Tobacco, pencil lead, rubber, violets, dark chocolate, vanilla, cinnamon and mint. Silky, smooth and glossy, with depth but no heaviness. Piercingly fresh with a tang of liquorice and flint. Not fully open, narrowing towards the finish but exuding class. Acidity is excellent. While there are lots of impressive 2022s, this makes you sit up, take note and then drink the whole glass. A wine that makes you smile.
The 2022 Clos Fourtet is based on a normal blend of 90% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Cabernet Franc that was brought up 40% new oak, with the balance in once-used barrels. It has incredibly pure aromatics of black cherries, black raspberries, scorched earth, graphite, white flowers, and truffly minerality. This carries to a medium to full-bodied, pure, detailed beauty that has flawless overall balance, a silky, elegant mouthfeel, ultra-fine tannins, and a great finish. It's one of the more seamless, pretty, elegant wines in the vintage and should benefit from a decade of cellaring. It’s a fabulous expression of this crème de la crème terroir on the upper limestone plateau.
Extremely aromatic with iron, chalk, lead pencil and currants following through to a medium to full body with integrated tannins that are polished and very long. Wonderful balance to this with just hints of fresh herbs like basil and thyme. A blend of 90% merlot, 7% cabernet sauvignon and 3% cabernet franc. Give this four or five years to come together.
This is alluring, with a core of gently mulled blackberry and boysenberry fruit that shows a smoldering edge, with black tea, licorice, apple wood and tobacco details. There's underlying tension too, with a tug of chalk buried deeply on the very long and well-structured finish. For the cellar. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2026 through 2042.
The 2022 Clos Fourtet has turned out exceptionally well, offering an enticing bouquet of rose, plums, dark berries, licorice and spices. Medium to full-bodied, enrobing and seamless, it's deep and complete with a fleshy core of fruit, velvety tannins and a long, mineral and saline finish enhanced by notes of vibrant dark berries. As readers may remember, this blend of 90% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Cabernet Franc was matured for 18 months in 50% new barrels, used barrels and amphorae.
The 2022 Clos Fourtet is tightly wound on the nose, mainly black fruit here, well-integrated oak, a little backward but there is a sense of sophistication that comes through. The palate is medium-bodied with a ripe red berry entry, graphite and orange rind. Quite complex and cohesive with a little creaminess towards the finish, this is a Saint-Émilion with much to offer. Tasted blind at the Southwold tasting in London.
TWI
95pts
The Wine Independent
The grand vin from Mathieu Cuvelier is a blend of 90% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Cabernet Franc, and the élevage was in 40% new oak, 58% second-fill oak barrels and 2% Tava amphorae. I find a nose of sweet, perfumed and highly expressive fruit, with a crystalline and fresh definition, the redcurrants, red cherry, blackcurrant and black bean nuances dusted with fragrant herbs, especially rosemary, lavender and rose. A charming style on the palate, finely integrated, perfumed and poised, elegantly textured and reserved, with a fine base of tannins, providing a filigree layer of structure for the fruit, which drips with limestone energy. A charming, fragrant, perfumed style, almost Burgundian, which finishes with some finely honed tannins, and a great length. A very fine Clos Fourtet which will age well. Tasted twice. The alcohol on the label is 14%.