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Chateau Fonplegade Saint Emilion Grand Cru 2016 750ml

size
750ml
country
France
region
Bordeaux
appellation
Saint Emilion
DC
96
WA
96
JS
95
JD
94
VM
93
WE
92
WS
92
Additional vintages
DC
96
Rated 96 by Decanter
Pure, dark chocolate spread, liquorice root and slate edging. Rich fruits, but with crushed mint leaves gathering pace though the palate to lift things up. Just the nose itself would keep you occupied for a good while, and on the palate it jumps out of the glass. Seriously impressive stuff, clear minerality, pulsing with life. The 2015 vintage was seen at the time as being better in St Emilion but with every year that passes it becomes more clear that 2016 is the one with real legs. One of the real bargains of the vintage also, as this is available at around £30 in bond per bottle in the UK market. 60% new oak, 30% one year and the rest in cement eggs. Drinking Window 2027 - 2040. ... More details
Image of bottle
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Chateau Fonplegade Saint Emilion Grand Cru 2016 750ml

SKU 875348
Case Only Purchase
Long-term Pre-Arrival
$377.70
/case
$62.95
/750ml bottle
Quantity
min order 6 bottles
* This is a Long-term Pre-arrival item and is available for online ordering only. This item will ship on a future date after a 4-8 months transfer time. For additional details about Pre-arrival Items please visit our FAQ page.
Professional Ratings
DC
96
WA
96
JS
95
JD
94
VM
93
WE
92
WS
92
DC
96
Rated 96 by Decanter
Pure, dark chocolate spread, liquorice root and slate edging. Rich fruits, but with crushed mint leaves gathering pace though the palate to lift things up. Just the nose itself would keep you occupied for a good while, and on the palate it jumps out of the glass. Seriously impressive stuff, clear minerality, pulsing with life. The 2015 vintage was seen at the time as being better in St Emilion but with every year that passes it becomes more clear that 2016 is the one with real legs. One of the real bargains of the vintage also, as this is available at around £30 in bond per bottle in the UK market. 60% new oak, 30% one year and the rest in cement eggs. Drinking Window 2027 - 2040.
WA
96
Rated 96 by Wine Advocate
Medium to deep garnet-purple in color, the 2016 Fonplegade opens with a very savory nose of smoked meats, tapenade, sautéed herbs and beef drippings over a core of plum preserves, chocolate-covered cherries and cedar chest plus wafts of violets and cigars. Medium to full-bodied, the palate possesses both intensity and elegance, with the black fruit layers superbly framed by firm, fine-grained tannins and wonderful freshness, finishing long and mineral laced.
JS
95
Rated 95 by James Suckling
A very suave, modern-style St.-Emilion with fine blackberry aromas and some bitter chocolate. Excellent balance of fruit, generous velvety tannins and lively acidity on the rich palate. Long, clean and supple finish. Drink or hold.
JD
94
Rated 94 by Jeb Dunnuck
Matching the blockbuster 2015 in quality, the 2016 Château Fonplégade is a ripe, fleshy, sexy wine that's loaded with notions of jammy blackberry, cassis, dried earth, and spice. With full-bodied richness, plenty of mid-palate depth, and a layered, fruit-forward style, it nevertheless has solid underlying structure and length, all promising a solid evolution. I’d be happy to drink bottles any time over the coming two decades or more.
VM
93
Rated 93 by Vinous Media
The 2016 Fonplégade offers intense blackberry, boysenberry and fig on the nose, which is quite ravishing in style but well defined. The balanced, slightly citric palate delivers sappy black fruit and impressive energy; it feels modern and velvety yet retains admirable delineation through to the rounded finish. This is a very promising Saint-Émilion from Stephen and Denise Adams.
WE
92
Rated 92 by Wine Enthusiast
Barrel Sample. This densely concentrated wine is dark and serious, with powerful tannins. It has a bitter edge and black chocolate flavors along with dark plum-skin flavor. The structure will stand this big wine in good stead as it ages.
WS
92
Rated 92 by Wine Spectator
Delightfully fruit-filled, with warm, creamy layers of cassis, raspberry puree and plum reduction gliding through atop a velvety structure. Anise and fruitcake notes take hold on the finish, adding range and extra detail. A bit forward in style, but an echo of chalky minerality keeps this honest. Drink now through 2033. 4,000 cases made.
Product Details
size
750ml
country
France
region
Bordeaux
appellation
Saint Emilion
Additional vintages
Overview
Pure, dark chocolate spread, liquorice root and slate edging. Rich fruits, but with crushed mint leaves gathering pace though the palate to lift things up. Just the nose itself would keep you occupied for a good while, and on the palate it jumps out of the glass. Seriously impressive stuff, clear minerality, pulsing with life. The 2015 vintage was seen at the time as being better in St Emilion but with every year that passes it becomes more clear that 2016 is the one with real legs. One of the real bargains of the vintage also, as this is available at around £30 in bond per bottle in the UK market. 60% new oak, 30% one year and the rest in cement eggs. Drinking Window 2027 - 2040.
green grapes

Varietal: Red Bordeaux

The Bordeaux region of France consistently enjoys the reputation of being the finest region for wine making in the world. But what is it that makes this area around the Gironde river so special? The secret lies in their ancient and careful blend of no more than six high quality, flavorful and unique grape varietals. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Carménere are all permitted for usage in the production of Bordeaux wines, and the winery carefully considers how to balance the fine points of one varietal against another. Most commonly, Cabernet Sauvignon is used as the main grape varietal, usually with vintners making wines containing upwards of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon grape juices. This varietal lends its big, spicy, fruity flavors and astringent, tannin-heavy character to the mix. Normally, this strong varietal is then tempered and rounded by Merlot, a fleshy, fruity and far lighter bodied grape, containing far fewer tannins and a much brighter flavor The blended wines are normally left to age in oak, where they can continue to work together and produce their wonderful results.
barrel

Region: Bordeaux

The Bordeaux region of France is possibly the most famous and widely respected wine region in the world. Known primarily for its exceptional blended red wines, made most commonly with Cabernet Sauvigon, Merlot and Petit Verdot grape varietals, it also produces superb dry white wines (both blended and single variety), alongside the highly esteemed sweet wines of Sauternes. All of these wine types use a careful mix of traditional wine-making methods alongside modern techniques, as well as more experimental and unorthodox practices such as turning their grapes over to the noble rot which intensifies the flavors in the sweet wines. Bordeaux benefits greatly from its position amongst wide river basins, and the cooling Atlantic breezes which blow across the rolling vineyards which cover this region.
fields

Country: France

France is renowned across the globe for its quality wines and the careful expertise which goes into making them, but what is truly remarkable about this relatively small country is the vast range of wines it produces in such huge amounts each year. Not only are the finest red wines in the world said to come from the beautiful regions of Bordeaux and Burgundy, but elsewhere in the country we find the Champagne region, and areas such as the Rhone Valley and the Loire, whose white wines consistently receive awards and accolades by the plenty. This range is a result of the great variety of climatic conditions and terrain found in France, coupled with generations of wine makers working within single appellations. Their knowledge of specific terroirs and grape varieties has, over time, perfected the production of wines within their region, and the end results continue to impress the world to this day.
bottle and glass

Appellation: Saint Emilion

The beautiful sub-region of Saint Emilion in France's legendary Bordeaux region is regarded as the home of many of the world's finest red wines. The blending techniques employed in Saint Emilion have been passed down for generations, and aim to express the very finest flavors of the grape varietals used, most commonly Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. The climatic conditions in Saint Emilion are perfect for growing many of the Bordeaux grapes, and high yields of exceptional quality are commonplace. Fed by the mighty Gironde river and benefiting from superb clay and gravel based soils, Saint Emilion produces millions of bottles of high quality blended and unblended red wines each year, and continues to be a firm favorite of wine experts and the general public alike.
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More Details
green grapes

Varietal: Red Bordeaux

The Bordeaux region of France consistently enjoys the reputation of being the finest region for wine making in the world. But what is it that makes this area around the Gironde river so special? The secret lies in their ancient and careful blend of no more than six high quality, flavorful and unique grape varietals. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Carménere are all permitted for usage in the production of Bordeaux wines, and the winery carefully considers how to balance the fine points of one varietal against another. Most commonly, Cabernet Sauvignon is used as the main grape varietal, usually with vintners making wines containing upwards of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon grape juices. This varietal lends its big, spicy, fruity flavors and astringent, tannin-heavy character to the mix. Normally, this strong varietal is then tempered and rounded by Merlot, a fleshy, fruity and far lighter bodied grape, containing far fewer tannins and a much brighter flavor The blended wines are normally left to age in oak, where they can continue to work together and produce their wonderful results.
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Region: Bordeaux

The Bordeaux region of France is possibly the most famous and widely respected wine region in the world. Known primarily for its exceptional blended red wines, made most commonly with Cabernet Sauvigon, Merlot and Petit Verdot grape varietals, it also produces superb dry white wines (both blended and single variety), alongside the highly esteemed sweet wines of Sauternes. All of these wine types use a careful mix of traditional wine-making methods alongside modern techniques, as well as more experimental and unorthodox practices such as turning their grapes over to the noble rot which intensifies the flavors in the sweet wines. Bordeaux benefits greatly from its position amongst wide river basins, and the cooling Atlantic breezes which blow across the rolling vineyards which cover this region.
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Country: France

France is renowned across the globe for its quality wines and the careful expertise which goes into making them, but what is truly remarkable about this relatively small country is the vast range of wines it produces in such huge amounts each year. Not only are the finest red wines in the world said to come from the beautiful regions of Bordeaux and Burgundy, but elsewhere in the country we find the Champagne region, and areas such as the Rhone Valley and the Loire, whose white wines consistently receive awards and accolades by the plenty. This range is a result of the great variety of climatic conditions and terrain found in France, coupled with generations of wine makers working within single appellations. Their knowledge of specific terroirs and grape varieties has, over time, perfected the production of wines within their region, and the end results continue to impress the world to this day.
bottle and glass

Appellation: Saint Emilion

The beautiful sub-region of Saint Emilion in France's legendary Bordeaux region is regarded as the home of many of the world's finest red wines. The blending techniques employed in Saint Emilion have been passed down for generations, and aim to express the very finest flavors of the grape varietals used, most commonly Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. The climatic conditions in Saint Emilion are perfect for growing many of the Bordeaux grapes, and high yields of exceptional quality are commonplace. Fed by the mighty Gironde river and benefiting from superb clay and gravel based soils, Saint Emilion produces millions of bottles of high quality blended and unblended red wines each year, and continues to be a firm favorite of wine experts and the general public alike.