Chateau de Fonbel 2019

85% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Carmenère. Barrel sample. Fresh fruit aroma and flavour with a savoury edge. Palate lively, juicy, with light, chalky tannins. Simple but appetising. (JL)

The 2019 Château de Fonbel lacks a little delineation on the nose, a mixture of earthy red and black fruit, dry tobacco and graphite. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins. One of the more pliant Saint-Émilion wines this vintage with a smooth, seductive finish that doesn't quite deliver the complexity expected at the moment. Tasted blind at the Southwold annual tasting.

The 2019 de Fonbel is made from 85% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 5% Carmenere. Medium to deep garnet-purple in color, it delivers bright, breezy notes of red cherry preserves and black raspberry followed by hints of lavender, star anise, and wild sage. The medium-bodied palate has a racy backbone and grainy tannins with bright, crunchy fruit and great length.

From a 16-hectare vineyard on sandy soils on the plain, the 2019 Fonbel is a Merlot-dominant blend complemented by some Cabernet Sauvignon and, since 2004, Carmenère. Offering up aromas of blueberries, raspberries and loamy soil, it's a medium to full-bodied, ample and succulent wine with delicate tannins and a supple, giving profile. Fully 70% is matured in tank to keep the fruit in the foreground.

Attractive nose of cherries, olives, undergrowth, ground coriander and chestnut mushrooms. It’s medium-bodied with fine, well-integrated tannins. Fleshy and flavorful with savory character. Try in 2025.

[ Primeurs 2019 Score: 89-90 ] This is all about suppleness and immediate appeal from this southern part of Saint-Emilion.

The floral note might suggest a bit of CF, but in fact there isn’t any! One can instead look to Carménère, which stands out for its varietal character with hints of eucalyptus. The wine has compact, tight tannins that clearly indicate strong ageing potential.

Dark, intense color. The nose is slightly discreet, but shows lovely pure, well-ripened fruit. Very fruity on the palate, with a light-bodied feel, plenty of brightness, and no angular tannins. Very tasty. Best enjoyed young.

The wine's richness comes from the ripe black fruits that sing with density as well as freshness. This is a concentrated wine that is full of black currant crispness as well. Drink from 2024.