| Region | |
|---|---|
| Subregion | France > Bordeaux > Right Bank > St Emilion |
| Colour | Red |
| Type | Still |
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 and J-C Berrouet are consultants here.
View all vintages of this wine | View all wines by Clos Fourtet
This has a level of composure and energetic fruit on the palate that sets it above the rest in 2017. The nose has fresh blue fruit and hints of graphite and slate. The palate is succulent and juicy, right through to the very long finish. Drink or hold.
Clos Fourtet 2017 is a blend of 86% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon and 4% Cabernet Franc. There was frost at the bottom of the vineyard that year but all the vines and wines that were frosted were kept separate. It was also a very dry vintage. The resulting wine is deep garnet-purple in color and it rolls out of the glass with up-front scents of blackberry preserves, chocolate-covered cherries, and Chinese five spice plus suggestions of potpourri, camphor, and crushed rocks. Medium to full-bodied, the palate delivers mouth-filling black fruits with a firm frame of finely grained tannins and great tension, finishing long and minerally.
Good quality with depth of complexity and layers. An excellent Clos Fourtet that really lives up to the success of recent vintages, if not quite at the level of its 2015 and 2016. Damson, dark chocolate and saline notes are bolstered by extremely dark fruits that have the juice to carry them through the mid-palate, the oak supporting rather than overwhelming. There's a slight austerity and savoury edge to the fruit that speaks of 2017, but this is easily hitting the heights of St-Émilion in this vintage.
Drinking Window 2025 - 2038
Black core with purple rim. Sweet and a little charry on the nose. A little less fruit on the palate than I expected from the aroma. Tannins are chalky but hold a firm grip and this needs time. But there's fruit at the core.
Drink 2024-2030
The fruit feels ripe the nose is sweet with depth the palate a rich ripe mix of mainly black fruits. Lighter at the back bilberry and bramble balance and refresh but it fills out on the finish with depth of fruit. 2024-31
A very aromatic and oaky wine, with a large volume of fruit, too, this is a slightly angular and tense creation but it is certainly on the right track. The overall feel is of a dark and powerful wine and this doesn’t quite fit with the ‘shape’ of the vintage, but there is some compromise here and this is a decent effort.
A very sexy young wine with a solid center palate and refined, integrated tannins. Medium body. Everything is in the right place.
Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2017 Clos Fourtet is profoundly scented of baked blackberries, plum preserves, mulberries and kirsch with hints of cedar chest, iron ore and tapenade plus a waft of smoked meats. Medium-bodied, the palate is laden with earthy/savory nuances, supported by finely grained tannins and loads of freshness, finishing long and earthy. The blend is 90% Merlot,7% Cabernet Franc and 3% Cabernet Franc. It was aged for 16 months in french oak barrels, 60% new. 2021-2041.
Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2017 Clos Fourtet is scented of crème de cassis, blueberry compote and plum preserves with touches of hoisin, truffles and dark chocolate plus a waft of anise. Medium to full-bodied, the generous fruit is plushly textured with great freshness, finishing long and spicy.
