Clos Fourtet 2019

20ha of prime St Emilion 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, salinity and austerity but creamy in texture, with pure, well chiselled blueberry, blackberry and raspberry fruits with peony flowers on the finish. Biodynamic farming, but not certified. 38hl/h yield. 50% new oak, 2% amphoras.

Tasted blind. Correct and classy but very reined-in. Taut finish and no opulence. But it grew in the glass. 14.5%Drink 2026– 2040

The 2019 Château Clos Fourtet is another gem from the Right Bank that delivers the goods. From the upper, limestone plateau and always a bigger, richer wine than its neighbors (Canon, Beau-Séjour Bécot), it still shows incredible minerality and limestone character in its deep black cherry, currant, and mulberry fruits as well as scorched earth, chalky minerality, roasted herb, licorice, and white flower-like aromas and flavors. Rich, full-bodied, concentrated, and structured on the palate, it's flawlessly balanced, has ripe, broad, building tannins, an expansive mouthfeel, and a great, great finish. It needs a decade of bottle age, but it’s truly brilliant stuff.

The 2019 Clos Fourtet has a beautifully defined bouquet of vivacious red berry fruit, wild hedgerow, cassis and crushed violets, intense at the moment, and yet I think this is going to close down. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins, blackberry, a touch of tar, and a pinch of white pepper on a finish that fans out gloriously. A long-term prospect. 2025 - 2055

The 2019 Clos Fourtet continues its strong run of form under the direction of Mathieu Cuvelier and his team. It sprints out of the blocks with intense blackberries, raspberry coulis, blood orange and crushed violet aromas, touches of iodine developing as it musters ever increasing delineation. The palate is medium-bodied but (as expected) contains more weight and girth compared to its peers. Firm grip, solid and yet graceful, there is a crescendo of flavours towards its heady, focused and very persistent finish. Wonderful salinity in the mouth, the aftertaste is one of the longest you will find on the Right Bank. Fabulous. 2025 - 2055

A beautiful core of ripe fruit in the center palate with deep, dark-chocolate undertones. It’s full-bodied with layers of fruit and ripe tannins. Flavorful finish.

Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2019 Clos Fourtet tumbles effortlessly out of the glass with fragrant scents of baked plums, stewed black cherries, and red currant jelly, leading to suggestions of violets, star anise, and crushed rocks. Full-bodied, the palate is intense and wonderfully expressive with a ripe, plush texture and bags of freshness, finishing very long and fragrant. An impressive wine!

Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2019 Clos Fourtet has a knock-out nose of baked blueberries, boysenberries and stewed plums with hints of chocolate-covered cherries, spice cake, candied violets and woodsmoke plus a touch of cast-iron pan. The medium to full-bodied palate is packed with layer upon layer of blue and black fruit preserves with loads of floral and mineral sparks and firm, rounded tannins, finishing long with fantastic energy and depth. If you're looking for that "iron fist in a velvet glove" experience in 2019, look no further. 2024 - 2055