even better in the bottle after its aging period, the wine explodes with flowers, black cherries, plums, mint, espresso, cocoa, licorice and crushed rocks. The wine is full-bodied, opulent, rich, silky, fresh and long. The palate is coated with layers of dark red pit fruits with that elusive touch of salt, silky tannins and purity in the fruits that radiate from the mid-palate continuing all the way through to the long, velvety, harmonious finish. Give this at least a few years in the cellar and it should offer pleasure for the following 3 decades with ease. Drink from 2025-2055.

Deep dark ruby in colour with an opaque core, purple reflections, and subtle brightening on the rim. A somewhat shy bouquet on the nose, with aromas of dark berries, plum and some nougat, discreetly backed by tangerine zest. The palate is finely meshed, with ripe tannins, very mineral and saline, subtly fruity with notes of red cherry and delicate herbal spice on the medium-length finish. This still seems a bit underdeveloped and austere at the moment.

20ha of prime Saint-Émilion limestone, punching at the very top of its game. This is muscular, less exuberant than the exceptional 2018, but this is still easily one of the wines of the vintage: saline and austere yet creamy in texture, with pure, well-chiselled blueberry, blackberry and raspberry fruit, and peony notes on the finish. Biodynamic farming, but not certified. 38 hl/ha yield. 50% new oak, 2% amphorae.

The 2019 Clos Fourtet is a blend of 90% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 3% Cabernet Franc. Deep garnet-purple in color, it bursts from the glass with energetic scents of crushed blackberries, juicy black plums, and black raspberries, plus hints of cedar, pencil shavings, and chocolate box. The full-bodied palate is taut and tightly wound, with layers of black fruit and minerality supported by firm, grainy tannins, finishing with a spicy lift.

The perfect flesh and the precise, juicy brightness of the 2019 ultimately confirm we are dealing with a great terroir, yielding a silky wine with graphite notes perfectly aligned with the biodynamics practiced by the Cuvelier family, celebrating 20 years on the cru. A touch of tobacco, fresh fruit, hints of oyster leaf, a chalky backdrop: the nose offers complexity, a promise of future delights. The textured silkiness of the tannin does not mask the power of the vintage, with an extension that is unmistakably that of the cru.

A beautiful fresh bouquet, harmonious and straightforward, wrapping you in satin sheets. On the palate, there is superb fresh fruit, perfectly ripe and crisp, with lovely floral complexity and a roasted finish with mocha notes.

Clos Fourtet does not reinvent itself; rather, it evolves and looks ahead. The finesse of the fruit and the floral notes are solid indicators, while the minerality ensures complexity and freshness. On the palate, the wine unfolds step by step. It is fresh, powerful, and endowed with tight, very fine-grained tannins that deliver impressive power in concert with the acid structure. This Clos Fourtet combines charm and energy through its inviting character and tension. It will require patience, as it reveals itself gradually, and its power—only fully expressed on the finish—can be underestimated. Saline, juicy, and persistent finish.

The nose is fruity, elegant, beautifully distinctive, with lovely aromatic power (yet all in finesse). It reveals notes of wild blackcurrant, wild blackberry and, more subtly, fleshy wild strawberry, combined with small touches of pepper, spices, nutmeg, as well as fine hints of crisp purple plum, lily, and a discreet toasted note (in the background). The palate is fruity, mineral, balanced, elegant, beautifully distinctive, very discreetly tight, and offers a fine acidulous framework, lovely finesse/elegance of structure, freshness, power in finesse, and a silky touch. On the palate, this wine expresses notes of juicy/ripe wild raspberry, ripe/juicy wild blackcurrant and, more slightly, violet, combined with small touches of crisp/juicy plum as well as fine hints of licorice stick, fresh blond tobacco, a very discreet hint of cardamom, and an imperceptible hint of pepper (in the background). The tannins are elegant and racy. Good length.

Logo on the capsule: AL Dark, intense, purple and beautiful color. Very aromatic and subtle nose with ripe fruit and complex nuances. A suave, truffled touch as it opens up. Precise on the attack, particularly aromatic mid‑palate, supported by a melting texture and plenty of flavor; the wine caresses the palate with fine grain, leading to great length with a distinguished structure. This is very good.

There's ample dark cherry, plum and boysenberry compote flavors in this red, along with a rare hint of brightness for the vintage. Licorice root and applewood accents fill in through the finish, while an underlying chalky minerality gives this additional form as well. Very solid. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2025 through 2038. 3,500 cases made, 500 cases imported.

One of the finest mid-palates among the premiers, with perfectly asserted and assured depth. The evolution in the glass is serene, the texture broad, refined, and delightful. This cru perfectly expresses its terroir thanks to the preserved acidic potential. Best reserved in magnum; it’s a charmer with a smooth, velvety texture.

A very fine wine, rich and generous in all the senses. It has weight, density set against elegant black fruits and spice from wood aging. The wine will need many years. Drink from 2027.