Clos Fourtet 2015

The 2015 Clos-Fourtet has a sensual, warm bouquet with chestnut and smoke-tinged red fruit, well defined and more understated than its peers. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, elegant and refined, silky and smooth in texture with beautifully poised red cherry and cranberry notes toward the finish. A tang of tobacco lingers on the aftertaste. Stunning. Tasted blind at the Southwold 2015 Bordeaux tasting.

This is very velvety and flamboyant with a sexy mouthfeel and rich and delicious fruit. Exotic and more-ish. All there. So much fun to taste.

Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, the 2015 Clos Fourtet has lifted menthol notes on the nose over a core of chocolate-covered cherries, dried mulberries, baked plums and potpourri plus a touch of cloves. Medium-bodied and very firm with lovely ripe, fine-grained tannins and plenty of freshness, it finishes long and perfumed. 2022 - 2039

Tasted blind. Dark crimson. Heady and quite intriguing. Neat and dry. A tad drying on the end but impressive persistence.
Drink 2024-2040

Mid to deep crimson. Oaky first impression, but with a nice lifted freshness of fruit as it opens in the glass. Dry, tight and finely textured, really rather elegant and more austere than many in this vintage but all in harmony. (JH) 14%
Drink 2024-2038

Situated in the heart of Saint Emilion, close to Canon, this is one of the great vineyards of the appellation. The 19 hectares of vines are planted with 87% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Cabernet Franc. 70% new oak is used. Stephane Derenoncourt consults here. Matthieu Cuvelier told us that his 2015 has "complexity, approachability and is both open and complete". Deep purple colour. Baked strawberries, vanilla and toasted brioche on the nose. The palate is intense and concentrated with succulent, baked red fruits. Very exotic in its Merlot character with a little wood spice and generous, velvety tannins. Modern but well balanced and approachable.

An absolute blockbuster is the 2015 Clos Fourtet, which is a blend of 88% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Cabernet Franc. It offers a huge nose of black and blue fruits, loads of incense, violets, chocolate, and underbrush aromas, full body, a seductive, ethereal texture, lots of fine tannins, and a finish that just won’t quit. This is as classy, seamless, and elegant as it gets. Give bottle 4-5 years of bottle age and enjoy over the following two decades. 2022 - 2042

The fruit on both nose and palate is ripe the nose has depth the palate richness with a mix of ripe black fruits. It feels fresher towards the back good balance with the sweet black fruits giving richness and depth on the finish. 2022-35

The Cabernet Sauvignon is always a key feature of this wine, and it’s the case again here
in 2015, providing structure and backbone. This is a little closed, but has the intensity,
limestone-derived freshness and sheer class to age well in bottle. Drink: 2022-30

Floral, bright, charming and relaxed on the nose, I like this style of wine because it doesn’t shove the oak up your nose
from the off leaving you to discover it along the journey. Robust and rewarding, this is a classic Clos Fourtet with a decent
life ahead.