Clos Fourtet 2021

The 2021 Clos Fourtet opens in the glass with notes of dark berries, plums, spices and subtle hints of smoked meats and toasty oak. Medium-bodied, fleshy and ample, with powdery tannins that assert themselves on the gently structured finish, this remains a strong effort, but it doesn't quite deliver the depth and plenitude it seemed to en primeur.

Shows a sleek, refined core of black cherry and cassis flavors, lined with lengthy but filigreed chalky threads and backed by an alluring whiff of black tea. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Drink now through 2036. 4,000 cases made, 500 cases imported.

An improvement on its Primeurs score. Delicately fragranced on the nose with soft red berry and pink floral notes. Smells pretty and inviting with delicate accents of green peppercorns, vanilla and clove. Supple in a juicy, textured way with a finessed energy that definitely doesn't shout out of the glass but is quietly confident. Finessed and well put together, almost sinewy in the construction - fine tannins, acidity, pure red fruit and a long liquorice and wet stone finish. Really complete, just dialed down, very in keeping with the vintage. Nothing is out of place. A lovely wine with the delicate sweet juiciness that I love. May be too light for some, but this is great.

Lots of vibrant blue berries, black cherries, and violets, followed by eucalyptus and vanilla beans with subtle black ink and stony mineral notes. Full-bodied, solid tannins with soft acidity. Wonderful frame and structure with density. Sophisticated. Try after 2026.

The 2021 Clos Fourtet has an attractive bouquet of blackberry, wild strawberry, incense, and touches of marmalade in the background. It seems to gain a little intensity with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with a sapid entry, fine depth, and acidity. It’s quite dense and just a little blocky toward the finish, where I would like to see more complexity develop with time. It’s a more backward Saint-Émilion, but it will reward those with the sense to cellar it for several years.

The wine pops with flowers, black cherries, espresso beans, licorice and black cherries. Medium-bodied, elegant and vibrant, the supple, almost creamy finish is loaded with plums, cherries and a refreshing sprig of mint to wrap things up. The wine blends 90% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc and 3% Cabernet Sauvignon. Drink from 2025-2049.

Deep dark ruby red with a purple tinge at the rim. Dark forest berries, restrained cranberries and red cherries, a little nougat. Medium-bodied, subtle cherry fruit, fine tannins, delicate herbal savouriness on the finish, medium length.

A wine that needs air to show at its best, the 2021 Clos Fourtet is a Merlot-dominated blend that includes 7% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Cabernet Sauvignon, all of which spent 14–18 months in 50% new oak. Its deep ruby/plum hue is followed by a solid yet inward bouquet of ripe black cherries, smoked earth, graphite, and chalky minerality. This carries to a medium-bodied Saint-Emilion offering plenty of tannins, good mid-palate density, and the straight, focused, linear yet concentrated style of the top wines in the vintage.

Rich, juicy fruit, very expressive and clear on the nose, Clos Fourtet 2021 still shows little depth. Dense and precise on the palate, totally fresh and structured, with somewhat dull aromatics and plenty of racy tannins. Great breadth on the palate and a firm, core-driven mid-palate. The fruit feels riper than the youthful structure. The tannins have more class than the core aromatic statement.

Kunz barrel sample 2022: (90% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Cabernet Franc, 40 hl/ha, 13.5% vol. alcohol, production 55,000 bottles) Velvety, fruity, fresh bouquet, strawberry jelly, blackberries, hazelnut pralines, fine licorice. Creamy, full palate with sweet fruit, plenty of fine tannins, creamy texture, powerful aromatics, long, full finish.

(90% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Cabernet Franc, 40 hl/ha, 13.5% alc. vol., production 55,000 bottles) Velvety, fruity, fresh bouquet, strawberry jelly, blackberries, hazelnut pralines, a touch of licorice. Creamy, full palate with sweet fruit, plenty of fine tannins, a creamy structure, powerful aromatics, and a long, full finish. 18/20 2028 - 2048

Austere opening beats, with sculpted, savoury and understated black cherry and pomegranate fruits, subdued but with beautiful finesse and a slow build across the palate. Love the kick of oyster-shell salinity on the finish, and the peony floral aromatics that keep you engaged. A reasonable yield of 40 hl/ha, as its location was once again protected from frost. Clay-limestone soils. 50% new oak, 2% amphoras. The sheer class of this estate has emerged even more clearly with ageing, and this earns a one-point upgrade.

Monolithic at first, it opens up to heady notes of strawberries and fully ripe plums. On the palate, the wine is fresh and accomplished, its delectable flavors stretching out and winding into every corner. The smoky, mineral, savory notes on the finish have a playful edge, upending our expectations.

Such finesse and detail in this wine’s bouquet. It stands out for its clarity, power, and elegance… with muscle to boot. This wine makes the palate water; it invites you to drink it while making clear it still has many years ahead. I suggest tasting it regularly to follow its evolution… you just need to have enough of it! A linear, fine, powerful, sapid wine.

Beautiful deep red, purple. Intense, refined nose, fruity, fresh and ripe. Delicate on the attack and immediately endowed with a meticulous, refined touch, the wine develops flavorful, tender, slightly velvety notes, leading to a sappy finish in which a touch of liveliness returns. Blend: 90% merlot, 7% cabernet sauvignon, 3% cabernet franc. Alcohol: 13.5% - pH: 3.6. Yield: 40 hl/ha.

A blend of 90% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 3% Cabernet Franc, Clos Fourtet 2021 is deep garnet-purple in color. It comes prancing out with gregarious notes of kirsch, black raspberries, and blueberry pie, opening out to wafts of violets, star anise, chocolate mint, and tilled soil. The medium-bodied palate delivers an impressive intensity of red and black fruit layers, complemented by a plush texture and refreshing acidity, finishing long and fragrant.